Collected from a glass slide suspended in an aquarium with sand and aquatic vegetation for a few days, during the 2010 BIOSAND workshop in Elba.
Pentastomid Gecko Parasite
Identified as Waddycephalus on Bowerbird by Ken Walker: "The identification was made by a colleague at Melbourne University. It's a Crustacean nymph parasite of all things. Pentastomiasis (also known as Porocephalosis) is a disease caused by infection with pentastomids. Pentastomids or Rallietellids are endoparasites of the respiratory system of vertebrates, maturing primarily in carnivorous reptiles (eg. snakes). Adult and larval pentastomids can cause severe pathology resulting in the death of their intermediate and definitive hosts. These parasites have an indirect life cycle involving one of more intermediate host. A closely related parasite genus Raillietiella was found to use frogs as an intermediate host in frog eating snakes. Nymphs of Waddycephalus have been recorded in numerous taxa (e.g. dasyurids, elapids, geckos, skinks, frogs, and owls) but it is unclear whether these animals are viable intermediate hosts or accidental hosts in which the parasite will not develop further or will transfer to other hosts. Considering the diet of known definitive hosts of Waddycephalus, frogs and/or lizards are the most plausible intermediate host for these parasites. For more information, see: https://www.wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Documents/FactSheets/Reptiles/Pentastomiasis%20in%20Australian%20snakes%20Jul%202014%20(1.1).pdf"
The Saola was only discovered to science in 1992. There are no Saola in captivity. No Saola have been seen by scientists in the wild. A few records on camera trap exist. In 2004, there were still reports of Saola deep in the Truong Son mountains. This individual was confiscated from hunters in A'Luoi district, in the western reaches of the province. The other pictures are from interviews with Ka Tu ethnic hunters in A'Luoi and A'Vuong districts (Minh Hoang). The last photo is James with rangers from Hue Forest Department examining Saola tracks in A'Luoi - and identifzing schistamoglottis plants, reportedly favoured food for the saola.
In 2013, its status is critical. See what is happening on http://www.savethesaola.org/
This Textrix specimen was photographed near lake Maulazzo on Nebrodi Mountains, Sicily.
The only two species that are present on the island are T.caudata and T.rubrofoliata, whose after original description 30 years ago was never re-recorded.
The holotype for the latter species was collected just a few kilometers from the point the picture was taken, and, to this day, female of this species is unknown.
That and the reddish colouration of the specimen were enough to instillate my curiosity.
Anyway, that said, i'm not a spider specialist nor I do have the ability to correctly identify this spider.
If any of you is able to identify if this is T.caudata or T.rubrofoliata that would be really appreciate and interesting
Original desription of T.rubrofoliata in: Pesarini C., 1990 - Textrix rubrofoliata, nuova specie di Agelenide di Sicilia (Araneae, Agelenidae). Atti della Società italiana di Scienze Naturali e del Museo civico di Storia naturale di Milano 131(12): 221-224
Had me stumped for a long time. I'll reveal the identity soon but curious to know if anyone else has seen something like this before? Let's make it a guessing game :D
Edit: reveal in the second image, prepare for a letdown.
White worm foraging on tree roots and moss underwater. 2 to 5cm long
Atrapada en el baño de una finca
Spotted at the paneretti coral bay resort, peyia outside room 308,s balcony up a palm tree munching folaige.
First iNaturalist record.
With Graham Armstrong, Pete Ellis, Steve Guy, Guy Langan, Paul Harvey, Phil Heath, Ian Lewis.
Seen for more than an hour after dawn, in a small loose group of Eur. Curlews, feeding in a short-grass field on the south side of the main lake. This was "limpy" - the bird that had been shot about 3 weeks earlier, but seemed to make a recovery.
This location is the last known wintering site for this species. The last record from here was in February 1995.
Here is a link to the last video taken at this site, in January 1995:
http://www.hbw.com/ibc/video/slender-billed-curlew-numenius-tenuirostris/bird-foraging-short-grass
Trovata su foglia di olivo.