The warm-blooded theory seems to have been advocated for pterosaurs before dinosaurs. As for body hair, ever since the discovery of "hairy demon" Sordes in 1970, illustrations of, for example, a pure white-furred Pteranodon gracefully soaring over the open sea have become commonplace, adorning the pages of dinosaur books. Later, Quetzalcoatlus, comparable to an airplane, and Tapejara, with its bizarre head, were discovered one after another, and the popularity of pterosaurs soared. One might expect shelves to be overflowing with figures, but just like the marine reptiles discussed last time, they sadly only fill a single shelf (Photos 1, 2). It's true that when made into models, they all tend to look similar, apart from their heads and tails.

The Pteranodon in the center of Photo 1 is a huge resin kit with a wingspan of 80cm. It's from the early days of garage kits. The Quetzalcoatlus standing on Mayan ruins is a clever touch from the Osaka manufacturer, Endorphin. Photo 2 shows a different angle, where works by Kaiyodo, such as Mr. Araki's 1/35 Pterosaur set, can be seen.
However, most pterosaur models are still Pteranodon! How fun would it be to make a life-sized Pterodactylus... and with that thought, here comes the star of this article.

This is Pterodactylus, or "Dachiru-kun (provisional name)" (Photo 3). Its foamed urethane skin is vulnerable to heat and humidity, so it usually lives in a wooden box marked "Danger." It has two siblings that are said to be perched on the neck of an Apatosaurus at the UNESCO Village Great Dinosaur Exploration Hall. With a wingspan of about 60cm, its neck, wings, and legs are poseable with wire inside. How about it? Doesn't it look alive? Let's have Dachiru-kun, feeling pleased with himself after boasting, introduce his fossil replica friends.

Many pterosaur replicas are available, some at relatively affordable prices (Photos 4, 5). And the imposing framed item that Dachiru-kun is gazing at, below the Rhamphorhynchus in Photo 5, is actually a German-made letter set! (Photo 6). Although made of paper, the fossil part is a superb product with a relief. More than 10 years ago, it was temporarily sold at stores like Hands for about 400 yen, but it hasn't been seen since. With a texture and intricacy closer to the real thing than many crude replicas, it's hard to believe it's made of paper. Other items include several species of fish, a sea lily, and the Archaeopteryx Berlin specimen. This is a product that I would definitely like to see re-imported. How about it, Favorite?