The fishes of the order Syngnathiformes (pipefishes, seahorses, and trumpetfishes) are some of the most visually bizarre and strangely adapted fishes on our planet and yet most of them look downright conventional when compared to those members of the family that look more like plants than fish. In what is certainly a textbook case of mimicry, the weedy and leafy seadragons have evolved to look like the kelp and seaweed fronds they live amongst.
Black-flanked Rock-wallaby (Animals with Superpowers by Yowie Group)
3.4 (7 votes)
Last week we looked at a macropod that makes its home in the trees, this week we’re looking at one that prefers to dwell among the rocks. The black-flanked rock wallaby (Petrogale lateralis) is a species of rock-wallaby found among rocky outcrops and cliffs in small, scattered populations throughout western Australia.
Matschie’s Tree-kangaroo (Wild Safari Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)
4 (10 votes)
Tree-kangaroos of the genus Dendrolagus are unique and fascinating animals in that they’re the only macropods adapted for an arboreal lifestyle. Indeed, while they move about awkwardly on land, they are quite agile in the trees. They possess a number of adaptations for living this lifestyle including broad hindfeet, long claws, dexterous hands, patches of rough skin on the hands and feet for gripping, and tails that are proportionally longer than those of their terrestrial counterparts, which allows for greater balance.
Yellow-bellied Glider (Baby Animals by Yowie Group)
4 (6 votes)
The yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) is a species of gliding possum belonging to the same genus as the sugar glider, a species popular in the pet trade. The yellow-bellied glider gets much larger than its popular cousin however, 24 oz vs. the 4.9 oz of the sugar glider.
Wombat (Wild Safari Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)
4.6 (10 votes)
Wombats are a group of strong and stout marsupials from Australia that belong to the Vombatidae family. In many respects they are convergent with ground squirrels and other burrowing rodents found elsewhere in the world, living in extensive burrows that they excavate themselves and feeding on grasses, plant roots, and other low growing vegetation.
Kidako Moray Eel (World Fishing Monster Fish by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.)
4.1 (7 votes)
I recently discussed a pair of figures from a Takara Tomy set featuring some unique fish species that are visually or culturally striking. Species that are notable for being scary looking, notorious, and somehow engaging for fishing (I think). I tried to translate the papers and it appears to be called World Fishing Monster Fish, but I can’t be certain.
Barramundi, Adult and Juvenile (Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 1, original release and re-release by Yujin)
5 (4 votes)
(editor note–I need to update more than normal–because I didn’t discover the adult figure until long after the original writing about the juvenile)
These figures represent the Barramundi (or Asian Seabass), Lates calcarifer. The model number is 13 from the first series (original release); the juvenile is also model number 13, but number 14 in terms of the Yujin series.
Cormorant (Marine Life by Papo)
4.7 (10 votes)
My recent review of the Safari blue-footed booby motivated me to review another Suliforme bird that I featured in a comparison photo in that review, the 2020 Papo cormorant, which is also my most recent acquisition.
Cormorants, along with shags, make up the Phalacrocoracidae family, made up of about 40 species.
Whitetip Reef Shark (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
5 (5 votes)
Quite a few shark species go by the name “reef shark”. Blacktip, Caribbean, grey, and the subject of today’s review, the whitetip. But while all those sharks belong to the Carcharhinus genus, the whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) does not. But these sharks are not called reef sharks because they’re related.
Australian Continent TOOB (Safari Ltd.)
4.3 (12 votes)
In addition to being a country, Australia is also a continent, but the continent of Australia is not just composed of Australia itself. The Australian continent includes mainland Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, the Aru Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, and most of the Coral Sea Islands as well as a smattering of other islands.
Tuatara (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)
4.7 (22 votes)
Although they look like lizards the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) of New Zealand is in fact the last living member of the order Rhynchocephalia and not a lizard at all. This order of reptiles, closely related to squamata (lizards, including snakes), had their heyday during the Mesozoic, getting their start in the mid-Triassic and achieving worldwide distribution during the Jurassic.
Humphead Wrasse (Blue Groper) (Sealife by Mojö Fun)
3.9 (12 votes)
Since getting into the animal toy hobby, I’ve seen this enigmatic toy fish discussed more than a few times, due to its ambiguous identity. Originally marketed as a blue groper (yes, that’s the actual name, genus Achoerodus) it appears to now be marketed as a blue grouper. A search on Fishbase indicates that the only fish for which that common name applies is the comet grouper (Epinephelus morrhua).
Frogfish (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)
5 (13 votes)
With its stout body, limb-like fins, large head, and perpetual frown, it is easy to see how the frogfish got its name. Frogfishes are members of the anglerfish family, Antennariidae. There are about 50 species of them, and they can be found in almost all tropical and subtropical waters around the world where they inhabit coral reefs and rocky habitats.
ASSASSIN FANG Venomous Snakes (Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.)
5 (2 votes)
I’m a little late to the Hallowe’en party this year…but better late than never. And in that spirit, here’s a set of animals that, if you mess with them, ‘late’ could be your proper adjective. Animals that as a group tend to create a visceral if generally unnecessary fear and loathing, even though most are harmless.
Blacktip Reef Shark (Marine Life by Papo)
4.8 (4 votes)
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.