The new for 2026 CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Tylosaurus is a most impressive marine reptile model. It shows some accurate details and, in this review, we will highlight some of the figure’s most amazing features. The new CollectA Tylosaurus is rapidly becoming a favourite for fans of Cretaceous marine reptiles.
The new for 2026 CollectA Tylosaurus marine reptile model. It is an updated replica of an iconic marine reptile from the Late Cretaceous.
The CollectA Tylosaurus Model
The CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular series welcomes an updated and revised Tylosaurus. We assume it is a replacement for the earlier Tylosaurus model that CollectA introduced more than fifteen years ago. No specific taxon is named, although we at Everything Dinosaur think the model has been based on T. proriger. For example, the front flippers are slightly larger than the rear flippers (see ventral view of model). This is a characteristic of Tylosaurus proriger.
In addition, the front of that long and carefully crafted snout lacks teeth. The tip of the jaws formed an edentulous, elongated rostrum. Palaeontologists have suggested that this functioned as a ram which was used to stun prey, or it could have had a sensory function. Either way this feature has been recreated in the CollectA Tylosaurus figure.
The edentulous and elongated rostrum is a feature of this new Tylosaurus model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Reflecting the Association with the Squamata
Mosasaurs are members of the Squamata. It is the largest order of extant reptiles, and it includes lizards and snakes. The affinity with the Squamata is demonstrated in the CollectA figure. For instance, it has a forked tongue and in the roof of the mouth, pterygoid teeth are visible. Here too, we see similarities between this new CollectA model and Tylosaurus proriger. The “U-shaped” arrangement of the pterygoid teeth is broadly reminiscent of the shape and orientation of the pterygoid teeth as hypothesised in a living animal.
In addition, the Tylosaurus has a large throat pouch. These jaws were quite capable of swallowing large chunks of flesh.
The pterygoid teeth in the CollectA Tylosaurus figure. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
To view the CollectA Tylosaurus and the rest of the CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular range: CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Prehistoric Animal Figures.
Viewing the Glottis and the Hypocercal Tail
A little detail overlooked by other reviewers is that this model has been given a glottis. Tylosaurus breathed air, it did not have gills. The glottis is an opening located at the base of the mouth, acting as a valve for the windpipe. It was likely visible when the mouth was open wide. We at Everything Dinosaur appreciate this attention to detail. In addition, that delicate forked tongue is associated with a tongue sheath – another fantastic anatomical detail.
A view of the mouth of the CollectA Tylosaurus figure with the glottis, forked tongue and tongue sheath highlighted. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A Jacobson’s Organ
If collectors look carefully at the roof of the mouth, they will see two tiny parallel notches. This is the Jacobson’s organ. Tylosaurus possessed a Jacobson’s organ (vomeronasal organ) located on the roof of its mouth in common with modern snakes and some lizards. It probably had a sensory function being able to detect scent particles in water. It is wonderful to see such details in what is a relatively small and inexpensive Tylosaurus figure.
A Hypocercal Tail
The model has a serpentine feel. The head is orientated in one direction, whilst the tail is orientated in the other. This mimics the postulated method of swimming for this large predator. In addition, the lower lobe of the tail is much larger than the upper lobe. The CollectA Tylosaurus model has a hypocercal tail. Fossils show that caudal vertebrae extended into the lower lobe of the tail, making it larger than the upper lobe. Hence, this new mosasaur model has a hypocercal tail.
The new for 2026 CollectA Tylosaurus model. We suspect this marine reptile figure will replace the Age of Dinosaurs Tylosaurus (model number 88320), that first came out around fifteen years ago.
Mike from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“This fabulous marine reptile figure updates CollectA’s model range. It improves upon their existing Tylosaurus model, and we recommend this new figure. “
The award-winning Everything Dinosaur website provides amazing prehistoric animal models: Marine Reptile and Prehistoric Animal Models.
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