Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Species: Myrmecia nigriceps Mayr, 1862 (black-headed bull ant)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: 4D Master
Series:  Bug & Creature World
Year of Production: 2005
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 11.0 cm for a scale of 5.8:1-4.8:1 for an average-sized worker
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was sold as a bulldog ant; the species-specific identification of M. nicriceps is my own, based on color and shape. However, from what I can tell, the color of the abdomen isn't typical for any species of Myrmecia. Being a puzzle figure, substantial assembly is required; this particular model comes in 23 pieces. In the final product, the mandibles are articulated.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Australia
Habitat: Deserts, woodland, plateaus, hilly areas, coastal areas; often in locations with shrubby vegetation
Diet: Larvae feed on insects and other invertebrates provided by workers; adults feed on nectar and honeydew
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Bulldog ants are known for their painful stings. Myrmecia nigriceps has a median lethal dose (LD50) of 7.3 mg/kg, which is relatively weak compared to some other species in the genus. Still, human deaths have occured due to allergic reactions to its venom.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Macaca fuscata Blyth, 1875 (Japanese macaque; snow monkey)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Natural Monuments of Japan
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Body length 4.0 cm for a scale of 1:14.25 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This species is not uncommonly made; however, the vast majority of the figures are by Japanese manufacturers and are therefore gashapon-sized. Today's figure probably represents one of the two largest, along with the 2013 Kitan Club version. The figure is removable from its base but would need some support to display in a realistic pose. The scale above is based on 57 cm, which I find is used interchangeably online as an average for both height and head-to-body length for a male (which this figure appears to be sculpted as).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan; a feral population occurs in Texas, USA
Habitat: Subtropical and subalpine mixed-evergreen and broadleaf forests
Diet: General omnivore, diet varies based on distribution and season. In the spring and summer primarily fruit, flowers, young leaves, nectar, seeds, invertebrates; in the winter primarily fibrous mature leaves and herbs
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Macaca fuscata lives in matrilineal troops, whereby females stay with their natal clan for life. A troop may contain adult males, but they generally leave as they become sexually mature. A troop will possess a single alpha male, but social bonds between females exceed those of the male. There is a hierarchal structure among females, and daughters inherit the rank of their mothers. Higher-ranking females have access to food first and thus secure the more nutritious foods, ensuring success for their offspring.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Gekko japonicus (Schlegel in Duméril & Bibron, 1836) (Schlegel's Japanese gecko)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Ikimon
Series: Nature Techni Colour - Lizards and Geckos
Year of Production: 2015 (2010)
Size/Scale: Figure length 5.0 cm. Snout-to-vent length 4.0 cm for a scale of 1:1.85
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was sold as both a magnet (as mine is) and a strap figure; a second design in the set included the gecko consuming a moth. The set has been released three times, originally in 2010 by Kitan Club and then again in 2015 and 2021 by Ikimon after they took over the Nature Techni Colour line from Kitan Club. Otherwise, the only other figure of this species I am aware of is by Kaiyodo in the Choco Q Animatales line.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia (East China, South Korea, Japan)
Habitat: Montane woodlands, suburban areas, parks, gardens, houses
Diet: Arthropods
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Gekko japonicus is an anthropophilic species and will enter houses and feed on insects and other arthropods that have colonized human habitations. In Japan, where the lizard is known as yamori, it is considered a sign of good luck to find it in one's home.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Morpho menelaus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Menelaus blue morpho)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kabaya
Series: World Insect Series 1
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Wingspan 7.2 cm for a scale of 1:1.4-1:1.7
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fifth species of Morpho showcased in the Museum. The butterfly is removable from its black acrylic base, but it leaves two tall pegs on the underside.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central and northern South America
Habitat: Rainforest, tropical savanna
Diet: Larvae feed on plants in the genera Erythroxylium and Machaerium; adults take fluids from overripe fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Males of M. menelaus are typically found in clearings or in the canopy; females tend to hang out in the forest understory until it's time for mating and oviposition. Adults typically emerge toward the end of the rainy season to avoid physical harm to their wings by heavy rain.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Pandinus imperator (Koch, 1842) (emperor scorpion)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Aqua Night Museum
Year of Release: unknown
Size/Scale: Total figure height 6.0 cm. Height without the LED base 4.5 cm. Body length 6.5 cm for a scale of 1:3
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen P. imperator in the Museum. Figures in this set come with a base that has an LED light that illuminates the figure. From what I can tell, the scorpion is not removable from its base (I have not tried for fear of breakage).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: West Africa
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Insects and other arthropods; occasionally small vertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Pandinus imperator has a relatively mild sting. Several channel toxins have been isolated from the vemon of P. imperator, including Pi1, Pi2, Pi3, Pi4, and Pi7. It has been suggested there is an inverse relationship between the size of a scorpion's claws and the potency of its venom. Generally speaking, scorpions with large claws for subduing prey, such as P. imperator, do not need as strong of a venom, whereas scorpions with small and slender claws need a more potent venom for immobilizing prey. This isn't always the case, but is a general rule-of-thumb.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Cyprinodon diabolis Wales, 1930 (Devils Hole pupfish)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yowie Group
Series: All Americas Series
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Body length 6.0 cm for a scale of 2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The All American Series features animals from North, Central, and South America, as well as surrounding islands, that are seriously threatened due to habitat destruction or pollution.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Devils Hole Pool in the Amargosa Desert, Nevada, USA
Habitat: Freshwater geothermal pool
Diet: Inorganic particulate matter, algae, freshwater invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: The origins and age of C. diabolis are unknown. It is believed Devils Hole formed around 60,000 year ago, so the species is certainly younger than that. Cyprinodon diabolis is believed to share a common ancestor with the Amargosa pupfish (C. nevadensis) and that the two species diverged between 217 and 2,530 years ago. It is believed to have colonized Devils Hole within the past 1,000 years, but how it got there is unknown. Theories include arriving via subterranean waters or introduction by indigenous Americans who used pupfish as a food source.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Felis margarita Loche, 1858 (sand cat)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Beauty of Beasts
Series: The Complete Feline Series
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding tail) 4.5 cm for a scale of approximately 1:8.7-1:11.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in the Beauty of Beasts collections are resin figures handmade by a Canadian artist and sold on Etsy. The Complete Feline Series includes every species of wild felid. There are also collections of 1:10 canids, 1:20 tapirs, and various other animals. Because they are handmade resin figures, they are much more expensive than PVC toys; I bought a few for proof-of-concept to see if I'd like them (which of course I do). I am sure I will get more over time...

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northern Africa (Sahara Desert), Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia
Habitat: Deserts
Diet: Small animals, including rodents, lagomorphs, reptiles, birds, and invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Felis margarita is the only felid wholly adapted to living in deserts. It has several morphological adaptations for living in deserts, including fur color that provides camouflage in an arid environment, long hairs on the pads of the feet that insulate against extreme heat and cold fluctuations as well as increasing maneuverbility on sand, and large ear pinnae which protect its ears from blowing sand.

[Gwangi]

I'm gonna have to track down that Devils Hole pupfish. Figures like that make me wish I got on board the Yowie train sooner.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Megasoma elephas (Fabricius, 1775) (elephant beetle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King - standard series, small
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding cephalic horn) 4.0 cm for a scale of 1:2 for a major male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is our third look at M. elephas 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: Central America and northern South America
Habitat: Rainforests, plantations
Diet: Larvae feed on detritus in rotting logs and tree stumps, under bark, and in tree holes; adults feed on sap and overripe fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Depending on the metrics used, M. elephas is one of the largest or bulkiest insects in the world. Males can reach nearly 13 centimeters (including the cephalic horn) and weigh 50-70 grams.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Pteropus livingstonii Gray, 1866 (Livingston's flying fox; Comoro black flying fox)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yowie Group
Series: Colors of the Animal Kingdom
Year of Production: 2019
Size/Scale: Total figure height 5.6 cm. Body length approximately 4.2 cm for a scale of 1:7
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure is well sculpted and can stand (on its head) without support. It's always nice to get a small bat figure identified at the species level.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Endemic to the Comoros Islands of Anjouan and Mohéli
Habitat: Dense, old-growth, montane forests
Diet: Fruit, especially of the giant-leaved fig (Ficus lutea); also pollen, nectar, seeds, leaves.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Pteropus livingstonii roosts in old growth trees in a very narrow midaltitudinal elevation. The species is polygynous; females will mate with more than one male during their lifetime and males will mate with as many females as possible. Females give birth to a single pup that becomes weaned within 4-6 months of being born. Males play no role in the rearing of offspring.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Diplodocus carnegii Hatcher, 1901

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 60 cm for a scale of roughly 1:40-1:45
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: The scale above is calculated based on a length of 24-27 meters. This is a fairly accurate figure for when it was released. It looks like there are five claws on the rear left foot and four on the right rear foot(should only be three each), but I think the painter just got carried away; the sculpt itself appears to have only three claws.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) of present-day western North America
Habitat: Open woodlands, forest edges, meadows, swampy lowlands
Diet: Plants
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [Prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Diplodocus is known for its very long tail, with upwards of around 80 caudal vertebrae. It has been suggested that the long tail may have been used for defensive purposes, functioning essentially as a whip, whether for physical contact or to simply make threatening noises. It has also been suggested that the long tail is used as counterbalance for the long neck (or the long neck is counterbalance for the defensive tail!).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Nectria ocellata Perrier, 1876 (ocellate sea star)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Starfish
Year of Production: 1996
Size/Scale: Armspan 5.7 cm for a scale of 1:4.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique (as a sculpt, see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: The Play Visions starfish were also released by an unknown (?) company that are just as good as the originals, at least in terms of the quality of the plastic and the paint jobs. The only difference is that figures in this other release doesn't have the common English name stamped on the underside, as Play Visions' figures do. They are marked with 'S.H.' however, which could refer to the Hong Kong-based company, Shing Hing Toys. It is likely this second company worked with whoever originally produced the PV figures (assuming they didn't produce them themselves). Today's figure is one of those specifically marketed by Play Visions, but a couple that are likely to come up in the future are from this alternate set/company.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southern Australia
Habitat: Coastal, intertidal; usually rocky areas and reefs at depths of 5-230 meters
Diet: Benthic marine invertebrates (especially sponges and ascidians)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other starfish, N. ocellata is capable of regenerating lost limbs.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Aonyx cinereus (Illiger, 1815) (Asian small-clawed otter)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Wild Rush 04
Year of Production: 2019
Size/Scale: Head-and-body length (excluding tail) 5.2 cm for a scale of 1:7.8-1:12.2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Unlike many Kaiyodo figures, no assembly is required. Kaiyodo also made this species for one of their many aquarium sets, and there are also representatives by Colorata and Cadbury for both the Australian and UK series of Yowies.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southeast Asia
Habitat: Freshwater rivers and streams, coastal wetlands, mangroves, tide pools, canals, ditches, rice paddies
Diet: Primarily freshwater mollusks, crustaceans, and fish; also snakes, frogs, rodents, and insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes: Aonyx cinereus is the smallest extant species of otter. It is known for its short claws; it is morphologically adapted for digging in mud to find freshwater and intertidal bivalves and crabs.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Tripneustes gratilla (Linnaeus, 1758) (collector urchin)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Ikimon
Series: Nature Techni Colour - Sand Dollars and Sea Urchins
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Diameter 4.5 cm for a scale of 1:2.2-1:6 for a mature specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (unique as a sculpt, see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in this collection represent the dried test of sand dollars and sea urchins, rather than the intact living animal. They were also sold as keychains or (as in today's figure) magnets. I suspect they were cast from actual specimens.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea, Bahamas
Habitat: Coral reefs, seagrass beds, macroalgae forests on open seabed; at depths of 2-30 meters
Diet: Algae, periphyton, seagrass
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Tripneustes gratilla has been used as a biocontrol agent for the control of invasive seaweeds, such as Kappaphycus (smothering seaweed) in Hawaii.

[bmathison1972]

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

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: DeAgostini
Series: World Insect Data Book
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) 8.5 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fourth species of Hexarthrius seen in the Museum. The DeAgostini figures are cast from actual specimens and are therefore all in the 1:1 range. The figures were sold as premiums with books and come in a plastic display box with their Latin and Japanese names. I am not sure what year the figures were released, and it is possible they were released over multiple years. The original set from Japan consisted of 60 species (59 male Scarabaeoidea and one dragonfly), plus four 'secret' figures representing females of select scarab males. When the set was released in Italy, three of the standard set were replaced with other species, including a leaf insect. Between the two releases and secrets, I think there are 67 figures total representing 63 species. The figures are secured to the base of the box with a small screw, but can be safely removed if one choses to display them outside of the box.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southeast Asia
Habitat: Tropical broadleaf forests
Diet: Larvae feed in rotting hardwoods; adults are attracted to tree sap and overripe fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: The life cycle of H. parryi lasts about 12-18 months. Gravid females lay eggs in rotting wood, which the developing larvae feed on. Larvae pupate in 6-9 months and adults emerge about one month of pupation. Adults will live for about 6-8 months.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Deinopis subrufa Koch, 1879 (rufous net-casting spider)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Series: Yowies Series 4
Year of Production: 1999
Size/Scale: Legspan 10.5 cm. Body length 3.4 cm for a scale of 1.4:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: To my knowledge, this is the only figure of a spider in the family Deinopidae (ogre-faced spiders). Being one of the original Australian Yowies, assembly is required.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Australia, primarily in the East and Tasmania
Habitat: Woodland, heathland, parks, gardens, exterior of houses and other manmade structures
Diet: Insects and arachnids
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other members of the family Deinopidae, D. rubrufa is known for its interesting method of capturing prey. The spider creates a cast net-like structure out of webbing that it holds with its front two pairs of legs. When potential prey approaches, the web is stretched 2-3 times its relaxed size and thrown at the target. Deinopids also have very large posterior median eyes, giving them excellent vision at night.

[bmathison1972]

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

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Nihon Auto Toy
Series: Deep Sea Mini Strap Figure
Year of Release: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length 4.0 cm for a scale of 1:4.75-1:12.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fourth time we have seen B. giganteus in the Museum. I don't know much about this figure; I bought it singly on the Japanese Yahoo! auctions years ago. As the name suggests, it is a 'strap' figure but removal of the strap doesn't leave any obvious unsightly holes. According to the accompanying tag, it is one of three figures in a set.

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: Mated females of B. giganteus rear their developing young in a pouch-like structure called a marsupium. The developing isopods stay in the marsupium through the larval stage and emerge as miniature versions of the adults called manca (although they lack the seventh pair of legs).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Mimoides euryleon (Hewitson, 1856) (false cattleheart swallowtail)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: unknown
Series: unknown
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Wingspan 9.5 cm for a scale of 1.4:1-1.2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): presumably unique
Miscellaneous Notes: I know nothing about this toy, including who made it or when it was produced. I bought mine at a gift shop at a state park in Georgia where I happened to be for the purpose of running a 10K trail race. The species designation is my own, based on forum member suggestions.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central and South America (Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador)
Habitat: Montane rainforest
Diet: Larvae feed on plants in the genera Annona and Guatteria; adults take nectar from flowers
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Most populations of M. euryleon live in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador at elevations of 600-1600 meters. The northernmost subspecies (M. e. clusoculis) occurs in southern Central America in Costa Rica and Panama.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Prosopocoilus inclinatus (Motschulsky, 1857)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King - Insect Kingdom
Year of Release: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) 5.5 cm, within scale 1:1 for a smaller male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: Today is our seventh look at this commonly-made species in the Museum. Figures in the Insect Kingdom collection come with a flat plastic base that holds a placard with biological information in Japanese and the beetle's Latin name (see inset). The figures sit loosely on the bases and the bases appear to interconnect, having the ability to form one large 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: Like many other scarabaeoid beetles, P. inclinatus has a long developmental cycle in the larval substrate. Development from egg to adult takes 1-2 years. Adults live only 3-4 months and cannot survive the winter.

[bmathison1972]

I meant to mention that March was a very taxonomically diverse month. The first month in a long time where every major group was represented (Plankton/Protozoa, Misc. Inverts, Arthropods, Amphibians, Fish, Dinosaurs, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals). And arthropods were only slightly in the minority for a second month in a row.