Collecta Arsinoitherium model revised

Collecta Arsinoitherium Model Review

One of the more unusual prehistoric mammal models unveiled this year is a replica of the strange and spectacular Arsinoitherium made by Collecta. Arsinoitherium was a member of a group of prehistoric mammals that evolved sometime in the late Eocene about 35 million years ago and survived until the Oligocene. As a group, they became extinct about 27 million years ago, with no direct descendants today.

As big as a rhino

Arsinoitherium is one of the largest members of this strange group of placental mammals. It was about the size of a modern white rhino. He lived in Egypt and the males weighed more than a ton and reached lengths greater than three and a half meters. Despite its enormous size, this animal was a gentle explorer, spending a lot of time in the water and feeding on soft vegetation.

Huge horns on his head

The most striking feature of Arsinoitherium were the two pairs of horns on its head. The first pair was very small, only a couple of centimeters tall and these were located at the back of the skull. The second pair of horns were located above the eyes and were so large that they blocked the animal’s vision. He couldn’t see straight ahead because of these huge horns. Some of these individual horns are more than two feet in total length.

Original scientific description

In the original scientific description published in the early 20th century, it was proposed that Arsinoitherium was an ancestor of modern rhinos, but in a later part of the scholarly article, the author acknowledges that the bony horns are physically attached to the skull and how they are made of bone, these horns are completely different from the horns of existing rhinos.

Collect Arsinoitherium

The model is eighteen centimeters long and represents a man. This replica is part of the Collecta Deluxe range of prehistoric animal models and is in approximately 1:20 scale. The brushing work and details on the model are fantastic, from the carefully painted teeth on the jaws to the wavy tail, this is a wonderful replica of an ancient extinct mammal. It’s great to see a figure of one of the strangest types of creatures in the Cenozoic fossil record depicted in a range of models from a conventional model maker.

Ideal for collectors

This model is likely to be highly appreciated by model fans and collectors. It is also likely that due to the obscurity of Arsinoitherium, the model will soon cease production and will only be stocked by specialized suppliers and companies. It is highly recommended.