Species Spotlight: Hoopoe Starling

A nice coincidence for this Species Spotlight. My previous post was about a giant extinct swan, and now another extinct species was randomly chosen. 

Introducing the Hoopoe Starling (Fregilupus varius)! It was discovered in 1699 and first described by the Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert in 1783. This 30-cm long bird was endemic to the Island of Réunion. It could be found in swamp forests and montainous coastal regions.

Illustration of the Hoopoe Starling based on a specimen from Paris

The Hoopoe Starling became extinct in the 1830s (the last specimen was shot in 1837) because of a combination of factors: the introduction of rats on the island , the introduction of another bird species (Common Myna) to combat locusts, and hunting. Apparantly it was very tasty because it fed on coffee berries. 

An Extinct Giant Swan

A reflection on islands animals

Islands can do strange things to animals: large ones shrink (insular dwarfism) while little ones suddenly grow (insular gigantism). There are numerous examples of both phenomena, but I came across a case that interests me more because it relates to my study subject: waterfowl. 

On Sicily and Malta there lived a giant swan, known as Cygnus falconeri, with a total length (bill to tail) of more than two meters and a wing span over three meters. The nice thing is that is lived next to dwarf elephants. Imagine that, a giant swan accompanied by a dwarf elephant. How things have changed...

How One Man Changed Our Atmosphere

A reflection on the atmospheric legacy of Thomas Midley

Before photosynthesis evolved, our atmosphere was oxygen-free. When photosynthetic microorganisms started producing oxygen as a  waste product, it was first removed from the atmosphere by reduced minerals, mostly iron. This led to the deposition of banded iron formations. Later, the Great Oxygenation Event (about 2.3 billion years ago) added oxygen to the Earth's atmosphere. This series of events shows how a group of organisms dramatically changed the composition of the atmosphere. Quite impressive, right? Not if you compare it to the work of an American chemist...

Banded Iron Formation

Thomas Midley Jr. was born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania on the 18th of May 1889. He produced two products that have greatly altered the atmosphere. In 1923, he discovered that the addition of Tetraethyllead (TEL) prevents the "knocking" of internal combustion engines. The addition of TEL to gasoline has led to the release of large quantities of lead into the atmosphere with detrimental effects on human health. He also developed the first chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Three decades after his death, it became clear that CFCs deplete atmospheric ozone, leading to the well-known hole in the ozone-layer. All in all, this one man is (indirectly) responsible for increased lead concentrations in the atmosphere and the hole in the ozone-layer. Now that is impressive!

Thomas Midley Jr.

In addition, his death in 1944 is equally dramatic. Having contracted polio, he devised a system of strings and pulleys to help others lift him from the bed. Unfortunately, he became entangled in the ropes and died of strangulation.

Species Spotlight: Western Quail-thrush

Introducing a new concept! And the first species in the spotlight.

Many blogs have a daily or weekly subject. For instance, Jerry Coyne has daily dialogues with his cat Hili on his blog Why Evolution is True. As a bird watcher, I decided to add the Species Spotlight as a returning topic. Using the IOC birdlist, I randomly pick one species and briefly introduce it. Because the rich diversity of birds worldwide, this is a nice way to get to know some new species.

And the first species is ... (*drum rolls*) the Western Quail-thrush (Cinclosoma marginatum)!

This species belongs to the family Cinclosomatidae and is endemic to Australia. The habitat they occur in is stony, open acacia shrubland. Ford (1983) treats this species as a subspecies of the Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush (C. castaneothorax), but its taxonomic position is still uncertain.

New Book by Menno Schilthuizen: Nature's Nether Regions

A new book by Menno Schilthuizen!

I promised myself not to promote anything on this blog, but today I recieved a mail from Menno Schilthuizen about his new book: "Nature's Nether Regions". And given the topic of the book and the fact that I look up to Menno as a science writer, I decided to advise you all to read (and possibly buy) the book. I plan on reading it myself in due time and maybe write a short review on the blog. I have read two other books by Menno, namely "Frogs, Flies and Dandelions" and "The Loom of Life: Unravelling Ecosystems". Two books I can also recommend. Here is the official press release:

The Cover of Nature's Nether Regions

In NATURE’S NETHER REGIONS: What the Sex Lives of Bugs, Birds, and Beasts Tell Us About Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ourselves, Menno Schilthuizen reports from the front lines of evolutionary biology, on a quest to make sense of the origins, workings and evolution of our and other species’ reproductive selves (Viking; On-sale: May 1, 2014; 978-0670785919; $28.95). In this extremely entertaining new book, Schilthuizen demonstrates that the more we learn about our animal brethren—and their underbellies—the more we understand the beauty of all life and the power of evolution to generate incredible diversity in size, shape and purpose.

What’s the easiest way to tell species apart? Check their genitals. No other organs are as diverse in the way they look and function. Animal species that look very similar on the outside are as different as night and day when one peeks between their legs. Researching private parts was long considered taboo, but scientists are now taking a serious interest in the questions of how and why genitals evolve so quickly. NATURE’S NETHER REGIONS tells the story of these intrepid researchers and the complex web of Darwinian struggle they have uncovered.

To illustrate this epic evolutionary battle, Menno describes penises that sing and have vibrators; female orgasms that sort sperm and flush out the rejects; spiders that masturbate into miniature webs; males with appendages that scoop left-behind semen from previous mates.  We learn why, when it comes to bizarre behaviors and outlandish appendages, humans are downright boring—but we fit in nonetheless.

Marrying the playful prose of a Mary Roach with the evolutionary know-how of a Jerry Coyne, Menno’s tour of the wide world of animal sex organs is a thrilling reminder of our unique place in the great diversity of life and the best way to understand the tortuous ways in which evolution works.

Can Invisibility Evolve?

A reflection on the possible evolution of invisibility

When I was listening to the song Invisible Kid by Metallica in the car, a question popped up: Can real invisibility evolve? And I am not talking about camouflage or an invisibility cloack à la Harry Potter. No, I am thinking about real invisibility: there is nothing to see, but still something is there... (actually sounds a bit scary)

The benefits of pure invisibility are quite obvious. Predators can easily hunt for prey, they don't have to sneak up to them or wait patiently for hours in an ambush. For prey species, the same goes to other way. They don't have to worry about being seen by predators.

But for invisibility to evolve, individuals with this trait need to reproduce. Depending on the mating system, invisibility can be beneficial or a serious problem. For example, some fish species have smalle sneaky males that quickly deposit their sperm while two other fish are getting it on (well, they just spray eggs and sperm into the water). If these males are invisible, they would be more successful.
However, species that actively look for a mate can be faced with some challenges. How can you find something that you cannot see? Sound, smell, or certain cues might be helpful.

A big normal male and a small sneaky one.

There are off course some animals that have evolved a kind of invisibility, by becoming transparant. But pure invisibility has never been observed, which is actually quite logical. I am not sure whether purely invisible organisms can arise by natural selection. Or they have and we just haven't found them yet...

A transparant fish

The Belgian Lichen

A reflection on symbiosis and Belgium

As a Belgian citizen it is always difficult to explain the structure of my country to foreigners. A friend nicely illustrated the confusion with regard to languages:

"In France they speak French. In Germany they speak German. So in Belgium, you speak Belgian?"

Well, not exactly... Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. For quick overview of Belgium state, I refer to Wikipedia and the following movie:

[...] a unique form of a federal state with segregated political power into three levels:
1. The federal government
2. Three language communities

• The Flemish Community 
• The French Community
• The German-speaking Community

3. Three regions

• The Flemish Region (five provinces)
• The Wallon Region (five provinces)
• The Brussels-Capital Region

The tension between the Dutch- and the French-speaking community has been around since the start of Belgium in 1830. Recently, several political parties, such as Vlaams Belang and NVA, are openly advocating the splitting of Belgium. 

The structure and history of Belgium reminded me of a natural phenomenon, the lichen. This is a composite organism consisting of a fungus and an algal or cyanobacterial partner growing together in symbiosis. At first sight, these organisms have nothing in common, but they manage to thrive together. Research has shown that the symbionts can survive separately, but they do not enjoy the same survival success in extreme environments. 

Whether this principle holds for Belgium? We might find out in the near future...