It’s Not Easy Being a Urodele…

Sure, it may be the Year of the Frog, but what is this dude, chopped limb? No. He’s a Southern Two-Lined Salamander, Eurceya cirrigera, that I found beneath the leaf litter in the woods behind Jessica’s old (okay, not that old) Kentucky Home. He showed up on New Years Eve as if to remind us that if 2008 is a year to celebrate hopping croakers, 2007 was a great year for writhing squirmers:

All 3 Taricha torosa pics = J. Lo.

That last nerdy pic seems an appropriate segue to a Schrutian diatribe:

THESIS: The various magical powers attributed to salamanders by classical and medieval authorities [Paracelsus, I'm looking at you] can barely hold a candle to the actual feats of urodeles and their skin-snacking cousins the caecilians.

FACT: Urodeles can regrow entire limbs (snap!)

FACT: Dudeski once ate a Taricha newt (in my hand above) on a dare and DIED.

FACT: All salamanders respire across their skin and some (like the Eurycea in the first picture) have lost their lungs entirely.

FACT: Woah.

NOT-FACT: Salamanders spring-forth fully formed from stones cast into a fire.

I’d like to thank the academy…

Eff the academy.  No, really the academy is fine, great people with fine taste.  But not a one of them can hold a candle to any members of this year’s Open Lab conclave who have just announced their selections for “The Open Lab 2007.”

As you’ve surely guessed by the sycophancy, a microecos post, In the Eyes of the Aye-Ayes, has been selected to appear in the science blogging anthology.  For once, I’m speechless. 

Cheers!