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Thanks to Doug Yanega for the ID.
Found during a night hike in Mt. Kinabalu national park, Malaysian Borneo.
Treehoppers (Membracidae) can be plain and unassuming, even boring. And then you see one that looks a little like a thorn and you say to yourself, 'yeah, that's pretty cool but it's no wasp-mimicking bark louse (m.facebook.com/story.php…)'. Then you come to the tropics and you feel like you have stepped into an alternate reality. The so-called pronotal ornamentation (a modification of the pronotum, the first segment of the thorax) explodes in a staggering, and stupefying display of evolutionay genius/madness. Ranging from the ant-like bulbous appendages of Cyphonia spp. , to the wasp-like Heteronotus, and Zebra-like Zona spp.
At a certain point you take a break from drinking the water because surely someone must have put something in it. You give it 5 minutes....And then regardless, you drink some more because you just don't want this crazy ride to end.
A pretty normal membracid photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Sanilodge #paulbertner.
"You'll never be just an Ecuadorian poison arrow frog (Ameerega bilinguis) to me", he whispered softly into her ear..."
Gah, writer's block!
Poison arrow frogs are one of the true delights of the rainforest, and they bring together the houses - "Griffindor" - the mammal seekers, Slytherin - the herpetologists, Ravenclaw- the birdwatcher's and Hufflepuff - the losers...no, I mean...yeah, sorry they are kinda losers (I mean a badger as your emblematic crest, you couldn't do any better?). They are a delight to all is what I'm trying to say, and it's no wonder why. Colourful and charismatic. But there is still a fair bit of misinformation that surrounds these little jewels.
The poison in the poison arrow frogs is not uniform across all groups. There are approximately 28 different classes of lipophilic alkaloids (Batrachotoxins, pumiliotoxins, etc...), each with different attributes, and different levels of toxicity. It is this very biochemical diversity which has lent itself to potential therapeusis, ranging from non-addictive painkillers, to heart stimulants and muscle relaxants.
The Genus Phyllobates has the highest LD50 (Lethal dose in 50% of the population, a reproducible and quantifiable measure used in the laboratory to indicate toxicity) poison amongst the poison arrow frogs (and one of the most potent animal toxins in the world). This genus is the one that gives these frogs their name, and fearsome reputation. However, the majority of poison arrow frogs are only mildly toxic to humans, and the lipophilic nature of their alkaloids means that the poisons must be rubbed into ones eyes or mucosal membranes, ingested, or find ingress in a wound. Simply touching these organisms is usually insufficient to poison.
"But my Dad, Uncle, Best friend - told me that if you simply touch a poison arrow frog you can die".
-Did they belong to Hufflepuff? Yes, the golden poison arrow is said to kill by simply touching it. I haven't tested this and think that it is more a case of the sheer toxicity and low LD50 necessary to poison, and thus micro-scratching of the skin's surface would present a form of entry. I imagine that It would have to possess additional chemical constituents enabling the poison to migrate across the skin, which represents a rather significant barrier.
Moreover, the poison is secreted through glands in the back and behind the head in response to a threat. Since poisons/venoms are expensive to produce, they are only used when danger is perceived. This is why you might see poison arrow frogs hopping along someone's arm with no apparent harm coming to that person.
We discussed earlier 'de novo' vs. biomagnification of biochemical constituents to be used in toxic sequestration (specifically in the case of the ithomiine/heliconiidae). It is much the same here. Poison arrow frogs obtain the toxic alkaloids which form the structural basis of their poisons from their diet, ants and termites mostly.
So whether you're a Griffindor and appreciate the beauty, the Ravenclaw, appreciating the biology and biochemical complexity, the slytherin who makes it their purpose to study these organisms, or the Hufflepuff...honestly, I don't why you're still here...these amphibians are beauty. They are complexity. And they are hope for both the rainforest, and ourselves.
See more rainforest jewels at #amphibansofSani.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at #destinationecuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner.
Try to photograph the anoles during the day, and you will quickly realize that they are exceptionally agile, visually acute and very responsive to movement or anything that might be construed as threatening. They have to be. They lack venom and/or poison, no physical deterrents, no real defensive displays, they are lambs in a forest of wolves. But...all defensive strategies are not necessarily so dramatic or "active". Passive defensive strategies like camouflage are hugely effective, and avoid conflict in the first place. "You can run, but you can't hide", a photographer might say, stupidly not realizing just who he is dealing with". Only to realize that once again nature has made a fool of him... Or her...this is obviously a hypothetical with no basis on my own experience...
Predators choose the most suitable prey based on their current needs, both nutritionally (vitamin/mineral composition) as well as their gross energy needs (Larger, and more potentially dangerous prey will only be approached when a predator is facing starvation, or extenuating circumstances like feeding their young). Outwardly, the anoles seem like the ideal food source. However, like the photographer, they are likely to give up quickly when faced with the reality. It's a delicious, ripe, tasty ambrosia, but it is a mirage, that recedes as one draws near. A gust of movement, the trace of malintent and an empty stomach, or a photo of an empty branch is ones only reward.
Crypsis and speed would seem to be the winning combination. But the anole leads a complicated life, not only must it, you know, not be eaten, but it must also guard its territory against potential rival males and woo females. Unfortunately being the most cryptic is not a feature that females find particularly mate-worthy. But what's that gorgeous bright, orange thing? It has red and ohhhhh, you can make it bigger or smaller. Colour me intrigued!
Camouflage has had its day; now, it is time to attract a female. The male, possessing a colourful fold of expandable skin under its neck, known as the dewlap will choose a perch, usually highly visible and expand the fold of skin until it is fully inflated. It will bob its head, possibly wave its arms, anything to garner attraction. It is an invitation...and a challenge. When sex is on the table, you can bet all those guys that moments before were lounging on the couch have suddenly perked up. Rivals will square off, head-bobbing and inflating their dewlaps. While most encounters are quickly resolved without violence and with larger individuals carrying the day, biting and wrestling in some species might also be observed. Dewlap evolution is still a thing of conjecture and hypotheses with most theories revolving around sexual selection.
The anole truly is the cryptic beauty. See more #reptilesofSani.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at #DestinationEcuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner.
Do you ever feel like you're being watched?
All.The.Time.
See more #arachnidsofSani
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at @destinationecuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner.
"Peace, love, flower power, let's all get along!"
Ohhhh hippies, love them or firehose them, there's always a few hanging around ready to braid your hair and offer you a "complimentary hug".
But flowers are not the innocent beauties people make them out to be. They deceive, they beguile and they manipulate. Nowhere is this more prevalent, than amongst the orchids, the largest family of flowering plants.
Any potential pollinator can fall prey to this duplicitousness. From the tachinid flies lured with a false promise of sex to the Telipogon peruvianus blooms (talk about blue bells!) to the more oft cited example of bumblebees attracted to Ophrys spp. orchid blooms, again with the pseudo-copulation. Hmmm...sounds like they've got a bit of a mother nature-complex, or is it Pollen-envy, I always get them mixed up...
Yes, I understand flowers are used in this context as a metaphor for something that I'm frankly too lazy to google right now. After all, I'm not a hippy who has never opened a science textbook, I'm a scientist who is too busy to open a book of literature, Yeesh!
I guess some of them are just pretty too...like this Erycina pusilla.
See more beguiling beauties in the #FlowersofSani
The #SaniProject2017 - An exploration into the beauty of boundless biodiversity
Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner #Sanilodge
Thanks to Robert Velten for the ID.
For some reason this post got dropped from Facebook, comments, links, shares and all, so reposting it again.
In an attempt to instil some entomological knowledge into my 3 year old nephew, I am slowly building a repertoire of short stories, tales of natural enchantment and wonder. Disney meets Attenborough if you will.
"Once upon an odour"
Once upon a time, the stink bug had no stink. It was simpler time, but the times were changing, and gradually they fell prey to the wolves of the rainforest; the owlflies, and wasps, spiders and centipedes. These bugs, they had to do something! And so the most gallant of all the bugs stepped forward and said "I have a sword! This sword was handed down to me by my ancestors and their ancestors before them. It has always been right here on my back, and though I have never had to use it, I am certain, it will protect us. This family heirloom and legacy, we call it Darwin's sword! With this, I shall fend off the wolves!"
And so the next day, this Sir Gallant left the safe confines of their leafy home. "Come, eat me if you dare!" - he shouted into the air. A bird, attracted to the sound, saw this foolish bug out in the open, with what looked like only a small thorn to protect himself. This thorn was no match for his beak, so he swooped in and ate him up. All that was left of Sir Gallant was the small spine which had done nothing to protect him. And so the long and proud lineage of Sir Gallant came to an end, and the bugs were left with no swords or thorns, no one to protect them, and they were all very afraid once again.
The bugs once again huddled together, "What are we to do? Sir Gallant, he was the bravest of us bugs, if he can't fend off the wolves, then how are we to do it?" Then stepped forward the most clever and brilliant of the bugs. I have an idea he said in a voice barely above a whisper, and all the other bugs leaned in to listen to what he had to say. "I will paint my body red and black. I have observed the birds, they do not eat the red and black bugs, they leave them alone!" There was not the twitch of an antenna, the buzz of a cicada or the stridulation of a cricket to be heard. Not only were the bugs amazed by the intelligence of this plan, but other insects from nearby, the beetles, and the katydids, the ants and the wasps, they watched and listened in wonder, and had their own ideas on what to make of this. "I call this Mimicry!" - declared Brainy bug, "and tomorrow we will be afraid no longer!".
And so the next day, Brainy bug stepped out from their leafy home. He was painted in red and black, from the seeds and fruits of the nearby trees. Brainy bug was the smartest of all the bugs, but he was not very brave. And so he didn't shout like Sir Gallant had, but he slowly walked over to the juiciest fruit, on the furthest branch and took a long sip from the tasty sugars. It was delicious! He couldn't get enough, he drank and he drank, he forgot about everything else. Hours went by until he had finally filled up. But in that time, the clouds had come in, and the rain had begun to fall. Brainy bug looked at the rain and he was very afraid. He hurried back to his leafy home, but he had chosen the furthest branch with the juiciest fruit, and he was very far away indeed. As he ran, the red and black paints slowly drained away. "Oh no" he cried! And just then, the same bird heard his cry, saw this foolish bug out in the open, and with not even a thorn to protect himself! "Now that's not a very smart bug" the bird said to himself, as he swooped in and ate up Brainy bug.
The other bugs looked on in horror. First Sir Gallant, and now Brainy bug! They huddled together once more, now, Very frightened! "What are we to do!?" The bugs couldn't decide, some thought that they should hide under the leaves and wood like the wood bugs, others thought maybe they should only go out at night, when the bird was sleeping. "If we can't change what we are, then maybe we can change how we behave?" This idea was voted on by all the bugs but one, the Stink bug. He was not allowed into the group meetings, and when he passed by, all the other bugs held their noses and made fun of him. Stink bug was very sad. He went back to his family. "What did they say? Did you vote?" His Stink Wife asked Stink bug. ""No, they wouldn't let me into the meeting". Stink Wife wrapped her arms around stink bug and told him not to worry, one day, everyone would know his name.
And so the next night, one by one, the bugs went out while the bird that had eaten Sir Gallant and Brainy bug was sleeping. They moved quickly and quietly. They stepped carefully over sticky cobwebs, and sharp spines, until they made it to the juiciest of fruits. There they drank. It had been a long time since they had had such a good drink, and so they drank and they drank. But something wasn't right. "Hey did you hear that?"- Skinny bug said, looking around. "Hey, has anyone seen Angry bug?" Sleepy bug looked about in between yawns, "No, I haven't seen"...and just then sleepy bug disappeared. The bird was not the only predator, there was something else there, something in the night. And one by one, slowly, all the bugs were eaten up.
Stink bug woke up the next morning, kissed Stinky Wife good morning, and went out to the juiciest of fruits and he drank and drank, just like he always had. Stink bug and Stinky Wife had lots and lots of Stinky children. They were So stinky, that no one touched them. When baby bird swooped in one day to eat one of Stinky bugs children, he stopped "Pee Yoo. Take a bath!!!" he said, and flew off. And so Stinky bugs children had children that grew up to be just as stinky, maybe even more so!
And that's how the stink bug got its stink - through the evolution of aldehyde, and additional biochemicals reflected in incremental changes in its DNA, whilst other less desirable or else less effective traits were naturally selected out of the gene pool.
Brain over brawn, but stink - stink over all!
The #SaniProject2017 - An exploration into the beauty of boundless biodiversity
Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner #Sanilodge.
"Yea, and though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Xylaria I will be scared to F@$K, because I mean look at it!"
White and ghostly, fruiting bodies languish upwards in a silent cry. "They're just conidia, they're just asexual spores", he keeps telling himself as he feels his bladder threatening to relieve itself of its own accord. He feels his pace quicken. "Ooooooooooohh", a frightful, windless moan through the leaves. He glances behind but he sees nothing. His pace quickens. The mud grabs at his boots, and he falls, quickly he jumps back up. He is breathing in shallow gasps from the exertion. Finally he abandons all decorum and simply runs the last hundred metres out of the jungle and to the safety of his bunk.
I follow my trainee slowly, observing his madcap dash to safety with a smile. It's amazing what one can achieve with a a few horror stories, mental priming and a couple lungfuls of air. "Oh to be young and gullible again", I shake my head, preparing to place my cellphone with pre-recorded moans hidden outside his room. Now I just need to make sure that the phone has enough battery life to last the night, not like the last time.
More terrifying #fungiofSani
The SaniProject2017 - An exploration into the beauty of boundless biodiversity
Follow us at #DestinationEcuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner
Mimicry is not always a straightforward determination. X looks like Y and thus Y must be a model for X, and it's a Z is that.
One must take into account an organism's natural predators. their search image, as well as other potential confounding variables of which there are many. This rigorous, arduous process is part of the reason why there are only a few model organisms (like hoverflies/bees/wasps) which then go on to serve as the textbook examples of mimicry. Research can be self-reinforcing and limited in scope when this cycle picks up steam, because non-model organisms, though highly meritorious of study, do not have the rich framework of supportive, peer reviewed study which is often necessary to draw on in order to ask even basic questions. Just consider a research article, and look at the reference section, there's a lot there! If that framework doesn't exist, one must create it 'de novo', an unrealistic and beggaring endeavour.
Therefore from its inception, even framing a question related to non-model organisms will meet with resistance from upstream; the publishers, and as a consequence supervisors, lab directors, and those to whom the researcher is more immediately beholden. And that friends, is where innovation and research goes to die.
Meanwhile many other amazing, and important examples languish in obscurity. Not only does this mean that these organisms never see the spotlight, but the unique evolutionary voyage of each species is forgone in favour of convenience, and (usually) anthropocentric concerns. However, it is only through a myriad of different examples which provide data, and cumulative support that a theory can gradually be shored up and reinforced so that a model can gain favour and eventually become accepted. When we base theories off of a select few cases, it is a rickety foundation, prone to overturning. Maybe some of these unstudied organisms will do just that, highlighting our shortcomings, and encouraging diversity, as well as depth-of-study.
Although this juvenile katydid (orange) and assassin bug nymph (red) do not appear to have a model-mimic relationship, there are sufficient physiological similarities that I wonder at the possibility of cross-reactivity, false negatives, potentially edible prey being passed up due to a passing resemblance. Predators are exceptionally adept at unmasking subterfuge, they have to be. They are in an evolutionary arms race, this is not just intra-specific competition, or against their beguiling prey. Since food is often a limiting resource, they are potentially competing indirectly (or directly) against other predators for the same prey. However, they must balance this need with the risk of envenomation, poisoning, injury, or some other fitness-reducing consequence of overzealous predation. Moreover, other assassin bugs (which would form the model organism in this case) actually are orange and bear a similar light banding pattern, reminiscent of the katydid. Thus, one could imagine a cline of patterns, and colours which gradually ebb from toxicity to mimicry, a fuzzy boundary where mimic populations would be in flux as they enjoy decreased predation conferred by 'herd immunity'. Just one of those thoughts that will only see the light of day on the digital page, rather than a lab.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner #Sanilodge.
Worth getting down in the dirt for.
See more #FungiofSani.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Sanilodge #paulbertner.
- “All I’m offering is the truth, nothing more.
You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe, whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes." -
“Excellent follow m…wait a minute…God, you took the blue pill didn’t you?! Gah, this is exactly why you need a good publicist”.
From the cockroach blog that might just change your mind on these misunderstood creatures...
See more #CockroachesofSani.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner #Sanilodge.
Ants are legion. One element glossed over in some accounts of ant ecology, is how being part of a large colony opens up prey type and range.
-"Ummmmm, no, I think that's fairly well covered!"
-"Why don't you go write another cockroach blog that nobody is going to read!"
-"Go to hell loser!"
Whoa! This internet generation, so impatient, and full of hostility, won't even let me get a sentence out! Talk about escalation! What I was saying was, this is fairly evident when it comes to subduing larger prey. However, less so when speaking of overcoming prey defences. Observe.
An ant encounters a snail. The ant which uses mostly chemosensory cues determines that the snail has a satisfactory biochemical profile to warrant bringing back to the nest. The snail, not so thrilled with the invitation. However, it is not quite as defenceless as it might appear. Although it has an operculum (a thin 'door' which it uses to seal itself within its shell, which serves as both self-defence and moisture preservation), many predators are either able to physically overpower this passive defence, or else find their way around it. After a certain 'threat threshold' has been reached, a point where the threat is deemed sufficiently serious to warrant elevation of defensive response, the snail releases a foam. This foam is dual purpose. Not only is it an additional physical barrier to predators (it is also a different type. Sticky, liquid barriers are very effective at preventing chewing, biting mouthparts by gumming them up), but it may also be laced with distasteful compounds to further deter predators. Many times this is the end of the story. The snail slimes off, not much the worse for wear, and the predator is forced to find an alternative meal. But the ant is not just an ant. It is a colony. A superorganism. One ant would never be able to overcome such a defence but 10, 50, a 100? As one ant's mouthparts become gummed up, another takes its place. Little by little, headway is made. The foam is removed, and the now defenceless snail, well let's just call it by it's french moniker- escargot.
-"You still suck!"
God, there's just no winning is there!
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner.
Sunday, March 5th, begins a journey from the shadows to the light. Eschewing its sensitive, nocturnal habits, the cockroach steps up to the microphone, it has a story to tell...
Join us Sunday for the blog that tells the other side of the story...
See more #CockroachesofSani.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner.
Ecuadorian elections are being held today. The new president will either continue the slow process of erosion of the natural heritage by selling off property rights to petrochemical companies, or there could be a movement to a more sustainable and eco-friendly alternative. Ecuador has the capacity to become the Costa Rica of South America, with stability, infrastructure and a diversity of ecological landscapes second to none. A capuchin monkey gazes into the distance and wonders what its future holds...
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at #DestinationEcuador #Sanilodge #PaulBertner.
Despite defensive aldehydes, and other biochemicals, some stink bugs still exhibit crypsis. Biochemical defences are fairly costly to produce, thus this crypsis could be due to a tradeoff, lessening the actual amount of biochemicals needed in exchange for other fitness benefits. It has been demonstrated that amongst poison arrow frogs there is a correlation between colours, brightness and toxicity. Although most all species still show some varying degree of toxicity, the amount varies considerably, and to a point that those of least toxic-concern have evolved towards more cryptic patterning and colours. A similar process might account for stink bug crypsis. But this is the rainforest, and theories abound, niche predators, phylogenetic ancestry, and a myriad of other potential contributing factors could also account for such colouration.
The red stylet is the proboscis. Modified piercing mouthparts used to suck plant phloem, juices from fruits and other vegan friendly alternatives.
The #SaniProject2017 - An exploration into the beauty of boundless biodiversity
Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner #Sanilodge
"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain" - 320 million years later and the cockroaches are certainly the perceived villains of many households. However, their roles as decomposers, nutrient cyclers, and one of the links in the food chain of many upstream predators make them hugely important...heroes even. And so perhaps they are the "heroes we deserve, but not the ones we need right now?"
Tomorrow, this dark knight emerges from the shadows.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner #Sanilodge #Cockroachesofsani.
I once had a conversation with another esteemed biologist and photographer regarding the presence of feces-mimicking insects present in the region. To which I received the answer, "I don't know, I don't examine every piece of shit I come across". "Fair enough" I said, while inwardly shaking my head. And now, who has the last laugh Gil Wizen ;) ? His photos (www.facebook.com/wizentrop) are decidedly less shitty than mine.
A lot of biological matter was sifted through before this chrysalis was found. The fruit fly gives both scale, and an element of interest as it adds to the camouflage. To see the beauty that will emerge from this deceptive ugliness, follow the #Sanidevelopment project.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner #Sanilodge.
Thanks to Doug Yanega for the ID.
Found during a night hike in Mt. Kinabalu national park, Malaysian Borneo.
Ants are legion. One element glossed over in some accounts of ant ecology, is how being part of a large colony opens up prey type and range.
-"Ummmmm, no, I think that's fairly well covered!"
-"Why don't you go write another cockroach blog that nobody is going to read!"
-"Go to hell loser!"
Whoa! This internet generation, so impatient, and full of hostility, won't even let me get a sentence out! Talk about escalation! What I was saying was, this is fairly evident when it comes to subduing larger prey. However, less so when speaking of overcoming prey defences. Observe.
An ant encounters a snail. The ant which uses mostly chemosensory cues determines that the snail has a satisfactory biochemical profile to warrant bringing back to the nest. The snail, not so thrilled with the invitation. However, it is not quite as defenceless as it might appear. Although it has an operculum (a thin 'door' which it uses to seal itself within its shell, which serves as both self-defence and moisture preservation), many predators are either able to physically overpower this passive defence, or else find their way around it. After a certain 'threat threshold' has been reached, a point where the threat is deemed sufficiently serious to warrant elevation of defensive response, the snail releases a foam. This foam is dual purpose. Not only is it an additional physical barrier to predators (it is also a different type. Sticky, liquid barriers are very effective at preventing chewing, biting mouthparts by gumming them up), but it may also be laced with distasteful compounds to further deter predators. Many times this is the end of the story. The snail slimes off, not much the worse for wear, and the predator is forced to find an alternative meal. But the ant is not just an ant. It is a colony. A superorganism. One ant would never be able to overcome such a defence but 10, 50, a 100? As one ant's mouthparts become gummed up, another takes its place. Little by little, headway is made. The foam is removed, and the now defenceless snail, well let's just call it by it's french moniker- escargot.
-"You still suck!"
God, there's just no winning is there!
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner.
Camouflage, a key strategy built on deception, and present in a surprising number of rainforest residents. It's a tactic which can be simplified and distilled to one or two key ideas, but I am not going to do that. This is a rich, complex and endlessly fascinating topic deserving of exploration and explanation.
Camouflage in its simplest form is crypsis. It is simply blending in to one’s environment. I say simply, but in reality, there is nothing simple about it. It involves the evolution of colours, and patterns over time. Moreover, crypsis is only effective when a suitable substrate or background is chosen. A leaf-mimicking katydid would be wholly out of place and easily picked off out in the open or on a tree trunk. Thus there must be some kind of feedback between the animal and its environment to ensure effective use of its camouflage. But that leaf-mimicking katydid of which we just spoke is more than simply colours and patterns, it is shape and form. Enter masquerade. This is a relatively new term used to describe the evolution of different shapes to approximate an environmental, non-animate object. All well and good. Show me the money (or leaf-mimicking katydid as the case may be)!
So, these animals essentially have Harry Potter’s cloak of invisibility right? Why don’t all animals employ this strategy? Well, Sani is a magical place, but it isn’t Hogwarts. Camouflage though remarkable has its limitations and drawbacks. As we just covered, camouflage is only effective when the proper background is selected. However, what if that background is either not available or sub-optimal? Well I’m glad you asked! Some insects and animals have evolved the ability to actually change colours and patterns, increasing their mobility and expanding their range. This isn’t simply the realm of the chameleons, but also amphibians and even some insects. Without delving too deeply into the biochemistry and physics of light and how it relates to specialized cells, basically, chromatophores, pigment containing cells which may also reflect light change orientation resulting in a change in appearance. Alternatively, some insects and spiders contain light-reflecting guanine crystals, whose expansion and contraction can be used to either signal, confuse or camouflage. Some organisms have built variation into their very DNA. Certain genes, ones which control colour and pattern, which can be modified without impacting the entire organism are magnets for such mutation hotspots, and even within a single brood, siblings can appear very different to one another. Whether this is true genetic variation or epigenetics (chemical modification of the DNA through the addition/subtraction of chemical groups associated with the DNA which impact gene expression, rather than the modification of the DNA base pairs (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Thymine) themselves) is a question for a directed study. However, sometimes strategies fail, sometimes you have the wrong shaped screwdriver. It is still an exquisite tool, but when things go awry and need to be fixed, it’s not going to going to open up that macbook air (that for some reason uses a proprietary, special order, not commonly used pentalobed head. I mean come on Apple, seriously?!!). Others, find their way onto the menu, and if they have not yet mated, their poor genetic constitution dies with with them (is selected against), enabling more phenotypic (physiological) and hence genetically suitable individuals of the species to carry on.
And there’s more! Even when crypsis/camouflage is behaving as it should, it is still a trade off. This isn’t a blank cheque to pass unnoticed. The animal must change it’s behavior to suit its environment. If you are a moss mimic, and then you stray from the moss, you risk increased predation rates. Even though perhaps the most succulent leaves and the tastiest fruits, are elsewhere. For this reason most camouflaged creatures are active by night, when visual predation is at its nadir (while there are still some specialized visual predators, most rely on their other senses, olfaction, proprioception, acoustic, etc…). Through behavioural complementation of their physiological adaptation, they are able to minimize risk.
Camouflage is a complex world unto itself, with symbiotic relationships between organisms, predation, parasitization, a wealth of overlapping life strategies. One such relationship is the domain of the epizoon.
"Come on, you're making up words now".
'Epi' - On , 'Zoon' - animal. Eat it, imaginary critic!
Epizoons are fascinating. This is not the epiphytic, commensal/quasi parasitic relationship of the orchid rooted on a host tree. It is more complicated, more interesting, weirder! The growth of one organism on another, to the benefit of both. Sea anemones and hermit crabs is the textbook example. However, weevils, owlflies, millipedes, snails and other slow moving, and quasi sedentary organisms can also enjoy this unique and fascinating and mutually enriching relationship. Here, mosses have been collected and glued to the body of a caterpillar, where they continue to grow, and even sporulate. The benefit to the 'host', the living substrate is increased camouflage. And not just your garden variety. A camouflage which grows, and changes, forever defying categorization and predator search image. And the epizoon? How does it benefit? Dispersal. Mobility. New worlds to colonize. Though this is not an obligate relationship (which is to say that each organism is fully capable of living on its own), the benefits to each is clearly demonstrable.
And think, this is just one example in a bafflingly complex ecosystem. Books have been written and reams of information exist to explore, which I strongly encourage everyone to do, because this is just the cap of the mushroom, there’s a whole world below ground.
See more #CaterpillarsofSani.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner #Sanilodge.
I had to wrap my brain around this one for a few seconds before I could finally make out the form of a very cryptic and small fulgorid nymph. One of my great pleasures of finding and photographing crypsis and mimicry, is the mental contortions of trying to make sense of what is right in front of my eyes, but which my brain simply can't make sense of. And then, in one instant everything snaps into place as my mouth forms an "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh...." of realization, and a child-like giggle escapes my lips. Then communicating that to others.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner.
"...the human eye can see more shades of green than any other colour. Why do you think that is?" - Lorne Malvo, Fargo.
Not everything is black and white. And to the human eye, it is actually mostly green. Of the 3 types of cones (the photoreceptors that detect wavelengths in the visible spectrum ie. colours), 2 of them peak in the green wavelength. This overlap ensures our ability to distinguish more shades of green than any other colour. Spend a night in the jungle, and you will see a sea of green, punctuated with splashes of colour. It is thought that this preponderance for green is a result from God, you know, who made it that way. Period.
Hmmmm, I'm satisfied with that answer.
Black and white treehopper (Notocera sp.) photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner.
Thanks to Marco Gaiani for the ID.
Thanks to Doug Yanega for the ID.
Found during a night hike in Mt. Kinabalu national park, Malaysian Borneo.
Excerpt from my most recent blog entry on Camouflage and mimicry. This is the postscript. Not a rant, just a warning based on some observations and some of the potential pitfalls one may fall into. Consider it a guide to appreciating camouflage and mimicry...
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Whenever I point out to the guides or guests here at Sani lodge an instance of mimicry, or post an image online, there is an initial “Wow” of amazement, followed by fascination. However, I often feel that this is a message delivered in a vacuum, with no broader, penetrating message. It is very easy to treat the similarity between model and mimic with levity, and on the same level as those magic eye, and Facebook feed photos illustrating “hidden objects” which ‘pop’ into view when viewed in the proper way. Mimicry isn’t simply a trick (though confusion and deception is the endgame), it is an important life strategy. It is the result of thousands and millions of years of random mutation, edging towards refinement of incremental, fitness enhancing physiological, biochemical and behavioural traits. It is a system in flux, and is happening now, even as I write this.
Hand in hand with the dismissive attitude in which mimicry can be viewed, is also the manner in which these mimics are found. I am often told, “You are so lucky. What a lucky find”. And while “luck” or being at the right place at the right time is certainly an aspect of this, finding mimicry in one’s environment is more a question of perception and of seeing what is in fact all around us. In an earlier Facebook post (What, you’re not following us on Facebook?! Enrich your every day and start!), I mentioned search image and how encountering an object primes and develops a search image, such that what once might have been invisible (simply because one didn’t know what one was looking for, and had no visual reference), suddenly becomes apparent. But there is more. It is not simply observation, not just experience and knowledge, but also analysis and an extension of the scientific methodology, since one can also point to various mimics that one has never seen or heard of, simply based on small differences in shape, form, movement, habitus, and environment.
In brief, mimicry is one of the most fascinating aspects of evolutionary biology and understanding its mechanism is key to understanding the underlying principles governing evolution. Meanwhile, the search for mimics is an application of this knowledge, it is pinging memory cells, and applying reasoning and analysis. Blown out of proportion, am I giving myself way too much credit here for simply spotting a spider amongst ants? Maybe, however one can envisage a scenario, one which isn’t immediately obvious (this isn’t the bursting of bombs or exploding volcano), maybe it’s simply a few hotter days in the year, and a little less glacier on the mountain. Easily dismissed. But by always questioning, always experimenting, never simply accepting, maybe a deeper conclusion can be arrived at, one which reaches beyond the pale of a few less skiing days, and is an important, immediate, and global concern that affects us all. Science is one of humanity’s greatest tools. It isn’t just carried out in the lab, it is a methodology, a way of thinking that can be applied to all problems and all aspects of ones life. Go forth fellow scientists and in the words of fictional Mars astronaut Mark Watney, "Science the shit out of this" life.
An ant-mimicking broad-headed bug (Alydidae). Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Sanilodge #Paulbertner.
The sexual dimorphism in this family is quite pronounced, and manifests itself as long necks in males which lends itself to the common name 'giraffe weevil'. These insects are usually brightly coloured and fly off at the least provocation. However, they can often be found on their host plant. They not only feed on this plant, but the females engage in a fascinating behaviour of leaf rolling whereby they fold a leaf to protect their eggs. Found during a day hike in Marojejy national park, Madagascar.
Thanks to Furryscale for the ID.
Found during a day hike in Ankarafantsika national park, Madagascar.
Thanks to 1crazy.bugger@sbcglobal.net for the ID.
Found during a day hike in Marojejy national park, Madagascar.
Thanks to Doug Yanega for the ID.
Found during a night hike in Mt. Kinabalu national park, Malaysian Borneo.
"Urine trouble in the rainy season"
The change in seasons is always a beautiful time of transition. The spring thaw, as winter whites give way to summer greens. A profusion of colour, and contrast. Animals stirring from dormancy, and resuming their activities, foraging, feeding, and mating. Squirrels racing about, refilling their larders that are almost exhausted.
Of course in the Amazon there are but two seasons, the rainy season and the 'dry season'. And here too in #Sanilodge, we are in the midst of transition. Rains are becoming more common, of longer duration, and more forceful. Poncho -my stalwart friend, is always by my side, hanging from my utility belt alongside my umbrella, plastic bags, 'rainproof' covers, and silica gels. I feel like a very practical super-hero. "Never fear, I will keep you dry!" - my heroic shout might be heard to echo throughout the rainforest. But in the rainforest, water is like fate, it always comes to pass. And whether it's being caught unawares, the 1 in 100 time that you forget your gear, or a rat that has chewed its way through your bags, the the water will find you. It will wet you, and it will laugh at you and your pitiful attempts to keep it at bay.
Our squirrels here are much more monkey-like! This one stares on bemused at a plastic-wrapped foreigner, trying desperately to thwart fate.
"Do you think that they can think?" my understudy says, pointing at the squirrel monkey.
"What have I told you about anthropomorphizing?" I say with a sigh as I get into a better shooting position. "You remember the the grasshopper, right"?
"You mean the Malefic..."
"Don't you say it!!!" - I cut him off abruptly.
I turn my attention back to the squirrel monkey. Man, he just never learns, at least while distracted the monkey hasn't taken off. It is still starting at me intently.
"Foolish human, I think I'll pee on him as I jump over him."
- "Gah, You, You, You Monkey!!!" I shake my fist at the squirrel monkey, already disappearing into the bushes. My assistant meanwhile, rolling about the floor of the canoe in hysterics, imitating my "O" of surprise in slow motion.
Despite my laborious preparations, the rains (albeit monkey-made) still found a way of surprising me.
See more thoughtless #MonkeysofSani #mammalsofSani.
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner.
Please view pbertner.wordpress.com/spider-assassins-archaeidae/
for a real appreciation of these fascinating arachnids.
In a curious quirk of evolution, the Deinopidae or net casting spiders which branched early on from the araneids combine web building with a more active hunting strategy. They build a small rectangular web, stretch it between their front two pairs of legs and dangling motionlessly above their prey, ambush them. Unlike in araneids, the capture silk is replaced with cribellate silk (which gives it a wooly appearance), however it remains just as efficient at trapping prey. Deinopid webs remain similar to the aforementioned orbweaver template with several variations important for prey capture. Dangling as it does, how does a deinopid drop fast enough to ensnare its prey? The answer lies in two modifications to web design. First, a vertical safety thread tethers the web and gives it a slight conical shape while construction is in progress. When the web is completed, the spider holds this high tension safety thread with its second pair of hind legs. When prey passes by, it releases the safety line catapulting the spider forward at great speed. Another difference is the use of a bridge line, built slightly above the capture web. This line is held with with the first pair of hind legs and allows the spider a surface to pull down on to generate a downward force.
Hanging pendulously from their her, she remains still, her camouflaged form allowing her to blend in seamlessly with the branches overhead. She waits until nightfall when her huge anterior median eyes provide an unrivalled night vision, their lenses with an f/0.58 (f=aperture size, smaller number being large diameter) mean they are able to concentrate light more efficiently than a cat (f/0.9) or an owl (f/1.1). She owes this sensitivity to the light activated molecule rhodopsin, tightly packed into a microvillar membrane (which dramatically increases the surface area). Amazingly, 1500 times as many photons reach the light receptors in her eyes than the rods in our own eyes. She even accomplished this without the presence of a tapetum, a reflective membrane used to concentrate available light in many other nocturnal animals. Her preparation is impressive, she has staked out an ambush location, first having inspected it for loose debris and anything that might entangle her web, next she builds her web tentatively prodding the ground with her foot, ensuring it is set at the proper height. She may have even gone so far as to drop several faecal spots to guide her aim. In this manner she hangs, and patiently waits … An insect passes below, oblivious to the danger above. In a fraction of a second, the safety line has been cut, the web has been stretched 4 times its former size and before the insect even recognizes the danger, it finds itself helplessly trapped, venom coursing through its body. She feeds. However her work is not done. The rhodopsin which enables her unparalleled night vision is so sensitive to light that daytime exposure would actually destroy it. Thus, at dawn, the spider spends the first 2 hours dismantling the light sensitive microvillar membrane and rhodopsin molecules. The latter subsequently migrate behind a protective pigment layer, effectively rendering them less sensitive to light. When dusk falls, the light sensitive membrane is once again renewed, web building is resumed and the hunt can begin anew.
Yesterday the tire flew off my minibus, I cut the head off a pit viper and I was banned from a commercial flight by associating with a narco-trafficker. Today I am bushwhacking through the jungle in the remote trail-less backwaters of Guyana, waist deep in water and praying to make it through the rest of the day alive. What will tomorrow bring? God only knows. The adventure starts here- pbertner.wordpress.com/.
Net casting spiders generally hang suspended close to branches and other low points ready to ambush prey. Therefore this kind of shot can be difficult and it is one that I have been after for a long time. This particular one was suspended in a resting state after having hunted for the night. Marojejy national park, Madagascar.
No, you're not tripping (well maybe in those States and Countries where pot has been legalized you are. I am looking squarely at you Netherlands. Yes, we all see you sitting there in the back row. No, no, don't try to hide behind Belgium, we know exactly what it is you're doing. High GDP and low crime rates be damned, obviously a smokescreen! Well, I just hope that you brought enough for the rest of the class.), follow this Kerouackian journey, from psychedelic youth, to mature and responsible oldie. Sex, drugs, rock and roll and tie-dye shirts; these are your baby boomer regrets, don't put them on this poor, oblivious beetle larva. It just wants to eat a good leaf!
Continue the headtrip with the #Sanidevelopmentproject
Photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Sanilodge #paulbertner.
Thanks to Franziska Bauer for the ID correction.