2014 Hopes & Dreams

[brandem]

Well, people who see the Megalodon in a store are just going to think its a great white and pass over it, online, however, parents wanting to get their kids the shark from the Shark Week Documentaries are going to snatch it up.

and consensus based on loose facts isn't exactly terra firma, I put up a post under "dinosaurs" to show why some people may be critical of Megs looking too whitish, I think the consensus we speak of is based mostly on the idea that we want there to have been a supersized great white, not just a big shark, but again if anyone has any articles(peer-reviewed or otherwise) linking White Sharks and Megalodon together morphologically I'd love to see them.

[cordylus]

Well, people who see the Megalodon in a store are just going to think its a great white and pass over it, online, however, parents wanting to get their kids the shark from the Shark Week Documentaries are going to snatch it up.

and consensus based on loose facts isn't exactly terra firma, I put up a post under "dinosaurs" to show why some people may be critical of Megs looking too whitish, I think the consensus we speak of is based mostly on the idea that we want there to have been a supersized great white, not just a big shark, but again if anyone has any articles(peer-reviewed or otherwise) linking White Sharks and Megalodon together morphologically I'd love to see them.

I do agree with you on the sand tiger form looking more interesting at least - from a visual standpoint, I do think sand tigers are very intimidating creatures and a megalodon shaped similarly to one would indeed be really interesting to look at!

[brandem]

When scientific opinion diverges like that, where you have two very distinct creatures as a result, I always want to see companies do a two set, like I'd love to see both a herbivore and carnivore version of balaur bondoc

[tanystropheus]

Everything Dinosaur has been asked by Safari Ltd to provide information on current concerns regarding the proposed Wild Safari Dinos Megalodon figure.  We will submit our thoughts and suggestions tomorrow, if you want to chip in with any comments/suggestions  please do, they will be most welcome and we will forward them on for you.  Time is tight and although we cannot make any promises on Safari Ltd's behalf, there is an opportunity to voice concerns and make constructive comments to perhaps influence the painting of this model.  In 24-hours we will send over what information we have to Safari Ltd.

1) Megalodon should be larger than Safari Ltd.'s Great White Shark models
2) A slightly different paint job (perhaps, with blacks and darker blue hues might provide better contrast).
3) Fix up the mouth/jaws, make it look more refined (especially, the teeth and gums)

[cordylus]

I'd love to see a 1/40th scale megalodon model based on one of the alleged 60 ft animals. I know they are generally believed to be around 45 ft but that extra plastic would make it seem much more impressive I think!

[Balaur]

I wish that the Megalodon had a interesting colourstion. Cause it just looks like a great white. Now I'm not sure if I want to get it.

[anchry6]

We know that there aren't only one Carnegie's dinosaur then I believe that there will be many updated of sculptures. History teaches that after a few years of an only dinosaur the Carnegie does not create two but many more dinosaurs...
Hopefully!

[amanda]

History...and a robust economy. People have less money to burn these days, and there is much greater competition for the mid-sized figure market, I think. Highly accurate figures cost more to make and buy. I am not sure Carnegie will just go to town in this environment. Guess we will find out soon enough.

[tanystropheus]

Perfect timing!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/megalodon-fossils-prehistoric-shark-teeth_n_3862273.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

[Gwangi]

Perfect timing!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/megalodon-fossils-prehistoric-shark-teeth_n_3862273.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

From the article "In a Discovery Channel special last year, paleontologist Chuck Ciampaglio said the Carcharocles megalodon was "probably the apex predator of all time," ranking the mega-shark even above Tyrannosaurus rex. Megalodon may have spanned more than 50 feet, based on the length of its teeth, and may have roamed ancient seas for 25 million years."

How could anybody make such a statement? The apex predator of all time? Who assigns that title? And comparing a terrestrial animal to an aquatic one? I really hate when people (scientists especially) say things like that.

[Pawnosuchus]

The Suchimimus is a definite improvement over the old green abomination. The Pachy looks like the best of the lot. Sorry, but from my vantage point the Megaladon looks like something out of a dollar store bin.

[Concavenator]

Well,I don't really care about the Megalodon,but I just want Safari to do something to the coloration.When I first saw it I thought it was a white shark.If they put a more exotic coloration and add,for example,a whale calf,with theMegalodon killing it,and the Megalodon with some wounds (and in bigger size)(and in a much more fierce pose),it will look a lot better.Otherwise I can imagine a child seeing it next year and saying "Dad could you buy me that  great white shark?"No,you have a white shark in already!" "OK Dad,no problem"Come one,I'm pretty sure this will happen eventually lol 
Come on,Safari we're in esrly September,very early,you can make the Megalodon much better!
I wouldn't mind to wait until December or so to see the Megalodon improved.
If not,they should put  a big signboard next to it saying:CARCHARODON MEGALODON for people understand what's that animal.
The rest looks nice.

[brandem]

also if we are basing the model of the "carcharodon" megalodon idea then the model is still a bit too slender based on current ideas, Megs was stubby, like really stubby, no matter what body type you perfer for it.

and its somewhat hard to tell but safari's megs looks kind long

[Concavenator]

When are the new Carnegies being announced?Usually we discover them before the Wild Safaris.I'm really excited 

[amanda]

?? If we do not have a skeleton, then how do we know for sure how much stubbier Megs was??

Either way, surely the folks at Safari had this discussion? Surely they considered whether there would be any real distinction? Personally, I think that would be a problem with the prehistoric fish, too. Even the big ones. Most general storegoers are just going to see "fish". At least the land and air animals LOOK "prehistoric" in the general mind. I also really dislike the aggressive killing machine look. I actually find the sharks (and theropods) to be more interesting and menacing with closed mouths. The jaws agape thing is SO overdone with these things. There is a model White kit with a diver out there, a diver in a cage, a rather large and nice looking set. It has a closed mouth, and that nice bullet shape is awesome to me. I could take THAT shark and put it next to Hans and call 'em a Megs......

[amargasaurus cazaui]

?? If we do not have a skeleton, then how do we know for sure how much stubbier Megs was??

Either way, surely the folks at Safari had this discussion? Surely they considered whether there would be any real distinction? Personally, I think that would be a problem with the prehistoric fish, too. Even the big ones. Most general storegoers are just going to see "fish". At least the land and air animals LOOK "prehistoric" in the general mind. I also really dislike the aggressive killing machine look. I actually find the sharks (and theropods) to be more interesting and menacing with closed mouths. The jaws agape thing is SO overdone with these things. There is a model White kit with a diver out there, a diver in a cage, a rather large and nice looking set. It has a closed mouth, and that nice bullet shape is awesome to me. I could take THAT shark and put it next to Hans and call 'em a Megs......

I would wonder at anyone that familiar with marine animals that would look at any type of shark and think fish . They are as removed from the fish family as can be possible and still swim I would think.

[Gwangi]

I would wonder at anyone that familiar with marine animals that would look at any type of shark and think fish . They are as removed from the fish family as can be possible and still swim I would think.

As far removed as they are there are similarities. Hagfish and lamprey are actually farther removed though. But Just the overall anatomy. A dorsal and caudal fin, two sets of paired fins, anal fin, gills, lateral line etc. Granted they may not look much like a goldfish but if you were to look at fish like a sturgeon or paddlefish you would see a similarity to sharks. Fish as a group are paraphyletic. We're more closely related to lungfish than they are to a trout and trout are more closely related to us than they are to sharks. Basically I would define fish as any vertebrate descended from an ancestor that never evolved to live out of the water.

If we do not have a skeleton, then how do we know for sure how much stubbier Megs was??

We don't know for sure, it is just an educated guess. Given the size of Megalodon we know that even if related to and similar to a white shark it should have proportions that better match its size and lifestyle.

[John]

It makes me wonder if that piece of crap show is the reason Safari decided to release one.

C. megalodon was one of the requests I saw often on Safari's Facebook page.So it could be for both fan requests AND it's appearances on documentaries and movies.

[Concavenator]

The new Safari Pachyrhinosaurus is pretty good,but it isn't the most interesting ceratopsian right now.We have a Kosmoceratops!The Pachy is all because of WWD 3-D,but hopefully next year we'll get a more exotic ceratopsian.
By the way,have you read this?
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/39305986/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.UipgiBBhiK0
Doesn't the 3rd paragraph suggest you anything?Safari has done Diablo 3 years after its discovery,I think Kosmo might be their next ceratopsian.However it could be Nasutoceratops as well.

[brandem]

Oh Doug Watson, if you can answer this (you may be restricted on saying so or may not know at all) how preliminary is the sculpt on the meg? Is that one pretty close to the finished product.