Sunday Sketch: Sleep to Prevent Late-Night Cravings

Hummingbirds have high metabolic energy requirements, needing to eat 2-3x their own body weight in flower nectar and tiny insects each day. Unable to forage at night, but needing to maintain those demanding energy requirements, hummingbirds conserve energy by going into torpor. This physiological adaptation is a daily version of seasonal hibernation, and is a deep…

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Field Frame Friday: Deep breath in!

Unlike human nostrils which remain open at all times, the relaxed nostril position for pinnipeds is in a closed position. Like this harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) they voluntarily open them when at the surface of the water to sniff or breathe. [Photo and caption by Karli Chudeau] Reference Berta, A., Sumich, J.L., & Kovacs, K.M….

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Sunday Sketch: Yeti Crab

The abominable snowman has been found hanging out at the bottom of the ocean in the Antarctic! The Yeti crab (Kiwa hirsuta) was discovered in 2005 as a new genus and new species that hangs out near hydrothermal vents of the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. Named for their very hairy claws, scientists speculate that these blind decapods…

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Field Frame Friday: Be a courteous neighbor, and look but don’t touch.

[Photo by Nick Chudeau; Caption by Karli Chudeau] Reference Dearden, P., Theberge, & M., Yasué, M. (2010). Using underwater cameras to assess the effects of snorkeler and SCUBA diver presence on coral reef fish abundance, family richness, and species composition. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 163(1-4), 531-538.

Sunday Sketch: Christmas Tree Worm

Oh Christmas tree (worm), oh Christmas tree (worm), how functional are your branches! Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus), found throughout the tropical waters in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean, are segmented worms that inhabit coral reefs. They use their colored, spiral fans (that give them their festive name) for feeding and respiration. When threatened, they can…

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