CollectA: New for 2018

[tyrantqueen]

Those are some super slender lower legs on that Ceratosaurus.

[Shonisaurus]

From my point of view the Collecta ceratosaurus is one of the best ceratosaurus made so far. The photography made in the exhibition have taken the dinosaur from an aerial perspective as if it were a foreshortening and I think it does not do justice to the dinosaur (in fact these pictures had already seen on Facebook), I understand and I bet whatever that dinosaur It is much better than promotional photographs.

I love the reddish color of the body, and even the base is much better than other previous Collecta bases, what I believe is that photography does not do justice to the dinosaur. In fact my three favorite dinosaurs apart from the standard dinosaurs and the two mammalian reptiles are the feathered tyrannosaurus, the iguanodon and the ceratosaurus, with iguanodon and ceratosaurus being the most preferred for me on equal terms.

I am very happy with the Collecta 2018 line this year and the only thing I regret is its philosophy of marketing its news in physical stores and online with so much delay (April and August normally).

[Jose S.M.]

The Ceratosaurus shape and sculpt look great, but it's hard to find a way to apply that war paint colors on its head realistically. I know some people like bold and striking but I personally think it's too much this time. If I get it I'll probably retouch it a little, taking out the colors, it is one of the best Ceratosaurus in the toy market.
About Dimetrodon I agree that it's up to date with research and more mammalian looking which is great, but the body looks to stiff to me.

[ceratopsian]

The Ceratosaurus shape and sculpt look great, but it's hard to find a way to apply that war paint colors on its head realistically. I know some people like bold and striking but I personally think it's too much this time.....

It strikes me the same way.  I'll pass on this one I think.

[Concavenator]

The Ceratosaurus shape and sculpt look great, but it's hard to find a way to apply that war paint colors on its head realistically. I know some people like bold and striking but I personally think it's too much this time.....

It strikes me the same way.  I'll pass on this one I think.

It's just black,white and red.There are birds that have actually bolder plumages,so it is not anything extraordinay.
Well,if you don't get it,it is your lose   

[MLMjp]

The Iguanodon is beautiful and huge, maybe a little too big...But still, the best figure from CollectA for this year. It´s smaller cousin Mantellisaurus also looks good, although it cannot match it´s bigger cousin´s magnificence.
The Mapusaurus also looks nice, Its a pity that they went with a somewhat outdated and skinny look, but at least we are getting a good Mapusaurus figure.
The Dimetrodon´s colors are not as bad as the promo picture made them seem.
The T.rex looks slightly better than the promo picture. However it still looks bad IMO, the feathers look awful and the colors worked better on it´s predecessors. A pass
Ceratosaurus war painted face looked bad in the promo and here also looks bad, another pass.
If the Dunkleosteus was smaller I would get it ´cause is an interesting depiction of the animal.
The rest of the figures are fine but I am not interested on them. Although I may get the Sciurumimus because is a rare species.

PD: The face of the woman behind the figures in the image that show the Dimetrodon is funny.
PD2:@tyrantqueen, your signature is hilarious.

[Mononykus]

It's just black,white and red.There are birds that have actually bolder plumages,so it is not anything extraordinay.
Well,if you don't get it,it is your lose 

But birds that are those colors are not large macropredators that need to stalk their prey. Here is what a real macropredator stalking prey really looks like:





Birds with bright color patterns differ from large theropods in a couple of key ways: they can fly, which reduces the threat of predation and the need for cryptic coloration, and they are small, so they have to work harder to make themselves visible to rivals or mates. And I can't think of any bird that has those kinds of colors on just the head. Basically, the person designing Collecta's color schemes has no idea what real animals look like and why.

[Faelrin]

So don't know if I have asked this before. I was wondering, how come most of CollectA's figures just have black for their eyes? Is it just a production thing or stylistic approach? I know the warpaint added on most of their figures is probably a stylistic approach (even if it might not be realistic in several instances), but is it the case for the eyes too? I think some species figures would probably look more realistic if they had more bird like eyes with colored iris and round pupils, although I do think the black eyes works in some cases, like in the case of the Dunkleosteus, because of modern day sharks, even if the two are not completely comparable.

[Minmiminime]

It took me a good while to spot that snow leopard

I think I read somewhere that as dinosaurs are assumed to have mostly had colour vision, CollectA go with these "dazzle" paint schemes, as it would have been more confusing to prey if the outlines were broken up harshly like this. Or I might have dreamt that Wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last..!

[japfeif]

Despite the accuracy issues I think the Mapusaurus looks pretty good. I think I'll get it and use it as a Tyrannotitan as I think it does a better job at resembling that species.

The Apatosaurus looks good but I don't really care for the way they did the spines. They should be smaller on the neck and I find the way it transitions into 2 rows of spines on the tail a little odd.

Is there actually any scientific evidence that the spines on the Bronto's tail DID divide into those two rows as they approached the hip area?

[ITdactyl]

Is there actually any scientific evidence that the spines on the Bronto's tail DID divide into those two rows as they approached the hip area?

None.  And no particular evidence of spines yet for brontosaurus.  The spines were found with fossils that MAY be diplodocus or barosaurus, and has since been added to other diplodocids in some paleoart.

Here's the part taken from the paper:

"..many conical, or spinelike elements were found throughout the quarry.  Some were isolated, and others were connected together, indicating that their natural positions in life formed a continuous line.  Some were found loosely associated with semi-articulated tail vertebrae.  Several pieces of skin have been preserved in place around the vertebrae of the distal, whiplash part of the tail.  These skin impressions clearly indicate the original dimensions of the tail both in profile and in cross section.  They further confirm that the spines were located along the dorsal midline structure, at least along the whiplash part of the tail.  Exactly how far the spines continued up the tail is not known.  And the precise pattern and full extent of the ornamentation also remain unknown.  But, as with the hadrosaurs, it is likely that the spines continued beyond the tail and along the sauropod's body and neck as well."

- Stephen A. Czerkas; "Discovery of dermal spines reveals a new look for sauropod dinosaurs"

====0=====

Fossils show they definitely form a single line at the end of the tail whip only.  The pattern on the toy is purely speculation and seems to be taken from the way  dermal spines split in two rows on crocodile tails.

[Shonisaurus]

However, brontosaurus is the one that least convinces me of the prehistoric animals of Collecta 2018, I liked the promotional photo more than the photograph of the exhibition. Its colors are very good but unfortunately that elongated skull, rather the muzzle reminds me of the agustinia Deluxe, although obviously much better than that figure. It is still very difficult to judge that figure.

Another of the prehistoric animals that I find little interesting, is beautiful but not like the rest of the prehistoric mammals is the gomphoterium. I get the impression that the painting is a bit neglected and at first glance I think they are a less detailed figure than the rest of the figures in their brilliant line of prehistoric mammals that are market leaders. I say this with all the respect of the world to the sculptor, company (one of my favorites) and the followers (of which I am one more) of Collecta.

[spinosaurus1]

It's just black,white and red.There are birds that have actually bolder plumages,so it is not anything extraordinay.
Well,if you don't get it,it is your lose 

But birds that are those colors are not large macropredators that need to stalk their prey. Here is what a real macropredator stalking prey really looks like:





Birds with bright color patterns differ from large theropods in a couple of key ways: they can fly, which reduces the threat of predation and the need for cryptic coloration, and they are small, so they have to work harder to make themselves visible to rivals or mates. And I can't think of any bird that has those kinds of colors on just the head. Basically, the person designing Collecta's color schemes has no idea what real animals look like and why.

need a little help because i honestly tried fro a good minute as of now. where is the snow leopard in that image. it's crazy how well camouflaged it is.

edit: never mind, finally found it

[stargatedalek]

It's just black,white and red.There are birds that have actually bolder plumages,so it is not anything extraordinay.
Well,if you don't get it,it is your lose 

But birds that are those colors are not large macropredators that need to stalk their prey. Here is what a real macropredator stalking prey really looks like:


Birds with bright color patterns differ from large theropods in a couple of key ways: they can fly, which reduces the threat of predation and the need for cryptic coloration, and they are small, so they have to work harder to make themselves visible to rivals or mates. And I can't think of any bird that has those kinds of colors on just the head. Basically, the person designing Collecta's color schemes has no idea what real animals look like and why.

Large theropods also differ from large mammals in key ways, mainly they are much larger, much louder, and their prey had better colour vision.

I'm sorry but it's silly to suggest any large theropod was camouflage reliant.

Also, ring necked pheasants and cassowary, just because you asked.

[Dinoguy2]

Is there actually any scientific evidence that the spines on the Bronto's tail DID divide into those two rows as they approached the hip area?

None.  And no particular evidence of spines yet for brontosaurus.  The spines were found with fossils that MAY be diplodocus or barosaurus, and has since been added to other diplodocids in some paleoart.

Here's the part taken from the paper:

"..many conical, or spinelike elements were found throughout the quarry.  Some were isolated, and others were connected together, indicating that their natural positions in life formed a continuous line.  Some were found loosely associated with semi-articulated tail vertebrae.  Several pieces of skin have been preserved in place around the vertebrae of the distal, whiplash part of the tail.  These skin impressions clearly indicate the original dimensions of the tail both in profile and in cross section.  They further confirm that the spines were located along the dorsal midline structure, at least along the whiplash part of the tail.  Exactly how far the spines continued up the tail is not known.  And the precise pattern and full extent of the ornamentation also remain unknown.  But, as with the hadrosaurs, it is likely that the spines continued beyond the tail and along the sauropod's body and neck as well."

- Stephen A. Czerkas; "Discovery of dermal spines reveals a new look for sauropod dinosaurs"

====0=====

Fossils show they definitely form a single line at the end of the tail whip only.  The pattern on the toy is purely speculation and seems to be taken from the way  dermal spines split in two rows on crocodile tails.

IIRC the spine specimens come from a quarry that contains Barosaurus and Kaatedocus so it's probably one of those.

And there is no evidence they formed a single line, that was just speculation. Its actually more likely they covered the flanks given how many isolated spines were found.

[ITdactyl]

And there is no evidence they formed a single line, that was just speculation. Its actually more likely they covered the flanks given how many isolated spines were found.

Touche.  Agreed.  I quoted the '92 Czerkas paper but made a mistake in my own statement. 
The assumption is that the spines formed a line on the tail whip because some of the isolated spines were found to be connected (to each other), while  other spines were found "loosely associated with semi-articulated tail vertebrae."

(I'm going off tangent here but does anyone have links to papers on the subject?  I'm seeing a lot of diplodocid reconstructions that claim to be based on updated information, but the only readily available paper seems to be the one from Stephen Czerkas - and that's a 1992 paper.) 

[Neosodon]

It's just black,white and red.There are birds that have actually bolder plumages,so it is not anything extraordinay.
Well,if you don't get it,it is your lose 

But birds that are those colors are not large macropredators that need to stalk their prey. Here is what a real macropredator stalking prey really looks like:


Birds with bright color patterns differ from large theropods in a couple of key ways: they can fly, which reduces the threat of predation and the need for cryptic coloration, and they are small, so they have to work harder to make themselves visible to rivals or mates. And I can't think of any bird that has those kinds of colors on just the head. Basically, the person designing Collecta's color schemes has no idea what real animals look like and why.

Large theropods also differ from large mammals in key ways, mainly they are much larger, much louder, and their prey had better colour vision.

I'm sorry but it's silly to suggest any large theropod was camouflage reliant.

Also, ring necked pheasants and cassowary, just because you asked.

Maybe not as color reliant but camouflage is of significant importance for any terrestrial predator large or small especially if it lives in a forested environment. As therapod dinosaurs could see color, the males at least most likely had some brighter colors but natural selection would put a limitation on the extensiveness of it. I would say the Ceratosaurus is within reason though.

[IrritatorRaji]

That Ceratosaurus warpaint doesn't look as good as I thought it would :/

[Shonisaurus]

What I think spoils the ceratosaurus is its excessive touch of paint on the head. Anyway, for me it is one of the best figures of dinosaur Collecta 2018 together with the feathered Tyrannosaurus, although for me sincerely the favorite of all the figures of Collecta is the iguanodon 2018 is on par with its wonderful styracosaurus 2017. 

[Katieraptor]

The ceratosaurus is amazing, but the mapusaurus is disgustingly shrinkwrapped and resembles a plucked turkey.