Mathison Museum of Natural History

Another amazing photo and beautiful model!

rogerpgvg wrote:

Another amazing photo and beautiful model!

Thanks. I had to take it to work so I can photograph it in a tree outside my job LOL

Species: Rhyothemis fuliginosa Selys, 1883
Common name(s): butterfly dragonfly; butterfly skimmer

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Insects of Japan Series 2
Year of Production: 2006
Size/Scale: Total figure height approximately 8.7 cm. Wingspan approximately 7.0 cm. Using hind wing length as a metric (n=3.2 cm), within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Assembly is required. Figures in the Insects of Japan series are believed to be cast from actual specimens are are therefore all in the 1:1 scale range. To my knowledge, this figure was unique for this species until just last year (2022) when Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. produced one!

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia (China, Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan)
Habitat: Freshwater marshes, lakes, artificial ponds, aquaculture ponds
Diet: Nymphs feed on freshwater insects, crustaceans, tadpoles; adults feed on flying insects, especially mosquitoes
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: While R. fuliginosa, like all dragonflies, breeds in aquatic environments, adults will often fly great distances away from water for food, and may be found in grasslands and hilly and mountainous areas. Adults will often venture into forests to rest overnight in the canopy.

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

The Safari wild boar, posted a few pages ago, is a very interesting figure for my collection and you even calculated it as good for 1:15-1:16 sscale. I also miss the howler monkey, it is interesting the way you used to identify the species. I love the tufted duck from Maia & Borges. All those Japanese figures are very realistic but I am most affectionate to the traditional pvc figures.

This time the background looks like it comes from a fairy tale, with the dragonfly being the fairy.

Species: Polistes dominula (Christ, 1791)
Common name(s): European paper wasp

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Blip Toys
Series: Nature's Wonders HD
Year of Production: 2008
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 7.2 cm. Using forewing length as a metric (n=5.0 cm), scale comes to 5.3:1-3.8:1 for a male specimen or 5.9:1-4.2:1 for a female specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was not marketed at the species level and the identification is community-based (I think first proposed by brontodocus) and I concur. The only thing going against the ID is that the antennae of P. dominula should be yellow.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Europe, North Africa, temperate Asia east to China; naturalized in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South America (Chile, Argentina)
Habitat: Woodlands, chaparral, grasslands, agricultural areas, urban and suburban parks and gardens
Diet: Larvae feed on chewed-up insects provided by adults; P. dominula has a rather broad diet and will hunt insects of multiple orders, unlike many other Polistes species that use only lepidopteran larvae. Adults feed on nectar and other sugary liquids.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Polistes dominula has established itself in other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile and Argentina in South America. There are several biological traits which makes it well-adapted for survival in a new location. One is the aforementioned generalist diet. It is also highly adaptable to new environments and habitats and has a short developmental cycle and can reproduce faster than native species where it's become established.

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

Species: Chalcosoma chiron (Olivier, 1789)
Common name(s): Caucasus beetle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Sega
Series: Mushi King- small series, DX
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (including cephalic horn) approximately 6.3 cm for a scale of 1:1.4-1:2 (closer to 1:2 for a large major male)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fifth time we've seen C. chiron in the Museum. Most figures of C. chiron are sold under its synonym, C. caucasus.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia)
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Larvae feed in decaying wood and detritus; adults feed on tree sap
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: There are at least four subspecies of C. chiron: the nominate C. c. chiron occurs in Java, C. c. belangeri occurs in Thailand, Vietnam, and Langkawi, C. c. kirbyi occurs in West Malaysia, and C. c. janssensi occurs in Sumatra.

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

Species: Erinaceus europaeus Linnaeus, 1758
Common name(s): European hedgehog; common hedgehog

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Schleich
Series: Wild Life Europe
Year of Production: 2014
Size/Scale: Head-and-body length approximately 4.0 cm for a scale of 1:3.4-1:6.6
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: The leaves are permanently affixed as part of a base. European hedgehogs by major Western companies that do not have a base include those by Bullyland (1998), CollectA (2006, 2011), Mojö Fun (2011), and a K&M International tube figure (2006), among others of tentative ID. If one didn't want a base, I would recommend the 2011 CollectA version.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Europe; naturalized in New Zealand
Habitat: Woodlands, grasslands, meadows, hedgerows, arable land, orchards, vineyards, parks and gardens
Diet: Primarily terrestrial invertebrates; occasionally eggs, small rodents, reptiles, frogs, carrion
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: As days shorten in the fall, Erinaceus europaeus begins looking for sufficiently insulated hibernation nests (hibernacula). In colder areas, hibernation usually begins in October and lasts until April; in warmer areas, hedgehogs may only hibernate during the coldest of winters. Hedgehogs survive the cold temperatures by storing fat to be used as insulation and as an energy reserve to wake up when necessary. Periodic breaks in hibernation can occur every 1 to 2 weeks and last for 1 to 2 days, during which the hedgehogs forage for food and urinate.

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

Species: Parahucho perryi (Brevoort, 1856)
Common name(s): Sakhalin taimen; Japanese huchen; itoyo

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 1
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 8.0 cm for a scale of 1:6.3-1:25
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in the Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book collection were released more than once. I am not certain, but I think my figures are from the first release (they look different from sbell's walkarounds which represent the second release). Some assembly is required and the fish is removable from its base. This species was also made by Colorata and Kaiyodo.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Russia (Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Island, Krai, Khabarovsk), Japan (Hokkaido)
Habitat: Freshwater lakes and large rivers; some populations anadromous
Diet: Young fish feed on aquatic insects and other invertebrates; adults are predators of other fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Parahucho perryi is currently listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN (last assessed January, 2006). Major threats to its populations are habitat destruction for agriculture, urbanization, and gas and oil development. Illegal poaching is also a problem, especially in Russia. In Japan, the fish is bred for for game-fishing at specific managed sites so as not to further harm native populations.

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

Species: Calappa hepatica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): reef box crab

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: My Favorite Animals
Series: N/A/unknown
Year of Production: 2010
Size/Scale: Base 7.8 cm wide. Carapace width approximately 5.0 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: My Favorite Animals are resin figures made by an artist based in Japan. They are very nice, but can be expensive and rather fragile. Many arthropods, reptiles, amphibians, and fish are in the 1:1 scale range. Today's crab does not appear to be removable from its base (I haven't tried with too much force for fear of breakage). This resin figure was the only representative of its species available until Bandai produced one in 2022 for the Diversity of Life on Earth line.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea
Habitat: Coral reefs, sandy and shelly seabeds, seagrass meadows; at depths of 0-150 meters
Diet: Hard-shelled mollusks and hermit crabs residing in gastropod shells
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other members of its genus, C. hepatica has specially-adapted chelae (claws) for hunting hard-shelled mollusks and hermit crabs residing in gastropod shells. There is a large accessory tooth located at the base of the hinged part of the right chela, which is located opposite a flat plate on the fixed part, and with the two working together act like a vice. After breaking open the shell, it uses its left chela, which is longer and more pointed than the one on the right, to pick out the soft tissues.

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

Very cool figure from a unknown brand. What is the material?

widukind wrote:

Very cool figure from a unknown brand. What is the material?

resin, as I explained above

Thank you and sorry

Note: these figures came up by random number selection late last week, but I postponed showing them until after my Blog review of them.

Species: Idolomantis diabolica (Saussure, 1869)
Common name(s): giant Devil's flower mantis

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bandai
Series: Diversity of Life on Earth - Giant Devil's Flower Mantis
Year of Production: 2023
Size/Scale: Body length of both figures approximately 13.5 cm for a scale of roughly 10.6:1 for the L1 nymph and 1.3:1-1.2:1 for the L8 nymph (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen I. diabolica in the Museum. The first showing back in October of 2021 was a figure by Bandai Spirits that was unique for the species at the time! The darker figure on the right represents the first instar (L1) nymph; the lighter figure on the left represents the eighth instar (L8) nymph. The same sculpt was used for both, but it's technically only accurate for the L8 nymph. Both figures are large, require assembly, and have multiple points of articulation. The set also came with an adult male and adult female, but I didn't purchase either as I was content with the Bandai Spirits adult female.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East-central Africa
Habitat: Rainforests
Diet: Flying insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: The sexes of I diabolica have different numbers of developmental stages. Females have eight nymphal stages before the adult stage while males have only seven nymphal stages.

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

Impressive models. The thin parts look very fragile.

A beautieful figure. So much beautieful that i was thinking about to buy for my zoo.

widukind wrote:

A beautieful figure. So much beautieful that i was thinking about to buy for my zoo.

the mantis? Just remember they are very large and require assembly

Next up:

Species: Acherontia atropos (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): death's-head hawkmoth; African death's-head hawkmoth

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Paleo-Creatures
Series: Amazing Moths
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Wingspan approximately 8.2 cm, within scale 1:1 for a smaller specimen.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen A. atropos in the Museum. To the best of my knowledge, there are currently two avaiable options for this species, this one that was created by forum member Jetoar and a vintage figure by Funrise Toys. Not surprisingly, neither is readily available today. However, Papo is slated to release one later this year, quite possibly this month based on online stores!

I photographed today's model with elements from Tarlin's Life Cycle of a Honey Bee collection to highlight the moth's predation of beehives in order to acquire the honey they feed on.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Much of Africa including Madagascar (absent in large deserts), Mediterranean Europe, and the Middle East; vagrants occur throughout much of Europe
Habitat: Open woodlands, meadows, fields, agricultural fields, gardens
Diet: Larvae feed primarily on plants in the genera Solanum (potato, tomato and kin) and Physalis (groundcherries), but also a variety of other plants in the families Solanaceae, Verbenaceae, Oleaceae, Pedaliaceae, and Cannabaceae; adults feed on honey
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: The skull-like pattern on the thorax of A. atropos has made the moth a subject in popular culture throughout the years, from Edgar Allen Poe's 1846 short story The Sphinx to the 1968 British horror film The Blood Beast Terror to the 2003 music video 'Butterfly Caught' by Massive Attack to a 2018 video game, Remothered: Tormented Feathers. Interestingly, the death's-head hawkmoth featured in the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs was also A. atropos, although the entomologist in the film identified it as a related species, the lesser deaths-head hawkmoth A. styx, and A. styx appears on promotional posters for the film.

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

Species: Ninox scutulata (Raffles, 1822)
Common name(s): brown boobook; brown hawk-owl

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Capsule Q Museum - Fortune Owl Collection 3
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Total figure height approximately 5.4 cm. Body length approximately 5.0 cm for a scale of 1:5.4-1:6.4
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Some assembly is required and the bird is removable from its base. Kaiyodo also made this species for the Birdtales line.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central and Southeast Asia from India to China and the Philippines
Habitat: Primary and secondary rainforest, riparian woodlands, tree orchards, urban and suburban areas with tall trees
Diet: Primarily insects; occasionally reptiles, amphibians, rodents, bats, crabs
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Ninox scutulata nests in large tree holes, usually 5-20 meters above the ground. The same nest hole is often used by the same pair for successive years. Usually only two eggs are laid and only the female incubates the eggs, while the male provides her with food. Chicks fledge 24-27 days after hatching and are fed by both parents.

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

Fine model and display!

Wonderful owl