My thanks goes to the great people at Completely happy Hen Toys for offering a evaluation pattern for this evaluation. Regardless of its historical past and the importance of its discovery, I by no means had a lot Baryonyx in my assortment rising up. Though Baryonyx has had a presence within the toy market since the late 1980s, for a very long time that presence appeared fairly sparse. It was solely within the final decade or so when all the main dino toy producers began taking a contemporary stab on the heavy-clawed theropod. Collectors are actually spoiled for alternative in Baryonyx collectible figurines (that’s even with out mentioning the glut of Jurassic World tie-in merchandise that includes the dinosaur), and late into 2024 PNSO spoiled us additional. Maxim, the 84th entry to PNSO’s Prehistoric Animal collection, is the very latest Baryonyx duplicate launched to the market; and when PNSO declares a brand new determine, the percentages are normally in favor of it being very good.
Amazon advert:
PNSO launched Maxim in the usual format for the Prehistoric Animal Fashions line, introduced in a clear white field embellished with photograph artwork of the figurine and all related product materials. Contained in the bundle, the figurine is housed in a plastic shell and accompanied by a booklet and foldout poster. The booklet options drawing classes and a brief story concerning the discovery of Baryonyx (instructed as if from Maxim’s perspective), plus info for adults/mother and father about PNSO’s academic mission. The poster options an illustration of Maxim in profile. A small plastic stand can also be included, as is commonplace for PNSO theropods, in case Maxim has stability points. To this point my determine has stood by itself fairly effectively, however adjustments in humidity and temperature would possibly have an effect on the plastic.
Maxim measures roughly 25cm (9.75 in) from nostril to tail, becoming within the scale of 1:30 for a 7.5-meter (25-foot) particular person or 1:40 for a much bigger 10-meter (33-foot) beast (PNSO’s booklet states an estimated dimension as much as 12 meters, however most sources I’ve seen cap at about 10). The determine traces up effectively with current understanding of the sort specimen fossils, in addition to relatives like Suchomimus. The snout is lengthy and slim, with a pronounced notch (subnarial hole) on the entrance and a shallow “cheek” area (jugal). There’s a refined upwards curvature to the form of the nasal, plus a single small crest positioned straight in between and barely in entrance of the eyes – all of that are distinctive options of spinosaurids, and of Baryonyx specifically.
The determine has an articulated jaw, which is commonplace for PNSO theropods, and it features easily whereas disguising the seams and joints moderately effectively; nevertheless mine doesn’t fairly shut snugly and could be a bit unfastened to the contact. This won’t be indicative of a widespread situation, although. Regardless, opening the mouth permits one to admire the extent of element utilized right here additionally. The jaws even sport near the precise variety of tooth, a bit of underneath or over 20 on either side of the higher and decrease jaws, respectively. If I have been to nitpick, the again of the cranium – particularly the postorbital fenestra and the quadratojugal bone – seem a bit too prolonged for many reconstructions. One actually needs to be searching for an error like this to note it, although. One’s mileage might also fluctuate on the selection to reconstruct Maxim as lipless; scientific proof presently favors lipped theropods, however might spinosaurs have been an exception resulting from their existence? The jury continues to be out on that one, so personally I don’t object to this case.
Maxim is a reasonably robust-looking spinosaur, so the skeletal profile is usually obscured underneath the musculature; nevertheless the neck retains a pointy S-curve, and there’s a slight elevation within the backbone, presumably alluding to the massive vertebral column indicated from fossils. We’ve got subsequent to nothing from Baryonyx’s tail, so Maxim is provided with a reasonably commonplace theropod tail, bulging with muscle on the base however tapering down extra narrowly for almost all of its size. The pores and skin is impeccably detailed with high quality scales all throughout the determine, with refined variations of dimension and association on the stomach, the underside of the tail, and the arms and toes. I believe it’s secure to say PNSO is presently the champion of high quality detailing amongst toy dinosaur manufacturers.
Mockingly, there’s one level of element that’s missing on the determine, and that’s within the hand claws. Maxim bears three fingers on every hand, every adorned with a big claw, the biggest of which being the thumb. Whereas the association is total appropriate, PNSO appears to have underplayed how wickedly large and hooked Baryonyx’s thumb claws are recognized to be. Maxim’s thumb is reasonably modest in curvature, and doesn’t seem to issue how for much longer nonetheless the claw could be with a keratinous sheath. I believe PNSO might have afforded to decorate Maxim’s armament a bit of extra whereas remaining totally believable in presentation.
One other level of potential curiosity is within the hindquarters of the determine. We don’t have many bones of Baryonyx’s legs, so the determine follows a fairly commonplace form of different giant tetanuran theropods. What’s extra of curiosity is the toes, which look equally commonplace for theropods. Now, there isn’t something evidently mistaken about these toes – a minimum of not that we all know proper now – however it’s price contemplating that the one pair of preserved spinosaur toes we’ve is a far cry from the typical giant theropod toes. It’s totally potential Spinosaurus could possibly be an outlier, in fact; however when researching this evaluation I additionally discovered of a trackway first described in 1993 which would possibly file some type of web-footed theropod roaming a Cretaceous shoreline. Fragmentary spinosaurid fossils, presumably from Baryonyx itself, have been unearthed in just a few locations inside the Iberian peninsula earlier than; so who is aware of? There’s no laborious proof to ensure it but, but when I have been a betting man I’d take into account playing on Maxim and fellow European spinosaurs needing a podiatric makeover sooner or later.
Shade is one other space we all know nothing about for Baryonyx, so PNSO was free to do what they preferred for Maxim’s coloration. Maxim is coloured conservatively in shades of muted inexperienced, with swaths of orange alongside its flanks and rows of splotchy gray stripes working perpendicular down the again. I discover the coloration reminiscent – mockingly, maybe – of sure freshwater fish species like perch (which isn’t the first and even second time I’ve felt that approach a couple of spinosaur toy). It’s a modest, however useful, colour scheme, and a departure from the patterns seen within the allosaurs and tyrannosaurs PNSO had launched beforehand that 12 months. Range is sweet! Even vivid and ornate colour schemes can turn out to be redundant if one isn’t cautious. A few of you fellow collectors is likely to be glancing Haolonggood’s approach with that remark…
There are lots of good Baryonyx figures in the marketplace proper now, as there must be; I believe it’s secure to say Maxim from PNSO is total the perfect to this point. There are just a few minor areas to critique, however PNSO seems to have carried out their analysis and introduced their A-game (or a minimum of their B+ sport) to the design desk. Whereas Maxim will price you a bit greater than its counterparts from Safari or Collecta, this Baryonyx nonetheless comes extremely beneficial.
My thanks goes out once more to Completely happy Hen Toys for his or her generosity with this evaluation pattern; make sure to make them your first cease for choosing up a Baryonyx of your personal!
Disclaimer: hyperlinks to Ebay and Amazon on the DinoToyBlog are affiliate hyperlinks, so we make a small fee in the event you use them. Thanks for supporting us!
Trending Merchandise
