Zoological Diary

A blog dedicated to Zoology, Systematics and Evolution. My main focus is Ichthyology because fishes are awesome!

[sielebe]

Hera. Streetart Germany. Weimar, July 2013

[un-cerebro-hambriento]

Tiburón duende (Mitsukurina owstoni).

[thenatsdorf]

Bird enjoys cotton swab massage. [full video]

[fdsfjdsfjkf93723679267-deactiva]

[fishandphylogeny]

Every advertisement after a single google job search... Those advertisement algorithms will never stop to amaze me.

[marinebiologyfacts]

The Wolf Eel

Definitely not one of the beauties of the ocean but a really interesting animal none-the-less. To start off the wolf eel is not a true eel, it is a member of the wolf fish family. If you look closely you will see they have pectoral fins (the ones on the sides) and true eels lack these. They can grow up to a little over 7ft and weigh about 40lb. They are native to the Pacific Ocean, and are typically found in crevices, caves, or in some form of shelter. They have a strong set of teeth for crunching through the shells of crabs, sand dollars, and sea urchins.

Wolf eels are also attentive parents and they mate for life. Females will lay up to 10,000 eggs at a time. She will then wrap her body around the eggs, to shape them into a neat sphere. The male will then wrap his body around the female to protect them.

As juveniles wolf eels are brightly colored, and lack the strong molars adults have so they typically will stick to a diet of fish until they grow in those teeth.

A common problem biologists face in keeping these animals in captivity is making sure to keep giving them a crunchy diet. If wolf eels are not regularly given crunchy foods (crabs, sea urchins, etc.), it will affect their teeth.

Despite their looks and those large, strong teeth, wolf eels are actually known for being gentile and curious. They have also been known to eat out of diver’s hands! Of course you should never actually attempt this becasue it is always better to leave wild animals be!

[fishandphylogeny]

Actinopterygii - Perciformes - Anarhichadidae - Anarhichas lupus (Linnaeus, 1758)

[livefastandprosper]

[fishandphylogeny]

“Geordi, the secret love.”

[lifeunderthewaves]

Fish & fish by newcinc

[fishandphylogeny]

Teleostei - Percomorphaceae - Pomacentridae - Amphiprion sp.

[lifeunderthewaves]

Longimanus above by wolfgangpronai A large Longimanus Shark passes above, beautiful, but still formidable and impressive.

[fishandphylogeny]

Chondrichthyes - Carcharhiniformes - Carcharhinidae - Carcharinus longimanus (POEY 1861)

[lsleofskye]

Tahiti

[fairy-wren]

[fishandphylogeny]

Passeriformes - Hirundinidae - Delichon urbicum

[nubbsgalore]

the downside up

[nubbsgalore]

this is a sea angel (clione limacina), photographed by alexander semenov swimming with its wing like fins in russia’s white sea. these translucent pteropods, measuring only a few centimeters in length, are actually sea snails sans shells. lacking this cumbersome but protective shell, sea angels instead synthesize bad tasting compounds that dissuade predators from eating them. (see also: bobtail squid and josh lambus’ work)

[archiemcphee]

Is it a bird or is it a flying baby octopus? Today Department of Awesome Natural Wonders is marveling at a hummingbird that appears to be part cephalopod. This tiny wonder is the Costa’s hummingbird (Calypte costae), native to the American Southwest and the Baja Peninsula. When it’s time for the male of this shiny species to pitch some woo at a female, they flare their violet facial feathers and dance about in mid-air in an elaborate courtship display. Their purple facial feathers suddenly look like an array of tiny tentacles.

“Spring is the time to nest for the Costa’s hummingbirds, before the desert gets too hot. Both males and females are looking for a partner, but it’s up to him to impress her. Though his back shimmers with green, it’s not until we get her point of view that we see his true splendor. He flexes the iridescent feathers of his mantle until they become a glowing mask of violet.”

Watch this clip from the upcoming PBS Speical ’Super Hummingbirds’ to watch the male Costa’s hummingbird showing off his finest moves:

[via Geekologie]

[lunahorizon]

i always thought the whole “broke college student” thing was an exaggeration but now that im actually in college im literally just

[fishandphylogeny]

Tuition fees aren’t fun

[currentsinbiology]

Evolution at work!

Tasmanian devils are rapidly evolving resistance to a contagious cancer 

The ferocious Tasmanian devil is being done in by cancer: In just 20 years, the endangered animal has lost 80% of its population to a contagious version called devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). The animal’s highly social yet fierce temperament—not unlike its cartoon counterpart—has helped the disease spread. But many populations that were predicted to have gone extinct by now are still kicking (and biting). To find out why, scientists looked at hundreds of devil genomes from three different sites in Tasmania and compared them with genomes from animals living decades ago, when DFTD hadn’t yet run rampant. They found that the modern survivors had changes in seven genes, five of which are related to cancer or immune function in other mammals, including humans. Based on their functions in other species, the scientists think those genes might be protecting them from cancer by helping the devil immune system recognize DFTD, they write online today in Nature Communications.

[fishandphylogeny]

Metatheria - Dasyuridae - Sarcophilus harrisii

[the-future-now-deactivated20170]

follow @the-future-now

[lord-ofbears]

what was the name of the fish my geology teacher called “bad dude” because i put bad dude in my notes and have no idea what the real name is

[lord-ofbears]

update: 

this is the bad dude

it’s called dunkleosteus and it’s basically a tank with teeth

[lizawithazed]

that is one bad dude

[sundrenched-smilez]

slam dunkleosteus

[thatfishchick]

I shall now and forever only see either “bad dude” or “slam dunkle.” Thanks, Tumblr.