New Animal Species Found in Calif. Caves.

[arnisador]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060118/ap_on_sc/new_species;_ylt=AjHBmAsIHEn7_ZVagyNLoqtvieAA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

Twenty-seven previously unknown species of spiders, centipedes, scorpion-like creatures and other animals have been discovered in the dark, damp caves beneath two national parks in the Sierra Nevada, biologists say.

I know it's easier to find new insect species than new mammal species, but even still, I find it quite amazing that they have found 27 new species in these two caves! It's surprising how much we still don't know.

 

[Flying Crane]

Even more than surprising, I think it is humbling. We really do not know our own Home, and neither do we understand how our activities can affect the natural world around us in ways we might never suspect.

 

[KenpoEMT]

Amazing! I love it!

"Not only are these animals new to science, but they're adapted to very specific environments — some of them, to a single room in one cave," said Joel Despain, a cave specialist who helped explore 30 of the 238 known caves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
The discoveries included a relative of the pill bug so translucent that its internal organs are visible, particularly its long, bright yellow liver. There was also a daddy long legs with jaws bigger than its body, and a tiny fluorescent orange spider.

 

[Touch Of Death]

When I hear things like this I think Noah must have been quite busy collecting Lemers in Madagaskar or some the penis having frog in a fast running stream up in Idaho. He was a busy guy I tell ya.
Sean

 

[Blindside]

When I hear things like this I think Noah must have been quite busy collecting Lemers in Madagaskar or some the penis having frog in a fast running stream up in Idaho. He was a busy guy I tell ya.
Sean

Pssst. Thats a tailed frog (Ascaphus truei).

And it must have been a really big ark, its bad when the Pacific giant salamanders start eating all the smaller amphibians and insects around it.

Lamont

 

[KenpoEMT]

...or some the penis having frog in a fast running stream...

Sorry, Dutch, I didn't get that last little bit. (guess which tv show that line is from and win an all expenses paid trip to New York!)

 

[KenpoEMT]

Pssst. Thats a tailed frog (Ascaphus truei).

And it must have been a really big ark, its bad when the Pacific giant salamanders start eating all the smaller amphibians and insects around it.

You mean the penis giant salamanders? :lol:

 

[jdinca]

You mean the penis giant salamanders? :lol:

Or was that giant penis salamanders?

 

[KenpoEMT]

Or was that giant penis salamanders?

:rofl:

 

[Touch Of Death]

No its frogs. I took Biology.
Sean

 

[Touch Of Death]

Pssst. Thats a tailed frog (Ascaphus truei).

And it must have been a really big ark, its bad when the Pacific giant salamanders start eating all the smaller amphibians and insects around it.

Lamont

Why is that only the males have tails?

 

[Blindside]

Sorry, Dutch, I didn't get that last little bit. (guess which tv show that line is from and win an all expenses paid trip to New York!)

The Shield?

 

[KenpoEMT]

The Shield?

*Bzzzt* I'm sorry, that's not the answer we were looking for.
Here's another clue: "Both were excellent answers, but we were looking for 'leafy'...leeeeafy."

...Uh-oh! We have strayed from the topic at hand and are bound to be smitten (smitted? smoted? :lol: ) by the gods of moderation.

 

[Blindside]

Why is that only the males have tails?

Because it essentially mimics the function of a penis, in tailed frogs fertilization is internal (rather than external like other frogs), and during amplexus is used to fertilize the eggs.

Lamont

 

[Blindside]

*Bzzzt* I'm sorry, that's not the answer we were looking for.
Here's another clue: "Both were excellent answers, but we were looking for 'leafy'...leeeeafy."

...Uh-oh! We have strayed from the topic at hand and are bound to be smitten (smitted? smoted? :lol: ) by the gods of moderation.

Do I still get the prize if I had to use Google to get the answer? I never watched that show.

Lamont

 

[KenpoEMT]

Do I still get the prize if I had to use Google to get the answer? I never watched that show.

Lamont

ABSOLUTELY!
All cheating is welcome at the "Online-Martial-Talk-Nothing-To-Do-With-The-Current-Topic-Guess-That Random-TV-Show-Line-(Where-The-Questions-Are-Real-But-The-Prizes-Are-Most-Definitely-Not)-Game"

we definitely need to be split off from this thread...and how the heck could you never watch that life changing, earth shattering show??? :lol:

 

[Touch Of Death]

Because it essentially mimics the function of a penis, in tailed frogs fertilization is internal (rather than external like other frogs), and during amplexus is used to fertilize the eggs.

Lamont

Origin perhaps?

 

[Blindside]

Origin perhaps?

I'm not sure I understand, are you saying this might be related to the origin of the penis or something similar?

From a strictly functional stand point internal fertilization (and a suction cup mouth on the tadpole) has allowed the tailed frog to utilize habitats (fast moving mountain streams) that no other frog can.

Lamont

 

[arnisador]

Or was that giant penis salamanders?

Salamanders of Unusal Size? I don't believe they exist.

I do agree that this finding is humbling. Nature still ahs so many surprises for us! I think of the deep-sea creatures discovered near hot vents too. It's amazing!

 

[Touch Of Death]

I'm not sure I understand, are you saying this might be related to the origin of the penis or something similar?

From a strictly functional stand point internal fertilization (and a suction cup mouth on the tadpole) has allowed the tailed frog to utilize habitats (fast moving mountain streams) that no other frog can.

Lamont

That is what I was getting at.
Sean