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Porcelain Fans
Mature specimen of Rhapydionina deserta, from Loeblich & Tappan (1964).
Calcareous foraminiferans have been featured on this site before: planktic floaters, living stars, microscopic jelly moulds and gigantic reef-formers. All these forms have belonged to the group of calcareous forams known as the rotaliids. Show More Summary
The Wool Plants
Vegetable lamb, as illustrated in The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (ca 1360).
Medieval legend in Europe spoke of a strange animal that could supposedly be found far off in central Asia: the vegetable lamb. According to legend, this...Show More Summary
Zoologger: The hibernating lemur that feeds on its tail
Dwarf lemurs are the only primates that hibernate, and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur is the oddest of the lot
Zoologger: The moth with the highest-pitched hearing
The greater wax moth can hear ultrasonic noises that no known animal can pick up
Riroriro
The grey warbler or riroriro Gerygone igata, photographed by Peter Bray.
The eighteen recognised species of the genus Gerygone are an assemblage of small, drab-coloured birds found mostly in the Australo-Papuan region, with G. sulphurea found in the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia and the Philippines, and G. Show More Summary
Zoologger: The hibernating lemur that feeds on its tail
Dwarf lemurs are the only tropical mammals that hibernate, and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur is the oddest of the lot
Into the Labyrinth
Climbing perch Anabas testudineus emerging from water, as illustrated by Richard Lydekker.
Amongst the unholy mess that is the Percomorpha, one group that has long been recognised is the labyrinth fishes of the Anabantoidei. The anabantoids...Show More Summary
Zoologger: The rat with two faces
The African ice rat is both friend and foe to its companions – cooperative when underground in a burrow, but nasty once they go outside
The Kellyclams
Ruddy lasaeas Lasaea adansoni photographed in a rock crevice by David Fenwick.
Members of the family Lasaeidae, commonly known as kellyclams, are small thin-shelled bivalves that often live in close association with larger invertebrates such as crustaceans, worms or cnidarians. Show More Summary
"Anatomy of Mollusca": A Case of Plagiarism
Whilst researching material for an upcoming post, I came across this book on Google Books, published in 2010 by the International Scientific Publishing Agency, New Delhi:
Anatomy of Mollusca, by Rita Rawat
Looking at the section previewed through Google Books, I couldn't help feeling that it seemed a little... Show More Summary
Zoologger: Picture-winged fly quenches thirst on sperm
After mating, female Euxesta bilimeki flies often eject the sperm and eat it – a habit that seems to help them stave off thirst in the dry season
Dung Beetles
Flat-headed dung beetles Pachylomerus femoralis with a ball of the good stuff, photographed by Guido Coza.
The dung beetles of the Scarabaeini include 146 species found in Africa and Asia, classified by Forgie et al. (2006) into three genera: Pachysoma, Pachylomerus and Scarabaeus, with the last including the vast majority of species. Show More Summary
Snap! goes the Termite
The snapping termite Cavitermes tuberosus, from Wiki Termes.
For the subject of today's post, I drew the termite subfamily Termitinae. Termites are extraordinary animals: socially complex, ecologically vital, dietically remarkable. Personally,...Show More Summary
Nosybelba: A Uniquely Madagascan Mite
Dorsal and ventral views of the main body of Nosybelba oppiana, from Mahunka (1994).
Why yes, it's another random oribatid! Nosybelba oppiana was described from Madagascar by Sándor Mahunka in 1994; Mahunka regarded it as distinct enough from other oribatids that he placed it in its own monospecific family. Show More Summary
Zoologger: The changing face of the lion
Hunting behaviour and sexual practice of the king of the jungle varies greatly depending on where you are in Africa
Acervulinids: Reef Forams
Regular readers of this site will know that, contrary to common belief, not all representatives of the vaguely defined category of organisms known as 'protozoa' are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Some are very visible indeed, and many of the more visible forms can be found among the shell-constructing amoeboids known as Foraminifera. Show More Summary
Zoologger: The fish with a chemical invisibility cloak
Pirate perch hide behind a unique chemical camouflage that makes all other animals unable to smell them
The Range of Lotus
For today's post, I'll be focusing on the lotus. And having said that, how many of you instantly thought of something like this:
To which I can only say: you should be ashamed of yourself. That is not a lotus, that is some wierd aquatic poppy-type thing called Nelumbo nucifera. Show More Summary
Zoologger: World's biggest mouth has an erectile secret
There is a surprise lurking on the roof of the cavernous mouth of the bowhead whale
The Parulidae: Not-warblers, Not-ovenbirds and Not-redstarts
Black-crested warbler Myiothlypis nigrocristata, photographed by Mikko Pyhälä.
There is no denying the current status of English as the de facto lingua franca of the world. And yet, I feel that a complaint must be laid at the feet of the Brits: they're a bit unimaginative when it comes to animal names. Show More Summary
