Pteranodon sternbergi (CollectA)

While the popular image of Pteranodon will always be P. longiceps with its long, blade-like crest jutting out from the back of its skull, P. sternbergi was even larger and arguably much better-looking. That is, if it can be said to have actually existed. A 2010 research paper concluded that sternbergi was distinct enough from longiceps to justify renaming it Geosternbergia. However, other paleontologists have been skeptical of this conclusion. In the words of pterosaur expert Mark Witton, “These new species seem entirely diagnosed by crest and rostral morphology, both of which have been demonstrated as being subjected to strong sexual and individual variation in Pteranodon. Ergo, using those features to diagnose new species may be like applying taxonomic significance to subtle differences in deer antlers or elephant tusks.”

In any case, CollectA has made it crystal clear which side of the debate they’re on by calling their 2022 pterosaur figure Pteranodon sternbergi. It is sculpted in a walking stance with its wings tightly folded, its left hand slightly more forward than the right, and its head turned sharply to the left. All this makes the toy somewhat like a mirror image of the 2021 Deluxe P. longiceps, albeit much smaller. It stands 14 cm tall at the top of the crest, 7.5 cm wide at the hands, and about 16 cm long from the tip of the bill to the right hind foot.

The colour scheme here is strikingly different from the big one’s. Most of the body and the wings are taupe grey with splashes of white on the forearms and on the chest and throat. The lower sections of the arms and legs are a shade of brick red with dark grey claws. Black is used for the tail tuft and the wingtips. The enormously long bill is brick red with black stripes while the cranial region of the skull is black. The throat pouch is flesh-toned and the small eyes are glossy black surrounded by rings of red and white. Finally, the crest is afire in red fading to orange with streaks of black and yellow. This is easily one of the most colourful pterosaurs CollectA has ever done and I quite like it. My only criticism here is that the inside of the mouth is painted the same as the bill.

The most prominent feature on this toy, of course, the tall, bulbous, and rather handsome crest jutting upwards from the skull. Combined with the fiery colours, it really does make this Pteranodon look like royalty. As with longiceps, only sternbergi males possessed such crests. It is therefore highly possible that they engaged in the behaviour known as lekking. Males would gather on the coastal cliffs or the beaches and compete for the attention of the much smaller females by showing off their crests. The largest and most aggressive individuals with the largest and most vibrant crests would have been the victors of these testosterone-fuelled contests. Another noteworthy detail is that the fossil record indicates that females outnumbered males by around two to one. It is therefore also highly possible that Pteranodons engaged in polygyny where dominant males enjoyed the company of multiple females, just like today’s elephant seals, gorillas, pheasants, and red deer. So that being the case, CollectA, how about producing a female Pteranodon figure or two for this fellow to court?

Like the Deluxe version, this Pteranodon features a hinged lower jaw which allows the bill to be closed or open to about 20 degrees. Both the bill and crest are covered in light grooves and there is a visible tongue inside the mouth. The throat pouch features thick folds of skin and the body is covered with a thick coat of pycnofibers, including a large tuft on the tip of the tail again like the Deluxe version’s. The wings have a wrinkled texture and the hind feet are webbed. Even the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands have sculpted detail to them. The only negative point is the visible seam line along the edge of the throat pouch.

The Pteranodon‘s crest is correctly shaped and proportioned and the very long, narrow bill is curved slightly upwards. As I mentioned in the introduction, this was quite a large animal; one fossil specimen had a lower jaw measuring an estimated 1.25 metres in length! The only pterosaurs known to have been larger were Tropeognathus and a number of azhdarchids including Quetzalcoatlus. The overall body proportions also appear to be correct, as is the stance. The folded wings also look quite realistic, and the arms and digits are proportionally thicker than on the Deluxe version, which is good.

CollectA has done a superb job with their Pteranodon sternbergi. The colours are bold and attractive, the sculpting is excellent, and it definitely looks like the real animal. This is the first pterosaur from CollectA since 2014 that isn’t a ginormous Deluxe, and I have to say that it is a refreshing and welcome change. Don’t get me wrong, I do love those big ones, but they’re not exactly easy to display on shelves. I’d really love to see more pterosaurs around this size, and I’ll again express my deep desire for a smaller female to keep this fellow happy. In the mean time, this is definitely a worthy addition to your flock!

Thank you to CollectA for this review sample!