Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Species: Rhagophthalmus ohbai Wittmer in Wittmer and Ohba, 1994

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Jam
Series: Miracle of Earth - The Brilliance of Fireflies
Year of Production: 2005
Size/Scale: Base 6.5 cm long by 4.5 cm wide. Body length of adult male 2.0 cm for a scale of 2.5:1-2:1. Body length of female 3.0 cm for a scale of 2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in this collection feature Japanese firefly species in habitat-style dioramas. The beetles are permanently affixed to their bases. Because it already comes in a habitat-style diorama, I did not photograph it in one of my usual setups. Today's figure is the only one in the collection that features both sexes, with the adult male on the left and larviform adult female on the right.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan (Ishigaki, Iriomote, Kohama)
Habitat: Hardwood forests; in soil
Diet: Adults and larvae feed on soft-bodied invertebrates in the soil, including other species of firefly
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Rhagophthalmus ohbai exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism, as highlighted here by the presence of a normal male and larviform female. In addition to advanced sexual structures, the female can be identified by the presence of compound eyes which the larvae lack. Larvae and adult females are bioluminescent, but adult males are not.

[Isidro]

For the white blotch in the tip of the female abdomen, I would say the figure itself is luminiscent.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Giraffa reticulata de Winton, 1899 (reticulated giraffe)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Papo
Series: Wild Animals
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Height 15.5 cm for a scale of 1:27-1:36
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: There is no shortage of giraffe figures, and choosing a model of one's liking shouldn't be a challenge. In addition to today's Papo figure, other ones I like are those by CollectA (2012), Safari Ltd. (2008, 2019), and Schleich (2009, 2016). I also have the 2020 Masai giraffe by Mojö Fun, and it will be reviewed at a later date.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Horn of Africa (Kenya, Somalia, southern Ethiopia)
Habitat: Savanna, open woodlands, seasonal floodplains
Diet: Leaves and twigs, especially of acacias (Mimosoideae); also shrubs, grasses, fruit
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: The taxonomy of giraffes seems to be constantly changing, and depending on the system followed, there can be anywhere from 1-9 species. Various factors used to define the different species have included coat color, geographic distribution, behavior, and genetic markers. The two most recent independent molecular studies, using multi-locus analysis (2016) and whole-genome analysis (2021) respectively, support the recognition of four species: G. camelopardis (West African, Kordofan, and Nubian giraffes), C. reticulata (reticulated giraffe), C. tippelskirchi (Masai and Thornicroft's giraffes), and C. giraffa (Southern African giraffe). The studies also align with some of the earlier distributional and morphologic data.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Sardinops sagax melanostictus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) (Japanese pilchard)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Colorata
Series: Salt Water Fish
Year of Production: 2015 (2008)
Size/Scale: Body length 4.3 cm for a scale of 1:4.6-1:9.3
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is a 2015 release of figure that originally came out in 2008. The animal is removable from its base. Other figures of this subspecies were produced by Kaiyodo (Enoshima Aquarium) and Yujin (Primary Colour Saltwater Fish series).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northwest Pacific (Sea of Okhotsk to Southeast China and Taiwan)
Habitat: Pelagic-neritic, at depths of 0-200 meters
Diet: Primarily planktonic crustaceans; also phytoplankton
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern (as a species)
Miscellaneous Notes: Sardinops sagax melanostictus is a migratory species, forming very large schools. In the summer, they occur more in the north and closer to the shore. When the temperature starts to drop, the migrate south and move further out to sea. Fish mature in their second year and breeding occurs from December to early May, usually in bays and other coastal areas.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Odontolabis burmeisteri (Hope, 1841)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King, standard series, small
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) 5.2 cm for a scale of 1:1.8 for a major male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the third time we've seen O. burmeisteri 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: India
Habitat: Broadleaf forests
Diet: Larvae feed in rotting wood; adults feed on tree sap
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: I had a difficult time researching information on the biology of this species; some of the information above was extrapolated from other members of the genus. The species was named after famous German zoologist Karl Hermann Konrad Burmeister who published Handbuch der Entomologie from 1832-1855.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Evenus coronata (Hewitson, 1865) (crowned hairstreak; Hewitson's blue hairstreak)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Club Earth
Series: Butterflies to Go
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Wingspan 7.0 cm for a scale of 1.5:1-1.2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The Club Earth butterflies are marked with the common name on the underside of the wings. The figure on the lefy 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?).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: coastal Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Ecuador
Habitat: Montane cloud forests
Diet: Larvae feed on plants in the family Sapotaceae; adults feed on nectar
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: I had difficulty researching information on this species, including the specific host plant. A cryptic sibling species that occurs coastally along northern South America, E. felix, feeds on plants in the genus Pouteria.

[bmathison1972]

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

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Toy Major
Series: Butterflies
Year of Production: 1996
Size/Scale: Wingspan 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:1.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen M. menelaus in the Museum. 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 (the identifications are mine or by other forum members). Today's identification is my own, and could easily repesent one of several species of Morpho. 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.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central America 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: Peak feeding of caterpillars of M. menelaus is done in the dry season. This way, the adult butterflies emerge in the wet season when there is an abundance of food for the adult females, so they can get enough nutrition to support oviposition.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Lucanus maculifemoratus Motschulsky, 1861 (Miyama stag beetle)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: DeAgostini
Series: World Insect Data Book
Years of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) 7.5 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is our sixth look at L. maculifemoratus 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: Northeast Asia, including China, Taiwan, Korean Peninsula, eastern Russia, and Japan
Habitat: Forests
Diet: Larvae feed in rotting wood and detritus; adults feed on tree sap.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Depending on the classification system applied, there are five subspecies of L. maculifemoratus. Those subspecies and their distributions are: L. m. adachii (Japan: Tokyo, Toshima, Niijima, Kozushima, Miyakejima), L. m. boileaui (China: Shaanzi, Sichuan, Hubei, Xiang, Yunnan), L. m. maculifemoratus (Japan: widespread; Russia: Kuriles Islands), L. m. ferriei (Japan: Anami-Oshima), and L. jilinensis (China: Jilin). The subspecies L. m. taiwanus is now considered a subspecies of Lucanus dybowskyi (China, Siberia, Korean Peninsula), which itself has historically treated as a subspecies of L. maculifemoratus.

[/i][/i]

[bmathison1972]

...tomorrow will also be a stats update for post 600! But the data will be presented differently as I make a major change to my collection...

[bmathison1972]

Species: Caranx ignobilis (Forsskål, 1775) (giant trevally)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Favorite Co.
Series: Aqua Fish
Year of Production: 2020
Size/Scale: Body length 8.3 cm for a scale of 1:12-1:20
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: From what I can tell, this species is unique in toy/figure form. The fish is removable from its base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: Coral reefs, at depths of 10-188 meters
Diet: Fish, marine invertebrates, young sea turtles
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: While juvenile and sub-adult C. ignobilis will form schools, the adults are primarily solitary until the breeding season. Adults are territorial and aggressive to other fish, including sharks. During the breeding season, adults may form schools for the purpose of enhancing the chances of finding a mate.

[bmathison1972]

With today's post being the 600th, I it is time for a fun stats update.

This stats update is going to look a little different. I am in the process of cleaning up my collection and purging a lot of insect figures. I am not going to go into the why or which at the moment, but some of the figures I am removing from my collection have been reviewed in the Museum already. As such, doing percentages would be challenging without removing those I am not retaining from the data set. So, below are just raw numbers of what have been showcased so far in the Museum. I am not doing to delete the images or posts of the figures I am not keeping, so their numbers will remain below, even if they are no longer in my collection.


Number of time we've seen major groups in the Museum:
Arthropods: 337
Mammals: 75
Fish: 59
Birds: 38
non-Arthropod Invertebrates: 33
Reptiles: 26
Amphibians: 15
Dinosaurs: 13
Protozoans/Plankton: 4

*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:
Insects: 255
Crustaceans: 40
Arachnids: 31
Misc. Arthropods: 11

Here are posts that remove two or more figures from the database (e.g., male and female figures released together). 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. I have done a rough estimate on the number of posts that will remove more than one line from the database in one post (the number is parenthesis is how many times we have seen them to-date):
Two figures: 53
Three figures: 5
Four figures: 1
Five figures: 1


Now, some interesting numbers and tidbits of information:

Species that have come up more than once: Allomyrina dichotoma (11), Allotopus rosenbergi (4), Apis mellifera (2), Atrax robustus (2), Bathynomus giganteus (4), Beckius beccarii (2), Brachypelma smithi (3), Chalcosoma chiron (3), Chalcosoma moellenkampi (3), Cheirotonus jambar (2), Coccinella septempunctata (3), Cybister chinensis (3), Danaus plexippus (6), Daphina pulex (2), Dorcus hopei (4), Dynastes grantii (3), Dynastes hercules ( 8 ), Dynastes neptunus (5), Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (2), Heliconius charithonia (2), Idea leuconoe (3), Lamprima adolphinae (2), Latrodectus mactans (2), Locusta migratoria (2), Lucanus cervus (3), Lucanus maculifemoratus (6), Macrocheira kaempferi (3), Mantis religiosa (2), Megasoma actaeon (2), Megasoma elaphas (3), Mesotopus tarandus (6), Morpho menelaus (2), Odontolabis burmeisteri (3), Ogyris genoveva (2); Onchorhynchus clarkii (2), Pandinus imperator (2), Papilio machaon (3), Papilio xuthus (3), Procambarus clarkii (2), Prosopocoilus dissimilis (2), Prosopocoilus giraffa (3), Prosopocoilus inclinatus (7), Rosalia batesi (2), Sasakia charonda (2), Vespa mandarinia (2).

Genera with more than one species: Aeshna (2), Allomyrina (2), Ameerega (2), Androctonus (2), Aphonopelma (2), Carabus (2), Chalcosoma (3), Cheirotonus (2), Coccinella] (2), Dorcus (3); Dynastes (3), Equus (2), Eupatorus (2), Goliathus (2), Hexarthrius (4), Lactoria (2), Lamprima (2), Latrodectus (3), Lucanus (2), Macaca (2), Megasoma (3), Morpho (5), Myotis (2), Odontolabis (3), Oncorhynchus (3), Ornithoptera (3), Panulirus (2), Papilio (7), Polistes (2), Prosopocilus (4), Rosalia (2), Spheniscus (2), Ursus (2), Vespa (2), Zerene (2).

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  3   
AAA  3   
Access Toys  1*
Adventure Planet  1*
Agatsuma Entertainment  2   
AMT/Ertl  1   
AquaKitz  1   
Aquameridian Ltd./For Corporation  1   
Arboreum Artwork  2   
Ayano Katyama  2   
Bandai/Bandai Spirits  14   
Beam  1   
Beauty of Beasts  1*
Blip Toys  2   
Break Co. Ltd.  1   
Bullyland  6   
Cadbury/Yowie Group  27   
Club Earth/Wing Mau  25   
Coca Cola  3   
CollectA  23   
Colorata  23   
DeAgostini  11   
Discovery Channel  1   
Dreams Come True Ltd.  1   
Eikoh  1   
Epoch/Tarlin  9   
FaunaFigures  1   
Favorite Co.  2   
F-toys  11   
Funrise Toys  2   
Hayakawa Toys  4   
Ikimon/Kitan Club  25   
Imperial Toys  1   
Innovative Kids  1   
Insect Lore  7   
Jam  2   
K&M International  15   
Kabaya  8   
Kaiyodo/Furuta  94   
Koro Koro  1   
Land & Sea Collectibles  2   
Maia & Borges  1   
Maruka  1   
Mojo Fun  4   
Natural History  4   
NECA  1   
Nihon Auto Toy  1*
Noah's Pals  1   
Paleocasts  2   
Paleo-Creatures  3   
Papo  14   
Play Visions  19   
PNSO  3   
Qualia  2   
Rainforest Café  1*
Rebor  1   
Re-Ment  1   
Safari Ltd.  63   
Schleich  7   
Science and Nature  4   
Sega 37   
ShanTrip  3   
Shine-G  3   
Skillcraft  2   
SO-TA/Toys Spirits  3   
Southlands Replicas  5   
Stasto 3D File  2   
Stewart Sales Services  1   
Takara Tomy A.R.T.S./Subarudo  24   
Toy Fish Factory/Replica Toy Fish  5   
Toy Major  5   
Trilobiti  1   
US Toy  3   
Vivid Toy Group  1   
Wild Kraatz  2   
Yell  3   
Yujin  26   
unknown  12   


Anyway, we'll look at stats again after post 700!! Until then, enjoy the posts!

[bmathison1972]

Species: Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758) (angelshark)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Sharks
Year of Production: 1996
Size/Scale: Body length 7.5 cm for a scale of 1:13.6-1:22.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique to very rare (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Play Visions produced two color forms of this figure, this one that is spotted and one that is unspotted. Whether or not this figure is unique as a species depends on what species are attributed to other angelshark figures. Generally, angelsharks are very rare as toys.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean
Habitat: Benthic, usually in muddy or sandy areas on the continental shelf at depths of 5-150 meters; occasionally ventures into brackish water
Diet: Fish, marine invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Squatina squatina is an ambush predator. It spends the day buried in a layer of sand or sediment with only its eyes visible. At night, it ventures out and can sometimes be observed swimming above the sea floor.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Chaceus caecus Rodríguez & Bosque, 1990

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Cave Dwellers TOOB
Year of Production: 2014
Size/Scale: Carapace length 1.8 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Safari Ltd. only marketed this figure as a 'crab'. The species designation is my own, based on morphology in conjunction with its cave-dwelling habits. This TOOB was recently updated with new paint jobs, but I think the originals are better.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Venezuela (Sierra de Perijá)
Habitat: Groundwater in caves
Diet: Detritus
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Chaceus caecus is endemic to several caves in the Sierra de Perijá of western Venezuela, including Cueva Punto Fijo, Cueva Los Laureles, Cueva El Samán, Cueva La Retirada, Cueva El Sumidero, Cueva de los Cantos, and Cueva El Veladero de La Retirada.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Kettneraspis clavata (Chatterton, 1971)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Series: Yowies Lost Kingdoms Series A
Year of Production: 2000
Size/Scale: Body length (minus appendages) 3.8 cm for a scale of roughly 2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Being one of the original Australian Yowies, assembly is required.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Devonian of present-day Australia
Habitat: Marine, benthic
Diet: Predator and/or scavenger on marine invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: I had difficulty researching information on this species. Kettneraspis is apparently polyphyletic and this species might actually belong to a different genus.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Coenobita clypeatus (Fabricius, 1787) (Caribbean hermit crab)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Incredible Creatures
Year of Production: 2006
Size/Scale: Figure 12.0 cm across its widest points. Scale cannot be calculated as the carapace is not complete, but it is probably scales on average 2:1.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Safari Ltd. only marketed this toy as a hermit crab. The species identification is my own, based mainly on the species' distribution in southern Florida, where Safari Ltd. used to be based. Safari Ltd. also made a miniature version for their Good Luck Minis line.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: West Atlantic, from southern Florida, West Indies, and Bermuda to Venezuela
Habitat: Mangrove swamps, salt marshes, coastal forests, sand hills
Diet: Vegetation, fruit, carrion, dung
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Coenobita clypeatus will use a wide variety of shells for shelter. One of the species' most popular shells in that of the West Indian topshell (Cittarium pica). The shape of the shell allows the hermit crab to use its larger claw to securely cover the aperture of the shell, allowing for enhanced protection against potential predators.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Tubuca arcuata (De Hann, 1835) (bowed fiddler crab)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.
Series: New Friends of the Waterside; Friends of the Waterside Vol. 4
Years of Production: 2020, 2022
Size/Scale: Carapace width 3.7 cm for a scale of 1:1 for a large specimen (range 2.6:1-1:1)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: Once rare, T. arcuata is becoming the go-to fiddler crab species for Japanese manufacturers to produce, with at least five figures of this species released since 2018. The figure on the right was released in 2020 in the New Friends of the Waterside collection; the figure on the left was released in 2022 in the fourth edition of the Friends of the Waterside series. Both figures represent the same sculpt, but with different paint jobs. Some assembly is required and the final product is articulated.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: West Pacific, from Japan to Vietnam
Habitat: Mangrove swamps, mud flats
Diet: Algae, small invertebrates, detritus
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other fiddler crabs, T. arcuata communicates by a sequence of waves and gestures. Males will use their enlarged chela (claw) in ritualized combat of courtship and to signal their intentions to female crabs.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Paralithodes camtschaticus (Tilesius, 1815) (Alaskan king crab; red king crab)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Habitat Earth - Crabs
Year of Release: 1996
Size/Scale: Legspan 5.5 cm. Carapace width 1.5 cm for a scale of 1:4.6-1:18.7
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is our second time seeing P. camtschaticus in the Museum, and this figure may be one of the oldest, at least among major, well-known manufacturers. This figure has an obvious anatomical error, however, and that is it having 10 visible legs when there should only be 8 (see below).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northern Pacific, including the Japan, Okhotsk, and Bering Seas and the Gulf of Alaska; introduced to the Barents Sea
Habitat: Benthic, usually at depths of 0-460 meters
Diet: Marine invertebrates, algae
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Unlike most crabs and their relatives that have ten visible legs (they belong to the order Decapoda, which is Greek for 'ten feet'), P. camtschaticus and its relatives have only eight (three pairs of walking legs and one pair of claws). The last pair of legs are reduced in size and hidden inside the gill chamber under the carapace and are used for cleaning the gills.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Periophthalmus argentilineatus Valenciennes, 1837 (barred mudskipper; silverlined mudskipper)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 2
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length 6.0 cm for a scale of 1:3.2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Mudskippers are surprisingly rare in toy form, especially given their familiarity associated with their adaptations for thriving in part on land. This is one of the few fish in the Freshwater Pictorial Book series that doesn't come with a base; also, no assembly is required.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: Mangrove swamps, usually in burrows in the intertidal zone
Diet: Intertidal invertebrates, detritus
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Mudskippers are known for their adaptions for spending prolonged time on land. Briefly, some of these adaptions include: 1) the radials of the pectoral fin protrude from the body, creating a pectoral fin with with two segments (the fin and the rays) which is analogous to a shoulder joint that allows them to 'walk' on land, 2) the ability to take in atmospheric oxygen through their skin and oral mucosa, allowing them to breathe out of water (although they must remain wet), 3) reduce the membrane permeability of their skin so as not to absorb toxic levels of ammonia from the environment, and 4) thermoregulation.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Amblyrhynchus cristatus Bell, 1825 (marine iguana)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Colorata
Series: Endangered Species Reptile Box
Year of Production: 2008
Size/Scale: Total figure 7.5 cm across its widest points. Snout-to-vent length approximately 5.3 cm for a scale of 1:2.3-1:10.5 (depending on population)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure is one solid piece and the lizard is permanently affixed to its base. Notice also the Sally Lightfoot crab (Grapsus grapsus).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Galápagos Islands
Habitat: Rocky cliffs and ledges, intertidal flats; eggs are laid on sandy beaches
Diet: Marine algae
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes:  Amblyrhynchus cristatus is the only species of extant lizard that is adapted to use the ocean as its source of food.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille, 1804) (common pillbug)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Capsule Q Museum - Backyard Creatures: Soil Organisms
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Body length 3.5 cm for a scale of 2:1 for a large specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen A. vulgare in the Museum. There was an explosion of figures of this species starting in 2019 with the Dango Mushi line by Bandai, but from what I can tell, today's figure by Kaiyodo was the first.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Nearly cosmopolitan
Habitat: Forests, fields, gardens, and disturbed areas; usually in soil, leaf litter, or under rocks and logs
Diet: Decaying vegetation
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Unlike most crustaceans, A. vulgare (like other isopods) lacks a nauplius stage in its development. Eggs hatch as mancae, which resemble adults but only have six pairs of legs (they lack the last pair of pereiopods) and are sexually immature.