The Unique Species Specimen Discussion Thread

[Roselaar]

Wade Ceramics made a Scutellosaurus and a Vulcanodon. Have any other companies made one of these?

Scutellosaurus definitely. Heck, there's even a large inflatable one of those. Vulcanodon... not that I know of. Got pics?

[RobinGoodfellow]

[SBell]

Wade Ceramics made a Scutellosaurus and a Vulcanodon. Have any other companies made one of these?

Scutellosaurus definitely. Heck, there's even a large inflatable one of those. Vulcanodon... not that I know of. Got pics?

I don't have it, or even a source of info, but I think Vulcanodon showed up in one of the European blind bag sets, like Predators or DinoFroz or something. Not exactly easy sets to get details on! But someone here would likely know.

[BlueKrono]

A Vulcanodon is not included in either the 74 Simba Predators line or the 150+ DinoFroz line.

[RobinGoodfellow]

Diramix did a Vulcanodon called "Vulcanox" in the MegaDinosaurs line (2015):

[BlueKrono]

Well that settles it then. Diramix is such a new company that the Dinosauriana CD doesn't even have it. I wonder if it will be included in the next update...

[Roselaar]

Diramix did a Vulcanodon called "Vulcanox" in the MegaDinosaurs line (2015):

What the heck am I to do with such a name? It doesn't even much resemble Vulcanodon, so should I take it seriously?  If so, Eotriceratops is also an interesting candidate I believe...

And what other Scutellosaurus figures are out there? Here's a pic of the inflatable specimen, even though I don't count those for the USL. I love the hugely unmotivated look on its face. :0

[stargatedalek]

Diramix uses "Italian common names" for all of their animals, modern and extinct both. I have no knowledge of how the language works but I know the names aren't intended to be fictional.

[SBell]

Diramix uses "Italian common names" for all of their animals, modern and extinct both. I have no knowledge of how the language works but I know the names aren't intended to be fictional.

Yeah, they are creating 'common names' from the genus names, judging by the others. On their site, they even break them up into groups that follow our current classification scheme (also messing with the real names). They are also, generally, terrible.

As for the line that I might have also seen it in...I can't remember now. I'm sure it was one of the many kind of weird blind-bag or collectible series, but not sure which one.

[RobinGoodfellow]

I'm italian and Diramix usually uses "italian common name" for their new figures.
About that old "MegaDinosaurs" line, names are fictional.
"Vulcanox" or "Tyrox" or "Kentrox" aren't italian common names but just invented (a strange mix of latin  names + "ox"/"ax" at the end, maybe because it sounds exotic..).

About Diramix figures, they are sold as blind bags and the main target is young kids not collectors (of course..).

[Roselaar]

Should I take them seriously with names like these and add them to the list? I have a hard time justifying that, particularly when they look nothing like the intended species...

Anyway, I'll keep Scutellosaurus and Vulcanodon off the list, for now.

[RobinGoodfellow]

...looking at dozen of "unique" figures on the market, they are nothing but plastic chinasaurs with a generic theropod/sauropod body and an uncommon name under the belly.. 
In my opinion an uncommon name under the belly of a generic dinosaur doesn't justify its uniqueness (but this way I'm deleting a good 30% of "unique" figures..).
Just my opinion..
But the real expert about uncommon species in toy form is Halichoeres : what do you think about?

[Halichoeres]

The Diramax "Vulcanox" comes with a small magazine which says, among other things:

"Specie: Vulcanodonte"

which is pretty unambiguous. Likewise, the Edaphosaurus says "Edafosauro" and the Eorax, believe it or not, says "Eotyranno." I don't have the Spinosox, but the booklet I have groups it with the "pelicosauri" just like the Edaphosaurus and Dimetrodon, so I don't know what it's meant to represent. Some of the molds from Diramix's dinosaur lines look pretty similar to crappy plastic dinosaurs sold by a dozen anonymous companies, in contrast to their apparently original Mega Abissi and Mega Squali lines. I don't think it's possible to draw a bright line as to what species was originally "intended" in some of these cases. The same is true, as Robin points out, with lots of so called "chinasaurs;" for example, I don't think anyone has any problem with this figure:


Which is stamped "Dryosaurus" and more or less looks like one.

But this Pinacosaurus:

barely even looks like an ankylosaur and I would bet it has been sold under other names.

And this supposed Yaverlandia:

looks like no dinosaur that has ever existed, but is vaguely reminiscent of an outdated dromaeosaurid reconstruction.

So I add these things to my collection because I take a very liberal view of companies' intentions. But even I have trouble with companies like Ausini, who repaint the same molds and call them different names (one mold has been sold as Avimimus, Incisivosaurus, and Psittacosaurus, and it doesn't look like any of the three).

So the short answer is I think the Mega Squali and Antichi Abissi figures from Diramix are easy to deal with but I have no idea how to approach the dinosaur lines with respect to the USL. The booklet clearly shows that somebody at some point decided to call the figure Vulcanodon, but whoever designed the actual toy might not have had any particular dinosaur in mind at all, or plausibly had something like Ouranosaurus in mind.

[Roselaar]

Thanks for you well balanced, thoughtful feedback, Hali.

For me the deciding factor in this case is the fact the figure doesn't look at all like a Vulcanodon. Not that it matters much, the above posted ceramic figurine shows that in either scenario, Vulcanodon has already been done by another company. So it won't be on the list.

I'm still hesitant about other Scutellosaurs though. I think I came across figures of this species before, but I can't back that up with pics. Can anybody name some clear Scutellosaurus figures besides the ceramic figurine?

[SBell]

Thanks for you well balanced, thoughtful feedback, Hali.

For me the deciding factor in this case is the fact the figure doesn't look at all like a Vulcanodon. Not that it matters much, the above posted ceramic figurine shows that in either scenario, Vulcanodon has already been done by another company. So it won't be on the list.

I'm still hesitant about other Scutellosaurs though. I think I came across figures of this species before, but I can't back that up with pics. Can anybody name some clear Scutellosaurus figures besides the ceramic figurine?

On the Dinosaur Collector site there is reference to at least 2--a Panosh figure and a 'Toys & Things' figure (hover over the small Dilophosaurus picture for info)

[Roselaar]

Thanks for you well balanced, thoughtful feedback, Hali.

For me the deciding factor in this case is the fact the figure doesn't look at all like a Vulcanodon. Not that it matters much, the above posted ceramic figurine shows that in either scenario, Vulcanodon has already been done by another company. So it won't be on the list.

I'm still hesitant about other Scutellosaurs though. I think I came across figures of this species before, but I can't back that up with pics. Can anybody name some clear Scutellosaurus figures besides the ceramic figurine?

On the Dinosaur Collector site there is reference to at least 2--a Panosh figure and a 'Toys & Things' figure (hover over the small Dilophosaurus picture for info)

Well, there it is. Thanks for the assistance! 

[Roselaar]

So... I should probably add the Schleich Dinogorgon and Tawa to the list now, right?

[Jetoar]

And Tetralophodon too  .

[Katieraptor]

The Yangchuanosaurus from the Dinosaurs of China line (I forget the company but they came with those skeleton backdrops) is the only one I know of.

[RobinGoodfellow]

The Yangchuanosaurus from the Dinosaurs of China line (I forget the company but they came with those skeleton backdrops) is the only one I know of.

Sorry but there is also a Yangchuanosaurus in the Colorata "Dino Jurassic" Box Vol.3 ( http://www.colorata.com/fs/colorata/figurebox_dd3 ).


Even Geoworld has a Yangchuanosaurus:


P.S. : The Dinosaurs of China line is from Safari LTD.