Mathison Museum of Natural History

[Gwangi]

I had a spot in NY where I could reliably find smooth green snakes. Usually in the spring and fall since it served as a hibernaculum for many different snake species. I was the envy of many local herpers but I never shared the spot with anyone.

[bmathison1972]

I had a spot in NY where I could reliably find smooth green snakes. Usually in the spring and fall since it served as a hibernaculum for many different snake species. I was the envy of many local herpers but I never shared the spot with anyone.

Neat. I was curious if you have encountered this species (and not surprised that you have) 

[Gwangi]

I had a spot in NY where I could reliably find smooth green snakes. Usually in the spring and fall since it served as a hibernaculum for many different snake species. I was the envy of many local herpers but I never shared the spot with anyone.

Neat. I was curious if you have encountered this species (and not surprised that you have) 

It took a lot of searching for many years. Where I live now we have the rough green snake and I haven't managed to find one yet. It will be a lifer when I do.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Coris aygula Lacépède, 1801
Common name(s): clown coris; clown wrasse; red-blotched wrasse; twinspot wrasse

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Tropical Fish
Year of Production: 1996
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 5.9 cm for a scale of 1:5 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was modeled after a juvenile. Adult C. aygula can reach a length of approximately 120 cm, but from I can tell, they keep this juvenile color until a length of 30 cm or so.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: Coral reefs, at depths of 2-30 meters
Diet: Primarily hard-bodied invertebrates, including crustaceans, shelled mollusks, sea urchins
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other wrasses, C. aygula is a protogynous hermaphrodite. Most members of a population begin life as females and some transform into males later in life. When spawning, C. aygula gathers in loose aggregations where a dominant male oversees several females within a territory. If the dominant male dies, the largest female will usually transform into the resident male and assume his role.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Homo erectus (Dubois, 1893)
Common name(s): upright man

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bullyland
Series: Evolution of Men
Year of Production: 1999
Size/Scale: Height approximately 10.5 cm for a scale of 1:13.9-1:17.6
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The Evolution of Men set included six hominids: Dryopithecus fontani, Australopithecus afarensis, Homo habilis, H. erectus, H. neanderthalensis, and Paleolithic H. sapiens. In 2014, Safari Ltd. released their Evolution of Man collection which consisted of the same species minus the Dryopithecus. I initially had the Safari collection and individually obtained the Dryopithecus, but when the opportunity presented itself to get a complete Bullyland set, I replaced the Safari collection with it. The Safari collection is very good, but it was nice to get a complete Bullyland collection.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Early to late Pleistocene of Africa, Europe, Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia
Habitat: Highly variable, including open woodlands, plains, grasslands; often in areas near reliable sources of water
Diet: General omnivore, including a wide variety of animals (including large game), fruits, vegetables, nuts, tubers, seeds
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Homo erectus is believed to have evolved from an isolated population of H. habilis approximately 2 MYA, with the last known population living approximately 0.1 MYA. It had one of the widest distributions of species of Homo that predated H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens, having reached Java in the East and possibly western Europe to the north. Homo erectus did not have a written language, but did show signs of early artistic capabilities and collected natural pigments such as ochre. It is unknown whether or not H. erectus used clothing. Tool use included stone flakes fashioned as axes, picks, knives, and cleavers; H. erectus is credited with initiating the Acheulean stone tool industry. Homo erectus is considered the first hominid to have used fire.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (Motschulsky, 1866)
Common name(s): large brown cicada; abura-zemi

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Break Co. Ltd.
Series: Biological Pictorial Book - Cicadas
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length of nymph approximately 3.7 cm, within scale 1:1 for a mature nymph. Body length of adult (excluding wings and appendages) approximately 4.2 cm, slightly over scale 1:1 for a large specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fourth time we've seen G. nigrofuscata in the Museum. Figures in the collection were not identified to the species level and the identifications are my own. There have been several cicada species made by Japanese manufacturers, but G. nigrofuscata is the most common of them.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia, including China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan
Habitat: Forests, parks, gardens; in areas with trees and soil conditions that support nymphal development
Diet: Nymphs feed on juices from subterranean tree roots; adults feed on tree sap
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Cicadas are known for their long subterranean development; Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata remains underground for six years before molting into an adult.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Trichogomphus martabani (Guérin-Ménéville, 1834)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King - standard series, small
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 3.5 cm for a scale of 1:1.8 for a large major male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The Sega 'small standard series' were 10 sets of 10 figures each, for a total of 100 figures representing 65-75 species of Lucanidae and dynastine Scarabaeidae. The dates of release are currently unknown to me (c. 2008). The figures were produced in conjunction with Bandai and came with Pokemon-style playing cards. At the time of this writing, I think I have all but two of the species. For a review of the sets, please see the overview by forum member Beetle guy here.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central to Southeast Asia, from India and eastern Nepal to China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam
Habitat: Montane woodlands (see below)
Diet: unknown (see below)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: I had difficulty researching information on the habitat and biology of this species (or even genus, for that matter). The habitat information above is based on the beetle's distribution. Trichogomphus martabani is a member of the tribe Oryctini. Larvae of many oryctines feed in decaying organic material, such as humus and compost, while adults feed on rotting fruit and vegetation or burrow into the stems of living plants, such as sugarcane and palms.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Theraphosa blondi (Latrielle, 1804)
Common name(s): Goliath birdeater

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: K&M International
Series: Wild Republic - Venomous Adventures Nature Tube
Year of Production: 1998
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 3.5 cm for an average scale of 1:3.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure is stamped 'bird-eating spider' which usually infers T. blondi. The sculpt is nice, but the color is a bit dark for this species, as in nature they are usually tan or light brown with golden vestiture.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northern South America (Amazonia)
Habitat: Rainforest; ground-dwelling, with burrows commonly found in marshy or swampy areas
Diet: Arthropods, worms, small vertebrates (rodents, amphibians, lizards, snakes, small birds)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Despite being parts of a set of venomous animals, the bite of T. blondi is relatively harmless to humans and has been compared to that of a wasp's sting. The spider does, however, possess Type III urticating hairs which can be harmful to humans, resulting in itching, burning, rashes, and blisters when they come in contact with skin and mucus membranes.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Aldisa albatrossae Elwood et al., 2000

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Rainbow
Series: Sea Slug Chopstick Rest
Year of Production: 2022
Size/Scale: Body length 4.5 cm for a scale of 4:1-2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in this set are made of polystone and are designed to serve as rests for chop sticks.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-West Pacific
Habitat: Coral reefs, at depths of 3-72 meters
Diet: Sponges
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Aldisa albatrossae is believed to mimic nudibranchs in the genus Phyllidiella.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Gulo gulo (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): wolverine; glutton

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari North American Wildlife
Year of Production: 2013
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding tail) approximately 8.0 cm for a scale of 1:8-1:14
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: A familiar species, but not widely repesented in toy form and most are retired at the time of this writing (although I believe today's Safari figure is still available). Other nice examples by major companies include those by Schleich (2011, retired in 2014) and Mojö Fun (2012, retired in 2018).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Holarctic, in boreal, arctic, and alpine zones. In North America, distribution include Canada, Alaska, and Pacific Northwest to the Sierras of northern California. In Eurasia, distribution includes Fennoscandinavia, Russia, and extreme northern China, usually north of 50 degrees latitude.
Habitat: Alpine woodlands, tundra, open grasslands, boreal shrub; usually in shrub transition zones or above the timberline
Diet: Generalist predator of large and small mammals and birds; also invertebrates, eggs, carrion, roots, berries
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Gulo gulo is well known for is ferocity and aggressive eating behavior (hence the common name, 'glutton'). They are often one of the top predators in their range and hunt a wide range of mammal and bird prey, including rodents (even porcupines), lagomorphs, deer, sheep, goats, bison, moose, elk, geese, and sometimes other predators such as martens, mink, foxes, weasels, lynx, coyotes, and young wolves. They are also scavengers and will eat carrion as well as take prey from other large predators, such as wolves, mountain lions, and bears. When food is plentiful, wolverines will cache their prey. Like other mustellids, G. gulo seems 'driven to kill' and individuals will often kill more than they can eat or cache. This may be an adaptation to living in regions where food can become scarce, especially in the winter. Despite their ferocity, wolverines may themselves be prey for wolves, mountain lions, black and brown bears, and golden eagles.



Note: this is the 100th Safari figure showcased in the Museum!

[bmathison1972]

Species: Tympanuchus cupido attwateri Bendire, 1893
Common name(s): Attwater's prairie chicken; Attwater's greater prairie chicken

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yowie Group
Series: All American Series
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate but body length approximately 5.0 cm for a scale of 1:9
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The toy is front-heavy and doesn't stand well over time.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: USA; today populations occur in two locations in coastal Texas, the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge in Colorado County and on private land in Goliad County
Habitat: coastal prairie grasslands
Diet: Grass shoots, flowers, seeds, invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated (as a subspecies); the species is listed as Near Threatened. As a subspecies, it has a NatureServe status of Critically Imperiled and is listed as CITES Appendix II
Miscellaneous Notes: Tympanuchus cupido attwateri has always had a rather restricted distribution in the Western Gulf coastal grasslands, from the Bayou Teche in Louisiana to the Neucas River in Texas, possibly south into Tamaulipas, Mexico. The primary cause of its population decline since 1900 is habitat destruction. One of the major contributors is the widespread planting of Chinese tallow trees for the soapmaking industry, which have aggressively invaded the grasslands, displacing native plants. Urbanization has also caused significant habitat destruction, as is the lack of bison that help naturally maintain the grasslands.

[bmathison1972]

From Prairie Chicken to Chicken from Hell...


Species: †Anzu wyliei Lamanna et al., 2014

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Figure length approximately 12.5 cm. Using left tibia as a metric (n=2.5 cm) scale come to approximately 1:24 based on specimen CM 78001
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: I am unaware of any other figures of this species by well-known, mainstream manufacturers, although it is my understanding there 3D-printed options available.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of present-day North America
Habitat: Possibly open woodlands near riparian areas, floodplains
Diet: Presumably vegetation
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Anzu wyliei is named after Anzû, a demon-like monster in several Mesopotamian religions. Anzû may have been a precursor to the Mesopotamian god Abu. In Sumerian and Akkadian mythology, Anzû is a divine storm-bird and the personification of the southern wind and the thunder clouds.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Rangifer caribou (Gmelin, 1788)
Common name(s): woodland caribou

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Height at shoulder approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 1:16.7-1:20
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Indeterminant (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: With nomenclatural changes to the genus Rangifer (see below), it is difficult to determine what other figures are modeled after the current concept of R. caribou. Caribou/reindeer figures are rarely marketed at the subspecies/population level and natural variation can be difficult to interpret in a toy or model. In general, however, reindeer/caribou models are common and there are several good options to choose from.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northeastern Canada
Habitat: Boreal woodlands, often around marshes, bogs, lakes, rivers; sedentary
Diet: In the summer, tree leaves, mushrooms, grasses, sedges, other ground-dwelling plants; in the winter, primarily lichens
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated; prior to the 2022 nomenclatural changes, the entire R. tarandus complex was classified as Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes: In 2022, Rangifer tarandus (which included all populations of caribou/reindeer) underwent significant taxonomic changes resulting in the recognition of six species and numerous subspecies, several of which were brought out of synonomy. The woodland caribou (R. t. caribou) is now a valid species restricted to northeastern Canada with at least five defined subpopulations: boreal woodland caribou (R. c. caribou), Labrador caribou (R. c. caboti), Newfoundland caribou (R. c. terraenovae), and two populations that have yet to be formally named, the Torngat Mountains montane caribou and the Atlantic-Gaspésie ecotype.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Canthigaster epilampra (Jenkins, 1903)
Common name(s): lantern toby

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Tropical Fish
Year of Production: 1996
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 1:2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure is marked 'pufferfish' and the identification is my own. Of all the figures in the set, this was the most challenging for me to identify. I finally decided on C. epilampra based on the green base with a yellow tail.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: Coral reefs, at depths of 6-60 meters
Diet: Benthic invertebrates, algae
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Canthigaster epilampra is most commonly found on outer reef slopes below 24 meters where it occurs singly or in pairs. It mainly feeds on benthic invertebrates such as mollusks, brachiopods, and echinoderms, but will also eat algae.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Anoplognathus punctulatus Olliff, 1890
Common name(s): green Christmas beetle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Series: Yowies Series 1; Yowies UK Series 1
Year of Production: 1997
Size/Scale: Body length of Australian version 4.3 cm (excluding appendages) for a scale of 1.4:1; body length of UK version 3.5 cm, for a scale of slightly over 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (unique as a pair)
Miscellaneous Notes: The figure on the upper left is the Australian version; assembly is required. Morphologically, it is a terrible rendition of a scarab beetle, and had I not known what the manufacturer intended, I would suspect it was modeled after a chrysomelid or maybe an anthicid. The figure on the lower right is the UK version; no assembly is required and it sits permanently affixed to its leaf base. It is also a much better example of what the actual animal looks like. If one was a synoptic collector and needed only one example of this species for their collection, my advice would be to pursue the UK version!

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Australia (coastal East Queensland)
Habitat: Subtropical rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest; occasionally showing up in parks and gardens
Diet: Larvae feed on plant roots and other organic matter underground; adults feed on plant leaves, especially Eucalyptus
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Members the genus Anoplognathus are commonly called 'Christmas beetles' as they tend to be abundant during Christmas time in Australia. For those of us that live in the Northern Hemisphere, scarab beetles are usually not associated with the holiday season, but one must remember Christmas comes in the middle of the summer in Australia!

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Qianzhousaurus sinensis Lü et al., 2014

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2020
Size/Scale: Figure length approximately 24.0 cm. Using skull as a metric (n=3.5 cm), scale comes to approximately 1:27
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This species didn't have representation in toy/figure form until 2019 (which is not bad considering it's only five years after its description) when PNSO produced a miniature. PNSO would follow that up later with a 'standard' sized model in 2021 with an articulated lower jaw. The larger PNSO model appears to be a similar size and scale to today's Safari version.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of present-day Asia
Habitat: Subtropical forests, often in riparian areas and along floodplains
Diet: Predaceous on smaller animals
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Qianzhousaurus sinensis is known for its skull, which is rather long but not very deep, suggesting the animal didn't possess the bite force of larger tyrannosaurids. This skull morphology, in combination with its smaller size and gracile build, were probably adaptations for animal that was a fast, agile predator of smaller animals.

[bmathison1972]

Back after four days in Texas for work:


Species: Dermatophagoides spp.
Common name(s): house dust mite

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wolff Marketing Group
Series: Zyrtec
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Base of globe 8.3 cm in diameter. Body length of mite approximately 3.0 cm for a scale of 150:1-100:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was sold as a medical novelty along with a cat and pollen, three common causes of allergies (Zyrtec is a drug prescribed to combat bad allergies). I still keep mine displayed complete; the inset below showing the individual mite was taken by forum member stemturtle who took his out of the globe. The blue base has some text, including the common name 'dust mite' and Zyrtec logo and scientific name of the drug (cetirizine HCl), as well its recommended dosage. I wish there was an easy way to remove and open the globe part; I would love to display it dry, but sitting atop the blue base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Cosmopolitan
Habitat: Human habitations, especially warm, humid environments in carpets, upholstery, under furniture, pillows, and mattresses
Diet: Human and pet dander, fungi, organic detritus
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Allergies to dust mites are triggered by compounds such as peptidase 1 in their feces and tropomyosin in their bodies. Tropomyosin is also the major allergen in shellfish allergy and it's been proposed that tropomyosin in dust mites might be a sensitizer for shellfish allergy.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Acrocanthosaurus atokensis

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric Wildlife
Year of Production: 2012
Size/Scale: Figure length 19.0 cm. Using skull as a metric (n=3.0 cm), scale comes to approximately 1:42 based on specimen NCSM 14345
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: Acrocanthosaurus and other carcharodontosaurids have gotten some attention in recent years. Papo (2017) and PNSO (2022) both produced Acrocanthosaurus, and at scales that may be more favorable for most collectors (today's Safari version is a bit small compared other dinosaur toys one might want to display it with). While the PNSO figure has more proportionate limbs than the Safari version, I still prefer Wild Safari theropods when they're an option. PNSO has hit the market hard already in 2023 with other carcharodontosaurids, including the morphologically similar (as toys, if not actual animals) Mapusaurus, Meraxes, and Giganotosaurus.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Early Cretaceous (Aptian to Albian) of present-day North America
Habitat: Coastal forests, riparian areas, floodplains
Diet: Predaceous on other dinosaurs, such as sauropods and ornithopods
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: One of the most notable features of A. atokensis is the row of tall neural spines running along the vertebrae of the neck, back, hips, and upper tail. These spines may have been support for tissue forming more of a hump. The purpose of such a structure remains unknown, but theories include temperature regulation, fat storage, and visual communication, possibly for territorial display or sexual communication.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Setophaga petechia (Linnaeus, 1766)
Common name(s): yellow warbler; American yellow warbler

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Backyard Birds TOOB
Year of Production: 2013
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate but body length approximately 6.5 cm for a scale of 1:2 for North American subspecies
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure appears to represent a female, as it lacks the chestnut streaking seen on the breast of breeding males. However, the lack of streaking is probably due to the overall generally simple paint jobs of figures in this set and not a conscious decision by the manufacturer.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Throughout much of North America, wintering in southern Central America and northern South America
Habitat: Highly variable, including forest edges, thickets, riparian areas, orchards, farmland, cemeteries, suburban parks and gardens; often in areas with scattered trees and dense shrubbery
Diet: Primarily insects and spiders; occasionally berries
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Like many other warblers, Setophaga petechia nests in trees, forming a small, tight, cup-shaped nest. Yellow warblers are primarily monogamous, but occasionally polygynous matings occur. Both sexes take care of the young equally, but with different tasks. Females primarily build the nest and incubate the eggs, while males guard the nesting site and supply food for the chicks. An average egg clutch is 3-6 eggs and incubation takes 11-14 days. Young are fully independent of their parents 3-4 weeks after hatching.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Carassius langsdorfii Temminck & Schlegel, 1846
Common name(s): Langsdorf's goldfish; silver crucian carp; ginbuna

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 2
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 5.0 cm for a scale of 1:3-1:8
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (unique as a sculpt, see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Yujin released their Freshwater Fish series twice, and according to forum member sbell, there is a 'special' release of this particular figure that is brighter orange and represents a domestic variant of this species. I am not sure which mine is, but it could be the latter.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan; naturalized in other parts of the world, including the Elbe River system in Europe, Lake Tahoe in California, and Lar National Park in Iran.
Habitat: Freshwater, demersal; favors the confluences of tributaries, still sections of rivers, lakes, and marshes, usually in areas with muddy substrates
Diet: Benthic invertebrates, zooplankton, algae
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated (IUCN site classifies C. langsdorfii as a subspecies of goldfish, C. auratus, which is listed as Least Concern globally)
Miscellaneous Notes: Carassius langsdorfii is sometimes considered a subspecies of the goldfish, C. auratus, although molecular studies support it as a distinct species. Studies can be complicated by fact that the ginbuna will hybridize with congeners as well as other cyprinids such as the common carp.