#inquisitive invertebrate

[x-chiropteraz-x]

As much as I love chiropteras... I am also sucker for cephalopods :)

We’re suckers for cephalopods!

Did you know that giant Pacific octopuses have roughly 2,000 suckers lining their eight arms?! 🤔🐙 The suction cups allow these inquisitive invertebrates to investigate their watery world through touch, taste, and smell. Watch aquarist Candace prepare a food enrichment for one of our giant Pacific octopuses and see how this savvy cephalopod shows off their super sucker senses.

[luxudus]

A Home away from Home

My end of an art trade with @grox-empire is finally complete RAAAAGHHHHH. It took me 4 months to work on this while getting distracted by other projects that you'll see in the near future hehehe.

The scene showcases Celeste and Altair's making planetfall on a T3 world. A temperate moon with an atmosphere so dense the sky is a light twilight gradient regardless of the sun's position. This world is still early in it's evolution as no macro predators have evolved yet and the largest animals are no bigger than a cow.

Here she is approached by an Inquisitive native. Who's species are generalist omnivores who forage the fan-blade "grass" with 2 sets of oral tendrils and come together to hunt smaller animals and watch for predators. Hunters that look nothing like the starbound visitors who bring them more comfort than caution.

Surrounding the 3 are several other species of this moon. To the right are a pair of coastal carnivores probing the sand for invertebrates with rudimentary electroreceptors. And scare off rivals and smaller pack hunters with the bright side of their electroreceptor flaps. A pair of flying "fish" closer related to the invertebrates of this world to any terrestrial natives. And large herbivore that rips plants out of the ground with spiraling tentacles and weaponized a skin cancer to transform their front mandibles into grooved horns to fight for mates.

Celeste is overwhelmed by the scenery and the local's curiosity. But not in a bad way. What she loves, life an nature isn't just here, but cranked to 11. She feels love on all sides, by the Aliens' curiosity, the moon's warmth, and Altair's support. For once, she actually feels like she can belong. She finally feels at home away from home

Everyone go check out Alistair's page and their end of the art trade!!!! and make sure to give em a follow :)

[merakiione]

-invertebrates, crustaceans, and urchins-

it is mackerel day at the local aquarium and 

i am a moray eel so smooth to the touch

like aqueous manta ray mantles but 

did you know that sea turtles sing?

because they do they sing when the frigates 

seize them from their freckled eggshells and 

they leave behind the sun-warmed sand while 

i slip and creep through clownfish apartments 

perhaps the sun’s rays shall sprout fingers and 

fetch me inquisitively into the cloud’s breath though

for all the pickle green floundering in the world i am 

unable to do much other than smolder.

they call me unagi so i stand on rice beaches 

while smelling Goliath grouper frying 

ozone and gasoline and a fish-breath stench 

marbled orange and ultramarine water or 

is it a coruscant shimmer that proclaims 

i have become a horseshoe crab living in 

the skeleton of a lemon shark where citrus still lingers so

occasionally free divers feed me invasive species

a lamprey, lionfish, and sea walnut buffet yet 

when my claws touch their gummy black gloves 

they jump as if struck by something electric.

[captainswaglord500]

Apologies for the delays! This was meant to be a December post, but it got pushed to early January, so Happy New Year! Cave-Clicker (artwork by Yuujinner)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: incertae sedis

Class: Hyolitha

Order: Anomalohyolithida

Family: Anomalohyolithidae

Genus: Anomalohyolithes

Species: A. troglodytus (“cave-dwelling unusual hyoid stone”)

Temporal range: unknown to recent (??? - present)

Information:

Relatively new to science, very little is known about this roughly cat-sized creature. The one thing which scientists know definitively is that it is a member of the hyolith clade, albeit one so heavily derived from the ancestral body plan, that it is hardly recognizable as one. 

Typically covered in striated black and gray bands with a fleshy pink head, these creatures are seemingly adept at navigating through the canopies of giant fungi found deep below in the caverns, swinging and hopping to get across the difficult terrain. Their diet is not fully understood, but tissue sampling would suggest that they consume small animals in addition to the fungi found in their habitat, possibly filling a generalist omnivore niche, and observed behavior would indicate that they frequently get into scuffles over food, the horn-like projection on their “face” being used to jab at other individuals. Exceptionally social for a non-arthropod invertebrate, these creatures sometimes gather in groups of up to 50 individuals. Its social nature can be dually inferred by its broad set of vocalizations: chittering, squeaking, and clicking (the latter of which gave the creature its name) have all been recorded, though the actual functions of these calls remains unknown. The total population size is unknown, and based on any number of estimates given for the size of the cave system it inhabits, it could be anywhere from simply a few thousand to over half a million. It appears this animal is capable of seeing light in the UV and infrared spectrums, as wild specimens have reacted to such lights in the presence of researchers, whom they appear to be naturally inquisitive towards. 

Their reproductive biology and life cycle is unknown, though as they are inferred to be poikilothermic, it is possible that they may live for several decades, maturing at a gruelingly slow pace and mating once or twice throughout their lifetime. Likewise, they are believed to be oviparous, though as no eggs have been found, much less even female specimens (it is known that they have separate sexes, but every specimen captured thus far has been male), there is no way to definitively prove this. The means by which these animals do sexually reproduce also leaves open more questions than it answers: there is no obvious orifice through which they could theoretically deposit sperm, and considering that this creature descends from an aquatic clade, it cannot be ruled out that they do not return to subterranean lakes and rivers to spawn. To further compound this issue, no young of this species have ever been identified, suggesting that they may have simply not been found yet, are indistinguishable from the adult form, or (most likely) that they look so radically different from the adult form, that they may be perceived as a different species entirely. Unfortunately, this is difficult to study in a laboratory setting, in part due to the fact that all captured specimens have been male and in part due to the fact that only 3 specimens have ever been brought to the surface, and within 2 days of being brought the surface, all 3 of them died of unknown causes.

However, the greatest mystery of this creature is not what it doesn’t tell us about its biology, but rather what it does: with a hard, knobby exterior with jagged hooks for feet and horn-like projections coating its “head” and back, this creature shows what appears to be a heavy degree of anti-predator mechanisms. However, for a creature which already has a high degree of protection thanks to a hard yet lightweight outer shell, this begs the question, just what kind of creature could be preying on this animal? So far, scientists have yet to figure that piece out, but terrifying rasping shrieks recorded from deeper in the cave appear to send these animals into a wild frenzy, immediately scattering back up into the canopy. Whatever it is that dwells in the deepest depths, it is clear the cave clickers are terrified of it…

[fleshwerks]

Thoughts on new Dragon Age "teaser"? You have the best takes.

I'll be deadly honest, I didn't even realise it was out, that's how checked out I am, but I will always fall hook line and sinker for a delicious bait made of things I can chew on, so let's seeeeeee. I'll do first impressions for now. I'll warn you, I haven't done 'takes' in ages, I've seriously lost my edge and resemble someone yelling at a cloud more than someone with intelligent or at least entertaining takes. Proceed on your own volition. Note, I have not been keeping up with DA4 updates. At all. I am literally grasping at straws and screaming out of my arse.

I'll say this. I believe Mark Darrah who had retired from BioWare was brought back on to save this tattered ship that had failed to launch how many times now? If you were with DAI and Anthem especially, you know that when a vet of that calibre is being brought on board towards the end of production, you're fucked. The sheer scope of the regions visited in the trailer... I wouldn't blink an eye if it was a turn-based strategy game, but it is not.

I'm surprised how shit the game visually looks, but it's been my criticism with the thus far released art, and now, environment assets. And again, I'm coming off of Anthem, and Anthem was truly, truly gorgeous. Now someone might argue that every DA has had its distinctive visual style. Well I thought DA2, for what it was, sure did look inspired. I didn't enjoy the game or the characters, but I enjoyed looking at it. Dragon Age Inquisition kind of lost me aesthetically, but I see what they did there. It was more generic, certainly not attempting to be photorealistic, but I saw the idea and accepted it.

Now this though? What is this? The panning over what I presume is Treviso literally looks like a mobile game ad.

Ok, fine, I'll not go in on the visuals, I'm too fresh out of art college and I'm so anal-retentive that my o-ring's more pinched than a pinprick about this stuff. Moving on.

I believe the new PC is an Antivan Crow? Since when are they fighting for all of Antiva? Everyone??? Since when?! Zevran's canonically not returning, and even he was compassionately practical on his best days. The Crows are not good people. They buy kids to train for miserable jobs meeting miserable ends. Oh, so we had a whole character who gave the Crows a finger for being the shitshow they were, but now they're this resistance task force? What, why, because the 'Islamic Borg' invaded?

Then. I feel like I'm missing a fuckton of contest because I haven't read the preceding comics and stories, I have one comic book from the DAI-DA4 interim and it ended so disappointingly, I never bothered after that.

We're really retconning all the complex and complicated factions into freedom fighters, aren't we. I guess such is the state of our real world. Always a plucky band of people belonging to formerly shitty fucking organisations suddenly saving the day like heroes, possibly somewhere along the way ruminating for 2 seconds on whether they deserve to pat themselves on the back, landing on 'but we will change how we operate, and we will save the world, always!'

I'm into the Rivaini squid though. I've never been fond of Rivain, not just because parts of the fandom like to present this place that has barely been talked about in canon like some haven for... idk. I just didn't expect squids. And you people know I love marine invertebrates. You know what, fuck it, here's my 'best take': have squid, will travel!

But that port city ravaged recently by the dragons in ruins looks like it's been in ruins for the past 2000 years, only recently excavated. It's so clean. And here I go again with the aesthetics.

Anyway, Falon'din and/or dirthamen is fuckin' around in Rivain, aren't they. Because I believe that head shape, multi-hands etc were presented in many of the statues we saw in DAII, and given that Falon'din's proverbial crows, envy and nightmare were so prominently featured, and sexyman Solas' outright resentment for former master Dirthamen and the vain Falon'din, welll... risen gods. Dirthamen at the very least was associated with watery depths, but they're twins (or are they? Perhaps the facets of one person altogether)... Anyway, I'm more interested in what the fuck is happening in Weisshaupt. That part genuinely interests me. Circling back to Dirthamen, Razikale is the dragon of Mystery. Associated with Dirthamen, at least according to my theory, while Urthemiel was the Dragon of Beauty, and we keep getting indications that Falon'din was pretty, aggressive, and exceedingly vain. So Big Dirty's up next. Falon'din had the crows, right? Both defeated in DAI. He's out, more or less. And again, Solas most likely was Dirthamen's student before he decided that he himself didn't want to be but totally wanted to be revered. So my take is that Razikale, who got mentions in DAI is waking up as well.

The villain gods of this mess, the classic Dragon Age false gods we fight in every single game as end bosses, will be connected to Dirt. Eh. Same eagle, different liver.

Anyway I have a doubt that this kind of scope will end anywhere nice. The production's been fraught as fuck to the point where the panic button has been pressed many times. The art looks like a significant downgrade, the production has been filled with veterans just clocking the fuck out.

It doesn't sound interesting. I'm tired of saving the world as an Eastern European in late 2023. This kind of story does not speak to me at all anymore. Not after 2019, not after 2021. It looks dated and mediocre, the story is so old that if it goes where I think it will, it has no relevance or message for anybody but perhaps some American audiences (some). I'm just... I'm not.

The rah-rah I got from that clip leaves me ice cold. There is no rah-rah in such widespread misery. There are only curse words and the sound of grinding teeth, and everybody's a dick, and everybody's dick past is dredged up hard. No retcons.

I don't want it. It better receive insanely high marks for me to play it. And I loved this franchise, two of the PCs have gone on to be archetypal in my private works now.

The mystery is gone. The power creep... I don't want to hang out with gods. They should have never been brought into the story as characters you can extensively hang out with. Edit: basically the entire thing sounds about as exciting as a somewhat well-produced mobile game. Which is fun to fuck with while taking the metro, but...

[monimolimnion]

off to the races [franmaya]

name: off to the races fandom: Ace Attorney | Gyakuten Saiban pairing: Ayasato Mayoi | Maya Fey/Karuma Mei | Franziska von Karma wordcount/chapters: 1/1, 9.5k additional tags: warnings for insects, slugs to be specific, and a sort of unrelated panic attack, set mid disbarment ish, Fluff, Angst, it’s flangst as is my brand, Established Relationship, but Very Very Early On in said relationship, Maya POV, i missed writing her so badly, franziska is afraid of slugs, maya finds them cute but thinks having them in your bathroom is objectively bad, and they both have a point actually

summary:

Honestly, they’re kinda cute - especially since they’re only little ones, smaller than the last joint of a pinky finger, curling in on themselves all confusedly in the pallid fluorescence, with their slow, ponderous movements, and two little inquisitive eyestalks. And only a little slime left behind them in oozy tracks. But they’d be much cuter if they were in a tank, contained, and not in a bathroom soon to be occupied by Maya’s girlfriend - partner? honestly they haven’t hashed out the details yet - who has an eye for perfection and a taste for the higher things in life. A kind of perfection all-importantly sans little invertebrate pals all too happy to accompany her while she brushes her teeth. A girlfriend who will no doubt be jet lagged and need to shower because she is flying in today - very soon minutes away today, in fact. Maya is so screwed.

Maya has some unwanted guests (and one very wanted one).

Read it now on Ao3!

[bookshopsbizarreblog]

About me

Heya! I'm Bookshop, a 24 y.o. university student studying History! She/they, bisexual and aspec.

This is my main blog, and is mostly for whatever strikes my fancy in any given moment. Reblogged stuff from the fandoms I'm currently in, spontaneous ramblings about whichever subject my ADD brain has decided to fixate on, and other attempts to share the tidbits of joy I've found in life. It's not curated, but hey, neither is my mind hahaha.

[Midst Appendix Master Doc]

I'm always down to trade fun facts, and I'll start by offering one to everyone reading this! Did you know that raccoons hands work better underwater? While they are omnivores with a large dietary range, one of their primary ways of acquiring food in the wild is by foraging along the banks of rivers and lakes for clams and small invertebrates like crayfish. And clams in particular can be hard to make out underwater or distinguish from the rocks surrounding them. So raccoons evolved nerves in their hands which function incredibly well underwater, giving them tons of information about whatever they aquatic treat they've nabbed! This trait is also a fantastic fit with their inquisitive nature, and raccoons are known to drag unfamiliar objects over to the nearest body of water and submerge them to learn more about them! So if you've ever seen a video of a raccoon dunking cotton candy and then being shocked by its disappearance, now you know why that happened! If you have fun facts of your own, please send them my way!

[nanas-45]

Eastern Racer: The Speed Demon of North American Snakes

Spotlight on the Eastern Racer: North America's Speedy Serpent

Meet the Eastern Racer, or North American Racer (Coluber constrictor), a sleek and swift snake native to North and Central America. Known for its impressive speed and agility, this nonvenomous serpent belongs to the Colubridae family and is distinguished by its slender build and vibrant appearance.

Geographic Range

The Eastern Racer slithers across a vast range, making its home throughout the United States, from the eastern seaboard to the Rocky Mountains. It stretches its territory north into Canada and south through Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, showcasing its adaptability to diverse environments.

Description

Adult Eastern Racers usually measure between 50 and 152 cm (20 to 60 inches) long, with a record-setting specimen reaching 185.4 cm (73 inches). Typically, they weigh around 556 grams (1.226 pounds). Their color patterns vary widely among subspecies, from sleek black and brown to striking blue and green. Juveniles are adorned with bold patterns of dark blotches against a lighter background, which gradually fade as they mature, giving way to their more uniform adult coloration.

Behavior

Renowned for their speed, Eastern Racers are active and inquisitive by nature. They are primarily diurnal, meaning they are most active during the day. Their diet is quite varied, including small rodents, frogs, lizards, and even small birds. Juveniles often snack on insects and small invertebrates. Despite their name, "constrictor," they don't use constriction to subdue prey; instead, they rely on pinning and holding their prey in place.

These snakes are also known for their unique defensive behavior. When threatened, they may raise their heads in a "periscoping" manner to survey their surroundings. If cornered, Eastern Racers will fiercely defend themselves with bites and an impressive display of writhing and musk-squirting. They can even mimic rattlesnakes by rustling their tails among dry leaves, creating a convincing sound of rattling.

Habitat

Eastern Racers thrive in a variety of habitats, often found near water sources, in grassy fields, brushy areas, and even urban environments. In places like Florida, they are a common sight in residential neighborhoods. These adaptable snakes enjoy open spaces where their speed and keen eyesight give them an edge but also seek out cover for hiding and nesting.

Reproduction

The breeding season for Eastern Racers runs from April to early June. Females lay between three to thirty eggs a month after mating, often in secluded spots like hollow logs or abandoned burrows. Hatchlings emerge in early fall, measuring about 20 to 26 cm (8 to 10 inches) in length. They reach maturity around two years of age. Interestingly, Eastern Racers sometimes lay their eggs in communal nesting sites alongside other snakes.

Symbolism

In Ohio, the Northern Black Racer, a subspecies of the Eastern Racer, proudly holds the title of the state reptile, symbolizing the state’s appreciation for this agile and charismatic snake.

[icefishingtips]

What Bait To Use Whilst Ice Fishing?

You always want to make sure you have all the proper devices before hitting the lake. Right here are multiple of the more important gadget you need for ice fishing, usually have proper iciness clothing, again-up wintry weather clothing if you fall within the water, absolutely charged cell phone, so if anything takes place you have a manner to touch someone, in case you are out fishing on my own. You furthermore may want a bucket, ice scoop, auger, bait, best boots and you tackle. You need to make certain you continually undergo your checklist every time you hit the lake.

 Once you are out on the ice, finding the proper intensity matters. Most fish will typically stay in a particular depth at some point of the iciness that could make it less difficult to find them. If it's miles a not unusual lake you have fished often at some point of the summertime months you will understand all the top rate spots and depths of the lake. In case you aren't acquainted with the lake you could hop online and look for a map of the lake and it will show you all of the exclusive depths of the lake and you could check out the depths for the species you're looking to fish for.

Now that you have determined a spot to fish, you could start drilling holes within the ice for your tip-ups, if you have a few and a couple of holes to fish from at the same time as ready for your tip-up of the head off. Take into account the unfolding of the placement of your holes. If you put them close to each different you've got the worries of them getting tangled while there is a fish on and a few human beings say having them close collectively loses you the threat of catching a fish as there is an excessive amount of bait in a single area.

The excellent live bait to use whilst ice fishing for small pan fish is insects. Maggots are the conventional bait to use because their actions resemble the ones of what the fish naturally feed on. Waxworms percentage an awful lot of the identical attraction to fish as maggots besides they may be a bit bigger. More currently, people have started to use euro larvae once they move ice fishing. Eurolarvae can be very effective because they come in assorted colors, inclusive of orange, red, blue, yellow, or white. Additionally, if they're nicely hooked they are able to continue to exist in the bloodless water longer than different invertebrate baits.

The first-rate artificial lures to use for pan fish are rubbery and resemble insects. If you are extra inquisitive about catching walleye for your ice fishing excursion, some correct stay bait options are redtail chubs, crappie minnows, or shiner minnows.

Redtails have a crimson tail fin, which walleye find particularly appealing, and feature end up an increasing number of famous currently. Crappie minnows are the smallest type of minnow used for ice fishing, and they are historically the maximum famous. Shiners are nicely regarded for summertime fishing because sunlight glints off their silvery scales, attracting many styles of fish. They are also a little bigger than the redtails or crappie minnows and are right for ice fishing because they can live alive on a hook below the ice for longer than the opposite.

Walleyes can see brilliant, silvery gadgets thoroughly because of their big eyes, so in case you plan to use synthetic lures, move for those with reflective, steel components. If the pike is what you're planning to drag from your ice hollow, you may need to pick a larger type of live bait. The most famous alternatives are fathead minnows or suckers. Fatheads are occasionally only a little bigger than crappie minnows, but they range in length a lot extra, so the bigger ones are more likely to land pikes, even as the smaller ones are higher for catching walleye or perch.

Suckers are one of the biggest bait minnows to be had on the market and are exceptional for catching pike. However, once in a while they are able to develop to 15 inches long, that's normally too large for use as bait. The satisfactory synthetic lures for fishing for pike resemble small fish, and it is important to remember to jiggle the road whilst the use of those lures to make the enticing look more convincingly like a fish. Pike are unlikely to chew an artificial trap if it is just hanging there inside the water, irrespective of how realistic it seems.

[quizzcreator1]

What is my Spirit Animal

What is my Spirit Animal? Quiz. A spirit animal, also known as a totem animal, is a symbol or representation of a specific animal that is believed to have spiritual significance to an individual.

What is My Inner Spirit Animal The idea of spirit animals is discovered in lots of specific cultures and non secular traditions, and the animals which can be taken into consideration to be spirit animals can range relying at the subculture or tradition.

In many cultures, human beings trust that they have got a non-public connection to positive animals, and that those animals have unique which means and symbolism of their lives. The concept is that every man or woman has a spirit animal that acts as a manual and protector, presenting information and steering on the adventure thru existence.

The idea of spirit animals also can be discovered withinside the non secular practices of a few indigenous cultures, wherein animals are visible as effective symbols and are regularly venerated and revered for his or her non secular importance. In the ones cultures, human beings trust that via way of means of connecting with the spirit of an animal, they could benefit perception and steering on their existence adventure.

It's crucial to observe that the idea of spirit animals is regularly related to non secular and cultural ideals, and now no longer taken into consideration as a systematic idea. It's additionally crucial to recognize the cultural importance of the idea for the cultures that trust in it.

What are Animlas and What Is My Spirit Animal? Animals are a various institution of residing organisms that belong to the dominion Animalia. They are characterised via way of means of numerous capabilities together with:

Eukaryotic cells: Animals are composed of eukaryotic cells, which might be cells which have a described nucleus and different membrane-certain organelles.

Multicellularity: Animals are composed of a couple of cells, which paintings collectively to carry out diverse functions.

Heterotrophic nutrition: Animals are heterotrophic, this means that they attain their electricity via way of means of ingesting different organisms.

Movement: Animals have the cappotential to transport on their very own and lots of have specialised structures, together with muscular tissues and joints, that permit them to transport in diverse ways.

Sensory organs: Animals have specialised organs, together with eyes, ears, and nose, that permit them to understand their environment.

Complex worried device: Animals have a complicated worried device that permits them to experience their environment, manner information, and reply to stimuli.

There are many specific sorts of animals, such as mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates together with insects, spiders, worms, and more. Each institution of animals has their very own specific traits and diversifications that permit them to continue to exist in specific environments.

What is my Sprit Animal (Soul Animal) Personality Test In a few cultures, human beings trust that their spirit animal is decided via way of means of their delivery date or via way of means of a imaginative and prescient quest. Others trust that their spirit animal is selected via way of means of the animal itself and that it involves them after they want its steering and support.

If you're inquisitive about coming across your spirit animal, you can want to discover specific cultural ideals and practices surrounding spirit animals, or don't forget running with a non secular trainer or manual who permit you to for your adventure of self-discovery.

[rmenvs3000f24]

Hi Alyssa! I would like to start by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog post and connected with what you had to say. I agree that children have quite inquisitive minds that make it very entertaining to interpret for them. Everything they learn can have an impact on their perspectives and beliefs throughout their lives, which makes it so important to be passionate about what information you are presenting to them as it is often contagious to their little sponge brains.  

With newer generations spending a lot more time using technology rather than exploring outside, environmental interpretation can help change that behavior and encourage them to get out into the world to make hands-on discoveries. Considering how much media children tend to consume these days, a great way to start connecting with younger audiences may be to create videos or podcasts teaching them about subjects such as your interests in zoology and entomology to get that ball rolling in their heads. This way they don’t have to be afraid of any creatures that they may encounter for the first time during your interpretation. After learning about the common misconceptions of these invertebrates they may be more inclined to get out and find some for themselves!  

I also agree with the skills you mentioned that are important when interpreting for a younger audience. They can certainly come up with some unexpected questions and ideas, however it can also be very entertaining when interacting with them. Great work on this week's blog post!! 

Unit 02 Blog Post

When I envision my ideal role as an environmental interpreter, I envision myself working with young learners, and I see myself teaching subjects like zoology and entomology. In previous experiences I've had working with children, I have found immense gratification in fostering an interest in science. In the context of environmental interpretation, I believe that nurturing a love for nature and interest in wildlife would provide me with a similar sense of fulfillment.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to work as a community presenter for the charity Scientists in School, where I traveled around the GTA conducting hands-on STEM workshops for school-age kids. The most rewarding part of that experience was witnessing the eyes of the children I was working with light up as they discovered the wonders of science beyond what is taught in a classroom. I believe that environmental interpretation for children could evoke the same excitement, making it an ideal career path for me.

Today’s children are increasingly influenced by technology and as a result are often spending less time outdoors, likely missing out on many opportunities to create personal connections in nature. I believe this generation would greatly benefit from engaging with nature through environmental interpretation. Teaching them to respect and appreciate their natural surroundings also fosters empathy—an essential component of their development.

To thrive in a role teaching children, several key skills are essential. First, being prepared and understanding the subject matter is crucial. Children are so inquisitive; they are always asking (sometimes unexpected) questions, so being able to answer them in an engaging and age-appropriate manner is super important. Next, strong presentation and communication skills are also necessary to keep young audiences with short attention spans engaged and interested. Patience is another important quality; kids often take more time to grasp concepts, and so encouraging their curiosity requires a supportive approach. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, being passionate about the subject matter is essential. Children are perceptive and can sense when someone lacks enthusiasm for what they are teaching. To truly engage them, one must authentically demonstrate spirit and passion for the environmental facet they are interpreting.

I am particularly interested in an environmental interpretation role that would focus on fields like zoology and entomology, which I have studied while here at the University of Guelph. Specifically, courses I have taken at Guelph that focused on insects have fundamentally changed my perspective on these creatures and highlighted their vital role in our ecosystems. I would love to help children understand that not all bugs are scary and gross; many are fascinating and play crucial roles in the environment. With a focus on those fields, an environmental interpretation role about insects or wildlife could happen in a number of places, such as nature centers, botanical gardens, zoos and aquariums, local parks, or even schools and community centers. One that I think would work best for this role would be botanical gardens, which often have butterfly gardens and insect exhibits — the perfect environment for doing guided tours and showcasing insects up-close. I would love to teach about their physiology, their roles in pollination and agriculture, and help remove some common negative perceptions of insects. I personally have visited many butterfly sanctuaries and have really enjoyed my time there — the employees always have really interesting stories and information to share about the creatures they care for. I just recently visited one this summer with my housemates, so I have included some pictures from that below!

Children possess an innate eagerness to learn and explore, and I am excited by the concept of an environmental interpretation role that would nurture that desire. The prospect that I could inspire even a tiny interest in nature and wildlife would be immensely rewarding. This is why I believe that a role as an environmental interpreter focused on young learners, combined with subjects I am passionate about like zoology or entomology, would be the perfect fit for me.

[tribbetherium]

The Middle Glaciocene: 110 million years post-establishment

Yeah, This Is Big Brain Time: Cognitive Complexity in the Middle Glaciocene

Evolution is not a stepping stone ladder with specific goals and evolutionary targets: and most certainly, its destination is certainly not increasingly smarter creatures. Whatever survives for now is its sole driving force, leading to many branches going nowhere, or some very unlikely lineages reaching levels of success despite their seemingly-absurd forms.

But one trend, as with Earth, that has also appeared in HP-02017, independently in several separate lineages, is the rise of cognitive complexity: creatures better endowed in percieving their world and manipulating events to better favor their survival. While not a guarantee for success, due to its metabolic cost, the potential for a smarter creature is great: able to take advantage of resources and out-think predators and prey to better its odds of surviving, and thus passing on its genes for bigger and more-complex brains,

Many species would convergently develop more complex behaviors and larger brains, from completely disparate branches of the evolutionary family tree. One of note are the fisshors: a group of rhinocheirid species that are predominantly predators of freshwater aquatic life, such as shrish and skwoids, though it still feeds significantly on plant matter as well. Unusually among rhinocheirids, its lower lip is elongated as well, and is able to aid the characteristic three-lobed trunk in grasping and manipulating objects. For the fisshor is no mere piscivore, but a dexterous tool-user: it taps the surface of the water to create ripples, or drops small bait like insects or flowers to lure prey within striking range. At times, some have even learned to use sticks as clubs for stunning aquatic prey, or even as self-defense against predators-- a tactic that is often learned by the clever creatures from one another in their social groups and imitated for their own benefit.

Another notably-intelligent species are the thorhorns, large megafaunal ungulopes that form tight social bonds within their families. Females travel in large herds, where they communally rear their offspring, while males go in smaller groups of two or three-- but are no less tightly bonded to one another, protecting each other, preferring their company, and showing concern for each other's well-being. Different herds of thorhorns display differing behaviors and customs, in what may be considered a simple form of culture, and social behaviors are passed down from generation to generation, such as locations of mineral-rich stone deposits, which thorhorns like to eat as a dietary supplement, or recognizing the skeletons of their own species and displaying a form of curiosity bordering on a show of grief.

Cricetaceans, especially the small, dolphin-like species known as the blippers, are another brainy beast: they are known to have a complex range of vocalizations and behaviors that they use to communicate with their own kind. They are known to cooperate to corral shoals of shrish, display problem-solving tactics such as using coral reefs or stones to crack open hard-shelled invertebrate prey, and retain a sense of playfulness and curiosity even into adulthood, with pods of these aquatic hamsters constantly exploring large territories, inquisitively inspecting new and unfamiliar objects cautiously, and even leading other members of their pods to new food sources that they have discovered.

Predators on land have also gained quite a level of sophistication, namely the lycanines : short-fanged daggarats that were displaced by their cousins the dark maulers from the plains and now thrive as sociable pack-hunters targeting smaller prey like ungulopes. These cooperative hunters form large packs of related individuals, and cooperate to bring down prey, raise their young, and share their food amicably to their packmates, even to older or injured members that have long since lost the ability to hunt for themselves and thus helping them, somewhat altruistically, survive for far longer than they otherwise would in the wild. Empathetic and sociable to a surprising level barely expected of a fearsome carnivore, their nurturing instincts have even been known to on rare occasions misfire onto small prey animals that trigger their more caring behaviors, such as ungulope calves or lemunkies such as chimpmunks, though this arrangement rarely lasts as the interloper is often eaten by other packmates or starves due to the wannabe parent unable to properly care for it.

But most remarkable of all these are a bizarre population of ripperoos that have become smaller and more cunning than their larger and more vicious kin, specializing in brains over brawn and becoming more of like the coyotes to the maniacal ripperoos' wolves. Relying on intelligence over brute force, they would gradually be pressured away from the Mesoterran badlands to search out new lands with less competition: ultimately crossing the land bridges over to Arcuterra: where their migration would backfire, instead finding themselves in a land with even more predatory competition, with zingos, carnohams, beelzeboars and treegers, all of them too willing to wipe out this new mesopredator intruder. Pressured to survive, the dwarf ripperoos would resort to breeding faster and younger to keep their populations up despite higher mortality, and from this a key feature would arise: neoteny. Retaining more infantile features into maturity as a side effect of reaching breeding age faster, they would also unlock an important tool: a brain that continues developing for far longer and remaining flexible even in maturity, allowing them to keep learning new ways to catch prey and outsmart, even actively kill, larger rival predators, thanks to pragmatic cooperation from the normally-vicious species, that would ultimately lead to more organized pack-hunting behaviors and the more complex use of tools and traps.

These species will not all reach the same developmental milestones at the same time, or even at all, as the process of cognitive development is a situational one: species that have learned to cope with an environment may not need to become even more intelligent if their current setup is sufficient for their survival. And becoming intelligent is not a guarantee to ensure a continued ascent: even the brainiest species are vulnerable to environmental changes they cannot adapt to, or changes that actively favor a decrease in intelligence given that the brain is an energy-hungry organ that would poorly suit less-active animals with less-nutritive diets. But once a certain threshold of intelligence is reached, it becomes a snowball effect of change: as the level of cognition ultimately favors a species that can control its environment to suit its needs-- for better or for worse.

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[mpenvs3000w22]

Rooting for the underdogs

I think it’s safe to say that for many of those who have dedicated their studies or careers to nature-based subjects, the attraction we feel to the outdoors has been around for as long as we can remember. I am one of those people.

Whether it was flooding my mother’s flowerbeds with the backyard hose and digging through the mud to find bugs (sorry mom…), or filling my pockets to the brim with nifty-looking rocks and acorns while on hikes with my family, baby Marie was always looking for the next adventure.

Grand Bend 2009: 8 year old Marie collecting seashells after making a pretty dope crocodile sand sculpture

I’d like to pretend that my fascination with nature was caused by an inquisitive mind trying to find answers to life’s mysteries, but in all reality... I just found it so cool! This attraction that many of us feel is often indescribable, and it can be quite frustrating to not know WHY you like something as this is many people’s favourite question to ask:

‘Marie, WHY are you bringing bugs into the house, put that worm DOWN!’

I didn't know why, but it didn't matter, I was hooked. As I grew up I spent as much time as possible outdoors and would pay extra attention whenever the local river institute would have presentations at my elementary school. To this day I still remember when I stuck around after one of these presentations, and the biologist casually pulled out a little baby bat out of his shirt pocket and showed me how he fed it. This blew my mind.. I couldn't believe that this was an actual job people could do, it seemed too good to be true!

This was clearly a defining moment in my life, as later in life I went on to volunteer and do a co-op placement at that very same river institute, under the very same biologist that pulled out a baby bat from his shirt pocket, Dr. Brian Hickey. I’d like to say it was he, and all the other amazing scientists at the St. Lawrence River Institute, who gave me my “sense of place”. I was tasked with jobs that many would consider mundane like constructing bat houses, cleaning and organizing the aquatic invertebrate samples, and spending hours on end identifying different bat echolocation patterns; but to me, this was the most fun I'd ever had.

During my Gr. 11 co-op: looking at the gnarliest Megaloptera I've ever seen (the microscope was clearly not needed)

I began to see nature in a more complex and delicate way, and quickly found my affinity for “nature’s underdogs”. While most others are enthralled by the more charismatic flora and fauna, I was interested in all things creepy and crawly: bats, bugs, mushrooms, slime molds, worms, etc..

I couldn't understand why people would squeal and squirm when presented with an uninvited insect guest in their living room. I just wanted to pick them up and look at them closely, and eventually, I almost formed a sort of kinship with these fascinating creatures. These underdogs provide such important services to the surrounding environment, yet they rarely get the time of day in most people’s minds. They do all this work with no expectation for praise… I admire them!

While I’ve always known that I wanted to have a career in biology, it is only recently that I realized that my true passion is making others as excited about nature’s underdogs as I am. I still don’t know where this path will take me, (whether it be through academic research, science communication, or nature interpretation), but if I am able to help inspire the next generation of freaky little kids that spend all their time digging in their mom’s garden for bugs… i’ll be happy.

[z00logistintraining]

The Soul of an Octopus

By Sy Montgomery

This book delves into the alien world of invertebrates. How can we possibly understand what it's like to be a creature with three hearts? With a brain, yet most of it's neurons are in it's arms? A master of camouflage? It seems an impossible thing to imagine, yet Sy Montgomery manages it.

The beauty of this book is that you get to discover the wonder of an octopus through the author's eyes. She was not an octopus expert when she started this journey. Rather, she starts it as a curious scientist discovering a new fascination and she brings us along for that journey. As she learns, so do you, and as she forms connections to new marine biologists an animals, so do you. Despite some extreme anthropomorphism, this book let's you step into a new underwater world and try to wrap your head around a creature so different, and yet so similar to ourselves. If you're interested in animal intelligence, marine biology, invertebrates, or just expanding your world view, I recommend picking up this book. Just a warning, be able to differentiate when the book is giving solid facts versus emotional opinion.

Overall Rating: 6 out of 8 inquisitive suckered arms

[hedgehogsofasgard]

Thor & Sif are a pair of desert hedgehogs (Paraechinus aethiopicus). For a more extensive introduction to them see today's other posts. For more information on their species, see below.

The desert hedgehog is sometimes known as the Ethiopian hedgehog, despite that country only making up a very small part of their range which covers the western part of North Africa, the Nile basin and the entire Arabian peninsula. The desert hedgehog is, like its name suggest, well adapted to life in the desert. They have very long legs allowing them to travel long distances and they can withstand the harsh temperature differences in the desert and go for weeks without food. Their ears are very long and their auditory bullae (the hollow bone part enclosing the middle and inner ear) is bigger than that of any other hedgehog species, suggesting a very keen sense of hearing which likely helps them locate prey at night under the sand.

The desert hedgehog is an avid hunter and they mainly prey on invertebrates such as scorpions and centipedes. They also eat carrion and small animals including rodents and snakes. During the day they sleep in burrows but they are known to bask in the sun, most likely to warm up after a cold desert night. In winter they hibernate and the mating season starts in spring.

My first impression of this species so far is them being very friendly, curious and inquisitive (much more so than the pygmy hedgehogs) with a high prey drive and a high activity level. In this they appear to be more similar to the long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus) but without the aggression and nippy-ness the LEs have a reputation of. I'm really happy I get to work with this species and very eager to learn more about them!

[rockjumperbirdingtours]

Photo of the Day – The Crimson-rumped Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus haematopygus) is a noisy, inquisitive and social bird that is fairly common in humid montane forest from Venezuela south to Ecuador. The species is usually found in pairs or small groups as they forage for fruits, invertebrates and small vertebrate prey in the canopy.

This stunner was photographed by Dušan Brinkhuizen in Ecuador