Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

I tought exactly the same than Lanthanotus, the first thing that take my mind seeing your post is the background of the image tough I guess than compared with the carpet and furniture, this is a rat of the size of a cat
I always believed that the brown rat was native of India, very interesting to learn that instead it was from northern China!

I wouldn't be surprised if it was also native to northern India, and other places in the region.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Lisowicia bojani Sulej et Niedźwiedzki, 2019

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Prehistoric Life
Year of Release: 2020
Size/Scale: Figure length 19.0 cm. Hip height 10.0 cm for a scale of approximately 1:20
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Leave it to CollectA to produce a cool prehistoric animal less than a year after it was formally described! The bottom jaw is articulated.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Triassic (Norian to Rhaetian) of modern-day Poland
Habitat: Tropical, freshwater wetlands
Diet: Plants
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Lisowicia bojani is the largest known non-mammalian synapsid. Why it became so large is unknown, but it could have been to compete for food with rhynchosaurs or as defense against larger predators, much like the sauropodomorphs at the time. Lisowicia bojani may have served the same ecological role of sauropodomorphs, the fossils of which are surprisingly lacking where L. bojani was found.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Istiophorus platypterus (Shaw, 1792) (Indo-Pacific sailfish)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Papo
Series: Marine Life
Year of Release: 2020
Size/Scale: Body length 13.0 cm, for a scale of 1:11.5-1:27
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This 2020 model is probably the only standard-sized figure readily available. Favorite Co. made a nice one also in 2020, but it is smaller, as is the 2019 Pelagic Fish TOOB figure by Safari Ltd.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific, Mediterranean Sea
Habitat: Pelagic, at depths of 0-350 meters, usually 10-30 meters
Diet: Fish, cephalopods
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Istiophorus platypterus uses visual forms of communication during the breeding season, including flashing body colors via chromatophores and movements of the dorsal fin. It is also an extremely fast fish, with an average cruising speed of 11 km/hr with bursts of speed up to 110 km/hr.

[JimoAi]

Species: Istiophorus platypterus (Shaw, 1792) (Indo-Pacific sailfish)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Papo
Series: Marine Life
Year of Release: 2020
Size/Scale: Body length 13.0 cm, for a scale of 1:11.5-1:27
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This 2020 model is probably the only standard-sized figure readily available. Favorite Co. made a nice one also in 2020, but it is smaller, as is the 2019 Pelagic Fish TOOB figure by Safari Ltd.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific, Mediterranean Sea
Habitat: Pelagic, at depths of 0-350 meters, usually 10-30 meters
Diet: Fish, cephalopods
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Istiophorus platypterus uses visual forms of communication during the breeding season, including flashing body colors via chromatophores and movements of the dorsal fin. It is also an extremely fast fish, with an average cruising speed of 11 km/hr with bursts of speed up to 110 km/hr.

I bought it but I did not put it in my collection due to the lack of a lateral keel which the colorata marlin has

[bmathison1972]

Species: Pandinoides cavimanus (Pocock, 1888)
Common name(s): Tanzanian red-clawed scorpion

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bandai
Series: Animal Kaiser
Year of Production: 2009
Size/Scale: Figure length 5.5 cm. Body length (including metastoma) 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:1.2-1:1.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was originally marketed as Pandinus cavimanus, before the elevation of Pandinoides to the genus level (see below). This is one of only two figures of P. cavimanus I am familiar with, and the only 'emperor' scorpion figures that do not represent Pandinus imperator.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Tanzania
Habitat: Arid Acacia-Commiphora savanna
Diet: Arthropods
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: In 2015, the subgenera of Pandinus (including Pandinoides) were elevated to the genus level. In 2016, Pandinoides was narrowly defined to include three East Africa species characterized by a marked concave depression in the retrodorsal surface of the pedipalp chela manus of the adult male. As presently defined, P. cavimanus is endemic to central Tanzania.

[Isidro]

elevation of Pandinoides to the genus level

[bmathison1972]

Species: Hippotragus niger variani Thomas, 1916 (giant sable antelope)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Mojö Fun
Series: Wildlife
Year of Release: 2012
Size/Scale: Figure length 11.0 cm. Height at shoulder 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:16.5-1:20
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: While Mojö Fun only made this male figure, CollectA made both male and female figures of this species.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central Angola, between the Cuango and Luando River Valleys
Habitat: Savanna woodlands, edges of grasslands, usually near water
Diet: Grasses, leaves, herbs, usually at specific heights (they tend to favor plants growing on termite mounds)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered (IUCN website and lists the species H. niger as Least Concern, but the subspecies H. niger variani is Critically Endangered.).
Miscellaneous Notes: Both male and female H. n. variani have horns, but exhibit sexual dimorphism in terms of color. Males (shown here) are black when mature, whereas females are chestnut-brown (except in some southern populations where the females are brown-black when mature).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Phacochoerus africanus (Gmelin, 1788) (common warthog)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: PNSO
Series: African Animals
Year of Release: 2018
Size/Scale: Figure length 8.0 cm. Height at should 3.5 cm for a scale of 1:18-1:24
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: When I started by non-arthropod synoptic collection in late 2018, I had a hard time deciding on a warthog figure. I initially went with the 2015 Papo figure, but found it too big. I then went with this PNSO figure, which I liked very much. When Safari Ltd. announced one in 2020 I was tempted to replace the PNSO figure, but then I learned that it, like Papo, was too big for my tastes. In 2021, Schleich released one. I was tempted again to replace the PNSO figure, but finally decided the PNSO figure suits my needs just fine. As it turns out, I did get the 2021 Schleich model, but only because it is advertised on their website as the desert warthog, P. aethiopicus.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Sub-Saharan Africa
Habitat: Open and wooded savannas, grass steppes, semi-deserts
Diet: Grasses, roots, bulbs, berries, fruit, bark of young trees, eggs, insects, carrion; rarely dung
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Phacochoerus africanus lives in family groups called soundings. There can be anywhere of up to 18 members in a sounding. Males will usually leave at age 2 or so, and become solitary or form bachelor groups. Pregnant females will temporarily leave the sounding to give birth alone in a burrow; this helps the young piglets regulate their body temperature.

[Isidro]

As it turns out, I did get the 2021 Schleich model, but only because it is advertised on their website as the desert warthog, P. aethiopicus.

For sure they just released this figure thinking just in "warthog" without more precission, stucked in the old times where both species was considered Ph. aethiopicus, being a monotypic genus.

[bmathison1972]

As it turns out, I did get the 2021 Schleich model, but only because it is advertised on their website as the desert warthog, P. aethiopicus.

For sure they just released this figure thinking just in "warthog" without more precission, stucked in the old times where both species was considered Ph. aethiopicus, being a monotypic genus.

I don't care - it's good enough for me 

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Vauxia sp.

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Cambrian Life TOOB
Year of Release: 2013
Size/Scale: Figure height 6.0 cm; scale 1:1-2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: To my knowledge, this extinct species is the only representative of the sponges (Porifera) in toy form (except for those that may show up in diorama-style bases).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Cambrian to Silurian of present-day North America
Habitat: Benthic
Diet: Nutrients extracted from the surrounding water.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Originally classified as a glass sponge, Vauxia is now considered a demosponge (the same group that includes bath sponges).

[JimoAi]

Species: †Vauxia sp.

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Cambrian Life TOOB
Year of Release: 2013
Size/Scale: Figure height 6.0 cm; scale 1:1-2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: To my knowledge, this extinct species is the only representative of the sponges (Porifera) in toy form (except for those that may show up in diorama-style bases).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Cambrian to Silurian of present-day North America
Habitat: Benthic
Diet: Nutrients extracted from the surrounding water.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Originally classified as a glass sponge, Vauxia is now considered a demosponge (the same group that includes bath sponges).

Spongebob's long lost granduncle!

[bmathison1972]

@JimoAi - I was actually going to make a comment (and tagging you) saying when it is the only sponge figure out there, it does not include Spongebob 

[JimoAi]

@JimoAi - I was actually going to make a comment (and tagging you) saying when it is the only sponge figure out there, it does not include Spongebob 

I remembered wanting to paint mine yellow as a gag to SpongeBob. Maybe someday

[Halichoeres]

Wow, it's the only toy prehistoric sponge I know, but I didn't realize that there were no extant ones either!

[bmathison1972]

Species: Megasoma actaeon (Linnaeus, 1758) (Actaeon beetle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King, standard series, small
Year of Release: unknown
Size/Scale: Length (including cephalic horn) 5.4 cm, for a scale of 1:2.5 for a major male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is our second look at M. actaeon in the Museum. The Sega 'small standard series' were 10 sets of 10 figures each, for a total of 100 figures representing roughly 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 here.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: South America
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Larvae feed in rotting logs; adults are attracted to overripe fruit and sap flows
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Large scarab beetles whose larvae develop in rotting wood often have long developmental cycles. The total develop time for M. actaeon from oviposition to emergence of the adult is about 2.8 years.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Postosuchus kirkpatricki Chatterjee, 1985

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Release: 2008
Size/Scale: Figure 18.7 cm long. Measured along midline, body 21.5 cm for a scale of 1:18.6 (in quadrupedal pose)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: In 2013, a study on Postosuchus' skeletal structure proposed that the animal was an obligate biped, essentially rendering this Safari sculpt outdated. Yet, this remains of the more popular Safari 'dinosaur' figures. So far, there have been no figures by any of the major manufacturers showing the updated pose, but I predict that won't last long.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Triassic (Carnian to Norian) of present-day North America
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical forests, riparian areas
Diet: Predator on other animals
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: When P. kirkpatricki was described in 1985, it was considered primarily a quadruped that could walk erect on two legs, albeit slowly. For most of its history it was considered a quadruped, until 2013 when a large-scale study on the skeletal structure of Postosuchus proposed it was an obligate biped, based heavily on the proportions of the limbs and that the weight-bearing sections of the spine were similar to several bipedal theropod dinosaurs.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Spilornis cheela Latham, 1790 (crested serpent eagle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Choco Q Animatales Series 10
Year of Release: 2005
Size/Scale: Figure height 5.5 cm. Body length roughly 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:7.8-1:10.8
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Being a Choco Q figure, assembly is required. Kaiyodo released this sculpt in two color forms, this one and one painted like an immature bird.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southeast Asia
Habitat: Forests, forest edges, tea plantations, wooded savannas, mangroves
Diet: Primarily reptiles; also birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Spilorinis cheela is a diurnal apex predator. When not hunting, the birds are usually seen perched atop high branches, surveying their territory.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Prosopocoilus inclinatus (Motschulsky, 1857)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Coca Cola
Series: unknown
Year of Release: unknown
Size/Scale: Base 3.5 cm in diameter. Body length (including mandibles) 6.0 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: Today is our fourth look at this commonly-made species in the Museum. I don't know much about this particular set. It was marketed and produced by Coca Cola, but I do not know who actually made the figures (Takara Tomy A.R.T.S., Bandai, and Sega are all possibilities). There are six species in the set that represent typical scarabaeoids made by Japanese companies, but they are relatively good quality. One side of the base has 'Coca Cola' and the other side has the Japanese name of the insect; the figures are safely removable from the base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan, Taiwan, Korean Peninsula
Habitat: Oak forests
Diet: Larvae breed in rotting logs of Quercus (oak); adults are attracted to sap flows.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: One of the most important roles of lucanid beetles in forest ecosystems is their ability to transport slime flux-associated microorganisms that assist in the decomposition of decaying wood. In addition, these beetles also carry phoretic nematodes that feed on these microorganisms; among the nematodes associated with P. inclinatus are Koerneria lucani and Pseudodiplogasteroides compositus.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Bathynomus giganteus Milne-Edwards, 1879 (giant deep-sea isopod)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Deep Sea Life
Year of Release: 2014
Size/Scale: Body length 3.7 cm for a scale of 1:5-1:13.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon (becoming more common)
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the third time we have seen this species in the Museum. Kaiyodo re-used this sculpt (or something heavily influenced by it) later in 2017 for the second set of the Deep Sea Creatures Aquarium Figure Collection. The figure is removable from its base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: West Atlantic Ocean, from the southeastern USA to northern Brazil
Habitat: Bathydemersal, at depths of 310-2140 meters (usually 365-730 meters)
Diet: Primarily a scavenger on dead animals on the sea floor
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: The distributional limits of B. giganteus are not well known. As strictly delineated, this species occurs in the West Atlantic around the Caribbean, southeastern USA, and northern South America. It is believed the Bathynomus in the Indo-Pacific are all other species in the genus. While there have been recent reports of this species from the North Indian Ocean and West Pacific, those records should be confirmed.