The metriorhynchid Torvoneustes swam the savage seas through the Late Jurassic interval round 145 million years in the past. It was about 4.7 metres lengthy, the identical size as a really massive American alligator and would have been a lethal predator of cephalopods, fish, and different marine reptiles—though like most different metriorhynchids, it could have in flip fallen sufferer to larger pliosaurs.
A Torvoneustes is the second sea crocodile to be launched by Mattel. The primary one was Dakosaurus, launched again in 2023, though so far as I’m conscious, it by no means confirmed up anyplace in Canada. This one was simple to seek out at Walmart, and it’s my third metriorhynchid evaluate right here on the DTB. I’ve somewhat a passion for thalattosuchians, you see; I’d like to see somebody produce a teleosauroid toy like Machimosaurus sooner or later.
Anyhoo, this Torvoneustes measures 19 cm lengthy and 11.7 cm large on the ideas of its hind flippers. Its essential color is a darkish shade of blue-green with darkish inexperienced markings on the pinnacle and again, pale blue inexperienced for the entrance flippers and underbelly, darkish yellow eyes, off white enamel, and burnt salmon pink for the tongue and mouth tissue. A becoming marine color scheme, and regardless of my preliminary concern, it’s a darker shade of blue-green from the Elasmosaurus.
It is a pleasingly poseable toy. All 4 limbs have common joints, and the joints are stiff sufficient for the Torvoneustes to be posed on the very ideas of its flippers, as you’ll be able to see. The pinnacle can pivot up or down and the jaws open to about 40 levels. And the tail rotates on the base, however as at all times, it doesn’t look good while you do it.
The Torvoneustes’ disguise is roofed in tiny pebbled scales. There are additionally a couple of small osteoderms on high of the pinnacle and neck, though it’s tough to see them because of the inexperienced stripes. The big ridges above the eyes give the animal a perpetually angry-looking look. The palate is ribbed and the numerous enamel are pretty sharp. There are additionally seen scars on the pinnacle and the physique, which is sensible contemplating what number of trendy marine predators bear scars. The flippers and tail fluke are very wrinkled and frayed, and all however the left entrance flipper have holes in them. The Jurassic World brand and the scan code are situated on the underside of the hind flippers, and I need to word how happy I’m that Mattel lastly did away with these slide-out tabs. I by no means appreciated them.
This toy actually doesn’t rating too extremely on the accuracy scale. Granted, the pinnacle is fairly good, that includes an extended and slim snout and a flattened skull. Nevertheless, the nostril openings are on a raised bulge, like on a contemporary crocodile, whereas in actuality Torvoneustes had a clean snout. The flippers must be extra fleshed out, like a whale’s. Lastly, the torso and tail are far too brief and the latter appears way more just like the tail of a fish than a correct metriorhynchid’s, which has a triangular fluke atop a downward bending tip. The aforementioned Dakosaurus undoubtedly wins out on this class.
That every one being mentioned, I fairly like this toy. It’s properly sculpted, it appears ferocious, and it’s poseable and a great deal of enjoyable to play with. And naturally, it’s good that Mattel is introducing kids to a greater variety of historic sea reptiles than simply plesiosaurs and mosasaurs (though actually, they’ve nonetheless solely tackled a single species of the latter). Who is aware of, perhaps subsequent yr there’ll lastly be an ichthyosaur toy. The Torvoneustes is at the moment obtainable wherever Jurassic World toys are bought.
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