I was browsing BBC news and this article caught my attention:
80 Million Years Without Sex
I found it interesting, but even more so because Aydin over at Snail's Tales introduced me to the world of bdellid rotifers a few years ago.
Makes me think I should write about sex (in a paleobiological sense, you naughty viewers...).
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
Ode to a tweezers
While working on my project (picking snails), I came across a super, time-saving invention. Featherweight forceps. These are tweezers made of super thin spring steel, which allow me to pick up snail shells without crushing them (even the tiny Vertigo shells). In addition, tweezing them takes a fraction of the time the old "moist brush" method would take. Meaning I can get snails counted in less than half the time it used to take me. Highly recommended for the tiny bug-picker in your family.
These are from Bioquip's website, but I've also seen them offered in Fischer Scientific and other places.
These are from Bioquip's website, but I've also seen them offered in Fischer Scientific and other places.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Meme tag
Aydin over at Snail's Tales posted the "Interesting Animal" meme. Considering how long it's been since I updated, I'll entertain the brave souls that occasionally check this site with something to read:
An interesting animal I've had:
For several years, our family had a pet Eastern Tiger Salamander.
His name was "Coco" (my little sister named him) and he lived with us for nearly 8 years. He loved earthworms, crickets, and mealworms. He also liked being stroked on his back (provided you wet your finger first). We assume it was a "he" because of the swellings at the base of his tail every spring. These animals are threatened in much of their range. While not state or federally protected, loss of wetland habitat is a significant threat to these cute little buggers. Ours was a rescue from one of my dad's co-workers at the Wisconsin DNR. Coco had fallen into their swimming pool, along with a few other hatchlings from that year.
An interesting animal I've eaten:
Last year I was at a conference in Philadelphia. I ate frog legs. They tasted like fish and were very greasy. I wouldn't eat them again, but I figure I have to try different things now and again. I can be a picky eater and get stuck in a food rut sometimes.
An interesting animal in a museum:
Where to begin? I worked for several years as a PA in the UW Geology Museum and I've met hundreds of interesting animals. Perhaps the most interesting, however, would have to be our collection of Burgess Shale fossils. My favorites, are probably Marella splendens, Burgessia bella, and Anomalocaris. Being able to actually handle these fossils and then use them for reconstructing the animals (I'll have to post the drawings sometime) was really fun.
An interesting thing I've done with/to an animal:
As PA at the museum, I've had the opportunity to work on several exhibits. Including painting this full-size cast of the skull of "Stan," one of the most complete T.rex skeletons ever found. It was a real treat to put my artistic talents to use to paint this thing. And provided me a unique perspective on the skull of these large predators, too.
Tags: well, I guess if you read this and you haven't done this meme - you're it.
An interesting animal I've had:
For several years, our family had a pet Eastern Tiger Salamander.
His name was "Coco" (my little sister named him) and he lived with us for nearly 8 years. He loved earthworms, crickets, and mealworms. He also liked being stroked on his back (provided you wet your finger first). We assume it was a "he" because of the swellings at the base of his tail every spring. These animals are threatened in much of their range. While not state or federally protected, loss of wetland habitat is a significant threat to these cute little buggers. Ours was a rescue from one of my dad's co-workers at the Wisconsin DNR. Coco had fallen into their swimming pool, along with a few other hatchlings from that year.
An interesting animal I've eaten:
Last year I was at a conference in Philadelphia. I ate frog legs. They tasted like fish and were very greasy. I wouldn't eat them again, but I figure I have to try different things now and again. I can be a picky eater and get stuck in a food rut sometimes.
An interesting animal in a museum:
Where to begin? I worked for several years as a PA in the UW Geology Museum and I've met hundreds of interesting animals. Perhaps the most interesting, however, would have to be our collection of Burgess Shale fossils. My favorites, are probably Marella splendens, Burgessia bella, and Anomalocaris. Being able to actually handle these fossils and then use them for reconstructing the animals (I'll have to post the drawings sometime) was really fun.
An interesting thing I've done with/to an animal:
As PA at the museum, I've had the opportunity to work on several exhibits. Including painting this full-size cast of the skull of "Stan," one of the most complete T.rex skeletons ever found. It was a real treat to put my artistic talents to use to paint this thing. And provided me a unique perspective on the skull of these large predators, too.
Tags: well, I guess if you read this and you haven't done this meme - you're it.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
8 Things...
Well, The Other 95% and Snail's Tales among others are doing the "8 Random Things" meme. While I have not been posting often enough to warrant tagging others, I figure it'll give anyone stopping by something to chew on while I cook my data in a statistical stew and prepare to share it with the world...
1). I have loved dinosaurs since about age 3. I can say that I have discovered dinosaur bones, and dug them up. When I was in preschool, I drew a picture where I wrote, "I want to be a scientist or a bus driver."
2). I hate driving; I will not be a bus driver.
3). I have painted a full-size cast of a T. rex skull. It took me an entire day to finish.
4). I am extremely accident prone.
5). I prefer dry-erase boards to chalk boards to the point where I put a dry-erase board over the chalkboard in my office.
6). I have two noticeable scars on my head. The first came from running into a chain-link fence (I was running with my eyes closed, by the way) and the second was from sliding headfirst into a door jamb (at about the same age - go figure).
7). I am 6 years older than my sister.
8). I have counted more than 10,000 individual snails and sieved through more than 200 kilograms of mud for my dissertation.
1). I have loved dinosaurs since about age 3. I can say that I have discovered dinosaur bones, and dug them up. When I was in preschool, I drew a picture where I wrote, "I want to be a scientist or a bus driver."
2). I hate driving; I will not be a bus driver.
3). I have painted a full-size cast of a T. rex skull. It took me an entire day to finish.
4). I am extremely accident prone.
5). I prefer dry-erase boards to chalk boards to the point where I put a dry-erase board over the chalkboard in my office.
6). I have two noticeable scars on my head. The first came from running into a chain-link fence (I was running with my eyes closed, by the way) and the second was from sliding headfirst into a door jamb (at about the same age - go figure).
7). I am 6 years older than my sister.
8). I have counted more than 10,000 individual snails and sieved through more than 200 kilograms of mud for my dissertation.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
What on earth has Pascal been doing?!?
It's been nearly four months since my last post. See what teaching a college course on dinosaurs as well as dissertation research will get you? A whole lot of "time for nothing else." Here's a shot of me in the field - digging for snails:
I've gotten a few comments that deserve a response, especially as it relates to the Driftless Area. But I'm off to Ohio to meet up with some geologists for a few days. I'll try to update sooner, rather than later.
I've gotten a few comments that deserve a response, especially as it relates to the Driftless Area. But I'm off to Ohio to meet up with some geologists for a few days. I'll try to update sooner, rather than later.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Where have all the snails gone?
The above map I put together based on the summary paper by Jass (2004). In this paper, she echoes the call of Hubricht (1985) and others that much of the upper midwest is woefully undersurveyed for snail abundance. Notice the large number of Wisconsin counties with fewer than five land snail species reported for that county. The most populous counties (Dane, Milwaukee, Brown), those with state universities within them, have the highest abundance. This is definitely not a result of natural distribution - I've found snails in counties that have no official records. It likely reflects the fact that the researchers concentrated their efforts close to home. What does this mean? If we want to know the true extent of the distribution of snails on this continent, we need more people looking for snails. They are an excellent indicator species and have a great deal to tell us about the modern (and ancient) environment if we'd only stop to listen.
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