The yr 2024 noticed a steep decline within the variety of fashions produced by PNSO, 7 fashions in comparison with 15 in 2023. Now we’re a month into 2025 with radio silence from PNSO, which has led some to fret in regards to the firm’s future. However what PNSO lacked in amount final yr they made up for in high quality, and species variety. In 2023 all however two of their fashions had been theropods however in 2024 we received a number of theropods and sauropods, and a ceratopsian, stegosaur, and ornithopod. Most of those figures additionally possessed much more advanced and colourful paintjobs than we sometimes see from PNSO. At present we’re trying on the PNSO Lokiceratops. Launched in November, it stays the newest launch from PNSO, 3 months after its debut.
Lokiceratops is a genus of centrosaurine that lived within the late Cretaceous of what’s now the Judith River Formation in Montana. Different species from this formation embody Edmontonia, Zuul, Corythosaurus, Medusaceratops, Dromaeosaurus, Daspletosaurus, and a big assortment of different dinosaurs each obscure and well-known. Lokiceratops was found in 2019 however described in 2024, which implies a fast turnaround for PNSO in producing a determine of it. It’s virtually as if that they had insider data, and so they did, PNSO collaborated instantly with the paper’s authors to supply this mannequin. Frederik, the title given to the PNSO mannequin, can also be the nickname of the holotype specimen on the museum the place it’s saved.
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Lokiceratops means “Loki horned face” and it was named after the Norse god of mischief, Loki. That is partly as a result of resemblance between the frill horns on Lokiceratops and Loki’s horned helm that he’s usually depicted sporting, though I believe Diabloceratops nails the Loki look higher. The title additionally honors the partnership between the US, the place the dinosaur was discovered, and Denmark, the place the dinosaur is being saved. The species title, rangiformis, is a reference to the genus Rangifer to which reindeer aka caribou belong. Like reindeer, Lokiceratops additionally has bilaterally asymmetrical head ornamentation.
Lokiceratops is most intently associated to Albertaceratops and Medusaceratops and possesses cranial ornamentation just like theirs, however it lacks a nasal horn and is about 20% bigger than grownup specimens of Medusaceratops. Lokiceratops is estimated to have measured 22’ (6.7 meters) in size. PNSO’s mannequin measures about 7.5” (19.05 cm) lengthy which places it at about 1/35 in scale. The determine is offered trotting ahead and veering in the direction of the left. The pinnacle is angled barely downwards with the mouth open. Solely the fingertips of the appropriate forelimb are touching the bottom. The tail swoops barely leftward with the tip swooping barely to the appropriate. It’s a dynamic pose that makes the mannequin putting from a number of angles.
The pinnacle sculpt of PNSO’s mannequin is a spot-on illustration of what the fossil cranium exhibits, appropriately if PNSO had been collaborating with the scientists that described it. Frederik shows the exceptional asymmetry that we see within the holotype. The primary epiparietals, positioned on the highest of the frill, differ in dimension and orientation, with the one on the left being longer than the one on the appropriate and the one on the appropriate pointing inward considerably. The subsequent set of epiparietals are the most important, and are broad, crescent formed, and blunted on the suggestions, and so they differ from one another considerably in dimension, form, and orientation. 5 smaller epiparietals run down the rest of the frill on either side and are adopted by 3 episquamosals on either side. The forehead horns are pointing outwards and away from one another.
The remainder of the face is detailed with small pebbly scales, and this consists of the again of the frill. Some bigger scales are clustered across the sunken orbits and a row of characteristic scales runs down the midline of the frill, the scales are smallest across the nostrils. The beak is clean and angular, showing sharp and formidable. A second level on both aspect of the beak might be seen, trying just like the tomial tooth seen on falcons. On the decrease jaw there’s a flattened spot the place the “tomial tooth” could be rubbing towards. The within of the mouth features a sculpted tongue, nasal openings on the roof of the mouth, and a battery of tooth behind the jaw. Grooves are sculpted across the bases of the bigger horns. There are a variety of small however considerable particulars right here.
Frederik has a typical centrosaurine physique plan, which features a sturdy construct, rounded torso, muscular limbs, extensive hips, and a brief tail. The fingers are correctly oriented outwards with three weight-supporting digits possessing claws and two clawless, decreased digits. 4 toes are sculpted on every hindlimb. All bodily orifices are accounted for. The physique is detailed with nice pebbly scales and bigger characteristic scales scattered all through. Wrinkles and pores and skin folds are sculpted the place acceptable, corresponding to alongside the neck and limb joints.
The paintjob is a bit…acquainted. It appears like PNSO could have taken some notes from Haolonggood, implementing a blue-gray coloration and squiggly-line sample that Haolonggood is a frequent fan of. Familiarity apart, it’s considered one of PNSO’s most putting paintjobs and as normal, effectively carried out. The physique is blue-gray with a creamy tan underside and a pleasant transition between the 2 colours. Brown squiggles overlay the bottom colours and though I’m not often a fan of squiggles they’re effectively performed right here, properly built-in with and blended into the bottom colours.
The pinnacle is especially advanced with many shades of brown, uninteresting orange, and uninteresting inexperienced blended collectively. The forehead horns are orange on the base and transition to darkish brown on the suggestions. The primary set of epiparietals are orange on the base and transition to darkish brown whereas the curved second set of epiparietals are orange on their inside floor and darkish brown on the surface floor. The remainder of the epiparietals and episquamosals are additionally picked out in uninteresting orange. The beak is darkish brown, and the within of the mouth is shiny pink. Even the tooth are painted white. Distinguished spots are painted over the fenestra on the frill. Blended shades of inexperienced and orange are overlayed with turquoise and orange eyespots. These spots have an apparent “stamped on” look that I don’t actually like however is straightforward to disregard.
The PNSO Lokiceratops is a virtually flawless mannequin. The stamped-on eyespots are the one detrimental criticism I can consider, though some folks may not like the dearth of cheeks both. PNSO’s Lokiceratops just isn’t solely considered one of 2024’s greatest figures but in addition their greatest ceratopsian so far. PNSO figures is likely to be few and much between lately, however the high quality has solely improved. Frederik the Lokiceratops is at the moment accessible extensively on-line and retails for about $35. It’s an important addition to any ceratopsian assortment, and I wouldn’t count on a greater Lokiceratops from every other firm.
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