The best figure of every species, according to Halichoeres

[Halichoeres]

And some books relevant to this forum:


I think most of the titles are legible, but to the left of The Cambrian Explosion is Lance Grande's monograph on the paleontology of the Green River Formation, and to the left of Dixon's breezy encyclopedia is a Grande & Bemis review on fossil and extant paddlefishes.


Moving to the right from Cenozoic Mammals of Africa, that's Long et al., Prehistoric Mammals of Australia and New Guinea, the Carvalho et al. monograph on Green River stingrays, and a Giarla et al. revision of Thylamys, a genus of mouse opossums. I did some sequencing work for the latter study when I was in college.


A few other great books. Without Darwin or someone like him, paleontology would make a lot less sense.

[Halichoeres]

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"Kitadaniryu" × 2. I don't usually collect nomina nuda, but I stumbled across these for a song and decided to keep them. They're pretty good stand-ins for most dromaeosaurs, and have reasonably complete wings, unlike the Kaiyodo Deinonychus.

[Halichoeres]

Some Yowie fishes:


Arandaspis, Rolfosteus, Mcnamaraspis (or in Yowie speak, Arandaspis, Gogo tube-nosed fish, and Macnamaraspis [sic]).


Strepsodus and Umoonasaurus (according to Cadbury, Ducabrook rhizodont and Eric the pliosaur).

[Halichoeres]

The Triassic in ~1:40 scale. There isn't much available, to be honest!




Kaiyodo Tanystropheus (Dinotales 2)
Scale: 1:45
Sculptor: Ataru Sugaya
Released: 2001
Middle Triassic


Schleich Desmatosuchus (Replicasaurus)
Scale: 1:35
Released: 2004
Late Triassic
Still the best version of this animal out there, to my mind.


Safari Ltd Plateosaurus (Carnegie Collection)
Scale: 1:40, give or take
Released: 1995
Late Triassic


Safari Postosuchus (Prehistoric Crocs Toob)
Scale: 1:50
Released: 2011
Upper Triassic
The other Safari Postosuchus (at a larger scale) is nicer of course, but this one is remarkably good for its size.

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When it comes to Herrerasaurus figures, beggars can't be choosers. This CollectA effort is closer to 1:30


Kaiyodo Lystrosaurus (Dinotales 3)
Scale: 1:40
Sculptor: Seiji Yamamoto
Released: 2002
Upper Permian - Lower Triassic

[Halichoeres]

A few more aquatic things. Most of these are reasonably close to 1:40 scale.



Schleich Shonisaurus (Replica-saurus)
Scale: 1:40 - 1:45
Released: 2005
Upper Triassic
Has a very pleasant heft, but also a dorsal fin which the real animal probably didn't have. And the face! Looks a little like a Muppet version of a bird. I like this figure quite a bit regardless.

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Kaiyodo Plesiosaurus and skeleton. Beautifully detailed at 1:35-1:40.


Safari Orthacanthus (Prehistoric Sharks Toob)
Scale: 1:30
Released: 2011
Carboniferous-Permian
From the side, looks pretty good!


But in ventral view you can see that there are FOUR sets of paired fins! (There should only be two, the ventral fins toward the back should be single and on the midline.) Other than that, a reasonable facsimile of an Orthacanthus. ~1:30

[img "alt=Safari Ltd Helicoprion Prehistoric Sharks Toob"]https://live.staticflickr.com/1547/24795632665_b7998c07f5_c.jpg[/img]
Safari Helicoprion (Prehistoric Sharks Toob)
Scale: 1:30 - 1:35
Released: 2011
Upper Carboniferous - Lower Permian
As Sean has pointed out, probably a holocephalan, but I am more than willing to allow Safari some systematic leeway if they're going to make cool animals like this.


Safari Nothosaurus (Prehistoric Sealife Toob)
Scale: 1:35
Released: 2010
Upper Triassic
One of my favorite Toob figures.


Kaiyodo Metriorhynchus (Dinotales 6)
Scale: 1:30 - 1:35
Sculptor: Eiichiro Matsumoto
Released: 2006
Upper Jurassic
A gem.


Safari Dunkleosteus
1:25-1:40
Released: 2007
Upper Devonian
I think this is meant to represent D. terrelli; if so, the scale is about right. Great figure; I love the bronze finish.


Safari Dakosaurus (Prehistoric Crocs Toob)
Scale: 1:50
Released: 2011
Upper Jurassic - Lower Cretaceous
This is an animal that deserves a full-sized figure from CollectA or Safari.


Safari Elasmosaurus
Scale: 1:50
Sculptor: Doug Watson
Released: 2013
Campanian
Slightly unfortunate paint app on the head, but probably the most biologically reasonable posture out of any Elasmosaurus figure.

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Yowie Umoonasaurus ("Eric the pliosaur"). Looking at this photo, I might have assembled him with his forelegs upside-down. Oops.

[SBell]

To be fair, I'm not sure how certain the science was on the Schleich Shonisaurus at the time; but given their track record, they probably wouldn't have cared anyway. One thing si for sure, that is not a kid's toy--it's more like a PVC club!

I do know that when the Sfari sharks were made, the various whorl tooths like Helicoprion and Sarcoprion were assumed to be sharks, so that one can be excused from that angle; to be fair, I don't think the Prehistoric Elasmobranchs toob would have the same market appeal.

And I remember thinking something was off with the Orthacanthus. From what I can guess, I think the sculptor of this one (and the Xenacanthus, if I'm not mistaken) mistook the weird anal fin structure for paired fins.

[Halichoeres]

To be fair, I'm not sure how certain the science was on the Schleich Shonisaurus at the time; but given their track record, they probably wouldn't have cared anyway. One thing si for sure, that is not a kid's toy--it's more like a PVC club!

I do know that when the Sfari sharks were made, the various whorl tooths like Helicoprion and Sarcoprion were assumed to be sharks, so that one can be excused from that angle; to be fair, I don't think the Prehistoric Elasmobranchs toob would have the same market appeal.

And I remember thinking something was off with the Orthacanthus. From what I can guess, I think the sculptor of this one (and the Xenacanthus, if I'm not mistaken) mistook the weird anal fin structure for paired fins.

It does work quite well as a club! And yeah, the dorsal is totally forgivable.

If I were safari, and I were making a toob of "prehistoric sharks," I would definitely be willing to include known holocephalans. I might even sneak in an acanthodian. Definitely not meant as a criticism of their choices--having any ancient chondrichthyans at all is pretty sweet.

HOWEVER, the fins--the Xenacanthus is guilty of this, too, you're right. It's true that looking at a skeletal diagram doesn't necessarily tell you what's in pairs and what's single, but maybe ask any paleontologist or zoologist, who can tell you that vertebrates never have more than two pairs of limblike elements. But midline fins get multiplied all over the place (see acanthodians, bichirs, cod, and that's just the first three letters of the alphabet...).

[SBell]

To be fair, I'm not sure how certain the science was on the Schleich Shonisaurus at the time; but given their track record, they probably wouldn't have cared anyway. One thing si for sure, that is not a kid's toy--it's more like a PVC club!

I do know that when the Sfari sharks were made, the various whorl tooths like Helicoprion and Sarcoprion were assumed to be sharks, so that one can be excused from that angle; to be fair, I don't think the Prehistoric Elasmobranchs toob would have the same market appeal.

And I remember thinking something was off with the Orthacanthus. From what I can guess, I think the sculptor of this one (and the Xenacanthus, if I'm not mistaken) mistook the weird anal fin structure for paired fins.

If I were safari, and I were making a toob of "prehistoric sharks," I would definitely be willing to include known holocephalans. I might even sneak in an acanthodian. Definitely not meant as a criticism of their choices--having any ancient chondrichthyans at all is pretty sweet.

HOWEVER, the fins--the Xenacanthus is guilty of this, too, you're right. It's true that looking at a skeletal diagram doesn't necessarily tell you what's in pairs and what's single, but maybe ask any paleontologist or zoologist, who can tell you that vertebrates never have more than two pairs of limblike elements. But midline fins get multiplied all over the place (see acanthodians, bichirs, cod, and that's just the first three letters of the alphabet...).

And yet I tried to get a petalodont or iniopterygian in there, with no luck.

Also, if there were more than 3 bichir models out there, I would be more concerned about their accuracy! But so far, no luck. OTH, if you know of others I will need them )other than the crazy expensive Japanese designer models).

Or acanthodians for that matter--I only have a couple, all with single rows of ventral spines. Although I thought that those spines should be paired?

[Halichoeres]

Also, if there were more than 3 bichir models out there, I would be more concerned about their accuracy! But so far, no luck. OTH, if you know of others I will need them )other than the crazy expensive Japanese designer models).

Or acanthodians for that matter--I only have a couple, all with single rows of ventral spines. Although I thought that those spines should be paired?

I don't know any bichirs other than the Colorata, which I don't have yet. I have a really nice drawing that one of my friends did for me, though.

I think that acanthodians varied (as one expects from a grade rather than a clade), but prepelvic spines were paired, yes. And they had scaly finlets, but there weren't any limb elements associated with them. I suppose at the scale of a toob figure limblike fins and non-limblike fins look pretty similar.

[SBell]

Also, if there were more than 3 bichir models out there, I would be more concerned about their accuracy! But so far, no luck. OTH, if you know of others I will need them )other than the crazy expensive Japanese designer models).

Or acanthodians for that matter--I only have a couple, all with single rows of ventral spines. Although I thought that those spines should be paired?

I don't know any bichirs other than the Colorata, which I don't have yet. I have a really nice drawing that one of my friends did for me, though.

I think that acanthodians varied (as one expects from a grade rather than a clade), but prepelvic spines were paired, yes. And they had scaly finlets, but there weren't any limb elements associated with them. I suppose at the scale of a toob figure limblike fins and non-limblike fins look pretty similar.

There are also a normal and albino endlicheri in the Kaiyodo pets series 5. And...that's it. For now...!

[Halichoeres]

There are also a normal and albino endlicheri in the Kaiyodo pets series 5. And...that's it. For now...!

Ooh, good to know! Thanks!

[SBell]

There are also a normal and albino endlicheri in the Kaiyodo pets series 5. And...that's it. For now...!

Ooh, good to know! Thanks!

I found my photos:


And to be complete (sadly):


These are my favorite fish of all time. It will be nice to see at least one different species--I think P. endlicheri is especially popular in Japan, so it's the one that gets made.

[Halichoeres]

I found my photos:

Those look pretty good! Thanks for sharing the photos!

[Halichoeres]

Just in from Everything Dinosaur:

Toyway Megalosaurus. Has its flaws, but is a step up from the CollectA version. And I couldn't be without a Megalosaurus.

And from eBay:
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Invicta Cetiosaurus. Also a CollectA replacement.


Yowie Siderops. Who else would make a Jurassic temnospondyl?

[SBell]

I found my photos:

Those look pretty good! Thanks for sharing the photos!

No problem. But you shouldn't have cropped them--twice the bichir goodness!

Yowie Siderops. Who else would make a Jurassic temnospondyl?

Bullyland got close with their Mastodonsaurus (I suppose Starlux is in there too, but it's not as good).

[joossa]

That Shonisaurus is a cutie-pie.

[Halichoeres]

No problem. But you shouldn't have cropped them--twice the bichir goodness!

Mea culpa

Bullyland got close with their Mastodonsaurus (I suppose Starlux is in there too, but it's not as good).

Maybe I'll photograph that one next!

That Shonisaurus is a cutie-pie.

Just wanna squeeze its little cheeks, right?

[Arul]

There are also a normal and albino endlicheri in the Kaiyodo pets series 5. And...that's it. For now...!

Ooh, good to know! Thanks!

I found my photos:


And to be complete (sadly):


These are my favorite fish of all time. It will be nice to see at least one different species--I think P. endlicheri is especially popular in Japan, so it's the one that gets made.

Wow nice model i have that fish few years ago in indonesia its called ikan naga or dragon fish.

[SBell]

There are also a normal and albino endlicheri in the Kaiyodo pets series 5. And...that's it. For now...!

Ooh, good to know! Thanks!

I found my photos:


And to be complete (sadly):


These are my favorite fish of all time. It will be nice to see at least one different species--I think P. endlicheri is especially popular in Japan, so it's the one that gets made.

Wow nice model i have that fish few years ago in indonesia its called ikan naga or dragon fish.

That's a good name for them. I have kept several different species (including the pictured one) over the course of many years. Easily my favorite fish. And they live for such a long time...

[Halichoeres]

That's a good name for them. I have kept several different species (including the pictured one) over the course of many years. Easily my favorite fish. And they live for such a long time...

That is a good name for them! I have a soft spot for them also--I was going to do my dissertation on them, but then all the countries I would have gone for field work had revolutions or civil wars. Probably the most trivial effect of those events, but it definitely changed my career trajectory.