Mathison Museum of Natural History

Jill wrote:

I love how varied your presentation of your collection is, so much that you had to expand to "organism" rather than "animal."

Thanks, Jill. There is a reason for that latter part that will probably become more obvious in the near future ;-)

next up:



Species: Alepisaurus ferox Lowe, 1833
Common name(s): longnose lancetfish; long-snouted lancetfish; cannibal fish

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Aquarium Figure Collection - Deep Sea Creatures 1
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 8.0 cm for a scale of 1:18.8-1:26.9
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: No assembly is required and the fish is removable from its base. This figure was unique for this species until just last month when Bandai released a miniature version in their Diversity of Life on Earth line.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Worldwide
Habitat: Bathypelagic; at depths of 0-1,830 meters
Diet: Crustaceans, cephalopods, tunicates, bony fish (including conspecifics)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Adolescents of A. ferox are synchronous hermaphrodites, whereby gonads consist of clearly defined and well separated ovarian and testicular regions with no indication of sequential maturation of the sex products. There is no indication, yet, that this phenomenon occurs in adults as well and whether or not the species is a functional hermaphrodite or self-fertilization takes place.

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Really nice figure

Species: Mustela nigripes (Audubon & Bachman, 1851)
Common name(s): black-footed ferret; American polecat

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yowie Group
Series: All Americas Series
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding tail) approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 1:6.3-1:10
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 Play Visions in 1998.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: United States (Northern Great Plains)
Habitat: Shortgrass prairie, mixed-grass prairie, desert grassland, shrub steppe, sagebrush steppe, mountain grassland, semi-arid grassland
Diet: Specialist predator on prairie dogs (Cynonmys spp.), especially white-tailed (C. leucurus) and black-tailed (C. ludovicianus) prairie dogs; additional prey, especially in areas where prairie dogs hibernate, includes voles, mice, lagomorphs, small ground-nesting birds.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: In the late 1880s, it was estimated there were 500,000 to 1,000,000 black-footed ferrets. By the 1950s, the population had dropped to the level where they were presumed extinct. There are four main stressors which are believed to have contributed to the decline of the species. The two major ones were hunting (for their fur) and a drop in the population of their prairie dog prey due to plague (Yersinia pestis). The other two factors are drought and a decline in genetic fitness and genetic diversity due to inbreeding as their population fell. Conservation efforts have been underway for a while and the ferret has been reintroduced to several locations in the United States (Montana, South Dakota, Arizona, Colorado, Utah), northern Mexico (Chihuahua), and Canada (Saskatchewan).

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Species: Rungwecebus kipunji (Jones et al., 2005)
Common name(s): kipunji; highland mangabey

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yowie Group
Series: Wildlife Conservation Series
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding tail) approximately 3.8 cm for a scale of 1:22-1:24
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: I could see myself replacing this figure some day if made in the 'standard' sized range. That being said, it scale at 1:24 which is a very popular scale for collectors. The scale above is calculated based on a head-and-body length (exclusive of tail) of 85-90 cm. At first I thought that sounded too big but I was able to track down the species' original description and sure enough, that is the body length minus the tail.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Tanzania
Habitat: Montane and submontane rainforest; arboreal
Diet: Leaves, shoots, flowers, bark, fruit, lichen, moss, invertebrates, farm crops
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Rungwecebus kipunji is only known from two locations in Tanzania, the Rungwe-Livingstone Forest in the Southern Highlands and the Ndundulu Forest Reserve of southwest Tanzania. It is the most recently discovered extant primate species; it was only discovered in 2003 and 2004 by two independent research groups and formally described in 2005. It was initially described as a member of the genus Lophocebus (crested mangabeys), but later both molecular and morphologic studies showed it is more closely related to baboons (Papio), and in 2006 the genus Rungwecebus was described to accommodate it.

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I don't have it because I'm waiting for a better rendition. I hope the species will survive.

A interesting species

Kikimalou wrote:

I don't have it because I'm waiting for a better rendition. I hope the species will survive.

I held off getting it for a while for that very reason. But then I suspected the chances of getting another one are remote. CollectA might do it. Possibly Safari.

Species: Dardanus pedunculatus (Herbst, 1804)
Common name(s): anemone hermit crab

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Primary Colour Crustaceans Book
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate as important features are concealed by the shell, but the carapace length is approximately 1.0 cm for a scale of 1:2.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Some assembly is required. When the Primary Colour line was acquired by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. and this set was reissued, this species was not included.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: coral reefs, intertidal zones; at depths of 1-27 meters
Diet: Algae, cyanobacteria
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Dardanus pedunculatus is probably best known for carrying around anemones on its shell. The stinging anemones are used as protection against would-be predators, most notably octopi. The hermit crab acquires an anemone by gently stroking and tapping the anemone until it loosens its grip on its substrate, after which it is transferred to the hermit crab's shell.

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Wonderful figure and great scenery!

rogerpgvg wrote:

Wonderful figure and great scenery!

Thanks. I forgot how well done this hermit crab was until I was editing the image!

Species: Myocastor coypus (Molina, 1782)
Common name(s): coypu; nutria

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Chocoegg Animatales Series 3
Year of Production: 2000
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding tail) approximately 4.5 cm for a scale of 1:8.9-1:13.3
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Being one of the original Chocoegg figures, assembly is required.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Southern South America; introduced to other parts of South America, much of Europe, North America, and Japan
Habitat: Freshwater marshes, lakes, sluggish rivers
Diet: Aquatic vegetation, including Typha (cattail), Sagittaria (arrowheads), Cyperus (flatsedges), Spartina (cordgrasses), and a variety of other rushes and reeds
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Myocastor coypus is considered an invasive species outside of its native range. Introductions to other countries were for the purpose of the fur trade. Many of these farms were not successful in the long run, and nutria either escaped or were intentionally released when operations became unprofitable.

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Species: Scolopendra japonica Koch, 1878
Common name(s): Japanese giant centipede

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Capsule Q Museum - Toxic and Dangerous Animals
Year of Production: 2014
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 9.7 cm for a scale of 1:1.3
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique (as a pair)
Miscellaneous Notes: Unlike most other Kaiyodo figures, these centipedes are made of a softer, almost rubbery, material. The two figures were marketed as S. subspinipes; however, in 2012, two years before the figures were released, the subspecies S. s. japonica was elevated to the species level. The color of these two figures match the two color morphotypes of S. japonica in the review by Siriwurt et al. (below) and the paper that accompanies the figures specifically references Japanese populations. As such, for my collection, I have decided to database these as S. japonica.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: East and Southeast Asia, Japan
Habitat: Temperate and subtropical woodlands; usually on the ground under rocks and logs, or in crevices, burrows, and leaf litter
Diet: Primarily arachnids and insects; occasionally small rodents and small reptiles
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Scolopendra japonica was first described as a valid species in 1878. In 1903, it was reclassified as a subspecies of S. subspinipes. In 2003, it was suggested that it should possibly be a subspecies of S. multidens. In 2012 it was elevated back to species level based on morphologic analysis, a move that was supported by Siriwut et al. in 2016 (below) based on morphologic and molecular analyses.

Ref: Siriwut W, Edgecombe GD, Sutcharit C, Tongkerd P, Panha S. A taxonomic review of the centipede genus Scolopendra Linnaeus, 1758 (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae) in mainland Southeast Asia, with description of a new species from Laos. Zookeys. 2016;590:1-124.

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Species: Equus quagga boehmi Matschie, 1892
Common name(s): Grant's zebra

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Height at shoulders approximately 6.7 cm for a scale of 1:18-1:21
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: CollectA only marketed this figure as a 'common zebra' and the subspecies designation is my own based on striping pattern and its familiarity.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: East-Central Africa (Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem)
Habitat: Open savanna woodland, grassland
Diet: Primarily grasses; occasionally leaves, bark, shrubs
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened (as a species)
Miscellaneous Notes: While generally assumed to be white with black stripes, embryonic studies have shown that the 'base' color of zebras is dark with white striping. Striping patterns, like human fingerprints, are unique to an individual and heritable. Occasionally, individuals of E. quagga express abnormalities in their striping patterns. For example, melanistic zebras have reduced white on the torso, although the legs are whiter. There are also spotted individuals and in rare cases albino zebras. Some striping abnormalities have been linked to inbreeding.

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Species: †Giganotosaurus carolinii Coria & Salgado, 1995

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Raw figure length is approximately 37.0 cm. Using skull as a metric (n=5.5 cm), scale comes to approximately 1:27-1:32. Using femur as a metric (n=6.0 cm), scale comes to approximately 1:23-1:24 (see below).
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon (becoming more common)
Miscellaneous Notes: Carcharodontosaurids have been gaining momentum lately is the toy animal world (especially thanks to PNSO), Giganotosaurus included, with very nice recent renditions by Eofauna (2019) and PNSO (2023). Most of the time, however, I still favor Safari Ltd. when it comes to large bipedal theropods and I am not at all bothered by theropods on bases. The scales above are calculated based on estimates for the holotype specimen (MUCPv-Ch1). I find the skull easier to estimate a length for than the femur. Because the figure is essentially stretched out, using the estimated body length for the holotype (n=12-13 meters), the scale comes to approximately 1:32-1:35. Overall, the figure could probably be safely estimated at a scale of 1:32.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of present-day South America
Habitat: Open woodlands and adjacent riparian areas
Diet: Apex predator of reptiles and other dinosaurs
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Carcharodontosaurids have relatively conserved morphology as a group. A 2016 cladistic analysis places Giganotosaurus as a sister taxon to Mapusaurus, and together with Tyrannotitan form a clade (Giganotosaurini) that is the sister group to Carcharodontosaurus. Meraxes was described in 2022 and also believed to be in Giganotosaurini.

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P.S. I got a new phone a couple days ago and I think I am already noticing a difference in quality of my pics. My pics were historically yellowed, and I thought it was from the lighting in my apartment, so I always adjusted the color balance in Photoshop before posting. But I haven't had to make any color adjustments the last couple days and things look sharper, which makes me wonder if it was the camera and not the lighting (?). For those who follow this thread daily on ATF or STS I am curious if you start to notice a difference (?).

Species: Trichonephila clavipes (Linnaeus, 1767)
Common name(s): golden silk orb weaver; golden silk spider

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wicked Cool Toys
Series: Wild Kraatz Creature Power Pack - Crawlers Set
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Legspan approximately 8.5 cm. Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 3.2 cm, within scale 1:1 for a female specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was only marketed as an orb-weaving spider and the identification is my own, despite the toy being quite stylized.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Southern and southeastern United States to Argentina
Habitat: Forests, woodlands, parks, gardens; webs are usually constructed in forest clearings, alongside and across trails, and across watercourses
Diet: Small flying insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Females of T. clavipes possess seven types of silk glands, each producing its own type of silk for a specific function. Major ampullate silk shows high tensile strength and is used in parts of the web that require stability, such as draglines, bridgelines, and the radii of webs. Minor ampullate silk is used as scaffolding during the web-building process, while piriform silk is used like a cement, bonding fibers to each other and other structures. Aciniform silk used for wrapping prey and insulating egg cases while tubuliform silk forms the tough outer shell of egg cases. Flagelliform and aggregate silks are sticky and used to capture prey.

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Species: †Vagaceratops irvinensis (Holmes et al., 2001)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2012
Size/Scale: Raw figure length approximately 15.5 cm. Using width of frill as a metric (n=3.8 cm), scale comes to 1:27-1:28 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The scale above is calculated based on metrics from the holotype (NMC 41357) and a second specimen (TMP 87.45.1) from the original description.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of present-day Canada
Habitat: Open woodlands and surrounding riparian areas
Diet: Plants
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Vagaceratops irvinensis was initially described in the genus Chasmosaurus in 2001. In 2010, the genus Vagaceratops was described based on the following  autoapomorphies: jugal notch on proximal squamosal broadly rounded and open; transverse parietal bar straight; epiparietals and epiparietosquamosal short, forming recurved flat laminae; and predentary length one half that of dentary. The same paper also described the new genus Kosmoceratops and a phylogenetic analysis placed Vagaceratops and Kosmoceratops as sister taxa and not close to Chasmosaurus. In 2015 another cladistic analysis also supported Vagaceratops and Kosmoceratops as sister taxa and basal within Chasmosaurinae.

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Interesting, I placed mine at 1/30 scale according to the overall length of the model.

Species: Heloderma suspectum Cope, 1869
Common name(s): Gila monster

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Primary Colour Lizards Book
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Snout-to-vent length (SVL) approximately 6.5 cm for a scale of 1:3.5-1:5.2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This sculpt was originally used by Play Visions in 1998 for their Exotic Lizards collection. Several of the sculpts in Yujin's Primary Colour Lizards Book were previously used by Play Visions and probably produced by Wing Mau.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Southwestern USA, northwestern Mexico (Sonora)
Habitat: Oak woodland, scrubland, Sonoran and Mojave deserts
Diet: Small mammals, small birds and bird eggs, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: Heloderma suspectum is one of the few venomous lizards, or at least venomous to humans. Several peptides and other chemicals have been isolated from the venom of the Gila monster, including hyaluronidase, serotonin, phospholipase A2, and several kallikrein-like glycoproteins. The bite is rarely fatal for a human but a few potentially lethal toxins have been isolated from the lizard's venom, such as bioactive peptides which bind to vasoactive intestinal peptides (VIPs) in humans and helothermine, which has caused lethargy, partial limb paralysis, and hypothermia experimentally in rats. Symptoms of a Gila monster bite include pain, edema, hypotension, nausea, vomiting, weakness, and diaphoresis. No antivenin is commercially available. Treatment is supportive, and although first aid measures such as suction or compression may impede venom movement, they are unproven.

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