Leaping Lizards

[stemturtle]

Gliding Lizards


Character Options Coelurosauravus,           Dino Magic Longisquama


Aurora Kuehneosaurus,                                                              Playmobil Flying lizard

Thanks to SBell for the idea of photographing a ruler.

Given the scarcity of early lepidosauromoprh figures, I did not want to wait until next year to get the flying lizard in Playmobil set # 5235
Dimetrodon with Water Hole.
When I gave my 3-year-old granddaughter the Dimetrodon, she exclaimed, "That is exactly what I need!"     The lizard is also included in two other sets: Triceratops with Baby and Brachiosaurus with Baby. The critter with folded wings in the Brachiosaurus set is not a lizard, rather it is a snakefly, a Jurassic insect, order Raphidioptera.  See: http://animobil.info/animoblog/?p=43.

Comments about these four gliders:
Coelurosauravus.  Rex from Primeval. The retractable crest is creative license.  Permian.
Longisquama.  Its ability for flight has been questioned. Triassic. 
Kuehneosaurus.  Icarosaurus was similar, both were Triassic.
Flying lizard.  Playmobil Customer Service saved us endless speculation by sending the
following email on 8/15/2012:               
     "Please note that the genus of the flying lizard in question is not specifically defined.
      The specimen we offer is a general representative of this kind of dinosaur."
That explains how this lizard can be in sets from the Permian, Jurassic, and Cretaceous.

If you have a model to add, please post.

[Yutyrannus]

I would definatly buy that Rex! In fact I've actually been trying to get it, but it's not available in the U.S.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I wondered if someone might ask, which Aurora kits contained the Kuehneosaurus. I would surmise the swamp did, and the dimetrodon seems to have something similar from the pictures I have seen, and I had thought the giant bird did too. Were those all the same piece and did any of the other kits have it? I know I purchased one broken recently in a lot cast in light green, which would suggest it came from the swamp set.

[ZoPteryx]

It's a shame there's not more of these cool reptiles.  Hopefully Safari or CollectA can help us out next year with that!

[stemturtle]

Amargasaurus, my Kuehneosaurus came from the Jungle Swamp kit.  It started out green, but the one I have was painted.  The Sailback Reptile kit has a Diplocaulus figure rather than a Kuehneosaurus, but it also has a dragonfly.  The Giant Bird kit has a blue Kuehneosaurus.
Here is a website about the Aurora Prehistoric Scenes model kits: http://www.tylisaari.com/prehistoricscenes/main.html

[SBell]

I would definatly buy that Rex! In fact I've actually been trying to get it, but it's not available in the U.S.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, Playmobil usually releases things in Europe a year before North America--hence, the Ice Age figures came here this year, and the dino sets will likely be here next year.

[CityRaptor]

Yutyrannus is talking about Rex. He came with the Primeval Series 1 Figure of Abby- I have been trying to get one for years. But all that is on Ebay is always Series 2 Abby with Mr. Fluffy.

I think there is another Rex out there, a stuffed Version.

[SBell]

Yutyrannus is talking about Rex. He came with the Primeval Series 1 Figure of Abby- I have been trying to get one for years. But all that is on Ebay is always Series 2 Abby with Mr. Fluffy.

I think there is another Rex out there, a stuffed Version.

Wow. It was late and I totally misread the post...

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I had purchased a small lot on ebay recently that had one of these little  Kuehneosaurus figures from I believe the Aurora swamp. It came to me missing a front leg, and although the original green molded color, had spottings and smearings of some long lost childs attempt at coloration. So I somewhat sculpted a replacement leg, and have painted the little guy and wondered if you might allow me to post him here ?


Mine is not as subtle or lightly colored as your own. I believe in my model collection downstairs I have a few more of these I intend to work with a bit more and see if I can somewhat improve on.
Since the previous version still looked a little busy for me I redid the paint on the little guy and here is the retake on it...better?

[SBell]

Here's one you don't have, I believe made by Iwako (or a similar, probably Japanese eraser-making company):

[stemturtle]

Amargasaurus, of course your Kuehneosaurus photo would be welcome here.

Thanks SBell, the lizard figure by Iwako is one I have never seen before.

[Bokisaurus]

You have some of the most interesting collection there. Great lineup of flying lizards, many I was not even aware existed. 

[amargasaurus cazaui]

It is my understanding the flying lizard group disappeared roughly the late Triassic , early Jurassic then? Did none of this kind persist into the Mesozoic further? I was considering purchasing a simple replica of a lizard and sculpting him out to match the profile of these type animals, with the ribbed wings. I had thought to hang him in front of My Psittacosaur as if he were chasing it playfully. I can find no evidence any of the animals or similar existed past the triassic however..which would leave me using either a Butterfly, or perhaps a dragonfly.

[stemturtle]

It is my understanding the flying lizard group disappeared roughly the late Triassic , early Jurassic then? Did none of this kind persist into the Mesozoic further? I was considering purchasing a simple replica of a lizard and sculpting him out to match the profile of these type animals, with the ribbed wings. I had thought to hang him in front of My Psittacosaur as if he were chasing it playfully. I can find no evidence any of the animals or similar existed past the triassic however..which would leave me using either a Butterfly, or perhaps a dragonfly.

Thanks for posting the photos of your Kuehneosaurus.  Nice repaint.
There was a Cretaceous flying lizard, Xianglong.  See an illustration at this link:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/03/070320-gliding-lizard.html

[SBell]

It is my understanding the flying lizard group disappeared roughly the late Triassic , early Jurassic then? Did none of this kind persist into the Mesozoic further? I was considering purchasing a simple replica of a lizard and sculpting him out to match the profile of these type animals, with the ribbed wings. I had thought to hang him in front of My Psittacosaur as if he were chasing it playfully. I can find no evidence any of the animals or similar existed past the triassic however..which would leave me using either a Butterfly, or perhaps a dragonfly.

Thanks for posting the photos of your Kuehneosaurus.  Nice repaint.
There was a Cretaceous flying lizard, Xianglong.  See an illustration at this link:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/03/070320-gliding-lizard.html

Just keeping in mind that Xianglong is an actual lizard, while the rest of these are not. So really, the flying lizard group has only existed since the Cretaceous.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

So following that train of thought, not "Flying lizards" either, gliding lizards, as technically they are all gliding animals.

[stemturtle]

Just keeping in mind that Xianglong is an actual lizard, while the rest of these are not. So really, the flying lizard group has only existed since the Cretaceous.

Now I know why I had a paleo-nerd nightmare the other night.  I dreamt that someone gave me a Mohawk haircut while I was sleeping.  It's the new pocket protector.  All the attention to taxonomy and semantics! 

[stemturtle]

So following that train of thought, not "Flying lizards" either, gliding lizards, as technically they are all gliding animals.

Gliding lepidosauromorphs are Coelurosauravus, Kuehneosaurus, and Longisquama, which has also been classified as an archosauromorph.
The term Flying lizard was used by Playmobil.
The Iwako lizard is not identified.
Gliding lizard describes Xianglong.  I hope there will be a photo if a figure is sculpted in the future.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

My idea was somewhat simplistic, but I had hoped to take something along the lines of a safari desert monitor, and then using a few metal clothes hangers, bent and shaped properly, create ribs that ran through the body and extended out wards  on the sides. Working from that, one could then perhaps sculpt milliputt and create the covering for the ribs, as well as very thin spanning parts.Once those were finished, the rest of the body could be checked for fidelity to the original animal, and then repainted. I had felt that following that method I might recreate something akin to a winged lizard, for my Psittacosaurus to chase.

[SBell]

Just keeping in mind that Xianglong is an actual lizard, while the rest of these are not. So really, the flying lizard group has only existed since the Cretaceous.

Now I know why I had a paleo-nerd nightmare the other night.  I dreamt that someone gave me a Mohawk haircut while I was sleeping.  It's the new pocket protector.  All the attention to taxonomy and semantics!

Well, he was worried that the flying lizard (gliding lizard?) group was extinct by the early Jurassic--when in fact it didn't even get started until the Cretaceous (so far as we know)! What good fortune!