Fun Fact Friday: Unihemispheric Sleep

Some species of cetaceans (whales and dolphins), like the boto, sleep with only half their brain at a time! This adaptation, called unihemispheric sleep, allows them to surface in order to breathe.  For more on other animals that also practice unihemispheric sleep and the reasons why, take a gander at this article.

Creature Feature: Whiptail Lizards

When most people hear “asexual reproduction” (offspring that come from a single parent) they think of single cells splitting in half, or maybe clonal plants. But did you know there are asexual lizards? Whiptail lizards (genus Aspidoscelis, formally Cnemidophorus) are common in the Southwestern US and Mexico and about one third of the 50-ish species are all female.

Fun Fact Friday: Tarantulas

If provided with water, tarantulas can survive for up to 2 years without food! Source: Baerg WJ. (1958). The Tarantula. University of Kansas Press, Lawrence, KS.

Primate Drug Use Revealed!

Think humans are the only species that use medicine? Think again! Primates use local plants and other items to…

Creature Feature: Tent-making bats

Bats (Chiroptera) are the second most diverse order of mammals, after rodents. You can travel nearly anywhere in the world and find several species of bats that are uniquely adapted to that area. If you find yourself in Central America, you may be fortunate enough to encounter a palm tree with severely drooping leaves, housing…

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