Sterrholophus Marsh AKA Triceratops (Recur)

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In 1891, the legendary O.C. Marsh bestowed the name Sterrholophus (“solid crest”) to a ceratopsian that would later be determined to be a specimen of Triceratops. That Recur would choose to use this obscure synonym for one of their toys is pretty strange, but I’ve been informed that they will be employing “Triceratops” in future. I’ll certainly be calling this toy by that name here.

At slightly under 12 cm tall and 26 cm long, this 2015 Triceratops is quite a beefy brute. The main colour on its body is light green with a dark wash on the head, back, and tail. The underbelly is slightly paler and the lower halves of the limbs are darkened, as though this individual has just waded through a river or a swamp. Dark brown is used for the beak, the horns, the epoccipitals, and the hooves. The nostrils are black, the inside of the mouth is dark pink, and the eyes are orange. There also are dirty brown patches randomly scattered over the body. An acceptable colour scheme, but some markings on the frill would have gone a long way.

This animal is clearly in a state of unrest. The head held high, the mouth open wide in a bellow, and the placement of the limbs all suggest that it is either charging or fleeing something. And I rather like how the brow horns are sculpted differently, which gives them a more realistic appearance. The skin has a wrinkled, leathery appearance and the beak, epoccipitals, horns, and hooves are all covered in grooves. The inside of the mouth is plain and smooth, but the soles of the feet are textured and the large fenestrae visible in the frill have a pebbled texture.

And that’s where the accuracy problems arise. First, the real Triceratops did not possess such large fenestrae in its frill. Second, the frill looks to be too flattened, especially when viewed from the front. And third, all five digits on each front foot end in hooves, when in fact only three digits should possess them. As well, the front limbs appear to be slightly too long. The brow horns are rather short, but there do exist specimens with shorter horns than others. Maybe this one represents a subadult. I will also note that, being made entirely of PVC, this Triceratops is perfect for smashing into other toys and shattering building block walls at high velocity. And finally, unlike some of the other Recur toys I’ve reviewed, this one does not have unsightly seam lines.

Overall, I find that the Recur Sterrholophus/Triceratops is a rugged, fun, and visually impressive toy in spite of some noticeable inaccuracies. Thank you, Recur!

Available from Recur’s AliExpress store