Mathison Museum of Natural History

Species: Vespa mandarinia Smith, 1852
Common name(s): Asian giant hornet

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Insects of Japan Series 1
Year of Production: 2005
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 3.5 cm, within scale 1:1 for a worker wasp.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fifth time we have seen V. mandarinia in the Museum. Some assembly is required. The Yujin Insects of Japan figures are believed to have been cast from actual specimens and are therefore in the 1:1 scale range.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East and Southeast Asia, Japan; recently introduced to the Pacific Northwest of North America, but it is unknown if populations are established
Habitat: Forests, woodlands
Diet: Larvae are feed insects provided by adults. Adults are predaceous on insects, but will also eat tree sap, overripe fruit, and Vespa amino acid mixture produced by the larvae.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Despite having what is considered one of the most potent stings of any wasp, V. mandarinina ranks only as 2 on the Schmidt sting pain index.

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impressive model and photo!

Species: Oryzias latipes (Temminck & Schlegel 1846)
Common name(s): Japanese rice fish; Japanese killifish; medaka

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 1
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 4.0 cm, within scale 1:1 for a larger specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Yujin produced their Freshwater Fish figures more than once; I am not sure what release my figure came from (although I suspect the first release, based on sbell's image of one from the second release on the ATF which has a noticeably different color than mine). The fish is removable from its base. Kaiyodo also produced this species for the original Chocoegg Animatales series.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan
Habitat: Freshwater and brackish water habitats, including ponds, marshes, rice paddies, slow-moving streams, ditches, tide pools
Diet: Algae, phytoplankton, zooplankton, small invertebrates (fly larvae, microcrustaceans)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Oryzias latipes is popular in science as a model for several areas of biological research. Among other things, it has been sent to space! It's not the first fish species to have that honor (that goes to the mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus), but it is the first fish, actually the first vertebrate, to have successfully bred in space (well, first vertebrate from earth...).

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Species: Deroplatys dessicata Westwood, 1838
Common name(s): giant dead leaf mantis

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bandai
Series: Diversity of Life on Earth - Mini Mantids and Locusts
Year of Production: 2023
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 7.5 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Prior to 2021, we didn't have any Deroplatys figures in the toy/figure market, and now we have three species! Assembly is required here and the pieces don't fit as snuggly as I would have liked, some of which had to be reinforced with a school glue.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southeast Asia (peninsular Malaysia, Mentawai Islands, Java, Borneo, Sumatra)
Habitat: Tropical forests, scrubland; usually on the ground among dead leaves
Diet: Small insects and spiders
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other dead leaf mantids, D. dessicata has morphologic adaptations to resemble dead leaves when viewed from above as a form of camouflage against would-be predators. If confronted by a potential aggressor, the mantis displays interesting threatening behavior by exposing the colorful underside of both pairs of wings which resemble the face of a snake or other predator.

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Species: Lagopus muta (Montin, 1781)
Common name(s): rock ptarmigan

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.
Series: Kurobe Dam Encyclopedia
Year of Production: 2019
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 1:5.5-1:6
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This pair of birds were part of a set that focused on the Kurobe Dam in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. They were the only animals in the set; there were three figures representing the dam itself and one figure representing a plate of Kurobe curry. The birds are removable from thier bases, but the female would be incomplete without it and the male wouldn't stand due to pegs on the underside of its feet. Most figures of this species were made by Kaiyodo, who has at least seven versions including seasonal and sexual variants.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Circumpolar. In North America, in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. In Eurasia, in Iceland, Scandinavia, Scotland, and Russia, with scattered populations in the Alps, Urals, Pamir Mountains, Altay Mountains, and Japan (Japanese Alps and Mount Haku).
Habitat: Alpine and arctic tundra, mountainsides; females are usually in areas with more cover while males are more common in open areas and on rocky outlooks
Diet: Adults feed on plant material; the diet varies by location and season. Buds, catkins, and twigs are eaten primarily in the winter, with berries, Salix (willow) leaves, and flowers eaten in the spring and summer, and seeds and Betula (birch) buds in the late summer and fall. Chicks primarily eat terrestrial invertebrates.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Lagopus muta has an elaborate courtship display involving the male circling the female while dragging one wing on the ground, fanning the tail, and raising the red eye combs. The size of the comb in the male is directly linked to his level of testosterone and the comb is involved in sexual selection; several studies have demonstrated that mating success is linked to the size of the male's comb. After mating, the female lays 7-10 eggs which are incubated by the female only on the ground in shallow depressions. Incubation typically lasts 21 days and chicks fledge in 10-12 weeks. Sexes separate during the winter, forming single-sex groups.

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Never seen that set before, very interesting. The non animal sets have sometimes really treasures inside

Species: Trachelophorus giraffa Jekel, 1860
Common name(s): giraffe weevil

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: unknown
Series: unknown
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (exclusive of appendages) approximately 8.5 cm for a scale of 3.4:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique (?)
Miscellaneous Notes: I don't know anything about this figure, neither who produced it or when it was released. I bought it in a set on eBay years ago. The only markings on the bottom are 'China' and a number; in this case the number is 12, so there were at least 12 figures in the set. All of the figures I bought are exotic beetles and one of the main reasons I retained them when my collecting habits focused recently was because many appear to be unique as species in toy form. Some of the species are on the Italian Beetles poster that was clearly the influence for Wing Mau's beetle collection, but some (including today's) are not, suggesting another source of influence. One possible influence was Art Evans' book An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles which originally came out in 1996. Popular books were the source of influence for many figures produced in the 1990s and early 2000s (e.g. Play Visions) and these beetles have the look and feel of something that came out in that era.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Madagascar
Habitat: Tropical rainforest
Diet: Larvae and adults feed on leaves of plants in the genus Dichaetanthera
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: Trachelophorus giraffa is sexually dimorphic and only males have the exaggerated prothorax. The 'neck' is believed to have a dual purpose, one is for fighting off rival males and the other is to assist in nest building.

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A China mysterie

Species: †Pachydiscus sp.

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Dinotales Series 1
Year of Production: 2001
Size/Scale: Total figure height 4.5 cm. Diameter of shell approximately 3.0 cm for a scale of 1:25.9 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Being one of the original Dinotales figures, assembly is required. With some species of Pachydiscus being transfered to other genera (including Parapuzosia), I found it hard to find a full size range for which to calculate scale. The scale above is based on the average size of the type species, P. neubergicus.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Cretaceous (Campanian to Maastrichtian) in seas and oceans worldwide
Habitat: Marine; pelagic
Diet: Predator of marine fish and invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Some of the larger species of Pachydiscus were transferred to Parapuzosia, leaving more moderate and smaller-sized species in the former. Remaining Pachydiscus belong to two subgenera, Pachydiscus, which contains species with well-defined ribs throughout its shell, and Neodesmoceras, in which the ribs disappear early leaving a nearly smooth shell.

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Species: Plestiodon latiscutatus Hallowell, 1861
Common name(s): Japanese five-lined skink; Far Eastern skink; Okada's five-lined skink

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Primary Colour Lizards Book
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Snout-to-vent length of adult approximately 5.5 cm for 1:1.1-1:1.7. SVL of juvenile approximately 4.3 cm; the scale is difficult to calculate as I don't know the range at this morphotype, but based on its size it seems to be in comparable scale to the adult.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (unique as a pair)
Miscellaneous Notes: The upper figure represents an adult; the lower figure represents a juvenile. The sculpt for the adult was originally produced by Wing Mau and used by Club Earth to represent the American five-lined skink, P. fasciatus (sculpts in Yujin's lizard collection are often reissues of sculpts used by Club Earth and Play Visions).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Japan (Izu Peninsula)
Habitat: Woodlands, forest edges, agricultural fields, parks, gardens
Diet: Terrestrial invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Plestiodon latiscutatus is most similar to P. japonicus and the two species are naturally separated geographically, although P. japonicus has been introduced to areas where P. latiscutatus is native, and the two species have hybridized. Plestiodon latiscutatus is endemic to the Izu Peninsula while P. japonicus is found on southwestern Honshū exclusive of the Izu Peninsula (except for Hachijō-jima where the introduced populations occur). A third similar species, P. finitimus, occurs in eastern Honshū and Hokkaido; it was separated from P. japonicus in 2012 based on DNA barcoding. The separation of P. latiscutatus and P. japonicus is believed to have occurred during the mid-Pleistocene when a former sea separated the Izu Peninsula from the rest of Japan. Today, the Fuji and Sakawa Rivers mark the natural separation of the two species.

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Species: †Dakosaurus maximus (Plieninger, 1846)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: PNSO
Series: Prehistoric Animal Models
Year of Production: 2019
Size/Scale: Figure approximately 14.0 cm across its widest points. Using mandible as a metric (n=3.0 cm), scale comes to approximately 1:27-1:29 (see below).
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The lower jaw is articulated. Two smaller versions of this genus were made by PNSO and Safari Ltd. The scale range above is based on specimen NHMUK, which has a complete skull and mandible, and SMNS 82043, which is the largest known specimen of D. maximus (or at least it was at the time of a 2012 analysis).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Late Jurassic (Oxfordian-Early Tithonian); probably in most seas and oceans at the time
Habitat: Marine; pelagic
Diet: Predator on other marine animals, such as large fish and other marine reptiles
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: The large serrated and laterally-compressed teeth of Dakosaurus, in combination with the skulls which could anchor large adductor muscles, suggests the animal was an apex predator on larger prey, such as large fish or other large marine reptiles. The structures of the jaws and teeth suggest Dakosaurus could 'twist feed' by tearing chunks of flesh of large prey, rather than simply impaling and engulfing small fish.

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very little fore arms!

Species: Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758
Common name(s): Texas Longhorn cattle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Farm Time
Year of Production: 2021
Size/Scale: Figure length (exclusive of horns) approximately 13.0 cm. Height at shoulder approximately 8.0 cm for a scale of 1:15.25-1:19
Frequency of breed in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: The Texas Longhorn is one of the more regularly-made breeds of domestic cattle. This isn't CollectA's first attempt; their first was produced from 2010-2021. All other major Western Companies (Schleich, Safari Ltd., Papo, Bullyland, Mojö Fun) have produced the breed at least once, and it's a popular breed to be found in playsets sold at agricultural supply stores, etc. One of the other better renditions is Schleich's 2013 model (which in my opinion is much better than the 2018 version that followed it). Schleich is also the only major company to offer bulls, cows, and calves.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: The breed originated in East Texas (which at the time was part of Mexico) and is still bred in North America today.
Habitat: Grassland, open rangeland
Diet: Grasses, herbaceous plants, weeds
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Domesticated
Miscellaneous Notes: The Texas Longhorn is descended from Iberian cattle that were brought to North America by Christopher Columbus and Spanish colonists; the Iberian cattle were themselves descended from an admixture of European and Indian aurochs. Among these Iberian breeds were Barrenda, Retinto, and Grande Pieto. The cattle lived on open rangeland where they bred with other cattle introduced from Europe. The Texas Longhorn is not a directed breed but is instead derived from natural selection and adaptation to the natural environment of Mexico and neighboring Texas. It is considered the only breed which is truly adapted to America, including having the ability to eat a wider range of plants and having resistance to common diseases and parasites. The breed started to lose popularity in the late 1800s and in combination with intensive crossbreeding was almost extinct by 1900. In the 1920s conservation efforts helped save the breed and the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association was formed in 1964. The Texas Longhorn has had a variety of uses throughout its history, including beef (the breed is known for very lean meat), steer riding, and as a show animal (e.g., in parades).

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Great-looking bull! Did you find any good information about the size of Texas longhorns? I have only been able to find an article by Halloran, but it is from 1965 and many cattle breeds have become larger in recent times.

Nice

Species: Dasymutilla occidentalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): red velvet ant; cow killer

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Exotic Insects
Year of Production: 1996
Size/Scale: Body length (exclusive of appendages) approximately 4.7 cm for a scale of 3.1:1-2.5:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique (as a sculpt, see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: The figure is simply marked 'velvet ant' and the species identification is my own. The paint job isn't perfect for D. occidentalis (ideally, there should be another red spot near the end of the abdomen), but it's the best option for the >100 species in the genus. This is the only figure of a velvet ant I am aware of. Play Visions also released monochromatic, translucent versions of the figures in the Exotic Insects collection, including this velvet ant, but the sculpt is the same.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Eastern United States
Habitat: Forest edges, meadows, agricultural fields, suburban parks and yards
Diet: Larvae are parasitoids on the larvae and pupae of ground-nesting bees; adults feed on nectar
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other velvet ants, which are wasps and not 'true' ants, males of D. occidentalis have wings and can fly while females are wingless. Female velvet ants have some of the strongest stingers and most painful stings of hymenopterans, at least in North America (hence the common name 'cow killer', from an old misbelief that their stings can kill a cow!). The powerful stings are necessary to combat the adults of the host bees and wasps whose larvae they need for the development of their own larvae. Female velvet ants lay their eggs just inside the nest of a host bee or wasp. After the larvae hatch, they feed as external parasitoids on the larvae and pupae of the host.

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Species: Bos taurus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): Ankole-Watusi cattle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Farm Time
Year of Production: 2014
Size/Scale: Height at shoulder approximately 8.3 cm for a scale of 1:20-1:24
Frequency of breed in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure represents a bull, but CollectA also produced a cow and calf alongside it in the same year. In 2020, Safari Ltd. produced this breed, simply referring to it as Watusi cattle.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: The breed originated in Africa and today is bred primarily in the United States, Europe, and Africa.
Habitat: Open forest, meadows, grasslands, savanna, open rangeland
Diet: Grasses, leaves
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Domesticated
Miscellaneous Notes: The Ankole-Watusi has its origins in Africa, combining the Ankole cattle of the Nkole tribe in Uganda with the Watusi cattle of the Tutsi tribe in Rwanda and Burundi. The Ankole and Watusi are both Sanga cattle, which are descended from Egyptian longhorned taurine cattle and Indian zebu. In the early 1900s, the breed was exported to Europe for the purpose of exhibition animals in zoos. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Ankole-Watusi was imported from Europe to the United States, also for the purpose of being exhibited in zoos. As zoos changed their focus, they dispersed their collections and today most Ankole-Watusi are raised by private breeders for beef and milk. In 1983, the Ankole Watusi International Registry was established to maintain pedigree information and conserve the breed. Ankole-Watutsi are well-adapted for harsh, dry climates and about 80% of current head are in the United States.

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Species: Macrodontia cervicornis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): sabertooth longhorn beetle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kabaya
Series: Insect Directory
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Log base 5.8 cm long. Body length (including mandibles) approximately 5.0 cm for a scale of 1:3.5 for a large specimen.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The beetle is safely removable from its log base.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: South America (Amazon River Basin)
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Larvae feed in decaying coniferous trees; adults do not feed
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes: Macrodontia cervicornis is one of the longest beetles. Taking mandibles into account, they can be 17.5 centimeters or more in length, rivaling a major male Hercules beetle.

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Species: Meleagris gallopavo Linnaeus, 1758
Common name(s): wild turkey; turkey

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Farm Time
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate, but height at head approximately 6.7 cm for a scale of 1:9-1:11.8
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was also marketed by Breyer in the United States. When I bought mine, it was specifically sold as a Bronze turkey, a domestic breed from England; this was probably a designation by Breyer as CollectA's website doesn't indicate a specific breed. This figure was sold as part of CollectA's farm series, but could be a good stand-in for a wild turkey as well. In 2018, Mojö Fun also produced a nice turkey that is likely a wild turkey.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Eastern and southwestern United States and Mexico; naturalized in western and Rocky Mountain regions of North America, southern Canada, the Caribbean, Hawaii, New Zealand, Tasmania, and Europe
Habitat: Hardwood and mixed-conifer forests with scattered openings, including pastures, fields, meadows, orchards
Diet: Acorns, nuts, seeds, flower buds, leaves, fern fronds, terrestrial invertebrates and small vertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Meleagris gallopavo was first domesticated by ancient Mesoamericans over 2,000 years ago in Central and South Mexico. A second domestication even may have occurred in the southwestern United States between 200 and 500 B.C.

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