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It’s another Figure Frenzy! This time with a theme of unusual animal figures, all extinct, and all figures that need to be assembled! From three different companies no less! A bunch of interesting ones. Let’s go!

Yowies Lost Kingdoms B New Zealand Mosasaur

First, we visit another Yowies Lost Kingdom figure, this one number 13 from Series B form 2001. Listed as New Zealand mosasaur on the papers, the proper name for the animal is Moanasaurus. The best thing about this figure is how it represents a very unusual species of mosasaur, instead of our usual Tylosaurus or Mosasaurus. Plus, as far as small mosasaur figures of the time go, it isn’t too bad. There are the usual issues that we would see with a Yowies figures, slightly cartoonish and visible seams. Plus, of course, it lacks some of the features we might expect, like the tail fin…but at least there’s no dorsal crest! That’s something. Overall, a nice and unique figure that, of course, is discontinued, but can probably be found in auctions or with Australian contacts (try Facebook!)

Kaiyodo Dinotales Series 6 Eusthenopteron pair

Next up, well, we get to see the best of the buildable models, a pair of Eusthenopteron from Kaiyodo Dinotales from series 6, number 103. As with all of the latter Dinotales series, there were fewer species, each produced in two colour forms. The A series included the green morph; the brown morph is from the B series. Originally, I only had the brown one, but it is a cool fish…and even my wife wondered why I didn’t get both. So, when an opportunity presented itself (most likely an opportunity I made happen!) I added it to the collection. Of course, later Kaiyodo would re-release a version of the Eusthenopteron figure in their CapsuleQ Palaeozoic series, but this time with a raised stand. These figures are excellent and beautiful figures, and do great justice to the species. Of course they are no longer available, and from what I understand they are hard to find and accordingly priced. But seriously, track one down!

COG Prehistoric Panorama Trilobite

Our next figure for building comes from COG’s Prehistoric Panorama , a figure from their ‘Earliest Life’ series. This set features animals that are otherwise all notable for being part of Burgess Shale faunas. This is helpful since the trilobite figure is not named to genus, but based on the age of the other models and overall look, it’s probably Olenoides or (my preferred guess) Olenellus. Still, it’s a nice figure in a world with not enough invertebrate figures. It is a little plain, but it’s a decent living-animal model. As for availability…I don’t know. I think it’s one of the ones that was later re-released, but I honestly don’t know if it was, or how obtainable it is.

Yowies Lost Kingdoms A Quinkana

Finally, another model from the Yowies Lost Kingdoms, but this time Series A. This is their Quinkana, number 38, a large terrestrial crocodile relative from Australia. On its own, that is enough to get it into my collection, because let’s be honest, I doubt this species will ever get made again. Once again, it does have the usual limitations of a Yowies figure (as mentioned with the above mosasaur) but again, I have no problem looking past those, accepting it for what it is, because it is still a pretty nice little figure. It definitely looks like a crocodile, but not quite, and is definitely modelled as a land-running animal; no mistaking it for an aquatic species! Again, I highly recommend it for broadening a collection, you’ll just need to find someone Australia to help (they’re elsewhere, but of course there are a lot more in Australia).