View allAll Photos Tagged SaniProject2017.
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.
A beautiful tortoise orbweaver with very interesting flattened pedipalps from Sani lodge, Ecuador.
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EE Legend
-Health injury/stress levels (scale 1-10-->☠️)
👣-Translocation
⏳-time in captivity
📷 - in situ - studio
🎨 - Use of cloning or extensive post processing
For those curious about the EE and scale you can refer to my earlier post tinyurl.com/y7vvoxv3
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.
Photo from Sani lodge, Ecuador.
One advantage I am finding through the various iterations of the EE, is that I can tailor each one to the photo and they can convey a message in and of themselves. For example, 'in situ' photos which don't impact the significantly, I can decrease the opacity so that it is much less visible, and so the impact of the watermark is a reflection of the impact of the photographer on the subject. Whereas with increasing manipulation and levels, the opacity, and scale can be enlarged to become more intrusive, demanding greater attention from the viewer. Similarly, as the number of symbols and manipulations increase, so too does the EE's relative size in the photo.
Any additional suggestion, comments, questions, are always welcome to help me fine tune the system.
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EE Legend
-Health injury/stress levels (scale 1-10-->☠️)
👣-Translocation
⏳-time in captivity
📷 - in situ - studio
🎨 - Use of cloning or extensive post processing
For those curious about the EE and scale you can refer to my earlier post tinyurl.com/y7vvoxv3
Photo from Sani lodge, Ecuador.
-----------------
EE Legend
-Health injury/stress levels (scale 1-10-->☠️)
👣-Translocation
⏳-time in captivity
📷 - in situ
- studio
🎨 - Use of cloning or extensive post processing
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.
A pet peeve of mine is anthropomorphizing animals and attributing to them human emotions, sentiments and values. Not only is this very anthropocentric and narrow minded, it also cheapens the rich, amazing evolutionary journey these animals have trekked to get to their present form. So when my guide/understudy, a young, local Kichwa took me aback by saying that this grasshopper looked like Angelina Jolie's Maleficent, I felt the need to sit him down and give him a stern talking to. "You do realize that that movie only got 50% on rotten tomatoes, it's just your standard hollywood...I mean, the grasshopper's antennae have evolved over evolutionary time to appear as they do. Sometimes the odd shape is to disrupt a predator's search image, other times they serve a specific function, beyond the traditional sensory role. It is only through observation, study, and a rigorous application of the scientific method that we can tease out each animal's complicated story. And if you want to see a real movie, then go see Citizen Kane!" - I finished at nearly fever pitch, slightly traumatizing him.
The "Maleficent grasshopper" ;) photographed for the #SaniProject2017. Follow us at Destination Ecuador #Paulbertner #Sanilodge.
"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.
There's something about wading into the water about a metre away from a 2.5M long black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) at sunset that is both magical, and surreal...and yes, utterly stupid.
Photo Sani Lodge, Ecuador.
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EE Legend
-Health injury/stress levels (scale 1-10-->☠️)
👣-Translocation
⏳-time in captivity
📷 - in situ
- studio
🎨 - Use of cloning or extensive post processing
Another capture-release specimen from the same photoshoot as the earlier parrot snake. Stressed out, this colubrid snake released musk (an oily, putrid odour) from its cloaca in order to make it less appealing, and then curled up into this defensive position.
This subject was one of many subjects collected by a herpetology group working on a photographic field manual of Herps in Ecuador. There were more than 30 different individuals all held in sub-standard conditions over the course of days. Held in plastic and cloth bags, they were stressed out, mishandled, at least one died to my knowledge, and at the end they were released far from where they were caught. Although I wasn't involved in the project, or capture, I still photographed some of the species, and offered my logistical help to them on where they could find other species. It's one of those unfortunate incidents which was an eye-opener for me, and really forced me to look at my own practices and question them, even those small actions or subjects. They may appear small or insignificant, but it speaks to an overall respect for nature, and it can be a slippery slope into poorer and poorer practice. The tacit approval I gave amounted to an endorsement and I consider myself as much to blame as those doing the collecting. These practices are rife within macrophotography, and one should not expect experience, professionalism or status to be an indicator of a person's ethical standards. Always question whether something needs to be done and if it doesn't, don't support it.
Snail-eating snake (Dipsas sp.) from Sani lodge, Ecuador.
EE Legend
- Health injury/stress levels (scale 1-10-->☠️)
👣-Translocation
⏳-time in captivity
📷 - in situ - studio
🎨 - Use of cloning or extensive post processing
"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.
Photo from Sani lodge, Ecuador.
-----------------
EE Legend
-Health injury/stress levels (scale 1-10-->☠️)
👣-Translocation
⏳-time in captivity
📷 - in situ
- studio
🎨 - Use of cloning or extensive post processing
River otters form tight social groups with all group members helping to sustain any new additions to the family. This baby uses a large repertoire of vocalizations to indicate distress, hunger, etc...
Photo from Sani lodge, Ecuador.
Pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) from Sani Lodge, Ecuador.
-----------------
EE Legend
-Health injury/stress levels (scale 1-10-->☠️)
👣-Translocation
⏳-time in captivity
📷 - in situ
- studio
🎨 - Use of cloning or extensive post processing
Another capture-release specimen from the same photoshoot as the earlier parrot snake. Stressed out, this colubrid snake released musk (an oily, putrid odour) from its cloaca in order to make it less appealing, and then curled up into this defensive position.
This subject was one of many subjects collected by a herpetology group working on a photographic field manual of Herps in Ecuador. There were more than 30 different individuals all held in sub-standard conditions over the course of days. Held in plastic and cloth bags, they were stressed out, mishandled, at least one died to my knowledge, and at the end they were released far from where they were caught. Although I wasn't involved in the project, or capture, I still photographed some of the species, and offered my logistical help to them on where they could find other species. It's one of those unfortunate incidents which was an eye-opener for me, and really forced me to look at my own practices and question them, even those small actions or subjects. They may appear small or insignificant, but it speaks to an overall respect for nature, and it can be a slippery slope into poorer and poorer practice. The tacit approval I gave amounted to an endorsement and I consider myself as much to blame as those doing the collecting. These practices are rife within macrophotography, and one should not expect experience, professionalism or status to be an indicator of a person's ethical standards. Always question whether something needs to be done and if it doesn't, don't support it.
Snail-eating snake (Dipsas sp.) from Sani lodge, Ecuador.
EE Legend
- Health injury/stress levels (scale 1-10-->☠️)
👣-Translocation
⏳-time in captivity
📷 - in situ - studio
🎨 - Use of cloning or extensive post processing
Photo from Sani lodge, Ecuador.
-----------------
EE Legend
-Health injury/stress levels (scale 1-10-->☠️)
👣-Translocation
⏳-time in captivity
📷 - in situ - studio
🎨 - Use of cloning or extensive post processing
For those curious about the EE and scale you can refer to my earlier post tinyurl.com/y7vvoxv3