Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Species: Rosalia batesi Harold, 1877

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Insects of Japan Series 1
Year of Production: 2005
Size/Scale: Wood base 6.0 cm across its widest points. Body length (excluding appendages) 2.5 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is our second time seeing R. batesi in the Museum. Some assembly is required. The beetle is removable from its base but it would leave a small peg under 1-2 of the legs. The Insects of Japan figures (at least their bodies) appear to be cast from actual specimens and are therefore all in the 1:1 scale range.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan
Habitat: Montane and subalpine forests
Diet: Larvae bore in dead wood of several hardwood trees, including Salix (willow), Juglans (walnut), Pterocarya (wingnuts), Betula (birch), Carpinus (hornbeans), Fagus (beech), Ulmus (elm), Magnolia (magnolia), Cercidiphyllum (katsura), Acer (maple), Hovenia (raisin tree), and Styrax (storax); also lumber and firewood. Adults feed on flowers.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: The length of time for larval development of R. batesi is unknown, but it is believed larvae are capable of hibernating in their host substrate, thus taking multiple years for adults to emerge in some cases. Adults have emerged indoors from wood that has not been outside in over five years, suggesting that larvae may be capable of slowing and prolonging larval development in dry wood.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) (red swamp crayfish; Louisiana crayfish)

About the Figure:
Manufacturers: Yujin; Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.
Series: Primary Colour Crustaceans Book
Years of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) 4.5 cm for a scale of 1:1.2-1:2.6
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon to common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen P. clarkii in the Museum. The green version was one of the secret/chase figures in the original Primary Colour Crustaceans Book collection released by Yujin. After Takara acquired the line and re-released the set, they added the red figure to the main set and repainted the green figure white for a new secret/chase figure. All three figures require assembly.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: South-central United States and adjacent Mexico; introduced to and established in other areas of North America, Hawaii, Europe, Africa, Asia, Japan
Habitat: Slow-moving rivers, freshwater lakes, swamps, marshes, reservoirs, irrigation canals and ditches, rice paddies
Diet: Aquatic invertebrates, tadpoles, small fish, fish eggs, carrion, plant material, detritus
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Procambarus clarkii is a very popular food item in the Southeastern United States, especially in Louisiana where the species is native. Crawfish boils are very popular at social gatherings, where the crayfish are boiled in large pots with heavy seasonings and vegetables. Procambarus clarkii is farmed in other parts of the world for food as well, particularly in Asia. By 2018, 93% of the crayfish farms were located in Louisiana, but crayfish farmed in the US represented only 4% of the global supply as Asian farms dominated the market for their local demands.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Tokudaia osimensis (Abe, 1934) (Ryukyu spiny rat)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Natural Monuments of Japan
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Total figure length 6.5 cm. Head-and-body length (excluding tail) 4.0 cm for a scale of 1:2.2-1:4
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Kaiyodo only marketed this figure at the genus level, mentioning only two species, T. osimensis and T. muenninki (a third species, T. tokunoshimensis, was undescribed at the time the figure was produced). The magazine that came with the figure has a map showing all three islands that members of the genus occur on (see below), so the figure could realistically represent any one of the three. Thanks to Brett and Dirk for helping me figure it out! I chose to have my figure represent T. osimensis since it is the type species of the genus. Minimal assembly is required and the figure is removable from its habitat-style base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Amami Ōshima Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan
Habitat: Subtropical broadleaf forest
Diet: Nuts, seeds, insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Members of the genus Tokudaia are broadly referred to as Ryukyu spiny rats. There are three species, all endemic to various Japanese islands: T. muenninki (Okinawa), T. osimensis (Amami Ōshima), and T. tokunoshimensis (Tokunoshima). Members of this genus possess very unusual karyotypes; males of T. osimensis and T. tokunoshimensis lack Y chromosomes and the sex chromosomes of T. muenninki are abnormally large.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Liocheles australasiae (Fabricius, 1775) (dwarf wood scorpion)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.
Series: Scorpions
Year of Production: 2012
Size/Scale: Wood base 3.5 cm long. Body length difficult to measure due to coiled nature of tail, but roughly 3.0 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The scorpion sits loosely on its habitat-style base (although I have glued mine to its base to make a permanent diorama). The figure also comes with a flat, round, amber-colored base (see inset) with the Latin name, Japanese name, and degree of toxicity on a 1-5 scale using skulls-and-crossbones. Notice also the Latin name is spelled incorrectly on the base!

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical forest, usually in decaying trees, under bark, under rocks, and in the leaf axils of coconut palms
Diet: Insects and other small terrestrial invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Liocheles australasiae is parthenogenetic, meaning females can produce offspring in the absence of males. Sexual reproduction between a male and a female is preferred however, to ensure genetic diversity. There is very little data on the toxicity of the venom of L. australasiae to humans, as its aculeus (stinger) often cannot penetrate human skin!

[bmathison1972]

Species: Mecynorhina polyphemus (Fabricius, 1781) (Polyphemus beetle; giant African fruit beetle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: DeAgostini
Series: World Insect Data Book
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (including cephalic horn) 6.5 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: 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: West Africa
Habitat: Tropical rainforest
Diet: Larvae feed on decomposing vegetation and detritus in soil; adults feed on overripe fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Mecynorhina polyphemus is sexually dimorphic, and only males possess the forked cephalic horn as seen here today.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Heliconius charithonia (Linnaeus, 1767) (zebra longwing)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Club Earth
Series: Caterpillars to Go
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Length 8.5 cm for a scale of 2.8:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen H. charithonia in the Museum; the last time was fairly recently (February 10, 2022), when we saw an adult butterfly by Innovative Kids. These are the only two figures of this species I am aware of.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Extreme southern USA (s. Texas, Florida), Central and South America, West Indies
Habitat: Rainforest, tropical hammocks, riparian areas
Diet: Larvae feed on plants in the genus Passiflora (passionflower); adults feed on pollen and nectar
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated (NatureServe status is Secure)
Miscellaneous Notes: The constrasting black and white coloration of the larvae of H. charinthonia is an example of aposematic coloring, whereby bright or bold colors warn would-be predators the caterpillar is poisonous or distasteful if eaten.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Ryuthela nishihirai (Haupt, 1979)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Capsule Q Museum - Okinawa
Year of Production: 2013
Size/Scale: Legspan 5.0 cm. Carapace length 1.5 cm for a scale of 3:1-2.3:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Being a Capsule Q Museum figure, assembly is required.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Okinawa Island, Japan
Habitat: Woodlands and other habitats with appropriate soil for trapdoor construction
Diet: Terrestrial arthropods
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Ryuthela nishihirai belongs to the family Liphistiidae, which is considered the most primitive clade of extant spiders; members of this family are the only spiders with remnants of segmentation on the abdomen (all other spiders have unsegmented abdomens). Historically, all populations of Ryuthela on Okinawa Island were believed to be R. mishihirai; however in 2017, a phylogenetic analysis of the genus using molecular markers resulted in the description of six additional cryptic species: R. henoko, R. kisenbaru, R. motobu, R. nago, R. shimojanai, and R. unten. In theory, this figure could probably represent any of the seven species, but I am taking a conservative approach and sticking with the original R. nishihirai, as it's the type species for the genus.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Carabus insulicola Chaudoir, 1869

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: unknown
Series: unknown
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length 3.0 cm, within scale 1:1 for a large specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: I know nothing about this set: who made it, when it came out, or how many figures are in it (I have 10). I bought them from forum member Beetle guy, who had gotten them in a large lot online. Individual figures appear to be composite with wire appendages. They come nestled in synthetic cotton in a box that measures 5.0 cm x 3.5 cm x 1.7 cm. The box is hard plastic, but the clear top is softer and taped secure (see inset left). The boxes have grooves and can be connected to one another. The back of box has the animal's name and biological information in Japanese (see inset right). I display mine in the boxes, but will remove them for photographing for this thread. Not the typical figures collected my most of us, but the set offers some unusual and unique taxa.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan
Habitat: Montane and subalpine forests
Diet: Earthworms and other soft-bodied terrestrial invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Carabus insulicola overwinters as unmated adults. The adults emerge in the spring and mate from May-July. Larvae mature throughout the summer and new adults emerge in the late summer and fall.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Uintatherium anceps (Marsh, 1871)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Figure length 12.0 cm. Height at shoulder 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:24
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: There are only two recent standard-sized figures of this species, this one and a version by CollectA that was released a year earlier. The CollectA one is a little more dynamic and flashy, but I feel this Safari figure probably better captures what the animal may have looked like.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Early to Middle Eocene of present-day western North America
Habitat: Forest edges, marshes, plains
Diet: Plants
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Uintatherium anceps was sexually dimorphic; only males possessed the three rows of knobs on the dorsal surface of the head. This is an indication they were probably used as weapons for fighting off rival males or sexual display for attracting females. Another sign of sexual dimorphism is the enlarged canine teeth, which are longer in males than females.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Anisolabis maritima (Bonelli, 1832) (maritime earwig)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Capsule Q Museum - Backyard Creatures: Soil Organisms
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) 4.5 cm for a scale of 1.8:1-1.5:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Earwigs are extremely rare in toy/figure form, and this one may be the first from a major company since the now vintage monochromatic Schleich 'mini' figure that came out sometime between the 1960s and 1990s. Minimal assembly required.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Nearly cosmopolitan; believed native to Asia and introduced worldwide by international commerce
Habitat: Upper littoral zone of rocky shores and beaches
Diet: Terrestrial invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like most earwigs, A. maritima exhibits parental care. Females tend to nests in subterranean burrows and will bring food to feed her young. On occasion, the mother will engage in filial cannibalism and eat some of her offspring. It is believed this increases the chances of her other offspring to succeed. The mother will often eat the younger offspring, which shortens the time required for carrying for the young.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Mesotopus tarandus (Swederus, 1787)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King
Year of Production: 2003
Size/Scale: Base 4.5 cm long by 3.5 cm wide. Body length (including mandibles) 5.8 cm for a scale of 1:1.2 for a large major male, but probably within scale 1:1 for a male with this morphotype
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is our sixth look at M. tarandus in the Museum. Figures in this Mushi King collection shown here are affixed to a base simulating wood; the figures can swivel on the base but cannot be removed from it (at least not safely or easily, from what I can tell).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Equatorial West Africa (Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ghana)
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Larvae breed in rotting logs colonized by very specific fungi; adult feeding habits not well-documented but probably attracted to sap flows.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Commonly called the 'African Demon', M. tarandus is one of the largest stag beetles in Africa. That is probably why it is the only African species routinely made by Japanese companies. It is also cultivated in terraria, but can be difficult to rear because it requires a substrate supplemented with specific fungi.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Goliathus cacicus (Olivier, 1789) (chief Goliath)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: K&M International
Series: Wild Republic - Destination Record Breakers Adventure Tube
Year of Production: 2000
Size/Scale: Body length 4.5 cm for a scale of 1:1-1:2 (closer to 1:2 for a major male)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in this collection represented 'record breakers' (largest this, fastest that). Figures in this set have become very rare over the years and they are among the most sought-after by collectors of K&M merchandise. This is the only insect in the set, representing Goliathus which are often regarded as the heaviest insects. The figure was only stamped as a Goliath beetle, and the species identification is my own based on color.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: West Africa
Habitat: Rainforest, tropical savanna
Diet: Larvae live in soil and feed on detritus; adults are attracted to ripe fruit and sap flows on trees
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: There are specimens of Goliathus from Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast referred to as 'G. atlas' that are believed to be hybrids of G. cacicus and G. regius; male specimens of this unusual form are among the largest Goliath beetles.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Mizuhopecten yessoensis (Jay, 1857) (giant Ezo scallop; Yesso scallop; large weathervane scallop)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Toys Spirits
Series: Shellfish with a Lid Mascot
Year of Production: 2020
Size/Scale: Shell 5.0 cm long by 4.5 cm tall for a scale of roughly 1:2-1:4
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (possibly unique as a sculpt, see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in this set (and subsequent two volumes to date) represent commercial edible shellfish. The bivalves (including today's scallop) come with a hinge that opens the two shells, revealing the fleshy inside (see inset). They are also sold as strap figures. This sculpt came in both 'cooked' and 'uncooked' versions (mine represents the latter). In 2021, Ikimon released a set of plush bivalves which included a scallop, but I am not sure whether or not it represents this species.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northwest Pacific; introduced to China (Yellow Sea) and Canada (British Columbia) for commercial aquaculture
Habitat: Shallow bays and inlets, often close to rocky shores; benthic, at depths of 0-100 meters (usually 2-80 meters)
Diet: Detritus, phytoplankton
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Mizuhopecten yessoensis is commercially harvested around Japan, including in the Sea of Japan, Honshu, Hokkaido, Sea of Oshtok, Saroma Lake, and Funka Bay. It has also been introduced to China (Dalian in the Yellow Sea) and the coasts of British Columbia in Canada (Haida Gwaii, the north central Coast, Queen Charlotte Strait, Georgia Strait, and the west coast of Vancouver Island) for aquaculture.  China and Japan are the world's largest producers, averaging approximately 1.1 million tonnes annually. The scallop was also introduced to the waters around Denmark, France, and Morocco, but the culture attempts appear to have been unsuccessful.

[Gecko08]

Very interesting. Do you have Yowie's Chinhai Spiny Newt?

[bmathison1972]

Very interesting. Do you have Yowie's Chinhai Spiny Newt?

Hi @Gecko08 - Yes, I do have that newt. Gwangi did a review of it on the Animal Toy Blog.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Laccotrephes japonensis Scott, 1874 (Korean waterscorpion)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: F-toys
Series: Creatures of the Waterside
Year of Production: 2008
Size/Scale: Figure length 6.3 cm. Body length (excluding breathing tube) 2.8 cm for a scale of 1:1-1:1.3 (1:1 for a smaller specimen)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This is one of two waterscorpion species in this collection, and the only two waterscorpion figures in existence that I am aware of! The other one, Ranatra chinensis, was already showcased in the Museum back on October 12, 2021. No assembly is required and the figure is removable from its habitat-style base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Korean Peninsula, Japan
Habitat: Lentic freshwater habitats, including ponds, marshes, rice paddies, vegetated side bars of rivers
Diet: Tadpoles, small fish, aquatic insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Laccotrephes japonensis prefers quiet, lentic, and stagnant aquatic habitats. Most populations have a univoltine life cycle and adults overwinter as adults under water.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Cassida viridis Linnaeus, 1758 (green tortoise beetle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wing Mau
Series: Insects
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length 3.3 cm for a scale of 3.5:1
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, at least as sculpts.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Europe, Near East, North Africa; adventive in Canada
Habitat: Fields, meadows, parks, gardens
Diet: Larvae and adults feed on plants in the family Lamiaceae (mints)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other cassidines, larvae of C. viridis have an interesting method of disguise. The larvae will carry around their own fecal material as a parasol (fecal shield) over their body, suspended by caudal spines near the posterior end of the body. From above, a feeding larva would look like excrement to a would-be predator.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823 (Asian black bear; moon bear)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Wildlife
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Body length 10.5 cm; height at shoulder 5.5 cm for a scale of 1:12-1:18
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the only standard-sized figure of this species by a non-Japanese company that is still readily available today; those by Bullyland and Noah's Pals are retired. Otherwise, most other figures of this species are smaller and by Japanese companies (Kaiyodo, Eikoh, Kitan Club, Colorata, others).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Asia; Iran, northern Pakistan, and southern Afghanistan, across the northern Indian subcontinent in the Himalayas, Southeast Asia to Vietnam, East China, Korean Peninsula, Russian Far East, Japan
Habitat: Montane deciduous, mixed, and thornbush forests
Diet: Omnivore, including invertebrates, eggs, carrion, mushrooms, grasses, fruits, nuts, seeds
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes: The origins of U. thibetanus are perplexing. It has been suggested that U. thibetanus is the most primitive of extant bears and that other ursine bears stem from this species. Ursus thibetanus might also represent modern populations of either U. etruscus or U. minimus, two species described from the fossil record that are believed to have gone extinct in the Pleistocene. It has also been proposed that U. thibetanus is the sister species to the American black bear (U. americanus) and that the two diverged from a common European ancestor roughly 3 million years ago.

[Gwangi]

That moon bear has been high on my wish list for a long time now. In fact, I'm thinking about just going ahead and quickly completing my bear collection (which numbers zero right now). It would be an easy group to check off the list.

[bmathison1972]

That moon bear has been high on my wish list for a long time now. In fact, I'm thinking about just going ahead and quickly completing my bear collection (which numbers zero right now). It would be an easy group to check off the list.

Luckily there are good bear figures of every extant species (except the spectacled bear, which I think at the moment is only available as a Yowie).