What are the worst represented groups in the animal toy market?

[Badger]

What the title says; I imagine there'll be quite a lot of differing answers, as the range of focus groups amongst members here is quite diverse 

[Avian]

Cambrian quadrapedals.

[Avian]

Also the range of birds is very small, if you consider specie ratios.

[stargatedalek]

Cambrian quadrapedals.

Am I missing something or did you mean Carboniferous? I heartily agree though, a Hylonomus in particular would be something special!

I think if we go by sheer species count than categorically beetles have to be the least represented group, but well, that's kind of cheating

[bmathison1972]

Cambrian quadrapedals.

Am I missing something or did you mean Carboniferous? I heartily agree though, a Hylonomus in particular would be something special!

I think if we go by sheer species count than categorically beetles have to be the least represented group, but well, that's kind of cheating

Actually seeing how many beetle species there are in toy form, mites and nematodes are probably more underrepresented in terms of percentages... but yeah I am using the same cheating criteria LOL

[Avian]

Cambrian quadrapedals.

Am I missing something or did you mean Carboniferous? I heartily agree though, a Hylonomus in particular would be something special!

I think if we go by sheer species count than categorically beetles have to be the least represented group, but well, that's kind of cheating

My bad I was in a rush.

[suspsy]

I think crocodilians are badly represented in the sense that the overwhelming majority of them are either American alligators or Nile crocodiles. Where's the black caiman? The Orinoco crocodile? The mugger? The false gharial?

[bmathison1972]

I think crocodilians are badly represented in the sense that the overwhelming majority of them are either American alligators or Nile crocodiles. Where's the black caiman? The Orinoco crocodile? The mugger? The false gharial?

Safari's 2019 caiman most-closely resembles a black caiman. Personally, I'd like a standard-sized American crocodile!

[suspsy]

I think crocodilians are badly represented in the sense that the overwhelming majority of them are either American alligators or Nile crocodiles. Where's the black caiman? The Orinoco crocodile? The mugger? The false gharial?

Safari's 2019 caiman most-closely resembles a black caiman. Personally, I'd like a standard-sized American crocodile!

I dunno, it looks more like a Yacare or a spectacled caiman to me. Especially with those large eyes. Black caimans can grow to the same size as alligators, possibly even larger.

An American crocodile toy would be great. And so would more Indian gharials.

[bmathison1972]

I think crocodilians are badly represented in the sense that the overwhelming majority of them are either American alligators or Nile crocodiles. Where's the black caiman? The Orinoco crocodile? The mugger? The false gharial?

Safari's 2019 caiman most-closely resembles a black caiman. Personally, I'd like a standard-sized American crocodile!

I dunno, it looks more like a Yacare or a spectacled caiman to me. Especially with those large eyes. Black caimans can grow to the same size as alligators, possibly even larger.

An American crocodile toy would be great. And so would more Indian gharials.

You know, I think the Yacare might be better! I hadn't considered that one initially. It doesn't look like a spectacled to me, but it does look more like a Yacare than a black.

[BlueKrono]

As far as I know there's not a single velvet worm figure. 

[Isidro]

As far as I know there's not a single velvet worm figure. 

As are other tons of big taxa (phyla and classes). Any brachiopods? Phoronideans? Acanthocephala? Chaetognatha? Bryozoa anyone? Even nothing as familiar as a leech, limpet, chiton...?

[stemturtle]

As far as I know there's not a single velvet worm figure. 

As are other tons of big taxa (phyla and classes). Any brachiopods? Phoronideans? Acanthocephala? Chaetognatha? Bryozoa anyone? Even nothing as familiar as a leech, limpet, chiton...?

@Isidro Starlux issued a brachiopod, Paraspirifer (syn. Spirifer) bownocheri, but it tends to be pricey.

[stargatedalek]

I distinctly recall seeing a chiton somewhere. Either it was in a set where I wasn't interested in the others or was expensive for what it was, otherwise I would have gotten it! Perhaps AAA would be a good place to start, a chiton would fit right in among their bivalves and marine snails.

[bmathison1972]

I just ordered a leech from AliExpress

I would LOVE an acanthocephalan. I am about to write a review article on human acanthocephaliasis!

[Badger]

In addition to what everyone else said, Epoch made a (larval stage) phoronidean for their Ecology of Plankton set.

[sirenia]

Weevils I'd say. Plus the Elands and Ice fish

[bmathison1972]

Weevils I'd say. Plus the Elands and Ice fish

@sirenia my new blog post has a weevil in it 

[suspsy]

Pinnipeds really aren't that well represented either. Sure, there's plenty of walruses and generic sea lions and seals, but I wish we were getting more specific ones like the crabeater and the Weddell and the ribbon seal. I'd also like to see a southern elephant seal, as all the existing elephant seal toys appear to be the northern species.

[bmathison1972]

Pinnipeds really aren't that well represented either. Sure, there's plenty of walruses and generic sea lions and seals, but I wish we were getting more specific ones like the crabeater and the Weddell and the ribbon seal. I'd also like to see a southern elephant seal, as all the existing elephant seal toys appear to be the northern species.

When I bought the Papo elephant seal, I was under the impression it was a northern, but discussions on the STS forum convinced me it's a southern. Honestly it can probably go either way. For now I have it databased as a southern... would love to hear your thoughts on it @suspsy