Reptiles
edyong | March 10, 2008
The story of evolution is filled with antagonists, be they predators and prey, hosts and parasites, or males and females. These conflicts of interest provide the fuel for 'evolutionary arms races' - cycles of adaptation and counter-adaptation where any advantage gained by one side is rapidly neutralised by a counter-measure from the other. As the Red Queen of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass said to Alice, "It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place."
The Red Queen analogy paints a picture of natural foes, wielding perfectly balanced armaments and caught in a…
laelaps | March 3, 2008A pair of male cobras grapple with each other in a clip from Life in Cold Blood;
Oddly enough, I was just thinking about dominance contests between males and various armaments this morning. Although violence is a part of nature, there are many species in which males compete for territories or mate access that have evolved traits or behaviors to minimize risk in such contests (elongated canines, like among the dinocerata, and the horns of kudu were what primarily occupied my thoughts this morning). Mating systems and systems of male competition may vary widely, though, and as strange as it…
laelaps | February 26, 2008
Back in elementary school, I was told the great dividing line between tortoises and turtles was that turtles are aquatic and tortoises are terrestrial. Obviously there are exceptions to this rule to greater or lesser degrees, but the first time I saw a Galapagos tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus) wallowing in a pool at the Philadelphia Zoo I was a bit surprised. This is a normal behavior for these giant tortoises, though, and they seem to enjoy spending time in the bath.
grrlscientist | February 17, 2008tags: reptile, snake, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
Is this a rainbow snake, Farancia erytrogramma?
Snake, as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 9, 2008tags: Gavial, Gharial, Gavialis gangeticus, reptiles, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
I think this is a Gharial (also known as a Gavial), Gavialis gangeticus,
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | January 29, 2008tags: Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
An alligator, Alligator mississippiensis,
with the shadow of a Stegosaurus behind it,
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | January 28, 2008tags: sea turtle, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
An unknown (to me) species of sea turtle
(there are seven species to choose from)
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
laelaps | January 20, 2008
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest living species of lizard in the entire world, and while the large size of this reptile has often been attributed to island gigantism some research has suggested that varanid lizards gained large size relatively early on in their evolutionary history (see Gould and MacFadden 2004). Komodo dragons are normally featured on nature documentaries, but in 2001 one particular dragon made the headlines because it bit the foot of Phil Bronstein, husband of actress Sharon Stone and San Francisco Chronicle Executive Editor, when Bronstein was…
laelaps | December 17, 2007
Here's a shot of a Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta) my wife and I (almost quite literally) stumbled across during a hike in New York this past fall. It wasn't too happy with me taking pictures, but I was able to get some decent ones. As you can see from the photo, though, it's a rather plain black snake and it has a number of common names. Some taxonomic arguments surround it, however, some favoring splitting the species up into several based on location and DNA.
laelaps | December 7, 2007
Can you find the Eyelash Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii)? It's generally good to see them before you stumble upon them in the Central and South American rainforest, as this small pit viper has a venomous bite. The one in the photo is green, but they can take on a variety of colors (yellow, pink, brown, green), and they get their name from enlarged, upright scales around their eyes that look like eyelashes. Primarily an ambush predator, this species of snake may even return to the same spot annually during bird migrations to try and snag some avian prey.
grrlscientist | December 1, 2007
Red-eyed tree frog, Agalychnis calidryas.
Red-eyed tree frogs live in Costa Rica and other Neotropical regions. Their bright red eyes presumably startle would-be predators. Their diet consists of flies and moths, and possibly includes smaller frogs and crickets. All tree frogs are classified into the families Hylidae and Rhacophoridae. Many tree frogs are green in color, while the terrestrial and aquatic species have muted coloration.
Image: Don Farral (Photodisc) via National Geographic.
Since the holidays are advancing upon us like a rampaging SUV, I thought I'd talk about an essential…
grrlscientist | November 4, 2007tags: NYC Life, Central Park turtles, turtle yoga, Image of the Day
Central Park turtles show cruisers how it's done.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [Wallpaper size]
grrlscientist | October 21, 2007tags: Central Park turtles, reptiles, Image of the Day
Central Park Turtle performing the pencil pose.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [Wallpaper size]
The photographer writes: Here another practitioner demonstrates a position hitherto unknown to me. I bet you never saw it either. I will call it, appropriately enough, the Pencil Pose. The strategic placement of the yellow number two pencil is seemingly crucial to the performance of this pose though its precise purpose eludes me. If nothing else the yellow color brings a warmth to the visual enjoyment of the performance but…
grrlscientist | October 20, 2007tags: Central Park turtles, reptiles, Image of the Day
Central Park Turtle performing the Cat Stretch.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [Wallpaper size]
The photographer writes: After a few days of cool fall weather I found the Turtle Yoga classroom deserted for days. So I wondered if the recent warm spell would have a motivating effect on the Central Park Yoga enthusiasts. My investigation resulted in...Turtle Yoga: THE RETURN.
Experienced yoga enthusiasts of any species will immediately recognize this pose. It's a precisely performed version of a Cat Stretch. I wish my form were…
grrlscientist | October 12, 2007tags: turtle yoga, mountain yoga pose, reptiles, interspecies communication, Image of the Day
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [Wallpaper size]
The photogrpaher writes: This is another in my apparently unending reports on Turtle Yoga. Hey, I'm as surprised as you are that I have more. However, this is a real scoop though it may be a stretch for some readers. (The pun is intended).
This first image (there's another tomorrow) captures two turtles in what one might categorize as a rather intimate yoga moment. Personally I think that interpreting the yoga Mountain Pose this way should…
grrlscientist | October 10, 2007tags: Painted Turtle, Red-eared Slider, reptile, Image of the Day
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [Wallpaper size]
The Photographer writes: But Hold On! As the camera pulls away from these two subjects it reveals three turtles are actually in attendance at this yoga session. The third practitioner is also a Red-eared Slider. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come? I surely will be keeping my eye and camera out for an even larger yoga class should I find it. Until my next report please remember: don't strain and remember to breath.
grrlscientist | October 9, 2007tags: Painted Turtle, Red-eared Slider, reptile, Image of the Day
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [Wallpaper size]
The photogrpaher writes: If you saw the Grrl Scientist's posting of "Turtle Yoga" on September 30 you might have the suspicion that this image is a setup. I assure you it is not. I found these two turtles engaged in a yoga class in the same spot as the first two. I had to laugh out loud when I saw them holding the same yoga pose but now facing away from each other instead of face to face. The large turtle may be the same one in the early image but after studying both…
grrlscientist | September 30, 2007tags: Painted Turtle, Red-eared Slider, reptile, Image of the Day
"Very good but try harder to get your other leg off the ground and don't forget to breathe and don't strain."
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [Wallpaper size]
The photographer writes: For a change here's something I can recommend you try at home. I serendipitously stumbled into a turtle-yoga class. Not being an expert I found it hard to interpret the significance of this one-on-one situation involving members of two different species. The smaller one looks like a Painted Turtle and the other a Red-eared Slider. Can…
grrlscientist | August 21, 2007tags: researchblogging.org, evolution, squirrels, rattlesnakes, tail-flagging, behavior, biology
A mother squirrel rapidly waves her tail to warn off a rattlesnake in a confrontation staged by researchers in May 1987. Adult squirrels are immune to rattlesnake venom, but their offspring are vulnerable. New infrared research found that heat from the mother's tail sends an alarming signal to the slithery predators.
Image: Donald H. Owings, UC Davis.
Researchers have long been mystified by the defensive behaviors exhibited by California ground squirrels, Spermophilus beecheyi, when they are…
grrlscientist | August 20, 2007tags: walking with monsters, life before dinosaurs, evolution, streaming video
This streaming video gives you a snapshot of evolution prior to the rise of the dinosaurs. Even though it's kinda long, it's definitely worth watching .. although that giant spider gave me the heebie-jeebies! [9:17]