Coelacanths

[crypto1]

In an attempt to organize the thoughts that the discussion above stimulated in my brain, I have blogged about this in my new posting: "The Field Guide to Coelacanth Replicas" at Cryptomundo.com.

www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/fg-coelacanths/

I used various photos from above and others that folks had given me permission to employ in my past bloggings on coelacanth replicas.

If anyone wishes me to take down a photograph of theirs, please inform me. I have credited everyone's images, as noted.

Thank you for a great forum.

Loren

[bokisaurus]

Ah, cool review of the toys available. I see I still have to hunt down ;D

[crypto1]

Just so everyone knows, I ran across an individual selling five "reddish-brown" Safari coelacanths at eBay, which turned out to be "blue" and some of which had previously sold.

Got out of it before I lost any money, but don't fall for the old rare "red coelacanth" trick.

Attachments:

[sbell]

Dec 7, 2011 14:00:19 GMT crypto1 said:

Just so everyone knows, I ran across an individual selling five "reddish-brown" Safari coelacanths at eBay, which turned out to be "blue" and some of which had previously sold.

Got out of it before I lost any money, but don't fall for the old rare "red coelacanth" trick.

Do you have the auction ID?

[crypto1]

Dec 7, 2011 14:57:42 GMT sbell said:

Do you have the auction ID?

No, not transaction id, but the seller id: darkstar556.

[bowheadwhale]

Not many companies represented a coelacanth. It's good to see here all the coelacanth figures that have been released.

[bokisaurus]

There is one newly acquired figure that will soon be joining the group! Stay tuned! ;D

[bowheadwhale]

I'll stay tuned alright! The Safari ltd Coelacanth is the only Coelacanth I have!

[sbell]

Dec 14, 2011 5:44:28 GMT bokisaurus said:

There is one newly acquired figure that will soon be joining the group! Stay tuned! ;D

Speaking of which, I just finally got my very own Colorata Indonesian coelacanth, as well as the updated Fossil Fishes box, with the nicely repainted coelacanth (and the gar and bichir, which are vast improvements over a catfish--now where is the paddlefish?).

[bokisaurus]

Dec 15, 2011 2:20:50 GMT sbell said:

Dec 14, 2011 5:44:28 GMT bokisaurus said:

There is one newly acquired figure that will soon be joining the group! Stay tuned! ;D

Speaking of which, I just finally got my very own Colorata Indonesian coelacanth, as well as the updated Fossil Fishes box, with the nicely repainted coelacanth (and the gar and bichir, which are vast improvements over a catfish--now where is the paddlefish?).

Cool figure, yes? Now, I'm confused... there are two Indonesian Coelacanth from Japan, one, like the one we both have comes in a blister pack, and the stand is green with a sign.
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=2&campid=5335874113&toolid=10001&customid=dino&ext=370568569834&item=370568569834
And then there is another one that is packaged in a box, the stand looks like a rocky sea bed.
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=2&campid=5335874113&toolid=10001&customid=dino&ext=150719040842&item=150719040842
Are these the same figures, just packaged differently? Or is there really two different ones?

One day, I need to get that Colorata fossil fish box set! ;D

[simon]

Boki -

Its the SAME Coelacanth figure, just different photos - all taken from the Colorata website.

www.colorata.com/onlineshop/shopping/museum/01_indonesia_coelacanth.htm

[sbell]

Dec 15, 2011 6:50:48 GMT bokisaurus said:

Dec 15, 2011 2:20:50 GMT sbell said:

Speaking of which, I just finally got my very own Colorata Indonesian coelacanth, as well as the updated Fossil Fishes box, with the nicely repainted coelacanth (and the gar and bichir, which are vast improvements over a catfish--now where is the paddlefish?).

Cool figure, yes? Now, I'm confused... there are two Indonesian Coelacanth from Japan, one, like the one we both have comes in a blister pack, and the stand is green with a sign.
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=2&campid=5335874113&toolid=10001&customid=dino&ext=370568569834&item=370568569834
And then there is another one that is packaged in a box, the stand looks like a rocky sea bed.
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=2&campid=5335874113&toolid=10001&customid=dino&ext=150719040842&item=150719040842
Are these the same figures, just packaged differently? Or is there really two different ones?

One day, I need to get that Colorata fossil fish box set! ;D

Yes, Colorata does repackage things (take note of their new frog book--3 of them are from the original river life collection).

And how can you not have the fossil fish box? At least the original? It's such a cool set. But like I said, it's better now that there is a gar and bichir instead of a catfish (to me that is a very strange jump up--two more figures both of which are more appropriate!).

[sbell]

So I'll give them a proper going over in a different thread, but here are the two Colorata Fossil Fish box coelacanths, side-by-side:


The new one is on the right--it is more life-like (the original one looks like a dead specimen). The picture is hard to see but the new one actually has greenish highlights along the dorsal surface.

The change in orientation is due to me realizing that the pegs can be bent (carefully). And I have so many spares that it I don't mind risking a few.

[bokisaurus]

I finally received my new Coelacanth figure!


It's made of resin, and its about 7.5" long, by far the largest one in my collection to date.
It's nicely detailed and sculpted. The color is bluish-grey with big white spots all over the body.


The figure is larger than both the Colorata and Safari figures

Viewed from above, it is easy to see the difference in size and girth compared to the other two


I was not sure at first who made this figure. But, looking at the bottom of the stand, I found a sticker that says that it was manufactured by none other than Kaiyodo! ;D
It was released under the ARTPLA name, the same name can be found on all of those Dinoland figures.
I was never aware of its existence until now. I happen to find it right after it was posted on ebay. It was being offered for $35 BIN. I jumped on it, I think its well worth it I have never seen one offered before, so I'm not even really sure what its $$ value really is, but I really don't care. I love this figure!

Here it is with the Colorata figure


And with the Safari figure


There you have it, my latest Coelacanth! ;D

[sbell]

Someone here mentioned a hard-to-find Kaiyodo Aqualand Coelacanth, and now we see one! Good find.

[Himmapaan]

It's gorgeous, Boki.

Totally random bit of observation here: the word for fish in Thai is 'pla'. When you mentioned the 'ARTPLA' label, I was just amused by the coincidence. It's an artfish, see...

Oh, never mind. 'Tis the season. I require every means possible to stave off the inevitable gloom.

[postsaurischian]

Great find, boki! It's the most beautiful Coelacanth and it doesn't go for under $100 normally . Congratulations - I'd love to have one.

[brontodocus]

Aaaargh! Aqualand Coelacanth! Congrats, boki! If I remember correctly, the last one I saw went for even more than that in a Japan auction.

[bokisaurus]

Thanks everyone! Yes, I feel lucky to have found it, and for that price. It is indeed the Kaiyodo Aqualand model! ;D
It looks so much better in person

[crypto1]

Congratulations, bokisaurus. Your new Kaiyodo Aqualand Coelacanth is a great find, and the size is dynamic. I think we all would love to have this one in our collection. I do not wish to take away from the fact I totally want this item, but...

The one critique I have of it is that of the three "large" coelacanth replicas shown nicely together here, the Kaiyodo Aqualand model is the one that has the most unrealistic splotchy spots.

The actual species, all real live coelacanths have smaller, more defined spots.



Group formation of coelacanths within a single cave off Grand Comore. Photo by: Hans Fricke