HAOLONGGOOD - New for 2024

[suspsy]

I wish companies would make small sauropods instead of making large sauropods in a small scale.

Collecta Argentinosaurus is 24 cm long. At 1/35 scale that would make 8.4 meter animal. LoL.

See, I really like that CollectA does that and I would like more of the same. I don't need all my toys to be in scale, especially the biggest sauropods. I'd love for them to do a Camarasaurus along those lines.

[edu]

I am not well versed in Amargasauru's anatomy, but reading your posts and checking some papers, the figure seems almost right to me. The error would be the presence of a paired first "spine" (btw, this first spinous process is located in C1 o C2?... it's not clear to me, from the skeletals I've seen it looks as if C1 lacks a prominent process); and the tips of the hemispinous proceses going "beyond" the sail. The look of the sail (as two parallel sails) is as plausible as a hump, isn't it?

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/joa.13684

[Carnoking]

So excited to finally have this figure in hand. My first wound up getting sent back to some warehouse in California after delivery attempts were (allegedly) made (I don't know, no one ever told me), and a second was dispatched shortly thereafter, so it was quite the wait between the pre-order and actual delivery of this figure. Luckily, it was worth the wait in every way, this thing is a stunner! Much has been said on the feasibility of the blue coloration but hey, at least it looks pretty!

Spoiler

All told, I think the Apatosaurus still holds the crown for my favorite 1:35 scale sauropod offering from HLG, but this Mamenchi is a close second. Honestly, how lucky are we to even have enough of these big offerings to get to choose a favorite?

[close]

[Carnoking]

And perhaps smaller but no less exciting, I also got the HLG Maiasaura and Stegosaurus recently. These are the first of many HLG figures I need to catch up on!

Spoiler

[close]

I guess I have a thing for blue because after much back and forth between this and the more standard green variant, I just couldn't stop looking at this color scheme. I love the rippled effect of the colors, and even though it looks like Mattel handled the eye paint (and provided a nice slop of black on the leg), it's still a gorgeous figure.











The Maiasaura duo is a real delight. Sure, the individual hornlets are a bit of an eyesore, but I'll be darned if that was going to stop me from picking up this long-awaited release. I love it so much that I fully intend to get the green variant at some point as well. Who knows, maybe by the time I do, HAOLONGGOOD will have corrected the mold like the did the old Ouranosaurus. Until then though, I'll just be admiring this pair.

[Manospundylus gigas]

I am not well versed in Amargasauru's anatomy, but reading your posts and checking some papers, the figure seems almost right to me. The error would be the presence of a paired first "spine" (btw, this first spinous process is located in C1 o C2?... it's not clear to me, from the skeletals I've seen it looks as if C1 lacks a prominent process); and the tips of the hemispinous proceses going "beyond" the sail. The look of the sail (as two parallel sails) is as plausible as a hump, isn't it?

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/joa.13684

Neural spines start at the axis (c2), atlas (c1) doesn't have neural spines (not only in Amargasaurus but in dinosaurs) Amargasaurus hemispinous processes are neural spines going crazy. The thing is that Amargasaurus axis doesnt have the neural spine completely preserved, so it may be splitied in 2 in the dorsalmost part if some wants too much to push this idea, but is most likely only 1 because the base of the spine is one and in the rest of the cervicals the hemispinous processes are separated from each other at their bases since the neural arch (it is not a neural spine that splits in 2 but more like 2 neural spines).
About double separated sail or interconected, both are equally possible, the interconected is only a hypothesis based only in the narrow space between the spines, but theres no evidence of it and they may be taphonomically distorted and maybe more separated in life.
Theres still ongoing debate, but the last study about it gives very good reasons for the sail, haolonggoods take isnt too crazy, the keratinous sheath is only at the tip of the spines,(although in the study they pointed that the sail was likely covering all the spine.
So the most inaccurate thing in the model is the neural spine of the axis. The double sail is not inaccurate per se, and the cornified tip of the spines well... maybe didnt leave any trace in the bone at all, or you may want take them as osteaoderms (like those of diplodocids) inthgrated in the sail...

And dont want to be mean but requesting haolonggood to take note from what people can write in forums when most of them cant understand half the abstract of an study... they should take advise only from a paleontologist and even then it may be biased towards some hypotheses.

In this case the model isnt the most accurate thing out there but also isnt as bad as people think it is, many things can have different interpretations.

[Sim]

Thanks for explaining that M @Manospundylus gigas!  I was misled by an image showing Amargasaurus's atlas and axis complete, I think it was in the paper that names it?  The neural spine of Amargasaurus's c2 is incomplete, as can be seen here: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Atlas-axis-of-Amargasaurus-cazaui-MACN-N-15-A-posterior-B-lateral-C-anterior_fig6_263808849

Even Scott Hartman's Amargasaurus skeletal shows the first neural spine as complete, so illustrated reconstructions showing it as complete combined with skeleton mounts showing the spine as single may have spread the idea that the first neck spine was single, when it's possible it could've been paired in the missing part.

I think I'll get one Amargasaurus figure with paired first neck spine now!  And include figures like that in the list of good dinosaur figures I maintain...  Except that we then come back to the "inaccuracy" of the neck spines not being fully in the sail.  I've just had a look at Amargasaurus figures on the dinotoycollector site and I think the most accurate Amargasaurus figure is...  the Battat version, which has the spines completely in the sail.  However, as long as there's a partial sail I think I'm okay with having an Amargasaurus figure like that.  I can imagine it as the keratin covering not leaving a trace on the bone, like you said.  Even though I acknowledge that the paper's conclusion that the spines were fully in the sail is most likely correct.

[dragon53]

[edu]

Thanks for explaining that M @Manospundylus gigas!  I was misled by an image showing Amargasaurus's atlas and axis complete, I think it was in the paper that names it?  The neural spine of Amargasaurus's c2 is incomplete, as can be seen here: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Atlas-axis-of-Amargasaurus-cazaui-MACN-N-15-A-posterior-B-lateral-C-anterior_fig6_263808849

Even Scott Hartman's Amargasaurus skeletal shows the first neural spine as complete, so illustrated reconstructions showing it as complete combined with skeleton mounts showing the spine as single may have spread the idea that the first neck spine was single, when it's possible it could've been paired in the missing part.

Great reference, Sim. I had not realized how incomplete the first neural spine is, so when Manospondylus explained it, i thought on the possibility of a bifid first spinous process, bifurcating at the tip. But from the drawings, and being the preserved hemispinous processes so close together, it could perfectly have two complete ones on C2.
I was thinking on modifying this on my figure... I'll have to think it again 

[Leyster]

@Sim I think you're missing M @Manospundylus gigas point here. What they're saying is that:

it may be splitied in 2 in the dorsalmost part if some wants too much to push this idea, but is most likely only 1 because the base of the spine is one and in the rest of the cervicals the hemispinous processes are separated from each other at their bases since the neural arch (it is not a neural spine that splits in 2 but more like 2 neural spines).

That doesn't mean "50/50", as you seem to have interpreted it. It says that it miiight have been split, but it's unlikely. The figure is probably still inaccurate in this regard.
Also, the spinopostzygapophyseal lamina of C2 are very, very close, way more that the figure shows.
https://tiebapic.baidu.com/forum/pic/item/27bff1fdfc03924577bb052fc194a4c27d1e2572.jpg?tbpicau=2024-08-14-05_40c90b173aa2dd8aeec45e892e44008a
(from Tieba Baidu)

[Sim]

After having seen more of the Haolonggood Amargasaurus, I think the neck spines are entirely in the sail, their ends are covered in the same skin as the sail, not in keratin.

[oscars_dinos]

After having seen more of the Haolonggood Amargasaurus, I think the neck spines are entirely in the sail, their ends are covered in the same skin as the sail, not in keratin.

I don't think that was the issue I think it was more the thinness of it, although I can be completely wrong

[Flaffy]

I feel the embayment between the sails could've been more shallow to support an airsac.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

[thomasw100]

The march of the giants continues. First teaser image of the Haolonggood Camarasaurus from Paleofiguras. Release most likely next week.

[oscars_dinos]

My most anticipated figure, if its on par with the mamenchi then I will get it, it already looks good I just hope the face doesn't look cartoony, if it doesn't then this will be my second HLG figure

[Turkeysaurus]

Oh wow, decision on which color to pick will be probably the most difficult to make so far for me.

Green look more natural and more dominant. However green & orange tones are usual repeated colors on many Dinosaurs from many brands.

Other one is a unique take. Also since Camarasaurus is a mid to large sauropod unique colors might help it to pop out on a shelf next to giant ones. I might save green for larger upcoming sauropods like Brachiosaurus & Argentinosaurus etc.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Color choices are getting very difficult. The green looks very realistic but the other pinkish purple is pretty standout.

[Turkeysaurus]

So 4 of last 5 HLG will be Ceratopsians (unless they some surprises for us)

I didn't expect Camarasaurus so soon.

[thomasw100]

So 4 of last 5 HLG will be Ceratopsians (unless they some surprises for us)

I didn't expect Camarasaurus so soon.

With only 5 figures left (Styracosaurus, Xenoceratops, Utahceratops, Einiosaurus, Huayangosaurus) from the catalog roster and nearly 5 months left, there will be almost certainly be several surprises. Maybe we even have a chance to still get one of the two large sauropods, either Brachiosaurus or Argentinosaurus. My guess would be Brachiosaurus and then Argentinosaurus early next year as the final release of the Year of the Dragon.

[Turkeysaurus]

Whenever i decide to not buy anything new, pay off my debts and save money for later this happens.