I’m just gonna drop this off here.

And then figure out a way to tattoo a moving image into my back.

(Source: bigblackbootslongbrownhair, via breanieswordvomit)

LEPTOTYPHLOPIDAE

The thread snakes! I caught one of these once in Florida. They are quite small. Curled up, the one that I had could have fit on a silver dollar. It looks like you guys are gonna have to follow links mostly because of copyright stuff and I don’t want to get nailed for posting it on my blog even if it’s non-profit.

The photos that I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to post on here are copyright to Gary Nafis, and include the first (L. humilis) and second (same species) photos.

First linked photos come from the Kley lab, and show their feeding habits. Most of them subsist on ant or termite larvae and have evolved a specialized jaw kinesis to help them swallow their prey. One of my professors said that they sometimes use chemical signals to fool ants into carrying the snake with them when they move the colony, and also to prevent ants from attacking as they feed. I have yet to hear that from a second source.

The skull structure and feeding is illustrated first in the diagram of the skull of leptotyphlops dulcis. This image is a composite from multiple primary articles (This website made the composite I think, and here is one of the primary sources). It also has a diagram of the pelvic girdle remnants. 

Here’s a link to a diagram of the lower jaw that’s been animated ( here again, at the bottom - although it looks to be an animation from one of Kley’s papers?). I believe it’s a view of the lower jaw from below so you can see all the articulation points and the raking movement they use to feed. PRETTY COOL HUH.

How about some blindsnake/leptotyphlopidae/typhlopidae appreciation posts?

Yep. I love these guys. You should see the skulls. The kinesis is really, REALLY interesting. It’s totally different from other snakes and quite derived in some cases. I’ll try to put up some photos of the skulls as well. 

Anyway, here’s to tiny, fossorial snakes with lots of possibly ancestral characters. Leptotyphlopids and Typhlopids actually have vestigial pelvic girdles. Pretty cool little animals. 

I’ll put up a photo post of each. Might include Anomalepids if I don’t get tired.

Haha

You know what I did today? I tried to wear some new shoes.

You know what shoes I ended up wearing for most of the day? None. It was glorious. I have never felt freer despite the backs of my ankles bleeding profusely (my skin doesn’t really deal with its problems well, it either welts or bleeds, and I never get any cool war wounds or anything. Just bitterness in my heart and pain and itchiness for the rest of me).

At the same time, though, I felt like I’d failed some kind of girl test. People kept side-eyeing me all disapproving-like. Still.

(Source: fckyeahbachelorettefrog)

irrationalfireworks:

I thought of the perfect party idea for my 20th birthday: 1920’s dance party! :) Everyone will dress up in period costumes (think: flapper dresses). Additionally, we’ll hire a dj and dance instructor to teach us popular dances of the era (think: the Charleston).

I’m so happy I thought of this! :) I couldn’t be more excited!

That’s a great idea! I love history-themed parties.

Of course I can’t be there, but. :c

It’s probably for the best - 20’s style dresses don’t work well for my body type. STILL, I SUPPORT YOU. 

stardustevangelist:

Thousands of Munk’s devil rays crowd the Sea of Cortez off Mexico’s Baja California Sur state (map) in 2009. The aerial image won top honors and the “Underwater World” category in the 2010 Environmental Photographer of the Year awards.

German photographer Florian Schulz said the scope of the ray congregations was unknown until he and a pilot happened upon the gathering while searching for migrating whales.

(via ichthyologist)

theidolofheart:

Guys I’m scared.

My dad came home and told me my step sister has been missing for hours.

Lately my stepsister was just going to let herself fail homeschool, she didn’t care. This girl last year also had a serious cutting problem and tried to kill herself twice. She had to go to a center for a while. But she was starting to become disattached from a lot of things I noticed. I guess today she bitched out my stepmom and told her to leave and everything, and my stepmom had a doctor’s appt anyway [she’s pretty sick]. So then Tori my stepsis was alone in her house. She put her dog in the bathroom, dug through her bag for sometihng and took only her phone and a razor blade. She sent some goodbye emails, but didn’t respond to anyone. She turned her phone off so it can’t be tracked. Police are searching and so are helicopters. It’s on the news and we’re just.. hoping it’ll be okay.

Just.. if you guys can pray, send best wishes do whatever.

Please, I just want her to be found.

———————————————————————

IF ANYONE LIVES IN THE COLUMBUS OHIO AREA PLEASE HELP

MY STEPSISTER, TORI GILLIS, HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE AROUND 2:30 PM THIS AFTERNOON. SHE IS TRAVELING ON FOOT, WITH NOTHING BUT A CELL PHONE AND A RAZOR BLADE WITH HER. IT IS BELIEVED THAT SHE HAS INTENTIONS OF HARMING HERSELF. LAST REPORTED SIGHTING OF HER WAS AROUND 3PM NEAR MEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL IN HILLIARD OHIO.

IF YOU SEE THIS GIRL, PLEASE CALL THE POLICE RIGHT AWAY.

ANYONE, IF YOU CAN SIGNAL BOOST, PLEASE DO.

PLEASE HELP ME FIND MY SISTER

(via nychtovesi)

gokillthehipster asked: you+me= finding that place with all the beautiful aquatic plants. ajdfhlaskjdf ;__; I would buy everything and fasjdkfalhsdkf

EXACTLY

BUY EVERY SINGLE ONE

PLANT AN ENTIRE POND

LIFE GOALS ACHIEVED, DIE PEACEFULLY