Life, Death, and Taxonomy

“…and today we’re talking about a ghoulish ground bird. But more on that later.” Description Males are black, and females are gray with brown streaks. They have squat bodies like a typical finch. Their beaks are short, sharp, and curved slightly downward. Some have orange or partially orange beaks. Measure Up Welcome to the beloved […]

“And today we are talking about sea critters with their own clear, plastic-looking straw. But more on that later.” Humans are social creatures, but we aren’t the only ones. Gregarious animals hang out together, especially during mating seasons. But what if you are both sedentary and gregarious, which is another way to say a friendly […]

“…and today we’re talking about a slimy little yellow guy. But more on that later.” So we know how animals make more animals, but how do plants make more plants? With the help of animals, of course! Whether it’s spreading seeds on the ground or getting animals to eat them, plants have a unique way […]

“…and today we’re talking about a master thief who is the king of trash mountain. But more on that later.” A generalist has a general wish To bandit with reckless abandon. Bird eggs, crumb cakes, delicious fried fish… Dining fine? Easier said than done. A cunning mind will help raccoons find The dishes to delight […]

“…and today we were talking about Captain America of the sea with similar headwear. But more on that later.” Description of the Winghead Shark Grey and white hammerhead shark. The shark cuts a thin, torpedo-shaped silhouette with a large dorsal and caudal fin. They have a pronounced hammer with a larger wingspan than your typical […]

“…and today we’re talking about what KJV onliest thinks ancient Hebrews made themselves bald as. But more on that later.” To soar sorely is such a bore. A raptor up high has a real chore. Hunting for prey far down below, Is a bald eagle’s typical M.O. But how can they fly for so long, […]

“…and today we’re talking about the swamp’s angriest stone. But more on that later.” As if you needed another reason not to go traipsing around the swamps of the American South, the alligator snapping turtle brings a few hundred pounds of armored power to the equation. But swamps aren’t really known for having crystal clear […]

“…and today we’re talking about the specter of the Sundarbans. But more on that later.” How can black and orange go unseen In a place of vertical green? The world’s most immense panthera Can hide among the Themeda. Though it likes meat held up by hooves You may have a taste it approves. It’s a […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bird that would make a terrible nickname. But more on that later.” In the valley of the dry bones, God showed Ezekiel his power over life and death by breathing life into the long desiccated skeletons that lay there in the valley. But for birds, breathing life into your […]

“…and today we’re talking about a primate with its finger on the pulse of the forest. But more on that later.” Once upon a drizzling Madagascar night, a small insect awoke, focusing his sight. While nestled safe in his place of bamboo peace, a sound disturbed him and it would not cease. All of a […]

“…and today we’re talking about carb-eating beetles that scoff at the mere mention of the keto diet. But more on that later.” Finding a solution to an invasive species is rarely an easy task. But when Americans’ cereal is at stake, it’s time for drastic action. The cereal leaf beetle is a serious problem for […]

“…and today we’re talking about a frog that sticks to its plans. But more on that later.” For most creatures, finding a mate is a top priority–up there with getting a good meal. But the common rain frog is a funny shape that makes the mating season a bit awkward–and that shape is round. How […]

“…and today we’re talking about a crustacean that appears as if it comes pre-deep fried. But more on that later.” The true master of disguise is able to use their environment to their advantage. Just like a cold war era Russian spy, you want to blend in with the locals if you want to avoid […]

“…and today we’re talking about an Alaskan with a taste for salmon, but I repeat myself. But more on that later.” As a mini me to its cousin the great white, the salmon shark seems like an adorable football-shaped friend in the sea. But these seven footers are no small fries. These sharks are born […]

“…and today we’re talking about a big bushy eyebrow. But more on that later…” South America is home to a lot of interesting looking animals. Possibly the goofiest one is the giant anteater. With a tube snoot, a bushy tail, and a panda for an arm, the anteater prowls the shrublands looking for, you guessed […]

“…and today we’re talking about a parasite on the prowl. But more on that later.” By now you may have heard of Cordyceps, the fungus among use that can take over the brain of an ant. But is there such a threat in the kingdom Animalia. The horsehair worm is a parasite that bears no […]

“…and today we’re talking about the sea bull to the manatee’s sea cow, but much more scary. But more on later.” If Huck Finn knew what might have been lurking in the waters of the ol Missisip, he may have thought twice about rafting down it for as long as he did. The bull shark […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bug with junk in the trunk, but more on that later.” Precious resources are often fiercely guarded. Only a clever wolf will ever taste mutton, and the rules remain in place in the insect world. The lacewing is a graceful insect that some mistake for delicate fairies, but their […]

“…and today we’re talking about my manned man, but more on that later.” Look! In the woods! It’s a wolf, it’s a fox! No, it’s the maned wolf and his mild-mannered alter ego, uh Phil. Keeping taxonomy researchers and podcast hosts on their toes is the name of the game sweetheart as this glamazon from […]

“…and today we’re talking about the familiar of a ferocious female. But more on that later.” The life of a pet is a charmed one–at least when your owner is a kind and benevolent ruler. But what if you lived in the home of a giant arachnid, ten times your size. Would you still want […]

“…and today we’re talking about the lurker in the cathedral, the stained aranea. But more on that later.” In the forests of Australia, the glistening dew of a rain-kissed leaf might be a little more than just a water droplet. The mirror spider takes what would be waste to another spider and turns it into […]

“…and today we’re talking about a frog with a killer skincare routine. But more on that later.” For too long, amphibians have only dared to come out at night. But the waxy monkey frog says no more. This amphibian has chosen to step into the sun and lay eyes upon an earth in the full […]

“…and today we’re talking about a ba… I mean bird. But more on that later.” The caves of the Caribbean are home to a slick bird that thinks it’s a bat. Deep in these midnight caverns, shining an unwelcome light will be met with the anguished screeches of the little devil known as the oilbird. […]

“…and today we’re talking about a canis comrade, but more on that later.” There are many symbiotic relationships in nature, but there is no closer interspecies bond than the one found between humanity and their dogs. Canines and humans have been close companions for so long that we’ve influenced the course of dog adaptation and […]

“…and today we’re talking about a stone at the bottom of the sea. Definitely don’t be on that later.” It’s no surprise that the most venomous fish in the world is found in none other than the land down under. Hidden among the rocks and coral in Australia and the surrounding islands, the reef stonefish […]

“…and today we are talking about Godwit the Soarin. But more on that later.” If you’re looking wistfully out the window at a frozen or snowy gray day, you know that winter can be a real drag. Some birds fly south for the winter, and sometimes those birds clog up South Florida roadways. But what […]

“…and today we’re talking about a flat character in the animal kingdom, but more on that later.” There are hundreds of species of spiders that call Australia home. Some small, some big, some deadly, and some…hidden. But one master of disguise tends to order a side of contortion with its camoflauge entre. Taking the term […]

“…and today we are talking about an impostor that’s not among us, but among the fish of the sea. But more on that later.” Humans have explored nearly every biome on earth, but when it comes to getting around in the ocean, we are clearly outmatched. Fish are built to ride waves and currents with […]

“And today we’re talking about a gruff goat with a wooly throat. But more on that later.” High up in the mountains of central Asia lives a giddy goat with a lot of panache and a penchant for stomping its enemies into the dirt. But the rumor mill stops for no goat, not even for […]

“…and today we’re giving our last hope to you. Don’t give it back to me, Bitterblue. But more on that later.” In the insect world, there are threats around every log and under every leaf. A young grub is all alone in a huge place. Worse yet, a lot of creatures think he tastes slimy […]

“…and today we are talking about the Pirates of the Caribbean, but not the movie. More on that later.” Out on the high seas, it’s a dog eat dog eat bird eat other bird’s food kinda world. Yer never safe when you have booty to take home to the littl’uns. You’ll have to keep yer […]

“…and today we’re talking about a big-mouthed, deep-living, inflatable tube man. But more on that later.” Americans have just enjoyed a holiday of abundance. Many of us have funneled turkey into our gobblers with mirth and glee. But what if you lived in a place where food was less abundant. That’s where the spirit of […]

“…And today we’re talking about an American noodle of many varieties. But more on that later.” The Manitoban city of Narcisse is a small, quaint place with not much tourism for most of the year. However, for a few days of every spring, the ground erupts in a slithering mass of red-sided garter snakes. Why […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bookworm. Literally, but also not literally. More on that later.” In the dark of an academy library, a shining silverfish ponders some of life’s greatest questions, like, “what is a tastier snack, the pages of War and Peace or its bindings?” A true scholar, the silverfish must test his […]

“…and today we’re talking about moss that grows fat on a rolling toad. But more on that later.” Whether you’re a hungry predator or just a curious researcher, finding yourself a Vietnamese Mossy Frog isn’t going to be easy. They’re not only in the Disguisee family, but they can also deceive you with just their […]

“…and today we are talking about an animal that stands for what they believe in. But more on that later.” What do you do when you’ve saved the last slice of cake but there are other hungry eyes with thoughts of treachery. Anyone with siblings knows that you have to stake your claim quickly. Licking […]

“…and today we’re talking about a deep diving jelly-headed leviathan. But more on that later.” Deep in the water where the fish hang out lives a massive tanky mammal with a quite impressive shout.  This blockheaded blubber boi is looking for a fight, he uses his ticks and tricks to hunt with little light. But […]

“…And today we’re talking about a dastardly death–hunter, but more on that later.” The African savannah is a place where many fall to powerful predators and environmental challenges. While the dangers are many, the continent has an undertaker ready to go to work. The Marabou stork is a sinister looking bird that wears a black […]

“…and today we’re talking about an animal whose official name violated the order force rule of grammar and I hate that. But more on that later.” The rivers in China are home to one of the largest salamanders—nay, one of the largest amphibians—in the world. Blending in with the rocks that line the riverbeds, the […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bird that sings a song which is soft but it’s clear, as if maybe someone could hear. But more on that later.” Sewing is a human tradition that is as old as the shame of Adam and Eve. What started as a way to protect yourself from the elements […]

“…Today we’re talking about some rodents that make darns out of their own food. But more on that later.” If you look up into the sky and see a box parachuting toward you, it could be a Call of Duty care package, a cargo cult’s answered prayer, or a mid-century beaver relocation project. As humans […]

“…and today we’re talking about a carpet crunching fiber eater. But more on that later.” Creepy crawlies in your home are never fun. What serves as a Roomba in a bird’s nest might do some serious damage to dad’s favorite chair. The carpet beetle may not be as troublesome as its breakfast-in-bed loving kin, but […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bug that engages in more aggressive mimicry than a middle schooler repeating everything you’re saying. But more on that later.” The year was 1879. James Hingsley was an Australian journalist who returned from his voyage to Indonesia with a strange tale on his lips. He claimed that the northern […]

“…And today we’re talking about a bird who is a runner, she’s a track star. But more on that later.” There are a few paths you can go down in the animal kingdom that are tried and true. Strength and power are great, but only if you can catch what you’re after. The roadrunner is […]

“…and today we’re talking about a little king that is named after the king of kings. But more on that later.” We usually use the term “walk on water” to refer to someone above reproach. But when we say that the aggressive and belligerent basilisk lizard walks on water, we don’t mean that it can […]

“…and today we’re talking about a hole in the bottom of the sea. More on that later.” When you’re under a lot of pressure, you may get a headache. But you’ve never been under as much pressure as the Mariana snailfish. Most things at the bottom of the ocean are invertebrates. They live the squishy […]

“…and today we’re talking about a small soldier. But more on that later.” When you’re out in the wilds of the African bushland, you need to get creative when it comes to emergency wound care. One species of ant has a bite so powerful, it can be used to stave off infection. The true villain […]

“…today we’re talking about this little fish of mine. But more on that later.” When twilight comes, it’s time to light your lantern. But sometimes human technology isn’t enough to get past nature’s barriers. That was the case when early sonar came up against the lanternfish, which congregates in the millions. This tiny mesopelagic creature […]

“…and today we’re talking about petite pink primates in plush parkas. But more on that later.” In the highlands of Japan, one tufty monkey likes to season its food, play in the snow, and waylay unsuspecting people in its free time. It uses all of its simian smarts to quickly learn new behaviors and then […]

“…and today we’re talking about a flat slimy menace that will not go gently into the night. But more on that later.” Have you ever felt that you just don’t fit in. Struggling to make connections with a social group can be difficult, but what if you’re clashing with an entire ecosystem. Such is the […]