Velociraptor (Dinosaurs of China Collection, by Safari)

This large figure was produced by Safari as a one off special limited edition piece.. The colour scheme is impressive – reminiscent of a tiger – in this version dark orange stripes stand out on a yellow background and there are added details in grey (claws, ornaments on the skull, along the spine), pink (mouth and tongue) and white/light yellow (teeth, eyes). The skull ornamentation is open to artistic licence: there are boney projections around they eyes. Other versions of this figure have different colour schemes. The model is sculpted in a dynamic pose, it is striding on two feet but is supported by the left arm, the mouth is open with the tongue slightly raised.The skull has the slightly upturned snout typical of Velociraptor and the tail is long and slender.

The model was produced in 1993 when the skin of dromaeosaurids was thought to be scaly. Over the last 10 years, an increasing number of fossils of the closest relatives of Velociraptor have been discovered preserving direct evidence of feathers. On this basis, the vast majority of palaeontologists agreed that Velociraptor, as a dromaeosaurid, probably had feathers, even though there was no direct fossil evidence. In support of this, earlier this year ‘quill knobs’ (structures indicative of feathers) were identified in the fossil forearm bone of a Velociraptor, lending extra weigth to the concept of feathered Velociraptors. Available here $

Hallucigenia (Kaiyodo) (DinoTales Series 3)

Kaiyodo is probably the most audacious dinosaur company ever. These Japanese guys have put many ’serious’ replica makers to shame; I don’t doubt Kaiyodo and Papo, practically unknown until recent years, made other well established companies realize how outdated their models looked.

Kaiyodo produces tiny figures with astonishing detail (this one is approx. 10 cm long), each series is very comprehensive, from the earliest forms of life to the most advanced mammals, so I’m glad they included some of the fascinating (albeit problematic) fauna of the Burgess Shale. The fossil remains of these invertebrate animals are seldom found. A serendipitious event (a mudslide that preserved these Cambrian monsters) allowed scientists to study MANY specimens. Little did they imagine that some would pose practically insoluble mysteries.

Which brings us to the Hallucigenia. Over the years, the physiology of this creature has been endlessly debated. The first big problem is the locomotion: did it walk on the rigid spines or on the tentacle-like tubes? The latter theory was at first discarded because the tubes didn’t seem to be paired; later findings might indicate that they were after all. Kaiyodo sticks to this interpretation, so the tubes point downwards (although the spines don’t seem to be that rigid).The second problem is just as complex. Which end is the head? Which one the rear? Evidence is not conclusive. One end is thicker than the other, and it’s a common assumption to see this end as the head, so it’s no surprise that this guy is presented so. What really comes as a surprise (and could be a wrong assumption) is that it has eyes, big, beautiful, green eyes (!) Some paleontologists argue that this enigmatic animal belonged to the Onychophora (a phylum that includes the now extinct Aysheaia, another dweller of the Burgess Shale, and the modern Peripatus, the velvet worm) but (surprise!) this is not definite (if you ask me, this interpretation is completely far-fetched). As an Onychophore, the Hallucigenia would look a little chubbier, and the legs would be much shorter, but this is not the case with the Kaiyodo replica.

Each section of this model is amazing. The body has a wrinkled surface, while the head, the tubes and the spines are smooth. The colours are kind of exotic: from the green, translucid eyes, to the iridiscent pink that covers most of the body (with the exception of some brown lines and the presence of black at the end of the spines)

I have heard that there’s another Hallucigenia made by Prehistoric Panorama (another miniature puzzle), but I somehow doubt it surpasses this magnificent piece of work.

We cordially invite you to discuss this figure at the Dinosaur Toy Forum:

Dimetrodon (Invicta)

The Invicta dinosaurs ceased to exist a few years ago, but fortunately most of them can still be found online. This was not only an awesome, coveted set for collectors, but much more educational than many modern dinosaurs supposedly aimed for kids (Imaginext comes to my mind) Nevertheless, it’s not hard to imagine why this is so: overestimulated children will always want a shiny blob of plastic instead of a sober, dully coloured Invicta replica.

Although many Invictas show their age (for instance, the T-Rex is still vertically positioned) many have managed to stay up to date, and the Dimetrodon, included among the last pieces Invicta produced (it’s incredibly late, actually: it’s dated 1993), is one of those. This tiny replica has the exquisite detail of a well done miniature.

The Dimetrodon needs no introduction, its shape is well embedded in the collective psyche, perhaps due to the fascination caused by the pronounced sail. This Permian predecessor of the mammals was huge compared with the contemporary fauna on which it predated (in fact, it measured up to 3.5 metres long, around 8 cm in the 1/45 scale, no wonder it’s so small)

Perhaps to avoid production troubles, all Invictas have their mouths closed, but the dentition is still noticeable in many. Well, even if minuscule, one can see some teeth through the ‘lips’ of the Dimetrodon. So the detail is superb. The neural spines are clearly visible, just like some muscles running along the back. The best part, though, is the skull: the eyes are correctly positioned and the jaws have the classic form of a Pelycosaur (not to mention the mischievious expression) The skin has no scales, but is wrinkled according to the position of the body: a few folds between the head and the sail and a lot (OK, maybe too many) on the right side of the body.

The only ‘but’ I find in this gem is the way the fingers are kind of pressed together, not separated; the bipedal theropods (T-Rex and Megalosaurus) suffer from the same.

Cynognathus (Marx)

This is yet another good choice for a toy. Although Marx made it famous, no other big line has taken interest in this little fellow (Starlux made one, but it’s not one of their best, and the MPC version looks undernourished). I have a green Cynognathus (‘forest green’, according to the seller, in my opinion a perfect shade for a Triassic mammal-like reptile) but I have seen light green, grey and brown versions.

It’s commonly assumed that the Cynognathus resembled mammals so much that it already had hair (there are some marks on the snout, which are common among mammals with whiskers) but this is not so with the Marx Cynognathus, it’s clearly depicted as a reptile.

No wonder Marx dinosaurs are legendary: through elemental sculpting they tried to convey the most noteworthy physiological characteristics of this critter: the enlarged skull (well, perhaps Marx did it a little bit too gibbous), the slender body and the menacing fangs. I’m glad they didn’t cover the Cynognathus with fur because I like the surface detail, not only the reptilic skin pattern (particularly on the head), but muscles and skeleton.

The skull, however, is not entirely accurate. Both eyes are facing forward (instead of being at the sides of the skull) and the snout should have been a little bit longer. On the other hand, the face is priceless: sinister, attentive eyes, protuding fangs, even if the mouth is closed.

Sphenacodon (Marx)

This curious replica is worthwhile because of two reasons: one, Marx was perhaps the most influential dinosaur line of the 20th century, and two, although Sphenacodontidae are rather (in)famous because of the incredible quantity of Dimetrodon replicas, the Marx version is virtually the only Sphenacodon sculpt (Randall Knoll, the guy behind the dinosaurcollector site, lists two more, but they are almost impossible to find)

The Marx line needs no introduction. We are talking about little toys with no paint at all; nonetheless, they were not without interest, as formidable variants occurred in the plastic out of which they were made. Collecting Marx is complex and value depends on colour, date or marbling. I was fortunate enough to find the Sphenacodon in 2 different versions: uniform light green and light grey with red marbling (of the latter variation I had never heard before, if someone has some info about this, please contact us) Even though quality control was not, say, excellent (some toes are a little bit misshapen) the plastic is quite superior compared to that of modern, stridently coloured bin dinosaurs.

The sculpt is a beauty. The Sphenacodon had no sail, but the vertebral spines were remarkably long, and that must have produced a noticeable hump along its back. The Marx replica handled this well, you can even see the spines on the raised hump. The Marx figures are not exactly detailed (this figure resembles a piece of clay that has just been molded with rudimentary tools) but the overall effect works fine: you can see skin, teeth, eyes, nostrils, some wrinkles and whatnot.

Unfortunately, some parts of this replica are too rudimentary. The hind limbs are extremely massive, and they seem fused with the tail. The skull is not accurate at all (the postcranium seems too pronounced, while the upper jaw ends in a narrow snout) Strangely enough, only the teeth of the lower jaw were sculpted.

All in all, I think this toy aged gracefully, it deserves a spot in any collection.

EDIT: One fellow reviewer (http://dinofigs.tripod.com/id18.html) correctly points out that this is obviously based on Sphenacodon ferocior, not on Sphenacodon ferox, because the neural spines are remarkably pronounced. This guy was truly more ferocious.

Baryonyx (Schleich)

   Schleich has produced a considerable quantity of dinosaur replicas throughout the years (the line has grown steadily for more than a decade). Unfortunately, the Schleich guys have a tendency to discontinue many of their models (last year was probably the worst so far, since half their catalogue just vanished) The Baryonyx sculpt went south years ago; too bad, this guy was a keeper.

Other than the Desmatosuchus, Schleich has never produced exotic prehistoric creatures, and although the Baryonyx is not your usual theropod, it stil is an orthodox choice for a dinosaur: even though only some claws, part of the forearm and a partial cranium have been found, this guy is famous, many replicas testify that. This Low Cretaceous piscivorous dinosaur cannot be reconstructed with full certainty, but after reviewing the fossil evidence (specially the strong, large fore limbs), one of the most traditional renditions is positioned on all fours. Schleich sticks to this interpretation. Except for the tail, which bends to one side, the sculpt is overall static.

I’ve got to say that this Bary resembles strongly the illustration that appears in the archfamous Encyclopedia by Dougal Dixon. Like many Schleich carnivores, the needle-like teeth (which in this case are correctly so) are visible through the barely open mouth, which gives it a goofy look, as if it were grinning. Perhaps the worst flaw is the head: the skull seems flattened, and the upper jaw lacks the obligatory crease (a feature necessary for fish-eaters) With all these flaws behind us, the model is nice. The colouring is largely brown with almost invisible grey stripes on the back. The crest on the snout and the elongated jaws are there, the skin has decent detail but the claws could have been larger.

No matter how simple and wooden the sculpt may look, the result is very convincing and works perfectly as a good replica and as a sturdy toy.

Tyrannosaurus rex (Kaiyodo) (Dinomania Series 1)

The Dinomania series by Kaiyodo includes a number of small but very detailed and accurate snap-together figures. The figures come packaged in a box so that the species you get remains a surprise. In this series , there is a limited number of an unknown mystery dinosaur, not so much of a mystery however, seeing that the ‘mystery’ dinosaur is featured on every single box. It is the Tyrannosaurus rex (sorry if this spoils the surprise), sculpted in a rearing posture. The details are nice but obviously hand-painted, the arms are tiny and tucked into the body, and the tail is extermely long (too long) and helps support the figure. I grabbed this, my first and only Dinomania figure, In the New York Museum of Natural History – I was actually hoping for a plesiosaur but was disappointed to discover that I was lucky enough to have the rare green T.rex! I didn’t dare to splash out on a second box, partly becasue sods law dictates that I would probably get the same figure again, and partly because I’m not sure I could resist the addiction once a small collection was initiated (oh go then, just _one_ more). This is quite a nice set, it was originally also released as the UHA Chocolasaur DinoTales Series 3.

Acrocanthosaurus (Battat) (Boston Museum of Science Collection)

The Battat Acrocanthosaurus is almost impossible to find nowadays. But there’s a good reason for that: it’s a beautiful replica that puts to shame almost any other version.

Chronologically speaking, the Acrocanthosaurus is an appropiate choice for Battat. In 1996, the first reconstructed skeleton of this early Cretaceous theropod (known as ‘Fran’) was unveiled. The Battat version, dated 1996 too, is clearly based on that reconstruction.

The Acrocanthosaurus’ solid body is mostly dark green, with a black pattern on its back. The arms are completely black, too. The claws have a discreet tone of grey, while the eyes are fiery red. The mouth, however, has a very curious shade of purple.
Whether the Acrocanthosaurus was an Allosaurid or a Spinosaurid, nobody knows for sure, the debate rages still. But the Battat version does resemble a Spinosaurid because of its long snout. The teeth are delicate, just like the tongue and facial expression. The skin has the trademark Battat wrinkles, which makes it very realistic.

I think the strange sail is the notorious feature of this theropod. Battat’s version has its sail well hidden beneath the skin, which makes this replica unique (unlike Carnegie’s, whose sail is rather crude)

Perhaps the only bad thing about it is that the front part of the body is too massive, so it seems a bit disproportionate and it always falls on its snout without proper support. Even so, ‘Fran’ ranks high among my favourites. I really hope some other company re-releases the whole Battat set.

No longer in production, but sometimes become available from www.ebay.com

Review and photo by Tomhet

Ouranosaurus (Battat) (Boston Museum of Science Collection)

Paradoxically this unorthodox iguanodontid doesn’t usually raise the interest of almost any major toy company, except for Starlux, Schleich and the defunct Battat. The most obvious feature of this dinosaur is the back sail, found in the 2 known skeletons. The enigma deepens if we consider that both the Ouranosaurus and the Spinosaurus lived during the Cretaceous (although in different periods) in what is Africa today. They both had sails. Nobody seems to know for certain why two different organisms developed such sails.

The Battat Ouranosaurus displays a very nice sail, colourful and prominent. It’s yellow with a red stripe and dots, like most of the body. The underdurface, however, is pale green. The bill (which correctly resembles the bill of a hadrosaurid) is clearly delineated with grey.

The body is positioned on four legs (a very plausible position, since the fore legs were strong enough) Nevertheless, the hind legs are more robust, and so is the tail. The neck on the other hand is elegant.

I think this replica surpasses any other Ouranosaurus in beauty. The head, the sail and the paws (incluiding the spikes instead of thumbs) are incredibly detailed.

No longer in production but sometimes available on www.ebay.com

Review and photo by Tomhet

Dunkleosteus (Safari)

As of late, Safari’s newcomers really have become something to look forward to, even more so if one of those newcomers is a late Devonian Placoderm (Placodermi are an exotic but fertile terrain only Kaiyodo, Prehistoric Panorama and Starlux had dared to explore) The Dunkleosteus is a fresh idea from Safari, and as such, it’s had a warm welcome among collectors.

The Dunkie’s main colour is shiny golden yellow (incluiding the bulging, ferociuos eyes), although the armour itself is a little bit darker. The posterior section of the body has a pattern of black spots. The plates of the armour (which are very detailed) are smooth, while the parts that aren’t covered by the plates have a grainier feel. The teeth plates are marbled grey; this contrasts nicely with the weak shade of pink inside the mouth.

The whole sculpt is awesome, but I specially love the flat tail (the most common assumption, since only the fossil armour of this giant has been preserved)

If we consider the meticulous colour blending, the delicate sculpting and the accuracy, we would be tempted to say that this is the best Safari replica so far. The top dinosaur companies should already know that ‘unpopular’ prehistoric creatures are in fact very popular: the Dunkleosteus has been one of the best-selling replicas of 2007.

Available here $

Review by Tomhet

Edit – New photographs added 28th October, 2008