South Pacific Islands
Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)
Category archives for South Pacific Islands
Kuhl’s Lorikeet Conservation: ‘Ura: The Spirit of the Queen, 1
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on May 18, 2009 tags: Rimatara Lorikeet, Kuhl’s Lory, Vini kuhlii, ‘Ura, conservation, endangered species, Fiji, streaming video This informative video discusses the conservation of one of my research birds, the Rimatara (Kuhl’s) Lory, Vini kuhlii, known by the natives as the ‘Ura. Not only is this bird’s story interesting, but it also exemplifies the complications and challenges of…
Saving the `Alalâ
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on April 19, 2009 tags: ‘Alala, Hawaiian Crow, Hawaiian Raven, Corvus hawaiiensis, endangered species, conservation One of the last wild-born `Alalâ to ever be photographed in the wild. Image: The Honolulu Advertiser. One of the rarest forest birds in the world, the critically endangered `Alalâ, or Hawaiian Crow, Corvus hawaiiensis, was awarded $14.3 million in conservation funding over the…
Scientists Discover 56 New Species on Remote Lost World, Papua New Guinea
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on March 25, 2009 tags: new species, Papua New Guinea, Zoology, Biodiversity A large brilliant green tree frog, Nyctimystes species, with enormous eyes, was discovered by scientists next to a clear-running mountain river. Image: Steve Richards/Conservation International. A brilliant green tree tree frog with giant black eyes, tentatively classified as a Nyctimystes species, is one of 56 new species…
Successfully Keeping Celebes Rainbowfish, Telmatherina ladigesi, in Captivity
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on February 22, 2009 tags: guest blog essay, fishkeeping, aquariums, Celebes Rainbowfish, Celebes Sailfish, Telmatherina ladigesi, pets Adult male Celebes Rainbowfish (also known as a Celebes Sailfish), Telmatherina ladigesi. Image: Orphaned. Please contact me so I can award proper attribution. [larger view]. As most of my readers know, I am an evolutionary biologist and ornithologist by training, and an…
The World’s Smallest Seahorse
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on February 9, 2009 tags: Satomi’s pygmy seahorse, Indonesian wildlife, Stephen Wong, Takako Uno, image of the day Satomi’s pygmy seahorse, endemic to Indonesia, is one of the world’s tiniest seahorses. Two adults would fit head-to-head across the face of a penny and their offspring are each about the size of a 12-point apostrophe. Image: Stephen Wong and Takako…
Under the Sea in 3D
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on January 28, 2009 tags: film, iMax, marine life, nature, movie trailer, streaming video Thanks to the wonder of the blogosphere, I have been invited to a screening of the new film, Under the Sea 3D on 4 February 2009 — below the fold is an interesting interview with the filmmakers along with a teaser for you to enjoy…
Meet the Great Speciators: The White-Eyes
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on January 27, 2009 tags: evolution, speciation, diversification rate, Zosterops, White-eyes, ornithology, birds, molecular phylogeny, South Pacific Islands The Splendid (Ranongga) White-eye, Zosterops splendidus, endemic to Ranongga Island in the Solomon Islands archipelago. This species’ home range is smaller than Manhattan Island. Image: Chris Filardi [larger view]. For many decades, the white-eyes (Family: Zosteropidae) were known as the “Great…
Sunset Over Maui 2
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on December 31, 2008 tags: sunset, Hawaii, landscape, nature, image of the day Sunset, Wailea, Maui, 2 Image: John del Rio [larger view].
Vanuatu Cockle
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on December 17, 2008 tags: National Geographic, Vanuatu, cockle, biodiversity, image of the day Image: Delphine Brabant, MNHN. My friends at National Geographic have provided permission for me to share some of the images from the recent discovery of a huge number of new species on and around the south Pacific island of Vanuatu.
When is a Honeyeater not a Honeyeater? The Tricks of Convergent Evolution
Posted by "GrrlScientist" on December 15, 2008 tags: evolution, honeyeaters, Meliphagidae, Mohoidae, birds, ornithology, birds, molecular phylogeny, extinct species, South Pacific Islands Two nectar-feeding birds from Hawai’i, the kioea (brown-streaked, in middle) and an o’o species (lower left), looked so much like nectar specialists from the western Pacific (two species on right) that taxonomists put them all in the same honeyeater family,…