OK folks, here we are. I was finally able to complete this holiest of Holy Grail sets, thanks to STS forum member NMR_Okapi who found me the last missing figure! Most of you who follow me on the Blog and forums know I am a professional parasitologist, so it should be no surprise that this has been one of the most sought-after sets for someone like me.
Sperm Whale, 2018 (Marine Life by Papo)
4 (4 votes)
The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is one of my hands-down favorite animals and yes, I know I’ve said that before about other species, but there’s only three animals tattooed on my arm and one of them is the sperm whale. The other is the giant squid (Architeuthis dux) and as you can expect, they’re locked in combat, a small shark lurks in the background.
Giardia (Giant Microbes)
4 (2 votes)
Today’s review was photographed on-site in the diagnostic parasitology lab I work in. In fact, I don’t own this figure (I don’t collect plush figures); it hangs on the white board in the lab. The figure I am referring to is that of the trophozoite stage of Giardia duodenalis (sometimes referred to by its synonyms as G.
Honey Bee (Wild Animals by Papo)
4 (2 votes)
The honey bee. Apis mellifera. Probably the most iconic insect in human history. Surprisingly, not commonly made in toy form, at least not at the species level by manufacturers of collectible animal models (almost every ‘bin-style’ set of toy bugs has a generic bee, however). Also, when bees are made, they are rarely super accurate models; I suppose it is because it is such a familiar animal, it is easily recognizable with minimal effort (sort of like an elephant; it doesn’t have to be a good elephant, but a smooth, gray mammal with a trunk, pair of tusks, and big floppy ears will be immediately recognizable as an elephant).
Life Cycle of an Earthworm (Safariology by Safari Ltd.)
4.4 (5 votes)
Earthworms! Everyone is familiar with them in some capacity, whether they represent those vermiform creatures that come out onto the sidewalk after a rain storm, to your favorite bait used for fishing, to your garden partners in the compost heap, to the snack you see the robin plucking from the ground!
Blue Shark (Monterey Bay Aquarium Collection by Safari Ltd.)
5 (3 votes)
Sharks are, generally speaking, the living embodiment of efficiency and elegance. Most of this is owed to the sleek, aerodynamic body plan possessed by the majority of shark species, but one shark takes these classic shark attributes to the next level. The blue shark (Prionace glauca) has refined the efficiency and elegance of sharks like no other, with its long, trim, lithe body.
Life Cycle of a Honey Bee (Tarlin)
4.5 (2 votes)
Today we are looking at an interesting collection from a company called Tarlin (I must admit, I had never heard of them before learning about this set). The set, which came out recently this year, is simply called ‘Bees’ and features developmental stages and brood chambers of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera.
Great White Shark (Jaws, ReAction by Funko)
4.2 (5 votes)
Well, it’s Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, and apparently Sharkfest on Nat Geo too. So here’s my obligatory shark review to celebrate what has virtually become a national holiday for all things sharky in the U.S. But today’s review is something a little different from what we’re used to on the ATB.
Great White Shark, 2013 (Sea Life by Schleich)
4.9 (11 votes)
Although there are roughly 440 species of shark it’s the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) that has most captured the human imagination and it makes sense, it’s one of a very small handful of sharks that preys upon large mammalian prey, our own species included, albeit rarely.
Ocean Sunfish (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
4.3 (6 votes)
When we think of the big ocean fishes it’s the billfishes, tuna, and sharks that typically come to mind. Strong, sleek, torpedo shaped apex predators. But one of the largest bony fishes in the sea strays far from that mold. The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) can reach 2,205lbs (1,000 kg) and in appearance looks like an enormous disembodied fish head with fins but no tail, and that’s basically what it is.
Dust Mite (Wolff Marketing Group, Inc.)
5 (1 votes)
Today I am reviewing a rather unusual figure. It is a model of a dust mite sold in a snow globe-type display! The figure was produced by Wolff Marketing Group, Inc. for the allergy medication Zyrtec (which was first manufactured by Pfizer but is now sold by by Johnson & Johnson – I am not sure how old the figure is, so I am not sure which company this figure was produced for).
Domestic Pigeon (Unknown Company)
4.5 (2 votes)
Review and images by stargatedalek; edited by bmathison1972
Not long ago I received an eBay coupon as a consolation prize in one of their contests. Unsure what to spend it on, I remembered seeing some surprisingly impressive birds made using a plastic base with real feathers attached and decided to see if they were in fact any higher in quality than the equivalents I once had from many a local dollar store.