What is the most accurate Spinosaurus model on the market?

[Loon]

Not sure about the Carnegie Spinosaurus as it looks like an asymmetrical "chinasaurus" (before the term ended up with positive connotations thanks to PNSO) but the Wild Safari should probably be credited for having the square sail.

You're right, because I was being 100% serious. Also, why the double post?

[stargatedalek]

How would it get the tail fin absolutely right when there was no scientific evidence for a tail fin? Papo and PNSO were moving in the right direction (especially the Papo as it has a more pronounced fluke than the PNSO). And, you were clearly wrong about your statement that the Schleich had a fin  tail. It absolutely doesn't.

A)
Why does including a tail fin, whether that fin is right or wrong, matter more than getting the skeletal anatomy of the feet correct? You're entire assertion that the Papo Spinosaurus is the bestest best most accurate ever yet is reliant on that idea, so please, why does that matter more?

It can be argued that almost half of all dinosaur models have inaccurate feet...

In what way?

If you meant to say half of Spinosaurus models, I'd say more than half get that wrong actually. But even more than that don't have a tail fin, so, again, why is the tail fin more important?

[Faelrin]

I thought I'd let everyone know that I've since updated the first post.

I have decided to remove my previous remarks regarding the 2019 Papo Spinosaurus, as it was made rather early on in my excitement of this discovery, and may have been misleading, despite the inclusion of a disclaimer that it does get features incorrectly.

I have also decided to add a color coded system, and formatted things into a bullet styled list to be easier to read. Blue is for those features that are accurate to the current published findings in either 2014 or 2020 (if not earlier). Purple is for features that come close, or are debatable. Red is for features that do not reflect the current material published in 2014 or 2020.

[Ikessauro]

I do agree that there's an issue with the feet but it's likely a production error because the Papo Spino has a dew claw on the the left foot but there's no visible dew claw on the right.

Wait. For what I understand for a dew claw, that is, the shorter vestigial digit on the inside of the feet, Papo's got one on each foot. Can anyone show me how it lacks this feature? I'm confused now.

[stargatedalek]

I do agree that there's an issue with the feet but it's likely a production error because the Papo Spino has a dew claw on the the left foot but there's no visible dew claw on the right.

Wait. For what I understand for a dew claw, that is, the shorter vestigial digit on the inside of the feet, Papo's got one on each foot. Can anyone show me how it lacks this feature? I'm confused now.

For most dinosaurs the inside digit is shrunken and small, sitting part way up the foot and off the ground. In Spinosaurus (and therizinosaurs) it grew back into more or less the same size as the other toes giving it four full sized digits.

[ItsTwentyBelow]

I have to say that as of right now, I think the best Spinosaurus is the Schleich 2019 figure. Overall it looks the best, and then consider how widely available it is. It would probably rank as the single most scientifically accurate dinosaur product available in a lot of department store inventories, here in the US and in Europe I'd guess. Since it so far outranks anything else currently made by Schleich by an infuriating amount, and is definitely more accurate than anything Jurassic World.

So good, and so alone in the Schleich lineup.

[tanystropheus]

I do agree that there's an issue with the feet but it's likely a production error because the Papo Spino has a dew claw on the the left foot but there's no visible dew claw on the right.

Wait. For what I understand for a dew claw, that is, the shorter vestigial digit on the inside of the feet, Papo's got one on each foot. Can anyone show me how it lacks this feature? I'm confused now.

Yeah it's a bit weird. The rear feet of the Papo Spino have 4 digits, respectively, but only the left foot features the shorter vestigial from the inside of the foot. For the right foot, the vestigial digit doesn't look quite so vestigial (and, it also doesn't ride up medially as high from the inside). I could be wrong and it may be an illusion because the right foot is also rolled/curled up in a grasping position.

[tanystropheus]

I have to say that as of right now, I think the best Spinosaurus is the Schleich 2019 figure. Overall it looks the best, and then consider how widely available it is. It would probably rank as the single most scientifically accurate dinosaur product available in a lot of department store inventories, here in the US and in Europe I'd guess. Since it so far outranks anything else currently made by Schleich by an infuriating amount, and is definitely more accurate than anything Jurassic World.

So good, and so alone in the Schleich lineup.

It has Psittacosaurus as company 

[Duna]

It has Psittacosaurus as company 

... and Dracorex.

I really like the new spino tail, now I'm really interested in spinosaurus ...  For me, the best model is still Papo if you look at it in a medium distance, the flat swimming tail looks nice, but too short. No doubt Schleich has got so closer ....

[suspsy]

If CollectA does indeed decide to do a new Spinosaurus for next year, I really hope it's in a standing pose as opposed to swimming.

[Halichoeres]

Not to beat a dead horse, but let's say we didn't know dromaeosaurs had feathers and full wings, but at some point Papo had made one with bat wings. Then a specimen with feathery wings is published, do we then declare Papo's the most accurate because it has wings? The new reconstruction gives it a fish tail, sure, but it shares only the most superficial, squint-and-you-can-kinda-see-it resemblance to the one implied by the new tail material.

To a regular dinofan it's not as noticeable as feathers vs skin, tho. I think a fairer comparison would be dromaeo without feathers vs the same dromaeo but with one weird bushel of feathers on its tail - when no other company had released a feathered dromaeo before. And in that case the latter would be the most accurate, yes. At that moment in time.

Edit: And I just made myself laugh because that means that Pixar's hillbilly velociraptors are possibly the most accurate we have seen in Hollywood movies so far

I definitely see your point that feathers vs, skin might be more obvious to the average dinosaur fan, but that says more about what dinosaur fans know than to it does about how different it really is. If anything, as Yi qi demonstrates, membranous wings are actually more plausible on a theropod than pterygiophores are.

To paraphrase myself from upthread, the Papo Spino is only remotely convincing in silhouette, so if you keep it on a shelf behind a veil and light it from the back, you're good. But in the full light, the anatomy of the tail is not at all like the fossil, being composed of pterygiophores and lepidotrichia rather than neural spines. And of course it's too short, as has been pointed out elsewhere.

Finally, if the Papo Spino were in every other way exactly as accurate as other existing figures, this tail would put it over the top. But of course it isn't--other figures have better skull and tooth anatomy, better hand anatomy, better foot anatomy, and a more proportionate tail (although generally fin-less). So in the dromaeosaur analogy, if it were a Velociraptor with the correct skull, but naked, vs. a JP style raptor, but with some feathers, there would be enough wrong with the latter that I'm not sure feathers would rescue it. I guess to me it just doesn't make sense to declare the Papo Spino the winner based on a single feature, although of course it is miles ahead of their bipedal one from years ago.

@Faelrin I think your approach is sensible, all existing figures have their advantages and disadvantages, which is to be expected with a popular animal subject to active revision. Personally I'm a little dismayed at the timing of this news; we've been saturated with Spinosaurus figures, with every major company releasing at least one lately. The new discovery probably guarantees that that will continue.

[Sim]

@Halichoeres, it's not just you, I'm very tired of Spinosaurus figures too.  There's been an over-saturation of Spinosaurus, Giganotosaurus and Tyrannosaurus figures and I'm very tired of each of these.  I'd like a company to make a nice bipedal Suchomimus for a change.

[Faelrin]

@Halichoeres I agree with you especially after the three ones released last year. If only it was found sooner, lol. I also agree that there is a plethora of options on the market now. Would be nice to see other species get some due, particularly other spinosaurids.

[Stegotyranno420]

The best ones are 2019 papo, pnso, and the 2019 Schliech one due to the paddle tails. But those were speculative. It reminds me of the All Your Yesterdays story

[tanystropheus]

But are there any fatal flaws with the head and teeth? It doesn't appear to have completely random teeth layout like the Papo Kapro (and, appears more clearly defined than the WS or Schleich counterparts) or appear particularly shrink-wrapped as far as I can tell. It also features that characteristic notch on the upper jaw...I've noticed that the WS has the webbing. Also, I feel as if the swimming pose (e.g. WS, Papo, CollectA) is the safest one to pull off as the research keeps wavering between bipedal and quadrupedal reconstructions

[tanystropheus]

The best ones are 2019 papo, pnso, and the 2019 Schliech one due to the paddle tails. But those were speculative. It reminds me of the All Your Yesterdays story

That's the general order, imo but upcoming models and reinterpretations from other companies (e.g. CollectA) may change this. I wonder if Safari was pressured into releasing their Spino early. REBOR is in a very good position to fix up the tail since they haven't begun production.

Despite some accuracy issues, Papo makes some very aesthetically pleasing and/or impressive spinosaurids. I hope they continue the tradition by releasing a Suchomimus and Icthyovenator.

P.S: On a side note, I still can't figure out how to merge posts.  It's been almost a decade since I've joined the forums but haven't figured things out as well as my tech savvy friends here 

[Loon]

@tanystropheus Just click modify on your post and add the text.

[Flaffy]

Rebor's one has an inaccurate dew claw as well. It's lifted off the ground rather than weight-bearing.

[suspsy]

@Halichoeres, I'd like a company to make a nice bipedal Suchomimus for a change.

Irritator as well. The CollectA one is really showing its age.

[Kapitaenosavrvs]

REBOR is in a very good position to fix up the tail since they haven't begun production.

But i think, that the Process of making the Molds in China takes some Time and could be started already. I guess REBOR will make a Statement. Also the casting tests and all this costs a few thousand Dollars to start a production. Rebor sometimes talks about that. And lets not forget the Situation of the World right now.

I would be fine with the Rebor Spino as it is, since i always saw it as a typical Rebor Design. It never was all about top noth accuracy. At least this is the feel to me. I think i mentioned it somewhere else, but to me their Spino looked like a modernized JP3 Spinosaurus. The GnG Line willl be really Interesting to me and a lot of other People. The Price for this Size and Detail is stunning. Komodo Dragon proofs that.