The Year of the Horned Dinosaurs
If 2011 is officially the year of the rabbit according the Chinese lunar calendar, then the Ceratopsids could put in a claim for 2010 thanks to the large number of new horned dinosaur species that were named and described over that twelve month period. Horned dinosaurs have been hitting the headlines with new fossil sites being discovered in China, Canada and the western United States. Recently, there was even the announcement of a possible semi-aquatic horned dinosaur species from Cretaceous aged strata in South Korea. In 2010, the designers and artists at Papo, the French based model and figure manufacturer, were finalising their plans to introduce a new horned dinosaur into their dinosaur and prehistoric animal model range. Now we have the chance to see what they have achieved, a beautiful model of the Late Cretaceous Centrosaurine Styracosaurus.
Styracosaurus - The Fossil Database
Named by the famous Canadian palaeontologist and scientist Lawrence Lambe in 1913, there have been many hundreds of partial skeletons of Styracosaurus discovered. The fossils have been found in Alberta (Canada) to as far south as Montana (USA). Thousands of individual fossil bones have been ascribed to this genus. It seems that this large herbivore lived in herds and migrated across rivers following seasonal rains just as African gnu do today. Just like the gnu, sometimes animals were drowned crossing the rivers and as a result scientists have uncovered large bonebed deposits with the remains of many individuals preserved together. The most striking feature about Styracosaurus is its huge frill of horn that arose out of the back of its head. The frill was edged with formidable spikes, an impressive array of defensive horns, some of which were over half a metre long. If this was not enough to deter any would be predator such as a Tyrannosaur, Styracosaurus also sported a large nose horn.
A number of species have been ascribed to the Styracosaurus genus, at least three; with other fossil material awaiting further classification and analysis. Ironically, only one near complete skull and neck frill is known, and it is from this specimen that Lambe made his formal scientific description in 1913.
The Papo Styracosaurus Model
The Papo model makers have produced a very interesting and accurate model of this horned dinosaur, with only a couple of minor blemishes. The paint job is very credit worthy with a tremendous amount of work having gone into the detail shown on the frill and the snout. The powerful beak and thick tongue are well proportioned, even though we have to admit that there is no direct evidence regarding the shape of the tongue in the fossil record. The animal is posed with its magnificent head held high and its neck frill tilted back slightly over its neck and shoulders. It seems to be in the middle of roaring and the figure looks very animated, looking very good when compared to other scale models of horned dinosaurs from other manufacturers. The model is painted in a delightful pink, a very unusual colour choice but one that works and contrasts well with the Triceratops and Pachyrhinosaurus dinosaur models already in the Papo range.
The body is squat and the tail quite stumpy and thick. Whether the tail really was that thick is open to debate as no mummified, preserved skin impressions or flesh of a Styracosaurus has ever been recorded, in contrast to their contemporaries the Hadrosaurs. The shape of the left hind foot is a little indistinct and it is difficult to make out all the toes on this particular limb, but apart from these minor points the Styracosaurus represents the manufacturer model makers art at the highest level.
So pleasing to see a new horned dinosaur model being introduced, such a refreshing change from the constant stream of Triceratops replicas and the choice of the pink colouration is inspired.
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