Lovely Salamanders

[postsaurischian]

I have the golden version. Another excellent walk-around, Helge! I hope you didn't risk your camera again as you did for your walk-around of the Nature of Japan Japanese Giant Salamander?

No, no ... the desired object could be easily put to the lakeshore this time.
It was pretty windy and the Axolotl often fell off the leaf ..... and what did I have to find out? It isn't able to swim !
Oh, you should at least show one photo of the golden version in this thread !

I like the fact that you did the photography outside on a lily pad.

And I can't look at Axolotl without thinking of mudkips...

I do LOVE water lilies !!
Just to make sure: I didn't pick the lily pad, it was already swimming loose on the lake's surface. I just cut its stem for the last pic in order to also show its underparts.
I have to admit: I didn't know what a mudkip is . Had to google it. Aha ... cute thing . A TV series character?
The reason why I bought the Axolotl is also definitely cuteness, not scientific accuracy .

[brontodocus]

Hmmm, now I'm really confused... First I have to correct myself - I do not have the golden version but a white one that is more pinkish than yours. And it somehow looked so different from yours that after having seen your walk-around photos I thought my figure was a different colour version. It is not - it's an entirely different figure instead! I bought mine from copper a few months back and I posted a photo here. Okay, since I also have the pamphlet I know mine is definitely a ChocoQ Animatales Pet series 4 #96. So the one you show here must be something else instead... is it a Furuta one? What's even more confusing: When I tried to find out what series your axolotl belongs to I made a google picture search - and stumbled across old photos you posted at the now archived Dinosaur Toy Forum version 1 with photographs of the same axolotl figure I have (see 9th post on this page). That means you should have both entirely different figures! Do you also have the pamphlet that came with the one featured in this walk-around? They may both look similar at first sight but comparing the photos the differences are considerable.

[postsaurischian]

  Great Googly Moogly! Of course I made a mistake - it's not a Kaiyodo / Takara, it's a Furuta as you suspected, Andre.
Good that you've found my older pictures . That one was a birthday present for a friend. After I had given it away I got me a second one for myself and I already thought it looked different back then but somehow ignored the pamphlet. I even sent you an e-mail regarding this issue but we forgot about it (probably because there was something more important already going on ).

Here's the pamphlet - it looks like it is the secret item of this series ("+1"):



....... other side:



I can't really say what the series title is. Still confusing: I found the series on another page, but as the secret item they list a mother Platypus there . Will we ever find the whole truth about Kaiyodo, Takara & Furuta ??

Can any of you moderators please put this topic to the Furuta section ?

Edit: O.k., now I'm pretty sure it's the secret figure for Furuta Choco Egg Series 07. If you have a look at the Axolotl's belly it says "Choco Egg R 07-S". I guess 'S' stands for 'secret' or 'special'. Other Furuta figures have written the figure number right after the series' number. The mother Platypus info must be wrong.

[brontodocus]

So I moved it to the Furuta section then! Interesting, I have all regular figures that are on the pamphlet but I didn't know that the Axolotl might be a secret figure from this series. However, I guess the Platypus with babies might still be another secret figure from the same series. The link you posted is an important source but as far as I understand it the collector who runs the site only shows figures she or he has in her/his own collection. The reason for me to believe so is that a while ago the page with the DeAgostini World Insect Data Book figures was incomplete and now we can see all existing figures. Moreover, the site seems to be updated every now and then, there are other series listed I believe I haven't seen on that site a few weeks back. And: The Furuta ChocoEgg Funny Animals Series 6 is shown to have two secret figures, Clione limacina and the pangolin. So I would not be surprised if Series 7 had two secret figures, too (or even more we're still unaware of?) and the reason why the Axolotl cannot be found on that site might simply be because the site admin doesn't have it (yet)?

[postsaurischian]

  Wonderful figure and an adorable series.
I'm glad I have the Fire Salamander at least.

[AnimalToyForum]

Gorgeous figure! 

[stemturtle]

Some Recent Salamanders from Safari Ltd.


Salamanders (Safari Ltd.)


Glow-in-the-dark salamander


Glow-in-the-dark salamander with Yonahlossee Salamander, Plethodon yonahlossee (Safari Ltd. - Tennessee Aquarium Collection)
Looks like the same mold was used. For more photos see: http://animaltoyforum.com/index.php?topic=304.msg2831#msg2831

Safari included a salamander in the River Toob that is like a miniaturized version of the Yonahlossee Salamander, red in color.
The River Toob salamander is not identified.


Salamander from River Toob

The description of the Reptiles Toob figures on the Safari Ltd.com website mentions salamanders:
http://safariltd.com/p/reptiles-toobs-figurines-695704.
The 2014 catalog does not identify the figures. The belly of the salamander is not marked with an ID.
It reminds me of a gila monster, with scaly skin texture, and 5 fingers on each hand instead of 4.


Salamander from Reptiles Toob

Tapir and Friends Animal Store calls it a red-spotted newt: http://store.tapirback.com/red-spotted-newt-plastic-f3467/.


Salamander from Reptiles Toob with red-spotted newt, red eft phase, Notophthalmus viridescens (Skilcraft)

The best we can say for identification is that both Toob salamanders are generic.  At least we can rejoice that the olm was marked.


Olm, Proteus anguinus from Cave Dwellers Toob
See review: http://animaltoyforum.com/index.php?topic=860.0

[widukind]

So many nice salamanders 

[stemturtle]

So many nice salamanders 

Here's one more.


Red-cheeked salamander, Plethodon jordani (Safari Ltd.)

A photo of this figure was posted on the Dinosaur Toy Forum.

[widukind]

So many nice salamanders 

Here's one more.


Red-cheeked salamander, Plethodon jordani (Safari Ltd.)

A photo of this figure was posted on the Dinosaur Toy Forum.

Very nice too 

[stemturtle]

Two-toed amphiuma, Amphiuma means, (Morgan Reptile Replicas)
Spine length about 24 inches or 61 cm. Compared to Bullyland fire salamander.

This replica is made of resin cast from a specimen. I painted it with acrylics.
The unpainted version is sold with a flange than needs to be dressed with a Dremel tool.
Toy companies have not made an amphiuma figure.
It is one of the largest salamanders, approaching 4 feet in length.












The ventral view shows that the bottom is flat.

Available from Morgan Reptile Replicas, item # MRR-159:
http://www.reptilereplicas.com/html/catalog.html

[brontodocus]

  Excellent!  I can't remember having seen an Amphiuma from Morgan Reptile Replicas before, is this a new cast? Anyway, thanks for showing this awesome piece, stemturtle! Brilliant paint work, too!

[Newt]

Nice work! Very lifelike paint job.


I love me some "ditch eels"; I have two greater sirens at home, and would like to get some amphiumas too.

[stemturtle]

Brontodocus, Morgan Reptile Replicas does not list the date of production.  I do not think the amphiuma is recent.

Newt, you are lucky to have sirens.  I have not kept an amphiuma, but have heard that they have a nasty bite.

[widukind]

Congratulations !!Unbelievable beautieful figurines but too huge for my taste 

[stemturtle]

Congratulations !!Unbelievable beautieful figurines but too huge for my taste 

Widukind, shelf space is a constraint on the size of figurines.  When I first started collecting a dozen years ago, a 2-inch depth was my favorite limit.
Then I started to buy recycled curio cabinets in newspaper ads (Craigslist).  The next constraint was floor space for the cabinets. Now that is maxed out. 
Luckily, I am not a completist, but I do like as many different species as available. The amphiuma was a must-have for me.

[stemturtle]

Newtie Toots

Newts are classified as Salamandridae, the same family as the fire salamander, Salamandra salamandra (Safari - Tennessee Aquarium and Bullyland).
Newts typically experience a terrestrial or eft phase before aquatic breeding.


Japanese fire-bellied newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster (Kaiyodo – Animatales, Furuta Choco Eggs, Series 2 # 36)


Japanese fire-bellied newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster
Swordtail newt, Cynops ensicauda
Anderson's crocodile newt, Echinotriton andersoni

The Japanese fire-bellied newt figure is rarely offered on eBay. This completes our survey of the 3 species of Kaiyodo newts.
Please see earlier replies in this thread for more information.

Brontodocus posted a walk-around of the holy grail of newt figures, the Crested Newt, Triturus cristatus (Safari – Tennessee Aquarium).
Let's hope that replicas of more species will be issued.

[widukind]

Congratulations !!Unbelievable beautieful figurines but too huge for my taste 

Luckily but I do like as many different species as available. .

Me too 

[Jetoar]

It likes a real specimen  .

[Hercules beetle]

Amazing job! it looks scary real!