#2025MMM March 13 R1: Roots & Relicts_Part 2 of 2

First Up: 1-seed Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) vs. 16-seed Mycorrhizal Fungus (Glomus aggregatum, now Rhizophagus aggregatum) #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:08:26.418Z

Ginkgo bark varies from light grey to greyish brown and two lobed, pale green leaves (bi-loba) that are often depicted in artwork. This tree routinely reaches 80-120 feet tall and can live for hundreds of years. (Lin et al. 2022) #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:08:59.148Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamGinkgo Art by Mary C Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:09:13.742Z

Zhao et al in 2019 sequenced 545 genomes of ginkgos and found 3 centers of genetic diversity in China. Ginkgos grown outside China trace their ancestry to the East population, and American and European trees carry genetic variation that is rare in wild populations. doi.org/10.1038/s414… #2025MMM

— Nicolas Alexandre (@nicmalexandre.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:09:21.273Z

Rhizophagus aggregatum, previously genus Glomus, is a pear-shaped microscopic fungus, pastel yellow to yellowish brown and typically develops a single projecting "hypha" that releases substances and absorbs nutrients. A single spore is 40-85 micrometers in diameter. #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:10:07.863Z

There are 1,000,000 micrometers/meter, so Ginkgo is the height of 38 MILLION spores of this mycorrhinizal fungus we'll call Rhizo #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:10:29.043Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamFungus Art by Mary C Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:10:48.115Z

Glomeromycotina is a lineage of early diverging fungi that establish arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis with land plants. Morin et al 2019 find that AM genomes contain a lot more species-specific genes than other fungi, which reflects their unique lifestyle #2025MMM doi.org/10.1111/nph….

— Nicolas Alexandre (@nicmalexandre.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:10:46.240Z

Glomeromycotina is a lineage of early diverging fungi that establish arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis with land plants. Morin et al 2019 find that AM genomes contain a lot more species-specific genes than other fungi, which reflects their unique lifestyle #2025MMM doi.org/10.1111/nph….

— Nicolas Alexandre (@nicmalexandre.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:10:46.240Z

Ginkgo stands in a warm temperate broadleaf forest on Mt. Jinfo in SW China, last descendent of ancestors since the Jurassic, surviving mass extinctions & escaping the glaciers of the Pleistocene (Lin et al. 2022; Chen et al. 2021) #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:11:44.189Z

Among the 5 main groups of living seed plants, there are hundreds of Cycads, conifers, & Gnetales speciesand 500,000+ species of angiosperms, only one gymnosperm remains (Crane 2018). Nearly unchanged for 200+ million years, Ginkgo is the sole survivor of gymnosperms (Chen et al 2021) #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:13:04.073Z

In the moist, deep, sandy soils – the soil substrate of root secretions and soil microorganisms (the Rhizosphere!) something already lurks in the Ginkgo's typical taproot system… #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:14:13.836Z

… already WITHIN THE CELLS of the roots of the Ginkgo… #TheCallIsComingFromInsideTheHouse #2025MMM (Lin et al. 2022; Chen & Han 1999; Sun et al 2024)

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:14:50.952Z

… already WITHIN THE CELLS of the roots of the Ginkgo… #TheCallIsComingFromInsideTheHouse #2025MMM (Lin et al. 2022; Chen & Han 1999; Sun et al 2024)

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:14:50.952Z

… It's RHIZO!the SYMBIOTIC arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi Rhizophagus aggregatum!Mycorrhiza "benefit host plants by enhancing water and nutrient uptake and by increasing host resistance to pathogens and other stressors" while gaining carbon from the host plant!(Fernández et al 2022) #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:15:30.143Z

Basking in sunshine.Ginkgo photosynthesizessharing carbon with its littlest fungi friend Rhizo. #TeamworkMakesTheDreamWork #2025MMM kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10….

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:16:45.365Z

Gingko & Rhizzo TOGETHER ADVANCE TO ROUND 2! #WhoompThereItIs #TagTeam, back again Check it to wreck it, let's beginParty on, party people, let me hear some noiseThis tree's in the house, jump, jump, rejoice!#2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:17:37.755Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamGinkgo Art by Mary C Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:17:53.695Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamGinkgo Art by Mary C Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:17:53.695Z

The genomes of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi reveal they have lost some metabolic pathways relative to free-living fungi. Kobayashi et al 2018 find that thiamine, vitamin B6, and some glucose-producing polysaccharide hydrolases biosynthesis is absent in AM #2025MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1186/s128…

— Nicolas Alexandre (@nicmalexandre.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:18:07.412Z

Next Up: 8-seed Asian Forest Tortoise (Manouria emys) vs. 9-seed Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:21:47.599Z

I am merely the messenger tonight. This battle was written by @mammalssuck.bsky.social. #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:22:32.964Z

The Asian Forest Tortoise, also called the Brown Tortoise, is the largest tortoise inhabiting Asia. With shell shades of brown to black that vary slightly among individuals & more between geographic regions, the Tortoise can live to 150 years. (Virupannavar 2004) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:23:10.991Z

The genus Manouria are "the most ‘basal’ extant tortoises, with a strong association to aquatic environments." (Natchev et al. 2015) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:23:52.621Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamTortoise Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:24:10.026Z

Plastron shape and color suggest three lineages of Forest Tortoise, but Kundu et al 2018 found that mitochondrial lineages are shallow, that is, there is no evidence of deep lineages within the species despite the morphological differences #2025MMM doi.org/10.1080/2380…

— Lucas R Moreira (@lucasrocm.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:24:14.681Z

A small brown aquatic mammal, "The platypus gives the appearance of several animals combined into one" with a bill like a duck, a body like a groundhog, webbed feet like an otter, and the tail of a beaver. (Pasitschniak-Arts & Marinelli 1998) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:25:02.501Z

Duckbill platypus are one of the few monotremes- these are an ancient lineage of mammals that still lay eggs like the ancestors of marsupials and placental (Eutherian) mammals. Monotremes get their name 'ONE HOLE' bc they lay eggs, pee, & poop all through the same plumbing. #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:25:46.258Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamPlatypus Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social #mammals #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:26:15.307Z

Zhou et al 2021 sequenced the complete genome of the Platypus and Echidna and find a surprise. Monotremes have 5 pairs of sex chromosomes which have a different origin from the other mammal sex chromosomes, instead being closely related to bird autosomes doi.org/10.1038/s415… #2025MMM

— Lucas R Moreira (@lucasrocm.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:26:37.732Z

TODAY the long monsoon season is winding down in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Malaysian Borneo. Forest Tortoise forages close to a nearby stream (Natchev et al. 2015) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:27:28.801Z

MEANWHILE, in a stream flowing into Lake St. Clair, Tasmania, a male Platypus is hunting freshwater shrimp & other invertebrates with his eyes, ears, and nostrils closed… he hunts by detecting the electrical signals & movements of prey! (aka electroreception & mechanoreception) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:28:20.854Z

In March, Platypus has little use for his spurs. His crural gland that makes venom is currently shrunken, but will enlarge for mating season and male-male combat in August & September (Grant & Temple-Smith 1998) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:29:12.325Z

BACK IN BORNEO, the forest canopy is dense with little sunlight reaching the forest floor. Forest Tortoise stands up on her back legs, nearly vertical, to reach the lowest leaves of a flowering plant in the elephant ear genus Alocasia (Høybye-Mortensen 2004) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:29:47.716Z

Forest Tortoise stretches her face forward to grasp the last leaves with her jaw, her bite much like an aquatic turtle, instead of using her tongue to help grasp her food item as more terrestrially-adapted tortoises do. (Natchev et al. 2015) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:30:27.139Z

#MMMagic translocates Platypus to the thick shrubbery beside Forest Tortoise, but on the side furthest from the stream. Still, the water seems less daunting than this new forest! #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:30:52.846Z

Forest Tortoise is not interested in eating any of the stems or branches and begins to drop her massive 50lb body back down to all four legs… #ImYellingTimber (Høybye-Mortensen 2004) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:31:34.883Z

Forest Tortoise is not interested in eating any of the stems or branches and begins to drop her massive 50lb body back down to all four legs… #ImYellingTimber (Høybye-Mortensen 2004) #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:31:34.883Z

3lb Platypus rushes directly underneath as Forest Tortoise shifts position, preparing to trot on squat legs to the stream… #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:32:28.313Z

3lb Platypus rushes directly underneath as Forest Tortoise shifts position, preparing to trot on squat legs to the stream… #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:32:28.313Z

<SPLASH> <WHOMPF> Platypus dives into the stream just before Tortoise's crushing body hits the debris on the forest floor. #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:33:15.489Z

TORTOISE OUTLASTS PLATYPUS!! #2025MMM

— Lara Durgavich (@ldurgavich.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:33:45.299Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamTortoise Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #herps #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:33:58.543Z

Martin et al 2018 whole genome data found four distinct and well-structured populations of Platypus. They find population trajectories at their lowest numbers at the most recent time. This is consistent with a decline in platypus numbers across Australia #2025MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1093/molb…

— Lucas R Moreira (@lucasrocm.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:35:10.157Z

AND NOW INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST #2025MMM NARRATOR!!!! @docrowschaef.bsky.social

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:37:35.753Z

Next Up: 6-seed Starry Sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) vs. 11-seed Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:38:05.257Z

Clocking in at a whopping 180 lbs (364 stoats) and 7.2 feet (6.5 stoats) long, the Starry Sturgeon is a real aquatic heavyweight. Maxing out at 29 years old, these fish are also older and wiser, making for a powerful combatant (Bakhshalizadeh et al., 2012). #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:39:42.929Z

Clocking in at a whopping 180 lbs (364 stoats) and 7.2 feet (6.5 stoats) long, the Starry Sturgeon is a real aquatic heavyweight. Maxing out at 29 years old, these fish are also older and wiser, making for a powerful combatant (Bakhshalizadeh et al., 2012). #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:39:42.929Z

Sturgeons as a group are known for their elongated snoots (formally "rostra"). They contain electroreceptors, which allow them to sense electric fields in the water! Like their cousins the paddlefish, sturgeon use these electroreceptors to tell when dinner is nearby! (Zhang et al. 2012) #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:40:20.080Z

Sturgeons as a group are known for their elongated snoots (formally "rostra"). They contain electroreceptors, which allow them to sense electric fields in the water! Like their cousins the paddlefish, sturgeon use these electroreceptors to tell when dinner is nearby! (Zhang et al. 2012) #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:40:20.080Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamSturgeon Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:40:35.255Z

Sturgeons have undergone multiple whole-genome duplications, making some species octoploid (8x their original genome)! A. stellatus is a “low-ploidy” sturgeon, but its DNA still carries echoes of ancient duplications. #2025MMM doi.org/10.1038/s415…

— Nicolas Alexandre (@nicmalexandre.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:40:34.877Z

Don't be deceived! Even though Tuatara look like lizards, they are in fact the only living member of the order Rhynchocephalia, which means "beak head"! The name Tuatara comes from a Māori word meaning "peaks or spikes on the back." This reptile tips the scales at 2.2 lbs (4.5 stoats) #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:41:32.884Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamTuatara Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social #herps #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:41:49.063Z

Gemmel et al sequence the Tuatara genome in 2020 and found the lineage diverged from snakes and lizards 250 Mya. The tuatara genome is 2.4× larger than the anole genome but 64% of it is repetitive sequences and has the highestpercentage of methylation for an amniote #2025MMM doi.org/10.1038/s415…

— Nicolas Alexandre (@nicmalexandre.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:42:10.304Z

Tonight's battle takes place in Eastern Europe. In winter Starry Sturgeon lurked along the bed of the Black Sea, chowing down on fish, worms, & crustaceans detected with her whisker-like sensory organ (barbels). Without teeth, she suctions prey into her large, bottom-facing mouth. #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:42:38.858Z

But tonight, Starry Sturgeon is abandoning the Black Sea, laden with eggs, she swims against the current of the Danube River delta, heading upriver for the spring spawning! (Ceapa et al. 2002). #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:43:09.037Z

But tonight, Starry Sturgeon is abandoning the Black Sea, laden with eggs, she swims against the current of the Danube River delta, heading upriver for the spring spawning! (Ceapa et al. 2002). #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:43:09.037Z

Meanwhile, on Stephens Island in New Zealand, the morning dawn ends Tuatara's nocturnal hunting. After a summer of hunting seabird eggs & nestlings, in the austral autumn Tuatara's meals are primarily bugs & other invertebrates (Fraser, 1993). #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:43:30.381Z

All of a sudden #MMMagic translocates Tuatara to the chilly waters of the Danube River… but Tuatara is cold tolerant & can swim in waters down to 41F! (Thompson & Daugherty 1998) #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:44:00.653Z

The Starry Sturgeon swims closer… closer… closer… to the Tuatara… #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:44:23.439Z

Starry Sturgeon swims right up to Tuatara… #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:44:49.706Z

and then submerges to the riverbed… Starry Sturgeon don't feed during their spring migration! (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 2021) #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:45:11.161Z

OH NO… a drift bottom gillnet has captured the CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Starry Sturgeon as illegal poachers seek a criminal payday for her eggs… aka CAVIAR!!! #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:45:41.001Z

Recently, tests have been developed to tell apart the eggs of different sturgeon species to assist in stopping the illegal trade of endangered sturgeon caviar (Boscari et al. 2013), but that deterrent isn't enough to stop these opportunistic poachers. #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:46:20.720Z

TUATARA OUTLASTS STURGEON!! #2025MMM

— Erin Rowland-Schaefer (@docrowschaef.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:46:35.389Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamTuatara Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social #herps #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:46:46.650Z

The starry sturgeon (A. stellatus) carries extra Hox genes, genes that control body plans, but not all are active! After genome duplications, some genes turned off, while others evolved new functions. #2025MMM #RIP

— Nicolas Alexandre (@nicmalexandre.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:47:07.318Z

LAST UP: #7 Seed GREAT WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus onocrotalus) vs. #10 seed ATLANTIC HORSESHOE CRAB (Limulus polyphemus) #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:49:04.890Z

In this corner <waves toward Africa & south Asia> we have a 33 lb (15kg) male PELICAN who is buffy white with black flight feathers & a long yellow bill that has a flappy gular pouch on the lower bill (Elliot etal 2020) #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:49:57.907Z

Pelicans have massive beaks and fishing techniques that arose over 30 million years ago & were identical to living pelicans in the early Oligocene (Louchart et al. 2011). #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:50:29.311Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamPelican Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #birds #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:50:51.300Z

Fossils show pelicans have existed since at least the early Oligocene; the oldest Pelecanus fossil is ~30 Mya, supporting deep genetic divergences among modern species. Despite spanning Africa, Europe & Asia, their DNA shows little population structure. #2025MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.ym…

— Lucas R Moreira (@lucasrocm.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:51:03.627Z

Fossils show pelicans have existed since at least the early Oligocene; the oldest Pelecanus fossil is ~30 Mya, supporting deep genetic divergences among modern species. Despite spanning Africa, Europe & Asia, their DNA shows little population structure. #2025MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.ym…

— Lucas R Moreira (@lucasrocm.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:51:03.627Z

In this corner <waves toward the North American Atlantic Coast> we have HORSESHOE CRAB #NotReallyACrab, the 11 lb (4.8kg) female is olive in color with a smooth upper shell & undersides that are nightmare fuel #2025MMM http://www.fws.gov/species/atla&#8230;

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:51:43.492Z

Horseshoe crabs "are the closest living relatives of the trilobites, have persisted for 200 million years" and their very similar ancestors are found in the fossil record back to half a billion years ago (Walls et al. 2002). #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:52:20.467Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamHorseshoeCrab Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:52:37.897Z

Horseshoe crabs had 3 whole-genome duplications ~135 Mya, but their ties to arachnids remain unclear. Genomes of C. rotundicauda & T. tridentatus show syntenic Hox links to spiders & scorpions, fueling debate on whether they’re marine arachnids or an old sister taxa #2025MMM doi.org/10.1038/s420…

— Lucas R Moreira (@lucasrocm.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:53:30.414Z

Tonight's battle location is in Sundarbans National Park in NE India, the world's largest area of mangrove forests, where PELICAN is gathered in a breeding colony. He is signaling to females with a "a-ooogh" advertising display (Elliot etal 2020) #2025MMM whc.unesco.org/en/list/452

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:53:56.981Z

MEANWHILE on the Georgia coast, HORSESHOE CRAB preps for the breeding season in May. She gorges on small invertebrates that crawls & burrow on the seabed, sucking tasty morsels into her mouth which is situated in the middle of her legs when… (Smith et al 2019) #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:54:32.620Z

#MMMagic translocates HORSESHOE CRAB to shallowest muddy waters in the inter-tidal zone of PELICAN'S colony. Horseshoe Crab arrives UPSIDE DOWN, her armor in mud & her vulnerable undersides skyward! #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:55:01.718Z

Nearby shorebirds surround HORSESHOE CRAB, their beaks dart to claim eggs that may be on her undercarriage as Horseshoe Crab slap-flips her lance-like tail (telson) to try turn herself over… (Smith et al 2019) #2025MMM.

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:55:39.756Z

The shorebird melee attracts PELICAN'S attention. Rather awkwardly Pelican flaps his wings & kicks his short legs with large webbed feet to take off from the water surface & investigate an opportunity for a scavenged meal (Megaze & Melesse 2013) #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:56:09.120Z

HORSESHOE CRAB successfully flips herself over with her telson & scrambles into deeper waters, sending scores of fish, ~0.5lbs, scattering in silvery flashes. #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:56:40.464Z

PELICAN, large wings gliding low over the water, spots the darting silver fish exactly his preferred size & dives to scoop fish & water into his expandable, bucket-like throat pouch… (Megaze & Melesse 2013) #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:57:11.952Z

PELICAN'S lowers his massive beak… scooping up water, fish… as HORSESHOE CRAB accidentally scuttles into his throat #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:57:43.742Z

INSTANTLY TURN THRASHING, HORSESHOE CRAB'S SHARP, LANCE-LIKE TELSON IMPALES PELICAN'S POUCH!!! #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:58:16.235Z

PELICAN heaves out water and fish from his pouch, violently dislodging HORSESHOE CRAB from his throat!! #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:58:56.754Z

HORSESHOE CRAB lands in the water, drifting down… BUT HER TELSON WAS RIPPED FROM HER BODY AND IS STILL IMPALED IN PELICAN'S FLESH!!! (Dannemiller et al. 2024). #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:59:25.782Z

IMPALED & AWKWARD, PELICAN LAUNCHES AWAY, departing the field of battle, leaving the injured HORSESHOE CRAB in the coastal shallows #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:59:57.892Z

HORSESHOE CRAB DEFEATS PELICAN!!!!! #2025MMM

— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T02:00:27.400Z

#2025MMM #DivisionRootsandRelicts #TeamHorseshoeCrab Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #sciart

— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T02:00:44.629Z

Great White Pelicans have high effective population sizes and gene flow, buffering against genetic erosion. Their high heterozygosity suggests that, at least in Africa, they retain robust genetic variation crucial for adaptability. #2025MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1093/jher…

— Lucas R Moreira (@lucasrocm.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T02:00:53.937Z

THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS!!!!TortoiseRinged SealCoelacanthTuataraFrilled SharkHorseshoe CrabGar GINKGO & RHIZO…ADVANCE!!! #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T02:03:41.400Z

And if you want to know how to score the Ginkgo & Rhizo battle-Scoring by hand: either picg gets the point, if someone called the MERGE of the Tag Team, make them a personalized certificate at the Educator Portal.Online bracket scorers Folks have been prepped for this- ROLL WITH WHAT UNFOLDS…

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T02:06:26.151Z

And until Monday- GOOD NIGHT & GOOD LUCK #2025MMM

— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T02:07:06.572Z

#2025 ROOTS AND RELICTS RND 1 EMOJI BATTLE RESULTS!🐟🆚🟤:🟤🥶😵/🐟🍽️🟤/🏆🐟🐊🆚🦠:🐊🐍💦/🌬️💦🦠/🏆🐊🦈🆚🪴:🦈👄🪴/🦈🙂‍↔️🪴/🏆🦈🦭🆚🐉:🦭🤮🐉/🐉🕳️🌊/🏆🦭🌳🆚🍄‍🟫:🌳🍄‍🟫/🌳🤝🍄‍🟫/🏆🌳🍄‍🟫🐢🆚🦆:🐢🧍🏽‍♀️🌱/🦆🏊🏽‍♀️👋🏽/🏆🐢✨🆚🦖:🪄🦖🏞️/✨🥅🆙/🏆🦖🪣🆚🦀:🦀🗡️🪣/🗡️➡️🪣/🏆🦀

— Jess Popescu (@jesspopescu.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T02:02:56.793Z

#2025MMM Roots and Relicts Round 1 BATTLE WINNERS: Coelacanth, Gar, Frilled Shark, Ringed Seal, Ginkgo, Asian Forest Tortoise, Tuatara, Horseshoe CrabJoin us on MONDAY, March 17th at 8PM EST for Round 1 of Same & Different!

— March Mammal Madness (@mmmletsgo.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T02:08:44.193Z