CollectA New for 2017

[stargatedalek]

Does anyone else think that the scale seems wrong for the displayed mini-figures toob. Maybe it is the angle of the photo but I think the items shown are more like a standard sized figure (too be used as display items) versus customer product.

Nope, those are definitely the same general size as the other sets. Keep in mind they are larger than the average Safari toob figure, and these ones are probably slightly larger than CollectA's others since most of them are long and thin.

[Sim]

I think the CollectA Krono blows the Safari one out of the Mesozoic water. The paint scheme is much more like a real animal rather than a digital art painting. Also, have you see any pics looking down the Safari Krono's throat? It looks like it could swallow a Basilosaurus. This one seems to have more realistic anatomy. Perhaps not as good for kid's playing (chomping and swallowing other toys), but more appealing to an adult collector.

Based on photos alone, I have to agree with BlueKrono's comment.  As pretty as the Safari Krono is, the paint job doesn't look realistic enough to me, and the mouth ... well, its just open too wide and the jaws appears to be too .. gracile .. for want of better terminology ... it may be a more polished scultpt (again, I'm handicapped by the fact I do not have either one of these to see them 'in person') but the Collecta one would look more "real" in a diorama setting than the Safari ...

I don't have either of the figures too, but regarding the bolded part, the jaws of the Wild Safari Kronosaurus look accurate to the jaws of Kronosaurus queenslandicus, as seen in Colin McHenry's study: http://ogma.newcastle.edu.au:8080/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12164

[John]

The Dimorphodon looks like it's the most carefully done of CollectA's lineup this year.The rest of them seem to be more rushed to completion to meet a deadline,with the return of their funny anatomical errors,like the extra fourth toe on the back feet of the Gigantspinosaurus,and the aforementioned error in the premaxillary tooth count in the Kronosaurus for instance.

[Reptilia]

I think the CollectA Krono blows the Safari one out of the Mesozoic water. The paint scheme is much more like a real animal rather than a digital art painting. Also, have you see any pics looking down the Safari Krono's throat? It looks like it could swallow a Basilosaurus. This one seems to have more realistic anatomy. Perhaps not as good for kid's playing (chomping and swallowing other toys), but more appealing to an adult collector.

Agree on pretty much everything you said.

My only minor gripe is that it seems to have the very same huge tongue of the WS version. Why they give pliosaurs such wide tongues? Maybe there's some sort of relation with extant animals? Not a big deal by the way, the Collecta has an articulated jaw so you can simply shut its mouth if you dislike that detail like me.

I'm a bit repetitive but I'm really thrilled for the new Collectas.

[Faelrin]

I really cannot wait for that prehistoric marine set. Every new picture I see gets me more excited for it. I wonder how the trilobite from this set will look alongside the Safari Cambrian Life TOOB figures.

[ceratopsian]

Might seem an odd suggestion but many rock and lapidary supply stores carry numerous small stands, brackets, display cubes, and what not for displaying even the smallest or largest specimens. I never have a problem finding what I want there....just a suggestion

Thank you, I'll try that.

[Killekor]

WOW! I Want the Dimorphodon and Kronosaurus!

Killekor

[suspsy]

I honestly don't give a damn about such a minor dentition error. Indeed, I'm perfectly willing to give CollectA a pass for it because there's not a lot of up-to-date reference material readily available for Kronosaurus. The famous Harvard specimen's skull lacks this feature. So does the model at the Kronosaurus Korner museum in Richmond.





The Collecta Kronosaurus also has that lovely little tail fluke.

[spinosaurus1]

I think the CollectA Krono blows the Safari one out of the Mesozoic water. The paint scheme is much more like a real animal rather than a digital art painting. Also, have you see any pics looking down the Safari Krono's throat? It looks like it could swallow a Basilosaurus. This one seems to have more realistic anatomy. Perhaps not as good for kid's playing (chomping and swallowing other toys), but more appealing to an adult collector.

Agree on pretty much everything you said.

My only minor gripe is that it seems to have the very same huge tongue of the WS version. Why they give pliosaurs such wide tongues? Maybe there's some sort of relation with extant animals? Not a big deal by the way, the Collecta has an articulated jaw so you can simply shut its mouth if you dislike that detail like me.

I'm a bit repetitive but I'm really thrilled for the new Collectas.

Pliosaurs have no modern relations unfortunately, ergo truly a one of a kind genera with no modern analog. With that said, pliosaurs had exceptionally wide jaw quadratic and vast room of muscular and soft tissue attachment. That plus very few sea going animals actually find use of their tongues. I would say it would be a bit off putting seeing kronosaurus without a comparatively wide tounge.

[stargatedalek]

A lot of marine animals make great use of their tongues. Crocodiles use them to seal off their throats giving them more control of their mouths underwater, whales (toothed and baleen) use them in feeding, and turtles use them for everything from bait to entangling prey. Giving Kronosaurus a large tongue isn't particularly improbable, orcas have tongues that almost fill their lower jaws.

[spinosaurus1]

Granted, only freshwater species of turtles specialized for stationary ambush have such tongue adaption. and baleen whales being specialized to a different feeding style on an entirely different evolutionary leniage warrants me to overlook them specificlly. crocodile tongues can actually be a sound comparison .

[stargatedalek]

Granted, only freshwater species of turtles specialized for stationary ambush have such tongue adaption and baleen whales being specialized to a different feeding style on an entirely different evolutionary leniage warrants me overlooking them specificlly, crocodile an tongues can actually be a sound comparison .

This is true, I was being a tad generalized. Sea turtles also may not be an accurate reference, since they eat prey proportionally much smaller than Kronosaurus did.

[terrorchicken]

....
And no, I'm pretty sure the aquatic tube won't come with little stands.

Sadly yes.  Wouldn't it be good if they sold them as an extra!  Finding the perfect stand can be rather testing and hit/miss.

Ive bought doll boxes and stands from this store... they also have acrylic display cases and stands for figures.

http://www.collectingwarehouse.com/

[BlueKrono]

Geeze. Those display stands cost more than just about anything I'd be displaying.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Geeze. Those display stands cost more than just about anything I'd be displaying.

Unfortunately that's often the "case" , if you'll pardon the pun.  If I ever do build that dinosaur art and memorabilia museum  it's likely going to cost quite a bit to display properly.

[BlueKrono]

Hasn't anyone found a way to make plastic stands cheap? I mean, come on, this is the 21st century.

[terrorchicken]

Geeze. Those display stands cost more than just about anything I'd be displaying.

yeah, after I posted the link I checked out the figure stands and cases, they are way more expensive than the metal doll stands & softer plastic boxes Ive purchased there! I guess acrylic plastic is expensive.

[Sim]

The Dimorphodon looks like it's the most carefully done of CollectA's lineup this year.The rest of them seem to be more rushed to completion to meet a deadline,with the return of their funny anatomical errors,like the extra fourth toe on the back feet of the Gigantspinosaurus,and the aforementioned error in the premaxillary tooth count in the Kronosaurus for instance.

I'm mostly impressed by the CollectA Dimorphodon.  It looks like it might be the most accurate Dimorphodon figure available.  But why does it have grey teeth!?

I honestly don't give a damn about such a minor dentition error. Indeed, I'm perfectly willing to give CollectA a pass for it because there's not a lot of up-to-date reference material readily available for Kronosaurus. The famous Harvard specimen's skull lacks this feature. So does the model at the Kronosaurus Korner museum in Richmond.





The Collecta Kronosaurus also has that lovely little tail fluke.

Kronosaurus queenslandicus has a gap in the tooth row between the premaxillary and maxillary teeth, the CollectA Kronosaurus also appears to lack this feature.  The mounted Harvard Kronosaurus specimen is about 1/3rd made of plaster, according to Dr Admin.  The most well-known inaccuracy of that mount is the too-long body, but it has other inaccuracies too, such as an extra pair of premaxillary teeth and no gap in the tooth row between the premaxillary and maxillary teeth - one indicator that area is artificial is the line that separates the premaxilla from the maxilla isn't present.  It also appears to have incorrectly placed nostrils.  In Colin McHenry's study, he says that this specimen is mounted on display since 1959 and there are no records of modifications to the mount since it was completed.

That model at Kronosaurus Korner also has some dentition inaccuracies, but I still really like how it looks overall.  Speaking of Kronosaurus Korner, they have an accurate reconstruction of the skull of Kronosaurus queenslandicus on their website here: http://www.kronosauruskorner.com.au/kronosaurus  On that page they even mention a difference in number of premaxillary teeth between Kronosaurus queenslandicus and Kronosaurus boyacensis could be a reason for Kronosaurus boyacensis belonging in a separate genus.  Colin McHenry goes into more detail on this in his study, where he mentions K. boyacensis was described as having five pairs of premaxillary teeth but that this needs confirmation.  He also said this:

If the premaxillary tooth count in K. boyacensis is confirmed as five, then this may prove constitute grounds to place K. boyacensis into a separate genus to K. queenslandicus, as pliosaur taxonomy typically places species with differing premaxillary tooth counts into separate genera. However, if the premaxillary tooth count in K. boyacensis is actually four, then;
o a premaxillary tooth count of four becomes a genus level character for Kronosaurus, rather than a species level character for K. queenslandicus, and
o K. boyacensis remains a valid taxon, diagnosable from K. queenslandicus on the basis of post-cranial anatomy,

[suspsy]

Yes, I know all about the gap in the teeth, Sim. I remember it from the last time you posted about it in this thread. The point I was making with those images is that isn't a ton of up-to-date reference material readily available for Kronosaurus and that it'd be easy for a toy company to make that error. Fortunately, it's an extremely minor detail that doesn't drag down the entire toy. I still say CollectA's version blows WS's out of the water.

[Halichoeres]

The dentition information was new to me, thanks, Sim. I'll be interested to see if anything new comes about about K. boyacensis. I wish I'd made it to Boyacá when I was in Colombia to see the museum. Maybe during my postdoc. I did get to see their football team play in Ibagué, though!