History of Life by Splonkadumpocus

[Splonkadumpocus]

Okay, here's what I really came back to share with you, and it's been a long-running project of mine.

So when it comes to my collection, I really don't have enough space to display it all at once. So my solution has been to make a little diorama for each week of the year between New Year's and the start of the Christmas season to display a little bit at a time. These start at the Cambrian and go all the way to the Pleistocene in chronological order. This time, I will be sharing each one with you as they happen, as well as a few pictures of different fossils and locations relating to the different time periods.

One thing to note is that I do have a few knock-off figures, one set from Ja Ru from long ago and one set from Toymany that I got more recently in order to fill some gaps in the early Paleozoic (with a few Mesozoic ammonites as well). I'm not exactly proud of this, but it's there regardless.

Also, I am transgender and many of the pictures were taken before I realized this, so some of the pictures I'm in won't really show me the same as I am now.

The first scene will be up on Monday, showing the middle Cambrian. I look forward to sharing.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

A quite ambitious project yet a good idea for a thread! I think it is a very good way to showcase your collection. Waiting eagerly to see your collection.

[ceratopsian]

What a good idea!  Looking forward to your displays.

[Crackington]

Yes looking forward to seeing the different eras. Don't worry about the knock-offs!

[GojiraGuy1954]

Nice

[Splonkadumpocus]

Decided to get started early.

Cambrian Period (and a little Ediacaran), 500 million BC
L-R: Olenoides (Toymany)
Sidneyia (Safari Cambrian Toob)
Anomalocaris (Toymany)
Charniodiscus (Safari Cambrian Toob)
Tricrepicephalus (Safari Cambrian Toob)
Sanctacaris (Safari Cambrian Toob)
Ottoia (Safari Cambrian Toob)
Opabinia (Toymany)


Infilled burrows from the Deadwood Formation in western South Dakota.


Charniodiscus and Opabinia at the Smithsonian.


Peytoia and some Anomalocaris appendages at the Smithsonian.

[Halichoeres]

I've done rotating displays for other collections. Although there is something satisfying about having an entire collection on display, rotating is a great way to keep it feeling fresh. Looking forward to seeing your displays.

I'm a big fan of the Cambrian. Have you considered any of the Oumcraft miniatures? There's a huge variety of Cambrian ones.

[Splonkadumpocus]

I wasn't thinking much about using gaming miniatures in my displays, but I have seen a few of the ones you're referring to.

[Splonkadumpocus]

Another week, another scene.

Ordovician period, 460 million BC
LR: Orthoceras (Collecta)
Naraoia (Safari Cambrian Toob)
Cameroceras (Toymany)
Vauxia (Safari Cambrian Toob)
Trilobite (Bullyland)


Unconformity between the Whitewood Formation (Ordovician) and the Englewood Formation (Devonian) in western South Dakota, where the Silurian is missing.

A variety of different trilobites.

[Splonkadumpocus]

Early Devonian, 408 million BC
Sea star (Safari Ocean Toob)
Ammonite (Safari)
Cephalaspis (Toymany)
Acutiramus (Toymany)
Brontoscorpio (Scorpion from the Safari Insect Toob)


Devonian brachipods and crinoids, Royal Tyrrell Museum


Eurypterus, Tucson Gem and Mineral Show


Ammonites and orthocones, Tucson Gem and Mineral Show

[Crackington]

Enjoying how you are showing the models and the fossil pictures. Some very impressive specimens at that fossil show in Tucson.

Could you be please say what brand/make the models are, perhaps in brackets after their names?

I'm familiar with some of them and have things like the Safari toob, but you have some very good figures I haven't seen before, like the Brontoscorpio.

Keep 'em coming!

[Splonkadumpocus]

Enjoying how you are showing the models and the fossil pictures. Some very impressive specimens at that fossil show in Tucson.

Could you be please say what brand/make the models are, perhaps in brackets after their names?

I'm familiar with some of them and have things like the Safari toob, but you have some very good figures I haven't seen before, like the Brontoscorpio.

Keep 'em coming!

Edited those in.

[Crackington]

Thanks very much @Splonkadumpocus - it's great how you can use models of extant animals like the starfish to fill in gaps.

I hadn't heard of that Toymany brand either - will check it out.

[Faelrin]

@Crackington I'd imagine those are the bootlegs out there of the 2017/2018 Colorata Paleozoic Creatures set.

Here's a review of the full set from @Halichoeres.

[Splonkadumpocus]

Yeah, that's true. I explained about the knockoffs in my first post. The set was of about 10 different creatures that were mostly from the early Paleozoic.

[Splonkadumpocus]

Week 4.


Late Devonian, 370 million BC
Top:
Stethacanthus (Safari Prehistoric Sharks Toob)
Dunkleosteus (Toymany)
Cladoselache (Safari Prehistoric Sharks Toob)
Bottom:
Coelacanth (Safari)
Dunkleosteus (Safari)


Dunkleosteus (Smithsonian)


Gorgonichthys fang (University of Alberta)


Late Devonian corals near Camp Verde, Arizona


Eusthenopteron and Ichthyostega (Royal Tyrrell Museum)

[Faelrin]

I know Ichthyostega was small but this helps put it into perspective. One of my childhood favorite prehistoric animals too, so nice to get a better look at what some of its remains look like (even if from a cast). Thanks for sharing.

[Crackington]

Yes, great fossil photos, I'm also struck by the small size of the Eusthenopteran.

I think @Halichoeres will enjoy the Devonian diorama! Nice models, particularly the toob sharks.

[Splonkadumpocus]

You're welcome.

I miss when Safari used to do all those prehistoric animal toobs; they made a lot of interesting obscure species that most other companies didn't.

[Splonkadumpocus]

Early Permian, 290 million BC
LR:
Dimetrodon (Carnegie)
Orthacanthus (Safari Prehistoric Sharks Toob)
Meganeuropsis (Dragonfly from Safari Insect Toob)
Xenacanthus (Safari Prehistoric Sharks Toob)
Edaphosaurus (Collecta)


Supai Group (Late Carboniferous to Early Permian) and the overlying Hermit Formation (Early Permian) in the Grand Canyon.


Griffinfly wing from the Hermit Formation (Yavapai Geology Museum).


Dimetrodon (New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science).


Xenacanthus chasing an amphibian (Smithsonian).