#biology is fun

[lilithsaintcrow]

“It’s even possible, Castro says, that his study actually underrepresents the effects of anchovy sex.”

[rainintheevening]

Test in school this morning. Hope I'm awake enough. Lord, help me focus and REMEMBER this morning.

[protectoursharks]

The shape of a fish's caudal tail can tell you a lot about how fast the fish moves! A rounded tail is the slowest and a lunate tail is the fastest! The lunate tail has the most optimal ratio of high thrust and low draw, making it the fastest.

Ichthyology Notes 2/?

[amnhnyc]

Peek-a-boo! Have you ever seen the granulate shellback crab (Hypoconcha arcuata)? Growing about 0.6 in (1.4 cm) long, this unusual-looking crustacean inhabits coastlines along parts of the western Atlantic, with a range that includes parts of the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. Unlike hermit crabs—which hide inside their chosen shells—this critter uses its posterior legs to secure shells onto its back, often shouldering pieces larger than its own body, as a defense against foes.

Photo: Austin Smith, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist

[marinememes]

My coworker took a full frontal picture of the arapaima at work and sent this in our group chat

[feelingautistic]

Exciting news for the cute shark lovers of the world! We finally have a recorded sighting of a baby great white shark, likely only a few hours old.

The question of where great white sharks give birth still remains a mystery to this day but this footage may suggest the coasts of California, where the footage was taken, are a site where these sharks give birth.

[linkedin-offficial]

me when i get the opportunity to think about speculative biology and non-existent game mechanics in media i like

⠀

[bunjywunjy]

Humans sure seem to eat a lot of things that are poison to most other animals. Chocolate, garlic, onions, grapes, avocados, etc. But then there's capsaicin, which I think doesn't affect birds but IS a poison to humans but then we eat it anyway?? Is there anything else we eat that's fine for (some) animals but is bad for us but we eat it anyway? Why are we like this.

capsaicin actually isn't poisonous to humans, it even has a bunch of beneficial medical effects like reducing inflammation! it IS an effective fungicide and insecticide, but eating capsaicin is not at all actually poisonous to humans even in large quantities.

it just also causes extreme pain.

it does this by directly chemically activating the ouch-I'm-on-fire nerve endings in your mouth, which is a deliberate ploy to keep you from eating the pepper fruit!

at least it was before humans got ahold of it and started deliberately cultivating them to be even hotter.

humans are just freaks and decided that they liked that. that's all.

the other stuff is just a bonus!

[alithographica]

Big day for nerds and frog enjoyers, get a load of this new chunk: Hyloscirtus tolkieni

(Article has a few more photos)

[dokupine]

awawawawaawawawawa!

[bunnieswithknives]

Fop redesigns for funsies but also bcs I saw some star heel boots and had to put Dale in them immediately.

[protectoursharks]

There are four types of fish scales!

Cycloid scales are thin, overlap, and flexible. They're found on primitive teleosts (like minnows and carp).

Ctenoid scales have small, backwards pointed scales (known as cterns) make the fish more hydrodynamic and faster. They're found on Advanced Ctenoids (like perch and sunfish).

Ganoid scales are thick, diamond-shaped, and mostly non-overlapping. They're found on Chondrostei (like sturgeons and paddlefish).

Placoid scales are spikey and tooth-like with nerves. These are found on Chondrichthyes (like sharks and rays).

Ichthyology Notes 3/?

[chickenchirps27]

hello denizens of tumblr i come with humble offerings

they wish to romance you

[amnhnyc]

What has no heart and no brain? No, it’s not your ex… it’s the barrel jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo). Also known as the dustbin-lid jellyfish (yes, really), this species can reach an impressive 35 in (90 cm) in diameter and can weigh up to 77 lbs (35 kg)! Like other jellies, this critter relies on its nervous system to function.

Photo: tato grasso, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

[styllwaters]

if youre still taking requests - Draw a cool species youve seen in the spec bio community mayhaps?

Enamoured by @sparrowlucero's space whales

[feelingautistic]

Contrary to popular belief, not all sharks are carnivorous. The bonnethead shark (a member of the hammerhead sharks) was recently discovered to be omnivorous, including seagrass in their diet.