We’re discovering an incredibly elusive animal in the latest, very serious article from Creature Feature!
Sunday Sketch: Coffin Fly
Phoridae is a family that contains insects, commonly known as coffin flies. They are referred to as ‘coffin flies’ due to their abundance in decaying corpses. Phorid flies are characteristically hump-backed in appearance and are known to run instead of fly. Art and fact by Allen Chew, Instagram & Twitter @toldentops [Image and text edited…
Sunday Sketch: Pacific Hagfish
The Pacific Hagfish is often referred to as the slimiest fish in the sea due to its slime pores that produce copious amounts of colorless slime. This slime serves as a defense mechanism against predators by clogging up their gills, aiding the hagfish in evading threats. Art and fact by @Squidtoons [Edited by Nicole Rodrigues]…
Sunday Sketch: Blackbelly Triggerfish
Rhinecanthus verrucosus, also known as triggerfish, are durophagous, which means that they eat hard shelled and tough prey like snails or clams. To accommodate this diet, they possess extremely strong jaws with very large muscles relative to other fish. Art and fact by Darien Satterfield, Instagram & Twitter & TikTok @DiverDarien [Edited by Nicole Rodrigues]…
Field Notes: My Time with Titis
The worst part is all the sweat bees. The mosquitos can be repelled, but nothing stops the sweat bees. The ants don’t want to mess with you. They’ll defend themselves and their homes. They’ll attack if frightened and confused, but they have work to do and aren’t easily distracted. The sweat bees are at work…
Sunday Sketch: Tabanidae Family of Flies
Tabanidae is a family that contains insects commonly known as horse flies, deer flies, or gadflies. Tabanids are large and conspicuous insects. While the males are mostly harmless, females have piercing mouthparts that they use to draw blood. Art and fact by Allen Chew, Instagram & Twitter @toldentops [Edited by Nicole Rodrigues] Reference: Chainey, J.E….
Newsroom: Yakety yak, Twain talked back. Interactive playback experiments and interstellar communication
Many wonder what goes on behind the eyes (and in the minds) of animals. In fact, the aspiring Doctor Dolittle’s of the world may go as far as to wish they could communicate with animals and understand them. However, this is much harder than one might initially think, and it requires a lot of research…
Creature Feature: Trapdoor Spider
We’re opening doors with some incredible spiders! Find out more about them in this week’s Creature Feature.
Sunday Sketch: Nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans is a nematode. It can survive extreme cold weather at -80°C by entering a state of suspended metabolism called cryptobiosis. A similar mechanism to survive extreme cold weather is used by a newly discovered species found in the Siberian Permafrost. Art and fact by Wenzhe Li, Instagram @dustybutkindofnice [Edited by Nicole Rodrigues] Reference:…
Creature Feature: African Dwarf Crocodile
What animal moos, drums, and rumbles?
theethogram.com 