Plankton and Protozoa

[bmathison1972]

Holy cow! Not on eBay (yet) but Kaiyodo is getting in on the plankton craze (see 'Microcosmos') here:  http://www.capsuleq.in/m/index.htm

Daphnia is represented again, as is Euglena, but also what looks like a fairy shrimp of sorts and a decapod 'larva'? Not sure what the last thing is, maybe a mollusk 'larva'?

[sbell]

Holy cow! Not on eBay (yet) but Kaiyodo is getting in on the plankton craze (see 'Microcosmos') here:  http://www.capsuleq.in/m/index.htm

Daphnia is represented again, as is Euglena, but also what looks like a fairy shrimp of sorts and a decapod 'larva'? Not sure what the last thing is, maybe a mollusk 'larva'?

From what I could find, there is Daphnia and Euglena, a Harvest shrimp Branchinella, the decapod is Zoea, and the last is a squid larvae (no given genus). Pretty cool actually. The names are there in Japanese characters.

[bmathison1972]

Holy cow! Not on eBay (yet) but Kaiyodo is getting in on the plankton craze (see 'Microcosmos') here:  http://www.capsuleq.in/m/index.htm

Daphnia is represented again, as is Euglena, but also what looks like a fairy shrimp of sorts and a decapod 'larva'? Not sure what the last thing is, maybe a mollusk 'larva'?

From what I could find, there is Daphnia and Euglena, a Harvest shrimp Branchinella, the decapod is Zoea, and the last is a squid larvae (no given genus). Pretty cool actually. The names are there in Japanese characters.

'Zoea' is a no longer a valid genus; it was originally described as a genus but later found to be the larval stage of a previously-described crab. Today the term zoea is just a generic term for a decapod larva.

[brontodocus]

  Another must have set! Google translator says it will be released around April 20th.
I'd second the suggestion of Branchinella for the anostracan (at least for the moment) since that genus also occurs in Japan. I've seen photos of B. kugenumaensis with exactly the same colouration, i.e. greenish with reddish or orange furcal rami. But I can't say at the moment if the figure will really be identifiable to genus or even species level. The zoea larva is a nice addition and the last one is a squid juvenile shortly after hatching (the spots are apparently chromatophores so it should probably represent a tiny one).

EDIT: Ah, I see Sean already mentioned squid larva. But there's one more thing I forgot to mention: The figure stands are very reminiscent of the one from the Night Aqua Museum Daphnia pulex figure:

[sbell]

Holy cow! Not on eBay (yet) but Kaiyodo is getting in on the plankton craze (see 'Microcosmos') here:  http://www.capsuleq.in/m/index.htm

Daphnia is represented again, as is Euglena, but also what looks like a fairy shrimp of sorts and a decapod 'larva'? Not sure what the last thing is, maybe a mollusk 'larva'?

From what I could find, there is Daphnia and Euglena, a Harvest shrimp Branchinella, the decapod is Zoea, and the last is a squid larvae (no given genus). Pretty cool actually. The names are there in Japanese characters.

'Zoea' is a no longer a valid genus; it was originally described as a genus but later found to be the larval stage of a previously-described crab. Today the term zoea is just a generic term for a decapod larva.

That's just the Japanese translation, literally it came out to Crab larvae Zea. So either they were using an outdated genus, or the translation was loose.

Most likely, it is meant to be a 'generic' crab larvae, like the squid one.

I have to say, I like this thread--I must get my Epoch set on here.

[postsaurischian]

  They're awesome! Even better than the Epoch set. A must-have!

[bmathison1972]

The Kaiyodo plankton set is now available on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaiyodo-Capsule-Q-Museum-Microcosmos-Plankton-Complete-Set-Set-of-5-/151285905190?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item233957b726

[widukind]

Nice figurines and interesting species

[postsaurischian]

....... The Kaiyodo plankton set is in and at the post office (just need to go get it  ).

  My Kaiyodo 'Micro Cosmos' has also arrived:




This is my favourite - the Swimming Crab larva:

[bmathison1972]

I am getting mine from the post office today 

[bmathison1972]

BTW, the paper accompanying the figures has the scientific names. The branchiopod is Branchinella kugenumanensis. The crab larva is Portunus trituberculatus, which is the portunid crab released by Yujin/Takary Tomy in their crustaceans set!

[by the way, horrible typos on the accompanying paper  ]

[widukind]

A interesting serie  Congratulations

[stemturtle]

Review of Amoeba proteus, a freshwater protist classified in the phylum Amoebozoa. This protozoan might evoke fond memories of biology class. Although the figure is a scientific model rather than a toy, when the price was discounted 75% off, I could not resist the purchase. This amoeba is closely related to the giant amoeba, Chaos carolinense. Both species extend pseudopodia for locomotion and to phagocytose smaller prey organisms. The model and base are made of PVC. At 1,000 X life, the large size is a concern for displaying with the collection.


Amoeba proteus, by EISCO Scientific, length 14 in. or 42 cm.


Side view, thickness 3.5 in. or 9 cm.


The upper surface of this pseudopodium is removable.


The key identifies the structures by numbers on the model, which are too tiny to read in the photo that follows.


Major structures are labeled here.

[bmathison1972]

Aaaack! I need this!

EDIT: found it on Amazon and ordered it

[stemturtle]

Good catch, bmathison. Nice example of an important group.  Amoebozoa has molecular support as the sister group to the clade of animals and fungi.

My solution to the problem of display was to attach a wire with screws to the back of the base and hang it on the wall like a picture frame.

[sbell]

That's pretty cool. My kids have the FameMaster 4D puzzles of the generic Plant and Animal cells, as well as the Ein-O-Science set of 6 (4?) cells & smaller (there's a virus! and a bacteria!) but this one is far more complex. The FameMasters could probably act as teaching tools as well though.

But the only other amoeba I am aware of is from the really rare Epoch Plankton set (also meant to be Ameoba proteus):



Otherwise...microbes overall kind of get ignored.

[bmathison1972]

That's pretty cool. My kids have the FameMaster 4D puzzles of the generic Plant and Animal cells, as well as the Ein-O-Science set of 6 (4?) cells & smaller (there's a virus! and a bacteria!) but this one is far more complex. The FameMasters could probably act as teaching tools as well though.

But the only other amoeba I am aware of is from the really rare Epoch Plankton set (also meant to be Ameoba proteus):



Otherwise...microbes overall kind of get ignored.

Uggh I need that Epoch plankton set

[Beetle guy]

This is the set by Epoch. I found the picture  this is the name of the set in Japanese: プランクトンの生態かんさつ. Difficult to find . It looks like there is one on Yahoo auctions for 400 Yen. But beware this is only the carton mound for the set, no figurines. I will keep an eye open for it Blaine.

And a little clip:
http://cyberspaceandtime.com/%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B1%E3%83%B3%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B8%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B3(%E5%8D%B5%E6%8C%81%E3%81%A1)%E3%81%8C%E5%87%BA%E3%81%9F%EF%BC%81EPOCH_%E5%BE%AE%E7%94%9F%E7%89%A9%E3%81%8B%E3%82%93%E3%81%95%E3%81%A4%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B3%E3%83%83%E3%83%88/X0tb16qo-vk.video

[bmathison1972]

We have a plankon thread: http://animaltoyforum.com/index.php?topic=911.0. Let's get this Amoeba image (and others) up there! I will contribute some as well soon!

[Beetle guy]

The plankton set made by Epoch (Tommy ARTS/Japan) released in 2004. I let the experts fill in the species ;-)