Bistahieversor, Saurophapganax and a Mosasaurus

Another week and another announcement from CollectA about new model releases for 2014.  CollectA promised that once other projects were out of the way in 2013 that more replica figures, including prehistoric animals would be introduced and they have certainly not let us down with the announcement of a further three additions to their popular not-to-scale range.

Prehistoric Animal Models

Let’s kick off by taking a close look at Bistahieversor (B. sealeyi) a tyrannosaur, like T. rex but one that was not too closely related to the “Tyrant Lizard King”.  Known from two specimens including an immature adult, Bistahieversor was the top predator in the New Mexico region during the Campanian faunal stage.  At between eight to nine metres in length, and perhaps weighing as much as 2.5 tonnes this was a formidable predator, the largest known from this part of the world.

Bistahieversor

Bistahieversor (pronounced Bis-tah-he-ee-ver-sore See-lee-eye ) comes from the Hunter Wash member of the Kirtland Formation, the fossils date from around 74.5 million years ago.  Named and described just a couple of years back, the model has been portrayed with a feathered crest and a body covered in a shaggy coat of proto-feathers.  This is a first for CollectA – a feathered Late Cretaceous tyrannosaur.

Bistahieversor – Late Cretaceous “Destroyer”

New for Summer 2014

New for Summer 2014.

Picture credit: CollectA

The first specimen material was discovered in 1998, in the remote and rugged Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness of San Juan County (New Mexico).  This dinosaur’s name means “destroyer of Bisti”, an appropriate name for a deep, snouted, strong-jawed carnivore.

Saurophaganax

Late Jurassic theropods are also represented in the latest model releases from CollectA.  Say hello to Saurophaganax, which for some may be a new name to conjure with, but for us at Everything Dinosaur Saurophaganax is an old friend.  The 2011 BBC television series featured a short piece on dinosaurs from the Morrison Formation.  The production team wanted to portray an Allosaurus encountering another carnivore in a fight over a recently brought down Camptosaurus.

Step forward Saurophaganax maximus  a super-sized allosauroid, one that some scientists state may be just a very big example of  A. fragilis.  Only fragmentary fossils have been found so the genus name remains a “nomen dubium” – the name is in doubt.  However, Saurophaganax appeared in the television series, seeing off an Allosaurus, although it was not included in the book that accompanied the television production, a point we made when we at Everything Dinosaur were given the task of reviewing the book.

Saurophaganax Makes Its Debut

Fearsome predator of the Late Jurassic.

Fearsome predator of the Late Jurassic.

Picture credit: CollectA

For the time being let’s leave Saurophaganax leaving the last word to the very clever model designer Anthony Beeson who states:

“I designed Saurophaganax to look either as if it was attacking a smaller prey or eating (with the Stegosaurus corpse in mind).”

The Stegosaurus corpse is another 2014 release from CollectA, to see images of  this earlier CollectA new for 2014 announcement: The CollectA Dead Stegosaurus Dinosaur Model.

Mosasaurus Marine Reptile Model

Last but not least comes a spectacular model of a marine reptile, a Mosasaurus and very good it looks too.  The Mosasaurus model measures approximately 27 centimetres in length and it has been give a tail fluke, a very modern interpretation based on a number of scientific papers published over the last three years or so.

To read an article about how the Mosasaurus got its tail: Mosasaurus with a Shark’s Tail.

The colouration on this replica looks excellent and in the mouth the row of pterygoid teeth in a “v” shape located in the upper jaw have been portrayed – top marks CollectA!

Mosasaurus Will Make Its Mark in 2014

Fearsome marine predator from Collecta due in 2014.

Fearsome marine predator from CollectA due in 2014.

Picture credit: CollectA

Anthony Beeson comments:

“Mosasaurus incorporates my interpretation of the new belief that their tails bore a fluke like a shark or an Ichthyosaur.  The model also shows the body held more rigid like that of a shark when swimming and the propulsion given by the tail rather than it swimming like a snake as has often been the case.  Although it cannot be seen in the photograph,  the model also displays the pterygoid teeth in the roof of its upper jaw.”

All these models are in the CollectA not-to-scale model series and very good they look too.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur added:

“CollectA continues to bring out some amazing prehistoric animal models.  The “Prehistoric Life Collection” just keeps growing and going from strength to strength.  We have already commissioned illustrations of these replicas in preparation for our fact sheets that we will supply with these replicas.  We expect stocks to be with us at Everything Dinosaur by summer 2014″.

To view Everything Dinosaur’s existing range of CollectA figures: CollectA Prehistoric World/Prehistoric Life Figures.