Nanuqsaurus (“polar bear lizard”) is a poorly understood Alaskan tyrannosaurine that lived round 68 to 70 million years in the past. Though it’s presently identified solely from fragments of cranium and an array of tooth, it lately obtained a serious increase of publicity in 2022 by showing within the first season of the fabulous Apple TV collection Prehistoric Planet. There it was shown as a pack hunter that employed pace, technique, and sheer diligence to take down a bigger Pachyrhinosaurus, very like how the trendy Arctic wolf does with muskoxen. And previous to that, it appeared in a 2021 animated YouTube brief known as “Our Frozen Past,” which can be effectively value watching.
CollectA’s 2024 Nanuqsaurus is billed as being within the midst of stalking some prey. To that finish, it’s posed with its legs bent in a slight crouch, its lengthy tail touching to the bottom with the tip raised, and its mouth open. It measures just below 16 cm in size and 5 cm in top, which makes it by far the smallest prehistoric toy on this 12 months’s assortment. Nanuqsaurus has lengthy been described as being one of many smaller tyrannosaurines at round 5 – 6 metres in size, and that’s the way it was depicted in Prehistoric Planet. Nevertheless, a 2021 study concluded that it was most likely nearer in measurement to Albertosaurus, Daspletosaurus, and Gorgosaurus. A 2023 thesis has additionally concluded that it was a nomen dubium, however I reckon solely extra fossil stays will settle that debate.
Like many depictions of Nanuqsaurus, this one is roofed in a shaggy coat of feathers, even on its stomach. The one scaly sections are the muzzle, the palms, and the toes. As prior to now, I refuse to enter the entire feathers or no feathers dialogue, however there’s little query that such ample plumage would certainly be of profit to a theropod throughout chilly northern winters. The physique is generally painted gentle brown with beige wash to spotlight the plumage. The underbelly is white and the neck is gentle gray with white wash. The palms and toes are whitewashed gray with strong gray claws and there’s extra wash utilized to the tip of the tail. The top is darkish brown with black stripes in entrance of the shiny black eyes and the mouth is pink with off white tooth.
The unfeathered components on this toy are coated in fantastic scales, and the standard rows of scutes on the toes. The feathers are sculpted to seem thick and shaggy, but additionally comparatively streamlined. The tip of the tail encompasses a somewhat giant tuft, which one might think about to be for show functions. And eventually, the tooth are tiny, however satisfyingly sharp and distinct. Nanuqsaurus lived alongside fairly quite a few herbivores it might sink its tooth into, together with Alaskacephale, Edmontosaurus, and, as already famous, Pachyrhinosaurus. It seems to have been the apex predator of its surroundings, with the one different identified ones being a lot smaller dromaeosaurs and troodontids.
Judging the accuracy of this toy isn’t actually truthful given the fragmentary standing of Nanuqsaurus, nonetheless, it actually is instantly recognizable as a tyrannosaurid with its deep cranium, thick neck, and total beefy look. Certainly, its proportions extra strongly resemble these of Tyrannosaurus rex than say, Lythronax or Daspletosaurus. The palms are accurately oriented (which shouldn’t come as any shock these days) and the mouth options lips, so to talk. That is CollectA’s third lipped theropod after the 2021 Megalosaurus and Neovenator, and it’ll fascinating to see the end result after they lastly deal with a Deluxe-sized giant theropod with lips. Who is aware of, maybe it will likely be Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis. I wouldn’t be in the slightest degree stunned.
The CollectA Nanuqsaurus is a petite but pleasing toy, particularly for individuals who are tyrannosaur followers. It’ll develop into out there for buy within the subsequent month or two. Many thanks exit to CollectA for this overview pattern!
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