TNG Sinosauropteryx! a walkaround by Kikimalou

Sinosauropteryx prima! So different from the Tyrannosaurs, Diplodocus and Triceratops... This small Chinese dinosaur (1.07 metres long and weighing an estimated 0.55 kg) is nonetheless a giant!
Discovered in 1996, it is the first dinosaur taxon apart from the Avialae (birds and their close relatives) to show traces of feathers.
It was covered with a coat of very simple feathers resembling filaments, a bit like the Casoar today.
It was a small Cretaceous theropod, rather like Compsognathus, with an unusually long tail and rather short arms. Despite its ‘feathers’, it was not very close to the ancient ‘first bird’ Archaeopteryx, far from it. This indicates that feathers may have been a feature of many theropod dinosaurs, not just those that resembled birds.
It was also the first non-avian dinosaur whose coloration could be determined on the basis of physical evidence, and structures indicating coloration were also preserved in some of its feathers. Sinosauropteryx prima had dark coloration on its back and lighter coloration on its underside, with bands or stripes on its tail. The presence of melanosomes, which manufacture and store red pigment, led to the conclusion that the darkest feathers were reddish brown. Further research revealed that he may have had a bandit mask like the raccoons.
Its ‘backlight’ colouring indicates that it probably lived in an open savannah-type environment.
Palaeontology and dinosaur afficionados owe it a debt of gratitude.
Despite all this, toys representing this animal are rather rare. Kaiyodo offered two interpretations at the turn of the century for its Dinotales series, and Colorata then offered its own for its ‘Feathered Dinosaurs’ box. PNSO finally released a model for its ‘Seven Little Dinosaurs’ series in 2018, with the latter sporting its ‘official colours’ for the first time.

This year TNG is offering us its Sinosauropteryx prima in 1/4 scale for an animal measuring 1.07m in length.

Our friend is hunting a dragonfliy and is shown in a pose fairly close to that of the fossil.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]


The model is beautifully sculpted and comes with a detachable stand. But it cannot stand on its own.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

The paintwork is effective, even if a little more nuance wouldn't have hurt anyone. This is particularly true of the dragonfly.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

The jaw is articulated, but this is the model's weak point. Maybe it's my sample, but it's never completely closed or completely open.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Before we go, here's our newcomer with the old Kaiyodo, scale 1/10.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

With two 1/4 dinosaurs (PNSO Anchiornis and Tianyulong)
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

With a 1/4 modern dinosaur (Safari Ltd IC Bald eagle)
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

All the information shared here makes this topic particularly interesting. It is remarkable that the brand has recreated the animal by absorbing as much information as possible about the fossil. The details of how the coloration is obtained are incredible, and the resulting model is particularly beautiful, as if it were a lemur. Of all the comparisons, I particularly like the one with the extant dinosaur that doesn't seem very interested in this giant dragonfly.

That is a lovely little fellow, thank you so much for presenting him here.

Kikimalou wrote:

With two 1/4 dinosaurs (PNSO Anchiornis and Tianyulong)
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

What a beautiful model Christophe! Thank you for the very informative introduction. I always learn so many things visiting your posts

I love this photo!
The one in the centre is the same colourway as the dragonfly

Imagine living in a world with all these little feathered lizards scampering about?

Roger wrote:

All the information shared here makes this topic particularly interesting. It is remarkable that the brand has recreated the animal by absorbing as much information as possible about the fossil. The details of how the coloration is obtained are incredible, and the resulting model is particularly beautiful, as if it were a lemur. Of all the comparisons, I particularly like the one with the extant dinosaur that doesn't seem very interested in this giant dragonfly.

Thank you Rogério Indeed bald eagles seems to have a bias for lemurs

Saarlooswolfhound wrote:

That is a lovely little fellow, thank you so much for presenting him here.

Not exactly little when it is on a shelf, I need to change my configuration beacause of the tail.

sunny wrote:

What a beautiful model Christophe! Thank you for the very informative introduction. I always learn so many things visiting your posts

I love this photo!
The one in the centre is the same colourway as the dragonfly

Imagine living in a world with all these little feathered lizards scampering about?

Thanks Annette, I learn too when I post a new topic Unfortunately a world with all these little feathered lizards scampering about was also full of big dinos full of teeth and very hungry