New CollectA Models 2020 (Part 2)

Time to reveal the second part of our blog series that highlights the new for 2020 prehistoric animal models that are due to be released by CollectA.  Today, we announce the addition of two new 1:40 scale prehistoric animal replicas, representing dinosaurs that have only recently been scientifically described.

The two CollectA models are:

• CollectA Deluxe Saltriovenator in 1:40 scale (S. zanellai) – a large, predatory dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of northern Italy.
• CollectA Bajadasaurus in 1:40 scale (B. pronuspinax) – a member of the Dicraeosauridae family of Sauropods, known from the Early Cretaceous of Argentina.

The New for 2020 CollectA Deluxe Saltriovenator Dinosaur Model (1:40 Scale)

Picture credit: CollectA

CollectA Saltriovenator 1:40 Scale Dinosaur Model

Known from fragmentary fossils found at the Salnova marble quarry in the municipality of Saltrio from which the dinosaur is named, Saltriovenator is the largest known predatory dinosaur to have been described from fossil material associated with the Sinemurian faunal stage of the Early Jurassic.

The quarry workers used explosives to blast the rocks, which resulted in the fossilised bones being blown into hundreds of fragments.  Careful, painstaking preparation by scientists from the Natural History Museum of Milan and the Geological Museum of Bologna enabled this dinosaur to be “pieced” together.  This new replica for 2020 is sure to make an explosive impact!

Model designer Anthony Beeson explained that Saltriovenator is an ancestor of Ceratosaurus, so this new for 2020 addition will work well with the CollectA Ceratosaurus introduced in 2018.  It is only the third dinosaur known from Italy and the second carnivore.

The single specimen known to science is believed to represent a sub-adult, so the full size of this Early Jurassic monster is unclear, although it could have been around 8 metres long when fully grown and weighed as much as a tonne.  Intriguingly, in line with a recently published theory, this carnivore has been given lips.

The New for 2020 CollectA Bajadasaurus (1:40 Scale)

Picture credit: CollectA

CollectA Bajadasaurus 1:40 Scale Dinosaur Model

The second new for 2020 prehistoric animal from CollectA to be announced this week is the spectacular Bajadasaurus (B. pronuspinax).  A spectacular dicraeosaurid from Patagonia, closely related to Amargasaurus, a model of which, is already present in the CollectA range.  This plant-eating giant was described even more recently than Saltriovenator (published in Scientific Reports in February 2019).  Like Saltriovenator it is known from fragmentary remains, but skull material has been recovered and a single neck bone (the fifth cervical vertebra), sports an elongated and curved neural spine.

Commenting Upon the New CollectA Models

Designer Anthony Beeson commented that it was this spine that gave the dinosaur its name “Bajada reptile bent over forwards”.  The relatively short neck was probably crowned with a double row of tall curved spines that may have helped this herbivore defend itself from theropod dinosaurs.  The ornamentation on the neck could have also played a role in thermoregulation or perhaps even visual display.

At around nine to ten metres in length, Bajadasaurus was quite sizeable and Anthony explained that he had based this model on the better known Amargasaurus.  It certainly makes an amazing addition to the CollectA 1:40 scale model range and just like Saltriovenator, this dinosaur model has been given lips.

Tale of the Tape

• CollectA Deluxe Saltriovenator 1:40 Scale Model – length 27.5 cm, with a head height of around 14 cm.  Expected mid 2020.
• CollectA Bajadasaurus (1:40 scale) – length 35 cm with those amazing neural spines standing around 10 cm high.  Expected early 2020.

To view the current range of CollectA models available from Everything Dinosaur: CollectA Prehistoric Life.

To view the Deluxe range of CollectA figures available: CollectA Deluxe.

We look forward to posting up more information and images of other new for 2020 prehistoric animal models from CollectA next week.

To view the first of our blog posts featuring new for 2020 CollectA models: New CollectA 2020 (Part 1).

The award-winning, user-friendly Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.