Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Species: Macropodus ocellatus Cantor, 1842 (round-tailed paradise fish)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 1
Year of Release: Unknown
Size/Scale: Body length 5.0 cm, within scale of 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was originally marketed as M. opercularis, but the morphology better supports M. ocellatus. Yujin released their Freshwater Fish series twice; I think mine is from the first release (sbell can confirm or deny). In later releases, Yujin corrected the ID to M. ocellatus. The figure is single-piece of plastic and comes with a habitat-style base from which it can be removed.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Native to Southeast Asia, including Korea and China; introduced to Japan and Amur Basin, Russia
Habitat: Freshwater, including streams, backwaters of large rivers, lakes, irrigation channels, rice paddys, and ditches.
Diet: Freshwater invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: This species is popular in the aquaria trade.

[Isidro]

Wow, absolutely amazing way of present your figures! I was thinking for many months to do some day something very similar as a database for my collection, but I never found time for start that.

[bmathison1972]

Wow, absolutely amazing way of present your figures! I was thinking for many months to do some day something very similar as a database for my collection, but I never found time for start that.

Thank you! I have wanted to do this for a while, but waited for my Synoptic Collection grow enough to allow for good diversity!

[AnimalToyForum]

This is a great conceit. I'm curious what the probability is that a given update will feature a non-arthropod!

Lovely idea, your own virtual museum. Why don't you use the ATB to host your images, you have greater control there than Postcc. No risk of what happened with photobucket.

This...is a Blaine-specific privilege, yes? I've been shelling out for Flickr Pro because I don't want another Photobucket incident.

@Halichoeres - well, at least half my collection are arthropods

With regards to using the Blog to host images, I am sure you can do it through the DTB since you have direct access to that blog! @animaltoyforum would have to set up the plug, if you can't do it.

For what it's worth Postimages is great and I have never had issues with them. I'll use Postcc for most things, but will use the Blog for this thread only.

@Halichoeres feel free to use the blog to host your images if you like. The plugin is installed to create a media category for yourself, or I can set it up for you if you don't have permission.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Lophorina superba (Pennant, 1781) (greater superb bird-of-paradise)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Arboreum Artwork
Series: 1:10 Animals
Year of Release: Unknown (c. 2018)
Size/Scale: Body length approx. 4.0 cm, for a scale of 1:6.5. Base is 3.5 cm. Breadth of courtship display 4.5 cm
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is a resin figure made by forum member Panji Zulkaisar out of Indonesia. Most figures in the collection are around 1:10 in scale. This figure cannot be removed from its base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Primarily fruit and insects, but also small birds, reptiles, and amphibians
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: This species is known for its elaborate courtship displays. And still, the average female rejects 15-20 potential suitors before deciding on a mate!

[Halichoeres]

This is a great conceit. I'm curious what the probability is that a given update will feature a non-arthropod!

Lovely idea, your own virtual museum. Why don't you use the ATB to host your images, you have greater control there than Postcc. No risk of what happened with photobucket.

This...is a Blaine-specific privilege, yes? I've been shelling out for Flickr Pro because I don't want another Photobucket incident.

@Halichoeres - well, at least half my collection are arthropods

With regards to using the Blog to host images, I am sure you can do it through the DTB since you have direct access to that blog! @animaltoyforum would have to set up the plug, if you can't do it.

For what it's worth Postimages is great and I have never had issues with them. I'll use Postcc for most things, but will use the Blog for this thread only.

@Halichoeres feel free to use the blog to host your images if you like. The plugin is installed to create a media category for yourself, or I can set it up for you if you don't have permission.

Thank you! I might do that at least for stock images ("_______ - New for 2020" and the like)

Those Yujin fish periodically tempt me to start collecting extant animals. That's a real beauty.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Kinyongia xenorhina (Boulenger, 1901) (strange-horned chameleon)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yowie Group
Series: Rescue Series
Year of Release: 2017
Size/Scale: Figure length 6.3 cm. Snout to vent 4.5 cm for a scale roughly 1:2.4
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The Rescue Series featured animals that are at risk due to habitat loss.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Ruwenzori Mountains of Uganda and the DRC
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Insects and other small invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: The nasal protuberance that gives this critter its common name is more pronounced in the males, as several chameleons exhibit marked sexual dimorphism.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Gelasimus tetragonon (Herbst, 1790) (tetragonal fiddler crab)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.
Series: Primary Colour Crustaceans Book
Year of Release: unknown
Size/Scale: Width of figures 5.5 cm. Carapace width 2.0 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Neither of these figures were in the original set released by Yujin. The male was in the basic set released by Takara and the female was 'Secret A'. The large claw of the male has one point of articulation.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: Intertidal mud flats and sandy beaches, often among rocks and corals at mid-tide
Diet: Filamentous green algae, rarely predaceous on other crabs
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other fiddler crabs, this species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism, with the male having one claw greatly enlarged.

[Lanthanotus]

Yowie certainly shows a great and unusual variety in their lines, given thst these are sold covered in chocolate eggs.
We bought quite some in Australia (they are not sold here in Germany) and theres really great figures among them....hmm...should review one or another....
That Chameleon is really cute.

[bmathison1972]

Yowie certainly shows a great and unusual variety in their lines, given thst these are sold covered in chocolate eggs.
We bought quite some in Australia (they are not sold here in Germany) and theres really great figures among them....hmm...should review one or another....
That Chameleon is really cute.

The chameleon is from Yowie Group, a US-based part of the Yowie franchise. They sell in the US and Australia, but not sure where else. They started releasing new figures in the last few years, with many unique species. Because they are small, I only collect those that represent small species, but they have many really nice species and the quality is better than the old Australian and UK Yowies.

https://yowieworld.com/collect/

[bmathison1972]

Species: Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758) (monarch, larva)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Smithsonian Insects
Year of Release: 1996
Size/Scale: Figure length 9.0 cm. Measured along the midline 10.0 cm for a scale of 2:1 for a large, mature larva.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is probably the most commonly-made butterfly at the species level; Safari Ltd. has made it at least five times! At the time of this writing, I have 17 examples, and that doesn't include the figure Papo is expected to release this year.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: North, Central, and South America, the Caribbean, the Azores, Canary Islands, North Africa, Australia, the Philippines, and South Pacific islands; rare stray to the United Kingdom
Habitat: Fields, forests, gardens, disturbed areas
Diet: Larvae feed on milkweeds in the family Apocynaceae, most commonly members of the genus Asclepias; adults take nectar from a variety of flowers
NatureServe Status (at time of posting): Apparently Secure
Miscellaneous Notes: Populations in the northern North America are known for their long annual migrations to Florida, southern California, and Mexico in the late summer/fall.

[bmathison1972]

@Halichoeres and others have been curious about frequency of what non-arthropods or other taxa might come up. I created pie charts showing percentages of major taxa, and taxa within arthropods. I did not include actual numbers (I am not one to bring attention to the number of figures I have). Also, when I started my Syntomic Collection, I thinned out the arthropods, keeping only those identifiable to the genus or species level.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Bombus sp. (bumble bee)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Authentics Insects
Year of Release: 1995
Size/Scale: Figure length 3.5 cm. Scale species-dependent but on average this figure scales 1.5:1-2:1.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: Bees in general are commonly made, whether by major manufacturers or in generic bin-style sets, but rarely specifically attributed to a member of Bombus.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Holarctic, in the Western Hemisphere south to South America; introduced to New Zealand and Tasmania
Habitat: Fields, forests, gardens, disturbed areas
Diet: Larvae are fed nectar and pollen by adults; adults feed on nectar
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A (species-dependent)
Miscellaneous Notes: There are over 250 species in the genus Bombus.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Micruroides euryxanthus (Kennicott, 1860) (Arizona coral snake)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wing Mau
Series: Snakes
Year of Release: Unknown
Size/Scale: Figure length 14.0 cm; measured along midline 26.0 cm, making it 1:1-1:2.3 in scale.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This same sculpt was used for the Snakes to Go collection by Club Earth

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southwestern USA, northwestern Mexico
Habitat: Deserts and semi-arid plains, often in rocky areas
Diet: Small snakes and lizards
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: The Arizona coral snake is venomous and possesses a very painful neurotoxin; however, to my knowledge no fatalities have been reported. I saw this species once in life, after a brief monsoon shower at Lake Roosevelt in Arizona.

[Halichoeres]

I lived in Arizona for 17 years, mostly in outlying areas, and I only saw one alive once myself. Gorgeous little creatures.

Based on your pie charts, companies really have to step up their game on non-arthropod invertebrates.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Cryptoprocta ferox Bennett, 1833 (fossa)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yowie Group
Series: Wildlife Conservation Series
Year of Release: 2018
Size/Scale: Figure length 5.0 cm; head-body length 6.4 cm for a scale of 1:11-1:12.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The tail appears to be a bit short, but still a great species to have in toy/figure form. I welcome this species by a major Western manufacturer someday.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Madagascar
Habitat: Forests
Diet: Smaller animals, including lemurs, tenrecs, lizards, birds, and invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes: The fossa is the largest mammalian carnivore and top predator in Madagascar.

[Loon]

Huh, didn't know anyone had made a Fossa. Definitely an icon of my childhood, albeit in it's horrible form from the Madagascar movie.

[bmathison1972]

@Loon K&M made a fossa too, and there is an expensive resin figure available from Arboreum Artwork (artist on this forum).

Next up:

Species: Vulpes ferrilata Hodgson, 1842
Common name(s): Tibetan sand fox

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Naturalism
Series: Naturally Adorkable
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Figure 6.0 cm tall. Measured along spine, head-body length 8.3 cm, for a scale of 1:7.2-1:8.4.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The Naturally Adorkable collection is made up of solid-piece resin figures that primarily represent Chinese species.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Tibetan Plateau of western China and Ladakh plateau of northern India
Habitat: Semi-arid and arid grasslands, usually between 3,500 and 5,200 meters in elevation
Diet: Primarily pikas, but also rodents, hares, reptiles, and occassionally a scavenger
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: The unusual-shaped head is an adaptation for hunting its specialized prey.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Batocera lineolata Chevrolat, 1852 (white-striped longhorn beetle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.
Series: B.I.G. Beetles
Year of Release: 2011
Size/Scale: Body length 8.0 cm, for a scale of 1.5:1-1.8:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare to unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Assembly is required and points of attachment are loose, allowing for some articulation.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution:  Much of Southeast Asia, including India, Laos, Japan, South Korea, Myanmar, and Taiwan; also Hawaii
Habitat: Deciduous forests
Diet: Larvae breed in the wood of several hardwood trees, including oak, chestnut, and walnut. Adults feed on the bark of host trees and sap flows.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Females typically oviposit in older trees (>30 years old, >15 cm in diameter), but will occasionally damage seedlings, and the species is considered a forestry pest in some areas.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Camarasaurus lentus (Marsh, 1889)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Release: 2019
Size/Scale: Figure 35.0 cm long. Height at shoulder 10.0 cm. Scale roughly 1:40.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: For a species common in the fossil record, Camarasaurus has not been made often in toy/figure form. Being a fairly recent release, this figure nicely highlights a lot of what we have learned about sauropod anatomy, including the mouth structure, the claws on the feet, and position of the nostrils.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian) of present day Colorado and Utah
Habitat: Arid, semi-arid areas, and tropical plains
Diet: Vegetation
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A (prehistoric)
Miscellaneous Notes: Camarasaurus fossils have been found in the Morrison Formation, a famous site extremely rich in dinosaur fossils. Among the species it lived alongside was the top predator Allosaurus fragilis, which probably hunted Camarasaurus.