Mercuriceratops, T. rex Prey, Hunting T. rex and Metriacanthosaurus
The first pictures of some of the new for 2016 models made by our chums at CollectA have been released. Everything Dinosaur has been given an exclusive first look. So, without further ado, here are the first four.
Metriacanthosaurus – M. parkeri
“Parker’s moderately spined lizard”.
Picture credit: CollectA
New Prehistoric Animal Figures
First up, Metriacanthosaurus, an eight-metre-long monster that once roamed southern England. Known from fragmentary fossils, excavated from an exposed Upper Jurassic horizon near the town of Weymouth (Dorset, England), this dinosaur may have been the apex predator of that part of the world around 156-157 million years ago. Where Metriacanthosaurus is placed in the Theropoda remains hotly debated.
Once classified as a megalosaur, more recent research has placed this formidable hunter in the Sinoraptoridae. It is a beautiful model and it’s great to see another “English” theropod added to the impressive CollectA “Prehistoric Life” model range. Metriacanthosaurus measures an imposing 17 cm in length.
T. rex the Hunter!
A hunting T. rex.
Picture credit: CollectA
CollectA 2016 Models
You wait ages for a feathered Tyrannosaurus rex model and then two* turn up within a few months. The second new for 2016 model is a depiction of a hunting T. rex and what a skilfully created replica it is. The hunting T. rex measures 24 cm long and Anthony Beeson, the clever designer behind this range explained:
“Tyrannosaurus rex hunting is designed with a less evolved plumage when compared to the 2015 CollectA Deluxe Feathered T. rex model so that it may be interpreted by the collector as either an immature male or as a female. The latter in order to show sexual dimorphism.”
Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the creation of this, the very latest depiction of the “Tyrant Lizard King”.
Tyrannosaurus Prey – T. rex Corpse
T. rex corpse.
Picture credit: CollectA
T. rex Corpse
Not every hunt was successful, even for Tyrannosaurus rex. Like Metriacanthosaurus that lived some ninety million years earlier, T. rex may have been an apex predator, but sometimes it did not get everything its own way. At 31 cm long, this is an impressively sized model which shows lots of detail, the gory demise of a tyrannosaur possibly as a result of an encounter with a bigger member of its own species or maybe after a battle with a pack of the recently described giant, Hell Creek Formation dromaeosaurid Dakotaraptor (D. steini).
The Designer Comments
Explaining how he decided on the pathology for his model, designer Anthony Beeson stated:
“I designed Tyrannosaurus as prey in order to show that however fearsome a carnivore may appear, it is likely to end up in the food chain eventually. It also shows that Tyrannosaurus faced death at the hands of its own species especially during mating and the body shows damage caused by another Tyrannosaurus based on bite marks identified in the same areas on other fossils.”
It is fantastic to see a T. rex corpse introduced by CollectA, Everything Dinosaur are “dead” certain that this will prove to be a very popular model!
* There are now three feathered Tyrannosaurus rex replicas thanks to CollectA.
The Chasmosaurine Mercuriceratops
Wonderful horned dinosaur replica.
Picture credit: CollectA
CollectA 2016 Models – A Horned Dinosaur Included
Continuing the trend (or should that now be called a tradition), for producing excellent horned dinosaur models, is a replica of the chasmosaurine Mercuriceratops and it’s another beauty. This carefully painted ceratopsian measures an impressive 16.5 cm long and it is a beautiful rendition of a distant relative to Triceratops and Torosaurus.
CollectA have by far and away the most extensive line up of horned dinosaur models. This new for 2016 addition is going to prove to be a big hit with fans of horned dinosaurs.
More news about CollectA will be posted up by Everything Dinosaur in the near future. All these models will be available from Everything Dinosaur in the Spring of 2016. Looks like it is going to be a great year for CollectA!
To view the existing range of CollectA prehistoric animals: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models.
To view the Deluxe CollectA range: CollectA Deluxe Figures.
*Oops four feathered T. rex models from CollectA we forgot about the juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex replica.
Leave A Comment