Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
Eagle rays are fascinating creatures. These fish move through the water column by flapping their pectoral fins like wings, similar to the land animal that they are named after. They come in many fascinating forms: from the rounded snouts of cownose (Rhinoptera) and bat rays (Myliobatis) to the plankton-eating manta rays (Mobulidae).
With the extinction of the thylacine the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) claimed the title of the largest extant marsupial predator, weighing up the 18 lbs. (8 kg.) in the case of males. Not a terribly impressive size for the largest marsupial predator, I’ve had cats that outweigh the Tasmanian devil!
For those unfamiliar with Thylacinus cynocephalus, it was a large marsupial predator that died out on mainland Australia 2,000 years ago but continued to survive in Tasmania until the 1930’s.
Thanks to the American holiday of Thanksgiving*, the turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is the most reviewed bird on the ATB** with (counting this one) five reviews in total. This one is my 3rd contribution, but I fear it is my last. My previous reviews covered turkeys produced in plush and ceramic, but I’ve finally acquired a plastic representative for my own collection and have no aspirations to acquire any more.
