Sea Squirts, SLOSS, and Sex
Sea Squirts, SLOSS, and Sex avatar

By , on October 8th, 2010 2 comments   Adaptations, Mating & Reproduction, New Research   , , , , , , , , , , , ,  

Long time readers will know how perverse and socially inappropriate the unseemly sea squirt is. But there is an interesting property of sea squirt pornography and local oceanography that may have consequences in the debates surrounding marine reserve design. Castillo and colleagues examined the spawning behavior of intertidal tunicates (Pyura praeputialis, an invasive) from the . . . → Read More: Sea Squirts, SLOSS, and Sex

Sea Squirts, SLOSS, and Sex avatar

Female Urochordates Have Few, If Any, Inhibitions
Female Urochordates Have Few, If Any, Inhibitions avatar

By , on July 2nd, 2010 2 comments   Adaptations, Mating & Reproduction, Music, New Research   , , , , , , , , ,  

Photo of Botryllus schlosseri from the Swalla Lab website Yep, that’s right. They get it on with any male gamete that passes their way. They just don’t give a [rhymes with duck]. Boom chaka-laka-boom. These loose lizzies are all about increasing genetic diversity if you know what I mean. OH, I know you know . . . → Read More: Female Urochordates Have Few, If Any, Inhibitions

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Deep Sea Creatures Are Super Freaks
Deep Sea Creatures Are Super Freaks avatar

By , on February 9th, 2009 One comment   Expeditions, New Research, New Species, Organisms, Scientist!   , , , , ,  

AP-A carnivorous sea squirt ready to eat your child A scientific examination of the Tasman Fracture Zone by a group of scientists (including some from CSIRO and the California Institute of Technology) uncovered 274 of the freakiest deep-sea animals ever known. Of course all deep-sea animals have a little bit of freak in them. Actually . . . → Read More: Deep Sea Creatures Are Super Freaks

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