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New CollectA Models for 2021 (Fourth and Final Part)

Today, we complete our look at the new for 2021 prehistoric animal models that are coming out from CollectA.  In collaboration with CollectA Everything Dinosaur announces a further three new figures, they are an iconic prehistoric mammal, an updated version of perhaps the most extensively studied Early Jurassic theropod and an amazing Late Cretaceous ammonite with an incredible shell.

• A CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Doedicurus – a wonderful replica of a prehistoric mammal.
• CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Dilophosaurus – a model of an Early Jurassic theropod.
• A CollectA Pravitoceras model – a stunning replica of a heteromorph ammonoid known from the Late Cretaceous of Japan.

All three figures will be available from Everything Dinosaur around the middle of 2021.

The New for 2021 CollectA Deluxe Doedicurus Replica

CollectA Deluxe Doedicurus Model

This is a stunning replica of the South American giant, distantly related to sloths and anteaters.  First described by the famous English anatomist Richard Owen in 1847.  Once assigned to the genus Glyptodon, Doedicurus was placed in its own separate genus in 1874 following an extensive revision of glyptodont fossil material.

Model designer Anthony Beeson commented:

“I wanted to get away from the rather cartoonish appearance of some of the Doedicurus models on the market.  I have rejected the idea of long spikes on the club as these would be in danger of snapping and not so practical in what was probably its main purpose in mating conflicts between males where the idea is to show strength and not to kill rivals.  One can give a harder blow with a knobbly club. although no doubt used as well in defence, the limited movement afforded to the head would rather limit the animal’s ability to use the club effectively against an attacker.”

The CollectA Deluxe 1:40 Scale Dilophosaurus

CollectA Deluxe 1:40 Scale Dilophosaurus Dinosaur Model

The last new for 2021 dinosaur figure to be announced by CollectA is a colourful, updated version of this Early Jurassic carnivore.  A recently published paper (Marsh and Rowe 2020), revised how scientists viewed this theropod.  The shape of those famous double crests changed and Dilophosaurus was depicted as a much more robust and powerful predator.  The perception that this was a weak-jawed scavenger was replaced with the view that Dilophosaurus represents the largest terrestrial vertebrate known from the Early Jurassic of North America. 

Our congratulations to CollectA for producing a new Dilophosaurus replica so quickly after the publication of the research.

With the introduction of this Dilophosaurus scale model, the Age of Dinosaurs Popular Dilophosaurus figure will be retired.

The CollectA Pravitoceras Model

CollectA Prehistoric Animal Figures

The final new for 2021 CollectA figure is this spectacular model of the Late Cretaceous heteromorph ammonite Pravitoceras.  This colourful model extends the number of invertebrates featured in the CollectA range following the introduction of a horseshoe crab, Orthoceras, a belemnite, a trilobite, the nautilus (N. pompilius) and an ammonite with a regularly coiled shell – Pleuroceras, in 2020.

Whilst members of the public might be quite familiar with those types of ammonites with tightly coiled shells, as epitomised by the CollectA Pleuroceras (an example of a homomorph shell), in the Late Jurassic a number of new types of marine cephalopod began to appear in the fossil record with varying degrees of uncoiled shells.

We congratulate CollectA for their new ammonite model.

These ammonites became increasingly abundant during the Cretaceous. By the Late Cretaceous they were widespread and extremely diverse with a myriad of different types of shell.  So numerous were these ammonites, that just like their coiled relatives, many genera have become important zonal fossils assisting with the relative dating of strata.

A Heteromorph Ammonite Fossil

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Bizarre Shells

Unlike some of the more bizarre shells of other heteromorphic ammonites, the final shell coil of Pravitoceras forms a distinctive “S” shape and the body chamber is folded back on itself to form a retroversal hook.  Pravitoceras would have been able to swim with a minimal amount of drag due to its shell shape, whereas other more irregularly coiled ammonites with much more complicated shell configurations would have been encumbered by their shells when attempting to swim.

Palaeontologists speculate that these types of ammonites were either entirely epifaunal (dwelling on the sea floor), perhaps scavenging or hunting slow moving animals such as bivalves or snails, or they floated passively in the water column, like many types of extant jellyfish, feeding on zooplankton.

Whatever, part of the Cretaceous marine ecosystem Pravitoceras occupied it makes a great addition to the CollectA portfolio.

Model Measurements

• A CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Doedicurus – length 18 cm, height of the carapace 7.6 cm, width 7.6 cm.
• CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Dilophosaurus – length 18.4 cm, height 7.1 cm.
• A CollectA Pravitoceras model – length 11 cm, height of shell 8.6 cm and width 7.1 cm.

All of these models will be available from Everything Dinosaur in the middle of 2021 or thereabouts.

Links to the CollectA Model Range at Everything Dinosaur

To view the existing range of CollectA Deluxe models: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animal Models.

CollectA models and figures: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models and Figures.

Links to the Previous Everything Dinosaur Articles (Parts 1-3) About New for 2021 CollectA Figures

New CollectA Models (Part 1) 1:40 scale Mamenchisaurus, Kamuysaurus, Brontosaurus prey: New CollectA Models for 2021 – Part 1.

Our blog post about the new CollectA Models (Part 2): Megalosaurus, Neovenator and the 1:15 Deluxe Pteranodon: New CollectA Models for 2021 – Part 2.

New CollectA Models (Part 3) – Elasmosaurus, 1:40 scale Xiphactinus and the new mini prehistoric animals: New CollectA Models for 2021 – Part 3.

All three of these figures will be available from Everything Dinosaur around the middle of 2021.

New CollectA Models 2021 (Part 2)

Today, we introduce the second batch of new for 2021 CollectA prehistoric animals.  Just like last week, Everything Dinosaur announces three new CollectA figures, but today we discuss two dinosaurs associated with England and a replica of a famous flying reptile:

• CollectA Deluxe Pteranodon in 1:15 scale – a replica of a giant Late Cretaceous pterosaur.
• A CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular range Megalosaurus in ambush – a new version of the first dinosaur to be scientifically described.
• CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular range Neovenator scenting prey – a large theropod, fossils of which are associated with Lower Cretaceous deposits found on the Isle of Wight.

The Megalosaurus and Neovenator models are due to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in early 2021, whilst the CollectA Deluxe Pteranodon is scheduled to arrive later in the year.

The New for 2021 CollectA Deluxe Pteranodon Model (1:15 Scale)

CollectA Deluxe Pteranodon Model

The new for 2021 CollectA Deluxe Pteranodon is depicted in a grounded quadrupedal pose.  It has an articulated jaw and from the crest shape, we determine that this model represents the Pteranodon longiceps species.  The CollectA model possesses a brightly coloured throat pouch that reflects current scientific thinking about the anatomy of this piscivore and readers will note that this flying reptile has been depicted with a body covering of pycnofibres.

Intriguingly, this Pteranodon model has been given a tassel on the end of its tail.  This genus of flying reptile has been extensively studied and although much Pteranodon fossil material associated with the famous Smoky Hill Chalk deposits of the Niobrara Formation of Kansas has been squashed flat, palaeontologists have noted unique features in its tail bones.

The tail of Pteranodon is much longer than the related Nyctosaurus, it is one of the longest tails of any known member of the Ornithocheiroidea and the bones at the very end of the tail have a unique shape.  The most distal bones (tail bones furthest from the body), consist of two parallel thin rods, the function of which has been speculated upon by several pterosaur researchers.  These bones could have supported a fin to assist with swimming, or perhaps these caudals could have formed the anchor points for some form of tail rudder or perhaps a display device.

A Close-up View of the “Tail Tassel” on the CollectA Deluxe Pteranodon Model

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Model designer Anthony Beeson has opted for the latter interpretation.

He commented:

“Uniquely the model has been given a tail ‘tassel’, perhaps used in mating rituals, suggested by the existence of the skeleton’s odd duplex centra and tail rods.”

CollectA Megalosaurus in Ambush

The second new figure we announce today is one of two new British theropod dinosaurs in the CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular series – Megalosaurus bucklandii.

The New for 2021 CollectA Megalosaurus Dinosaur Model

CollectA will be introducing an updated and revised version of their Megalosaurus model that was introduced in 2010.  The figure has been given a more bird-like posture and a series of raised spines over the hip region.  The skull has been elongated reflecting what is seen in the cranial fossil material of related species within the Megalosauridae.  Eagle-eyed dinosaur model collectors will also note that this new CollectA figure has lips, in-line with a current debate in palaeontology about the presence of oral tissues within the Theropoda and elsewhere.

Commenting on the Megalosaurus model, designer Anthony Beeson stated:

“The Middle Jurassic dinosaur Megalosaurus incorporates the recent suggestion of dinosaurs having lips.  I have based the model with its elongated head on the anatomy of Torvosaurus, a close relative.  The model was designed to show the theropod lying in wait for prey and hence the descriptive title of ‘Megalosaurus in ambush’.  My thought was to see it placed within, or behind a glade of CollectA’s prehistoric plants.”

CollectA Neovenator Scenting Prey

The third and final CollectA model we reveal this week, is that of the Early Cretaceous predator Neovenator, fossils of which are known from the Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation.  This new figure will replace the Age of Dinosaurs Popular Neovenator model that was part of the second batch of prehistoric animal figures that CollectA produced.

The New for 2021 CollectA Neovenator Dinosaur Model

Strong Grasping Hands

The figure depicts the strong, grasping hands associated with this genus and the colour scheme is reminiscent of the 1:40 scale CollectA Deluxe Saltriovenator replica that came out earlier this year.  It too, like the new Megalosaurus model sports a row of small, raised spines running the length of its body.  These spines are more prominent at the back of the neck and across the hips.  Once again, this new theropod figure has been given lips by the design team at CollectA.

It will make a fine partner to the CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Mantellisaurus model, that was introduced in 2018, after all, the holotype specimen of Neovenator (N. salerii) was found in association with Mantellisaurus remains.

The head of the model has been beautifully painted with strong, yellow highlights.  Analysis of the skull bones resulted in the publishing of a scientific paper (Tijani Barker et al, 2017), that proposed that this dinosaur had complex, neurovascular canals within its rostrum (snout), such structures are usually associated with aquatic animals and indicate an enhanced sensory function. Since there is no evidence of Neovenator being aquatic, perhaps its enhanced sense of smell helped it to detect prey, hence the descriptive title for this figure “Neovenator scenting prey”.

With the introduction of new Megalosaurus and Neovenator models, the earlier versions of these two theropods will be retired.

Out of Production the Earlier Neovenator and Megalosaurus Figures Made by CollectA

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Replicas and Prehistoric Animal Toys.

Model Measurements

• CollectA Deluxe Pteranodon in 1:15 scale – length 30. 5 cm, height 23.5 cm, width 12 cm.
• A CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Megalosaurus in ambush – length 16 cm, height 5 cm.
• CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Neovenator scenting prey – length 17 cm, height 6.2 cm.

The new CollectA Megalosaurus and Neovenator figures are due in stock at Everything Dinosaur early in 2021, with the CollectA Deluxe Pteranodon figure scheduled to arrive mid-2021.

To view the existing range of CollectA Deluxe models: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animal Models.

CollectA models and figures: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models and Figures.