The best figure of every species, according to Halichoeres

[Gwangi]

A book thread would be appreciated I think. I have one myself but I haven't updated it in quite awhile. We should also probably have a bookshelf thread to compliment the desktop diaries.

I'm also finding "Guns, Germs, and Steel" repetitive but it is much easier reading than I had originally thought it would be. I don't read much outside of nature/natural history but I loved his "The Third Chimpanzee" enough to warrant checking this one out. Plus its a pretty important book I think.

I thought maybe that Sega model was sculpted in mid-step, good to know it's just warped. I couldn't tell. Still a cool model.

[Libraraptor]

A book thread would be appreciated I think. I have one myself but I haven't updated it in quite awhile. We should also probably have a bookshelf thread to compliment the desktop diaries.

We could call that thread "shelfies", I used to insert some shelfie pictures into my book thread, but if you think complementing "Desktop Diaries" with "The Shelfie Thread", why not? Or how about "Books´n Dinos"

By the way: Fantastic new pictures!

[SBell]

A book thread would be appreciated I think. I have one myself but I haven't updated it in quite awhile. We should also probably have a bookshelf thread to compliment the desktop diaries.

I'm also finding "Guns, Germs, and Steel" repetitive but it is much easier reading than I had originally thought it would be. I don't read much outside of nature/natural history but I loved his "The Third Chimpanzee" enough to warrant checking this one out. Plus its a pretty important book I think.

I thought maybe that Sega model was sculpted in mid-step, good to know it's just warped. I couldn't tell. Still a cool model.

I would also recommend Collapse. Similar style, equally light and fluffy topic!

[Gwangi]

A book thread would be appreciated I think. I have one myself but I haven't updated it in quite awhile. We should also probably have a bookshelf thread to compliment the desktop diaries.

I'm also finding "Guns, Germs, and Steel" repetitive but it is much easier reading than I had originally thought it would be. I don't read much outside of nature/natural history but I loved his "The Third Chimpanzee" enough to warrant checking this one out. Plus its a pretty important book I think.

I thought maybe that Sega model was sculpted in mid-step, good to know it's just warped. I couldn't tell. Still a cool model.

I would also recommend Collapse. Similar style, equally light and fluffy topic!

That's on my list as well. I've seen it around but haven't bought it yet. I'm pretty much game to read anything by Jared Diamond at this point.

[tyrantqueen]

A book thread would be appreciated I think. I have one myself but I haven't updated it in quite awhile. We should also probably have a bookshelf thread to compliment the desktop diaries.

We could call that thread "shelfies", I used to insert some shelfie pictures into my book thread, but if you think complementing "Desktop Diaries" with "The Shelfie Thread", why not? Or how about "Books´n Dinos"

By the way: Fantastic new pictures!

I'd love to contribute to a shelf thread. I want to show my dinosaur book collection Please start one

[Patrx]

A book thread would be appreciated I think.

We could call that thread "shelfies", I used to insert some shelfie pictures into my book thread, but if you think complementing "Desktop Diaries" with "The Shelfie Thread", why not? Or how about "Books´n Dinos"

I'd love to contribute to a shelf thread. I want to show my dinosaur book collection Please start one

Yes, so would I! I have some cool dinosaur books

[Halichoeres]

I thought maybe that Sega model was sculpted in mid-step, good to know it's just warped. I couldn't tell. Still a cool model.

I mis-typed before: it's Pawpawsaurus, not Sauropelta. Obviously the only Sauropelta for me at that scale is the Wild Safari

[Halichoeres]

Mesozoic gnathostomes!


Safari Cretoxyrhina. It occurs to me that, aside from the various megalodon figures, I can't think of a single prehistoric shark figure that isn't a miniature (Toob figures, Kaiyodo, etc.). This one is about 1:60.


CollectA Mosasaurus. One of my favorite marine reptile figures. About 1:50-1:60 based on the largest specimens.


Colorata Futabasaurus. Just a little small for my tastes (about 1:50-1:55), but pretty nice. Colorata should make more stuff.


Safari Plesiosuchus. Another winner. About 1:35


Sauropterygians (except for the hitchhikers on Pliosaurus.


Most of my group shots don't have this much phylogenetic breadth: elasmobranchs, actinistians, crown lizards, crocodiles, and ichthyosaurs.


CollectA Attenborosaurus. I have absolutely nothing against David Attenborough, but I don't really care for the naming of genera after people (species I mind less, although it's still not my favorite thing in the world). At least it's not as widespread in zoology as it is in botany. About 1:25.


Favorite Archelon. Love this one. I hope Favorite's Prehistoric Life collection keeps putting out stuff like this. About 1:25


Toyway Ophthalmosaurus. Mine's a little battered, but this figure is still a beauty. About 1:20


Play Visions Mixosaurus. The only PV marine reptile in my collection, but someday I'd love to find the Placodus. About 1:25


This fish came with the Bullyland Pteranodon and I was ecstatic to find that it was detachable. Based on elasmobranchs present in the Western Interior Seaway during the Coniacian and Santonian, I'm calling this Ischyrhiza, though it's of course unlabeled and there are other possibilities I can't exclude. About 1:25.


Sauropterygians, and a turtle, which may prove to be redundant, but for now I feel like I should distinguish between them.


Sharks and ichthyosaurs! Sharks outlasted the ichthyosaurs, and despite our predilection for shark-fin soup, I bet they'll outlast the whales too.


Starlux Placochelys. I'd guess they were really aiming for Placodus, but it looks like a blend of both: the head of Placochelys on the body of Placodus. About 1:9.


Safari Diplomystus (Fossils Toob). The only widely available prehistoric actinopterygian toy, and it's a skeleton in a rock. I have a real one, too, and I work in a place that houses hundreds more, which tell me that this is missing pieces, like the pelvic fins and the opercular series. But it's something. About 1:10.


Someday I'm going to sculpt a bunch of archaic acinoptergyians to join this depauperate fauna.

[SBell]

I actually came to the exact same conclusion on the small Bullyland elasmobranch, for the exact same reasons!

There is one other Actinopterygian figure:



Well, 2--but the FaunaCasts Xiphactinus is cruel to be counted!

There is, however, the little ichthyodectid that came with a Bandai Pteranodon. It is probably Cladocylcus given the scale with the Pteranodon.



The set can often be found on ebay or YAJ.

[Halichoeres]

I actually came to the exact same conclusion on the small Bullyland elasmobranch, for the exact same reasons!

There is one other Actinopterygian figure:


Well, 2--but the FaunaCasts Xiphactinus is cruel to be counted!

There is, however, the little ichthyodectid that came with a Bandai Pteranodon. It is probably Cladocylcus given the scale with the Pteranodon.


The set can often be found on ebay or YAJ.

I've been watching for a while, but I haven't seen it on eBay! I also saw it on another web site, but once I submitted my order, I got a notification that they were refunding my money and couldn't fill the order because they were out of stock. So that's why I gave myself an out with "widely available." You could maybe make the case for the Bandai, although I have so far had no luck, but definitely not for the FaunaCasts Xiphactinus 

[Halichoeres]

CollectA Attenborosaurus is the finest plesiosaur on the market, all others somehow suffer of poor head sculpt, except from Papo Plesiosaurus, which has other evident flaws by the way.

I'm a big fan of the CollectA Pliosaurus myself, although the fenestrae are a little too prominent, which might be what you were getting at.

[SBell]

CollectA Attenborosaurus is the finest plesiosaur on the market, all others somehow suffer of poor head sculpt, except from Papo Plesiosaurus, which has other evident flaws by the way.

I hope I'm not misreading, but is that a defense of the the Papo 'nessie'? For a plesiosaur figure made in the 21st century, it is pretty much inexcusable.

The CollectA Pliosaurus is definitely a winner. I'm also a fan of the Dolichorhynchops and Hydrotherosaurus.

The most recent elasmosaurs from Kaiyodo Capsule Museum are probably better though.

[Halichoeres]

CollectA Attenborosaurus is the finest plesiosaur on the market, all others somehow suffer of poor head sculpt, except from Papo Plesiosaurus, which has other evident flaws by the way.

I hope I'm not misreading, but is that a defense of the the Papo 'nessie'? For a plesiosaur figure made in the 21st century, it is pretty much inexcusable.

The CollectA Pliosaurus is definitely a winner. I'm also a fan of the Dolichorhynchops and Hydrotherosaurus.

The most recent elasmosaurs from Kaiyodo Capsule Museum are probably better though.

To me that just sounded like a defense of its head.

I like the Dolichorhynchops too, but I gotta say I think the Hydrotherosaurus looks kinda wonky. Static and with a bit of a crude head. Mind you, I still own it, of course.

[SBell]

CollectA Attenborosaurus is the finest plesiosaur on the market, all others somehow suffer of poor head sculpt, except from Papo Plesiosaurus, which has other evident flaws by the way.

I hope I'm not misreading, but is that a defense of the the Papo 'nessie'? For a plesiosaur figure made in the 21st century, it is pretty much inexcusable.

The CollectA Pliosaurus is definitely a winner. I'm also a fan of the Dolichorhynchops and Hydrotherosaurus.

The most recent elasmosaurs from Kaiyodo Capsule Museum are probably better though.

To me that just sounded like a defense of its head.

I like the Dolichorhynchops too, but I gotta say I think the Hydrotherosaurus looks kinda wonky. Static and with a bit of a crude head. Mind you, I still own it, of course.

I think of the Hydrotherosaurus as mostly just being in an energy-saving swim pose (like the group swim in Sea Monsters or Chased by Sea Monsters...one of those). The name may also be one of the greatest subtle-but-obvious names of all, "Water Beast Reptile"!

[Halichoeres]

CollectA Attenborosaurus is the finest plesiosaur on the market, all others somehow suffer of poor head sculpt, except from Papo Plesiosaurus, which has other evident flaws by the way.

I hope I'm not misreading, but is that a defense of the the Papo 'nessie'? For a plesiosaur figure made in the 21st century, it is pretty much inexcusable.

The CollectA Pliosaurus is definitely a winner. I'm also a fan of the Dolichorhynchops and Hydrotherosaurus.

The most recent elasmosaurs from Kaiyodo Capsule Museum are probably better though.

To me that just sounded like a defense of its head.

I like the Dolichorhynchops too, but I gotta say I think the Hydrotherosaurus looks kinda wonky. Static and with a bit of a crude head. Mind you, I still own it, of course.

I think of the Hydrotherosaurus as mostly just being in an energy-saving swim pose (like the group swim in Sea Monsters or Chased by Sea Monsters...one of those). The name may also be one of the greatest subtle-but-obvious names of all, "Water Beast Reptile"!

Oh yeah, and it's got big pebbly scales! On one of the very last elasmosaurids to exist. It might be CollectA's best 2007 model, but that's a loooooow bar.

Still, I agree the name is pretty good.

[RobinGoodfellow]

....we are waiting to see pictures of your big (and wonderful)  Starlux collection.... 

[Halichoeres]

....we are waiting to see pictures of your big (and wonderful)  Starlux collection.... 

Well...I'm actually in the middle of selling most of them. I only kept about a dozen of them; they'll show up here and there. Sorry to disappoint 

[Halichoeres]

Triassic amniotes! RobinGoodFellows, some of the Starlux figures I picked up recently make it in!


Matchbox (Dinosaur in My Pocket) Teratosaurus. Teratosaurus was probably a rauisuchian, but people used to think it was a theropod. This looks slightly more like the latter than the former. About 1:55, I guess, but who knows with these proportions.


Safari Machaeroprosopus (=Rutiodon validus) from the Prehistoric Crocs Toob. I wish that more toys were emblazoned with their specific epithet! Makes it a lot easier to keep up with taxonomic revisions. Conceivably 1:40 for a less-than-maximum size specimen.


Tyco Dino Riders Placerias. I briefly had the famous Made in China Placerias on my shelf, and I usually prefer solid figures to action figures, but this one is legitimately better apart from the scales. About 1:25.


Kenner (Jurassic Park) Ornithosuchus. It was hard to choose between this one and the Starlux version, because neither is very good. But here's where I landed. About 1:15-1:20.


Starlux Saltoposuchus. Looks like it's doing some terrible 1960s novelty dance while wearing stilettos. About 1:15.


Starlux Cynognathus. This is about the most famous basal therapsid out there, so it surprises me there aren't more toys. This one is about 1:8.


Jasman Procompsognathus. Not that bad, really, for being almost 20 years old. About 1:7.


Playmobil "flying lizard," which serves equally well as Draco volans (you know, minus the coloration) and Kuehneosaurus. So here it's a standin for Kuehneosaurus. As such, about 1:7.


Giochi Preziosi (DinoFroz) Icarosaurus. Aptly named: the sculpt has a melted-looking quality that really does suggest that it's been too close to the sun. About 1:2, I guess, but with these proportions it depends on which part of it you measure.


Moose (Dino Magic) Longisquama. Another heinous miniature. Somehow these large series of small, stylized prehistoric animals often manage to include exactly one unique genus, and I just can't help but hunt them down. Dinoz, Digicards Predators, DinoFroz, Dinosaur in My Pocket, a whopping 2 from Dinowaurs, and now this awful thing. Based on the head, it's about 1:1--Longisquama was a small animal! Anyway, you're seeing what happens when I run out of realistic figures to seek out (apart from this year's new releases) and start hunting the less-lifelike renditions of rarely made taxa. I blame Yowies for starting me down this slippery slope.

[RobinGoodfellow]

I admire your ability to find out prehistoric figures from uncommon brands 

[Halichoeres]

I admire your ability to find out prehistoric figures from uncommon brands 

Thanks! A lot of it is just being lucky enough to run into people who know where to get them.

Now, new Permian tetrapods!


Kaiyodo Eryops. I had the pink one, but I like this version better. About 1:25-1:30.


Starlux Bradysaurus. My pareiasaur collection is complete! About 1:25.


Starlux Endothiodon. Crude, but charming. About 1:15-1:20.


Jurassic Park (Lost World) Estemmenosuchus. I don't understand how this animal isn't made by every company. It's got such an amazing face! Kenner got it wrong, of course:


Check out that single medial incisor! It's a little like that recessive allele that gives some Europeans only three lower incisors. Anyway, this flawed but interesting Estemmenosuchus is about 1:15 (for E. mirabilis).


Jurassic Park Lycaenops. I had that orange "Tyrannonops" figure, which is the same sculpt, but it was just too garish. This is an improvement, and now I consider my Jurassic Park collection complete (with 4 figures altogether). About 1:5.


Starlux "labyrinthodont." The name Labyrinthodon is a synonym of Mastodonsaurus, but there's already a Mastodonsaurus in the Starlux line. To me this looks like Cacops, so that's who it is in my collection. About 1:4-1:5 if it's Cacops.


Tetrapods around 1:5.