Mathison Museum of Natural History

Jill wrote:

Great to learn more about the play visions fish, I don't know much about fish and I was trying to find out about the species after getting them and some of them were quite tricky!

Hi Jill

I reviewed the collection on the ATB with identifications: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

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

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Aquarium Figure Collection - Deep Sea Creatures 2
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 3.7 cm for a scale of 1:5-1:13.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the sixth time we have seen B. giganteus in the Museum. Today's figure is essentially a re-issue of the sculpt Kaiyodo used for the Deep Sea Life collection in 2014; the latter figure was showcased in the Museum back on May 24, 2021. The two figures have different bases, and like the other, today's isopod is removable from its base.

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: Fossils of Bathynomus date back to the Early Oligocene (Rupelian) of present-day Europe (Italy).

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Species: Lumbricus sp.
Common name(s): earthworm; nightcrawler

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bullyland
Series: Bullyland Snakes
Year of Production: unknown (c. 2000)
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 13.5 cm, within scale 1:1 for some species.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare [earthworms, generally]
Miscellaneous Notes: Earthworms are rarely made, and when they are it is usually for the purpose of novelty toys. Few major companies have tackled them. In addition to this figure, I also have a life cycle by Safari Lts. and two figure of Metaphire communissima by Kaiyodo.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Worldwide [individual species more restricted]
Habitat: Leaf litter, soil, compost
Diet: Decaying organic material
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [species-dependent]
Miscellaneous Notes: Earthworms are hermaphroditic, and two worms fertilize each other. Copulation and reproduction are several processes, however, and an individual earthworm regulates the mixing of sperm and egg and can become the genetic mother of some of its offspring and genetic father of others. Some earthworms are parthenogenetic, meaning adults can produce viable eggs without reproduction.

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bmathison1972 wrote:

Jill wrote:

Great to learn more about the play visions fish, I don't know much about fish and I was trying to find out about the species after getting them and some of them were quite tricky!

Hi Jill

I reviewed the collection on the ATB with identifications: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thank you!!

Realistic rare model!

Another commonly seen animal that is rare in model form. No idea how you'd play with it as a child, but it's great in a collection!

rogerpgvg wrote:

Another commonly seen animal that is rare in model form. No idea how you'd play with it as a child, but it's great in a collection!

Scare your sisters or mom with it.

Lovely figure Blaine! I probably SHOULD have an example of one... but I haven't been sold on worms just yet.

Saarlooswolfhound wrote:

Lovely figure Blaine! I probably SHOULD have an example of one... but I haven't been sold on worms just yet.

I'll work on ya ;-)

Species: Dorcus hopei binodulosus Waterhouse, 1874

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: F-toys
Series: Insect Hunter Beetle and Stag Beetle
Years of Production: 2011, 2016
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) for both figures approximately 6.5 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the sixth time we've seen D. h. binodulosus in the Museum; it is one of the most commonly produced beetle species by Japanese manufacturers. The figure on the right is from the 2011 Insect Hunter set, while the figure on the left is from the 2016 Insect Hunter set. The species was also produced for the 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 sets (possibly more since then, I've lost track). Assembly is not required, but there are multiple articulations.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan, Korean Peninsula
Habitat: Broadleaf forests
Diet: Larvae breed in rotting wood; adults feed on tree sap
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like many large scarabaeoid beetles, D. hopei has marked sexual dimorphism. Females are much smaller than males, sometimes nearly by half, and have smaller mandibles.

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so realistic! :cheers

Saarlooswolfhound wrote:

rogerpgvg wrote:

Another commonly seen animal that is rare in model form. No idea how you'd play with it as a child, but it's great in a collection!

Scare your sisters or mom with it.

I hadn't thought of that, you always have great ideas

Species: Glaucus atlanticus Forster, 1777
Common name(s): blue angel; blue sea dragon; blue dragon

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Ikimon
Series: Nature Techni Colour - Seaside Creatures 1
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 5.5 cm for a scale of 1.8:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was unique for its species until just this year when Bullyland produced one.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Circumglobal in temperate and tropical waters of the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans
Habitat: Pelagic, usually at or near the surface of the water
Diet: Foraging predator on siphonophores (primarily Physalia, but also Velella and Porpita) and pelagic mollusks (Janthina).
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Glaucus atlanticus can deliver a painful sting! The sea slug is able to take up venomous nematocytes from siphonophores on which it feeds, including the Portuguese man o' war (Physalis physalis). The symptoms are similar to those of the man o' war, and can include nausea, pain, vomiting, acute dermatitis, vesicle formation and urticarial papules, erythema, and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

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Wonderful picture!

Caracal wrote:

Wonderful picture!

And marvelous model

This blue dragon is in my list. I must choose between Ikimon or bullyland.

Big congratulation, It is nice figure.

Species: Spizaetus ornatus (Daudin, 1800)
Common name(s): ornate hawk-eagle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Colorata
Series: Endangered Species: Raptors
Year of Production: 2005
Size/Scale: Total figure height approximately 6.0 cm. Body length approximately 5.0 cm for a scale of 1:11.2-1:13.7
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: In 2022, China-based Naturalism made a nice version of this species without a base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central and South America, from southern Mexico to northern Argentina
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical deciduous and mixed forest, shade coffee plantations; usually in forest edges, riparian areas, and gallery strips
Diet: Primarily other birds; occasionally small to medium-sized mammals and reptiles
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: Spizaetus ornatus is a powerful predator that hunts primarily medium to large-sized birds, including cock-of-the-rock, chachalacas, guans, curassows, tinamous, toucans, pigeons and doves, parrots, and New World quails, among many others. In some regions, mammals, particularly rodents, make up the hawk-eagle's diet.

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The Hawk-eagle really looks good

I wish I had access to some figures of Colorata.

I simply love it for years now

Kikimalou wrote:

I simply love it for years now

Species: Ranitomeya amazonica (Schulte, 1999)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bullyland
Series: Bullyland Amphibians
Year of Production: 2021
Size/Scale: Snout-to-vent length approximately 4.7 cm for a scale of 3:1-2.5:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The only other figure of this species I am aware of was produced by Kitan Club for the Nature Techni Colour line.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Amazonian South America; disjunct populations in Peru (Loreto Region) and Colombia (Amazonas Department), possibly also in adjacent Brazil, Guyana, and French Guiana.
Habitat: Rainforest; breeding usually occurs in bromeliads
Diet: Tadpoles eat mosquito larvae and detritus; adults are predators on small insects and arachnids
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Data Deficient
Miscellaneous Notes: After mating, female R. amazonica deposits a clutch of 4-6 eggs, usually glued to the base of bromeliad leaves on the water. After tadpoles are born, the male is responsible for transporting them to individual plantlets to avoid possible cannibalism. Reproduction is asymmetric, whereby the male takes care of the young and protects its territory, while the females are free in the forest.

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