Distant Cousin? Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) — Distant Cousin?
Sea Otter *(Enhydra lutris)*

Did You Know (45)?

December 07, 2015 in December 2015

The evolutionary origins of seals, sea lions and walruses is still unsettled science. Historical taxonomic studies suggest two potential lines of ancestry which include the Ursids (bears) and the Mustelids (otters, minks, ferrets…). While molecular and fossil evidence now appear to implicate an otter-like ancestor, some continue to cling to the “bear hypothesis.”

California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) — California Sea Lion *(Zalophus californianus)*

Collectively belonging to the Clade Pinnipedia, pinnipeds are carnivorous, fin-footed semiaquatic mammals. With the exception of the Baikal seal (Pusa sibrica), pinnipeds are marine mammals divided into three distinct groups. The Otariidae or true eared seals, possess ear flaps and a flexible hind flipper that allows for semi-coordinated movement on land. Familiar examples include the California sea lion, Zalophus californianus, who’s tendency to bark and play make them a favorite of zoos and marine parks. While significantly larger than sea lions, the Odobenidae have a similar body morphology, but are distinguished by their enormous hairless bodies and pronounced tusk-like canines. Commonly known as walruses, only one extant species remains. Sadly, their long-term viability is now threatened by the rapidly changing arctic climate. The significantly smaller Phocids, lack external ear flaps and have inflexible hind fins. Far more cumbersome on land than their sea lion brethren, “true-seals” are more aqua dynamic with their stubby clawed forelimbs and torpedo-like body.

Harbor Seal  (Phoca vitulina) — Harbor Seal *(Phoca vitulina)*

Otter and Seal... a study in comparative morphology

All Images were Made with a Nikon D7200 and Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR1 Lens

Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) warning the colony of my presence - Badlands NP, SDNikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR — Prairie Dog (*Cynomys ludovicianus)* warning the colony of my presence - Badlands NP, SD
Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR

Did You Know (44)?

September 13, 2015 in September 2015

The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is a rodent classified within the squirrel family Sciuridae. Considered a pest to ranchers throughout the Great Plains, they are also an iconic favorite to visitors of western national parks.

Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) surveying the landscape - Wind Cave NP, SDNikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR — Prairie Dog (*Cynomys ludovicianus*) surveying the landscape - Wind Cave NP, SD
Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR

This ground squirrel species lives in connecting subterranean burrows called towns. The burrows consist of multi-generational groups and are used for breeding and predator avoidance. Interestingly, female prairie dogs enter reproductive Estrus between February and April for only one day each year. Despite this apparent barrier to reproduction, the species was once the most abundant mammal in the United States.

Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) prepping to retreat into a burrow - Badlands NP, SDNikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR — Prairie Dog (*Cynomys ludovicianus*) prepping to retreat into a burrow - Badlands NP, SD
Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR

The habit of grooming the entrance to burrows and dispersing both horizontally and vertically throughout the landscape plays an important role in engineering the physical and biological characteristics of the prairie habitat they occupy. Hundreds of vertebrate and invertebrate species are linked to the actions of prairie dogs and their towns. Prairie dog specialists like black-footed ferrets declined to near extinction wherever the rodents were extirpated by ranchers, while species like mountain plover and burrowing owl are dependent on the town's tunnels for nesting habitat. Even bison and pronghorns depend on prairie dogs since these mega-fauna species feed on the young nutrient rich vegetation that is meticulously maintained in a growing state by the rodent's selective foraging habits.

Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) - Tanzania, AfricaCanon 30D + Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 HSM — Vervet Monkey *(Chlorocebus pygerythrus)* - Tanzania, Africa
Canon 30D + Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 HSM

Did You Know (43)?

August 28, 2015 in August 2015

Apes are not monkeys, and all monkeys are not the same. When primatologists’ describe a type of monkey, they begin by defining it as an Old World or New World species. As the name suggests, the Old World monkeys are those found throughout Europe, Africa and Asia while the so called New World varieties are restricted to the Americas. DNA evidence strongly suggests that the old and new world species are derived from a common ancestral stock that diverged about 40 million years ago. With an ocean separating the two populations, each variety evolved in response to their respective habitats. Forty million years later, there are now 78 species in old world and 53 in the new.

Geoffroy's Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) - Guanacaste Region, Costa RicaNIkon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR1 — Geoffroy's Spider Monkey *(Ateles geoffroyi)* - Guanacaste Region, Costa Rica
NIkon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR1

Geographic isolation and environmental characteristics are responsible for some of the key differences between the two groups. Monkeys found in the Old World tend to be larger than those in the new. New World varieties are entirely arboreal and many have prehensile tails that allow them to move throughout the dense forest canopies found in the American tropics. In contrast, many Old World species are as comfortable on the ground as they are in trees. Found from the deserts of Ethiopia to the snow-capped mountains of Japan, Old World monkeys have adapted to a variety of habitats. Other anatomical differences include an opposable thumb and trichromatic vision throughout the Old World, compared to a thumb in line with fingers and dichromatic vision in the new. When faced with the choice of new or old, one just needs to look at the face. The flat-faced Platyrrhines are found throughout the Americas while the narrow-nosed Catarrhines with their downward faced nostrils are found in the Old World.

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) - Elkhorn Slough, CA — Sea Otter (*Enhydra lutris*) - Elkhorn Slough, CA

Did You Know (42)?

May 07, 2015 in May 2015

Historically and architecturally a keystone is the trapezoidal block at the peak of an arch that maintains the stability and integrity of its structure. Remove the keystone and the arch collapses.

In ecology, we often speak of keystone species when discussing extinctions or ecosystems in peril. Much like the keystone of an arch, any given species might be the keystone within a web of trophic interactions. For example, consider the humble sea otter (Enhydra lutris). This cuddly mustelid of the sea is much more than just eye-candy. In the late 1970's the sea otter population was relatively large and the kelp bed "forests" of the Pacific were expansive. Overfishing depleted the seas of fish, and seal populations began to wane. Interestingly, orca whales were forced to switch from feeding on seals to consuming the healthy otter stock. As the otter population collapsed, the sea urchin population spiked. The expanding urchin populations decimated the kelp beds and thus the resident the fish nurseries. The depleted fisheries now lost the opportunity to recover from years of overfishing.

So, who's the keystone in this story? It turns out that otters eat sea urchin when the urchin population hit a critical mass. In the absence of the otters, the prolific urchin population exploded, and the kelp-bed ecosystem collapsed.

The image pictured was taken in the Elkhorn Slough near Monterey, CA. Fortunately, the sea otter is now protected species by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. As a result, the California coastal ecosystem is recovering because of the important role this species plays within its ecosystem.

Did You Know (41)?

April 01, 2015 in April 2015

With the introduction of digital imaging and the viral-like spread of social media, we are exposed to a near-infinite stream of visual candy. Flickr, the arcane but popular photo-hosting site, listed the iPhone 5 as the second most common camera used for making new work. By the end of 2014, 55 million photos were posted to Instagram per day, while a whopping 300 million pictures were shared via Facebook within the same twenty-four hour period. Despite the saturation of images saved and passed from server to server, the practice of making photographs continues to be a popular avocation. In fact, mashable.com lists photography as the number one hobby that anyone can master in 2015. While mastery is a loaded word and subject to interpretation, there is no doubt that any man, woman or child can easily join the visual revolution and contribute to the living record of humanity with a smart phone and one good eye.

Rocky Mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) - Jasper NP, CanadaCanon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS — Rocky Mountain goat (*Oreamnos americanus*) - Jasper NP, Canada
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

Did You Know (40)?

February 18, 2015 in February 2015

The Rocky Mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) may be as much antelope as it is goat. Mountain goats belong to an order of even-toed ungulates known as Artiodactyla. This large mammalian group includes antelopes, gazelles, cattle, muskox and true goats. Classified within the subfamily Caprinae or goat-antelopes, the mountain goat is the only member of the genus Oreamnos. The evolutionary history of this species is unclear, making the mountain goat a classic example of a ‘rogue taxon.’ Various DNA comparisons fail to link mountain goats with any one extant (living) Caprinae species thus suggesting that it is basal within its group. This distinction makes the mountain goat truly unique member of its biological family.

-26℉ on a -5℉ Day - Manning Trail, MNNIkon D800E + Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 AFS — -26℉ on a -5℉ Day - Manning Trail, MN
NIkon D800E + Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 AFS

Did You Know (39)?

February 17, 2015 in February 2015

The windchill temperature is a relative value based on evaporative cooling. Much like the chill felt following a hot shower, a moderate breeze can transform a cold day into dangerously frigid conditions. The flow of air over exposed skin increases heat loss as vaporization “steals” body heat. In contrast to skin, a moisture free inanimate object will take on the temperature of its surroundings regardless of the ambient wind velocity. It is for this reason it can be 5℉ (-15℃) and feel like -13℉ (-26℃) at the same moment in time.

Megalopyge (Puss) Caterpillar - Selva Verde, Costa Rica

Did You Know (38)?

February 16, 2015 in February 2015

Biodiversity is the scientific way of describing variety; it is a measure of the total number of distinct species in a defined area. Some biologists assess biodiversity by examining genes within a population, while others invoke the classical “species concept” as a way of defining the species richness of an ecosystem. Regardless of the measurement tool, high biodiversity is a good thing and is cited as a positive indicator for environmental health.

Costa Rica and its tropical forests are known for its high species richness. Some regard the entire country as an ecological hotspot. With the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Pacific to the west, two distinct weather systems collide where the mountains bisect the country. Traveling east to west, the elevation increases along the Caribbean slope. The cumulative affect of oceanic air and elevation changes result in the formation of distinct microclimates that define multiple ecosystems within small patches of land. Like the Caribbean, the Pacific Slope is geologically diverse. As the mountains sink towards the ocean, the structure and diversity of the forests change. Geographic diversity and climate stability contribute to the staggering biological variety found across the country.

Recent research suggest that scientists have underestimated the diversity of life on the planet. Specifically, Genoveva Rodriguez-Castaneda found that tropical insect diversity increases with increasing elevation1. Montane forests are defined by plant species that have adapted to narrow geographic and climactic conditions. Each valley or hill creates a microclimate that defines a distinct ecotone (ecotone: transition zone between habitats). As environmental characteristics become increasingly narrow, so do the characteristics of a given niche. These narrowly defined niches promote specialization and diversification. As a result of these observations, scientists now project that there may be six times more insect species than previously suggested.

The sloth-like Megalopygidae larvae pictured here is an embryonic crinkle or flannel moth species. Megalopygidae species can be found in North America and the Neotropics. The larva are often called Puss Caterpillars and have venomous spines that, when touched, can produce a variety of symptoms. In addition to pain and inflammation, a sting can cause headaches, nausea and shock2. This individual was found in a secondary tropical forest within Costa Rica’s Caribbean Slope.

Genoveva Rodríguez-Castañeda, Lee A. Dyer, Gunnar Brehm, Heidi Connahs, Rebecca E. Forkner, Thomas R. Walla. LETTER: Tropical forests are not flat: how mountains affect herbivore diversity. Ecology Letters, 2010
"Megalopygidae." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.

Joshua Tree Sunset (Yucca brevifolia) - Joshua Tree National Park — Joshua Tree Sunset *(Yucca brevifolia)* - Joshua Tree National Park

Did You Know (37)?

February 15, 2015 in February 2015

When Mormon settlers crossed the Mojave in the mid-19th century they "saw" the hands of Joshua reaching towards the heavens... so goes the origin of this tree's colloquial name. Joshua Trees (Yucca brevifolia) are a tree-like monocot plant that belong to the family Agavaceae. Although they are not true trees that produce growth rings with a woody core, this top heavy plant stretches nearly eleven meters towards the desert sky. The asymmetric branching and long spiky leaves remind me of the lonely acacias that dot vast stretches of the African savanna. Restricted to an altitude of 400 to 1800 meters, Joshua trees are an icon of the high desert. Their survival is contingent on adapting to the arid environment, and the plant's morphology reflects its evolution. A long taproot that seeks deep pockets of water, waxy leaves that prevent desiccation, and reproduction timed to ephemeral rains are an adaptive response to life in the desert. Following a heavy precipitation event, large clusters of fragrant white flowers (panicles) emerge and await their pollination. The pollinator is an obligate symbiont known as the pronuda yucca moth. Female moths will deposit eggs into the panicle and, in doing so, cross pollinate the trees. Larval moths feed on developing seeds and will emerge following metamorphosis. The yucca moth and Joshua tree coexist in a mutualistic relationship in which both the moth and tree benefit from their codependency.

* Did You Know #37 is a modification of a blog that I first posted on April 9, 2011

Masai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) - Tarangiri, Tanzania — Masai Giraffe *(Giraffa camelopardalis)* - Tarangiri, Tanzania

Did You Know (36)?

February 14, 2015 in February 2015

A giraffe’s neck has only seven cervical vertebrae. Surprisingly, this is the same number of vertebral bones in most mammalian necks. The 1.8 meter (6 feet) climb from shoulder to head requires an unusually powerful heart muscle. Weighing in at 11 kilogram (25 pound) the massive heart relies on a series of one-way arterial valves to propel the blood uphill. This tallest of all living land mammals has extreme metabolic requisites that has led to the evolution of a lung capacity that can capture 55 liters (12 gallons) of air.

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