Mathison Museum of Natural History

Species: Scytodes thoracica (Latreille, 1802)
Common name(s): spitting spider

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Club Earth
Series: Spiders to Go
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (exclusive of appendages) approximately 2.5 cm for a scale of 7:1-4.5:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in the Spiders to Go collection are marked with their common English name on the underside and appear to be influenced by illustrations in the Golden Guide, Spiders and Their Kin by Levi and Levi (I have the 1990 edition). In addition to this figure, there is a set by an unknown manufacturer that was clearly influenced by the Club Earth set (although the sculpts are not direct copies) that includes this species.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Cosmopolitan; it is unknown which populations are native and which are introduced throughout its range, although it has been proposed that it originated in the Mediterranean
Habitat: Temperate forests, yards, gardens, human habitations; in urban and suburban areas, often found inside houses and other buildings, especially in dark corners, cellars, cupboards, and closets
Diet: Insects and other arachnids
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Scytodes thoracica is a nocturnal wanderer, and does not build webs. As its common name suggests, it uses silk from glands in its cephalothorax to immobilize prey. When a spider encounters potential prey, it orients itself towards the prey and slowly taps its front legs until the prey is centered between them. It then spits a string of a gluey, venomous substance at the prey, covering it in several parallel, overlapping bands. The material can travel at a rate of up to 28 m/s and the pattern of the bands is produced as the spider lifts its chelicerae and oscillates its fangs during expulsion. The spider then quickly approaches its prey and uses its front two pairs of legs to further entangle the prey in the drying glue, silk, and venom. The venomous glue paralyzes the prey. Once dry, the spider bites its prey, injecting a venom that liquifies its tissues. It then grooms its first two sets of legs, cleaning any remaining glue, before consuming the prey.

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Species: Tliltocatl vagans (Ausserer, 1875)
Common name(s): Mexican red rump tarantula

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Furuta
Series: Chocoegg Funny Animals Series 1
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 2.5 cm for a scale of 1:2-1:3
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Being one of the original Chocoegg figures, some assembly is required. This figure was marketed as Brachypelma vagans, before the description of Tliltocatl in 2020 (see below).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central America (Yucatán Peninsula of southeastern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala); naturalized in Florida
Habitat: Tropical dry forest, dry scrubland, suburban areas; fossorial
Diet: Insects, arachnids, small reptiles
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: In 2020, Tliltocatl was described to accommodate Brachypelma albopilosum, B. epicureanum, B. kahlenbergi, B. sabulosum, B. schroederi, B. vagans, and B. verdezi based on both molecular analysis of CO1 gene and morphologic features, most notably color patters of the legs and cephalothorax and the structure of the genitalia in both sexes.

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Species: Heterodontus japonicus Miklouho-Maclay & Macleay, 1884
Common name(s): Japanese bullhead shark

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Epoch
Series: Earth Life Journey - Shark and Stingray Figure Collection
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 5.5 cm for a scale of 1:21.8 for a maximum-sized specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The shark is removable from its base. Heterodontus japonicus has been made a handful of times, almost all by Japanese manufacturers. Others I am familiar with include those by Eikoh (2020), Colorata (2004), and For Corporation (2021).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Northwest Pacific (Japan, Taiwan, China, Korean Peninsula)
Habitat: Demersal, usually over rocky bottoms and kelp beds; at depths of 6-100 meters (usual range 6-37 meters)
Diet: Small fish, benthic marine invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Heterodontus japonicus is a slow-moving predator that hunts for prey by 'walking' on the sea floor with alternating motions of its pectoral and pelvic fins.

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Species: Bradypus variegatus Schinz, 1825
Common name(s): brown-throated sloth; brown-throated three-toed sloth

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Papo
Series: Wild Animals
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate because of its pose, but the body length comes to approximately 7.2 cm for a scale of 1:5.8-1:11.1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: No sloth species are commonly made, but this is the most commonly made of those that are, at least among extant taxa. This figure represents a female with young (see inset); in 2020 CollectA produced a nice male, although it scales a bit larger than this female.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central America and South America, from Honduras to southern Brazil and eastern Peru, absent north and east of the Amazon and Rio Negro rivers
Habitat: Tropical rainforest, tropical dry forest, subtropical lowlands, swamps; arboreal, usually in the canopy
Diet: Leaves, flowers, fruits of a variety of plants, especially Cecropia
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Bradypus variegatus has a unique relationship with the moth, Cryptoses choloepi. Adult moths live among the fur of the sloths. When the sloths descend to the forest floor once a week to defecate, the moths leave the sloths and lay their eggs in the sloths' dung. The relationship is considered phoretic, as the moths are using the sloths for transportation, although it has been suggested that the moths help promote the growth of algae on the sloth's fur, hence enhancing its camouflage.

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One moth's trash is another moth's treasure! I didn't know that about sloth moths and I find it really interesting.

Nice sloth

Species: Pelodiscus sinensis (Wiegmann, 1835)
Common name(s): Chinese softshell turtle

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.
Series: Primary Turtles in Colour
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Carapace length approximately 3.5 cm for a scale of 1:5.1-1:9.4 depending on the sex
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This sculpt was first produced by Yujin in 2002, before Takara acquired the various 'Pictorial Book' and 'Primary Colour' series.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: East Asia; introduced to other localities in Asia, Brazil, Hawaii, and Europe (see below)
Habitat: Freshwater ponds, lakes, swamps, and slow-moving rivers, canals, and creeks
Diet: Fish, aquatic invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes: Determining the original native range of P. sinensis is challenging, as it has been moved around and introduced throughout East and Southeast Asia for its use as food and in traditional medicine. It is believed to be native to several regions of China and Taiwan. Populations in Asia that are believed to be from introductions include those in Japan, Korean Peninsula, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and East Timor. Other introductions around the world include Iran, Brazil, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Hawaii, and several countries in Europe, including Spain, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Germany, and Switzerland (although it is uncertain how many of these introductions in Europe are established).

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Species: Lycosa tarantula (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): European wolf spider; tarantula

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Club Earth
Series: Spiders to Go
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 2.7 cm, within scale 1:1 for a female specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the second time we've seen L. tarantula in the Museum. Figures in the Spiders to Go collection are marked with their common name on the underside. This figure is marked 'tarantula' which one might assume represents a member of the family Theraphosidae. However, in Europe 'tarantula' is a vernacular name for their common wolf spider, which is in the family Lycosidae. The arrangement of the eyes on this figure, while simplified, appears to have been based on a member of the family Lycosidae (eye arrangement usually defines spiders at the family level).

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Mediterranean Europe, North Africa, Middle East
Habitat: Scrubland, deserts, fields, suburban areas; usually in rocky places with sparse vegetation cover
Diet: Insects and other arthropods
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Lycosa tarantula exhibits some parental care. Females carry their egg sacs around attached to their spinnerets. After hatching, the spiderlings ride around on the abdomen of their mother until they are mature enough to survive on their own.

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Great photo, it looks as if the turtle is looking for food while floating.

same species than the Papo one? They look different.. 

Species: Equus ferus przewalskii (Polyakov, 1881)
Common name(s): Przewalski's horse; takhi; Dzungarian horse

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Winner's Circle Horses
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Height at shoulders (withers) approximately 7.0 cm for a scale of 1:18.6-1:21.4
Frequency of subspecies in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: This is one of three go-to figures of Przewalski's horse, the others being by Schleich (2007) and CollectA (2013). They each have their own qualities that make them nice and their own quirks which might turn people off from them. For example, some consider today's Safari model too stiff and geometric in the face. Me personally, I don't like the pose of CollectA's and Schleich's seems too stocky. But really you can't go wrong with any of the three.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Central Asia; today limited to reintroduction areas in China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan
Habitat: Steppes, dry grasslands, deserts
Diet: Grasses; also leaves and fruit of shrubby trees
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: There have been multiple molecular studies over the years trying to elucidate the origins of Przewalski's horse. Some of the earliest studies suggested that neither Przewalski's horse nor the modern domestic horse are ancestors to one another, and the split between the two occurred about 45,000 years ago, roughly 40,000 years before the domestication of horses by the Botai culture in Central Asia. A 2009 molecular study placed Przewalski's horse within the domesticated horses while a 2011 study suggested the two diverged about 160,000 years ago and a 2013 study suggested they diverged 38,000-72,000 years ago. A 2018 study suggested the Botai and Przewalski's horses are part of the same lineage and that Przewalski's horses are feral descendants of domesticated Botai horses. One of the latest studies, in 2021, supported the original theory that Przewalski's horses are descended from a population that was never domesticated and that the horses associated with the Botai culture were never fully domesticated either. Either way, if the Botai did domesticate horses, it was a separate event from the domestication of the modern E. ferus caballus.

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True, it is a tough choice. It was easy for me because when the Safari and CollectA wild horses were released, I already owned the Schleich figure. Yes, the Schleich model is a little chubby as usual for the brand and as it is the zebra which served as base for the Schleich model. Nevertheless, it is a very good figure and I also like these two newer renditions although not enough to replace my model. I believe it could be done better.

Roger wrote:

True, it is a tough choice. It was easy for me because when the Safari and CollectA wild horses were released, I already owned the Schleich figure. Yes, the Schleich model is a little chubby as usual for the brand and as it is the zebra which served as base for the Schleich model. Nevertheless, it is a very good figure and I also like these two newer renditions although not enough to replace my model. I believe it could be done better.

The same for me

According to genetician Ludovic Orlando ( La conquête du cheval, une histoire génétique, Odlile Jacob ed. 2023), Botaï horses were domestic breed since Botaï people were drinking their milk and the young horses are far less numerous than the adult ones at the contrary of usual hunting remains. According to him and his genetic analysis, they are from the same lineage than the Przewalsky horses. He called that lineage DOM1 (for domestic first lineage). All the domestic horses, all over the world, even the konik, belong to another lineage, DOM2 originated to Caspian area which has been domestcated 4200 years ago. The european lineages (tarpan and iberic wild horses) did not have domestic offsprings. So that it seems that Przewalski horses can be regarded as feral horses from another domestic lineage!

I don't have this Safari ltd one because I already have the Schleich and CollectA ones but it is a good model very well displayed!

Species: Oophaga histrionica (Berthold, 1845)
Common name(s): harlequin poison frog

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wing Mau/Club Earth
Series: Poison Frogs Alive!
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Snout-to-vent length approximately 4.0 cm for a scale of 1.3:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Wing Mau also used this sculpt for Club Earth's Frogs to Go collection and their own independent release. Oophaga histrionica is highly variable in its color and other morphotypes have been produced by Kitan Club/Ikimon and Bullyland.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: South America (Ecuador, Colombia)
Habitat: Tropical rainforest; usually on the ground among leaf litter and dead branches
Diet: Small invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Critically Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Oophaga histrionica produces histrionicotoxins, a kind of cardiotoxin, which moderate to highly toxic compounds act as potent noncompetitive antagonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, binding to a regulatory site on the delta subunit of the ion channel complex.

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Oh wow that softshell, what a beautiful model! And love the prezewalski horse. I do think it feels a little stylized, but I think in a good way.

Species: Trapania naeva Gosliner & Fahey, 2008
Common name(s): black-and-white sea slug

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kitan Club
Series: Nature Techni Colour - Sea Slugs
Year of Production: 2011
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 3.5 cm for a scale of 7:1-5:1 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Figures in this set were sold as both straps and magnets. Yujin produced this species before its formal description in 2008, only marketing the figure as Trapania. The scale above is calculated based on the formal description of the species by Gosliner and Fahey, who indicate living animals range from 5-7 mm long. Websites devoted to sea slugs however say thay can be up to 3.5 cm in length, which if true would put this figure in scale 1:1 for a large specimen.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: Coral reefs; at depths of 12-18 meters
Diet: Entoproctans growing on sponges and other living substrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Not much has been documented on the biology of this species. Despite only being formally described in 2008, the dorid has a very wide geographic distribution, being found from East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania), Rodrigues Island, and the Maldives to Japan, Indonesia, Fiji, and Northwest Australia.

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Very beautiful display!

Species: Andrias japonicus (Temminck, 1836)
Common name(s): Japanese giant salamander; ōsanshōuo

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kitan Club
Series: Nature Techni Colour - Newts and Giant Salamander
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Snout-to-vent length approximately 6.2 cm for a scale of 1:3.2-1:14.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was sold as both a magnet and a strap figure. While generally uncommonly made, there are several options of this species available by Japanese manufacturers, including two additional models by Kitan Club as well as some by Kaiyodo (at least 5 different sculpts), Epoch, Re-Ment, Bandai, and Eikoh, among others.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Southwestern Japan (western Honshu, Shikoku, northeastern Kyushu)
Habitat: Freshwater rivers, streams, creeks; usually in cool, clear, swift waters in granite and schist regions
Diet: Fish, amphibians, freshwater invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Vulnerable
Miscellaneous Notes: Andrias japonicus is entirely aquatic and lacks gills as an adult. As such, it requires oxygen-rich waters in which to live. It has the ability to absorb oxygen directly through its skin, but it will also periodically take gulps of air but without fully venturing onto land.

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