A Bit of Sad News

For my frequent readers, you've no doubt come to enjoy the various photos that Jade Walker has sent along - think roaches, centipedes, and tarantulas. He emailed me to let me know that his female Goliath Birdeating Spider, featured in my post from a couple of weeks ago, just died yesterday. The cause of death is unknown, but it was certainly premature.

This particular arachnid, named Gion, was very special to Jade. So if you have enjoyed his photos, please feel free to leave some comments for him. He needs some cheering up!

To see Gion in action, check out this video.

Holy Mola

Jared sent me this blog post, by Antonio Martínez Ron. I've heard of the ocean sunfish before, but Antonio's post does it some real justice. I suggest you read his write-up, but here are some highlights:

Photo from: Jens Kuhfs

The ocean sunfish (mola mola) is the largest bony fish in the world. It is a unique pelagic fish, and specimens of ocean sunfish have been observed up to 3.3 m (11 ft) in length and weighing up to 2,300 kg (5,100 lb).

Curiously, the Ocean Sunfish has a very small brain compared to its size: A 200 kg specimen may have a brain the size of a nut weighing only 4 g. It would explain their quiet behaviour and how often they get trapped into fisher nets.

...Giant sunfishes are an important menace for little ships. A collision at high speed can cause both injury to sailors and damage to yachts.

Photo from: Diving.LiveDoor.biz via Hiroto Kitagawa

Finally, the flesh of the ocean sunfish contains neurotoxins similar to those of other poisonous tetraodontiformes, but it is considered a delicacy by some people.

Photo from: Stranypotapecske.cz

The Roaches That Bind Us

You want to see true love? You're looking at it. This is a photo of Jade's fiancee with one of his roaches climbing on her face - and dangerously close to her mouth.

Marriage always results in both spouses taking on some of the hobbies and interests of their mate. Evidently, Jade and Rachel's relationship is off to a head start (unless, of course, Rachel was already an invertophile before meeing Jade...). I wish you two the best of with your soon-to-be marriage. I just hope your wedding isn't officiated over by someone dressed in a tarantula costume. But hey, to each his own.

For a video of some of his roaches in action, check out this video.

Thanks for the roaches, Jade and Rachel.

Endearing

Ugly can be endearing, even elegant, as this cat proves. Though you won't find her on your cute animal sites, she is welcome here. Aja was born blind in her left eye, but she has been dutifully cared for by Paul. Paul, you make pet owners proud, especially when you capture and share a shot like this!

Photo courtesy: Paul Lewis

Humbling Art

This is a bit of a deviation from my normal post. What you see below isn't ugly or animal. This art was formed using maggots dipped in paint and then let loose on a canvas. I'll let you stew on that for a while.

I'll admit that I am very disheartened that maggots are more accomplished artists than myself. This blog can be very humbling.

For a video of how it's done, click this.

Thanks for the link, Joe.

UPDATE: Denita TwoDragons has found out that this process does no harm to the maggot, aside from a bit of humiliation.

Photos from MaggotArt.com

Ajolote

Amphisbaenians have become one of my favorite guests on Ugly Overload. This two-legged variety is known as the baja worm lizard (bipes biporus) They are known as ajolote in their native Baja California, Mexico.

There is a legend among some of the locals that if a person sits on the ground, one of these may burrow up from the ground and enter his/her digestive tract via the...well, you get the idea. That puts kind of a dark spin on the family picnic. Stay on the benches kids. You wouldn't want an ajolote climbing up your culo.

Photo courtesy: Blue Chameleon Ventures

Urticating Hairs and Pedipalps

Behold another of Jade's babies. This one is a skeleton tarantula (Ephebopus murinus). They're a bit on the agressive side, but are very pretty. Unlike other new-world tarantulas, who have urticating (itchy) hairs on their abdomen, tarantulas of this genus have urticating hairs on their pedipalps. I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad I don't have urticating hairs or pedipalps. That would have made courting my wife a lot more difficult than it already was.

Thanks for the photo, Jade.

Idolomantis Diabolica

Idolomantis Diabolica. Isn't that one of the coolest names ever? I like it so much I might name my next child that. I'll just have to have my wife buy into the whole latin thing. No one tell her what it means, though. That would kill the deal.

I can't find much out about this mantid except that people like it a lot. I wonder how often they assume this menacing pose. If they do it a lot, then I'm going to have to get my hands on one. Are there any entomologists out there that can give us some more info?

Thanks for the link, Anthony.

Photo by: Blepharopsis