Out Damned Spot…

In taxonomy, however, spots, simple and otherwise can assume an importance that can range from trivial to exceptional. This is simply because spots that are in a consistent position can be, and often have been, used as taxonomic characters.

23 Nov 4:25 PM 1 Read More...

A zoologist ponders: "The Silent Screams Of A Distressed Damsel..."

I initially thought: “Wow!! Isn’t that an interesting hypothesis?”

13 Nov 12:10 PM 1 Read More...

Oddities 03 - Pycnogonids, Underwater Tuffet Sitters?

My students might be forgiven for thinking pycnogonids are comprised only of legs and the hinges fastening those legs together.

12 Nov 12:58 PM 1 Read More...

Oddities - 2 – Bivalved Snails

As it turned out there was a very good reason that no clams with shells matching the description of Julia were ever collected. That singular reason is that Julia exquisita and all of its relatives having a similar shell are not clams, they are snails!

13 Aug 11:27 AM 0 Read More...

Hitchhiking Oddities 01 - Pontomyia, The Sea Going Gnat

Not only are these tiny insects interesting as being marine insects, they have some of the oddest life history attributes that I have ever had the chance to encounter.

27 Jul 11:17 AM 1 Read More...