The best figure of every species, according to Halichoeres

[Halichoeres]

I just ordered the Trilobiti Hallucigenia. I would like the Tully Monster too, but they are too expensive to get two at once.

That's also a beauty. If you're planning to get both, I'd claim it's too expensive NOT to get both at once, considering how expensive shipping from Italy is.

Whilst there aren't exactly loads of figures of Tullimonstrum, this is definitely the best. Kuo Chien-Hung has succeeded in creating a majestic and realistic looking animal. Congrats on your acquisition.

Thanks very much! I agree, he did a wonderful job.

First off, congrats on acquiring this model It is nice to see someone else producing a Tullimonstrum, even if it brings nothing new to the table in terms of reconstruction.

Secondly, nice to see that the makers not only did their research on what animals lived alongside Tullimonstrum, but also included an example of convergent evolution in the process 

Thanks! I have to admit I was almost as excited for the accessory animals as for the Tully Monster itself. I have a special fondness for ol' Tully, though, having worked in the museum where the vast majority of specimens are housed. The only locality for the species lies a mere 90 kilometers from my old apartment.

[bmathison1972]

I just ordered the Trilobiti Hallucigenia. I would like the Tully Monster too, but they are too expensive to get two at once.

That's also a beauty. If you're planning to get both, I'd claim it's too expensive NOT to get both at once, considering how expensive shipping from Italy is.

You know what's funny? After I ordered it, I got an email from Gianpaolo of Trilobiti, who was writing to me from the Salt Lake airport!!! He said had I ordered it a day earlier he could have hand delivered it!!! Not sure if he was visiting SLC or passing through. Now I have to wait until towards the end of the month... I'll do a blog walkaround once I get it.

[Halichoeres]

I just ordered the Trilobiti Hallucigenia. I would like the Tully Monster too, but they are too expensive to get two at once.

That's also a beauty. If you're planning to get both, I'd claim it's too expensive NOT to get both at once, considering how expensive shipping from Italy is.

You know what's funny? After I ordered it, I got an email from Gianpaolo of Trilobiti, who was writing to me from the Salt Lake airport!!! He said had I ordered it a day earlier he could have hand delivered it!!! Not sure if he was visiting SLC or passing through. Now I have to wait until towards the end of the month... I'll do a blog walkaround once I get it.

Oh, that would have been so cool! I wonder if he was on his way to/from GSA in Phoenix. I look forward to your review!

[Bokisaurus]

Awesome figure, this gotta be one of the oddest animals out there, looks so alien

[Halichoeres]

Archosaurs of the Cretaceous!


Ideal Stegoceras (Transmutazors)
Scale: 1:40
Campanian of North America
We were recently discussing the bizarre Transmutazors miniature line, and I had written them off but then I saw this one up for auction and I went for it. Got it for reasonably cheap. The Stegoceras also came in a "mutated" version where it was mounting a motorcycle. It's really hard to find figures of pachycephalosaurs outside of the Hell Creek trio (Pachycephalosaurus, Stygimoloch, and the likely ontogenetic synonym Dracorex). Hopefully this figure will be replaced one day, as Stegoceras is the most completely known member of the group.


I also got this Nodosaurus but it's incredibly tiny, about half the size of a Kaiyodo figure, so I don't think I'll keep it. It's odd that, in contrast to the Pachycephalosauridae, the type genus of the Nodosauridae is so rarely made into toys.


PNSO Dakosaurus
Scale: 1:40-1:45
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang
Released: 2018
I'm a little on the fence on this one. The proportions are better than the Safari Toob figure, and the paint job is much nicer, but the inclusion of osteoderms is incorrect.


Looks good with my other metriorhynchids, I have to say.


PNSO Mei long
Scale: 1:5
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang
Released: 2018
Barremian/Aptian of Eurasia
One of the weaker paint jobs of the new PNSO batch, but it's not even bad per se, the others are just very good. Unlike the Sinosauropteryx, I think the "sleeping dragon" makes sense to depict as found, in repose in this case.


With other Aptian maniraptorans. Zhenyuanlong steals an easy meal from Caudipteryx.


PNSO Guidraco
Scale: 1:20
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang
Released: 2018
Aptian of Eurasia
We're in a pretty good stretch for pterosaurs, in no small part thanks to PNSO. This one is in a sedate glide with its mouth closed, very natural. The irregular pattern on the wings is impressively symmetrical--I think Mr. Zhao is holding the factory to pretty exacting standards. It's worth mentioning that all of these miniatures are stamped 2017 or even 2016, which suggests that these molds are a year or two old at least. I wonder if there are additional miniature sculpts that Zhao is planning to unleash--I dearly hope so!


Sonokong Armadillosuchus (Dino Mecard)
Scale: 1:25
Released: 2018
Turonian-Santonian of South America
Leave it to Dino Mecard to eventually turn out a weirdo taxon that I had to have. This is #47 of the 48 "tiny-saurs" that fold up into little eggs. It's my first figure from a Korean company, so now I have items from a whopping 85 companies in 16 countries. It's really a shame there aren't more figures of notosuchians ("Southern crocodiles," a terrestrial group from Gondwanaland and its fragments), since some of them are incredibly strange. So far we just have Kaprosuchus and Montealtosuchus out of the several dozen highly disparate genera, including herbivores and carnivores, large and small forms, some with crazy armor (this one and Simosuchus, for example). This group needs way more attention than it gets.


A group shot you're not likely to see elsewhere.

[Ravonium]

Thanks for posting images of some of the PNSO minis, as well as the first in-hand ones I've seen of the Guidraco. I fully agree with you on the wing patterning, and it is good to see that it looks like it has pycnofibers.

It's worth mentioning that all of these miniatures are stamped 2017 or even 2016, which suggests that these molds are a year or two old at least. I wonder if there are additional miniature sculpts that Zhao is planning to unleash--I dearly hope so!

Yeah, I noticed that too on the Keichousaurus. If they do release any more minis, I hope at least one of China's wide variety of Mesozoic mammals is amongst them.

[Shonisaurus]

Thank you Halichoeres for publishing these photographs of PNSO mei long, guidraco and dakosaurus carved by one of the best paleo artists in the world Zhao Chuang. They look beautiful. I have already ordered all the models to Acro-man next week I will send them and I will make the payment of these figures.

[ITdactyl]

Oh that poor doomed Mei Long

Thanks for sharing that top shot of the guidraco.  I like that it has sculpted details on the wing membranes similar to the mini WwD3d Quetzalcoatlus (albeit executed better).  I have to wait 'til after the holidays before I get mine though (ugh).

[Halichoeres]

It's worth mentioning that all of these miniatures are stamped 2017 or even 2016, which suggests that these molds are a year or two old at least. I wonder if there are additional miniature sculpts that Zhao is planning to unleash--I dearly hope so!

Yeah, I noticed that too on the Keichousaurus. If they do release any more minis, I hope at least one of China's wide variety of Mesozoic mammals is amongst them.

That would be so great! Obviously I would also like to see some of China's Mesozoic fish, but I think mammals have a better chance. Or lizards like Xianglong.

Oh that poor doomed Mei Long

Thanks for sharing that top shot of the guidraco.  I like that it has sculpted details on the wing membranes similar to the mini WwD3d Quetzalcoatlus (albeit executed better).  I have to wait 'til after the holidays before I get mine though (ugh).

Yeah, the texture on the wings is really nice. Pertinent to Ravonium's other comment, the skin also suggests pycnofibers, although you could interpret it as simple wrinkles too. It's a small enough sculpt of a large enough pterosaur that I think very subtle fuzziness is fine.

[eion129]

The Collectible figures are really amazing and it looks great for the animal figure fans.

[Halichoeres]

The Collectible figures are really amazing and it looks great for the animal figure fans.

Thanks!

Now, some dinosaurs of the Jurassic!


PNSO Anchiornis
Scale: 1:5-1:6
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang
Released: 2018
The gray is a little subdued but overall a pretty good representation of the very well known anatomy and coloration of the animal. One thing I love about it is that the wings are folded up. Most figures of crownward bird relatives have the wings extended all the time; this is a nice change of pace. Not sure if it could have cocked its tail like this, but the pose sure helps it fit in the little clamshell box it's sold in. This replaces the Takara Tomy Anchiornis in my collection.


PNSO Tianyulong
Scale: 1:6-1:7
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang
Released: 2018
This is the first heterodontosaurid figure, as far as I know, since a horrible Simba Dinoz Heterodontosaurus around 2012, and before that the last one was the 1972 Inpro edition. So this is the first heterodontosaurid worth a damn, is what I'm saying. I am not sure the color is plausible, but it looks good at any rate. I think the forelimbs would have been just as incapable of a palms-backward orientation as in a theropod, but I can overlook that. I really like the head, which looks suitably adorable but clearly shows the enlarged teeth that gave heterodontosaurids their name.


Conveniently, the two scale well together, and with the CollectA Sciurumimus and Kaiyodo Yi.


Battat Dacentrurus armatus
Scale: 1:40
Sculptor: Dan LoRusso
Released: 2018
I recently swapped out the CollectA Dacentrurus in favor of this one. It's a better fit to my collection in terms of scale, and although the CollectA version has more surface detail, this one is superior anatomically.


Eagerly awaiting the new Safari Stegosaurus.

And finally, now dominating my little Jurassic shelf:

Safari Ltd Camarasaurus lentus
Scale: 1:40
Sculptor: Doug Watson
Released: "2019"
The Carnegie Camarasaurus is a beauty, but so is this one, and this one reflects what we've learned in the 15 years since the Carnegie was released: the beak, the position of the nostrils, the toe claws. Great update to a genus that is attempted more or less regularly but isn't often done well.


With the equally gorgeous Carnegie Brachiosaurus.

[Shonisaurus]

Halichoeres did not know that the mini PNSO dinosaurs were bigger than I thought. They are as big as Collecta 2018 sciurumimus, although the PNSO nemicolopterus (which fortunately I have) is great for being a miniature.

On the other hand the Safari camarasaurus is a marvel. Thank you for sharing Halichoeres and my congratulations for your new acquisitions.

[Ravonium]

Most figures of crownward bird relatives have the wings extended all the time; this is a nice change of pace.

I agree that this is one of the main things the figure has going for it, especially considering PNSO's attempts at extended wings (e.g. Confuciusornis) have fallen short in terms of accuracy.

Conveniently, the two scale well together, and with the CollectA Sciurumimus and Kaiyodo Yi.

This is especially amazing when considering that 3 out of 4 of these are from the same formation. Now, I really wish it was the right time for me to get the other PNSO minis (and the CollectA Sciurumimus, even if it is out of place in this photo ecologically )  Then again, I do have the weirdest animal in the photo, so I'm not completely out of luck 

[Sim]

This is the first heterodontosaurid figure, as far as I know, since a horrible Simba Dinoz Heterodontosaurus around 2012, and before that the last one was the 1972 Inpro edition.

The Transmutazors line includes Heterodontosaurus, and I actually had this one when I was little - both the normal version and the mutated version.  I don't know when the Transmutazors line was released, but they were available during the 1990s, and they include animals named in years after 1972 e.g. Baryonyx and Maiasaura.  So it's safe to say the Transmutazors Heterodontosaurus was released between the 2012 and 1972 versions you mentioned.

[Gothmog the Baryonyx]

Some great new fish for your collection. The Tianyulong and Anchiornis look great, and I agree with the Dacentrurus - the Battat one is the best one (though I still have the CollectA one as well).

[Halichoeres]

Thanks, everyone!

This is the first heterodontosaurid figure, as far as I know, since a horrible Simba Dinoz Heterodontosaurus around 2012, and before that the last one was the 1972 Inpro edition.

The Transmutazors line includes Heterodontosaurus, and I actually had this one when I was little - both the normal version and the mutated version.  I don't know when the Transmutazors line was released, but they were available during the 1990s, and they include animals named in years after 1972 e.g. Baryonyx and Maiasaura.  So it's safe to say the Transmutazors Heterodontosaurus was released between the 2012 and 1972 versions you mentioned.

I had definitely forgotten about that one. So it looks like roughly every 20 years somebody makes a Heterodontosaurus. I hope the one that's released in 2032 is better than the 1972, ~1992, and 2012 ones.

[Halichoeres]

2018 was a huge year for prehistorics! The realization of the Creative Beast figures and the revival of PNSO were a big part of that, but there was solid output from the standbys too. The one exception is Kaiyodo, which had a second weak year in a row. The dinosaur market is more crowded now, which is pretty great as far as I'm concerned. This is the first year since I started collecting that I bought over 50 new releases in a single year, and the first year that I bought zero Ty***nosaurus figures. If I ever get my hands on the DeAgostini "Sea Dinosaurs & Co." figures, I'll update this post. I hope 2019 can be half as good! (Or at least, a little less heavy on the Cretaceous, which accounted for 70% of my new figures.)

[Halichoeres]

Triassic sauropsids!


PNSO Keichosaurus
Scale: 1:2-1:3 depending on the specimen
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang
Released: 2018
As far as I know, this is the only pachypleurosaur toy available. Sauropterygians, except pliosaurs, are not done well very often, but even more neglected are the many weird small taxa that existed during the Triassic. Really cool to see this nice rendition of an animal known from abundant fossils.


With Bullyland's belemnite.


PNSO Atopodentatus
Scale: 1:30
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang
Released: 2018
Another insane sauropterygian, making the proper plesiosaurs that populated Jurassic and Cretaceous seas look downright ordinary.


With its contemporary Mixosaurus (Play Visions).


PNSO Odontochelys
Scale: 1:3
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang
Released: 2018
If the hypothesis that sauropterygians are stem-turtles is correct, then this could also be considered a sauropterygian. Beautiful patterning on this figure, and a marvelous sculpt. It's somewhat larger than the Joy City version that it replaced. Joy City can always claim to have been first, though!


A very ambitious Keichousaurus chases a Potanichthys while Odontochelys yells at them both to get off its lawn.

[acro-man]

Nice collection. Congrats!

2018 was a great year.
I didn't think so until I checked my purchase history and found - I bought 50 figures in a year?!
As many as yours.

The most outstanding are definitely PNSO minis. They filled the missing obscure species and made the ecosystem complete.
Like your photos suggested, the scene is coming to life.

[suspsy]

Looking forward to reading more of your excellent reviews this year. I'd be especially curious to hear your thoughts on the Vitae and BotM toys.