It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑁𝑦𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑥 𝑛𝑦𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑥, the black-crowned night #heron. Found on every continent except Australia & Antarctica, this heron is most active at dusk and night, stalking fish, amphibians, and crustaceans along shorelines & wetlands. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Calibas

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐶𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠, the European hamster. Native to grasslands and agricultural regions of Central & Eastern Europe, this burrowing rodent is known for its bold coloration: black belly, reddish flanks, and white patches. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Charles J Sharp

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐶𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠, the European hamster. Native to grasslands and agricultural regions of Central & Eastern Europe, this burrowing rodent is known for its bold coloration: black belly, reddish flanks, and white patches. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Charles J Sharp

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑠, the brown #basilisk. Native to Central America, this semi‑aquatic #lizard is famous for its ability to run across water, earning it the nickname “Jesus Christ lizard.” #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Charles J Sharp

It’s a very special #TautonymTuesday! 𝐺𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎, the western #gorilla, is native to the forests of Cen. Africa. It’s the largest living #primate, known for immense strength, social #intelligence, & complex group structures led by dominant silverbacks. #Systematics Photo: Anil Oxtaz

Thrilled to receive this permanent loan from the USFWS Repository of siezed items. We finally have a tiger skin, lion skull, & babirusa skull! Plus a small sea lion skin, wallaby skull, & mounts of a long eared owl, tawny owl, Northern goshawk, red kite, mangrove cuckoo, & black-capped Kingfisher.

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑂𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠, the spinecheek goby. This Indo‑Pacific species inhabits sandy and muddy coastal habitats, where its subtle coloration helps it blend into the seafloor and avoid predators. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: US National Parks Service

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎, the common #genet. This slender, spotted #carnivore ranges across #Africa and parts of southern #Europe, with a long ringed tail and cat‑like agility that makes it an excellent nocturnal #hunter. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Frédéric Salein

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐶𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑥 𝑐𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑥, the 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐢𝐥. This small, ground‑dwelling galliform bird breeds across Europe & W Asia and migrates to Africa for winter. It’s one of the few truly long‑distance migratory gamebirds. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: christoph_moning

ICB "#Bioinspired designs informed by natural armor have led to innovations in impact-resistant materials, flexible ceramics, and modular protective systems." #Biological Armors–Evolution, Materials, and #Bioinspiration doi.org/10.1093/icb/... @karlycohen.bsky.social et al

Methods used to study these systems—CT scanning, histology, finite element analysis, & mechanical testing—directly influence how the biological principles of armor are defined and understood. @karlycohen.bsky.social @cmdonatelli.bsky.social @schulzscience.bsky.social et al doi.org/10.1093/icb/...

This ICB paper #Biological #Armors – #Evolution, Materials, and #Bioinspiration by @karlycohen.bsky.social @cmdonatelli.bsky.social @schulzscience.bsky.social @tedstankowich.bsky.social et al doi.org/10.1093/icb/... has incredible figures like fig 4's Micro to Macro Case Study

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠, the European #badger. This powerful mustelid ranges across much of Europe and W Asia, With a bold black‑and‑white facial stripes and stocky build, it's a strong digger and adaptable omnivore living in woodlands and farmlands. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics

Talking mammal coloration! Why aren't mammals as colorful as reptiles, birds or fish? www.livescience.com/animals/why-...

Last week, a production team came to CSU Long Beach to film a sit-down interview for a documentary on wildlife living in Los Angeles. Hopefully, they got some good material, and the plan is to go out and film some skunks in the field later this spring!

#TautonymTuesday is back! Meet 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟, the little croaker, a small sciaenid fish found along the Atlantic coasts of S America. It inhabits shallow coastal waters and estuaries, where it schools in soft‑bottom habitats rich in invertebrate prey. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics

New paper out with Nicole Lopez showing that predation risk, male horn size, and female territoriality drive the evolution of and investment into female horns! "Territoriality, sociality and male weaponry shape horn investment in female bovids": academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...

Animal defenses with Dr. @tedstankowich.bsky.social. Get into it: alieward.com/ologies/zooh...

Barbs. Spurs. Stinks. Scutes. Shrieks. Fashion. Drama. Zoohoplology (ANIMAL DEFENSES) w/ *the* Dr. @tedstankowich.bsky.social has armadillos, skunks, pangolins, horned lizards, wombats, coyotes, kit foxes, poodles, porcupines, tigers, deer & the will to survive. www.alieward.com/ologies/zooh...

My @ologies.bsky.social episode on animal defenses is out now!

Take a listen to this awesome episode on animal defenses with @tedstankowich.bsky.social on @ologies.bsky.social with @alieward.bsky.social !!! I’ve had the pleasure of following Ted and meeting him in person and he is extremely knowledgeable! 🦨🦨🦨

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎, the short-tailed #chinchilla. Native to the high #Andes , this species is built for cold mountains—with the densest of any land mammal, compact bodies, and strong hind legs for navigating rocky slopes. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Britannica

Check out this great episode of the kids' podcast Brains On! where I talk about skunks! My parts are at 2:00 and 20:45. omny.fm/shows/brains...

It’s #TautonymTuesday! 𝐶𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠, the Saharan horned #viper, thrives in N African deserts, where its horn-like scales help break up its outline against the sand. It can bury itself, exposing only its eyes—perfect for ambushing prey. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Holger Krisp

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎, the stone loach. This small benthic #fish inhabits cool, fast-flowing streams across Europe and western Asia. They live on the bottom, often partly buried. A classic tautonym in freshwater ichthyology! #Systematics #TaxonomyTuesday Photo: Holger Krisp

After a week away, we’re back with #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐺𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠, the edible #dormouse. Native to Europe & W Asia, this nocturnal #rodent is famous for its long hibernation—up to 7 months! It’s also the largest dormouse species, reaching up to 30 cm long. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Azay

All grades are now finalized and posted! I am officially on sabbatical until August 2026!!

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎, the rock #sparrow. This hardy passerine is native to southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia, often found in rocky hillsides and open scrub. Sparrow in a rock >> Partridge in a pear tree! #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics #bird Photo: Zeynel Cebeci

New Publication! Territoriality, sociality and male weaponry shape horn investment in female bovids url: academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...

Check out the recording of Tuesday's livestream with Natalia Reagan! www.youtube.com/live/X4-vE-R...

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑀𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚, the long-legged #bat. Native to Central and South America, this species is named for its distinctive large nose leaf and elongated limbs—perfect for its unique #hunting style. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Pedro Aguilar

Great meeting today with a book publisher - guess it's time to write that proposal and get cooking on my big sabbatical project!

For #TautonymTuesday this week, we celebrate Europe’s most widespread #deer! 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠, the roe deer, ranges from the Atlantic to western Asia. Agile and adaptable, it thrives in forests, farmland, and even urban edges. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Clément Bardot

And its delicious too!!!!!!

Today’s feature for #TautonymTuesday is 𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠, the karanteen #seabream, a sparid fish found in coastal waters of the W Indian Ocean. Known for its compressed body and strong jaws, it lives in reef and nearshore ecosystems. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Hamid Badar Osmany

For #TautonymTuesday this week, we celebrate Europe’s most widespread #deer! 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠, the roe deer, ranges from the Atlantic to western Asia. Agile and adaptable, it thrives in forests, farmland, and even urban edges. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Clément Bardot

Hot off the press!🔥 How does human recreation & hunting affect wildlife?🥾🦌 Increased hunting intensity led to a significantly increasing avoidance of recreational activities by all species, independent of whether they were subjected to hunting or not! 📰 doi.org/10.1016/j.ge...

It's on the schedule!

Do check out @tedstankowich.bsky.social 's lovely #TautonymTuesday hashtag bsky.app/profile/teds...

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎, the stone loach. This small benthic #fish inhabits cool, fast-flowing streams across Europe and western Asia. They live on the bottom, often partly buried. A classic tautonym in freshwater ichthyology! #Systematics #TaxonomyTuesday Photo: Holger Krisp

Star Wars Rankings are trending, so... EMPIRE STRIKES BACK [ANDOR] [CLONE WARS] [MANDALORIAN] RETURN OF THE JEDI A NEW HOPE REVENGE OF THE SITH ROGUE ONE [AHSOKA] [REBELS] [KENOBI] [BAD BATCH] FORCE AWAKENS RISE OF SKYWALKER [ACOLYTE] ATTACK OF THE CLONES THE PHANTOM MENACE THE LAST JEDI SOLO

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet the Himalayan white-bellied #rat, 𝑁𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟, a murid rodent that inhabits forests and montane regions, playing an important role in seed dispersal and ecosystem dynamics. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: National Biodiversity Centre

Looking for a PhD? 🦜 Interested in ornithology, animal behaviour, bioacoustics? I am advertising a PhD on vocal communication in ring-necked parakeets tinyurl.com/44a3hcnz Eligible candidates are encouraged to apply for University of Salford Widening Participation Scholarships tinyurl.com/4wtzzh3z

Just discovered #TautonymTuesday. See what we’re missing out on botanists? Change the code!

Travel to Italy for January-February is booked! Looking forward to some sabbatical adventures!

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑅𝑎𝑠𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑎 𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑎, a small freshwater #fish in the family #Cyprinidae. Native to South and Southeast Asia, this species is an important component of riverine ecosystems and a classic tautonym in #ichthyology. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics #Rasbora Photo: Emma Turner

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑅𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑎 𝑟𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑎, the chamois. This agile caprine inhabits rugged mountain terrain across Europe and parts of Asia, adapted for steep slopes and harsh alpine climates. #Systematics #TaxonomyTuesday Photo: Giles Laurent

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑆𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑎, the #angelshark. This critically #endangered species is a flat-bodied shark that resembles a ray, inhabiting sandy seabeds in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics #sharks Photo: Philippe Guillaume

We had a great mammalogy field trip this weekend with bat mist netting, small mammal trapping, track plates, and telemetry!

Today we celebrate two icons of biodiversity: The graceful and endangered freshwater dolphin. The acrobatic and vocal gibbon. From river currents to forest canopies, these species show us why conservation matters everywhere. #FreshwaterDolphinDay #InternationalGibbonDay