Sea urchins, including this purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) will use their tiny tube feet to grab and cover themselves in pieces of algae, small rocks or shells. It is thought that this behavior protects urchins from drying out in tidepools, getting eaten by seagulls, or being damaged by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. [Photo and…
Creature Feature: Fat-tailed dwarf lemur
A primate that hibernates? Check out this week’s Creature Feature to learn more about the fat-tailed dwarf lemur, a nocturnal, hibernating primate from Madagascar!
Sunday Sketch: World Penguin Day
Emperor penguins may be cute polar mascots, but they have a secret habit of child-snatching!
Field Frame Friday: Fossa need some floss-a
The Malagasy civet (Fossa fossana) is a small terrestrial carnivore from Madagascar’s rain forests. Contrary to their name, they are not closely related to civets, but rather a part of the endemic family Eupleridae. They have a diverse diet including crabs, frogs, snakes, millipedes, rodents, and tenrecs. This photo was captured using camera-traps, a type…
Sunday Sketch: Daddy Day Care
Titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus) are studied not only for their monogamy, but also because fathers are actually the primary caretakers of the babies! Mothers will provide nourishment through nursing, but most of the time you’ll see the baby titi monkey clinging to their father for the first few months of their life. However, for families…
Field Frame Friday: Webbed-toes and ringed tails
Ring tailed mongooses (Galidia elegans) have webbing in between their toes, which allows them to more easily run around the unstable forests that they call home. This adaptation can even allow them to swim! [Photo and caption by Meredith Lutz] Goodman et al. (2012) Les Carnivora de Madagascar. Association Vahatra Guides Dur La Diverstié Biologique…
Newsroom: Optimizing cattle grazing, a review!
Check out this week’s newsroom, featuring Maggie Creamer and her systematic review on strategies for managing cattle grazing!
Field Notes: Leaping Through the Year with Lemurs
Seasonal changes in the rainforest? ABGGer Meredith Lutz recounts the seasonal shifts during her latest 8 month stint in Madagascar.
Creature Feature: Tongue-eating louse
“Hey Mr. Fish, Cat got your tongue?” Nope! Actually, it’s the parasite Cymothoa exigua, commonly known as the tongue-eating louse. Despite their louse-y nickname, C. exigua are actually isopods (a type of crustacean like crabs or shrimp). And as you probably guessed from their common name, they do some pretty freaky stuff! Tongue-eating lice are…
Sunday Sketch: Monarch Conservation
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), shown in caterpillar form above, are experiencing dramatic declines in population numbers. One method to help conserve species in decline is to rear and release captive individuals into the wild. Of course, this plan of action only works if captive-reared individuals are as capable as their wild counterparts. In a study…
