Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Hemicyclaspis murchinsoni Egerton, 1857

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Dinotales Series 3
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Body length 7.5 cm for a scale of approximately 1:2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Being an original Dinotales figure, some assembly is required. I believe this is the only figure of this species available by traditional commercial manufacturers; other figure I am aware of is a 3D-printed model available in Shapeways.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Upper Silurian or Early Devonian of present-day Canada, United Kingdom, Scandinavia
Habitat: Marine, benthic
Diet: unknown, possibly a detrivore
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Hemicyclaspis murchinsoni was a primitive jawless fish. The mouth was located on the underside of the head, suggesting the fish was a scavenger on the ocean floor.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Nymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758) (mourning cloak; Camberwell beauty)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Toy Major
Series: Butterflies
Year of Production: 1996
Size/Scale: Wingspan 6.8 cm, within scale 1:1 for a smaller specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The Toy Major butterflies are somewhat of an enigma. There are 12 sculpts, labeled A-L on the underside as well as the copyright year of 1996. Each sculpt has been painted multiple times, resulting in anywhere from 24-36 figures (maybe more?). Also, the different repaints may have been released over multiple years while retaining the 1996 mark. They were sold in sets of various numbers. They are not marketed at the species level, but most are painted to look like recognizable species. Several species produced by Toy Major have been produced by other companies of the same era (Club Earth, early Safari Ltd., etc.), as these companies tend to copy one another, and it is sometimes difficult to determine who came first. That being said, I am not aware of any other figures of this species.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Holarctic
Habitat: Riparian areas, open woodlands, parks, gardens, disturbed areas
Diet: Larvae feed on a variety of plants, including Salix (willow), Populus (aspen, cottonwood), Ulmus (elm), Betula (birch), Celtis (hackberry), Alnus (alder), and Rosa (wild rose); adults feed on tree sap and rotting fruit, occasionally flower nectar
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern [NaturServe status Secure]
Miscellaneous Notes: The larvae of N. antiopa are urticating caterpillars, meaning the spines on the body will sting human skin when touched, resulting in urticaria characterized by red, itchy welts.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Stegostoma tigrinum (Forster, 1781) (zebra shark)

About the Figure:
Manufacturers: CollectA; Safari Ltd.
Series: Sealife (CollectA); Wild Safari Sealife (Safari Ltd.)
Years of Production: 2013 (CollectA); 2007 (Safari Ltd.)
Size/Scale: Adult: body length 11.8 cm for a scale of 1:17.4. Juvenile: 13.0 cm for a scale of 1:8.2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon to rare
Miscellaneous Notes: I had originally bought the Safari figure, but upon learning it represented a juvenile, I bought the CollectA figure to replace it. However, I could not bring myself to part with the Safari figure, and so I kept them both. One of the rare instances where the 'synoptic non-arthropod' part of my collection isn't so synoptic; the same phenomenon occurred with the bowmouth guitarfish! I was debating on whether I should review these two separately or together, but since it's unlikely I'll buy another zebra shark figure, I decided to do them together. If one wants to design a life cycle for the zebra shark, Yowie Group produced a figure of an even younger juvenile specimen (zebra morphotype) in their Wild Water Series collection (see also below).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: Coral reefs, sandy lagoons; benthic, coastal, at depths of 0-90 meters (usually around 5-60 meters)
Diet: Primarily shelled mollusks, also crustaceans and small fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Stegostoma tigrinum goes through drastic morphologic changes during its development. Very young individuals are referred to as zebra morphotypes and have boldly-contrasting black and white bands. Intermediate forms are sandy-brown with pale bands intermixed with dark spots. Adults are sandy-beige with many tiny, irregular dark spots. A variation (sandy morphotype) has a swirled pattern with remnants of the transitional juvenile pattern.

[Gwangi]

I think I will also get the CollectA one at some point, since I already have the Yowie and Safari figures. Might as well complete the cycle!

[bmathison1972]

Species: Pyrochroa coccinea (Linnaeus, 1761) (black-headed cardinal beetle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wing Mau
Series: Insects
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length 5.0 cm for a scale of 3.5:1-2.5:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The Wing Mau Insects collection consists of 24 figures representing 23 species of beetles (there are two color variants of Adalia bipunctata). The figures have the Latin name printed on the underside. The figures seem to have been influenced by an Italian poster, Beetles, from 1992, as all the species are represented in that poster (including both variants of Adalia bipunctata) and have the same Latin names assigned to them (this poster hangs in my home office; I've had it since 1995). Figures in this set were also produced for Play Visions for their Habitat Earth line. Most of the species in this Wing Mau collection are unique as toys.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Europe, Western and Central Asia
Habitat: Woodlands, forest edges, gardens; often under bark of felled deciduous trees or on vegetation
Diet: Larvae feed on detritus, fungi, and scavenge under bark of dead trees; adults are predaceous on soft-bodied insects, but will also eat pollen
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: The bright red color of P. coccinea is an example of aposematic coloring, warning would-be predators that the beetle is toxic if eaten. Male P. coccinea can synthesize their own cantharidin and pass it to the female during mating.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus (Cope, 1872) (Colorado River cutthroat trout)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Replica Toy Fish
Series: 3 Inch Collection
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Body length 7.8 cm for a scale of 1:2.5-1:5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Replica Toy Fish produced two subspecies of cutthroat trout in 2015; this one and the greenback cutthroat trout (O. c. stomias), which was reviewed in the Museum back on November 14, 2020.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Green and Colorado River Basins in western North America; currently limited to tributaries in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado
Habitat: High-elevation coldwater mountain streams and rivers
Diet: Zooplankton, freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates, fish, amphibians
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated (NatureServe status is Vulnerable Subspecies)
Miscellaneous Notes: As with its greenback cousin, O. c. pleuriticus is threatened by over-fishing, habitat alteration brought about by mining, agriculture, and water development, plus the introduction of non-native salmonids, especially the brown trout (Salmo trutta).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Dynastes hercules (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hercules beetle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Wonder Figure Collection
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Body length (including horns) 5.5 cm for a scale of 1:3 for a major male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is third time we've seen D. hercules in the Museum, not a surprise considering it's probably the second most represented species in my collection (I am actually kinda surprised we've only seen it three times by now!). This figure was not released as part of the traditional Choco Q or Chocoegg lines, nor does it have a counterpart in either of those lines (completely different sculpt from the Furuta figure in the Chocoegg Funny Animals collection). Still, some assembly is required.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Bolivia
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Larvae feed on rotting wood; adults are attracted to fresh and overripe fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Dynastes hercules is reported to be able to lift 100x its own body weight, albeit not being capable of much mobility when doing so. It is no surprise it was named after the mythological Roman hero Hercules, who was known for his tremendous strength.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Ranatra chinensis Mayr, 1865

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: F-toys
Series: Creatures of the Waterside
Year of Production: 2008
Size/Scale: Total figure length 9.5 cm. Body length (minus appendages and respiratory siphon) 4.2 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Unique heteropterans; a rare treat indeed! The figure is removable from its habitat-style base; this same base design was used for two other species in the set.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia (India, Myanmar, China, Korea, Russia, Japan)
Habitat: Lentic, including lakes, ponds, unmaintained swimming pools, often around aquatic vegetation
Diet: Aquatic insects, tadpoles, small fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Ranatra species overwinter as adults in submerged leaf litter and debris. Eggs are laid in the spring and summer. Nymphs molt four times before becoming adults later in the summer and early fall. All stages are predaceous, the prey determined by the size of the instar.

[bmathison1972]

Whoa, I forgot to mention today is the one year anniversary of this thread! Only 361 posts though, because I missed a few days while traveling.

[Lanthanotus]

Whoa, I forgot to mention today is the one year anniversary of this thread! Only 361 posts though, because I missed a few days while traveling.

Well, that leaves you a goal for the next 365 days  ... no matter what, my congratulations

[Isidro]

Congrats for your first MM birthday! I hope you have figures for many more years to come!

[bmathison1972]

Species: Delias mysis (Fabricius, 1775) (Union Jack; red-banded Jezebel)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Club Earth
Series: Butterflies to Go
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Wingspan 7.0 cm, within scale 1:1 for a larger specimen.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare [see below]
Miscellaneous Notes: The Club Earth butterflies are marked with the common name on the underside of the wings. The figure on the left is by Club Earth; the one of the right is from a set by an unknown manufacturer. This set of 'unknown' butterflies consists of 12 species that are nearly identical to those produced by Club Earth. The only real difference is that they lack the common names printed on the underside of the figures. Otherwise, the quality of plastic and paint applications are nearly just as good as the CE figures. It is possible Club Earth was commissioned to make these for another distributor, or Club Earth and another company bought the rights to the same sculpts (or, these figures are just blatant knockoffs of the CE figures, who knows?). Interestingly, the 'unknown' company mixed up two of the paint jobs. If you look at the figures in this picture, the sculpts are not 100% identical. That is because they painted the sculpt for the monarch as a Union Jack, and vice versa (you may remember this from when I reviewed the two monarchs back on April 25, 2021).


About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northern Australia, Indonesia (Aru Islands; Merauke region, New Guinea)
Habitat: Rainforests, mangroves, swampland
Diet: Larvae feed on plants in the genus Dendrophthoe (mistletoe); adults take nectar from flowers
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Delias mysis is an extremely variable species, especially with regards to the color on the underside of the wings. As such, many subspecies have been described over the years. In 2008, D. lara was given full species status, with four additional subspecies, for most populations occuring throughout New Guinea. Delias mysis proper is now confined to northern Australia, with additional populations on the Aru Islands and Merauke region of extreme southwest New Guinea; both species overlap in the Merauke region. Without having the underside of the wings painted, these figures could represent either D. mysis or D. lara; however, they are good examples of D. mysis proper, so there is no need to question or change their identity.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Buergeria buergeri (Temminch et Schlegel, 1838) (Kajika frog; Buerger's frog)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Natural Monuments of Japan
Year of Production: 2003
Size/Scale: Base 4.3 cm long. Snout-to-vent length about 3.8 cm, within 1:1 scale for a small male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Some assembly is required and the frog is not removable from its base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan
Habitat: Riparian areas in montane forests
Diet: Tadpoles eat algae; adults eat invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes:Buergeria buergeri is popular as a pet in Japan; in the Edo period they were kept in special 'Kajika' cages. The name kaijika comes from the sound it makes, reminiscent of a deer (ojika).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Bathothauma lyromma Chun, 1906 (lyre cranch squid; glass squid)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Deep Sea Creatures TOOB
Year of Production: 2014
Size/Scale: Figure length 9.0 cm. Mantle length 4.0 cm for a scale of 1:1.5-1:2.5 for a paralarva (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure represents the paralarva stage of the squid (the paralarva is a planktonic stage between the hatchling and subadult). Also interesting is the inclusion of this stage is a set featuring 'deep sea' creatures, as it's the adult that lives in the lower depths (see below).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Worldwide in tropical and subtropical oceans
Habitat: Pelagic, at depths of 100-1250 meters
Diet: Paralarvae feed on zooplankton; adults are predaceous
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: The paralarva stage shown here usually lives in the water column between 100-300 meters. As they mature, they live deeper in the ocean, with adults being essentially benthic at the lower depths.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Dorcus hopei binodulosus Waterhouse, 1874

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kabaya
Series: Insect Directory
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Base 5.5 cm long. Body length (including mandibles) 4.4 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen D. h. binodulosus in the Museum; it's probably the third most commonly represented species in my collection (certainly top 5). This figure has a habitat-style base (as do all the figures in the Insect Directory collection) from which it can be removed.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan, Korean Peninsula
Habitat: Broadleaf forests
Diet: Larvae breed in rotting wood; adults feed on tree sap
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Dorcus hopei binodulosus is very popular in the beetle-breeding hobby and is easy to rear.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Idolomantis diabolica (Saussure, 1869) (giant Devil's flower mantis)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bandai Spirits
Series: Insects in the World
Year of Production: 2021
Size/Scale: Total figure height 19.0 cm. Body length 13.0 cm, 1:1 scale for a large female specimen (based on the length of the antennae, this figure is female)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: To date, all of the Bandai Spirits insects from their 2020 and 2021 collections are in the 1:1 scale. Despite its size, no assembly is required. It stands on its own just fine, but comes with a clear acrylic block to aid in support (could be especially helpful over time as the terminal portions of the legs are not as hard as the body).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East-central Africa
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Flying insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Idolomantis diabolica is one of the largest, if not the largest, species of flower-mimicking mantids. It preys almost exclusively on flying insects, as it spends most of its time motionless, looking like a flower; it does not actively pursue and hunt like many other mantids.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Lucanus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758) (European stag beetle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: K&M International
Series: Wild Republic - European Garden Nature Tube
Year of Production: 2006
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) 4.6 cm, roughly 1:1.5-1:2 for a major male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen L. cervus in the Museum. K&M International released both 'European' and 'American' versions of Garden Tubes in 2006, with very different species compositions. Lucanus elaphus (the American cousin to L. cervus) was not included in the American version. Also, the overall quality appears better in the European set.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Europe, east to the Middle East and Central Asia
Habitat: Old-growth hardwood forests
Diet: Larvae feed in rotting wood of hardwood trees, particularly Quercus (oak), but also Tilia (lime), Fagus (beech), Acer (maple), Populus (poplar), and Fraxinus (ash), among several others; also rotting timber, bark chippings, compost heaps in gardens, and other detritus. Adults feed on nectar and tree sap.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: Larvae of L. cervus require large, old trees in which to develop. The destruction of old-growth forests throughout Europe has lead to a substantial decline in the beetle's population. It is extinct in some European countries and very rare in many others. It is now protected throughout much of its range.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Sula nebouxii Milne-Edwards, 1882 (blue-footed booby)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wings of the World
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Height 6.5 cm. Measured along spine, body length approximately 10.5 cm for a scale of 1:7.7
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Safari made a smaller version of this species for their Galapagos and Pacific TOOBs, but in a different posture.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Pacific; breeds along the Sea of Cortez, coastal Central and northern South America, and the Galapagos Islands
Habitat: Pelagic; breeds on arid coastal islands
Diet: Fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Sula nebouxii does not build a nest; eggs are laid in a shallow depression on the ground. Egg clutches vary from 3-5 eggs, but the eggs are not laid at the same time, so the chicks hatch at different times. This sometimes results in siblicide whereby the chick born first will kill subsequent hatchlings when food is scarce.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Passer montanus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Eurasian tree sparrow)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kitan Club
Series: Nature Techni Colour - Nature of Japan Vol. 3
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Body length 5.4 cm for a scale of approximately 1:2.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: I cannot remember if assembly is required (and it's hard to tell looking at it!). Kaiyodo also made this species for their Choco Q Animatales series and Eikoh made it for their Miniatureplanet series.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Native to much of Palearctic; introduced to and established in Australia, eastern USA (St. Louis area), Sardinia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Micronesia
Habitat: Wetlands, open woodlands, fields, coasts, gardens, disturbed areas
Diet: Seeds, sometimes invertebrates; young are fed invertebrates by the parents
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: In some places, especially places where it is not native, P. montanus is considered an agricultural pest, as it damages cereal crops and eats animal feed and stored grain. In other places its considered beneficial by eating and harvesting insect garden and crop pests.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Cricetus cricetus (Linnaeus, 1758) (European hamster; black-bellied hamster)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Hamster's Lunch
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Bottlecap base 3.5 cm. Height (on base) 5.5 cm. Body length approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 1:4-1:5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique to rare
Miscellaneous Notes: I am not sure how frequently this species has been made, taking into account generic hamster figures. No assembly is required and the animal is removable from its base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central Europe east to northern China and southern Russia
Habitat: Steppes, grasslands, agricultural fields, parks, gardens, cemeteries
Diet: Grasses, seeds, grains, fruits, legumes; opportunistically insects and other invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Generally a solitary animal, C. cricetus lives in a complex burrow system. Burrows can be up to 30-60 cm deep in the summer, but during the winter diapause they are usually only about 2 meters underground. The burrows have a diameter of about 8-9 cm and consist of a complex system that includes dwelling, food storage, and latrine chambers. The burrows offer protection from predators, which include birds of prey, owls, foxes, stoats, badgers, and in urban areas, cats and dogs.