Mathison Museum of Natural History

Species: Rhodeus ocellatus (Knerr, 1866)
Common name(s): rosy bitterling; Tairiku baratanago

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 1
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length approx. 4.8 cm for a scale of 1:1.1-1:1.9
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (unique as a sculpt)
Miscellaneous Notes: Yujin produced this figure at least twice; I believe mine is from the first release. The fish is removable from its base. Since this figure was produced, the native Japanese population is now regarded as a separate species (R. smithii) and it's possible this figure was originally intended to represent what is now that species. However, R. ocellatus proper has been introduced to Japan, so both populations exist there.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia (Amur River Basin to Pear River Basin); introduced to other regions, including Japan, South Korea, Fiji, Uzbekistan
Habitat: Freshwater ponds, reservoirs, and lakes; primarily those inhabited with freshwater mussels (see below)
Diet: Freshwater invertebrates, zooplankton, phytoplankton
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Data Deficient
Miscellaneous Notes: Freshwater mussels play an important role in the development of R. ocellatus. Female fish use a specialized organ to lay their eggs in the gills of the mussel. After which, the male spawns into the gill cavity of the mussels, ensuring fertilization. Juveniles stay within the mussel for 15-30 days after fertilization. When the juvenile fish reach a length of about 7.5 cm, they leave the mussel, exiting from the mollusk's excurrent siphon.

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Species: Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806)
Common name(s): brown dog tick

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Merial
Series: N/A
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length of male (excluding appendages) approx. 7.0 cm for a scale of 31.4:1-22:1. Body length of engorged female (excluding appendages) approx. 12.5 cm for a scale of 10.4:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: I don't know much about these figures. They were sold as marketing premiums by Merial (now Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health) and show up periodically on Japanese auction sites (mine were purchased via YAJ, if I remember correctly). The figures are somewhat stylized in lacking features common to R. sanguineus, such as eyes (at least on the female) and the characteristic shape of the basis capituli.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Cosmopolitan
Habitat: Adults are parasites on dogs in urban, suburban, and rural areas
Diet: All stages feed on the blood of mammals; dogs are the preferred host, but other animals can be infested, including humans.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Rhipicephalus sanguineus is a vector of several disease agents of both veterinary and medical concern, including Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), Ehrlichia canis (canine ehrlichiosis), Rickettsia conorii (boutonneuse fever), and Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever).

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Interesting

Species: Platalea minor Temminck & Schlegel, 1850
Common name(s): black-faced spoonbill

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2010
Size/Scale: Total figure height approximately 9.5 cm. Using culmen length as a metric (n=2.4 cm) scale comes to approximately 1:7.6
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: CollectA produced two versions of this species in 2010; today's is 'standing' and the second, which was sculpted and painted in its breeding plumage, is 'walking'. I think the base used here for support is more natural than the latter's.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Korean Peninsula and coastal China (Liaoning); wintering and migration occurs throughout coastal East and Southeast Asia, from Japan to the Philippines
Habitat: Lakes, marshes, coastal mudflats
Diet: Aquatic invertebrates (shrimp), fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Breeding locations of P. minor are not fully understood. Known breeding sites are on uninhabited islands off the coasts of North and South Korea and Liaoning Province, China. It's believed the greatest breeding populations occur in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea where human access is restricted. During winter and migration, birds can be found from Japan (Kyushu and Ryukyu Islands) south to Hong Kong and Taiwan, and in recent years birds have been reported as far south as Macau, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines.

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Oh the giant tick is very unsettling but a very cool collection piece!

Species: Oxyuranus scutellatus (Peters, 1867)
Common name(s): coastal taipan; common taipan

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: K&M International
Series: Wild Republic - Australia's Deadliest Nature Tube
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Raw figure length 10.0 cm. Measured along midline, body length approximately 22.5 cm for a scale of 1:6.7-12.9
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: To my knowledge this is the only figure specifically marketed as a coastal taipan, although there are a few generic taipan/brown snake figures that could represent this species.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Coastal northeastern Australia and southern New Guinea
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical coastal areas, monsoon forest, dry sclerophyll forest, agricultural fields; often in animal burrows, hollow logs, and leaf litter
Diet: Small mammals and birds
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Oxyuranus scutellatus is one of the deadliest snakes in the world. According to the Australian Venom and Toxin Database, the subcutaneous LD50 value of this species is 0.106 mg/kg. The estimated lethal dose for a human is 3 mg. The venom of O. scutellatus contains primarily taicatoxin, a highly potent neurotoxin, along with taipoxin, which has an LD50 of 2 μg/kg; 124 μg of the latter can kill a healthy adult human. Early administration (within 2-6 hours) of antivenom and intubation for respiratory paralysis are necessary for patient management, although some people have hypersensitivity reactions to the antivenom. Envenomation can lead to neurotoxic symptoms, including descending flaccid paralysis, ptosis, diplopia, ophthalmoplegia, bulbar weakness, intercostal weakness, and limb weakness. Once these neurotoxic symptoms are established, they are usually irreversible.

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From a good tube

Species: Hyaena hyaena (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): striped hyena

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2012
Size/Scale: Height at shoulder approximately 6.0 cm for a scale of 1:10-1:13.3 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: While there have been several striped hyena figures produced over the years, this is the only standard-sized version in the modern era and the first or second since the miniature by Play Visions in 1996. The scale above is calculated based on a shoulder height of 60-80 cm; however, the model is sculpted in a somewhat defensive posture that might be exaggerating its natural shoulder height.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northern and eastern Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Middle East to the Indian subcontinent
Habitat: Arid and semi-arid mountainous scrub woodland, savanna, grassland; dens occur in rocky hills, ravines, crevices
Diet: Omnivore. Primarily a scavenger of carrion and human refuse; occasional predator of small mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects. Diet may also be supplemented with fruit.
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: Hyaena hyaena is primarily a solitary animal or lives in pairs, but will occasionally form small family groups. They do not have well-defined territories, but will mark objects like grass, rocks, and tree trunks their general area with a paste ('hyena butter') produced from their anal pouch. Territories often overlap. Fighting consists of ritualized wrestling-like matches, with each hyena attempting to grab the other around the cheek region while attempting to evade or break the other's cheek hold. The loser of the competition displays submission by anal presentation.

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Nice hyena

Species: Odobenus rosmarus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): walrus

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Sealife
Year of Production: 2004
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate. Body length roughly 13.0 cm for a scale of 1:16.9-1:27.7. Using tusk length as a metric (n=2.7 cm) scale comes to approximately 1:18-1:33 (probably on the lower to middle end of that scale). The figure can probably safely fit into 1:17-1:24 scale ranges.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: Most major companies have made a walrus at least once. Other standard-sized versions by major Western companies in the modern era include Schleich (1996, 2018), Maia and Borges (1998, 2012; same sculpt as Schleich 1996), Bullyland (2000, including a calf), CollectA (2012), Papo (2017), Mojö Fun (2018), and Toymany (2024). Quantifying 'the best' is probably an exercise in futility and choosing a walrus figure probably comes down to personal aesthetic preference. Other than today's by Safari, I also like the 2018 version by Schleich.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Circumpolar
Habitat: Sandy and boulder beaches, ice sheets
Diet: Primarily marine invertebrates; also scavenger on dead seals and seabirds (see below)
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes: In recent years, there has been an increase of cases of trichinellosis in people eating undercooked walrus meat. Trichinella is an interesting parasite, in that no stages leave the host and the only way for the life cycle to continue is repeated cycles of carnivory. Walrus is unlikely to get Trichinella from consuming marine mollusks. Examination of the stomach content of some walruses shows evidence of the consumption of seal meat, probably from scavenging. Walrus probably acquires Trichinella from scavenging dead seals or possibly dead polar bears (bears are the most common source of Trichinella infection for humans in North America).

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I always enjoy reading your miscellaneous notes, there is almost always something new I learn. A Trichinella infection from bears is surprising to me. Does that mean that people in North America eat bears? Not polar bears, I hope .

rogerpgvg wrote:

I always enjoy reading your miscellaneous notes, there is almost always something new I learn. A Trichinella infection from bears is surprising to me. Does that mean that people in North America eat bears? Not polar bears, I hope .

I am professional medical parasitologist, so I cannot miss an opportunity to bring parasitology into my posts LOL. In North America, black bears are popular game, including for eating. I don't think polar bears are, although some indigenous groups in Alaska and Canada probably hunt and eat polar bear (I don't know the specifics).

I am glad you find my misc. notes educational :). I always learn something new about an animal as I prepare these posts. One reason I collect animal toys is it's a good way to learn more about the animals themselves.

bmathison1972 wrote:

Quantifying 'the best' is probably an exercise in futility and choosing a walrus figure probably comes down to personal aesthetic preference. Other than today's by Safari, I also like the 2018 version by Schleich.

The same for me plus the smaller Takara one

rogerpgvg wrote:

I always enjoy reading your miscellaneous notes, there is almost always something new I learn. A Trichinella infection from bears is surprising to me. Does that mean that people in North America eat bears? Not polar bears, I hope .

bmathison1972 wrote:

rogerpgvg wrote:

I always enjoy reading your miscellaneous notes, there is almost always something new I learn. A Trichinella infection from bears is surprising to me. Does that mean that people in North America eat bears? Not polar bears, I hope .

I am professional medical parasitologist, so I cannot miss an opportunity to bring parasitology into my posts LOL. In North America, black bears are popular game, including for eating. I don't think polar bears are, although some indigenous groups in Alaska and Canada probably hunt and eat polar bear (I don't know the specifics).

I am glad you find my misc. notes educational :). I always learn something new about an animal as I prepare these posts. One reason I collect animal toys is it's a good way to learn more about the animals themselves.

Ineed I enjoy too reading those miscellaneous notes

bmathison1972 wrote:

In North America, black bears are popular game, including for eating. I don't think polar bears are, although some indigenous groups in Alaska and Canada probably hunt and eat polar bear (I don't know the specifics).

Thanks, yet another thing I learnt!

Species: Pseudotriton ruber (Latreille, 1801)
Common name(s): red salamander

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Salamanders
Year of Production: 1995
Size/Scale: Total body length approximately 10.3 cm for a scale of 1.1:1-1:1.7 (within scale 1:1 for a smaller specimen)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure is stamped 'northern red salamander', implying it is intended to represent the nominate subspecies, P. r. ruber. Also produced in 1995 is the Safari Ltd. Tennessee Aquarium red salamander, which is probably the most coveted figure of this species but hard to come by these days and very expensive if found. The only figure of this species that I am aware of that is still readily available is miniature version in Safari's River TOOB.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Eastern United States
Habitat: Deciduous or mixed forests, fields, and meadows alongside streams, creeks, seepages, bogs, and other damp settings
Diet: Larvae feed on aquatic invertebrates and small larvae of salamanders; adults feed on terrestrial insects, arachnids, earthworms, snails, slugs, and other small salamanders
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Larvae of P. ruber are aquatic. Adults are primarily terrestrial, but generally stay close to water sources, such as streams and creeks. Adults are nocturnal and spend the day under rocks and logs or in forest litter. Adults return to breeding sites in the fall and eggs are laid in water in the fall or early winter. The larval stage may last 1.5-3.5 years, generally with longer periods farther north where it's cooler. Metamorphosis occurs in the late spring and summer.

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Species: †Procynosuchus delaharpeae Broom, 1937

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bullyland
Series: Wolfgang Bonhage-Museum Korbach
Year of Production: 2006
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 10.0 cm for a maximum scale of 1:6
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was made exclusively for, and based on a model at, the Wolfgang Bonhage-Museum in Korbach, Germany. It is a somewhat outdated construction; the animal is now believed to be more mammal-like, possibly with fur, and semi-aquatic.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Upper Permian (Wuchiapingian) of present-day southern Africa and Germany
Habitat: Swamp forests and other riparian areas
Diet: Fish, aquatic invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: More recent reconstructions of Procynosuchus show it as being more mammal-like, akin to an otter with fur, a flexible tail, and possibly webbing between the toes. It may have had a lifestyle similar to otters as well, hunting fish and aquatic invertebrates in swamps and other freshwater habitats.

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Species: Lampris guttatus (Brünnich, 1788)
Common name(s): opah; cravo; moonfish; kingfish; Jerusalem haddock

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Ikimon
Series: Nature Techni Colour - Deep Sea Creatures 2
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 5.0 cm for a scale of 1:24-1:40
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was sold as a strap figure, whereby the strap can be easily unscrewed leaving a tiny, unobtrusive hole. This figure nicely fits into three popular scales for collectors: 1:24, 1:32, and 1:40!

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Worldwide in most major seas and oceans
Habitat: Mesopelagic; at depths of 50-500 meters
Diet: Cephalopods, krill, small fish
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Lampris guttatus is the first species of fish for which whole-body endothermy has been documented. The fish can maintain an entire core body temperature above the surrounding ambient temperature by continuous movements of its pectoral fins in combination with the vasculature of its gill tissue (rete mirabile) which conserves heat through a process of countercurrent heat exchange.

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Species: Pandinoides cavimanus (Pocock, 1888)
Common name(s): Tanzanian red-clawed scorpion

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bandai
Series: Diversity of Life on Earth - Scorpions
Year of Production: 2022
Size/Scale: Body length (including metastoma) approximately 10.0 cm, within scale 1:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the third time we've seen P. cavimanus in the Museum. This sculpt was also used for an emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator) and a large-clawed scorpion (Scorpio maurus) in the same set. The set also included two larger figures (17.0 cm) representing P. cavimanus and P. imperator. Assembly may be required (mine came assembled) and the final product is articulated.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Tanzania
Habitat: Arid Acacia-Commiphora savanna, humid rainforest; usually among leaf litter
Diet: Arthropods
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Pandinoides cavimanus is common in terraria, much like its cousin P. imperator. Unlike the emperor scorpion, which is generally a docile species, the Tanzanian red-clawed scorpion is more aggressive and more likely to sting. Luckily, like the emperor scorpion, its sting is relatively mild, and is described as being similar to a bee sting.

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Species: Anax junius (Drury, 1773)
Common name(s): green darner; common green darner

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Hidden Kingdom Insects
Year of Production: 2000
Size/Scale: Wingspan 13.5 cm. Body length approximately 9.5 cm for a scale of 1.4:1-1.2:1.
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen A. junius in the Museum. Today's figure was the successor to the larger Smithsonian Insects model that came out in 1994.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: North and Central America, Hawaii, West Indies; vagrants in Bermuda, Russia, East Asia, Japan, Europe
Habitat: Breeding occurs in freshwater habitats, such as lakes, ponds, slow rivers and streams; adults can travel great distances to hunt and may be found in forests, grasslands, deserts, parks, gardens, suburban and urban areas
Diet: Nymphs feed on freshwater invertebrates, small fish, tadpoles; adults feed on flying insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Anax junius has been clocked flying at ground speeds of 18 mph (29 kph)!

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