The best figure of every species, according to Halichoeres

[Shonisaurus]

All the figures that Halichoeres exhibit are interesting but the one that most caught my attention is the brachyceratops, it is a quite attractive figure.

[Halichoeres]

Thanks for stopping by, everyone!

Having the package made it relatively straightforward to discern which genera I had (I think the other three are Kentrosaurus, Parasaurolophus, and Plesiosaurus). It might otherwise have been difficult, since the figures themselves are stamped with "DISGA" and no other markings. I'm not aware of any source (even Dinosauriana) that attempts to catalog Disga's offerings, so it was news to me that they made a Microceratops, Nodosaurus, and Stegoceras. If anyone has those or knows where there are images of the actual figures, I'd love to hear about it.

I'd be wary of their identifications though... that pachycephalosaurus looks a bit 'off'!

Ha ha, yeah. The Tsintaosaurus/Pachycephalosaurus is actually one of the Disga figures I've seen a good photo of; I think Libraraptor owns one. The art on the blister card looks really familiar but I can't place it--not in any of the books I currently own, at any rate. After finding a grainy photo on a Russian web site, I think my Brachyceratops might actually be a Microceratops/Microceratus, in which case it's erroneously quadrupedal, but in some ways still nicer than the Happy Kin one. A conundrum.

and the Stegoceras looks like Dilophosaurus, but it could be I am having trouble making out detail...

I think that one's just a weird perspective with the dome and a ring around it!

Yeah, I think this is actually a reasonable representation of Stegoceras:

But it is definitely a funny angle. Since the "Pachycephalosaurus" is a Tsintaosaurus, I guess I can rest easy that if I ever find a "DISGA"-stamped pachycephalosaur, it's the Stegoceras.

All the figures that Halichoeres exhibit are interesting but the one that most caught my attention is the brachyceratops, it is a quite attractive figure.

Thanks! Maybe not the prettiest of the batch, but probably the most obscure.

[Halichoeres]

Gnathostomes of the Cretaceous!


CollectA Bajadasaurus
Scale: 1:30
Sculptor: Matthias Geiger
Released: 2020
Berriasian-Valanginian of South America
The scale estimate is based on the fairly complete skull, because otherwise all I've got is neck spines, and I have no idea how much keratin elaboration Geiger might posit. The oryx-style texturing on the neck spines is an interesting touch. Overall, this is a pretty nice figure of a fragmentary-but-distinctive species, and I think we'll see more versions from other companies over the next few years.


Today in 'comparison photos nobody would ever ask for in a million years' (DeAgostini Aucasaurus).


Mattel Siats meekerorum (Jurassic World)
Scale: 1:30
Released: 2020
Cenomanian of North America
Don't take the scale estimate too seriously, as this abomination is complete nonsense from the standpoint of proportions. Next year they're planning a Moros intrepidus, so by extrapolation Gualicho shinyae is going to be one of their 2022 offerings (keeping with the theme of fragmentary-theropods-with-Makovicky-as-an-author). I suppose figures like this give JP/JW apologists plausible deniability, as in: "We don't know they didn't look like that." But we do know. We do know.


The utter disgrace.

Zanno & Mackovicky:



Battat Tyrannosaurus rex (Museum of Science, version 3)
Scale: 1:40
Sculptor: Greg Wenzel
Released: 1998
Maastrichtian of North America
I haven't thought very much about Ty***nosaurus lately, but picking through the inventory in my closet to sell all the stuff not officially in my collection, I had occasion to compare it to the PNSO Wilson. The latter looks more refined, but is a worse representation of the animal. So I'm reinstating this one--goodbye, Wilson.

This last one is a fun story. Recently a digital artist named Christopher Chávez uploaded a well-researched Onchopristis design to Shapeways. I ordered it straight away, and I got this in the mail:


That ruler is marked in centimeters. I think that at some point the wrong units must have been selected, because this was about 1/10th the length it was supposed to be. The snout and tail were broken off, unsurprising given that they were impossibly tiny. Chávez and Shapeways worked it out so that I got a corrected model; he's new to Shapeways and I was the first to order a print.


3d-printed Onchopristis
Scale: about 1:50-1:60
Designer: Christopher Chávez
Released: 2020
Albian-Maastrichtian
The full-size version looks very good. The tapered snout, the fin positions, the uneven rostral denticles, even little nodules to indicate where nasty dermal denticles would have been arranged on the back. This is really excellent work. And I'm very grateful to Mr. Chávez for his gracious handling of the printing error.


The correctly sized one next to the original erroneous print. You can see the rostrum and tail broken off of the tiny version.


This design is not currently in his Shapeways store, so I might have the only physical copy.

[SBell]

I like that Onchopristis. Why isn't in on Shapeways?
I at least have the one from Manuel.

And that's too bad about the Siats. If I found one I'd still pick one up. Even if the conjecture is super speculative

[Faelrin]

I really have to applaud how quick CollectA is to getting newly discovered and/or described animals into figures. I'm very eager to see what the next reveals will bring. That itty bitty Onchopristis is interesting next to the proper larger one, even if it sadly did get damaged. It's amazing at how tiny it was able to be produced at all. Congrats on the acquisitions.

I must admit I do enjoy the Siats, but less as a real dinosaur, but rather a fantasy creature. It also looks similar to the concept art Indominus rex. Honestly though I think Siats may just be the next Deinocheirus for me, because it is so fragmentary I can only wonder what this theropod would have looked like in life. Hope they find more of it some day. Honestly like the mention of Gualicho. Had to look that up (again?) and despite it's incompleteness, it does seem very interesting based on what has been found, with it's tiny arms, and tiny two or three fingered hands. I wouldn't mind seeing someone take on this one, rather it be Mattel or else.

[Bokisaurus]

Some interesting new additions

[Flaffy]

With everything Mattel produces, I have to keep telling myself "just because it's Jurassic Park/World, doesn't mean you have to get it".
Dunno why, but there's just something so alluring about dinosaur figures officially licensed under the JP franchise, and the need to collect as many of them as possible (or at least 1 figure representation per unique species).

Many of these sculpts would not receive the same treatment from me if it were made by an unknown company not tied to any particular franchise. Maybe it's because I never got the opportunity to collect the Kenner collections from back in the day (wasn't even born yet), and my brain is desperately trying to convince me not to miss out this time around.

Idk, it's just a strange phenomenon I've observed with collector attitude in regards to official Mattel Jurassic World merchandise.

[Loon]

Siats was such a weird choice for Mattel, honestly. The figure definitely looks like a fun toy, which was the appeal of the Mattel stuff to me for some time, but it looks like a deranged muppet.

[Kapitaenosavrvs]

Oh, that Onchopristis looks great! I never ordered on Shapeways, but i get interested more and more. His Spino looks a lot like my (way worse) Customized Spinosaurus i still haven't finished. They would be beautiful together. Hmmm.

The poor tiny Onchopristis still looks cute in a way. Are you going to paint the "normal" sized one?

[Shonisaurus]

I honestly like Battat's tyrannosaurus even though it has been a long time since that figure was marketed, I think its beauty remains in force despite the fact that more than twenty-five years have passed.

Collecta's bajadasaurus is a well made sauropod and I suppose more figures of that rare dichreosaurid sauropod will be marketed.

The siats is a somewhat fantastic figure of JW in this case and as for the onchopristis it is an outstanding figure of a prehistoric fish, even without being painted.

My congratulations @Halichoeres  for your new acquisitions.

[Leyster]

Battat Tyrannosaurus rex
Scale: 1:40
Sculptor: Greg Wenzel
Released: 1994
Maastrichtian of North America
I haven't thought very much about Ty***nosaurus lately, but picking through the inventory in my closet to sell all the stuff not officially in my collection, I had occasion to compare it to the PNSO Wilson. The latter looks more refined, but is a worse representation of the animal. So I'm reinstating this one--goodbye, Wilson.

I personally prefer the Battat Tyrannosaurus over Wilson, too, but (for an accuracy point of view) don't you think that the Battat's arms are too long (even if complete Tyrannosaurus forelimbs have never been found)?

[Sim]

That particular version of the Battat Tyrannosaurus (version 3) was released in 1998 if I'm remembering right.  The 1994 release is the original version, version 1.

[SidB]

That particular version of the Battat Tyrannosaurus (version 3) was released in 1998 if I'm remembering right.  The 1994 release is the original version, version 1.

That's right, with the snowshoe V.2 coming out in 1996. The Battat Terra one is a copy, with a new paint scheme, of the 1998. The first two versions originate with Greg Wenzel, the V. 3 and Terra with Dan Lorusso. The paint scheme for versions 1, 2 and 3 is courtesy of the late Brian Franszak.

[Sim]

Actually Greg Wenzel did the version 3 as well.  Dan LoRusso only did the paint scheme for the Battat Terra version.

[SidB]

Actually Greg Wenzel did the version 3 as well.  Dan LoRusso only did the paint scheme for the Battat Terra version.

That''s surprising to me, considering how different they are. Do you recollect where it might have been stated where Greg did  both major versions?

[Halichoeres]

Thanks for visiting and commenting, everyone!

I like that Onchopristis. Why isn't in on Shapeways?
I at least have the one from Manuel.

@SBell I'm not sure why it's not on Shapeways, but I think it will be back in time. He did post an interesting design of the eggtooth-equipped Auca Mahuevo titanosaur, though. I have Manuel's too, but it's essentially just a small generic sawfish, so I won't keep it. Maybe I'll use it for painting practice?

I really have to applaud how quick CollectA is to getting newly discovered and/or described animals into figures. I'm very eager to see what the next reveals will bring. That itty bitty Onchopristis is interesting next to the proper larger one, even if it sadly did get damaged. It's amazing at how tiny it was able to be produced at all. Congrats on the acquisitions.

I must admit I do enjoy the Siats, but less as a real dinosaur, but rather a fantasy creature. It also looks similar to the concept art Indominus rex. Honestly though I think Siats may just be the next Deinocheirus for me, because it is so fragmentary I can only wonder what this theropod would have looked like in life. Hope they find more of it some day. Honestly like the mention of Gualicho. Had to look that up (again?) and despite it's incompleteness, it does seem very interesting based on what has been found, with it's tiny arms, and tiny two or three fingered hands. I wouldn't mind seeing someone take on this one, rather it be Mattel or else.

@Faelrin I can see enjoying it as a fantasy creature, with its weird tusks and weirder proportions. I'll really laugh if they end up doing a Gualicho, would I win a prize?

With everything Mattel produces, I have to keep telling myself "just because it's Jurassic Park/World, doesn't mean you have to get it".
Dunno why, but there's just something so alluring about dinosaur figures officially licensed under the JP franchise, and the need to collect as many of them as possible (or at least 1 figure representation per unique species).

Many of these sculpts would not receive the same treatment from me if it were made by an unknown company not tied to any particular franchise. Maybe it's because I never got the opportunity to collect the Kenner collections from back in the day (wasn't even born yet), and my brain is desperately trying to convince me not to miss out this time around.

Idk, it's just a strange phenomenon I've observed with collector attitude in regards to official Mattel Jurassic World merchandise.

@Flaffy I can definitely see why people have that connection the the films. I had 3 of the JP toys when I was very young, and I briefly considered buying some of the Legacy Collection figures, but I just don't really enjoy JP/JW movies anymore. I still enjoy the original JP, but I've hated every sequel I've seen. So for me, not only does it have to be unique in their line, it has to be unique altogether (or nearly so). Most of us as collectors have our weird compulsions. I have plenty of really terrible dinosaur toys just because I want to have as many taxa represented as I can, and this thread is full of people's bewildered comments about that. At the same time, I can't comprehend the impulses of people who buy Papo or Mattel or Rebor repaints, or who buy every figure in a line regardless of its quality. There's no sense trying to make sense of it--this is a thoroughly irrational hobby!

Oh, that Onchopristis looks great! I never ordered on Shapeways, but i get interested more and more. His Spino looks a lot like my (way worse) Customized Spinosaurus i still haven't finished. They would be beautiful together. Hmmm.

The poor tiny Onchopristis still looks cute in a way. Are you going to paint the "normal" sized one?

@Kapitaenosavrvs I definitely plan to paint the correctly sized one, but I have a big backlog of unpainted 3d prints, so I'm not sure when I'll get to it. I still haven't painted Mike Eischen's Kannemeyeria, and I've had that for several years already.

I personally prefer the Battat Tyrannosaurus over Wilson, too, but (for an accuracy point of view) don't you think that the Battat's arms are too long (even if complete Tyrannosaurus forelimbs have never been found)?

L @Leyster yeah, I'm sure you're right that the arms are too long, although it's actually news to me that no complete forelimb is known. Sometimes it's just a matter of which details annoy you the most, and the PNSO annoys me more than the Battat does with its excessive out-of-scale detailing, its overhanging upper teeth, and the fact that it takes up too much space. I am not the biggest fan of Ty***nosaurus, so I'd rather not have one that absolutely dominates its shelf.

@Sim and S @SidB thanks for the information; I'll update the post. I checked the MOS article in Dinosauriana, and it doesn't indicate that the resculpts were done by anyone other than the original sculptors. It definitely looks more like Wenzel's style to my eye, but I'm certainly willing to be corrected.

[Sim]

S @SidB In Reply #94 here, Dan said he and Greg were commissioned to make new sculpts of the Tyrannosaurus and Dilophosaurus.  In this post it was said that Dan said he didn't make the Battat T. rex figures.  The conclusion is version 3 of the Tyrannosaurus was sculpted by Greg and version 3 of the Dilophosaurus was sculpted by Dan.

[SidB]

@Sim , well that seems quite definitive. For the longest while I held that Wenzel had sculpted all versions 1-3, but I'd altered that about a year ago. However, this statement by Dan makes it unequivocal that Greg was solely responsible for them. Good to know -thanks!

[Halichoeres]

Jurassic bilaterians!


Belemnitida indet.
Scale: depends, but maybe about 1:3 for many common taxa
Released: 2020
Upper Triassic-Upper Cretaceous
I'm glad to see CollectA producing large-format invertebrates, even if this year's lineup proves to be a one-time thing. I'm perhaps slightly miffed that they didn't designate a taxon, although I suppose there are few belemnites whose external appearance is known, most being preserved merely as tapered cylinders of calcium carbonate. This is more accurate and detailed than the Bullyland version, and so replaces it.


Nipponites falls for the old "Cephalopod Group Hug!" trick.


FaunaCasts Muraenosaurus
Scale: 1:25-1:30
Sculptor: Malcolm Mlodoch
Released: 2009
Middle Jurassic
I wasn't really looking for this, but I got it as bycatch with another purchase and I liked it enough to keep it. There are so many plesiosaurs, and so few that have been made into toys. I came to the hobby too late to see the days when Mlodoch was active on the forum and collaboratively (at the best of times) designing figures for the community. He's in my neck of the woods too; perhaps I'd have been lucky enough to meet him. I'm glad to have found this copy, as they don't come up for sale often. I might be wrong, but I think the forelimbs are a little bit too long on this figure, or the hindlimbs a bit too short. But I'm definitely no expert in sauropterygians.


With the coeval Opthalmosaurus. It scales better with this Opthalmosaurus than with the one from the FaunaCasts line.


Wing Crown Anchisaurus
Scale: 1:6
Lower Jurassic
Veering from the sacred to the profane, here's a big ugly soft plastic toy. It very clearly has "Anchisaurus" printed on the bottom, although it seems to be designed more after Brachiosaurus. It's still less terrible than the smaller, even more cartoony Gosnell figure I had before (I think Gosnell and Wing Crown are the same company, or at a minimum they have some extremely similar molds). Anchisaurus is known from excellent remains, can someone make a decent figure please?


An anachronistic theropod for scale.


W Dragon Giraffatitan
Scale: 1:35 for a very large specimen
Released: 2020
Upper Jurassic
This is an impressive, imposing piece. It replaces my Papo "Brachiosaurus," which is reasonably faithful to the JP design but departs from reality in a variety of ways. This corrects some of those errors: the anatomy of the hand, the claws of the hind foot, the neck posture, and the position of the nares. The torso gives the distinct impression of having skin on it. It can be depressed slightly, and a few millimeters beneath you feel a solid, heavy core. I'm not sure how this was accomplished or how well it will age, but the effect is a little like the "Real Feel" action figures, only more lifelike. I'm quite happy with this figure. Alas, it will probably be my last purchase from W Dragon, as they recently acquired the JP/JW license, which is very unlikely to result in any products that interest me. I wish that license had gone to Nanmu instead, whom I'd already written off as doing nothing worthwhile.


Next to EoFauna's Atlasaurus, itself no pipsqueak.

[Faelrin]

Wonderful new acquisitions. I particularly like the group "hug" pic of the cephalopods together. The new Giraffatitan looks wonderful alongside the Eofauna Atlasaurus as well. Probably some of the most beautiful sauropods done to date.