Plastic Basking Shark

A unique addition to any marine collection or diorama!

Our Plastic Basking Shark

Our plastic basking shark is a realistic-looking plastic animal replica. It comes with lots of detail and a well defined large mouth with gills. It is 5 1/2 inches long and is suitable for a science project, a gag, or fits nicely into an animal collection. See also our other toy and replica assorted shark species as well as all of our other shark models, toys, and gifts.

About Basking Sharks

The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) can be found in all the oceans of the world. It is the second largest shark after the whale shark. It is usually about 20 feet in length, but adults may be as much as much as 30 feet. Basking sharks are often mistaken for great white sharks but couldn't be more different. Basking sharks are not agressive and feed on plankton. Basking sharks have a row of little teeth which are set in cavernous jaw. Basking sharks do not hibernate but dive to great depths and migrate huge distances to find plankton blooms. Because of their size, the basking shark has few predators. They are annoyed by lampreys which attach to them.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Coelacanth Plastic Fish

An oldie but a goodie!

 

Our Plastic Coelacanth Model

Safari, Ltd., has outdone themselves with this strikingly realistic plastic model of the amazing coelacanth. Made with great attention to detail, this fish almost looks real. Although it is only 5 1/2 inches long, the details and coloring of this realistic miniature "living fossil" will thrill any adult or child interested in sea life, fish, ancient animals, evolution, and the mysteries of the deep. Our coelacanth is made of plastic that is only marginally flexible; this fish does not change position, and only the fins can be bent a little bit at the ends. However, it is designed in a beautiful swimming pose to make it as realistic and true to life as possible. This replica has detailed fins, scales, head, face, and teeth. It is is painted a blue-gray with white spots like a real coelacanth from the ocean depths. Our coelacanth is a terrific specimen for study, school projects and dioramas, teaching, collecting, museum displays, and biology classification projects, and yet it is so durable it can also be used as an educational toy for older children (not recommended for 3 years and under). Check out our other plastic fish toys and gifts.

 

About Coelacanths

Coelacanths are one of the most fascinating fish in the ocean and possibly the most famous of the "Lazarus taxon," or animals that were previously thought to be extinct. In 1938, the first coelacanth was found off the east coast of South Africa. Until that time, they were thought to have been extinct for the past 80 million years. Imagine the excitement of finding that this "extinct" fish still thrived! Its discovery and pursuit of more specimens was quite an adventure, and several books have been written about it, including A Fish Caught in Time by Samantha Weinberg. Coelacanths are related to lungfishes and tetrapods. Two living species have been identified within the genus Latimeria. They have been found near Indonesia as well as off the coast of Africa. Coelacanths may live as long as 80 to 100 years, and although they are found as deep as 2,300 feet in the ocean, they more often live at a depth of about 300 to 650 feet. These fish may spend the daylight hours in caves, as they have a need for dim light and cold water. They give birth to live young and may take as long as 20 years to mature. Sadly, one species of coelacanth is considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Leafy Sea Dragon

How cool!  Check out our Leafy Sea Dragon.

Our leafy sea dragon is made of hard plastic and measures 2 1/2 inches. This plastic leafy sea dragon is great for school projects, toys, novelties, animal collections, party favors and more. Our plastic leafy sea dragon is for decoration or play only. It does not float, and should NOT be put in your aquarium. However, you can make a cool sea-life or aquarium shoebox diorama using this and other plastic aquatic creatures and mammals, sharks, fish, sea turtles, birds, and decor from our gift shop. Best of all, there is no mess, no feeding, and no tank or cage cleaning :)Check out our terrific selection of sea dragon and seahorse toys and gifts.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Colorful plastic lobster

This wonderful multi-colored hollow hard plastic lobster is new in our online store. At 12 inches long and with movable feelers, it's quite a hoot, and a fun gift, table decoration, toy, or whatever your imagination comes up with!

Our Plastic Lobster

This colorful, educational plastic lobster is made of hard hollow plastic. This replica has a detailed face and body with flexible feelers. It is red, yellow, black and white in color and very realistic. It promises not to pinch! It serves well for a school project, for a window display, a restaurant or wall decoration or as a gag gift. This lobster would also make a great deoration for your party table! Check out our other lobster toys and gifts.

About Lobsters

Lobsters are crustaceans that are either clawed or unclawed. The clawed lobsters are eagerly caught and are a multi-million dollar part of the seafood industry. They are found exclusively in the ocean. They live on rocky, sandy, or muddy bottoms from the shoreline to beyond the edge of the continental shelf. They generally live alone in crevices or in burrows under rocks. They have a strong exoskeleton and are light and nimble. Lobsters are omnivores, eating primarily small mollusks and occasional plant life. Although they see poorly, they have well-developed antenna to feel their way through murky water. They walk slowly, but when anxious, they propel themselves rapidly backwards, and have been measured to speeds up to 11 mph.

Delight your friends with this nice green plastic eel . . .

Please note: The eel has more green on it than it appears here. I think I had some trouble with the photo.

Our Plastic Moray Eel

This moray eel is beautifully detailed nearly matching the real thing, its made out of floppy, flexible (not posable) rubber-like plastic that always pops back into its original position (shown here). It also it squeaks when you squeeze it. Our plastic moray eel is a slightly brighter yellow-green than shown in the photo. Check out our other eel toys and gifts. Our moray eel is 11 1/2-inches long.

About Moray Eels

Like our rubbery plastic moray eel, real "green moray eels" (Genus Gymnothorax) appear to be yellow-green in color. They are actually brown, but the mucus covering gives them a green or yellow-green tone to the human eye. These eels grow to about 5 or 6 feet long, and occur in the western Atlantic Ocean from New Jersey to Bermuda and the northern Gulf of Mexico, south to Brazil, including Ascensión Island. They are commonly found in the ocean, and are popular for salt-water aquariums, although there are problems keeping them with other fish and keeping them from escaping from the tank. The green moray eel is found throughout the warm waters of the Bahamas, Caribbean Sea, and Florida Keys. Apparently a similar-looking eel is also found in the waters along the southern coast of Australia and Tasmania. This family of moray eels contains many species.

Buy Plastic Model Sea Cucumber, Learn about Real-Life Sea Cucumbers

Our Plastic Sea Cucumber

Our sea cucumber is made of hard plastic and measures 2 1/4 inches from nose to tail. This plastic sea-floor creature is great for school projects, toys, novelties, animal collections, party favors and more. Our plastic sea cucumber is for decoration or play only. It does not float, and should NOT be put in your aquarium. However, you can make a superb sea-life or aquarium shoebox diorama using this and other plastic aquatic creatures and mammals, sharks, fish, sea turtles, birds, and decor from our gift shop. Best of all, there is no mess, no feeding, and no tank cleaning :) Be sure to look over our other miscellaneous aquatic toys and gifts.

About Sea Cucumbers

Sea cucumbers are from the phylum echinodermata—like starfish and sea urchins, but are classed as Holothuroidea. These animals are scavengers who primarily live in the benthic zone, namely on or along the bottom in deep or shallow water and feed on plankton and decaying matter. There are some 1,250 known species, and many of these animals are shaped like soft-bodied cucumbers.

Sea cucumbers feed on tiny particles flowing by, or by digging in the sediment by using 8 to 30 tube feet that look like tentacles surrounding their mouths. The animals break down these particles into even smaller pieces, which become fodder for bacteria, and thus recycle them back into the ocean ecosystem.

They have an amazing ability to squeeze through the narrowest crevices for safety by liquifying the structure of their body and then reattaching the fibers to make themselves firm again. In addition some sea cucumbers extract sticky tubules out of their anus that are toxic to enemies. These body parts are then quickly regenerated.

Sea cucumbers, particularly eggs and young larvae, are prey for fish and other marine animals. They are also enjoyed by humans, especially in Asia. Some varieties of sea cucumber known as gamat in Malaysia or trepang in Indonesia are reported to have excellent healing properties. Extracts are made into oil, cream or cosmetics. The effectiveness of sea cucumber extract has been the touted since it contains many of the important fatty acids necessary to play an active role in tissue repair.

Plastic or rubber ammonite

We've got lots of new plastic animal replicas to put online, and the ammonite is now finished and uploaded. Take a look at this ancient cephalopod in our gift shop. I've also posted something about taking its photo on my own blog. Usually, these items are fairly easy to photograph, but this one was a challenge! We give you nice big photos, and we want them to look like the real thing so you can truly see what you're getting before you buy.