Mattel loves Pseudosuchians, or so it will appear. Simply this 12 months they launched 5 of those crocodile-line archosaurs. Not since Bullyland’s heyday have we seen so many representatives of the group made by a single firm, and I believe Mattel should certainly win the award for many Pseudosuchians ever produced. Additionally, like Bullyland, Mattel has produced numerous Triassic fauna. Right now we’re wanting on the Mattel Poposaurus, a determine that’s each a Pseudosuchian and from the Triassic.
You’ll be forgiven for those who had initially mistaken this toy for a dinosaur. Poposaurus was an compulsory biped that, like many Triassic Pseudosichians, had many dinosaur-like traits. It belonged to the Poposauroidea clade that included many uncommon taxa, such because the sail backed Arizonasaurus, aquatic Qianosuchus, and the beaked herbivore Lotosaurus, which additionally possessed a sail. Your complete group would go extinct by the top of the Triassic. Poposaurus stays have been discovered within the western United States and most of its skeleton is understood with the unhappy exception of the cranium.
The Mattel Poposaurus measures about 8” (20 cm) lengthy, together with the bend within the tail, and stands 2.75” (6.9 cm) tall on the hips. The precise Poposaurus is estimated to have measured 13-16’ (4-5 meters) so that will put the toy at about 1/19- 1/24 in scale. The top can transfer up and down on the base of the neck, the mouth can open, and the legs and arms can rotate round.
The general look of the determine is great by Mattel requirements. Extra like their Herrerasaurus than a few of their goofier toys, just like the Prestosuchus. I believe that is largely as a result of it seems to have been straight copied from the primary illustration of Poposaurus you discover on a Google picture search, a bit included within the Wikipedia article about Poposaurus and illustrated by Smokeybjb. They aren’t simply comparable in posture and proportions however even within the presence of a low sail working down the tail, the bend within the tail itself, and the colour palette.
Being copied from an honest piece of paleoart implies that the toy doesn’t simply look good however seems to be sufficiently correct as nicely. Though we don’t have the cranium of Poposaurus the pinnacle is restored as theropod-like, which is a protected wager. The arms are quick and five-fingered, and there are 5 digits on every foot. Digit 5 must be enormously diminished however, no matter. The toy depicts Poposaurus as digitigrade, like a dinosaur, relatively than plantigrade like different Pseudosuchians. We actually don’t know which it was, and I’ve seen arguments for each. Personally, I lean in the direction of plantigrade, however I gained’t lose sleep over it.
The toy is detailed with polygonal scales of varied sizes and enormous plate-like scutes working down the neck and again, and alongside the underside. A lot of the tail is roofed with overlapping, keeled, snake-like scales. The enamel are decently proportioned on this one however the paint utility on them isn’t nice.
The toy is painted in a form of steely blue grey, very like the paintings it’s lifted from. The decrease jaw and stomach are a creamy pale pink coloration. A uninteresting crimson slash runs throughout both facet of the face and a few uninteresting crimson bands are painted on the tail. The tongue is pink, and the enamel are white. The eyes are yellow, and the elliptical pupils are unpainted, making them crimson just like the slashes throughout the face. Thanks largely to color utility on the tail the paint job right here seems sufficiently full, and I discover the subdued coloration decisions each engaging and plausible.
Mattel has produced a big assortment of Triassic fauna and odd taxa like Poposaurus through the years, and that’s to be counseled. Sadly, most of them are relatively foolish wanting and because of this, I’ve not bothered to gather all of them. Figures just like the Poposaurus stand above and past the remainder nonetheless, and it’s my honest hope that Mattel leans extra in the direction of figures styled like this relatively than their extra cartoony alternatives. The decidedly cartoonish Epic Evolution line appears to point they gained’t be going that route, however I suppose even simply the occasional gem like this is sufficient to maintain me glad. The Mattel Poposaurus has solely not too long ago begun hitting cabinets and must be simple to search out for a while to return. I extremely advocate it, it’s considered one of Mattel’s finest mainline toys of 2023.
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