The best figure of every species, according to Halichoeres

[Halichoeres]

2023 year in review
I added 47 new releases in 2023 (plus a few I'm still waiting for, indicated by the black squares in the collage below), which is more than typical for my collection.







Some observations:
• A big year for Mattel (9), Haolonggood (8 ), and CollectA (8 ). Overall I added figures from 13 companies , which will climb to 15 once all the various shipments come in. (I'm not counting bespoke or small-run figures from individual artisans.)
• I am very impressed with Haolonggood's output and improvement, although I am not quite as in love with them as others are, because they have barely touched non-dinosaurs. They also have minor inaccuracies; maybe, as @Concavenator suggests above, they're still finding their rhythm.
• I consider CollectA's products this year to be the most indispensable because of the taxonomic variety they offer.
• 70% of my new figures were from the Cretaceous, which actually represents an improvement in temporal variety relative to most years.

I also managed to scare up a few older figures this year, some of which I'd been hunting for a while, some of which I only learned of recently:


Anyway, happy new year! I'm cautiously optimistic about 2024. Will we be so lucky as to see some of Wild Past's second wave? Will PNSO ever again be as interesting as they were in 2021?

[bmathison1972]

Are you going to do your Guess the Diversity thing again this year? Sorry I can't remember what you called it.

I don't see the Wild Past Scutosaurus in the collage; did you decide to stick with Safari?

[Concavenator]

Are you going to do your Guess the Diversity thing again this year?

Pretty sure PNSO didn't have the most phylogenetically diverse lineup this year!

As to whether or not PNSO will offer a more diverse lineup... perhaps. There's been a >1 year lasting onslaught of theropods, so more diversity is what one would expect coming forward.

And yeah, it would be really great if the Wild Past Kickstarter campaign actually succeeds!

[Primeval12]

@Halichoeres your Safari Utahraptor isn't the only one that arrived with a messed up jaw. Mine also had one as well as some paint issues. I love the figure but I had to give the poor thing some TLC (shown below).

https://www.tiktok.com/@jon_the_guanlong/video/7318760527700757803

[Halichoeres]

Are you going to do your Guess the Diversity thing again this year? Sorry I can't remember what you called it.

I don't see the Wild Past Scutosaurus in the collage; did you decide to stick with Safari?

I just realized that I never finished running the numbers from last year, so convinced was I that Kabaya would run away with it. I should do that, and then this year's. This year's winner might be Takara Tomy or Haolonggood because of their megalodon. I don't think anyone else released a shark this year, and I'm struggling to think of anyone who made an invertebrate or plant (other than Paleozoo's re-releases of previous designs).

I'm still dithering on Scutosaurus. I will say Wild Past's scales better with my other Permian animals, though.

Are you going to do your Guess the Diversity thing again this year?

Pretty sure PNSO didn't have the most phylogenetically diverse lineup this year!

Definitely not. I'm always struck by the contrast between their books, which cover a huge portion of prehistory, and their figures, which--generally don't.

@Halichoeres your Safari Utahraptor isn't the only one that arrived with a messed up jaw. Mine also had one as well as some paint issues. I love the figure but I had to give the poor thing some TLC (shown below).

Yeah, definitely seems to be a common thing with this figure! Glad the hot water treatment worked for you, I should try that with mine. It does seem a bit like you're giving it a swirly! 

[Primeval12]

Yes! Microwave a mug of water until it boils, reposition, then shock it with cold water. Works like a charm

[Halichoeres]

Some Devonian placoderms*! These are all from the Oumcraft Life... game, released in 2022 (for the painted versions). Like others in the series, they owe a lot to the "Palaeopedia" Tumblr blog.

*Placoderms are probably paraphyletic with respect to the clade composed of sharks and bony fishes, so pretend I said 'non-eugnathostome placoderms.'


Campbellodus
Scale: 1:18
Late Devonian
Etymology: after paleontologist Kenton Campbell and Gr. "tooth"
One of the ptyctodonts (not to be confused with the much later pycnodonts), ratfish-like shell crushers. They were the most lightly armored placoderms, and like other placoderms they had bony "toothplates" rather than true teeth. The spine at the front of the first dorsal fin is formed from three thoracic plates fused and elongated, giving a clue to the presence of much nastier predators in its environment.



These did not live in the same time or in the same environment, but they're about the same scale. Crassigyrinus could do with a new figure now that it's been redescribed, but I'm not holding my breath!


Materpiscis
Scale: 1:10
Late Devonian
Etymology: L. "mother fish"
Another ptyctodont, this one famous for being the earliest evidence for live birth in vertebrates. Ptyctodonts were sexually dimorphic, with females having flat pelvic plates, and males having bony clasper-like organs reminiscent of those of sharks. The Materpiscis holotype went one better, and included an embryo still attached by an umbilical cord to its mother. An absolutely priceless fossil for understanding the evolution of vertebrate reproduction, and a great choice for a figure.


Romundina
Scale: 1:7
Early Devonian
Etymology: after paleontologist Rómundur Thorsteinsson
One of the acanthothoracid placoderms, which have huge thoracic spines as befit their name. This one looks a bit grumpy; maybe its spines keep getting it caught in tight spaces. But better than being chomped on!


Lunaspis
Scale: 1:9
Early Devonian
Etymology: Gr. "moon shield"
One of the petalichthyid placoderms, flattened, somewhat ray-like animals with large lateral spines (in this species forming a rough crescent, hence the name). Book-rat, who made my Harpagofututor, also made a beautiful Lunaspis statue. I offered to buy it, but they wouldn't part with it, which is understandable. This one will do!


Pterichthyodes
Scale: 1:10
Middle Devonian
Etymology: Gr. "like wing-fish;" a replacement name after "Pterichthys" was found to be preoccupied.
Originally named Pterichthys in 1841, and amended to 1859 because Pterichthys was already in use, the former name nevertheless persisted in popular literature for another century. I'm not sure when the Henkel/Ovomaltine figures were released, but their antiarch was called Pterichthys. I haven't been able to figure out who had the name Pterichthys first, which suggests to me that it too now goes by another name. Anyway, this is a cool little figure, although I still wouldn't turn down the Henkel figure!


With Yujin's Acanthostega for scale. All of these are from the Devonian, but collectively they span about 45 million years!


Microbrachius
Scale: 1:3
Middle Devonian
Etymology: Gr. "small arms"
The antiarch with stubby little pectoral fins. It makes an already-derpy fish an extra dose of goofiness. I bet it would be great in an aquarium.


With what might be the best Starlux figure.

[Concavenator]

Hadn't heard of Yujin before, and when I saw that figure I thought it was a Kaiyodo one!

BTW, how well would you say the Safari Psittacosaurus holds up to more recent findings about the animal? I haven't really been following those in detail. I think it might be missing out on several, like the belly button, the patagium and the cloaca structure? I'm debating whether should I order it regardless (since it's now retired) or just wait for a more up-to-date figure to be released.

Something about it I find odd is that in the DTB review it was stated the figure was based on SMF R 4970 (Psittacosaurus sp.) but Doug claimed the figure represents P. mongoliensis...

[Sim]

The Wild Safari also covers its cheek projections in skin, while the specimen that had its integument preserved shows these structures were covered in horn.  The 1:18 BotM Psittacosaurus has the cheek projections covered in horn and might suit you better than the Safari figure.

The Wild Safari Psittacosaurus is indeed P. mongoliensis, but its integument is based on the specimen that preserves it, which isn't P. mongoliensis.  The same is true for the BotM versions.

[Concavenator]

@Sim I also have the 1:18 BotM as an option, but I'm a bit hesitant because of the high price. I got the Velociraptor and it was quite expensive.

By cheek projections you mean the jugals? I hadn't noticed that, thank you!

Also, there's a detail on the BotM Psittacosaurus that bugs me a bit: the dewclaws are not raised, but they touch the ground along with the other toes, as if it was a therizinosaur/Spinosaurus. @Fembrogon mentioned the proportions are slightly off. That said, with BotM figures there are some inaccuracies I can live with, because I know some of them arise from their articulated nature. I recall this is the reason why they didn't depict the patagium, in a case like this, I'm more forgiving than what I'd be for a static figure.

[Sim]

Yes, the cheek projections I mentioned are on the jugals.  I hadn't noticed the first toe's different position between the Safari and BotM Psittacosaurus!  Jaime Headden's Psittacosaurus mongoliensis skeletal shows the first toe as being weight-bearing: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Psittacosaurus.jpg  The skeletal of Psittacosaurus in the paper that examined its colouration also shows this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Psittacosaurus_sp_skeletal.png  Perhaps the BotM exaggerates this a little bit though...

[Halichoeres]

Hadn't heard of Yujin before, and when I saw that figure I thought it was a Kaiyodo one!

The Kaiyodo Acanthostega is pretty nice, too, but I like this one slightly more, partly because of the paint, and partly because it includes a base like all aquatic animals should.

Fun discussion on Psittacosaurus, I'm not sure I have anything to add! I do think the BotM is slightly more accurate (it had the advantage of a later release date), but the 1/6 is larger than I prefer, and both versions have more joints than I prefer. I'm pretty happy with Safari's version.

[Primeval12]

2023 year in review
I added 47 new releases in 2023 (plus a few I'm still waiting for, indicated by the black squares in the collage below),

Anyway, happy new year! I'm cautiously optimistic about 2024. Will we be so lucky as to see some of Wild Past's second wave? Will PNSO ever again be as interesting as they were in 2021?

I am shoked that the PNSO Saurophagynax isn't here. I love it. It may be my favorite figure of 2023. However, the Megaraptor is also excellent.

[Concavenator]

@Primeval12 Well, @Halichoeres isn't too fond of theropods to begin with, and among them, Saurophaganax is a pretty irrelevant taxon, being so fragmentary. So I'm not surprised.

Megaraptor is scrappy too, but at least it's a more unique creature.

[Halichoeres]

Vertebrates of the Silurian! These are all from Oumcraft's Life... game, released in 2022 as painted versions.


Dartmuthia
Scale: 1:3
Late Silurian
Etymology: after Dartmouth College
An early osteostracan (jawless, but more closely related to jawed fishes than to cyclostomes). Despite being found in Estonia, the guy who described worked at Dartmouth in New Hampshire, USA, so he named it after his employer. As a university employee, I literally cannot imagine wanting to name something after my employer, but perhaps times have changed. Anyway, this fish had a tightly knit armor made of polygonal plates, interspersed with large tubercles. Probably a great shield, but potentially also a great mineral sink. It's so finely preserved that you can see the canals where mucous glands and sensory organs resided. Great choice for a figure.


Tremataspis
Scale: 1:3
Late Silurian
Etymology: Gr. "perforated shield"
Another stem-gnathostome, this one with a fairly continuous shield over the front half or two-thirds of its body. It also has excellent preservation, allowing detailed analysis of its sensory pores and other dermal structures. These little figures do a good job of differentiating the distinct armor arrangements of these two close relatives.


With another relative, Cephalaspis by Colorata, incidentally one of the most frequently bootlegged toys out there. I think I see the copies online more often than the genuine article.


Climatius
Scale: 1:2 - 1:3
Late Silurian - Early Devonian
Etymology: L. "slope/region" from a similar Greek word
I have a couple of other Climatius figures; I keep this one as well because it's a very different scale and works with other figures. One of the longest- and best-known acanthodians, it's become the prototypical image of them, even if sometimes representations don't quite nail it. The plastic Climatius of unknown manufacture that several of us here on the forum own interprets the prepelvic spines as midline structures, but this one correctly has them as paired structures.


For a distant shark relative, Climatius sure was tiny.


Ischnacanthus
Scale: 1:9
Late Silurian - Early Devonian
Etymology: Gr. "meager spine"
I'd guess the name comes from the shape of the spines, which are much less stout than in Climatius, for example. But it might be from the fact that it has fewer spines, too. The thinness is hard to convey, but the number is faithfully represented here. Oumcraft did a really good job representing the variety of acanthodians.


My most lifelike fish with my most lifelike mollusc.

2023 year in review
I added 47 new releases in 2023 (plus a few I'm still waiting for, indicated by the black squares in the collage below),

Anyway, happy new year! I'm cautiously optimistic about 2024. Will we be so lucky as to see some of Wild Past's second wave? Will PNSO ever again be as interesting as they were in 2021?

I am shoked that the PNSO Saurophagynax isn't here. I love it. It may be my favorite figure of 2023. However, the Megaraptor is also excellent.

@Primeval12 Well, @Halichoeres isn't too fond of theropods to begin with, and among them, Saurophaganax is a pretty irrelevant taxon, being so fragmentary. So I'm not surprised.

Megaraptor is scrappy too, but at least it's a more unique creature.

I haven't made up my mind about it. You're right that it's an excellent figure, much better than the CollectA version or the monster-y Rebor one, and better than most figures labeled "Allosaurus". In addition to generally not being wild about theropods, especially allosauroids, I am specifically irked with PNSO for their two-year glut of them. So I'm refusing to bring a PNSO theropod into my house without a PNSO something-else to accompany it. The Megalosaurus came with the Zuul, so if I get the Saurophaganax it will have to wait until PNSO makes something else I want more. I acknowledge that this is a little petty, but I know myself, and I won't enjoy it much if it arrives here on its own.

[Flaffy]

Oumcraft's Life series is really the gift that keeps on giving. Haven't heard from the creator for a while now, hope they are doing well.

[Primeval12]

I love the Tremataspis, it looks like a medieval mace. Perhaps I should get one for the renaissance faire this year...

Also that makes sense for PNSO. I am glad we seem to be off the theropod train for now. Though I wouldn't mind that Gigantoraptor they've been teasing for years now... 

[TooOldForDinosaurs]

I can't believe the Oumcraft's Life figures are still coming in. It almost seems like some witchcraft-connected inexhaustible source. 

[Halichoeres]

Thanks for stopping by, folks!

I can't believe the Oumcraft's Life figures are still coming in. It almost seems like some witchcraft-connected inexhaustible source. 

I've been trying to savor them, on the assumption that there will never again be a boon like this for a Paleozoic/fish/invertebrate fan...

Oumcraft's Life series is really the gift that keeps on giving. Haven't heard from the creator for a while now, hope they are doing well.

...however, I recently had an email exchange with her, and I think there might be a follow-up project in the works. It will surely take time, and I don't know any details, but the fact that she is even thinking about it is great news.

I love the Tremataspis, it looks like a medieval mace. Perhaps I should get one for the renaissance faire this year...

It's a perfect melee weapon if your opponent is 15 cm tall!

[Faelrin]

Just the possibility of another project like this makes me excited. Hopefully focusing on the Carboniferous and more.