Lizards from Igor

I thought it high time I posted some photos from the magnificent Igor Siwanowicz. I always hesitate to post anything of his here, seeing as he can make something ugly and turn it into something you enjoy staring at.

Nevertheless, here are some of his photos of a chameleon (type?) and a crested gecko. You're welcome, lizard lovers.

Something in Common

Behold the wrathful countenance of the whip scorpion!

More specifically, this is a tailless whip scorpion, from which its scientific name of Amblypigid is derived. What does amblypigid mean? It's Latin for 'blunt rump.' Hmm. I never thought I'd have something in common with an arachnid before.

Photo source: Andrew Snyder

















Whip scorpions are also called whip spiders, which is actually a more appropriate name. See this here chart to see where they belong in the arachnid family.

UPDATE: I have been corrected. Again. This does not show the relationship of the various groups of arachnida. Rather, it simply lists them alphabetically. This is the danger when you blog in ignorance. I simply happened to guess right when I said that whip scorpions are more closely related to spiders than to true scorpions.

Strawberry Crab

A new crab has been discovered off Taiwan's coast. This creature may be pink enough to be worthy of my daughters' adoration, it may look like a scratch-and-sniff toy, but look at that mug. Its carapace may be only an inch across, but it looks mean. I'd have a chip on my shoulder too. Tiny, pink crustaceans have a hard time getting any respect.

Photo source: AP Photo/National Taiwan Ocean University via Yahoo! News

Frog Mantra

I know how you feel, little frog. The shadows have grown long, your belly is full, your eyelids are heavy. Sleep, little frog, sleep. Pay no attention to the cold linoleum beneath you, or the fact that your handler has left you out in the open, exposed to sun and predators.

Just sleep. It'll all go away.

...sleep...

That's similar to the mantra I hear in my head as my work day comes to a close and there are more things not done than got done.

Photo source: Jason Meinig

Daddy-long-legs of the Deep

Sander sent the arrow crab of Bay Islands, Honduras along, and reminded me of a dark memory I had while scuba diving years ago. We were in the Sea of Cortez diving a wrecked tug boat. It was gloomy and eerie and perfect until I looked into the corners and windowsills and saw that they were inhabited by crabs not unlike this crab: the daddy-long-legs of the ocean. Arachophobes such as I can never get a reprieve from our fears, even at 60 feet below (and this one has pincers).

Rosey Killer

Seriously, crab spider, you can't leave flowers alone? I can't safely sniff a rose without fear that you might be lurking within its petals? You'd turn a wonderful setting into a place of fear and death?

This would be like if I were walking up to a pizza place, a place of peace and tranquility and happiness for me, and the pizza sign spinner guy suddenly attacked, right when my guard was down.

Photo source: Marc Dezemery

Grubs in a Bowl

A bowl full of grubs. I can't get a sense of perspective: is this a large serving crystal bowl, or is it a small plastic piece? Are the grubs freshly dug up and on display as a curiosity, or do I see candied bits of food in the corner, indicating that the grubs might be served up as food?

Photo source: Tiffany Follett

Pig Faces

You are what you eat. I'm, therefore, a wooly, wallowing, be-pierced porcine creature.

Photo source: ...




















Photo source: Christine Davis


























Photo source: ifjruzsi