Friday, March 18, 2011

Fun biology facts ...

I am the very model of a modern Major-General; I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral ...

Yes indeed, as the resident biologist, you had to know that I would take this topic there. Especially since it was my idea. LOL

Okay, so some weird, unique, and somewhat gross trivial trivia from the biological sciences.

First up ... Placobdelloides jaegerskioeldi (say that three times real fast!)

This creature is a leech, But not just an 'ol leech, this little sucker is found in the rectum region of hippos. So far, it is the only leech in the world that is specialized to one animal species. And, it has camoflage, blending in the coloration of the hippo's skin.

Next is butt breathing. : )

Yep, you read that correct. Although, technically, it isn't really breathing, but the ability to intake oxgen via membranes in the anus region that make some species of turtles so interesting. Yep - turtles!

Clownfish sex change
Indeed, that little Nemo fish has the potential to one day be a girl. That's because clownfish are born male, and when the dominant female in the group dies, the dominant male will change sexes, and another male will take over as dominate male.

Pregnant males?

That's right, it's the seahorse males who "birth" their young. The female inserts her eggs into a brood pouch on the male, and he then fertilizes them, and carries them until they are "born".

I could go on and on ... but really, do you want me to? LOL These are just some of the tid-bits that are running around in my brain thanks to my professors. As for why I am quoting Gilbert and Sullivan, well, I just like the song. LOL

I know the scientific names of beings animalculous; In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General. ...

4 comments:

  1. That seals it. One of us if going to have to pick Gilbert and Sullivan as a topic one week. I'll wax poetical about Iolanthe.

    Have you read Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to all Creation? It's a biology book, but written like an advice column. I use it for reference material when I create alien characters. There's so much weirdness in our own back yards that, like Dorothy, we don't need to travel to Oz to see alternate worlds.

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  2. LOL Yep, except that is the only one that I have seen.

    As for the book, nope, haven't heard of it before now.

    M

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  3. "I know the kings of England and I quote the fights historical,
    From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical..."

    I knew about the clown fish and the sea horse, but butt breathing, well...

    Is there an opportunity there for a novel fetish?

    Sorry to be gross, but biology often is!

    And okay - I'm going to post Gilbert and Sullivan for my next topic week (after "Publishing Myths and Misconceptions", a few weeks from now). I thought that I was the only Savoyard freak, but clearly I was mistaken.

    Warmly,
    Lisabet

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  4. I once wrote a piece of flash fiction around the idea of humans having babies the way seahorses do. I'll have to see if I still have it on file anywhere... Incidentally we're still discovering new species at the rate of around 200 a year, and on the basis we've only properly explored about 10% of the oceans there are estimates of around 750,000 forms of sealife yet to be discovered.

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