Favoritos de jef

Pool was not entered / Targeting the salamander larva, that we do believe is a marbled salamander - to be confirmed / Shot by a guest with a good camera / Note that the fairy shrimp have been recorded at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148555771

These earthstars were growing in the dunes of Crane Beach in Ipswich, MA. Some of the specimens were detached from the substrate, which is typical of Astraeus species. Astraeus species are hygroscopic, meaning that they are sensitive to moisture - they open in wet conditions, and close in dry conditions. They are able to detach and roll around like tumbleweeds. Dark brown spores. Some of the specimens, which were still attached to the ground, had a greenish hue to the star points. The older specimens had dark, cracked star rays.

Astraeus morganii is one of the few species of Astraeus earthstars that are present in the United States. Astraeus morganii is present in the southern United States. Astraeus smithii is another similar fungus, but it is present in the northern parts of the United States.

Noticed that I was at 999 iNat observations; wanted to do something interesting for #1,000, so dug this memorable find out of the archives. Duke University offers a course "The Diversity of Life" currently taught by Professor Alexander Motten. I was his TA for several years while I was in grad school. One of the annual activities is collecting invertebrates from leaf litter using a Burlese Funnel. One year this monster showed up! This photo shows the distinctive body shape of this suborder, more pear-like; the other two show the other distinctive feature, the formidable pedipalps. I took the photos by holding the lens of my camera, an Olympus pocket digital, up to the eyepiece of a dissecting microscope. ID via BugGuide by Dr. Marshal Hedin, arachnologist from San Diego State U.