Mathison Museum of Natural History

Bonnie wrote:

A canine type animal!!  (I say this as I read somewhere that they are more closely related to cats!)
I have never seen this lovely model before, and it is an unusual species! Love it!

Yes, hyenas are feliforms, more related to cats, not dogs :)

Caniforms are dogs, seals, sealions, walrus, bears, weasels, ferrets, otters, skunks, etc.

Thank you!
It was a surprise when I first learnt this, because they definitely look more canine, but I still love them as a species!
I love all the animals you listed too, it must mean that anything that is in the caniform category appeal to me!

Species: Caridina cantonensis Yü, 1938 (bee shrimp)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: AquaKitz
Series: Aquakitz Crystal Red Shrimp Bee Shrimp Figures Limited Edition
Year of Release: unknown (2012-2016)
Size/Scale: Body length 5.0 cm. Carapace length 3.0 cm for a scale of 3.75:1-5:1 [scale not exact due to somewhat stylized nature of the figures]
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: These are specialty novelty figures rather than typical toys. They can be purchased on the AquaKitz website, a site devoted to bee shrimp and rearing them in aquaria. The black form is called Crystal Black, which is a wild-type form; the red one is called Crystal Red, which is a captive-bred strain. The figures come with a foam base (not shown) for support and protection during display. The figures are limited in number and I notice their selection is much lower than when I purchased mine in 2016. They also make larger, 18 cm figures (for which I have one that will be reviewed at a later date); the larger figures are more realistic than these smaller, stylized figures.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Taiwan, mainland China, Hong Kong, and possibly northern Vietnam
Habitat: Freshwater mountain streams and rivulets, pools, artificial ditches
Diet: Decaying vegetation, algae
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Bee shrimp are extremely popular in aquaria and there are many breeds and varieties of contrasting colors of black, red, white, and blue.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Really nice

indeed! and thanks to you, almost each day discover a new species!

So unusual!

Species: Dugesia japonica Ichikawa and Kawakatsu, 1964

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kitan Club
Series: Science Techni Colour - Planaria: Trichladida
Year of Release: 2015
Size/Scale: Body length 5.5 cm for a scale of 5.5:1-11:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (unique as a set)
Miscellaneous Notes: There were six figures in this set, this one, another normal specimen, and four representing the results of various regeneration experiments. The figures are all 'strap' figures and the cord had to be cut from the head (hence the unsightly rough edges around the front of the head). To my knowledge, this set represents the only figures of flatworms on the toy market!

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia, Japan
Habitat: Freshwater lakes, ponds, streams
Diet: Freshwater protozoans and invertebrates, also a scavenger
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Dugesia japonica is commonly used as a laboratory model in regeneration experiments. For example, if you slice the 'head' down the midline, it will grow two heads; or cut the planarian in half mid-body and the 'tail' will grow a head and the 'head' will grow a tail. Dugesia japonica is hermaphroditic and can reproduce sexually or asexually, the latter by parthenogenesis or fission.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

poor flatworm which squints!..

Caracal wrote:

poor flatworm which squints!..

While those eyes look 'cartoony', the actual animal looks like that!

bmathison1972 wrote:

Caracal wrote:

poor flatworm which squints!..

While those eyes look 'cartoony', the actual animal looks like that!

I was suprised that this figure is in your collection as it really looks like a toon. But thanks for the information! Really funny looking animal and I learned something new :)

bmathison1972 wrote:

Caracal wrote:

poor flatworm which squints!..

While those eyes look 'cartoony', the actual animal looks like that!

Very interesting

bmathison1972 wrote:

Caracal wrote:

poor flatworm which squints!..

While those eyes look 'cartoony', the actual animal looks like that!

I can't believe it!

Species: Idea leuconoe Erichson, 1834 (paper kite; large tree nymph)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Insects of Japan Vol. 4
Year of Release: 2007
Size/Scale: Wingspan of adult 11.5 cm, within scale 1:1. Pupa 2.7 cm; display with leaf 7.5 cm tall.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The adult was in the main set; the pupa was the secret/chase figure. Like all of the Yujin Insects of Japan figures, assembly is required. The adult can display without its base, but the pupa is permanently attached to the leaf. It is believed the Insects of Japan figures are cast from actual specimens, so they are all in the 1:1 scale. If you want to create a life cycle display, Kaiyodo produced a nice larva of this species in 2015.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southeast Asia, from Thailand to Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, southern Japan, and northern Australia
Habitat: Lowland forests, mangrove swamps
Diet: Larvae feed on plants in the genera Parsonsia, Tylophora, and Cynanchum; adults take nectar from flowers.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like with other danaine butterflies, the host plants for I. leuconoe are poisonous; the larvae and adult butterflies retain the toxins and are distasteful to birds and other would-be predators.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Sooo beautiful!

Finally, I had the time to enjoy your models. It's a great idea to show them in a proper habitat, showing us some facts about the model and the species.
It's very charming for a zoologist like me

Wonderful!!

.. and good strategie to survive! :)

Thanks everyone

Megaptera wrote:

Finally, I had the time to enjoy your models. It's a great idea to show them in a proper habitat, showing us some facts about the model and the species.
It's very charming for a zoologist like me

Yeah, me too :). I have wanted to do something like this for a while, but wanted the non-arthropod part of my collection to grow enough to allow for diversity.

Nice butterfly

Post # 50:

Species: †Campephilus principalis (Linnaeus, 1758) (ivory-billed woodpecker)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Wildlife
Year of Release: 2017
Size/Scale: Figure stands 9.7 cm tall. Total body length approximately 9.0 cm for a scale of 1:5.3-1:5.8 (using beak length, scale calculates between 1:4.8 and 1:6.0).
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This magnificent figure is one (of several) that finally prompted me to start a synoptic non-arthropod collection. The detail is fantastic and I love animals (especially smaller animals such as invertebrates, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and smaller mammals and birds) on habitat-style bases. Campephilus principalis is sexually dimorphic, and the red crest indicates this figure is a male (females have black crests).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Historically much of coastal southeastern United States, extending inland up some waterways where habitat was appropriate; also Cuba.
Habitat: Dense swampland, old growth forests, and upland pine forests
Diet: Larvae of woodboring beetles, fruit, nuts, seeds
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Campephilus principalis is the second largest woodpecker in the world; only its Mexican congener, the imperial woodpecker (C. imperialis), is larger. While the IUCN currently lists this species as critically endangered, it is considered extinct or probably extinct by the American Birding Association. Most reported sightings since 1944 have been accepted with hesitation or skepticism.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Such a beautiful model, and not only that but the tree is very realistic too!

What a pity this splendid species is already extinct! :/

Species: Graellsia isabellae (Graëlls, 1849) (Spanish moon)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Paleo-Creatures
Series: Little Treasures of Europe
Year of Release: 2015
Size/Scale: Wingspan 7.5 cm, within the scale 1:1. Display stands 5.0 cm.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This is another figure made by forum member Jetoar in his Paleo-Creatures line, albeit an extant species (if I remember correctly, this moth was the first extant animal he made in the Little Treasures of Europe Collection). The figure sits loosely, yes securely, on the branch; however, I made mine a permanent display by sealing it with glue. You can see one antenna has broken off; I think this happened during my last cross-country move.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Endemic to the Alps and Pyrenees of France and Spain
Habitat: Montane conifer forests
Diet: Larvae feed on Pinus (pine), primarily P. sylvestris (Scots pine) and P. nigra (Austrian, or black, pine); adults do not feed.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Data Deficient (protected species in Spain and France)
Miscellaneous Notes: Breeding populations have been found in Switzerland, where the species is not native. Genetically, Swiss specimens contain characteristics of both Spanish and French populations, and it is believed hybridization has occurred after the moth was introduced (intentionally or otherwise) by humans. Graellsia isabellae is fairly host-specific, even within Pinus, so an introduction to a new location would require the presence of an adequate pine species.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

very beautiful species I did'nt know!