Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Species: Ciconia ciconia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): white stork

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Schleich
Series: Wild Life Europe
Year of Production: 2012
Size/Scale: Height (exclusive of base) approximately 8.7 cm for a scale of 1:11.5-1:14
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: Schleich re-released this species earlier this year, but I don't think it's as good as this one from a decade earlier. I initially had the Papo model (that comes with a chick) but replaced it with this Schleich version once I became aware of it.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, Middle East; wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, Arabian Peninsula, and Indian subcontinent
Habitat: Open wetlands, savanna, steppes, meadows, pastures, agricultural fields, suburban areas; nests are often made on the tops of roofs and chimneys
Diet: Nondiscriminant predator on many small animals, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, rodents, bird eggs and hatchlings, and invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: The Old Wives' Tale about white storks delivering babies is a very ancient legend. German folklore held that storks found babies in caves or marshes and brought them to households in a basket on their backs or held in their beaks. These caves contained adebarsteine or 'stork stones'. The babies would then be given to the mother or dropped down the chimney. Households would notify when they wanted children by placing sweets for the stork on the window sill.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Trachurus japonicus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)
Common name(s): Japanese jack mackerel; Japanese horse mackerel

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Colorata
Series: Salt Water Fish
Year of Production: 2015 (2008)
Size/Scale: Body length 5.0 cm for a scale of 1:3.6-1:10
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: My figure is a 2015 re-release of a version that originally came out in 2008. The fish is removable from its base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northwest Pacific (Japan, Korean Peninsula, East China Sea, Taiwan)
Habitat: Neritic; at depths of 0-275 meters (usual range 50-275 meters)
Diet: Juveniles feed on zooplankton; adults feed on crustaceans, cephalopods, and small fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: Historically a popular food fish, limits were made on number of annual capture rates for T. japonicus to prevent overfishing, following drastic decreases in the number of fish caught since the 1960s.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Edmontosaurus regalis Lambe, 1917

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2020
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 27 cm for a scale of 1:33-1:45
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon to rare (depending on species designation)
Miscellaneous Notes: This model went to production before new theories arose on the structure of the front feet of Edmontosaurus. It's now believed the third digit had a defined nail-like structure (initially thought to be hoof-like but now believed to be structurally more like a nail than a hoof). CollectA attempted to capture this feature in their 2022 rendition of this species (although following the hoof theory) and promotional photos suggest Schleich's 2023 model will also show this feature. However, this structure has only been observed in one specimen so there is a question as to whether it's been properly identified.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of present-day western North America
Habitat: Coastal wetlands, peat bogs, swamps, deltas
Diet: Plants, primarily conifer needles and cones, seeds, twigs
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Edmontosaurus regalis is known for its fleshy comb atop its head. The function of the comb is unknown, but it could be for sexual display, species recognition, or intimidating a rival. Soft tissue is rarely preserved well, so it is unknown if other species possessed this comb or if it was limited to only one of the sexes.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Esox masquinongy Mitchell, 1824
Common name(s): muskellunge; muskie; Allegheny River pike

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Replica Toy Fish
Series: 3 Inch Collection
Year of Production: unknown (c. 2015)
Size/Scale: Body length 8.2 cm for a scale of 1:9.4-1:22.3
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: An updated version of this figure was in preparation, but never made it into production. To my knowledge, this species was not made for RTF's 6 Inch Collection.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northeastern North America, in the St. Lawrence River-Great Lakes, Hudson Bay (Red River), and Mississippi River Basins; naturalized in scattered areas throughout eastern USA
Habitat: Clear, vegetated freshwater lakes, quiet pools, backwaters of rivers
Diet: Primarily other fish; occasionally invertebrates, muskrats, amphibians, and waterfowl
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Esox masquinongy is a top predator where it occurs. They will hunt fish up to one-half thier body length and up to 20% of their own weight. Younger fish can be more aggressive and may try to take fish of nearly there own size, grabbing the prey by the head and swimming around with the tail sticking out of their mouth until they digest enough to swallow the rest of their prey's body!

[bmathison1972]

Species: Neolucanus insulicola okinawanus Sakaino, 1984

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Insects of Japan Series 2
Year of Production: 2006
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) 5.5 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was marketed as Neolucanus protogenetivus okinawanus, but N. protogenetivus and its subspecies are now regarded as subspecies of N. insulicola. Some assembly is required. The Insects of Japan figures are believed to be cast from actual specimens and are therefore all in the 1:1 scale range.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan (Okinawa)
Habitat: Broadleaf forests
Diet: Larvae feed in rotting wood and detritus; adults feed on tree sap
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: I had difficulty researching biological information on this species and some of the information above is inferred from related beetles. This particular subspecies is endemic to Okinawa Island in Japan.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Locusta migratoria (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): migratory locust

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Re-Ment
Series: Insect Kingdom Magnets
Year of Production: 2010
Size/Scale: Body length (including wings) 6.0 cm for a scale of 1.7:1-1.2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the third time we've seen L. migratoria in the Museum. Like most examples of this species, it is painted like the solitary phase of the locust. As the name of the set suggests, figures in this collection come with a magnet on the underside; for the most part, this magnet is non-obtrusive.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Much of the Old World, including much of Africa (outside of the Sahara Desert), Europe, much of Asia, Japan, northern Australia, New Zealand
Habitat: Highly variable, including lowland forests, river deltas, grasslands, deserts, disturbed areas, and agricultural fields; usually in open areas
Diet: Grasses
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Locusta migratoria is polyphenic and transitions between a solitary form, which is brown with varying extent of green, and a gregarious form, which is brown and yellow. Phase transition is believed to be linked to DNA methylation in the brain.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach, 1797)
Common name(s): African bush elephant

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Wildlife
Year of Production: 2015 or 2016 (1996) (see below)
Size/Scale: Height at shoulder 9.0 cm for a scale of 1:35-1:44
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: My figure is a repaint of a sculpt that originally came out in 1996. Safari has re-released this sculpt multiple times, in at least 2013, 2015, and 2016. I am not sure which mine is, but based on when I bought it, probably one of the latter two. It's surprising I am still drawn to a sculpt from 1996, given the number of elephant toys that have been produced over the years. Had I waited before I started the non-arthropod part of my collection, I may have held out for the 2021 version by Mojö Fun or the 2022 version by CollectA, but I am content with this elephant and see no reason to replace it at the moment.

EDIT October 14, 2022: I have seen this version on eBay with a production date of 2016, so that must be what year of mine!

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Sub-Saharan Africa
Habitat: Savanna, subtropical and temperate forests, woodlands, scrub forests, deserts
Diet: Foliage, fruits, herbs, grasses, and wood (roots, twigs, bark)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Loxodonta africana lives in family units consisting of adult females, their daughters, and sexually immature sons. Adult males tend to me solitary or form all-male groups. A family unit is led by a matriarch. Sometimes, two or more family units with close ties will live among each other; these kinship groups are also led by a single matriarch.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Birgus latro (Linnaeus, 1767)
Common name(s): coconut crab

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Primary Colour Crustaceans Book
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Figure width 5.5 cm. Carapace length 2.0 cm for a scale of 1:2.5-1:10
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen B. latro in the Museum. Some assembly is required. This figure was included in the re-release of this set after Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. took it over from Yujin.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: Coastal habitats on marine islands, usually in sandy or rocky areas, often away from the sea
Diet: Scavengers on organic matter, including carrion, molted exoskeletons of other crabs, fruit, and coconut meat
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes: With a legspan of nearly a meter and a weight up to 4.1 kg, B. latro is the largest terrestrial arthropod and largest terrestrial invertebrate.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Chasmagnathus convexus (De Haan, 1835)
Common name(s): mud-flat crab

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wing Mau
Series: Aquatic Museum
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Carapace 2.5 cm wide for a scale of 1:2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: There are six figures in the Aquatic Museum collection, each representing a different species of crab. Each comes with a flat habitat-style base (see inset); the six bases connect to form a larger base incorporating different habitats for each of the species in the set.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia (China, Taiwan, Korean Peninsula, Japan)
Habitat: Tidal flats in estuaries, bays, mouths of rivers, and coastal lagoons
Diet: Vegetation, detritus
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: I had difficulty researching biological information on this species, including the full range of its diet. There are photos online of the crab feeding on living grasses, but many of these crabs that inhabit mud flats are general scavengers on detritus. Apparently, there are two color forms, and that differences in diet may account for this variation.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): moose (North America); elk (Eurasia)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2009
Size/Scale: Height at shoulder 8.0 cm for a scale of 1:17.5-1:26.25
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: There is no shortage of good moose figures, and nearly every major Western company has at least one good representative of this species. Some of the more recent are those by Safari Ltd. (2015, both bull and cow) and Schleich (2017). In 2016, Safari Ltd. made a larger model for their Wild Wildlife (formerly Wildlife Wonders) line.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Circumpolar; south to Utah and Colorado in the Rocky Mountains in North America and south to the Czech Republic, Ukraine, northern Kazakhstan, and northern China in Eurasia.
Habitat: Taiga, boreal broadleaf and mixed forests, swamps
Diet: Leaves and shoots of deciduous plants; in the winter, stems and twigs of woody plants
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Alces alces is exemplified by the large fan-like antlers of a mature bull. The size and growth rate of the antlers is based on diet and age, and symmetry reflects good health. Bulls shed their antlers after mating to conserve energy for the winter. The antlers regrow in the spring, taking 3-5 months to fully develop.



P.S. When preparing this post, I was surprised to see we don't have a moose reviewed on the Blog yet!

[Gwangi]

P.S. When preparing this post, I was surprised to see we don't have a moose reviewed on the Blog yet!

I would love to review a moose, it's one of my favorite animals. The problem is that there are so many moose figures that I haven't picked one yet. I need to browse ToyAnimalWiki...again.

[bmathison1972]

P.S. When preparing this post, I was surprised to see we don't have a moose reviewed on the Blog yet!

I would love to review a moose, it's one of my favorite animals. The problem is that there are so many moose figures that I haven't picked one yet. I need to browse ToyAnimalWiki...again.

Those I mention above are all good. If I was starting over, I might consider the 2017 Schleich version. But I am very happy with this CollectA one.

BTW the moose is an animal I am still wanting to see in the wild. They occur in the Wasatch Front, which is the mountain range outside my apartment, sometimes one strolls down on to the University of Utah campus. I have run into birders in the field who have seen them, but they continue to elude me!

[Gwangi]

I browsed the moose page on ToyAnimalWiki and aside from the CollectA one I do find the Schleich one appealing. That will probably be the one I get.

When I lived in NY I would occasionally take trips to the Adirondacks and always hoped I would see a moose but I never did. Now in Maryland my hopes of seeing a wild moose are greatly diminished. We do have introduced sika deer though, and those are pretty neat. Would love for someone to make one of those.

[bmathison1972]

I browsed the moose page on ToyAnimalWiki and aside from the CollectA one I do find the Schleich one appealing. That will probably be the one I get.

When I lived in NY I would occasionally take trips to the Adirondacks and always hoped I would see a moose but I never did. Now in Maryland my hopes of seeing a wild moose are greatly diminished. We do have introduced sika deer though, and those are pretty neat. Would love for someone to make one of those.

I would love a 'standard-sized' sika deer too; all of them to-date are small 'gashapon' figures by Japanese companies. Heck, I also want a standard mule deer; I am surprised Safari has yet to add one to their North American Wildlife line!

[Gwangi]

I browsed the moose page on ToyAnimalWiki and aside from the CollectA one I do find the Schleich one appealing. That will probably be the one I get.

When I lived in NY I would occasionally take trips to the Adirondacks and always hoped I would see a moose but I never did. Now in Maryland my hopes of seeing a wild moose are greatly diminished. We do have introduced sika deer though, and those are pretty neat. Would love for someone to make one of those.

I would love a 'standard-sized' sika deer too; all of them to-date are small 'gashapon' figures by Japanese companies. Heck, I also want a standard mule deer; I am surprised Safari has yet to add one to their North American Wildlife line!

Yeah, I know about the Japanese sika figures but they just won't do. I want a standard size one. Funny that Safari hasn't done a mule deer, they definitely need to get on that.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Tachypleus tridentatus (Leach, 1819)
Common name(s): Japanese horseshoe crab; tri-spine horseshoe crab

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.
Series: New Friends of the Waterside
Year of Production: 2020
Size/Scale: Body length 12.0 cm for a scale of 1:4.5 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon to rare
Miscellaneous Notes: There is a point of articulation between the carapace and the abdomen. Based on the lateral spines, the figure was modeled after a male specimen, and the scale above is calculated for a male. The sculpt is rather perplexing. The morphologic features are accurate for T. tridentatus dorsally; however, the gills on the underside are those of the Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus. We know the figure was intended to be T. tridentatus, as all of the species in the 'Friends of Water' line represent the Japanese fauna.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Western Pacific, from Japan to Indonesia
Habitat: Benthic; in coastal marine and brackish waters at depths of 0-20 meters
Diet: Benthic invertebrates, algae
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Gravid adult T. tridentatus lay large batches of eggs in special 'nursery areas' in sandy beaches off the coast. Hatchlings remain in the nest over winter, feeding on their yolks for several months. During the next spring and summer, juveniles leave the nest at low tide to feed on the exposed surface. Juveniles tend to stay in shallower water near breeding grounds for the first couple years. As adults, they move into deeper waters, coming inshore during warmer months.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Scenedesmus sp.

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Ikimon
Series: Science Techni Colour - Microorganism Acrylic Mascot
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Maximum figure width 6.5 cm. Individual cells on average 2.8 cm for a scale of 2800:1-1077:1 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in this set are essentially photographs of microorganisms encased in acrylic. They were also sold as keychains (hence the hole in the clear part of the acrylic). While marketed only at the genus level, the morphology is very similar to S. acuminatus and the scale above is calculated based on that species. The translusent nature of the figure makes it difficult to photograph well.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Worldwide (exclusive of Arctic and Antarctic zones)
Habitat: Eutrophic freshwater, including lakes, ponds, ditches; also wastewater
Diet: Nutrients derived from photosynthesis
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Scenedesmus is being studied as a possible source of biofuel production, as members of this genus are capable of producing bio-hydrogen, biodiesel, bioethanol, and drop-in fuels, especially when grown in nitrogen concentrations of 0.32g/L. Due to the organism's natural abundance in eutrophic freshwater ecosystems, it does not appear to significantly or negatively affect the environment when cultivated in large quantities.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Canadaspis perfecta Briggs, 1978

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Favorite Co. Ltd.
Series: Cambrian Creatures Mini Models
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Body length 7.0 cm for a scale of 1.4:1 for a large specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure is very well done, based on our knowledge of the animal from the fossil record. The number of legs and abdominal segments is correct, as is the presence of two pairs of antennae and eyes on stalks.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Cambrian (Wuliuan) of present-day western North America
Habitat: Marine, benthic
Diet: Presumably microorganisms, algae, detritus
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Canadaspis perfecta was described from the Burgess Shale of British Columbia, Canada. Additional Canadaspis fossils have been found in nearby Utah and Nevada. Canadaspis laevigata has been described from the Maotianshan Shales of Yunnan Province, China; C. laevigata was about 10 million years older than C. perfecta. The phylogenetic placement of Canadaspis is far from resolved, but it is currently placed in Hymenocarina, an extinct clade of arthropods that may represent a sister-group to, or nestled basally within, Pancrustacea (true crustaceans and insects)

[bmathison1972]

Species: Sternotherus carinatus (Gray, 1856)
Common name(s): razor-backed musk turtle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Capsule Q Museum - Turtle Good Luck Charms 2
Year of Production: 2021
Size/Scale: Carapace length 2.8 cm for a scale of 1:5.4
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: While this figure is currently unique for its species, Safari Ltd. made the related loggerhead musk turtle (S. minor) for their Frogs and Turtles TOOB (2003).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: South-central United States
Habitat: Medium to large rivers and streams, sometimes lakes and swamps; usually in bodies of water with rocky or sandy substrates and low turbidity
Diet: Aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, aquatic vegetation, carrion
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Sternotherus carinatus has become very popular in aquaria, due to its relatively small size, hardiness, and ease of care. While the natural lifespan of S. carinatus is unknown, in captivity specimens have been documented living 20-29 years.

[Gwangi]

Cute! I've never seen that one before. I have a pet loggerhead musk turtle and this area is loaded with common musk turtles. Love them.