Confused Scientific Flailing

Paleontology hobbyist, occasional artist, and enthusiast of nature and history. He/him.

[i-draws-dinosaurs]

sengi

wiggling my sengi

[foxes-in-love]

[starlit-meadow]

Look it’s me

[a-book-of-creatures]

I knew I was getting close to Textile City. I could see their monument, a colossal weaving device, looming in the distance.

[bunjywunjy]

Do you know of any arachnids who ventured towards carcinisation?

no because the term "carcinization" was created to describe the tendency for marine decapod crustaceans to convergently evolve crab-like body plans, it was never supposed to be applicable to other animals!

I blame pop science for spreading it around as a funny term that got misunderstood and misapplied basically from that point onward. most other animal groups don't get their own term for this phenomena and carcinization does NOT apply because... these animals aren't evolving into crabs. only decapods do that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(decapods are the marine crustacean group with ten legs- true crabs, lobsters, hermit crabs, robber crabs, mantis shrimp, prawns, slipper lobsters, and all of their infinite assorted relatives in the deep blue sea)

[assuming-dinosaur]

Not only does carcinization only occur in decapod crustaceans, it specifically occurs in the group Anomura, which are the closest living relatives of true crabs, and I would argue that there aren't any anomurans that are particularly non-crablike to begin with. Most anomurans are typically called crabs in English, such as hermit crabs, king crabs, mole crabs, and porcelain crabs. The only anomurans not typically called crabs in English are a few lineages typically called squat lobsters:

Even then, some species of squat lobster (which are not true lobsters) are also called crabs, such as the yeti crab.

The interesting thing about carcinization is not that widely disparate lineages keep evolving into crabs, it is the remarkable specificity of the "crab" body plan that has evolved repeatedly within the true crab+anomuran group, primarily that the carapace is wider than long, the abdomen is extremely reduced in size and tightly folded under the body, and there is a tendency to walk sideways. Trying to find examples of carcinization in other groups of animals by loosening your definition of "crab" to include animals without this specific combination of features is missing the point. Animals are no more likely to evolve to be vaguely crab-shaped than they are to evolve to be vaguely shaped like any other animal.

[koiagain]

im going to fix my entire life

[fruitcakebro]

When?

[koiagain]

Like Um. later

[sol1loqu1st]

did you know that you can increase the quality of your quesadilla by adding seasoning

[sol1loqu1st]

did you know that you can decrease the quality of your quesadilla by making a tumblr post while it's cooking and burning it

[boviboy]

unclear. adj. of or pertaining to an uncle

[throathole]

Oh thanks but what the fuck does any of that mean

[anariel-the-elrond-apologist]

I’ve seen quite a few of these in my time, but this one takes the cake.

[throathole]

This is fucking killing me

Golp: a roundel purpure.

Repeat this to yourself until it begins to have meaning

[a-book-of-creatures]

Okay then since some of you need to be reminded of this:

Roundels are circles in heraldry. They are named according to their color, which also has its own lingo. Let’s meet them!

Bezant: roundel or (gold) 🟡

Plate: roundel argent (silver) ⚪️

Torteau: roundel gules (red) 🔴

Pomme: roundel vert (green) 🟢

Hurt: roundel azure (blue) 🔵

Golp: roundel purpure (purple) 🟣

Pellet: roundel sable (black) ⚫️

If your field is strewn with roundels, you can describe it appropriately as being bezanty, hurty, golpy, and so on.

[cognitohazardous]

[theriverbeyond]

kittens are amazing bc they're like what if a wayward ball of lint was also made of knives

[charlesoberonn]

Female Dwarves - With or without beards?

With beards

Without beard

Voting ended onJun 9

[charlesoberonn]

Child Dwarves - With or without beards?

With beards

Without beards

Voting ended onJun 9

[charlesoberonn]

Baby Dwarves - With or without beards?

With beards

Without beards

Voting ended onJun 9

[charlesoberonn]

They shed their baby beards to make room for their adult beards. Like with baby teeth.

[thekinglemingle]

I referred to something as a "real Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra moment" in conversation with someone who has never seen TNG, and let me tell you, that was a real Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra moment

[b-vandykei]

there may be An App For That™, but have you considered that there is also very likely a Parasitoid Wasp For That™

[thecolorofthegame]

I know this trophy is supposed to represent a triathlon, but it looks like a cyclist award for attacking pedestrians

[ominous-signs]

Official ominous sign

[butch--dan]

once these 15 million different stressful situations resolve themselves I’m gonna be so normal again. I can be normal and not exhausted

[roycohn]

there's always so much confusion when you use the word "stakeholders" in a meeting here at the federal vampire eradication task force

[officialunitedstates]

it’s quick, it’s easy and it’s free:  pouring river water in your socks

[evilscum-deactivated20160223]

why would i do that lmao

[officialunitedstates]

it’s quick, it’s easy and it’s free