Blaine's Bug of the Day

One of my favorite of recent acquisitions, the raspberry horntail, Hartigia cressonii.

One figure, by Play Visions (Bees, Wasps, and Hornets). I only have three out of eight figures in this set, but if I could only have one, it would be this one, as to my knowledge this is the only figure of a symphytan hymenopteran (sawflies and allies).

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The bee shrimp, Caridina cantonensis.

This species comes in several wild type and domestic varieties, each with common names. I have designated in quotations below if the strain/breed is known.

A. Large figure by Aquakitz.
This is the 'crystal black' wild type form.

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B. Smaller figures.
1. Aquakitz
2. Aquakitz
3. Epoch (Mini Aquarium - Shrimp and Plecos) 'crystal black'
4. Epoch (Mini Aquarium - Shrimp and Plecos) 'blue bee'
5. Epoch (Mini Aquarium - Shrimp and Plecos) 'crystal red'

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Water striders in the family Gerridae!!

I have five figures, each representing a single species, and all from the same set by Kitan Club - Nature Techni Colour (the set also come with three small frogs on lily pads). So, I will highlight them all here.

I. Gerris elongatus.

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II. Gerris gerris.

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III. Gerris gracilicornis.

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IV. Gerris lacustris.

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V. Metrocoris histrio.

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The long-horned beetle, Phosphorus jansoni.

One figure, by XX.

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Swimming crabs in the genus Portunus. Since this is the type genus for the family Portunidae, I will display unidentified/unassigned generic swimming crabs here too.

I. Blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus.
1. Kaiyodo (Capsule Aquarium Series 5)
2. Kaiyodo (Capsule Q Museum – Japanese Crabs Collection)
3. Cadbury (Yowies – Australian release)
4. Cadbury (Yowies – UK release)

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II. Sargassum crab, Portunus sayi.
One figure, by AAA. I know the morphology is not a perfect fit, but it was marketed (at least when I bought it) as the sargassum crab.

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III. Japanese blue crab, Portunus trituberculatus.
1. Yujin (Shrimps and Crabs Collection).
2. Kaiyodo (Microcosmos) – zoea

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IV. Miscellaneous portunid crabs.
These are all placed among my Portunidae based on the last pair of legs adapted for swimming.

A. Medium-large figures.
1. unknown manufacturer [K&M knock-off?]
2. K&M International (Aquatic Collection)
3. AAA

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B. Smaller figures.
All of these are from unnamed bin sets, except number 1 which is by Elastolin.

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The Julia, Dryas iulia.

One figure, from a bin set by an unknown manufacturer. I bought this set probably in 2000 or 2001 and all I remember it was from a small bucket labeled 'Jungle Bugs'.

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Interesting, especially the crabs :)

Metallic wood-boring beetle in the genus Julodis.

One figure from an unknown manufacturer. This beetle was in an unnamed set that included a variety of bizarre beetles usually identifiable to the genus or species level!

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A tse tse fly in the genus Glossina.

One figure, by Funrise Toys (World of Nature Insect Collection). While not overly accurate (they did give it a biting proboscis at least), it was specifically marketed as a tse tse fly.

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Egg crabs in the genus Atergatis.

I. Floral egg crab, Atergatus floridus [added 12/6/2017]
One figure, by Epoch (The Poison).

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II. The red egg crab, Atergatis integerrimus.
One figure, by Koro Koro (Toba Aquarium).

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Rhinoceros beetles in the genus Eupatorus.

I. Eupatoris birmanicus.
One figure, by DeAgostini (World Insect Data Book).

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II. Five-horned rhinoceros beetle, Eupatorus gracilicornis.

A. Large and boxed figures.
1. DeAgostini (World Insect Data Book)
2. Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.

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B. Flying and medium-sized figures.
1. Epoch (Flying Beetles)
2. Colorata Tropical Rain Forest Rhinoceros Beetles)
3. 4D Famemaster (Beetle Collection)

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C. Smaller figures.
1. Sega
2. Sega
3. Kabaya (World Insects Series 1)
4. Sega
5. Hayakwa Toys (Insects Collection - Special)

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D. Subspecies, Eupatorus gracilicornis edai. [added 11/22/2017]
One figure, by Sega.

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III. Eupatorus hardwickei.
One figure, by Sega.

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IV. Eupatorus siamensis.
One figure, by Sega.

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Time to brighten things up with the flower and orchid mantids. This is probably not a monophyletic group, but they are made infrequently enough I'll put them all together.

I. Devil's flower mantis, Blepharopsis mendica.
One figure, a nymph by Play Visions (Exotic Insects).

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II. Orchid mantis, Hymenopus coronatus.
1. Furuta (Chocoegg Funny Animals)
2. Shapeways (Jam Design) - painted myself
3. Kabaya (Insect Directory)

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III. Banded flower mantis, Theopropus elegans.
One figure, by 4D Famemaster (Insect King).

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It's a weekend folks, so I have lots of time to post lots of species!

Next up, the leaf-cutter ant, Acromyrmex sp.

One figure, by Club Earth (Ants and Termites). Not enough detail/information to give a species-level name.

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Scorpions in the genus Urodacus.

I. Yellow sand scorpion, Urodacus armatus.
One figure, by Cadbury (Yowies).

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II. Black rock scorpion, Urodacus manicatus.
One figure, by Science and Nature (Animals of Australia).

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The South African long-horned beetle, Tragocephala variegata.

One figure, by Play Visions (Exotic Beetles).

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Time to highlight my wetas!

I. Giant weta, Deinacrida sp.
One figure, by Science and Nature (New Zealand Wildlife Collection).

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II. Tree weta, Hemideina crassidens.
One figure, by Cadbury (Yowies).

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Back to some butterflies! Next, the marbled white, Melanargia galathea.

Interestingly, my two figures are both porcelain figurines:
1. unknown French feve manufacturer
2. Franklin Mint (Butterflies of the World)

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Great!!

OK, Happy Sunday everyone. Looking at my checklist I have roughly 250 species yet to go! How many can I knock out today?

First up, the lobster moth Stauropus fagi.

One figure, a larva by Kaiyodo (Capsule Q Museum - Caterpillars).

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Anomalocaris and related anolmalocarids...

I. Aegirocassis benmoulai.
One figure, courtesy of our very own Jetoar from his Paleo-Creatures line.

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II. Anomalocaris canadensis and Anomalocaris spp.[/i]
Most figures are marketed at the genus level only so they will all be placed here.

A. VERY LARGE figure by Favorite Co. (Prehistoric Life - Vinyl Model) .

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B. Medium to larger figures.
1. Paleocasts
2. Favorite Co. (Prehistoric Life - Soft Model)

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C. Smaller figures.
1. Cadbury (Yowies - Lost Kingdom)
2. Kaiyodo (Great Leap Forward)
3. Favorite Co. (Cambrian Creatures Mini Model - Burgess Shale Series)
4. Safari LTD (Cambrian TOOB)
5. Kaiyodo (Dinotales)

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6. Diramix (Epic Animals - Antichi Abissi)

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III. Peytoia nathorsti.
One figure, by the Royal Ontario Museum (Animals of the Burgess Shale) [marketed as Laggania cambria]

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Dragonflies in the genus Sympetrum.

I. Summer skimmer, Sympetrum darwinianum.
One figure, by Yujin (Insects of Japan).

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II. Banded skimmer, Sympetrum pedomontanum elatum.
One figure, by Kabaya (Insect Directory).

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The purple emperor, Apatura iris.

A. Plastic figures.
1. unknown manufacturer [from a set of primarily Club Earth knock-offs]
2. Toy Major
3. Safari LTD (Butterflies of the World Collectors Case)

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B. Polyresin figurine by Steal Street.

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Butterflies in the genus Phoebis.

I. The orange-barred sulfur, Phoebis philea.
Another one of my favorite butterflies in toy form (and apparently, a favorite of Safari LTD too...)

A. Large figure by Safari LTD (Hidden Kingdom Insects).

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B. Smaller figures.
1. Safari LTD (Authentics Butterflies)
2. Safari LTD (Butterflies TOOB)
3. Safari LtD (Butterflies of the World Collectors Case)
4. unknown manufacturer
5. Beam

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II. Cloudless sulfur, Phoebis sennae.
One figure, a larva by an unknown manufacturer.

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The dungeness crab (and some miscellaneous possible cancrids).

I. Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister.

A. LARGE figure by AAA.

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B. Smaller figures and figurines.
1. AAA
2. Little Critterz (Little Critterz)

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3. Home/kitchen decor by an unknown manufacturer. [added 2/27/2017]

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II. Miscellaneous possible members of Cancridae.
...in other words, miscellaneous crabs not previously assigned to Portunidae.

1. unknown manufacturer
2. unknown vintage manufacturer
3. PlayMobil

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The field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus. Since this is the only true cricket I currently have identified below the family level, I will include miscellaneous crickets here, too, since they are not uncommon among bin sets.

I. Field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus.
One figure, by Cadbury (Yowies).

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II. Miscellaneous crickets.

A. Large to medium figures.
All currently by unknown manufacturers.

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B. Smaller figures.
All from unknown manufacturers, except:
1. K&M International (Insects Nature Tube)
2. Groovy Tube Books (Bug Blast!)

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