New CollectA Models (Part 4)

It’s that time of the week when we can reveal the next set of CollectA prehistoric animal models that are to be introduced next year.  Today, we announce four new models in total, one dinosaur and three invertebrates.  One of the invertebrates could be described as a “living fossil”.

All these figures are in the “CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Size” range and they are:

• CollectA Hunting Mapusaurus Dinosaur Model
• The CollectA Pleuroceras (ammonite)
• CollectA Belemnite
• CollectA Horseshoe Crab

The CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Size Hunting Mapusaurus Dinosaur Model

Picture credit: CollectA

CollectA Prehistoric Animal Models – The CollectA Hunting Mapusaurus

CollectA will add a model of the giant South American theropod Mapusaurus in a hunting pose.  We suspect that this figure is being brought out to replace the original CollectA Mapusaurus model that was introduced in 2012.  There is a Mapusaurus in the CollectA Deluxe 1:40 model range, this was introduced in 2018.  Designer Anthony Beeson suggests that this Popular series figure can accompany the Deluxe version, perhaps as a representation of a juvenile or a sub-adult.

The CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Size Pleuroceras Ammonite Model

Picture credit: CollectA

CollectA Pleuroceras Ammonite Model

The first of the three new prehistoric invertebrates is a wonderful model of the Early Jurassic ammonite Pleuroceras and what a beautiful figure it is.  CollectA have been asked to create several marine creatures by a German Museum and Dinosaur Park to help illustrate what the living creatures associated with iconic fossils actually looked like.

Pleuroceras is one of the most distinctive of all the ammonites known from the Pliensbachian stage of the Jurassic, its fossils are associated with famous fossil sites such as Lyme Regis in Dorset and Nuremberg (southern Germany).  This type of ammonite was an active swimmer (nektonic) and a hunter of other animals.  The strongly ribbed shell and the prominent, serrated keel running around the outside of the shell are distinctive features associated with this genus.

CollectA have depicted their ammonite in a dynamic pose as if it is about to grab at prey.  The hypernome (the fleshy tube underneath the head used to propel the cephalopod backwards by shooting jets of water forwards), can clearly be seen.

The CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Size Belemnite Model

Picture credit: CollectA

CollectA Prehistoric Animal Models – The CollectA Belemnite Model

Joining the ammonite is another cephalopod, a fantastic figure of a belemnite.  The word “belemnite” comes from the Greek for “dart”, a reflection of the fact that these marine creatures closely related to squid, cuttlefish and ammonites for that matter, are mostly known from the robust guard (scientifically described as a rostrum), a solid piece of calcite that was located at the rear of the animal and formed part of its internal skeleton.

Designer Anthony Beeson explained that he wanted to depict these members of the Mollusca phylum as active animals he commented:

“I have tried to give the cephalopods a sense of movement which is often lacking in toy representations.”

We suspect that both the ammonite and belemnite models are going to prove very popular with UK regional museums, curators can add a representation of the living animal into display cases highlighting the fossils.

The CollectA Horseshoe Crab

Picture credit: CollectA

The CollectA Horseshoe Crab

The last new model for this week, is an arthropod, a model of an animal geologically much older than either the ammonite or belemnite.  The horseshoe crab (family Limulidae), was around before both ammonites and belemnites evolved, this marine invertebrate, often described as a “living fossil” has not changed much in over 450 million years.  That hard carapace and the eyelets including the primitive eyes (pits at the front of the model), have been beautifully sculpted.  Everything Dinosaur team members are keen to see what the underside of the model looks like with its gills and paired limbs.

CollectA Prehistoric Animal Models – The Tale of the Tape

All four figures are in the CollectA The Age of Dinosaurs – Popular size model range and therefore they are not to scale.

• CollectA Hunting Mapusaurus length 23.4 cm, height 8.6 cm – available mid 2020.
• CollectA Pleuroceras length 11.9 cm, height just over 7 cm – available mid 2020.
• The CollectA Belemnite length 10 cm, height 14.3 cm – available mid 2020.
• CollectA Horseshoe Crab 15 cm long, width 7.7 cm – available mid 2020.

To view the current range of CollectA Age of Dinosaurs – Popular size figures: CollectA Prehistoric Life.

View the first of the 2020 CollectA prehistoric animals to be announced: New CollectA Prehistoric Animals (Part 1).

To read about the second set of new for 2020 CollectA prehistoric animals: New CollectA Prehistoric Animals (Part 2).

To read the third part in our series introducing new CollectA figures: New CollectA models (Part 3).

The award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.