Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Correct species @JimoAi (not company, but that's OK - the clues are for the species only)

Species: Mauremys reevesii (Gray, 1831)
Common name(s): Chinese pond turtle; Chinese three-keeled pond turtle; Reeve's turtle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kitan Club
Series/Collection: Nature Techni Colour - Turtles of Japan
Year of Production: 2010
Size/Scale: Trophy base approx. 3.3 cm square. Carapace length approx. 4.0 cm for a scale of 1:2.8-1:3 for a male or 1:4.5-1:5.5 for a female.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: The turtle is removable from its rock base, which in turn is removable from the trophy-style base (see inset). Removing the turtle from its base does leave small pegs under its hind legs. A melanistic male using the same sculpt was also part of the set. The trophy base has the Japanese, English, and Latin names of the animal. Somewhat popular with Japanese companies, this species has also been made by Kaiyodo (at least twice), Yujin (two different sculpts with some paint variants), Colorata, and possibly others.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia; native to China and the Korean Peninsula, introduced to Japan, Taiwan, and East Timor
Habitat: Marshes, shallow ponds, streams, canals
Diet: Small fish, freshwater invertebrates, aquatic plants
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: While considered endangered in its native range, M. reevesii can be detrimental in non-native areas, both due to competition with native turtles as well as it propensity for hybridization. In 1997 the species M. pritchardi was described from Myanmar, but it is now known to be a hybrid between M. reevesii and the Asian yellow pond turtle (M. mutica). Interestingly, one of the main reasons M. reevesii is endangered in its native range is because another introduced turtle, the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans).



Clue for tomorrow's species:
Females of this aquatic insect lay there eggs on vegetation above water, but it's the male that guards them and keeps them moist.

[bmathison1972]

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

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bandai
Series/Collection: Figure Pictorial Book of Gakken Insect
Year of Production: 2003
Size/Scale: Base 6.5 cm tall. Body length (excl. appendages) approx. 3.2 cm for a scale of 1:1.5-1:2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon to rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the third time we've seen K. deyrollei in the Museum. Like most other figures of the species, it was marketed under the original nomenclatural combination Lethocerus deyrollei. The frog prey is attached to the bug which in turn is attached to the base; they come permanently affixed to one another (although my bug has come loose from the base over time).

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: Giant water bugs in the family Belostomatidae are commonly called 'toe biters' as they readily bite people wading barefoot in freshwater. When they bite, they inject a digestive saliva which, although described as 'excruciatingly painful, is not medically important.



Clue for tomorrow's species:
These colossal canines are descended from hunting dogs from the Middle Ages that hunted deer, boar, and even bears!

[bmathison1972]

Species: Canis lupus familiaris Linnaeus, 1758
Common name(s): Great Dane

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series/Collection: Best in Show
Year of Production: 2020
Size/Scale: Height at shoulder approx. 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:10.2-1:11.6 (see below)
Frequency of breed in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: The scale above is based on the standards of the American Kennel Club and includes the full range for both male and female dogs as the figure cannot be sexed.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Breed originated in Germany and today is bred in several regions, most notably Europe, United States, Australia, and New Zealand
Habitat: Farmland, heathland, human habitations, country estates
Diet: General omnivore
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Domesticated
Miscellaneous Notes: The Great Dane dates back to the middle of the 16th century in Germany. They are descended from mastiff-like dogs such as English Mastiffs and Irish Wolfhounds. They were originally bred for German nobility as guard dogs and to hunt large animals such as boar, bears, and deer. They were originally called Englische Docke, which translates to 'English Dog'. In the late 1880s, Germans changed the name of the breed to Deutsche Dogge (German Mastiff). The Germans didn't like the English name 'Great Dane' and tried to introduce the names German Dogge and German Mastiff into the English lexicon, but it didn't take. The name Great Dane won out in English-speaking areas outside of Germany. Today the Great Dane remains a popular breed and is represented in popular culture by Scooby-Doo, Marmaduke, Astro (The Jetsons), Chin-up (Blondie in Society), and Landru (The Burbs).



Clue for tomorrow's species:
As this stellar swimmer matures, its eye moves from one side of its body to the other. The eyes may end up on either side of the body, but generally they are found on the left side.

[Gwangi]

Starry flounder

[bmathison1972]

Correct @Gwangi

Species: Platichthys stellatus (Pallas, 1787)
Common name(s): starry flounder; grindstone; emery wheel; long-nosed flounder

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series/Collection: Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 2
Year of Production: 2003
Size/Scale: Body length approx. 6.0 cm for a scale of 1:5.8-1:15.2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (possibly unique as a sculpt)
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was released at least twice; mine figure is from the first release.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: North Pacific; south to Japan and the Korean Peninsula in the West Pacific and central California (Santa Cruz County) in the East Pacific
Habitat: Typically marine, demersal, at depths of 0-375 meters; occasionally found in brackish estuaries and freshwater rivers, up to 120 km from the ocean. Usually found over muddy, sandy, or gravely substrates.
Diet: Young fish feed on plankton; adults feed on marine invertebrates and small fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: The flatfish Inopsetta ischyra in the East Pacific is now known to be a hybrid of P. stellatus and Parophrys vetulus (English sole).



Clue for tomorrow's species:
The largest extant arthropod in terms of dimensions, it's second only to the Maine lobster in terms of mass.

[sbell]

By dimensions? I think it's the Japanese spider crab (no idea what company)

[stargatedalek]

That's a good guess, but "by dimensions" is not necessarily including limbs... so I'm going to guess giant isopod!

[sbell]

That's a good guess, but "by dimensions" is not necessarily including limbs... so I'm going to guess giant isopod!

Or coconut crab...

[bmathison1972]

Some great guesses but your first instinct was correct @sbell

Species: Macrocheira kaempferi (Temminck, 1836)
Common name(s): giant Japanese spider crab; taka-ashi-gani

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kitan Club
Series/Collection: Nature Techni Colour - Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Year of Production: 2009
Size/Scale: Figure (as displayed here) 8.5 cm across its widest points. Base 3 cm square. Carapace width approx. 1.7 cm for a scale of 1:24
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fourth time we've seen M. kaempferi in the Museum. Assembly is required and the crab is removable from the trophy-style base. 

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northwest Pacific around Japan and Taiwan
Habitat: Benthic, usually at depths of 50-400 meters
Diet: Marine invertebrates and algae; also a scavenger
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: While not evaluated by the IUCN, populations of M. kaempferi have declined over recent decades due to overfishing. In Japan, laws have been put in place that prohibits fishing for the crabs between January and April, which is their typical mating season.



Clue for tomorrow's species:
The largest extant member of these canopy crawlers, it's still much smaller than its Pleistocene predecessors!

[JimoAi]

CollextA or Papo Orangutan

[bmathison1972]

CollextA or Papo Orangutan

I just realized I had the wrong time period; not sure if that changes your guess or not. Not saying it's right or wrong, but I had the wrong time period in my clue 

[sbell]

CollextA or Papo Orangutan

I just realized I had the wrong time period; not sure if that changes your guess or not. Not saying it's right or wrong, but I had the wrong time period in my clue 

That Oligocene reference is why I didn't guess orangutan...

[bmathison1972]

Yeah sorry I screwed up the clue the first time around. I actually wasn't thinking of a primate as a potential answer. I was hoping 'crawler' would suggest something slow, such as a sloth!

Species: Choloepus didactylus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): Linnaeus's two-toed sloth

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Mojö Fun
Series/Collection: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate based on posture, but body length approx. 7.5 cm for a scale of 1:9
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was produced with input from members of the STS forum. It was unique in our hobby for only about three years when Colorata produced one in miniature.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northern South America
Habitat: Tropical rainforest; arboreal
Diet: Plant leaves; favored plants unknown (see below)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Nocturnal and arboreal, studying C. didactylus has been challenging! Its diet in the wild is unknown but is presumed to be tree leaves. Sloths are often associated with Cecropia leaves, but this statement is best applied to members of the genus Bradypus. The related Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (C. hoffmanni) has been found in association with over 50 plant species, many of which are likely to comprise some part of its diet. In captivity, C. didactylus will eat a variety of plant-based foods and in the wild is also likely a generalist.



Clue for tomorrow's species:
Although this fish may fall prey to alligators and birds, its eggs are highly toxic to mammals and birds!

[JimoAi]

Yeah sorry I screwed up the clue the first time around. I actually wasn't thinking of a primate as a potential answer. I was hoping 'crawler' would suggest something slow, such as a sloth!

Species: Choloepus didactylus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): Linnaeus's two-toed sloth

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Mojö Fun
Series/Collection: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate based on posture, but body length approx. 7.5 cm for a scale of 1:9
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was produced with input from members of the STS forum. It was unique in our hobby for only about three years when Colorata produced one in miniature.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northern South America
Habitat: Tropical rainforest; arboreal
Diet: Plant leaves; favored plants unknown (see below)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Nocturnal and arboreal, studying C. didactylus has been challenging! Its diet in the wild is unknown but is presumed to be tree leaves. Sloths are often associated with Cecropia leaves, but this statement is best applied to members of the genus Bradypus. The related Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (C. hoffmanni) has been found in association with over 50 plant species, many of which are likely to comprise some part of its diet. In captivity, C. didactylus will eat a variety of plant-based foods and in the wild is also likely a generalist.


Clue for tomorrow's species:
Although this fish may fall prey to alligators and birds, its eggs are highly toxic to mammals and birds!

Replica toy fish spotted gar or safari lyd Florida gar

[sbell]

Yeah sorry I screwed up the clue the first time around. I actually wasn't thinking of a primate as a potential answer. I was hoping 'crawler' would suggest something slow, such as a sloth!

Species: Choloepus didactylus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): Linnaeus's two-toed sloth

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Mojö Fun
Series/Collection: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate based on posture, but body length approx. 7.5 cm for a scale of 1:9
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was produced with input from members of the STS forum. It was unique in our hobby for only about three years when Colorata produced one in miniature.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northern South America
Habitat: Tropical rainforest; arboreal
Diet: Plant leaves; favored plants unknown (see below)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Nocturnal and arboreal, studying C. didactylus has been challenging! Its diet in the wild is unknown but is presumed to be tree leaves. Sloths are often associated with Cecropia leaves, but this statement is best applied to members of the genus Bradypus. The related Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (C. hoffmanni) has been found in association with over 50 plant species, many of which are likely to comprise some part of its diet. In captivity, C. didactylus will eat a variety of plant-based foods and in the wild is also likely a generalist.



Clue for tomorrow's species:
Although this fish may fall prey to alligators and birds, its eggs are highly toxic to mammals and birds!

Replica toy fish spotted gar or safari lyd Florida gar

Or Bandai alligator gar. Or Toba aquarium spotted gar. Or RTF alligator or longnose gar (they didn't release a spotted, only Toba ever has). Or Favorite Cuban gar. Or Colorata alligator gar... I doubt he has the wooden short nose sold by the same guy before he created RTF.

Okay, that's enough. Not enough in the clue to work out species! Or especially the company, given how many alligator gar figures there are.

Probably not the Cuban due to the 'alligator' reference. But the rest are all in the right general area.

[JimoAi]

Alligator gar is too big to be targeted by birds once they reach adulthood iirc

[sbell]

Alligator gar is too big to be targeted by birds once they reach adulthood iirc

Unless it's the juvenile RTF alligator gar.
Most gar are too large for almost any bird in adulthood. Longnose are quite long if not 'big'. So probably the Florida gar (again, unless he has the spotted from Toba)

[bmathison1972]

Good job guys on the Safari Florida gar. Wow @sbell - didn't realize there were that many gars LOL. The RTF longnose gar was seen in this thread way back at the very beginning in its first week (see Misc. Notes, below). I only have one other species of gar (alligator gar), which will be seen later when its time comes.


Species: Lepisosteus platyrhincus DeKay 1842
Common name(s): Florida gar

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series/Collection: Everglades TOOB
Year of Production: 2023
Size/Scale: Body length approx. 9.0 cm for a scale of 1:6.6-1:14.7
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second species of Lepisosteus seen in the Museum. The first was way back during the very first week of this thread, in October 2020 (nearly three years before today's gar was produced).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southeastern USA; Savannah and Ochlockonee River basins in Georgia south through peninsular Florida
Habitat: Marshes, lakes, streams, canals; usually in areas with sandy or muddy bottoms and abundant vegetation
Diet: Young gar feed on zooplankton and insect larvae; adult gar feed on fish, crayfish, insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Lepisosteus platyrhincus is an ambush predator. It floats silently just under the surface of the water, resembling a stick or log. When potential prey comes along, it lunges at it. These strikes are short and fast, lasting 25-40 milliseconds! After prey is captured, the gar repositions it so it can be swallowed headfirst.



Clue for tomorrow's species:
This colorful alpine amphibian in critically endangered, with as estimated 30 or so individuals in the wild!


With today's post being the 1700th, it is time for a fun stats update.

Raw Numbers:

Number of time we've seen major groups in the Museum. These are raw numbers based on the posts, and includes figures that have been removed from my collection. The number in parenthesis is what the numbers were like at post 1600.

Arthropods: 865 (819)
Mammals: 237 (221)
Fish: 161 (151)
Birds: 140 (130)
Non-Arthropod Invertebrates: 86 (82)
Reptiles: 88 (80)
Dinosaurs: 59 (55)
Amphibians: 52 (50)
Protozoans/Plankton/Fungi: 12 (12)

*Taxonomic Notes. Birds include all theropods within Euavialae, extinct or extant. The Dinosaur category is for 'traditional' prehistoric dinosaur clades (except anything in Euavialae); pterosaurs; mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs and other prehistoric aquatic reptiles; prehistoric crocodylomorphs; prehistoric non-mammal synapsids; and prehistoric reptiles with no close modern relatives. Amphibians include some prehistoric stem tetrapods.

Now, within Arthropods. Like with the major groups above, this is based on all posts, including those that have been removed and/or replaced in my collection. The number in parenthesis is what the numbers were like at post 1600:

Insects: 614 (579)
Crustaceans: 115 (110)
Arachnids: 99 (95)
Misc. Arthropods: 37 (35)


Here are posts that remove two or more figures from the database. This is usually done when the same species has more than one example in a set or collection (e.g., male and female figures released together), but may also be used for uncommonly or rarely made species by the same company or for the rare instances the non-arthropod part of my collection is not synoptic (e.g., a shark where the adult is made by one company and a juvenile by the other). For the database, with the exception of life cycle sets, one line represents one figure. So, in these cases it is when the random number generator lands on one of the two (or more), but both (or more) are reviewed and removed. The following is how many times we have seen posts that remove two or more from the database; the number in parenthesis is how many there were at the 1600th post:
Two figures: 130 (126)
Three figures: 10 (10)
Four figures: 3 (2)
Five figures: 1 (1)


Now some interesting tidbits of information:

Species that have been seen more than once (including species that have been replaced):
Acherontia atropos (2), Actias luna (2), Aglais urticae (3), Allomyrina dichotoma (18), Allotopus rosenbergi ( 8 ), Anax junius (2), Androctonus australis (2), Anomalocaris canadensis (5), Anoplophora chinensis (2), Apis mellifera (7), Armadillidium vulgare (3), Atrax robustus (3), Attacus atlas (2), Bathynomus doederleinii (2), Bathynomus giganteus (6), Beckius beccarii (2), Birgus latro (3), Bombyx mori (3), Bos taurus (7), Brachypelma smithi (6), Caiman crocodilus (2), Calappa hepatica (2), Calappa lophos (2), Cambaroides japonicus (3), Camponotus japonicus (2), Canis lupus (4), Carabus auratus (2), Carabus blaptoides (2), Carcharhinus melanopterus (2), Chalcosoma atlas (4), Chalcosoma chiron (5), Chalcosoma moellenkampi (4), Cheirotonus jambar (4), Cheirotonus jansoni (2), Chiromantes haematocheir (3), Chlamydosaurus kingii (2), Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens (2), Cicindela campestris (2), Coccinella septempunctata (6), Cybister chinensis (3), Cyclommatus elaphus (3), Cyclommatus metallifer (2), Danaus plexippus (12), Daphina pulex (4), Dorcus grandis (3), Dorcus hopei (10), Dorcus rectus (3), Dynastes grantii (5), Dynastes hercules (15), Dynastes neptunus (7), Dynastes satanas (2), Equus ferus (3), Equus quagga (2), Eupatorus birmanicus (2), Eupatorus gracilicornis (5), Evenus coronata (2), Felis catus (2), Formica rufa (2), Gallus gallus (2), Gelasimus tetragonon (2), Geothelphusa dehaani (2), Goliathus goliatus (2), Goliathus orientalis (2), Golofa porteri (2), Gorilla gorilla (2), Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (4), Hallucigenia sparsa (2), Harmonia axyridis (3), Hasarius adansoni (2), Hebomoia glaucippe (3), Heliconius charithonia (2), Hexarthrius mandibularis (3), Hexarthrius parryi (3), Homarus americanus (2), Homoderus mellyi (2), Hyalophora cecropia (2), Hymenopus coronatus (4), Idea leuconoe (5), Idolomantis diabolica (2), Illeis koebelei (2), Kirkaldyia deyrollei (3), Lamprima adolphinae (3), Lamypris noctiluca (2), Latrodectus hasselti (3), Latrodectus mactans (6), Leiurus quinquestriatus (2), Locusta migratoria (7), Lucanus cervus (5), Lucanus elaphus (2), Lucanus maculifemoratus (7), Luehdorfia japonica (2), Lutra lutra (2), Lycosa tarantula (3), Macrocheira kaempferi (4), Macrodontia cervicornis (2), Mantis religiosa (3), Mastigias papua (2), Mecynorhina ugandensis (2), Megadyptes antipodes (2), Megasoma actaeon (4), Megasoma elaphas (5), Megasoma mars (2), Mesene phareus (2), Mesotopus tarandus (7), Metacarcinus magister (2), Morpho menelaus (5), Morpho peleides (3), Noctiluca scintillans (2), Odontodactylus scyllarus (2), Odontolabis burmeisteri (3), Ogyris genoveva (2); Olenoides serratus (2), Onchorhynchus clarkii (2), Oncorhynchus mykiss (2), Opabinia regalis (2), Oryctes gigas (2), Oryctolagus cuniculus (2), Pagurus filholi (2), Pandinoides cavimanus (3), Pandinus imperator (6), Papilio bianor (2), Papilio blumei (2), Papilio glaucus (3), Papilio machaon (5), Papilio memnon (2), Papilio protenor (2), Papilio xuthus (6), Papilio zelicaon (2), Paralithodes camtschaticus (3), Parantica sita (2), Pediculus humanus (3), Periplaneta americana (2), Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (2), Phalacrognathus muelleri (3), Phoebis philea (3), Pieris rapae (2), Poecilotheria regalis (2), Portunus pelagicus (3), Procambarus clarkii (3), Prosopocoilus dissimilis (3), Prosopocoilus hasterti (2), Prosopocoilus giraffa (6), Prosopocoilus inclinatus (11), Prosopocoilus zebra (2), Rhaetulus didieri (2), Rosalia batesi (2), Sasakia charonda (4), Scarabaeus typhon (2), Scylla serrata (2), Serrognathus titanus (5), Siderone galanthis (2), Tachypleus tridentatus (4), Tenodera aridifolia (2), Tenodera sinensis (2), Vanessa atalanta (2), Vespa ducalis (2), Vespa mandarinia (6), Xylotrupes gideon (2), Zerene cesonia (2).

Genera with more than one species:
Acanthophis (2), Acherontia (2), Actias (2), Aeshna (2), Aglais (2), Allomyrina (2), Allotopus (2), Alouatta (2), Ambystoma (2), Ameerega (3), Anas (2), Anax (2), Androctonus (2), Antohpleura (2), Aphonopelma (2), Argiope (3), Asio (2), Atergatis (2), Bathynomus (2), Bison (2), Bombus (2), Bos (2), Brachypelma (3), Bubo (2), Caiman (2), Calappa (3), Camponotus (2), Canis (2), Canthigaster (2), Carabus (3), Carassius (2), Carcharhinus (3), Cercopithecus (2), Cervus (2), Chaetodon (3), Chalcosoma (3), Cheirotonus (3), Chelonoidis (2), Coccinella (3), Coenobita (2), Corvus (2), Cuora (2), Cyclommatus (3), Danaus (2), Dardanus (2), Delias (2), Dendrobates (2), Dorcus (5), Dryocopus (2), Dryophytes (2), Dynastes (5), Dyscophus (2), Echidna (2), Erinaceus (2), Esox (2), Equus (5), Eupatorus (2), Evenus (2), Falco (2), Felis (2), Gekko (2), Geochelone (2), Giraffa (2), Goliathus (4), Golofa (3), Gonypteryx (2), Gorilla (2), Graphium (2), Gymnothorax (3), Haliaeetus (2), Hexarthrius (4), Hippocampus (2), Hippotragus (2), Homarus (2), Homo (3), Hynobius (2), Hyperolius (3), Hypolimnas (2), Hypselodoris (2), Lactoria (2), Lamprima (2), Latrodectus (4), Lepisosteus (2), Lucanus (4), Lucilia (2), Lutra (2), Lynx (3), Macaca (3), Madrasostes (2), Manis (2), Maratus (2), Martes (2), Mecynorhina (2), Megasoma (4), Meles (2), Mictyris (2), Mikadotrochus (2), Morpho (5), Mustela (3), Myotis (2), Nyctereutes (2), Odontodactylus (2), Odocoileus (2), Odontolabis (6), Oncorhynchus (6), Oophaga (2), Ornithoptera (5), Oryctes (2), Oryx (3), Ostracion (2), Ovis (2), Oxyuranus (2), Pan (2), Panulirus (4), Papilio (12), Parnassius (2), Passer (2), Pelecanus (2), Periplaneta (2), Phodopus (2), Platalea (2), Phrynosoma (2), Plestiodon (2), Polistes (5), Polypterus (2), Pongo (2), Portunus (2), Prosopocoilus (10), Pteropus (2), Pygoscelis (2), Rhaetulus (2), Rosalia (2), Saturnia (2), Scolopendra (3), Spheniscus (4), Spizaetus (2), Strix (2), Takifugu (2), Takydromus (2), Tenodera (2), Trichogomphus (2), Trioceros (2), Urodacus (2), Ursus (3), Vanessa (2), Vespa (4), Vespula (3), Vulpes (2), Xantusia (2), Zerene (2).


Companies:

Here are a list of companies (alphabetical order) and how many have come up in each (some posts can have more than one company). Companies with an asterisk are new since the last stats update:
   
4D Master  8
AAA  10
Access Toys/The Access  3
Adventure Planet  1
Agatsuma Entertainment  4
AMT/Ertl  1
AquaKitz  1
Aquameridian Ltd./For Corporation  4
Arboreum Artwork 4
Ayano Katyama  3
Bandai/Bandai Spirits  64
Banjihan ACE  1
Beam  4
Beauty of Beasts  1
Big Country Toys, LLC  1
Blip Toys  5
Break Co. Ltd.  3
Bullyland  31
Caboodle! Toys/Noah's Pals  3
Cadbury/Yowie Group  64
CBIOV  1
Chap Mei  1
Club Earth/Wing Mau  54
Coca Cola  3
COG Ltd.  1
CollectA  79
Colorata  56
Curatorial/Brave Wilderness  1
DeAgostini  31
Discovery/Discovery Communications  3
Dreams Come True Ltd.  3
Easter Unlimited Ltd.  1
Egmont Ehapa Publishing Co.  1*
Eikoh  4
Eofauna 2
Epoch/Tarlin  31
FaunaFigures  1
Favorite Co. Ltd.  13
F-toys  18
Funrise Toys  6
GPI Anatomicals  1
Haolonggood  6
Hayakawa Toys 4
Heller  2
Ikimon/Kitan Club 71
Imperial Toys  2
Innovative Kids  3
Insect Lore  8
Jám  3
Jasman 1
K&M International  38
Kabaya 20
Kaiyodo/Furuta  253
Koro Koro  1
Land & Sea Collectibles  2
Maia & Borges  5
Maruka  1
Merial 1
Mojö Fun  14
My Favorite Animals  4
Naturalism  7
NECA  2
New-Ray  3
Nihon Auto Toy  2
Paleocasts  5
Paleo-Creatures  12
Paleozoo  1
Papo  48
Play Visions  64
PNSO  14
Qualia  4
Rainbow  3
Rebor  1
Re-Ment  5
Royal Ontario Museum  1
Running Press  1
Safari Ltd.  188
Sbabam  2
Schleich  32
Science and Nature  14
Sega  66
ShanTrip  3
Shine-G  4
Signatustudio  3
Skillcraft  4
SO-TA/Toys Spirits  16
Southlands Replicas  9
Stasto  8
Steven's Pixie Toys  1
Stewart Sales & Services  2
Sun Wai Toys  1
Takara Tomy A.R.T.S./Subarudo  57
Tama-Kyu  1
Tedco Toys  1
Toy Fish Factory/Replica Toy Fish  3
Toymany  7
Toy Major  17
Trendmasters  3
Trilobiti Design  1
US Toy  3
Vivid Toy Group  2
Wicked Cool Toys  3
Wolff Marketing Group  1
Yell  5
Yujin  74
unknown  21


Anyway, we'll look at stats again after post 1800!! Until then, enjoy the posts!

[Shane]

Fun fact - the only reliable way to differentiate spotted gar from Florida gar is to look at the throat. Spotted gar have scales that continue on up onto the throat, while Florida gar do not.

For the Safari figure the bony scales stop just before the throat to try to illustrate this (though it was difficult on such a small figure).

[sbell]

I actually left a lot of others off. Most are alligator gar of course, but there's more than we might expect now. A little different than the situation 25 years ago when there was one --an impossible to find Kaiyodo resin model!