Lace Crab

I may be loathed by AP science reporters but I’m a favorite with the Times. Or, rather, this photo of my Marrella splendens tattoo has been marked as a flickr favorite by Times science reporter Carl Zimmer. I’m honored!

I sent him the photo as an entry for his collection of science tattoos, you can read his post about the project at his blog, the Loom. Or, check out his Flickr gallery of science tats.

Funny things, fossil inkjobs. Tattoos have an aura of permanence, but compared to its subject mine is positively ephemeral. But now, it has achieved cyber-immortality. Well at least until the next mass extinction.

Here’s a creative commons photo of the real deal from wikipedia for comparison, a google image search will turn up many more as well as the Marianne Collins drawing that inspired my badge o’ stem arthropod honor.