Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
Disclaimer: I’ll be covering Version 2 of the Safari Ltd. Venomous Creatures TOOB bat ray, as it is the only figure I have from the TOOB and rays are my specialty when it comes to animal reviews. Also, another review would likely do a run through the entire set with the other figures.
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
Hound sharks have not been made into figures by any of the major figure companies, whether it be it by Western or Japanese companies, save for one: the leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata). It is a small- to medium-sized shark that inhabits temperate waters in the Pacific Coast of North America, primarily in kelp forests and reefs.
Today’s review concludes our series of reviews on the Marsh Education fish figures, commissioned by the Marsh & Associates Native Fish Lab and produced by Safari Ltd. I didn’t necessarily save the best for last, but I did accidentally save perhaps the most endangered for last. The bonytail chub (Gila elegans) is native to the Colorado River Basin in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah.
In my review of the Apache trout, I discussed the diversity of trout in the American west that was brought about by climate change at the end of the last Ice Age. But trout weren’t the only fishes effected by this sudden change in climate. The American southwest is also home to numerous species of pupfish in the Cyprinodon genus.
During the last Ice Age most of Canada and the northern United States would have been covered in a sheet of ice while the American southwest would have been lush, wet, and cool. A far cry from the comparatively hot, dry, and parched land of the modern southwest. It was the warming climate at the end of the Ice Age that would alter much of the southwest but small islands of temperate climates and rich biodiversity are still present in high elevation mountain ranges and wetlands.
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
Pufferfish and porcupinefish belong to the order Tetraodontiformes, which also includes the ocean sunfish, spikefish, file and triggerfish, and the box and cowfish. They can be found in marine, brackish, or freshwater environments depending on the species (porcupinefish are only in marine environments) and are characterised by their ability to ‘puff up’ when threatened.
To the layman, minnow is a catchall term for any small fish, including the baby fish of larger species. But scientifically, a minnow is a specific kind of fish belonging to the families Cyprinidae and Leucisidae (which until recently was lumped together with the Cyprinidae family) and the size of the fish is not at all a factor.
This is a walk-around of the 2014 Safari Ltd Incredible Creatures piranha, Pygocentrus sp. Total length (TL, i.e., including caudal fin) is 120 mm and standard length (SL, i.e., without caudal fin) is 107 mm. The figure shows characteristic traits of both the red piranha, Pygocentrus nattereri Kner, 1858 and San Francisco piranha, Pygocentrus piraya (Cuvier, 1819), e.g., the reddish eyes are more typical for P.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
No other sea creatures are associated as much with the darkest depths than anglerfish. These predatory fish come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes but can all be identified by their bioluminescent appendages and enormous mouths lined with frightful fangs! I’ve been a fan of anglerfish since first reading about them as a child and thus I find it perplexing how they seldom seem to show up in toy form.
Walk-around of the Kaiyodo Aquatales Polyresin Aquatic animal figure collection Series 1 No. 005 Indo-Pacific sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus Shaw, 1792. It was one of my most anticipated figure from the series. This small gem has a length of 131 mm FL (= Fork Length) or 118 mm SL (Standard Length, i.e.
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
The Kidako moray (Gymnothorax kidako) is a species of moray eel inhabiting coral reefs in subtropical and tropical seas around western to central Ocean Pacific area from Taiwan to Polynesia, including Hawaii, and from south Japan and Korea to New Caledonia.
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
Happy Shark Week to everyone who loves sharks! This is the time of year where TV programs go out of their way to showcase shark-based programs, most notably Discovery Channel and National Geographic. These programs help open the doors to knowledge on these animals and help the general public understand, instead of fear, these misunderstood creatures, although some programs may over sensationalize rather than give true facts.
The blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) is one of the most recognizable sharks, a staple in aquariums that frequents shallow coral reefs in the wild, which makes it popular among tourists and SCUBA divers. The blacktip reef shark is a generally timid species with only 11 unprovoked attacks and 21 attacks total to its name, none of them fatal.
Back with another less familiar sharks for Animal Toy Blog Shark Week 2022! Well, a few days ago I introduced an odd little figure that went to the dog(shark)s so today lets balance it it out with a cat(shark). This one is a less familiar figure from a less familiar Japanese company…of a less familiar shark!
Today’s Shark Week review is going to cover the stingray that was produced by Safari Ltd. in 2020 as part of their Incredible Creatures line. I know, I know, stingrays are not technically sharks, but here at the Animal Toy Blog we celebrate all kinds of cartilaginous critters during Shark Week!
