“Ornate Horned Dinosaur” Kosmoceratops gets Reviewed

With the discovery of so many new horned dinosaurs over the last three years or so, model manufacturers have had a job catching up.  However, with the introduction of the CollectA Kosmoceratops model, it seems that dinosaur models are once again the focus of attention.

CollectA Kosmoceratops Model

Kosmoceratops was formally named and described in 2010.  Its fossils have been found in Utah (United States), it shared its wooded, semi-arid environment with an even larger ceratopsian known as Utahceratops.  Both these dinosaurs lived at the end of the Cretaceous period.  Although the neck shield and the skull is smaller when compared to later members of this group, such as the famous horned dinosaur Triceratops, Kosmoceratops had the most ornate and decorated known.  There were at least fifteen horns or horn-like structures adorning the skull and neck crest.  Scott Richardson, an amateur fossil hunter, helping to map the geology of Utah discovered the first fossils of this dinosaur in 2006.   Further discoveries followed including an almost complete skull, ribs, vertebrae and elements of the pelvic girdle.

The CollectA Kosmoceratops Dinosaur Model

A dinosaur that was a bit of a show off.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The large brow horns stick out to the side, an unusual feature for a horned dinosaur, most of these creatures had horns that faced forwards.  It is unknown what functions these horns and the elaborate frill performed, perhaps they were used in ritual combat with other members of the herd to for a display device.

The CollectA Kosmoceratops model measures a little over 12 centimetres in length.  It has been estimated that a fully grown Kosmoceratops would have exceeded 4.5 metres in length.  This gives an approximate scale to this model of 1:360.

A Colourful Dinosaur Frill

The texture of the skin is quite rough, giving the impression of large body scales.  The frill is painted a dark green colour with the individual horns and bumps on the skull highlighted in a contrasting red hue.  The model makers have obviously sided with those scientists who believe that the ornate frill on Kosmoceratops was some sort of signalling device.  The majority of the model is painted in a green tint, with a lighter underside and generally becoming less dark towards the tail.  This Kosmoceratops replica has a quite stocky appearance, building on the scientific evidence from the fossilised pelvic bones and sturdy backbones that have been found.

This model shows lots of fine detail and it is bound to be popular amongst dinosaur fans and specialist model collectors who want to be kept up to date with the latest dinosaur discoveries.

To view the new CollectA model range: The CollectA Prehistoric Life Model Range.