Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

The Smithsonian Insects was such a great line. I had a few of them when I was a kid in the 90's and now I'm kicking myself for not keeping them.

Yeah sorta kinda have them all. I only have one of the three bumblebees, but I have every 'species'. If I find a complete trio of bumblebees, I'll snatch them up!

[BlueKrono]

Still my favorite caterpillar ever made.

[bmathison1972]

Still my favorite caterpillar ever made.

One of my top two! I am very partial to the Kaiyodo Sofubi Toy Box Asian swallowtail larva too!

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Acutiramus macrophthalmus Hall, 1859

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Colorata
Series: Paleozoic Creatures
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Body length 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:24-1:35
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: While several other sea scorpion figures are attributable to the genus Acutiramus, including the Great Old Sea figures by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. and two 'Pterygotus' by Kaiyodo, this may be the only one specifically marketed as such. The animal is removable from its base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Silurian of present-day eastern North America
Habitat: Marine, benthic; probably in shallow waters offshore
Diet: Soft-bodied animals, including marine invertebrates and possibly fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: For years, Acutiramus was classified as a subgenus of Pterygotus. Separation of the genera can be done as follows: Acutiramus has a straight moveable finger on the chelae (claws) with the terminal tooth at an acute angle relative to the rest of the claw, and a paddle-shaped telson (terminal abdominal segment) with a serrated margin and a row of knobs running down its center; Pterygotus has the moveable finger of the chelae curved inwards and a paddle-shaped telson with a smooth margin and dorsal keel running down its center.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Megasoma mars (Reiche, 1852)
Common name(s): Mars rhino beetle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King - large series, DX
Year of Production: unknown (c. 2006)
Size/Scale: Body length (including cephalic horn) 9.5 cm, within scale 1:1 for a major male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon to rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fourth species of Megasoma we've seen in the Museum. This species is not as frequently made as M. elaphas. The large 'DX' figures are larger figures of a better quality (paint, sculpt) than Sega's large 'standard' figures. There were 13 species in the series, with approximately 20 figures including variants and repaints with different colored eyes. Minimal assembly required and there are articulations at the base of the head, prothorax-mesothorax juncture, and base of each leg (but they do move unless force is applied). This is another figure this week I would have preferred to photograph outside, but it's hard to photograph a tropical insect outside when everything is covered with a minimum of six inches of snow - lol.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: South America; primarily the west-central Amazon Basin of Brazil and Colombia, but also Paraguay, Uraguay, and Peru
Habitat: Rainforest
Diet: Larvae feed on decaying wood and leaves; adults feed on tree sap and overripe fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Megasoma mars is a massive insect and generally considered the largest member of its genus. The genus name alone translates from Greek to 'mega=big' and 'soma=body'. Including the cephalic horn, males on average reach up to 12 centimeters in length, with the Guinness World Record size for a wild-caught specimen being 14 cm. Many specimens are comparable in length to specimens of the Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules), which is generally regarded as the longest beetle.

[Isidro]

Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules), which is generally regarded as the longest insect.

Longest beetle, not insect. Ask that to a 30 cm long Phobaeticus serratipes stick insect!

[bmathison1972]

Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules), which is generally regarded as the longest insect.

Longest beetle, not insect. Ask that to a 30 cm long Phobaeticus serratipes stick insect!

yes, I meant 'beetle'; thanks for catching that

[bmathison1972]

Species: Eudyptula minor (Forster, 1781)
Common name(s): little blue penguin; little penguin; blue penguin

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Colorata
Series: Penguins
Year of Production: 2017 (2003)
Size/Scale: Height 3.5 cm for a scale of 1:8.6
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: My figures represent the 2017 release of figures that originally came out in 2003. It's the only species in the set to come in a pair. Not surprising, most of the companies that have produced E. minor specialize in the Australian fauna, including Science and Nature, Stuart Sales & Services, and Cadbury (Yowies). Kaiyodo also made one for the Penguins Lunch series. With the elevation of E. novahollandiae to a distinct species (see below), one or more of these figures could be considered a different species!

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: New Zealand
Habitat: Coastal forests, dunes, and grasslands
Diet: Primarily fish, also crustaceans and cephalopods
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Eudyptula species are the smallest extant penguins. Historically, the genus was monotypic with six subspecies: E. minor novaehollandiae was located in Tasmania, mainland Australia, and the Otago region of New Zealand; the other five subspecies, E. m. iredaei, E. m. variabilis, E. m. albosignata, E. m. minor, and E. m. chathamensis were restricted to New Zealand. Molecular analysis, cluster analysis of morphometrics, and analysis of vocalizations have supported the elevation of E. novaehollandiae as a distinct species in multiple studies, leaving true E. minor restricted to New Zealand outside of the Otago region. It should be noted however, that at the time of this writing, neither the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Avibase, nor the IUCN recognize this change.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Gorilla beringei beringei Matschie, 1903
Common name(s): mountain gorilla

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2020
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate, but body length approximately 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:24
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Gorillas are very common as toys, but few are specifically marketed at the species or subspecies level. CollectA would follow this male up with a baby in 2021.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Africa; Albertine Rift near the juncture of Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Most populations are on the dormant volcanos Karisimbi, Mikeno, and Visoke
Habitat: Montane cloud forest, Afro-alpine meadows
Diet: Primarily leaves, stems, roots, pith of herbs, vines, shrubs, and bamboo; occasionally bark, flowers, fruit, fungi, invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered (as a species)
Miscellaneous Notes: Gorilla beringei beringei is a highly social, but not very territorial, species. A typical groups consists of a dominant male (silverback), his harem, and their offspring, but sometimes additional males may be part of the troop. Single males often live solitary lives or form small all-male troops. Females will often leave their natal group before breeding, usually by joining a lone male rather than joining another troop and becoming a lower-ranked female. The mountain gorilla is not territorial, and a silverback defends his troop, rather than territory. Still, conflicts between groups often occur when they encounter each other.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Hyla hallowellii Thompson, 1912
Common name(s): Hallowell's tree frog

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Choco Q Animatales Series 9
Year of Production: 2009
Size/Scale: Snout-to-vent length approximately 3.2 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Being an original Choco Q figure, some assembly is required.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan (Ryukyu Archipelago)
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical lowland forests, seasonally wet grassland, swamps, marshes, plantations, irrigated land, canals, ditches; often around human habitations
Diet: Small insects and arachnids
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Hyla hallowellii is endemic to the Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan and is found on the Kikaigashima, Amamioshima, Tokunoshima, Okinawajima, and Iriomotejima Islands. It is an adaptable species and often found around human activity, such as in canals and ditches, irrigated fields, and ponds in parks and gardens.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Carpodacus roseus (Pallas, 1776)
Common name(s): Pallas's rosefinch

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Capsule Q Museum - Tohoku
Year of Production: 2013
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 5.5 cm for a scale of 1:2.3-1:3.0
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Some assembly is required and the bird's feet are permanently affixed to the snow base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia. Breeding occurs in Russia (Siberia), northern Mongolia, and extreme northeastern Kazakhstan; wintering and non-breeding migration to East China, Korean Peninsula, and Japan. Vagrants occur as far west as Great Britain and there has been at least one record from the Pribilof Islands in Alaska
Habitat: Breeding occurs in conifer, birch, and cedar forests in northern taiga, alpine meadows, and montane shrub thickets; wintering habitats include deciduous woodland and shrubland, lowland riparian valleys, and farmland
Diet: Primarily seeds; occasionally buds, shoots, berries, invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Carpodacus roseus is territorial and monogamous. Nests are cup-shaped and made up of twigs, grass, and plant fibers; nests usually occur 1-6 meters above the ground in the dense part of a conifer. The female lays 4-5 eggs. Only the female incubates the eggs, but she is fed regularly by her mate. Both parents feed the chicks a diet of insects and other small invertebrates. Pallas's rosefinch can produce 1-2 broods a year.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Stagmomantis carolina (Johansson, 1763)
Common name(s): Carolina mantis

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Trendmasters
Series: Insect Predators
Year of Production: 1993
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 1.25:1-1:1 [slightly larger than 1:1 for a large specimen, although a specific scale difficult to calculate because proportions are off due to the stylized nature]
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was marketed as Stagmomantis; the species-level identification is my own since it's the most common and familiar species in the genus, and likely the influence of the genus-level designation. Toys in the Insect Predators collection come with a base and a clear plastic cover with five 'air holes' at the top and a front pane that functions as a magnifying glass (see inset); I think it is to make it appear as if the critter is in a cage. There is also a sound device built into the base (mine is either broken or the batteries have long since expired, so I have no idea what it sounds like). Most animals in the various Trendmasters collections are soft and rather stylized.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Eastern and southeastern United States, south to Brazil
Habitat: Woodlands, meadows, roadsides, disturbed areas, parks, gardens
Diet: Insects and arachnids
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Stagmomantis carolina is an ambush predator and uses a 'sit-and-wait' tactic of hunting its prey. It is a generalist predator and will kill and consume any manageable-sized insect it encounters, including members of its own species. Oothecae (egg cases) of S. carolina are sold for use in gardens as a control agent of insect pests, although its effectiveness as a biological control agent in large-scale commercial agriculture has not been thoroughly evaluated.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Cyclommatus metallifer (Boisduval, 1835)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: F-toys
Series: Encyclopedia of Insects Vol. 3
Year of Production: 2008
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) 6.1 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the third species of Cyclommatus we've seen in the Museum. While none of the Cyclommatus species are commonly made, this might be the best represented species in toy/figure form. I am aware of six figures, by Bandai (3x), DeAgostini, Epoch, and F-toys (I five of them, having only one of the two color forms produced by Bandai for the Diversity of Life on Earth line).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indonesia
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests
Diet: Larvae feed in decaying logs; adults feed on tree sap, flowers, and overripe fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: There are currently six recognized subspecies of C. metallifer, all occurring on various Indonesian islands: C. m. metallifer (Sulawesi); C. m. aenomicans (Bachan, Halmahera, Kasiruta, and Morotai Islands in the North Moluccas Archipelago); C. m. finae (Peleng, Banggai, and Bangkulu Islands in the Banggai Archipelago); C. m. isogaii (Thaliabu and Mangole Islands in the Sula Archipelago); C. m. sangirensis (Sangihe Island in the Sangir Archipelago); C. m. butoensis (Buton Island).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Gorgasia preclara Böhlke & Randall, 1981
Common name(s): splendid garden eel

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Epoch
Series: Earth Life Journey
Year of Production: Unknown
Size/Scale: Total figure height 5.3 cm. Scale difficult to calculate because the entire animal isn't complete, but using diameter as a metric (n=0.5 cm), scale comes to approximately 1:2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The fish is removable from its tube, but is not complete. This presentation is technically not accurate, as the entrance to tubes are usually flush with flat sand, but it was probably designed this way to give the base sufficient depth to securely hold the fish. Koro Koro and Eikoh also made this species, but both in a diorama-style displays alongside the spotted garden eel (Heteroconger hassi). I initially had the Eikoh version, but I really wanted the species separate. In 2019 Ikimon released a set of four species of garden eels (including G. preclara) displayed in cube-like bases that would move when a cog was turned on the side of the base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-West Pacific
Habitat: Benthic; in sandy areas at depths of 18-75 meters
Diet: Drifting plankton
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Gorgasia preclara lives in a buried tube in the sand, either alone or in groups; some of the larger groups can have upwards of over 1,000 individual eels! Groups may be mixed with other species, including the spotted garden eel (Heteroconger hassi). Burrows are usually closer in proximity to one another during the breeding season, but conflicts may arise if the burrows of two males are too close together.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Lampropeltis californiae (de Blainville, 1835)
Common name(s): California kingsnake

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wing Mau
Series: Snakes
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Figure 15.0 cm long. Measured along midline, body length 24.5 cm for a scale of 1:3-1:5 for an average specimen or 1:8 for a maximum-sized specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure is stamped 'desert kingsnake' on the underside. While the desert kingsnake (L. splendida) can have alternating bands of brown on yellow, the bands are usually broken on the sides of the body and intermixed with dark flecks. Bold contrasting bands of brown and yellow like this are more inline with L. californiae. It should be pointed out that when this figure was produced (probably mid-late 1990s), L. californiae and L. splendida were both considered subspecies of the common kingsnake, L. getula, so it is possible it was modeled after a specimen of what is now known as the California kingsnake. Both species occur in the desert Southwest of North America, although L. californiae appears to occur in the Mohave and Sonoran Deserts while L. splendida occurs in the Chihuahuan Desert, with some overlap in southeastern Arizona where the habitats meet. Wing Mau also produced this figure for Club Earth for their Snakes to Go collection, and that figure appears to be painted after the grey-banded kingsnake (L. alterna), Mexican kingsnake (L. mexicana), or similar (again, when these figures were produced, L. alterna was a subspecies of L. mexicana). I do not have the Club Earth figure, so I do not know if it is stamped with a different name or if it too is stamped 'desert kingsnake'. I am also not sure if additional color variants exist as well.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Western North America (west of the Continental Divide, from southern Oregon to Baja California and Sonora)
Habitat: Woodlands, chaparral, grasslands, deserts, marshes, suburban areas
Diet: Reptiles (including other snakes), rodents, small birds, amphibians
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Lampropeltis californiae, like other kingsnakes, is known for its affinity for eating other snakes. It is resistant to pit viper venom, allowing it to be a predator on rattlesnakes, such as the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) it shares part of its range with.

[Gwangi]

I have two California kingsnakes as pets, and 5 Lampropeltis in total, including a gray-banded king. My favorite snake genus to keep as pets and find while herping. I wish there were better snake figures available, maybe a TOOB of North American snakes from Safari.

[bmathison1972]

I have two California kingsnakes as pets, and 5 Lampropeltis in total, including a gray-banded king. My favorite snake genus to keep as pets and find while herping. I wish there were better snake figures available, maybe a TOOB of North American snakes from Safari.

I had a California king when I was younger too. Great animal!

[NSD Bashe]

I only had a pet snake for a few seconds when I was about 4.  My dad came into the kitchen with a big snake in an old bucket and said Hey kiddo, wanna see your pet snake?  And I was like, I don't have a pet snake...  And he went Oh yes you do!  And my mom went Oh no you don't!  And she made us go put it way out in the woods.

[Gwangi]

I only had a pet snake for a few seconds when I was about 4.  My dad came into the kitchen with a big snake in an old bucket and said Hey kiddo, wanna see your pet snake?  And I was like, I don't have a pet snake...  And he went Oh yes you do!  And my mom went Oh no you don't!  And she made us go put it way out in the woods.

Haha, that's a fun story. My mom is also terrified of snakes and never allowed me to have one as a pet. Now I have 11 and I guess her fear must have waned some because they don't stop her from visiting when it used to be that she couldn't even look at one on a TV screen.

[bmathison1972]

I only had a pet snake for a few seconds when I was about 4.  My dad came into the kitchen with a big snake in an old bucket and said Hey kiddo, wanna see your pet snake?  And I was like, I don't have a pet snake...  And he went Oh yes you do!  And my mom went Oh no you don't!  And she made us go put it way out in the woods.

Very similar to when I brought a chuckwalla home I caught (but only because I didn't have an adequate-sized terrarium for it). My mom loved the lizard!