Welcome back to our Animal Myth series, where we strive to debunk common animal misconceptions. In this post, we focus on animals that share our most familiar habitat: land. Note: If you haven’t already, check out the other Animal Myths posts on creatures of the sky and sea! 1. Camels use their humps to store water While this “fact” isn’t entirely true,…
Creature Feature: California Scrub Jay
Bird-brained shouldn’t be an insult. Learn about the amazing memory of scrub jays
Sunday Sketch: The Narwhal
Unlike mythical unicorns, the narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is real and most closely related to beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas)! However, that is not a horn on their head but a tooth that males (and some females) have. The functions of the narwhal tooth are still being researched, but it is suggested that it can be used…
Field Frame Friday: Snap a “s-whale-fie!”
In a field that is dominated with hydrophones and listening to vocalizations, it is always great when researchers can snap a picture of whale flukes. Many whale individuals, including this blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) can be identified by unique markings and shapes on their tail flukes. [Photo by Alycia Drwencke and caption by Karli Chudeau]…
Field Notes: Eavesdropping for Science
University of Hawaii at Manoa researcher Megan McElligott is eavesdropping on #spinner dolphins to determine where their natural resting sites are to help inform #conservation management. #bioacoustics #FieldNotes #marinebiology
Sunday Sketch: Blue Jays and Ants
Do blue jays use ants as deodorant? It was once hypothesized that blue jays (and other jay species) would use the formic acid from ants to clean their feathers of parasites or as a form of chemosignalling. However, a study in Chemoecology tested this hypothesis by providing jays with ants with or without formic acid. Turns out…
Field Frame Friday: Tooth fairy or (moo)th fairy?
Tooth fairy or (moo)th fairy?
Creature Feature: “FireHawks”
Did you think fire manipulation was unique to humans? Not so! Read about Australian firehawks with apocryphal arsonist aptitudes…
Sunday Sketch: Opalescent Weevil
Insects come in many beautiful shapes, sizes, and colors – and Pachyrynchus argus, a weevil found in Australia, is gorgeous inside and out! Its iridescent patches are as structurally unique as they are lovely to look at. Whereas most insects only appear glittery in direct sunlight (due to the mirrorlike layers in their exoskeleton), P. argus’ showy shine…
Field Frame Friday: How did they get the name spider monkey?
Black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) eat mostly fruit, but also occasionally eat tree bark, nuts, eggs, insects, and even spiders! However, these monkeys get their name from their long, lanky, spidery limbs and tail, not from their occasional arachnid snacks. Is that considered cannibalism?! [Photo by Grace Davis and caption by Maggie Creamer] Reference van…
theethogram.com 