Jessica Light Profile picture
Mar 27, 2018 17 tweets 8 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
First up in Kat's Away division, Orinoco Crocodile (#1 seed) vs Goliath Tarantula (#9 seed) #2018MMM
This battle was written by the fabulous @c_n_anderson, & it's a doozy. Buckle up folks #2018MMM
The critically endangered Orinoco crocodile defeated the praying mantis in R1 and faces another arthropod tonight. arkive.org/orinoco-crocod… #2018MMM
Traditionally, most crocodilians have been thought of as a polygynous species (males mating multiply, females with a single reproductive partner) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygyny_… #2018MMM
But with DNA-based approaches, researchers have discovered that the mating system may be best characterized polygynandry (multiple mating by both males and females) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygynan… & journals.plos.org/plosone/articl… #2018MMM
Up against South America's largest crocodile tonight is South America's (and the world's ) largest spider #2018MMM
The goliath tarantula defeated a pit viper to get here, and faces a (much larger) reptile arkive.org/goliath-bird-e… #2018MMM
Tonight's battle begins on the banks of the Cojedes River in Venezuela. The Orinoco Croc lies in wait arkive.org/orinoco-crocod… #2018MMM
The Goliath Tarantula is probing the banks for a site to dig a burrow - but it does not realize that it is probing nesting habitat for the Orinoco Crocodile #2018MMM
The croc rises from the shallows, snapping its giant mouth and startling the spider arkive.org/orinoco-crocod… #2018MMM
Goliath Tarantula raises into defensive posture to show its fangs, & then flicks off some abdominal bristles at the croc. Urticating "hairs" is a defense mechanism used by all new world tarantulas en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urticatin… #2018MMM
Tarantula "hair" isn't made of keratin (like ours) instead it is chitin-based. Fun fact, while it was thought that hair was only found in mammals, there is evidence for hair keratin genes in the genomes of birds and reptiles news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/11/0… #2018MMM
There is probably only one spot on a crocodile that a tarantula bristle would do ANY good in a MMM battle. The eyes! And that is exactly were our urticated hair is headed! #2018MMM
The Orinoco Croc closes it's third eyelid and the bristle bounces off harmlessly. That's right, @c_n_anderson said third eyelid. Crocodiles (like birds and fish) have a nicitating membrane. Here's a youtube video of a crocodile blinking one #2018MMM
Human's have a vestigial nictitating membrane at the corner of their eyes called the Plica semilunaris en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plica_sem… #2018MMM
After the blink the crocodile lunges at the Goliath tarantula and CHOMPS! #2018MMM
ORINCO CROCODILE CHOMPS GOLIATH TARANTULA! #2018MMM

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More from @je_light

Apr 3, 2018
UP FIRST TONIGHT: everyone's favorite river horse, the 1-seeded PYGMY HIPPO Hexaprotodon (formally Choeropsis) liberiensis, vs. the scrappy 4-seeded brush wolf, COYOTE Canis latrans! #2018MMM
Many minds came together to bring you tonight's first battle, so a quick hat-tip to @AnneWHilborn, @PKurnath, @TCastanea, & @tinkeringprim8. Seriously, the #teamwork has been amazing #Monstars #2018MMM
To reach the #FinalRoar, Hippo crushed star-nosed mole, intimidated both maned rat & Tasmanian devil, & STOMPED the cheetah out of competition #hangryhippo #2018MMM
Read 36 tweets
Mar 29, 2018
UP NEXT: #3 seed Berlin Boar (Sus scrofa) vs #7 seed Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) #2018MMM
The top-ranked competitor still has homefield advantage, so this Urban Jungle battle takes place in Berlin, Germany. Berlin Board & Porcupine don't have a lot in common; they last shared a common ancestor ~96 mya (timetree.org) #2018MMM
Did you know what "Porcupine" is Latin for "Quill Pig"? Follow #ActualLivingScientist @porcupinedoc for some more amazing porcupine facts #2018MMM
Read 18 tweets
Mar 23, 2018
NEXT UP: #3 Crabeater Seal Vs. #6 Jaguarundi!!! #2018MMM
This battle was written by @Drew_Lab. Josh is in the UK right now & he was at Darwin's House today. How cool was that? #2018MMM
The Crabeater Seal skated into R2 after lightly munching on the surprisingly aptly named Edible Dormouse, while the Jaguarundi defeated the Desman #2018MMM
Read 21 tweets
Mar 22, 2018
NEXT UP: 8th seeded Bothrops asper (Terciopelo or Lancehead) vs. 9th seeded Theraphosa blondi (Goliath Tarantula or Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula) #2018MMM
AKA, THE GREAT VENOM BATTLE OF 2018!! We've seen a lot of venom tonight. Who's ready for more?? #2018MMM
First, a brief review of venomous vs poisonous. Both competitors in this match-up are venomous #2018MMM
Read 21 tweets
Mar 20, 2018
NEXT UP: 7th seeded Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) vs 10th seeded Delhi Rhesus (aka, Rhesus Monkey or Rhesus Macaque; Macaca mulatta) #2018MMM
Erethizon dorsatum are the 2nd largest rodents in North America (1st place goes to beavers), weighing anywhere between 5-14 kg (23-64 stoats #stoatsasmeasurement) #2018MMM
When we think porcupines, we think quills, right? Quills & spines have evolved multiple, independent times across the mammal tree of life as a defense strategy & are excellent examples of convergent #evolution (see the hedgehog battle) (animaldiversity.org/collections/sp…) #2018MMM
Read 22 tweets
Mar 15, 2018
NEXT UP: 6th seed Jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) vs 11th seed Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) #2018MMM
Wait, a who and a what? You know...jaguarundi...a New World cat that looks sort of like like a big weasel #2018MMM
Jaguarundi great adaptations include: long & slender body w/short legs, variable coat color, diurnal activity, habitat generalist, &, as a member of the Carnivora, #carnassials #2018MMM
Read 17 tweets

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