Mathison Museum of Natural History

Species: Theridion grallator Simon, 1900
Common name(s): Hawaiian happy-face spider

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Toys Spirits
Series: 3D Picture Book Spiders of the World
Year of Production: 2022
Size/Scale: Total figure length 3.2 cm. Body length approximately 1.4 cm for a scale of 2.8:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in this collection come in small paper boxes designed to look like books. Each book itself is a 'strap' figure that can be worn as a keychain. Within each book is biological information on the species. The background page for the figure can be cut out and attached to a plastic base that serves as a diorama on which to display the figure (see inset). I did a step-by-step reveal of the entire presentation when I reviewed the set on the Animal Toy Blog.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Hawaii (Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii islands)
Habitat: Mesic rainforests; often found on the native plants Broussaisia arguta (kanawao) and Clermontia arborescens ('oha wai nui) and the introduced Hedychium coronarium (white garland-lily).
Diet: Small insects, especially small flies
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: The ancestor of T. grallator on the Hawaiian islands is believed to have come from the Americas, possibly descended from Exalbidion from Central or South America. The spider isn't present on the islands of Nihau or Kauai, but it's unclear if it never reached those islands, or was first established there and has since become extinct on those two islands. One theory is that it reached Oahu approximately 3.7-2.6 MYA, either from Kauai, or Nihau, or possibly the Americas. It reached Molokai approximately 1.9-1.8 MYA (from where it is uncertain), and then to Maui 1.32-1.8 MYA and Hawaii 0.43 MYA. It reached the Maui island of Kahoolawe approximately 1.0 MYA and it may have also reached Maui directly from Oahu.

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Species: Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758
Common name(s): wild boar

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Wildlife
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Height at shoulder approximately 5.3 cm for a scale of 1:14.2-1:17.2 for a male boar (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: There is no shortage of good wild boar figures, and nearly every major manufacturer has produced one at least once, sometimes including boars, sows, and piglets. Using TAI as a reference, other good relatively recent versions in the standard ranges include those by Mojö Fun (2014), Papo (2009), and Schleich (2017). The scale above should not be considered absolute, given the variability of size among different subspecies.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Widespread in the Palearctic and Oriental Regions; naturalized in North America (Southeast, Southwest, and California), Caribbean, southern South America, Galapagos Islands, southern Africa, Australia, Papua New Guinea, South Pacific Islands, Hawaii
Habitat: Highly variable, including grassy savanna, wooded forests, shrubland, rainforest, marshy swampland, agricultural areas, suburban areas
Diet: Non-discriminate omnivore; common dietary items include fruits, nuts, roots, green plants, agricultural crops, bird eggs, carrion, small rodents, invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Most domestic pigs are believed to be descended from Sus scrofa (except for some in Timor and Papua new Guinea which are believed to be descended from Sulawesi warty pig, S. celebensis). Some evidence suggests S. scrofa was first domesticated in the Tigris Basin of present-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq as early as 13,000-12,700 BCE. Remains of presumably domestic pigs have been found on Cyprus from approximately 11,400 BCE. There have probably been multiple domestication events. At least one other occurred in China about 8,000 years ago.

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Very good wild boar.

Species: Capitulum mitella (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): Japanese gooseneck barnacle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kitan Club
Series: Nature Techni Colour - Barnacles
Year of Production: 2012
Size/Scale: Figures approximately 6.0 cm and 5.0 cm in height, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: These figures are also magnets, but the magnet is internal and not obtrusive. This is the only species from Kitan Club's Barnacles collection I am aware of that has been produced by another company; Toys Spirits produced the species for their Shellfish with a Lid Mascot collection in 2020 and then again in 2022.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: West Pacific (East China Sea, South China Sea)
Habitat: Intertidal zone of rocky shores
Diet: Zooplankton
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Capitulum mitella is considered a delicacy in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and China.

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Species: Cyanochen cyanoptera (Rüppell, 1845)
Common name(s): blue-winged goose

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yowie Group
Series: Rescue Series
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Figure length approximately 5.5 cm. Scale difficult to calculate based on pose, but taking curvature into account the body length comes to approximately 10.0 cm for a scale of 1:6.5-1:7.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The scale above should be taken with caution given the pose of the bird. I tried to find other metrics that might be helpful, such as head length or foot length (the feet are sculpted on the underside), but no luck. This was an early purchase when I started expanding my collection in 2018 and to this day it remains one of my favorite bird figures!

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Africa; endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands
Habitat: Montane freshwater lakes, swamps, marshes, rivers, and surrounding shrubland and grassland; also man-made water reservoirs
Diet: Primarily grasses, sedges, and leaves; occasionally invertebrates and small reptiles
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: Molecular analyses of the cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 genes suggests C. cyanoptera, along with Hartlaub's duck (Pteronetta hartlaubii), are distantly related from other extant members of Anatidae and belong to a distinct and ancient clade probably deserving of its own subfamily. Wing color patterns, which are believed to be a strong morphologic indicator of evolutionary relationships among waterfowl, also show differences from other anatids.

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This is one of my favorite Yowies, such a good bird. And that happy-face spider is so cool, both as a real species and as a figure. It looks really convincing!

For me one of the best small brands at the moment

Species: Eupholus bennetti (Gestro, 1876)
Common name(s): emerald weevil

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Exotic Beetles
Year of Production: 1998
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 4.2 cm for a scale of 1.9:1-1.3:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure is specifically stamped 'Eupholus weevil' and the species-level identification is my own, based on color (keeping in mind the often stylized color of PV figures).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Papua New Guinea
Habitat: Lowland rainforest
Diet: Larvae presumably feed on plant roots underground; adults feed on leaves, especially those of Dioscorea (yam).
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: I had difficulty researching information on the biology and diet of this species; the larval information above has based on other members of the subfamily Entiminae including the related genus Gymnopholus, which occurs in middle and upper rainforests of New Guinea.

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Species: †Stegosaurus stenops Marsh, 1877

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2020
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 23 cm for a scale of 1:24.3 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common [as a genus]
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was sculpted after the famous 'Sophie' specimen (NHMUK PV R36730), a nearly complete (roughly 85% intact) specimen discovered in the Red Canyon Ranch quarry near Shell, Wyoming, USA. The scale above is calculated specifically based on the Sophie specimen, which is a subadult, but in his collection thread on the DTF, forum member Halichoeres speculated that the toy may scale closer to 1:35 for a mature individual (I didn't do the calculations for a mature specimen). Despite the designation 'Sophie', the sex of the dinosaur is unknown.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to early Tithonian) of present-day western North America
Habitat: Riparian coniferous forests, gallery forests, seasonal floodplains, fern savanna
Diet: Vegetation; likely a browser on small twigs and low-growing vegetation
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: In addition to being known for the plates that runs down its back, Stegosaurus is also known for the four presumably defensive spikes at the end of its tail. In a 1982 The Far Side comic, cartoonist Gary Larson coined the term ‘thagomizer’ for the tail spikes; it was named after a caveman called Thag Simmons that was killed by it (yes, yes, we all know Paleolithic humans and stegosaurs never interacted). Interestingly, researchers on stegosaurian dinosaurs have adopted the term thagomizer in their scientific circles and is used as an informal anatomical term! I grew up with The Far Side cartoons (I was 10 years old when the thagomizer debuted) and remember this particular cartoon well.

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It differs from the very numerous previous models by its longer neck and bigger head!

Species: †Orthacanthus sp.

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Prehistoric Sharks TOOB
Year of Production: 2010
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 9.5 cm for a scale of 1:31.6
Frequency of genus in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The scale above is based on a 3.0 meter mature specimen. I really like this little shark, but could see myself replacing it for a 'standard-sized' version by an established company some day.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Upper Carboniferous to Lower Permian of present-day North America and Europe
Habitat: Freshwater swamps, bayous; nektobenthic
Diet: Apex predator on other fish, including the related shark Triodus; cannibalism likely
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Orthacanthus and other xenacanthid ‘sharks’ are known for their prolonged dorsal spines, which are believed to be derived from a modified dorsal-fin spine. The function of such a spine is not entirely understood, but is believed to be defensive, perhaps by preventing other predaceous chondrichthyans from grabbing them dorsally at the head region.

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Very rare and so precious model!

Species: Oryctes gigas Laporte de Castelnau, 1840

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King - standard series, small
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 4.5 cm for a scale of 1:1.6 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The Sega 'small standard series' were 10 sets of 10 figures each, for a total of 100 figures representing 65-75 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 the overview by forum member Beetle guy here. The only other figure of this species I am aware of is by DeAgostini for their World Insect Data Book collection.

I had difficulty finding a size range for this species; the scale above is based on 7.5 cm which, from what I can tell, is about the maximum length for a major male.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Equatorial Africa, Madagascar
Habitat: Rainforest
Diet: Larvae feed on humus, compost, and in sawdust piles; adults feed on the crown region of palms or possibly do not feed (see below)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: From what I can tell there are two subspecies of O. gigas. The nominate subspecies O. g. gigas which occurs in equatorial mainland Africa and O. g. insulicola which occurs on Madagascar. I had difficulty researching biological information on this species and information above on the adult diet is based on other species in the genus. For example, the Asian species O. rhinoceros is a pest of oil palms in Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands, while the European O. nasicornis typically does not feed as an adult.

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Very beautiful display!

Species: Alouatta pigra Lawrence, 1933
Common name(s): Yucatán black howler; Guatemalan black howler; Central American black howler

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Wildlife
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Body length (exclusive of tail) approximately 5.7 for a scale of 1:9.1-1:11.2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure is only marketed as a howler monkey. For a while I had it databased in my collection as the black howler (A. caraya) but in evaluating the toy for this review, I have changed my identification. Males of both species are solid black, but A. pigra has pale grey to white genitalia (which this figure has) while A. caraya has reddish genitalia.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Yucatán Peninsula of Central America (Belize, Guatemala, southeastern Mexico)
Habitat: Tropical lowland, deciduous, semi-deciduous, and evergreen forests; arboreal in the middle to upper canopy
Diet: Primarily leaves; also fruits, buds, flowers, mosses, bark
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Alouatta pigra, like other howler monkeys, is known for its loud calls; howler monkeys are often regarded as the loudest animals. Both sexes can 'howl' but the males are much louder. The monkeys are able to howl due to an enlarged hyoid bone. There is an inverse relationship between the size of the hyoid bone and the size of a male's testes; the larger the hyoid bone (and louder the monkey), the smaller the testes, so despite having small testes, the louder male is still more likely to mate and establish territory.

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Species: Illeis koebelei Timberlake, 1943
Common name(s): yellow lady beetle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bandai
Series: Diversity of Life on Earth - Advanced Ladybugs
Year of Production: 2023
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 17.1:1-11.8:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Some assembly may be required (mine came assembled) and there are multiple points of articulation in the legs. There is also an option to display it with its elytra open, flying wings exposed, and on a base, but I chose not to display mine that way for space considerations.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East and Southeast Asia, Japan
Habitat: Woodlands, clearings, tree orchards, suburban and urban parks, gardens, and yards
Diet: Adults and larvae feed on powdery mildews (Sphaerotheca, Phyllactinia, Microsphaera, Golovinomyces, and possibly others)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Members of the genus Illeis are biologically interesting compared to many other ladybugs. While most ladybugs are predaceous on other insects (a notable exception includes members of the subfamily Epilachninae which are phytophagous), members of the genus Illeis are mycophagous, specializing on powdery mildews which can be harmful to their host plants.

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Species: Mellisuga helenae (Lembeye, 1850)
Common name(s): bee hummingbird; zunzuncito; Helena hummingbird

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: SO-TA
Series: 1/1 Bee Hummingbirds
Year of Production: 2022
Size/Scale: Body length of both sexes approximately 7.0 cm for a scale of 1.2:1 for the female and 1.3:1 for the male
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique (as a set)
Miscellaneous Notes: The resting figure is sculpted as a female while the flying figure is sculpted as a male. The set included four figures, each sex resting and each flying, but I only bought the resting female and flying male. All figures come with the option of a clear acrylic base (only seen here with the male), and the resting birds also come with a clear acrylic ring to be worn on the finger. Assembly is minimal (the flying figures require the wings to be attached). Both sexes are slightly larger than their advertised scale of 1:1.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Cuba
Habitat: Coastal and interior forests, mountain valleys, swamps, parks and gardens
Diet: Nectar; occasionally small insects and spiders
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: With female birds measuring approximately 6.0 cm in length and weighing 2.6 grams, and males measuring approximately 5.5 cm and weighing about 1.95 grams, M. helenae is regarded as the world's smallest bird!

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