Mahi-Mahi (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)

The mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) is a highly sought after species of sportfish belonging to the Coryphaenidae family along with one other species. They’re prized recreationally and commercially for their size, beauty, and mild sweet flavor. They’re also abundant within their range and listed as least concern by the IUCN. They’re found in tropical and sub-tropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans where they generally live in the pelagic zone, usually in close association with floating debris where they hunt and feed on a wide variety of smaller fishes and crustaceans.

The name mahi-mahi is Hawaiian for “very strong”, but the fish is also known as dolphin and dorado. It’s also called dolphinfish to prevent confusing it with the marine mammal. The name dorado is used for fishes in the Salminus genus, so mahi-mahi is really the best name for it. Today we’re looking at the Safari Ltd. mahi-mahi, new for 2024 and part of their Incredible Creatures line. This is the first high quality mahi-mahi figure from a western manufacturer, and it was my most anticipated figure from Safari’s 2024 extant animal lineup.

Mahi-mahi can reach a maximum total length of 6.8’ (210 cm) but average about 3.2’ (100 cm). The Safari figure has a total length of 7.5” (19 cm) when measured along the curve of its body. This puts it at 1/10 in scale when scaled down to the maximum length and 1/5.12 when scaled down from the average length. Smaller mahi-mahi travel in schools but larger individuals travel alone or in pairs.

Safari has done an impressive job in illustrating the striking appearance and beauty of the mahi-mahi. The body is long, deep, and laterally compressed, with a distinctive blunt head. A single dorsal fin extends the length of the body. In life, mahi-mahi have no dorsal spines and possess 58-66 soft rays. The Safari figure has 47 rays, but I only bothered counting them because it was easy to do so. The figure also has 23 soft rays on its anal fin while the actual fish has 25-31. The anal fin has a concave edge and runs from the anus (not present here) to the forked caudal fin. The pectoral and pelvic fins are long and pointed with the pelvic fins located directly under the pectorals.

Finely sculpted scales are present across the sides of the figure while the front of the head and underside are mostly smooth. A lateral line can be seen running along each side of the body. The details of the face and opercula are well defined. The nostrils are located directly in front of the eyes.

The figure is stunningly painted in various metallic green and yellow tones with black and silver spots. The tip of the lower lip, inside surface of the pectoral fins, and edges of the dorsal and anal fins are metallic blue, with the blue on the anal fin being paler than elsewhere. Darker green along the back gives way to light green and yellow along the flanks and a pale belly. The blending of colors is exceptional, and the metallic sheen makes the figure stand out in a lifelike way. The eyes are yellow with black pupils. The inside of the mouth and tongue are the same green that’s largely used elsewhere on the body, and I would have preferred it if it was paler green or white but that’s my only real complaint. This looks about as close to a real mahi-mahi as you could reasonably expect from a toy company.

The Safari mahi-mahi is a must have for fish figure or marine life collectors. Scale conscious collectors might not like its large size but when it comes to fish figures, I tossed scale out the window long ago, it’s far too restrictive for a group of animals with poor representation. It would be wonderful if Safari followed this figure up with more pelagic fishes. A yellowfin or bluefin tuna perhaps? Maybe a few billfish? If they’re anything like this mahi-mahi I’ll buy them all!