Purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), believe it or not, are actually closely related to humans as revealed by genomic sequencing. Sea urchins, in general, have a range of lifespans, and purple sea urchins have one of the highest with a maximum of more than 50 years! This makes sea urchins relevant for a variety of aging research. …
Field Frame Friday: High five! Oops! I mean high four?
Even though the black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) has limited dexterity in handling, since they do not have a thumb, they still show strong consistency and preference for handedness (aka being right or left handed). Their handedness preference also varies between individuals. [Photo by Grace Davis and caption by Maggie Creamer] Reference Motes Rodrigo, A.,…
Animal movement and community engagement: a toolkit for marine conservation
According to a United Nations report produced in 2019, the world is at risk of losing up to 1 million of the estimated 8 million plant and animal species on earth [1]. Extinction is a natural phenomenon; however, this number is significantly higher than expected if extinction were due to forces of nature alone. Instead,…
Creature Feature: American Horseshoe Crab
Move over dinosaurs, there is a cooler fossil in town! Meet the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus); don’t be fooled, it is neither a horse, nor a crab, but a close relative of spiders and scorpions (class: arachnids) [1][3]. These marine invertebrates are considered living fossils as their body structure, which has made them so…
Sunday Sketch: Flies and Stripes
For years, humans have postulated and told folktales to answer the question, “Why did zebras get their stripes?” Now scientists may have an answer: pest control! While the stripes may not deter biting flies from afar, researchers found that flies failed to make controlled landings on the zebra by either failing to decelerate and bumping…
Field Frames Friday: “Empty Nesting”
Both sexes of the Chestnut-mandibled toucan, or Swainson’s toucan, (Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii) help with incubating the eggs and raise the chicks together. Generally, females will lay just about 2 or 3 eggs at a time in an old decayed tree or an abandoned woodpecker’s nest. [Photo by Grace Davis on Barro Colorado Island, Panama; Caption…
Field Notes: IQ tests for Urban Monkeys – How intelligent are the monkeys of Malaysia?
It’s humid and hot, and the taxi has finally arrived at the attraction of the day for this foreigner’s vacation – a Hindu temple situated in a lush Malaysian rainforest. As you pay the taxi driver and get out of the car, you notice a visitor approaching you from the corner of your eye. You…
Sunday Sketch: Cichlid Moms
“Fish are babies, not food!” Mother Astatotilapia burtoni cichlids may need to take a reminder from the sharks of Finding Nemo. These fish have an extreme form of maternal care. After laying their eggs, they carry them around in their mouths until they hatch! Protecting their eggs from all kinds of would-be predators comes at…
Field Frame Friday: How many species do you see?
The Farallon Islands, just off the coast of San Francisco, California, are a prime habitat for sea birds, marine mammals, and sharks. The Farallons sit in a highly nutrient rich area due to ocean currents which attract a whole ecosystem of animals to feed, reproduce, and rest. [Photo by Alycia Drwencke and caption by Karli…
Creature Feature: Toxoplasma gondii
We’ve all heard the stereotype of the crazy cat person (usually lady) who really, really likes cats. So much so, that this person has a house teeming with felines, fur, and foul fish-flavored scent of cat food. It’s easy to tease friends for being at risk of becoming “crazy cat people”. But what if these…
