A generous clattering of occlupanids was sent to HORG via an anonymous field researcher from McMinnville, Oregon. Amongst the rainbow array of P. utiliformis specimens, were some unexpected delights: specimens of Protocrena obtusilateri, Carisma matsumotoi, and several of Captospinula simplistica.

Researchers with HORG recently attended a staff retreat into the mountains of Japan, visiting many a secluded onsen, but always keeping a watchful eye out for endemic Japanese occlupanids. Our team set forth on a journey through Kyoto, Takayama, Shinhotaka, Matsumoto, Hirayu, and Kanazawa.

This burly occlupanopsid is commonly found in freezing conditions, and has been observed preying on bags of Unbun brand gluten-free bread, and other frozen bread products. Specimen discovered by FORC occlupanologist Cale L. in Southern Ontario.

This jet-black hyaline toxodentid is in all respects virtually identical in morphology to Neotessera vitripalpus, save for its color. While this would usually classify it as a color morph, it has been given its own designation as Neotessera eclipsis, an unusual move by the HORG Board of Taxonomy.

Specimens of E. obnixa have been found only through donated hoards, sequestering itself into large mailed envelopes, mingled with other occlupanids; This Acutignathan resists yielding its secrets. Found in Australia and Sweden. Discovered by occlupanologists E.R. Fisher (FORC) & S. Nottingham.

BTS as Occlupanids (bread/food tabs)

Found outdoors in New Zealand above fields of grapevines, perched in large numbers on bird-netting. Specimen has distinctive raised ridges on dorsal and ventral sides, giving this occlupanid a uniquely dimensional aspect. Species discovered and submitted by microsyntheric artisan S. Nottingham

Curious pseudocclupanid discovered in Vermont on McKenzie brand sausages. With a spindle-shape and glasslike body, this yoke-shaped microsyntherid would ordinarily not be considered among the Pseudocclupanida but for its very occlupanid-like habit of gripping the twisted plastic end of plastic bags.

Recently described perennial pseudocclupanid that is observed primarily in winter. Discovered in North Dakota by O. Ohm (FMCO). O. wazichan shares the same rarified niche as C. pinicola; plastic evergreen trees with pre-installed holiday lights.

Reliably found in medical biomes, attached to bags of medical suction canisters. Has round scars on one side. Notable lateral divots and an aboral indent. Gular oral furrows are generous. Specimen submitted by Field Researcher M. Schatz, who found it in a hospital supply room in Wisconsin.

Selected views from the exhibition, Occlupanid: 面包夹作为一种生物 Occlupanid: Plastic Bread Tags as Organism Images kindly shared from CuspDot in Hangzhou, China. Viewers are introduced to the scientific study of occlupanids, and invited to try their hand at identification.

CuspDot art space in Hangzhou, China is showing “Occlupanid: Bread Tag as an Organism” this month in collaboration with HORG. Visitors are encouraged to explore known occlupanid biomes, and practice identification techniques. cusphangzhou.cargo.site/Occlupanid-P...

This trio of hyaline specimens have now been formally described. All feature a translucent pliable integument that is polished on one side and gently textured on the obverse, and vestigial rounded lateral palps. Collected from Thomas' English Muffins and bags of hot dog buns in N. America.

The HORG switchboard has been lit up recently with excited reports of new occlupanid species. all bearing similar characteristics; Low symmetrical palps, and a pliable blue integument with a rough pebbled surface on one side. So far they seem to favor bags of bread products.

While on a staff excursion to France this past week, our wandering scholars discovered an occlupanid in Paris! Internationally renowned tridentid Admordorsum groningensis has been found on bags of La Boulangère sliced bread.

A new and deeply concerning Chartoniphytous occlupanopsid, Hylotypus gemellus, of the Toxodentaceae, has been recorded in Australia and the Netherlands. It has been observed attached to bags of iceberg lettuce.

I love fictional taxonomic studies like this. This reminds me of our recently published study with @sderkarabetian.bsky.social of fictional spiders portrayed in the Magic: The Gathering card game: virginianaturalhistorysociety.com/wp-content/u...

HORG is proud to share this groundbreaking study from the HCCO (Horse Creek Center for Occlupanology), with proposals for expanding on previous scholar's work on morphological terms and categorization methodology, located in our Reports From the Field section. www.horg.com/horg/?page_i...

This incredibly rectangular archignathid was discovered by occlupanologist A. Leu on a bag of bandage padding in a Tennessee veterinary clinic. Of particular note is the primitive raptorial stricture; a simple asymmetric division between oral grooves, as opposed to a developed set of oral hooks.

Today is Taxonomist Appreciation Day! The synthetic classification used by HORG owes its existence to the tireless taxonomists and stalwart systematists whose work forms the backbone of biology. smallpondscience.com/2014/03/19/t...

Presenting the holotype collection of the Holotypic Occlupanid Research Group: Each entry in this mighty tome is the “type specimen”; that is, the physical reference sample for each species for all currently-described members of Occlupanida, Occlupanopsida, and Pseudocclupanida.

Sextet of safety: A series of pseudocclupanids, whose hosts are KN94 and KN95 face masks. These persollids grasp on to one mask loop with their primary oral groove, and latch on to the opposite loop with their secondary vesicle. Specimens collected in 2023 from Australia and HK.

Proudly sharing this collection of Japanese occlupanids from Osaka Prefecture, donated to HORG from occlupanogist J.Orchard. Of note is the stunning array of color morphs of Ampleximordax ptycophyllus, a rarely encountered Angulognathid, and an example of Diplacofelis wangi exhibiting feliformation.

Many images have been sent to HORG depicting this and similar species from many locales, tantalizing our staff taxonomists with tales of sturdy-lobed haplognathids. This one is the first to be so formally identified; Validolobus teleplanktos. Collected from migratory hoard of occlupanids.

Adoralepus kadyae discovered during an excavation of a discontinued Calico Critters toy set. Searching deep underneath layers of miniature grocery products, Researcher C. Ayers (FORC) unearthed a small 9mm square occlupanid attached to a minute bag filled with rabbit-themed plastic bread products.

The proliferation of chartoniphytous occlupanid-mimics continues apace with the discovery of this pair of occlupanopsids described by occlupanologist E. R. Fisher (DBTI) at the BRAD (Banish Recycling and Disposal) center in Sydney, Australia. Currently no host data yet known. Have you seen them?

pick up an analog hobby, I'm so serious. something that holds your attention and is fun for you, literally anything. Collect and identify bread tags or something, just don't fall into the trap of doomscroll paralysis again

Recently HORG held a team-building staff retreat in Germany, but even on vacation we hunted for occlupanids. Alas, Our team was unable to find any in grocery store biomes in Munich or Cologne. All items were parasitized by double-wire bands, connected by a connective membrane of flexible plastic.

HORG is a proud sponsor of the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections! Each year-end 100% of all remunerations gained through the sales of Shirts and Stickers emblazoned with official HORG Seal are donated to spnhc.org

Discovered by Kurisu (FORC) in Sydney, Australia on bags of Helga’s and Cole’s Finest sliced bread products. Yellow, orange and white are the only color morphs found so far. Competes with occlupanopsid Peratrox subtilis for habitat.

This sturdy occlupanid was discovered on a bag of Ice in Massachusetts. Little else is known about its habits. At 2.3mm, it is the thickest occlupanid yet known to science. It is hoped that more specimens of this mighty Northeast Planotectid can be discovered, and more information brought to light.

Discovered in South Korea by field researcher Jupiter (FORC), attached to a bag of ‘Shany’ brand bread. This occlupanopsid uncannily mimics the shape of P. utiliformis grandis in nearly every way, including the large lateral palps. Distressingly, its integument is almost plastic-like. But is it?

Two new archignatid-mimic occlupanopsids from Canada and the Netherlands. Our type specimen for Asaphodentus aditoclinus possesses a slight depression on the back of its oral groove. Could this be a Tridentid-mimic with an eroded dential process? Hopefully more specimens can be found to be certain.

A large and robustly-hooked toxodentid discovered by field researcher Zelzmiy in Winnipeg, Canada. Specimen was found attached to a triple-pack of bread products. The larger oral groove of this Harpops species is thought to be an adaptation to attaching a multitude of host entities at the same time.

The Holotypic Occlupanid Research Group has added more pseudocclupanids to its public database. Pseudocclupanids are microsyntherans that often share the same niche as occlupanids, or share some similar physical properties and habits, while existing in radically different habitats.

We present two new cardioriid archignathids of genus Halotrema: H. therapion was discoverered in the Netherlands, inside of a first aid kit. H. corculum was collected from a warehouse from Northwest USA. Both have a secondary circular vesicle, whose function is unknown at present.