Collectible Dinosaur Figures Made with Soft Material
A PVC figure of Spinosaurus reconstructed to reflect recent hypotheses that it was adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Its collectible size makes it enjoyable both for play and display.
Spinosaurus
Classification: Saurischia/Theropoda/Spinosauridae
Size: Total length 13–15 meters
Period: Late Early to Late Cretaceous
Its most distinctive feature is the sail on its back, which could reach 1.8 meters in height and is thought to have been used for thermoregulation, intimidation, and display. It also differed from other theropods in having relatively straight teeth and a long, slender jaw. A fossil specimen excavated in 1912 was lost in an air raid during World War II, bringing research to a standstill, but fossils discovered in recent years have suggested that Spinosaurus may have had a semi-aquatic lifestyle similar to that of crocodilians.
Interview with Supervisor Kazunari Araki
- The Spinosaurus Swimming Version Soft Model is based on the reconstruction published in 2014. What was your first impression of this new interpretation of Spinosaurus?
- Spinosaurus has always been a mysterious dinosaur. Many fans were captivated by its striking appearance in Jurassic Park III. My honest first reaction to the semi-aquatic, four-legged reconstruction was, “That looks surprisingly awkward!”
- Could you tell us about the pose and sculpting choices for the Spinosaurus Swimming Version Soft Model?
- At first I thought it looked awkward, but when I imagined it swimming and using its tail for propulsion, like a crocodile or iguana, to catch fish, it began to seem like a cool and distinctive animal with a lifestyle unlike the land-dwelling Spinosaurus of earlier reconstructions.
- You also sculpted the earlier Spinosaurus Soft Model. What are the differences and changes in this Swimming Version?
- The earlier Spinosaurus model was a long-legged biped walking on land. This version has four limbs of more similar length, so I felt a swimming pose better suited the new interpretation than a walking pose.
- The Swimming Version has a different color scheme from the Spinosaurus Soft Model. What inspired the choice of colors?
- This may be a simple choice, but crocodiles are the familiar hunters at the water’s edge today, so I used crocodile-inspired colors. Of course, giant extinct crocodilians also lived during the same period (laughs).
- Finally, could you share your comments on this model?
- As mentioned earlier, Spinosaurus remains a mysterious dinosaur, and new fossil discoveries and research continue to change its reconstruction. It is possible that future discoveries will lead to yet another interpretation. I am confident that this model is my best attempt to capture the latest reconstruction in an appealing way. I hope you will add it to your collection.
Supervisor Profile
Kazunari Araki
One of Japan's leading dinosaur model artists, he creates dinosaur reconstruction models for natural history museums and master models for dinosaur encyclopedias and other publications.