I fully understand why westerners thought the platypus was a hoax at first. I’m looking at a real live one moving around and it STILL looks fake.
The one thing that could have made them sound any more made up would have been if you said the boys have secret viper fangs that can absolutely fuck you up with venom, and they do, on their goddamn feet.
cursed platypus facts: * five (5) X chromosomes * only the left ovary works * produces milk but has no nipples. the mother just kind of sweats milk out their chest. nature is beautiful * was nearly called the “duckmole” * swims with its weird fish eyes and ears closed, hunting entirely by electroreception * born with teeth, but then they fall out
today’s funky frog of the day is: eleutherodactylus longipes! commonly known as the long-footed chirping frog or longfoot robber frog, they are endemic to mexico, occurring in an area between central nuevo león and norther hidalgo. they are found inside of caves in pine-oak forests, although they are currently threatened by habitat loss and logging. their lifespan is unknown, and they feed primarily upon arthropods.
The more I work with tarantulas they less I understand the overwhelming fear and hatred most people have towards them (not talking about legitimate, involuntary phobias btw…just to be clear). Tarantulas are such oversensitive, helpless little babies.
Even the defensive species are mostly just cute and hilariously silly in their reactivity. “I’m so offended by the opening of my cage that I will now threat pose so hard that I almost fall over.” Like, we do this every week, little dude. Chill. Stop trying to fight your water dish.
I guess it’s hard to be scared of an animal you’ve seen violently flee from a prey item less than ¼th their size, or stand on tiptoes because they don’t like a new texture, or obsessively and meticulously clean every little spider-paw after a meal because it’s not polite to be dirty.
They’re like grumpy little eight-legged cats and I love them all.
Native to Southeast Asia, this species is one of the largest in the world. A close relative, Hyllus giganteus, is considered the single largest species.
I get hassled just for taking pictures, and look what she’s getting away with out there!  Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia down by The Power Lines, 10 July 2017.
ifesbob 