Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Species: Eupromus ruber (Dalman, 1817)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bandai
Series: Diversity of Life on Earth - Premium Longhorn Beetles
Year of Production: 2024
Size/Scale: Body length (exclusive of appendages) approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 3:1 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This model is large, requires assembly, and the final product is articulated. I had trouble researching metrics for this species to calculate scale, and the above scale is based on mounted specimens online.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia (China, Taiwan, Korean Peninsula, Japan)
Habitat: Evergreen, broadleaf, and mixed forests
Diet: Larvae develop in the wood of living trees, including Camphora (camphor tree), Cunninghamia (China-fur), and Persea; adults presumably feed on bark and sap
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: The average life cycle of E. ruber is three years. Females lay eggs at oviposition sites in the summer. Eggs hatch after 7-10 days. Larvae spend almost two years in the host tree and pupate the summer after that. Eclosed adults remain in the host tree until the following spring.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Burramys parvus Broom, 1896
Common name(s): mountain pygmy possum

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Series: Yowies UK Series 2
Year of Production: 1998
Size/Scale: Body length (exclusive of tail) approximately 4 cm for a scale of 1:2.8
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Cadbury also made this species for the Australian Yowies line, although that figure requires assembly and is more stylized than today's.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Alpine southeastern Australia (Victoria and New South Wales)
Habitat: Alpine rock screes and boulder fields
Diet: Insects, fruits, seeds, nuts, nectar
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Burramys parvus is a specialist predator on the Bogong moth (Agrotis infusa), and the moth is the possum's primary food source during the spring and summer when the moths migrate to the high alpine mountains. This also correlates with the possum's breeding season. Outside of these seasons, the possum supplements its diet with plant material, primarily fruits and seeds. Favorite plants include Podocarpus lawrencei (Errinundra plum-pine), Leucopogon (heaths), and Rubus (blackberry).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Ochotona hyperborea (Pallas, 1811)
Common name(s): northern pika

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Chocoegg Animatales Series 5
Year of Production: 2001
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 4.3 cm for a scale of 1:2.9-1:4.3
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Being one of the original Chocoegg figures, some assembly is required. It's possible this figure was reissued for special sets, as was common for Chocoegg figures.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Montane eastern and northeastern Asia, including Russian Far East (including Sakhalin Island), Mongolia, China (Manchuria), North Korea, Japan (Hokkaido)
Habitat: Alpine screes and rocky slopes, boulder fields, coniferous woodlands, Alpine meadows; burrows are usually made at the edges of rocks, fallen logs, and tree stumps
Diet: Grasses, sedges, flowers, twigs, stems, pine needles; also their own droppings, especially nocturnally-deposited black droppings
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Despite their similarity to rodents, pikas are lagomorphs and are related to rabbits and hares. They are known for their 'singing'. During the breeding season, males use a call composed of chattering sounds followed by a sequence of loud, sharp whistles. Individual animals have unique calls. A shorter call is used between breeding pairs to announce each other's presence or to warn of a potential predator in the area.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Chaetodon lunula (de Lacépède, 1802)
Common name(s): raccoon butterflyfish; crescent-marked butterflyfish; lunule butterflyfish; halfmoon butterflyfish

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Maia & Borges
Series: Tropical Fish
Year of Production: 2012 (2001)
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 8.5 cm for a scale of 1:2.4 for a maximum-sized specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (unique as a sculpt; see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Maia & Borges first produced this figure in 2001 for Schleich, and was retired after one year. Maia & Borges reissued it twice under their own brand. I am not sure of the first time, but it was probably in 2002 or 2003 after Schleich retired their model. My version is from a 2012 release. Chaetodon lunula is variable in color, and the Schleich and M&B releases have slightly different, albeit both accurate, paint jobs (and I kinda actually prefer the original Schleich version).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific and extreme Southeast Atlantic (South Africa)
Habitat: Coral reefs, shallow reef flats; at depths of 0-170 meters
Diet: Benthic invertebrates, coral polyps, algae
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Chaetodon lunula is popular in the aquarium trade as it is generally not aggressive towards other fish, with a couple notable exceptions being lionfish and triggerfish. It can live up to seven years in captivity if well cared for.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Platyhystrix rugosus (Case, 1910)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Prehistoric Amphibians
Year of Production: 1998
Size/Scale: Figure length 7.2 cm. Using the skull as a metric (n=1.5 cm), scale comes to approximately 1:12.7
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This is one of several unique species in Play Visions' Prehistoric Amphibians collection (although nothing in the set is well represented in the toy/figure realm). This is one of the most popular and sought-after sets by Play Visions! Many of Play Visions' figures were based on popular books at the time. In this case, the sculpts and paint jobs for the Prehistoric Amphibians were based on the original 1998 edition of the Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Pennsylvanian (Gzhelian) to Early Permian of present-day southwestern North America
Habitat: Swamp forests
Diet: Arthropods, worms, other amphibians, other small vertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Platyhystrix rugosus possessed a sail on its back, much like the contemporary synapsids Dimetrodon and Edaphosaurus. Given that such a feature is seen in different taxa in the same era, it probably represents convergent evolution for some environmental pressure. A likely theory is that the sail was used for thermoregulation, but any of the theories applied to Dimetrodon and Edaphosaurus could easily apply to Platyhistrix as well, including sexual display and species regulation, fat storage, or intimidating would-be predators.

[BlueKrono]

The Platy has gotta be one of the most beautiful figures ever made in plastic. It's stunning in person.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): European robin; robin redbreast

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Papo
Series: Wild Animals/Garden Animals
Year of Production: 2021
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 5.8 cm for a scale of 1:2.1-1:2.4
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: In 2023, Papo moved several of the figures in their Wild Animals line into a new line, Garden Animals, including today's robin. In 2021, members of the STS forum voted today's European robin Figure of the Year in their annual contest, and anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing this figure in-hand should have no reason to question that result!

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Europe to Western Siberia, with some populations wintering in North Africa and parts of the Middle East
Habitat: Woodlands, farmland, heathland, parks and gardens
Diet: During the breeding season, insects and other terrestrial invertebrates; in the winter, the diet is supplemented with berries and fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Throughout most of its range, Erithacus rubecula doesn't vary enough to form distinct subspecies, and those that are recognized usually represent populations on islands and mountains. There are two populations in the Canary Islands that are quite distinct and may warrant recognition as separate species, the Gran Canaria (E. r. marionae) and Tenerife (E. r. superbus) subspecies. They are morphologically distinguished from other European robins by having a more prominent white eye-ring, an intensely colored breast, a grey line demarcating the orange and brown coloration, and their bellies are pure white. Their vocalizations are also different. Genetic analysis of the cytochrome b oxidase gene suggests the Canary Islands subspecies are distinct and are probably derived from mainland birds that arrived on the islands 2 million years ago.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Hexarthrius parryi Hope, 1842
Common name(s): giant fighting stag beetle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: F-toys
Series: Insect Hunter Beetle and Stag Beetle
Year of Production: 2017 (2012)
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) approximately 7.0 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen H. parryi in the Museum. The figure has some articulation. Like many species, F-toys has produced H. parryi in multiple 'Insect Hunter' sets over the years. The first was in 2012, and it's the same sculpt used for today's 2017 version. The species was produced again in 2023, but I don't know if it is the same or a new sculpt (I stopped collecting the Insect Hunter figures several years back except for new species).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southeast Asia
Habitat: Tropical broadleaf forests
Diet: Larvae feed in rotting hardwoods; adults feed on tree sap and overripe fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: There are currently four subspecies of H. parryi: H. p. parryi (Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam), H. p. deyrollei (Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar), H. p. elongatus (Malaysia), and H. p. paradoxus (Java, Sumatra).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Dynastes satanas Moser, 1909
Common name(s): Satanas beetle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King - small series, standard
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (including horns) approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 1:1.9 for a large major male.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fifth species of Dynastes shown in the Museum! 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: Bolivia
Habitat: Montane rainforest
Diet: Larvae feed in dead tree trunks; adults feed on sap, nectar, and overripe fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated (CITES Appendix II listed)
Miscellaneous Notes: Dynastes satanas is endemic to the Bolivian Yungas in La Paz and Cochabamba Provinces. Its scarcity in nature has made it popular with collectors, and breeders, especially in Japan, are rearing it in captivity. Because of its restricted distribution and habitat destruction it is currently listed under CITES Appendix II.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Pholiderpeton attheyi (Watson, 1926)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Prehistoric Amphibians
Year of Production: 1998
Size/Scale: Raw figure length 7.5 cm. Measured along the midline, the body comes to approximately 12.0 cm for a scale of 1:33. Using skull as a metric (n=2.0 cm) scale comes to 1:20.5, but it's been noted that the head is oversized in this figure.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was marketed as Eogyrinus, which was synonymized with Pholiderpeton in 1987.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Early Pennsylvanian (Bashkirian) of the present-day British Isles
Habitat: Subtropical coal swamps
Diet: Fish, amphibians, other aquatic and semi-aquatic tetrapods, invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: There is debate on whether P. attheyi was fully aquatic, semi-aquatic, or fully terrestrial (at least as an adult).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Microhyla ornata (Duméril and Bibron, 1841)
Common name(s): ornate narrow-mouthed frog; ornate narrow-mouthed toad; ornamented pygmy frog; ant frog

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Frogs in Colour Pictorial Book
Year of Production: 2009
Size/Scale: Snout-to-vent length approximately 3.2 cm for a scale of 1.5:1-1.2:1 for a male or within scale 1:1 for a large female
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Kaiyodo also produced this species for the Choco Q Animatales series, but that figure requires assembly. Molecular studies show that M. ornata represents a species complex (see also below), and this figure might have originally intended to represent a population that is now considered a different species. However, with no evidence to indicate such, I see no reason to change the identification. It's likely the Kaiyodo figure represents a different species, however, as figures in that series typically represented Japanese species.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: India and Sri Lanka
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical grassland, savanna, shrubland, moist broadleaf, dry broadleaf, and coniferous forests; usually among grasses and leaf litter
Diet: Tadpoles feed on algae and detritus; adults feed on small insects and arachnids, with a preference for ants
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Microhyla ornata was once believed to have been widely distributed in the Central Asian countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Molecular analysis and DNA barcoding demonstrates that true M. ornata is restricted to southwestern India (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh) and Sri Lanka, and that the other populations represent three other species: M. mymensinghensis (Bangladesh, Northeast India), M. mukhlesuri (Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos), and M. nilphamariensis (India, Nepal, Bangladesh).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Kirkaldyia deyrollei (Vuillefroy, 1864)
Common name(s): Japanese giant water bug

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Chocoegg Animatales Series 2
Year of Production: 1999
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 4.2 cm for a scale of 1:1.1-1:1.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon to rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen K. deyrollei in the Museum. It might be the oldest figure of this species, at least by major well-known companies. Being one of the original Chocoegg Animatales figures, some assembly is required. Figures of this species are usually marketed as Lethocerus deyrollei (see below).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East and Southeast Asia, Japan
Habitat: Freshwater lakes, ponds, marshes, ditches, temporary pools, rice paddies
Diet: Primarily aquatic insects, small fish, and amphibians; occasionally young turtles and water snakes
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: This species is more commonly known by the combination Lethocerus deyrollei. Vuillefroy originally described the species in the genus Belostoma in 1864. In 1909, Montandon described Kirkaldyia, which was later placed in synonymy with Lethocerus by Menke (1960) and Lauck & Menke (1961). In 2006, Goodwyn reestablished the genus in a worldwide revision of the subfamily Lethocerinae. At the time of that writing, Kirkaldyia was monotypic, containing only K. deyrollei; however, the author stated that two synonyms, K. aberrans and K. boutareli, were in the process of being elevated to species level by another author. I cannot find any indication that ever happened, and so from what I can tell, Kirkaldyia is still monotypic. Morphologic features separating the genera of Lethocerinae include the form of the tarsi and pads of setae, form of abdominal sternites, and shape of antennae.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Perna viridis Linnaeus, 1758
Common name(s): Asian green mussel

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: AAA
Series: AAA Mollusks
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Shell length 8.0 cm, for a scale of 1:1-1:2.3 (within scale 1:1 for a small mature specimen)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: AAA mollusks are cast from actual specimens and are often produced in multiple sizes. Today's figure is the smaller of their two P. viridis models; the other is approximately 5 inches/12.7 cm.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-South Pacific; introduced to several other parts of the world (see below).
Habitat: Marine and brackish intertidal, subtidal, and estuarine environments; often on rocks, submerged pipes, ship hulls and ballasts, piers, and buoys
Diet: Filter feeder of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and organic detritus
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Perna viridis is native to the Indo-South Pacific, from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Thailand and south through Indonesia. It has been introduced to many other parts of the world, both intentionally for aquaculture and unintentionally as hitchhikers on the hulls and ballasts of ships. In many places where it was accidentally introduced, it is considered an invasive species where it competes with native fauna. Locations where P. viridis has become an invasive species include the North Pacific (China to Japan), Polynesia, the Caribbean (Jamaica to Venezuela), Southeastern United States (from the Carolinas to Florida), the Gulf Coast of North America, and northern and western Australia. Genetic evidence suggests that nearly all invasive populations around the world stemmed from the same native location, although there may have been a second event in the West Atlantic (northwest Africa).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Anax imperator Leach, 1815
Common name(s): emperor; blue emperor

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: AAA
Series: Insects
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:1-1:1.2 (slightly smaller than 1:1 for a small specimen). Using wingspan as a metric (n=9.2 cm), scale also comes to 1:1.1.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure came in a polyvinyl bag set. It is not marketed at the species level, and the identification is my own (although it can easily represent several other darners with this color pattern, including the North American green darner Anax junius). I don't know of any figures specifically marketed as A. imperator, but I also consider the large blue dragonfly by Bullyland (ca. 1994) and the 2020 dragonfly by Papo this species.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Africa, Europe, Middle East, West and Central Asia
Habitat: Large, well-vegetated ponds and lakes, slow-moving rivers, canals
Diet: Nymphs feed on aquatic invertebrates, tadpoles, small fish; adults feed on flying insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: The life cycle of A. imperator usually takes two years, but under exceptional circumstances can be completed in one. Females deposit eggs singly on floating vegetation or submerged plant stems. Eggs hatch in about three weeks. Nymphal development is restricted to about six months of the year, from May to October depending on latitude. The final nymphal instar is entered approximately one year after hatching. The last instar spends about nine months in the water without visible growth, before emerging the following spring. After emerging as adults, males become sexually mature in about 12 days while females take 13-16 days.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Lucilia silvarum (Meigen, 1826)
Common name(s): common toad fly; marsh greenbottle fly

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Skillcraft
Series: Insect Lab
Year of Production: 1998
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 3.7 cm for a scale of 8.2:1-3.7:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Models in the Skillcraft Insect Lab set had to be assembled and painted by the consumer. They were marketed at the species level, so the collector can know what species to reference. These are some of my earliest attempts at painting figures. I am not happy about the all-white wings but the base color was a tan/beige. I've contemplated highlighting the wing veins with a darker color (e.g. grey) but I don't want to make it worse (and it might be hard since I added a semi-gloss finish).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Holarctic
Habitat: Woodlands and clearings, fields, marshland, urban and suburban areas
Diet: Larvae are saprophagous and primarily feed on carrion (see below); adults feed on pollen and nectar
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Lucilia silvarum is now believed to be strictly saprophytic. Previous records of myiasis of frogs and toads by this species are now believed to be caused by the cryptic sibling species, L. bufonivora.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Diadophis punctatus (Linnaeus, 1766)
Common name(s): ring-necked snake; ringneck snake

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wing Mau
Series: Snakes
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Measured along midline body length approximately 23.0 cm for a scale of 1:1.1-1:2.3 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This sculpt was also produced for Club Earth for their Snakes to Go collection. It is specifically marketed as a southern ring-necked snake, implying the subspecies D. p. punctatus. The scale above is calculated based on a size range of 25-52 cm. Size can vary by subspecies and the high end of that range is based on the maximum size of D. p. punctatus specifically. The 'ring' on the neck is a little farther back than it should be (should be closer to the base of the head).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Much of North America outside of the drier regions of the Southwest
Habitat: Highly variable based on subspecies. Northern and western subspecies tend to live in open woodlands and around rocky hillsides, often under bark of dead trees or under rocks; southern subspecies tend to be round in wetter areas, such as riparian woodlands, damp forests, and swamps.
Diet: Small reptiles (including juvenile snakes of other species), small amphibians, earthworms
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Different populations of D. punctatus have different defensive strategies. In populations that have orange-red color of their ventral side of their tail region, an alarmed snake will coil it tail and display the brightly color to the would-be predator. Western subspecies will often feign death if provoked. The ring-necked snake can also release a musky saliva from the corners of its mouth accompanied by a pungent, clinging odor.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Centurio senex Gray, 1842
Common name(s): wrinkle-faced bat

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Bats
Year of Production: 1996
Size/Scale: Wingspan approx. 8.7 cm. Body length approx. 3.2 cm for a scale of 1:1.8-1:2.2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The 1996 Play Visions Bats collection features 6 species of bats, 4-6 of which are unique as toys and figures, depending on the species assigned to a couple of them. Four that are most certainly unique include the spotted bat, California leaf-nosed bat, Egyptian fruit bat, and today's wrinkle-faced bat. There is also a horseshoe bat and vampire bat, both of which could represent more than one species.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central America and northern South America, from Mexico to Venezuela, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago
Habitat: Dense, second-growth tropical evergreen and deciduous forests
Diet: Fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Centurio senex can produce a bite force up to 20% higher than other bats of a similar size and can generate the largest biting force, relative to its size, of any phyllostomid bat. This is believed to be an adaption for eating fruit and seeds, as most related bats feed on insects.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758
Common name(s): Holstein cattle; Holstein-Friesian cattle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Schleich
Series: Farm World
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Height at shoulders approximately 7.5 cm for a scale of 1:19.3-1:22
Frequency of breed in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: Such an iconic breed, it took me a long time to settle on a Holstein figure. So many of them available just didn't appeal to me. It was Gwangi's review of this Schleich model on the Animal Toy Blog that finally made me decide to get it.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: The breed originated in Europe in a region which today is part of the Netherlands; it is now bred worldwide and can be found in more than 160 countries.
Habitat: Grasslands, fields, pastures
Diet: Grasses; diet may be supplemented with hay, silage, shelled corn
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Domesticated
Miscellaneous Notes: The Holstein originated over 2000 years ago in what is now the northern Dutch provinces of North Holland and Friesland. The breed was created by crossing black cattle of the Batavian people and the white cattle of the Frisian people. It was bred for milk production and today is the dominant dairy cattle in much of the world.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Rhodeus ocellatus (Knerr, 1866)
Common name(s): rosy bitterling; Tairiku baratanago

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 1
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length approx. 4.8 cm for a scale of 1:1.1-1:1.9
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (unique as a sculpt)
Miscellaneous Notes: Yujin produced this figure at least twice; I believe mine is from the first release. The fish is removable from its base. Since this figure was produced, the native Japanese population is now regarded as a separate species (R. smithii) and it's possible this figure was originally intended to represent what is now that species. However, R. ocellatus proper has been introduced to Japan, so both populations exist there.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia (Amur River Basin to Pear River Basin); introduced to other regions, including Japan, South Korea, Fiji, Uzbekistan
Habitat: Freshwater ponds, reservoirs, and lakes; primarily those inhabited with freshwater mussels (see below)
Diet: Freshwater invertebrates, zooplankton, phytoplankton
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Data Deficient
Miscellaneous Notes: Freshwater mussels play an important role in the development of R. ocellatus. Female fish use a specialized organ to lay their eggs in the gills of the mussel. After which, the male spawns into the gill cavity of the mussels, ensuring fertilization. Juveniles stay within the mussel for 15-30 days after fertilization. When the juvenile fish reach a length of about 7.5 cm, they leave the mussel, exiting from the mollusk's excurrent siphon.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806)
Common name(s): brown dog tick

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Merial
Series: N/A
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length of male (excluding appendages) approx. 7.0 cm for a scale of 31.4:1-22:1. Body length of engorged female (excluding appendages) approx. 12.5 cm for a scale of 10.4:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: I don't know much about these figures. They were sold as marketing premiums by Merial (now Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health) and show up periodically on Japanese auction sites (mine were purchased via YAJ, if I remember correctly). The figures are somewhat stylized in lacking features common to R. sanguineus, such as eyes (at least on the female) and the characteristic shape of the basis capituli.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Cosmopolitan
Habitat: Adults are parasites on dogs in urban, suburban, and rural areas
Diet: All stages feed on the blood of mammals; dogs are the preferred host, but other animals can be infested, including humans.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Rhipicephalus sanguineus is a vector of several disease agents of both veterinary and medical concern, including Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), Ehrlichia canis (canine ehrlichiosis), Rickettsia conorii (boutonneuse fever), and Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever).