Safari Ltd 2022 Hopes and Dreams

[Halichoeres]

@triceratops83 yeah I agree, in the cases where both Safari and PNSO make a particular taxon, I generally prefer the Safari version.

@Pachyrhinosaurus good list. I'd especially be on board for a Hyneria, Rhizodus, Placerias, pterosaur Toob, or Lepidodendron.

[JVM]

There was this thread, but it wasn't in the sub-forum where you'd normally expect to find it: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=9107.0

Anyway, I wish for more Toobs, as always, and also for more prehistoric plants. I live for disappointment.

Glad to see another toob fan. I'd love another one if they return to their standards  of quality.

I just bought Feathered Dinos after finding it on the blog, but I also bought a new standard Dino toob to compliment my older ones and I'd swear every dino is made of an inferior plastic that's rougher on the hands. I was expecting lesser paintjobs, but it was a bit much. Now I'm worried the Feathered Dinos will be the same instead of like the older rubbery ones.

I've been reading about more recent Safari releases here but still feel a little out of the loop - I definitely second the idea of doing a small tyrannosaroid like Albertosaurus, and I like  the idea of doing a Dryptosaurus. I also think Dryosaurus would be pretty cool, I've been growing a new appreciation for those small ornithopods.

[Fembrogon]

I would also like to see the Toobs get a revival; their main Dino Toob is severely in need of an update. Frankly, some of the "Feathered Dino" figures would be better suited in the regular set; if Safari wanted to shuffle up the figures and fill in the empty spots with a few new sculpts, that'd be fine by me.

Although we only had theropods this year, I wouldn't mind more theropods depending on what group they were from. How about a new "raptor" dino like Stenonychosaurus or Sinornithosaurus? A therizinosaur or ornithomimid would be welcome, too.

I agree that some more mammals would be nice again; a dire wolf might make an interesting choice, considering more recent studies.

I think what I'd really like to see, however, are more Paleozoic creatures, or related non-archosaur genera. Some big amphibians would be really nice - we are overdue for a good-quality Eryops or Koolasuchus toy.

[alexeratops]

I'd love to see a Paraceratherium. I only recently realized that I don't have anything of that genus, weirdly.

- we are overdue for a good-quality Eryops or Koolasuchus toy.

I second this. A Tiktaalik would also be quite nice.

[GojiraGuy1954]

I'd love to see a Paraceratherium. I only recently realized that I don't have anything of that genus, weirdly.

- we are overdue for a good-quality Eryops or Koolasuchus toy.

I second this. A Tiktaalik would also be quite nice.

No Eryops
No Koolasuchus
I'm Team Grandpa

[GojiraGuy1954]

I'm gonna make a more optimistic list since I'm bored

Tarbosaurus bataar (Scaly)
Updated Maiasaura peeblesorum
Mosasaurus hoffmanni (Based on Incinerox skeletal)
Paraceratherium bugtiense
Australopithecus afarensis
Tiktaalik rosae
Dakotaraptor steini
Euoplocephalus tutus
Beipiaosaurus inexpectus
Protoceratops andrewsi
Smilodon populator

[suspsy]

Dakotaraptor is considered chimeric at the present time. Utahraptor strikes me as a much more deserving candidate, what with it being the biggest dromaeosaur and being known from multiple specimens.



I really like the idea of Australopithecus. I'd love nothing more than for companies to start focusing on hominins other than Neanderthals.

[Sim]

No Eryops
No Koolasuchus
I'm Team Grandpa

I have no clue what you mean.


Regarding Dakotaraptor being a chimera, besides the turtle part which has been corrected by DePalma, I've read people say the limbs are from Anzu and the sickle claw is a Tyrannosaurus hand claw.  However, I wouldn't trust that since it's been shown limb parts of Dakotaraptor are NOT from Anzu: https://thesauropodomorphlair.wordpress.com/2019/09/28/nuking-anzuraptor/

Even if all the parts of Dakotaraptor excluding the turtle part did represent one species, the appearance and proportions of Dakotaraptor are unknown so there's no point in Safari making one.  If you really want a Dakotaraptor you can use the Safari Deinonychus or 2017 Velociraptor as a stand-in.

I agree with suspsy that Utahraptor is a much better choice.  It's now known from good remains and looks unique.

[suspsy]

Another key point about Dakotaraptor's appearance is that even if we consider it a valid taxon, it may well be a member of Unenlagiinae. If that is indeed so, then it would have a much narrower skull and a longer neck than the likes of Utahraptor, Deinonychus, and Dromaeosaurus. It would be like Austroraptor and Buitreraptor instead.

[stargatedalek]

A potentially relevant time to point out that Hell Creek was a salt marsh, potentially ideal habitat for large Unenlagiines.

[Faelrin]

Been a while since I checked up on Dakotaraptor, but I was aware about the chimeric turtle bits for some time now. It possibly being an unenlagiine is news to me however. Glancing at the wikipedia page it looks like there's been at least several conflicting studies in 2019 and 2020 about the potential placement of this genus. Guess I have a lot of catching up to do on it (which was likely inevitable with that research project I've been working on, in regards to which genera are fragmentary or not).

Regardless the poor thing is too fragmentary to be a worthy contender, despite being a part of the famous Hell Creek fauna (ditto for Acheroraptor that only has the front end of the jaws). It would end up being way too speculative. Though I agree Utahraptor is long overdue for an updated figure, especially with all the available material now (and still being worked on?). One I've also wanted for many years now from them. Zhenyuanlong is another good contender, and other then David Silva's BotM line to my knowledge, is strangely lacking in representation despite the relatively good remains, and coverage it had in 2015.

[GojiraGuy1954]

No Eryops
No Koolasuchus
I'm Team Grandpa

I have no clue what you mean.


Regarding Dakotaraptor being a chimera, besides the turtle part which has been corrected by DePalma, I've read people say the limbs are from Anzu and the sickle claw is a Tyrannosaurus hand claw.  However, I wouldn't trust that since it's been shown limb parts of Dakotaraptor are NOT from Anzu: https://thesauropodomorphlair.wordpress.com/2019/09/28/nuking-anzuraptor/

Even if all the parts of Dakotaraptor excluding the turtle part did represent one species, the appearance and proportions of Dakotaraptor are unknown so there's no point in Safari making one.  If you really want a Dakotaraptor you can use the Safari Deinonychus or 2017 Velociraptor as a stand-in.

I agree with suspsy that Utahraptor is a much better choice.  It's now known from good remains and looks unique.

I picked Dakotaraptor over Utahraptor because it'd be a good addition to Safari's Hell Creek collection, i.e. the Feathered Rex, Anky, Trike, Quetz, etc

[GojiraGuy1954]

Another key point about Dakotaraptor's appearance is that even if we consider it a valid taxon, it may well be a member of Unenlagiinae. If that is indeed so, then it would have a much narrower skull and a longer neck than the likes of Utahraptor, Deinonychus, and Dromaeosaurus. It would be like Austroraptor and Buitreraptor instead.

Well yeah.

[ITdactyl]

This July 2019 paper on Herperornithoides miessleri says Dakotaraptor falls in the Unenlagiine umbrella, and needs 3 steps to resolve as a basal taxon of Dromaeosauridae.

https://peerj.com/articles/7247/

A paper on Saurornitholestes langstoni published in September 2019 places it back within Eudromaeosauria.

https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.24241

I don't have a preference, but to stay on topic I'd rather a company produce a figure of Austroraptor (as a giant Unenlagiine) or Utahraptor for their giant "raptor" quota.

...until a paper that focuses on and resolves Dakotaraptor's affinities is published. To be fair to ol'Dakota, it is already well represented in merch: the "Saurian Game" plush, the toy from "Dinosaurs in the Wild" and 2 resin figures (Paleo-Creatures and Musee)

[Sim]

Regarding the suggestion of Dakotaraptor being an unenlagiine, it's a possiblity but an unlikely one.  The teeth of Dakotaraptor have denticles like dromaeosaurids, while the teeth of unenlagiines don't have any denticles.  Additionally the tail of Dakotaraptor has dromaeosaurid morphology and not unenlagiine morphology.  And as @ITdactyl mentioned, Dakotaraptor only needed 3 more steps to be placed as a dromaeosaurid.  In any case I would love a figure of Buitreraptor or Austroraptor, rather than Dakotaraptor, as their appearance is known and they are amazing.

I picked Dakotaraptor over Utahraptor because it'd be a good addition to Safari's Hell Creek collection, i.e. the Feathered Rex, Anky, Trike, Quetz, etc

I'm keen on seeing dromaeosaurids included, but Dakotaraptor's appearance is too uncertain for it to be a good addition to a general line of prehistoric animal figures.

[suspsy]

Maiasaura would also be a neat toy. That one could use some love.

Not sure Safari will tackle Smilodon populator as it would end up looking pretty similar to their existing genus. Indeed, that one could well be S. populator given that it has Doedicurus and Megatherium for company.

Homotherium, Machairodus, and Barbourofelis, OTOH, would make wonderful sabretooth toys.

[Dusty Wren]

Maiasaura would also be a neat toy. That one could use some love.

Homotherium, Machairodus, or Barbourofelis, OTOH, would make a wonderful sabretooth toys.

Agreed on both counts. We could use a good Maiasaura, and I would love to see some non-Smilodon prehistoric cats get some attention.

[GojiraGuy1954]

Maiasaura would also be a neat toy. That one could use some love.

Homotherium, Machairodus, or Barbourofelis, OTOH, would make a wonderful sabretooth toys.

Smilo is like the Woolly Mammoth. So many figures of it yet none of them are good
(Papo Woolly is okay though)

Agreed on both counts. We could use a good Maiasaura, and I would love to see some non-Smilodon prehistoric cats get some attention.

[suspsy]

Smilo is like the Woolly Mammoth. So many figures of it yet none of them are good

Um, I'd say the Safari one is pretty damned good. Same goes for the new Mojo Fun one.

[Gothmog the Baryonyx]

There should definitely by a Maiasaura available to buy that doesn't cost a fortune getting second hand.

And a feathered Cryolophosaurus, which I will sing for until it happens.

Non-dinosaurs-wise, would like another Triassic and/or Permian beastie please.