Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Of all the creatures in the world’s oceans, none are more bizarre and more terrifying to behold than those that dwell in the darkest depths where the light does not penetrate. Seven of these strange species are to be found in the 2014 Deep Sea Creatures TOOB courtesy of Safari Ltd.
Review and images by callmejoe3; edited by bmathison1972
Today I am reviewing a figure of my favorite animal, the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Its common name is derived from the discovery of an organ in its head that contained a white, waxy substance that was confused for its semen.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Of all the aquariums in North America, perhaps none are as impressive as the biggest one of all: the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta. It houses a vast number and variety of both freshwater and saltwater denizens, including alligators, otters, puffins, penguins, sea lions, dolphins, beluga whales, and most notable of all, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus).
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
There is no shortage of attractions to found in the great city of San Francisco, California, but my own personal favourite is the California Academy of Sciences. It encompasses a natural history museum, a planetarium, a multi-level indoor rainforest, and last but especially not least, the Steinhart Aquarium.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
There are more than 350 known species of shark, and while many of them are quite distinctive, others are difficult to tell apart unless you are an expert or an enthusiast. Perhaps that helps explain why there are so many generic shark toys out there.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The appropriately named whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the biggest shark and the biggest fish alive today. The largest recorded specimen was a female with a length of 18.8 metres (62 feet), which is greater than that of many actual whales.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
In 1977, the Japanese fishing trawler Zuiyō Maru hauled in a large, reeking, and badly decomposed carcass of what appeared to a plesiosaur, complete with flippers and a long neck. Concerned about spoiling their stock of fish, the crew dumped the remains back into the water after taking photographs and collecting tissue samples.
Review and photos by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Between its knobbly head, its enormous flippers, and, of course, its noticeably humped back, the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is quite unmistakable. I fondly remember seeing an entire pod of humpbacks on a whale watching trip with my family off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, way back when I was only four or five years old.
Oof! Two blue whale toy reviews in a row, these things happen! The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the only extant animal in the famous monochrome line produced by Invicta Ltd for the British Museum (Natural History). If you’re not familiar with this museum that’s because the museum was rebranded in the 1990s as the Natural History Museum, London.
Review and photos by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the biggest whale, the biggest mammal, and the biggest animal of all time, hands down. A mature adult can measure roughly the same size and length as three school buses parked end to end.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The most famous, most popular, and most feared shark of them all is unquestionably the great white (Carcharodon carcharias). It has appeared in more films, documentaries, books, comics, cartoons, games, and toy lines than any other shark, and probably any other sea creature for that matter.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is one of the largest predatory sharks, with some females growing up to five metres in length and weighing over a ton. It has the widest diet of any known shark; it hunts fish, other sharks, crustaceans, mollusks, sea birds, seals, sea lions, dugongs, dolphins, sea snakes, and sea turtles, the latter being a particular favourite.
