(writing in progress)

Everyone knows that the llama (Lama glama) 'spits', but what is not generally known is that this is part of a broader peculiarity of touch-aversion and hornlessness.

What is usually called spitting, in the llama, is actually more like sneezing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUQiP4FgzDQ). Rather than the action being ballistic, liquid is sprayed in the form of droplets by parting the two halves of the deeply divided upper lip. The substance sprayed varies from saliva to stomach contents.

Perhaps this behaviour should instead be called 'agonistic sneezing' or some such?

The function of agonistic sneezing in the llama seems to be the same kind of enforcement that is performed in other ungulates by gesturing with horns or antlers, and in the case of females of various species of deer by flailing with the fore feet. The llama lacks any adornments or weapons on the head, and does not rear up bipedally in its agonistic behaviour.

Part of this complex of peculiarities is that the llama is exceptionally touch-averse. Indeed, so much so that even in the bonding between mother and I can't there is no licking of the newborn. There is no nuzzling or mutual grooming in this species.

So, although agonistic sneezing in the llama is partly aggressive and not purely defensive, it is at least partly a communication of 'please keep your distance'.

(writing in progress)

The flowerpot mushroom is a saprophytic mushroom that appears to have a moderate history as it was first recorded in 1785. It is a saprophyte. Interestingly, this mushroom is normally found in housepots. This is because it is a tropical mushroom, why it was even in the forest where I found it is a mystery. Its spores are 5um in diameter. Finally, it is also considered toxic as a gastrointestinal irritant.

Grande Bioblitz do Hemisfério Sul 2021, de 22 a 25 de outubro
Na próxima sexta-feira, a partir de zero horas teremos mais um Bioblitz internacional, que desta vez ocorre na PRIMAVERA DO HEMISFÉRIO SUL, trazendo a tona sua rica e esplendorosa biodiversidade.

PARTICIPE COM SEUS REGISTROS!

A Fase de registros se encerra na segunda-feira, dia 25 às 24 horas.
A segunda fase de identificação das observações feitas se estende até 31 de outubro de 2021.
A inclusão das observações realizadas entre 22 e 25 de out/21 pode ser feita até 31 de outubro.
Porém, quanto antes você incluir suas observações, mais tempo os identificadores terão para identificar os organismos.

No Brasil já temos mais de 20 áreas cadastradas. Veja as Áreas:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-brasil-umbrella

Mas se você estiver fora destas áreas também pode participar, mas é preciso se cadastrar como membro no seguinte projeto:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-brasil-fora-de-areas

Teremos estatísticas sobre o número de observações totais, o número de espécies e o número de participantes de cada área e do projeto Fora de Área.

Convide amig@s a também participarem.
Abraços, Eric

Saturday, October 16, 2021

It is a new day, I just woke up feeling very optimistic after a long week. I’m happy that everything I have planned for last week was executed perfectly and everything went as planned. It is now 10am, the weather outside is nice and warm and the temperature is 75 fahrenheit. The perfect weather to go somewhere nice. My fiancé and I have decided to go to Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay. It has been a while since I went there, in fact I can not remember the last time I went to Poplar beach. It is almost 12pm, and I'm on my way to Half Moon Bay. It is a 57 minute drive from home. I’m on the Cabrillo highway and the view is so beautiful. We are taking this route because it overlooks the ocean the whole way to Half Moon bay and it has less traffic. I’m driving slowly to enjoy the amazing view along the way, especially with the clear blue sky reflecting on the ocean water. I have finally arrived at Poplar beach, it is nice out here, and there aren't many people as usual. It is almost 7pm, and I had a good time at the beach. We played volleyball which was so much fun. After all it was a fun day, I had fun and cleared my head and I optimistically look forward to studying and improving this week.

Grande Bioblitz do Hemisfério Sul 2021, de 22 a 25 de outubro
Na próxima sexta-feira, a partir de zero horas teremos mais um Bioblitz internacional, que desta vez ocorre na PRIMAVERA DO HEMISFÉRIO SUL, trazendo a tona sua rica e esplendorosa biodiversidade.

PARTICIPE COM SEUS REGISTROS!

A Fase de registros se encerra na segunda-feira 24 horas.
A segunda fase de identificação das observações feitas se estende até 31 de outubro de 2021.
A inclusão das observações feitas entre 22 e 25 de out/21 pode ser feita até 31 de outubro.
Porém, quanto antes você incluir suas observações, mais tempo os identificadores terão para identificar os organismos.

Se você estiver no DF ou na Região Integrada de Desenvolvimento Econômico - RIDE, estará automaticamente participando.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-brasilia-e-regiao-brasil

No Brasil já temos 20 áreas cadastradas. Veja as Áreas
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-brasil-umbrella

Mas se você estiver fora destas áreas também pode participar, mas é preciso se cadastrar como membro no seguinte projeto:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-brasil-fora-de-areas

Teremos estatísticas sobre o número de observações totais, o número de espécies e o número de participantes de cada área e do projeto Fora de Área.

Convide amig@s a também participarem.
Abraços, Eric

Na próxima sexta-feira, a partir de zero horas teremos mais um Bioblitz internacional, que desta vez ocorre na PRIMAVERA DO HEMISFÉRIO SUL, trazendo a tona sua rica e esplendorosa biodiversidade.

PARTICIPE COM SEUS REGISTROS!

• A Fase de registros se encerra na segunda-feira 24 horas.

• A segunda fase de identificação das observações feitas se estende até 31 de outubro de 2021.
  A inclusão das observações feitas entre 22 e 25 de out/21 pode ser feita até 31 de outubro.
  Porém, quanto antes você incluir suas observações, mais tempo os identificadores terão para identificar os organismos.

Se você estiver no Grande Rio e Baía de Guanabara + Teresópolis, estará automaticamente participando.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-grande-rio-e-baia-de-guanabara-rj-brasil

No Brasil já temos 20 áreas cadastradas. Veja as Áreas
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-brasil-umbrella

Mas se você estiver fora destas áreas também pode participar, mas é preciso se cadastrar como membro no seguinte projeto:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-brasil-fora-de-areas

Teremos estatísticas sobre o número de observações totais, o número de espécies e o número de participantes de cada área e do projeto Fora de Área.

Convide amig@s a também participarem.
Abraços, Eric

Not one, but TWO new-to-science nudibranchs were found this summer in California. Both were spotted by iNaturalist community scientists (Luan Roberts and Siena McKim). For photos and more info: https://www.mbnep.org/2021/10/15/new-undescribed-nudibranchs-on-the-california-coast/?fbclid=IwAR3LsOHTfBPyJVs7ILscOi2WDBS1_ZgNjAip68a4F0lKIm3eoMVCu5BMZbI

Morphological characteristics of genus Ancula are examined in great detail about 1/3 of the way into this new paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13127-021-00508-w

Paz-Sedano, S., Díaz-Agras, G., Gosliner, T.M. et al. Revealing morphological characteristics of Goniodorididae genera (Mollusca: Nudibranchia). Org Divers Evol (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-021-00508-w

Na próxima sexta-feira, a partir de zero horas teremos mais um Bioblitz internacional, que desta vez ocorre na PRIMAVERA DO HEMISFÉRIO SUL, trazendo a tona sua rica e esplendorosa biodiversidade.

PARTICIPE COM SEUS REGISTROS!

• A Fase de registros se encerra na segunda-feira 24 horas.

• A segunda fase de identificação das observações feitas se estende até 31 de outubro de 2021.
  A inclusão das observações feitas entre 22 e 25 de out/21 pode ser feita até 31 de outubro.
  Porém, quanto antes você incluir suas observações, mais tempo os identificadores terão para identificar os organismos.

Se você estiver em uma das área cadastradas, estará automatimente participando. Veja as Áreas
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-brasil-umbrella

Mas se você estiver fora destas áreas também pode participar, mas é preciso se cadastrar como membro no seguinte projeto:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/grande-bioblitz-do-hemisferio-sul-2021-brasil-fora-de-areas

Teremos estatísticas sobre o número de observações totais, o número de espécies e o número de participantes de cada área e do projeto Fora de Área.

Convide amig@s a também participarem.
Abraços, Eric

Coprinellus disseminatus, common name “trooping crumble cap” belongs to the phylum Basidiomyucota and the family Psathyrellaceae. It is a small edible fungal species that generally grows in clusters near the bases of stumps, and is a saphrophyte. A recent study found that the fungal species contains methanol extracts that possess antioxidant properties and dichloromethane, methanol, an aqueous extracts contain antibacterial properties. Extracts of the species was also found to have high antioxidant and antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, and can potentially be used as alternative for nutraceuticals or biologically active compounds - pharmaceutical alternatives that support physiology.

APA Citation:

Novakovic, A., Karaman, M., Kaisarevic, S., Belovic, M., Radusin, T., Beribaka, M., & Ilic, N. (2016). Coprinellus disseminatus (pers.) J.E. Lange 1938: In vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative effects. Food and Feed Research, 43(2), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.5937/ffr1602093n

Marasmius oreades, commonly known as the fairy ring fungi, are found in lawns and grasslands. The age of fairy rings can be determined by the diameter of the rings. Different sectors of the rings can affected by mutation and selection during growth phases (Hiltunen, 2021). Grass growing around the fungi is typically greener than grass further away, this is the grass that game animals prefer to graze on (Rogers, 1969). This is caused by the release of nitrogenous substances into the soil as older hyphae of the mycelium dies.

The Mycena galericulata, commonly known as the common bonnet or the rosy-gill fairy helmet, can be found frequently in clusters on stumps of trees. The common bonnet is variable in size, shape, and color, but its stem is hollow, white, and thin. The Mycena galericulata is not considered to be edible.

One fungi that caught my attention as I was foraging the surroundings of Mont Royal was the Mycena Galericulata, formally known as the Common Bonnet. They are hard to distinguish in the wild because they come in different shades. This gill mushroom is mainly found on rotting wood and can be spotted during the summer and the fall. As the spores age, its gills can become pink and many cross-veins between gills can be noticed too. This fungi is generally considered inedible because of its rancid smell, farinaceous taste and biomass that truly isn't worth it. The name is derived from its shape. Their appearance is characteristically similar to the bonnets that the Mycenae of Ancient Greece wore.

The Trametes Versicolor, also known as the Turkey-Tail, is a common polypore mushroom in North America that grows on logs or stumps all year round. It is a basidiomycete saprobe, meaning that it survives by eating decomposing dead or decaying organic matter.

Medicinally, there has been research done on the immunomodulatory properties of T. Versicolor in therapies of cancers and neurodegenerative disorders thanks to the groups of biologically active compounds in the fungi and their synergistic effects.

The mushroom has abundant antioxidants, contains immune-boosting Polysaccharopeptides like Krestin, and can even enhance gut health. Most importantly, there is potential for it to help the immune systems and the efficacy of treatments for people with cancer.

Dryad's saddle (also known as Pheasant's-back) is a polypore fungus that is common and grows throughout the world. It grows on both living and dead hardwood trees, causing white rot. Its role when growing on living trees could be considered parasitic because it feeds off of the trees and causes rot, while it is simply a decomposer when growing on dead trees. Dryad's saddle is edible, but it is only good to eat when it is very young, and it is said to have a tough texture.

It was my first time walking through the Newton Woods. It was pretty chilly but also sunny and with a light breeze. Overall, great weather for walking. Some people were walking their dogs. The woods seemed to be mostly wild rather than landscaped. I mostly saw nonbudding trees but some had fruits or flowers on other smaller plants, but I had to look for them because they were less apparent. The woods were small as it only took 10 min to get from one side to the other, but there were multiple pathways you could have taken. I saw many of the same trees and reoccurring plants. Some of the plants were bundled up in one area. I also saw many insects such as a praying mantis sitting on a leaf. Once again, I realized that you won't be able to see the interesting parts of nature unless you are looking for them.

Chondrostereum purpureum can be used for weed control as a fungal pathogen. It promotes wood decay by giving the tree silver leaf disease and blocking the vascular system of the tree, which leads to tree death. For example, the American bird cherry was an invasive species in the Netherlands, forming shrubby weeds in the conifer forest. Cutting them down did not resolve the problem thus they used Chondrostereum purpureum to kill off bird cherries.

One of the fungal species that I observe is Trichaptum biforme (Genus Trichaptum). It is characterized by its thin and leathery fruit bodies, shelf-like appearance, and they often cover large areas of dead trees. Its fruiting season is spring to fall. Trichaptum biforme often appears as white pocket rot of hardwoods, and is one of the most common decay fungi in North America. It is not edible by human.

Ostry, M. E., Anderson, N. A., & O'Brien, J. G. (2011). Field guide to common macrofungi in eastern forests and their ecosystem functions. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-79 revised February 2017. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 82 p. https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-79.

Trametes versicolor is a polypore mushroom found throughout the world, especially in North America. It is commonly called 'turkey tail' as its shape and colour are similar to a wild turkey. The surface of the cap shows different colours of concentric zones with a lighter margin. Polysaccharide-K can be extracted from T. versicolor it can be used as an adjunct therapy for cancer treatment in Japan.

The Psathyrella Bipellis, known as the Maroon Brittlestem, is a gilled mushroom belonging to a family of over 400 species, ranging all across North America! It has a hygrophanous cap which means that as the fruiting body loses its moisture it also changes in colour, that is why they are often two-toned! Their colours range from a mix of dark brown and purple to white or even a light pink. This species is most commonly found in forests and urban areas as it helps decompose debris.

Cerioporus squamosus, more commonly known as Dryad's saddle, is a poly-pore basidiomycete that is commonly found on rotting trees and logs. It is a type of bracket fungi, and is often the largest fungi specimen to be found during the spring. The name, Dryad's saddle, is derived from the unique shape of the fungi. This is because the fungi forms the shape similar to that of a saddle on a horse with sloping edges which meet in the middle. This observation was spotted on a live tree at the foot of Mont-Royal, a tree that is possibly in the earlier stages of rot. Throughout North America and Montreal, Dryad's saddle specimens have been found to prefer tree species' such as the silver maple, box elder, and the quaking aspen. The typical human usage for this fungi is cooking. It is often seen as a very underrated edible mushroom that is ripe with fiber. Although, it is best to pick specimens used for cooking while they are young, as they get older they become more and more tough and flavorful.

One of the fungi I observed in mount-royal was Coprinellus. It is a genus of fungi that form mushrooms and it is in the family Psathyrellaceae.

The Psathyrellaceae family is known for the phenomenon called deliquescence. The fruiting body of these fungi will become a blackish inky ooze by autodigestion of the cells of the fruiting body when maturation. Within the Psathyrellaceae family, most of the species that undergo autodigestion are in the Coprinaceae genus.

Coprinellus often live in areas that are wet and rich in nitrogen, for example, muck soils, dung, wet soft decayed wood, lawns garden soils.

One of my fungi observations is aborted entoloma. It is found mostly from mid-September through October. It is easily found around rotting wood or the tree’s root. It is interesting to know that it is one kind of mushroom that can be taken by human as a vegetable.

James Douch wrote a great post on the iNat Forum about how to make observations of viruses and he couldn't have made it any easier! Here's a way to keep your eyes open for new species! And James is great about helping out if you want to tag him in your observations!

Read the full post here:
https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-you-can-easily-make-virus-observations/27236

"However, few iNaturalists are even aware that viruses may be observed on iNaturalist, and the number and diversity of virus observations is low. Of course, many viruses cannot be detected without laboratory techniques, but this is not always true. I would like to provide some suggestions on how you can easily make your first virus observation." ~James K. Douch

This week I went out to a San Bruno Mountain trail in Brisbane before work hoping to see some animals. I was not able to take pictures of any, as they were either too far away or would run off before I could take a picture. On the trail I noticed a weird tree that looked barren, but had pear-like fruits growing on it. After I got off of work we went to Pier 39 and saw the sea lions. They were very loud and amusing. We also saw a few gulls in the water and on beams. This coming week we are planning to go to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, and hope to see more creatures.

Week 4 was a crazy week for me as I had two midterms, so iNaturalist slipped my mind. I had planned to stop by Pier 39, but ended up not having enough time so we decided to wait. We also began thinking about other places to go, like Crystal Springs and the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.

Did your observations post with a location description of "DW GDNS, TX 76013, USA"?

Yeah, weird. Happened to several of us. If you stood at the water line it would have popped up as Arlington. (shrug) I can confirm that only the location description is incorrect but if your photo coordinates are good they are still loading to the project. It turns out NOT to be an iNat issue, but rather one with Google Maps. I'll spare you the technical details, but if you feel like any of your observations are not being included in the project, please drop me a message so I can take a look! I'll do some quality checks after the bulk of observations get loaded, just to double check on our end too!

~Kimberlie

Thank you to everyone that came out! Your help is SUPER important to us and we appreciate the time you took out of your weekend to help us complete the initial species survey. I hope you saw some great things while you were out there!

We'd love to have all observations uploaded within the next week so they can be identified and we can start analyzing the data to share it with project stakeholders. The iNat project is already collecting your observations even if you have not "joined", so you do not need to do anything special to have them included. If you have any questions, please reach out to me so I can help to resolve any issues.

And for Cross Timbers Master Naturalists... remember to count your travel time, field time, photo editing, uploading, researching IDs, and identifying (for your own and other observations) as volunteer hours under "Citizen science/data collection: Tarrant County"

~Kimberlie

This week we went to Pier 39 to see the sea lions. There were so many of them, and they were very entertaining. They kept fighting with each other and jumping off into the water and getting back on the planks. We also saw a lot of seagulls, but had trouble taking clear photos of them. We might go to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve today, it just depends on whether or not we will have time.

I forgot to upload my notes from week 4. Because of the midterm and a busy rest of the week, we were not able to go out this week. But we planned to go to Pier 39 the following Friday. We are also hoping to go to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve sometime soon, as we really need to find animals to take pictures of.