TONIGHT it's Round 1 of the THAT'S SO METAL Division! #2026MMM #2026mmmAll that running away from night one of the Money Mammals Division that had folks griping… well well well…
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:00:44.482Z
Because these beasts are so brutal, so metal, so magnificent you'll be rethinking your entire concept of carnage #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:02:20.049Z
Without further ado… #2026MMM #2026mmm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6eQ…
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:03:50.196Z
FIRST UP: #2-seed OSSIFRAGE (Gypaetus barbatus) vs #15-seed CICADA KILLER WASP (Sphecius speciosus) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:05:28.807Z
Ossifrage (Bearded Vulture) is derived from Latin, meaning “bone breaker.” These nutrient-cycling heroes aka scavengers soar around high mountains in Eurasia and Africa in search of fat-rich bones which they crack open by dropping them from great heights. (Margalida 2008) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:06:14.702Z
Ossifrage is a BIG BIRD. Tonight's combatant is the biggest, strongest and fittest female – 7 kg with a 280 cm wingspan. Adults are a dark gray-black with a darker tail, cream to rufous head and thick black band around the eyes #90sGlamBand #2026MMM #2026mmm animaldiversity.org/accounts/Gyp…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:07:00.958Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamOssifrage Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:07:26.910Z
Bearded Vultures are genetically adapted to eat bones! 🦴 Zou et al. (2021) show evidence of positive selection in gastric acid secretion pathway (genes like ADCY5 & SLC26A7). Allows them to maintain a stomach pH of ~1.0 to dissolve bone and kill pathogen. doi.org/10.1093/molb… #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:09:07.751Z
Cicada killer wasp is North America's largest native wasp. It's harmless to humans but not cicadas! It's a parasitoid! They deliver a paralyzing sting and carry prey to an underground lair to lay an egg IN THEM for larvae to eat (Dambach & Good 1943) #ThatsSoMetal #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:08:07.286Z
Adult wasps may reach 50 mm in length. They have a rusty colored head and thorax with bands of alternating yellow and black colors on the abdomen, six legs yellow to red in color and dark-colored wings. #2026MMM #2026mmm animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sph…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:08:31.782Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamCicadaKillerWasp Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:08:50.034Z
What is a species? A debate in biology…& in cicada killer wasps! Coelho & Mendell (2008) used mtDNA COI data to investigate relationships & found S. speciosus & S. convallis cluster closely = just 1 species? mtDNA introgression? recent speciation? http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2008… #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:07:53.948Z
Ossifrage is in the Pyrénées Mountains, homeland of the Basque people in contemporary France and Spain, enjoying the lofty thermals caused by the increasing day length and solar radiation of the returning Spring (Margalida et al 2016) #2026MMM #2026mmm whc.unesco.org/en/list/773
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:09:35.109Z
In March, ALL cicada killer wasp adults are DEAD! Tonight's combatant is a larva nestled in a chamber a foot below ground in a lawn at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in a state of suspended development (diapause) #2026MMM #2026mmm http://www.bbg.org
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:10:08.373Z
#MMMagic translocates the pale, plump, blind, 32 mm wasp larva to a limestone rock outcrop in the Pyrenees beside the carcass of a domestic sheep who lost his herd last summer and was taken by a brown bear. Wasp larva writhes weakly, overwhelmed by light and exposure. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:10:40.101Z
Unlike North American vultures, Ossifrage has a terrible sense of smell. From high in the sky she peers the sheep carcass and swoops down. WOOSH!! The airfoil of her massive wings sounds like an airplane overhead as it lands. (Thielicke & Stamhuis 2015) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:11:07.869Z
With its dagger-like bill, Ossifrage grabs the head of a femur – rich in fat and marrow – flick-pulling the bone from the pile, sending wasp larva flying to a flat spot on the rock (Margalida et al 2009) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:11:44.885Z
Satisfied with her find, Ossifrage skip-hops, spreads its wings, and takes off. Clutching the bone in her talons, she soars upward, high in the sky, to execute the Ossifrage signature strategy. Once at height, she releases the bone. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:12:31.189Z
SPLAT! CRACK!!!!!!!!!!!! #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:12:53.493Z
The bone strikes the flat rock where wasp larva lay! Ossifrage glides down and swallows the shattered bone, full of yummy marrow plus a bonus wasp larva #2026mmm #2026MMM 4vultures.org/blog/an-x-ra…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:13:33.165Z
Ossifrage SMASHES Cicada Killer Wasp!!! #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:14:08.165Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamOssifrage Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:14:37.805Z
Sann et al. (2018) used 195 genes from major lineages of apoid wasps and bee families (including our wasp’s family Bembicidae) to assess their evolutionary history. They found that this family of wasps radiated in the early Cretaceous! doi.org/10.1186/s128… #2026MMM #2026mmm #RIP
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:14:29.403Z
Up next: #5 seed Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) vs #12-seed Fringe-lipped Bat (Trachops cirrhosus) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:20:55.199Z
A large, stout lizard weighing up to 2 pounds (~ 4 stoats), the Common Chuckwalla is common to dry, rocky landscapes of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:22:05.697Z
Achoo! Chuckwallas have a special talent – they sneeze salt! Primarily herbivorous but rarely drinking water, chuckwallas have special glands in their noses that filter excess salt while preserving water (Shuttleworth et al 1987). #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:23:31.845Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamCommonChuckwalla Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:23:54.021Z
Genomic evidence shows the Common Chuckwalla is actually two distinct lineages, separated when the northern Gulf of California first flooded. This event set the stage for the evolution of the unique giant island chuckwallas we see today. doi.org/10.1093/biol… #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:23:59.687Z
Fringe-lipped bats are medium sized bats with 13-15 inch wingspans, and long, woolly fur (Cramer et al 2001). They are named for the curious but stylish fleshy projections on their lips and chin #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:25:04.144Z
Most well known for hunting frogs, fringe-lipped bats have excellent hearing – they listen both for the sound of calling male frogs AND the echoes of the water ripples produced as the result of frogs inflating their vocal sacs (Halfwerk et al 2014). #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:26:26.758Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamFringeLippedBats Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:26:46.870Z
Do Fringe-lipped bats have cryptic (hidden) species? Divergent mtDNA data (COI gene) suggest maybe. But what about the Y chromosome? Clare (2011) compared the data in 127 bats from across Central & South America, but no Y variation found (need more data?) doi.org/10.1371/jour… #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:26:51.984Z
The sun is just beginning to set in Saguaro National Park near Tucson, AZ. Our Chuckwalla has been enjoying the last of the afternoon sunshine before the shadows being to creep over his rocky perch. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:27:51.173Z
Chuckwalla has only recently emerged from brumation (the reptile version of hibernation) & is enjoying the warm, mid-80s weather. His back legs are stretched behind him in a 'sploot' – better for temperature regulation (Berry 1974), though it makes him more vulnerable to predators. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:28:52.140Z
Meanwhile, in Soberania National Park in Panama, our Fringe-lipped Bat has left on its nightly hunt for food. March is the dry season, which means fewer frogs, but Bat isn't too picky so he's listening for insects and other small vertebrates like anoles (Jones et al 2020). #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:29:20.490Z
Suddenly, our Bat is transported by #MMMMagic to the Sonoran desert skies, overlooking our basking Chuckwalla. Alert to movement of potentially airborne predators, Chuckwalla launches himself head-first into a nearby rocky crevice. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:29:47.058Z
Ears twitching, the Bat hones in on the scrape of claws over rocks, its hearing highly specialized for lower-frequency sounds made by potential prey (Bruns et al 1989). Bats swoops low over the exposed tail of the Chuckwalla. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:30:55.788Z
Inside his rock crevice, Chuckwalla begins a rhymthic gulping as he inflates his lungs to nearly 4x time their regular capacity (Deban et al 1994). His sides expand, tightly locking him in place among the rocks. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:31:33.024Z
Chuckwalla whips his tail in agitation. Circling back down, Bat extends its neck and bites down hard on the scaley tail, pulling as its tries to continuing flying forward. Chuckwalla, firmly wedged in his crevice, doesn't budge. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:31:59.239Z
But Chuckwalla's tail does! Locked tight in the Bat's jaws, the severed tail continuing to twitch and wriggle. Bat takes off in search of a nice perch from which to enjoy his meal, thus exiting the field of battle. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:33:15.637Z
Common Chuckwalla (minus a tail) DECEIVES Fringe-Lipped Bat #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:33:55.003Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamCommonChuckwalla Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:34:23.225Z
Short tandem repeat DNA data collected by Halczok et al. (2018) show Fringe-lipped bat (unlike other Neotropical bats) has mostly male-mediated gene flow & that human impacts like widening of the Panama Canal are acting as recent barriers to gene flow. doi.org/10.1002/ece3… #2026MMM #2026mmm #RIP
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:34:32.012Z
NEXT UP: #4-seed Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus – previously Lampetra tridentata) vs. #13-seed Boneworm (Osedax sp.)!!! #2026MMM
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:39:50.585Z
Like their shark, skate and hagfish relatives, Pacific lamprey have skeletons of cartilage instead of bone. Lamprey are dark gray, the size and shape of a flute with little holes running down their bodies that protect their gills #2026MMM critfc.org/fish-and-wat…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:40:15.016Z
Lamprey are NOT eels! They have life stages in freshwater and the ocean (anadromous). As adults, lamprey are parasitic. Their mouth of horrors allows them to attach to hosts to obtain nutrients (Clemens et al 2019) #2026MMM critfc.org/fish-and-wat…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:40:40.920Z
#2026MMM #BoneyardDivision #TeamPacificLamprey Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:42:03.721Z
The Pacific Lamprey is a master of dispersal, mixing genes across thousands of miles. To the naked eye, it looks like one giant, uniform population. Using genomic data, Hess et al. found 162 adaptive loci drive differences in body size & migration timing. doi.org/10.1111/mec…. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:41:54.577Z
The genus Osedax means bone devourer in Latin. Boneworms are less than 20 mm long, whitish with red appendages like streamers on the handlebars of a kid's bike. They have no mouth, guts or anus, instead rely on microbes to digest food and manage waste (Rouse et al 2011) #2026MMM
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:42:30.672Z
Female boneworms are 20,000 TIMES larger than males, which helps manage competition for their limited food resources… the bones of fish and whales that fall to the bottom of the ocean. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:43:05.672Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamBoneworm Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:43:42.929Z
Are boneworms more closely related to Vestimentifera (living at hydrothermal vents) + Sclerolinum (decaying matter) or Frenulata (muddy sediments)? Li et al. (2015) sequenced the mtDNA & found boneworms are sister (& branch basely) to Vestimentifera. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ym… #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:43:47.904Z
Tonight's lamprey combatant is in Monterey Canyon, off the coast of Monterey CA, in the twilight zone at 480 meters where it is enjoying a Chinook salmon bloodmeal. #2026mmm #2026MMM neal.fun/deep-sea/
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:44:52.431Z
Our boneworm combatant is feeding on the bones of a decaying gray whale in the Monterey Canyon, in the midnight zone at a depth of 2,900 m. (Rouse et al 2004) #2026MMM #2026mmm neal.fun/deep-sea/
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:45:24.943Z
Our boneworm combatant is feeding on the bones of a decaying gray whale in the Monterey Canyon, in the midnight zone at a depth of 2,900 m. (Rouse et al 2004) #2026MMM #2026mmm neal.fun/deep-sea/
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:45:24.943Z
The pressure at these depths is not compatible with human life. Lamprey on salmon host easily tolerates 49 atmospheres (atm) or ~720 pounds per square inch (psi). #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:46:14.639Z
Boneworm is living her best life under the crushing pressure of 290 atmospheres or 4,280 pounds per square inch #2026MMM #2026mmm oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/ocean-fact/a…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:47:05.271Z
Rumble… RUMBLE… #2026MMM http://www.mbari.org/know-your-oc…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:47:34.735Z
RUMMMMMMBLE!!!!!! An underwater avalanche surges down the canyon, traveling 7.2 meters per second! (Paull et al 2019) #2026MMM #2026mmm doi.org/10.1038/s414…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:48:09.175Z
The whale carcass is swept into a turbidity current, swooshing boneworm from the deep midnight zone up to the twilight zone where lamprey (and salmon host) are schooled with other salmon #2026MMM #2026mmm http://www.mbari.org/news/submari…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:48:38.567Z
Our lamprey-salmon duo hail from the active volcanic Cascade Range so they are well adapted to sediment bursts and power-swim with the strong turbidity current (Bisson et al 2005) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:49:04.703Z
Boneworm, along with the whale carcass and scientific equipment placed to measure such events, is swept away by the turbidity current!!!! #2026MMM http://www.mbari.org/news/mbari-e…
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:49:34.951Z
LAMPREY OUTLASTS BONEWORM!!!!!!! #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Tara Chestnut, PhD (@tcastanea.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:49:57.174Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamPacificLamprey Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:50:10.732Z
Boneworm genomes are so metal! O. frankpressi has reduced genome & adaptations for bone digestion, w loss of amino acid biosynthetic pathways abundant in bones & expansion of matrix metalloproteases used in bone digestion. doi.org/10.1038/s414… #2026MMM #2026mmm #RIP
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:50:21.548Z
Now Up: #1-seed Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis) vs. #16-seed Assassin Bug (Acanthaspis petax) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:53:27.322Z
Honey Badgers are large mustelids with a grizzled coarse grey mantle from top of the head down to their tail, with flanks and legs. The black & grey sections have thin white stripe of demarcation advertising their identity to other animals. #AposematicSignal #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:53:56.405Z
Honey Badger adults make a grating threatening sound between a growl & a hiss and have been rocking their niche for AT LEAST 10 Million Years-#OldSkoolSon (Vanderhaar & Ten Hwang 2003) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:54:25.206Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamHoneyBadger Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:54:44.882Z
Honey badger has a specific protein coding mutation that reduces the binding capacity of neurotoxins in the venom of snakes it preys upon. royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article… #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:55:21.347Z
Active ant-predator Assassin Bug's blitz attack overcame Bone Collector Caterpillar who was more prepared to prey on already weakened insects making Assassin Bug the 16th seed of the That's So Metal Division #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:56:01.106Z
The young Assassin Bug's CORPSE CAMOUFLAGE is effective against geckos, centipedes, & jumping spiders who more readily attack "naked" Assassin Bugs without their corpse cape than those wearing their morbid disguise. (Brandt & Mahsberg 2002; Jackson & Pollard 2007) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:56:43.821Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamAssassinBug Art by Mary C. Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:57:06.011Z
Research shows the CUB domain protein family, among the most abundant proteins in the Assassin bugs' venom, likely evolved from digestive enzymes ~190 million years ago. This coincides with the ancestral switch from eating plants to becoming predators! doi.org/10.1074/mcp…. #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:57:26.577Z
TONIGHT Honey Badger is hunting the Kalahari thornveld dominated by open acacia savanna & desert grasses in the borderlands of Botswana and South Africa. He tromps between the reddish sand dunes 30-75 feet high interspersed with slightly undulating open plains (Begg et al 2003) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:58:19.989Z
Here in the Kalahari, Honey Badger celebrates the Tree of Life, consuming meals from 50+ species including mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, arachnids, & plants! #OpportunisticForager (Begg et al. 2003) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:58:48.290Z
Meanwhile, in Comoe´ National Park, Ivory Coast, West Africa, Assassin Bug nymph has recently molted and is adding its own shed skin to the CARCASS CAMOUFLAGE! (Brandt & Mahsberg 2002) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T00:59:19.060Z
Back in the Kalahari,Honey Badger begins scratching at the surface of the soil… scratching for 45 seconds SPECIFICALLY when #MMMagicTranslocates Assassin Bug and his ANT CARCASS CAMOUFLAGE to the scene of battle! #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:00:02.275Z
Pausing in his digging, Honey Badger sniffs the carcass cape worn by Assassin Bug, SNIFFING is Honey Badger's primary way of detecting prey… #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:00:34.827Z
Honey Badger's nose presses down onto the CARCASS CAMOUFLAGE detecting mostly dried husks of the exoskeletons of insects and none of the delicious squishy bits unless… Honey Badger presses a little harder… #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:01:19.395Z
Like a lizard losing its tail, Assassin Bug lets loose from the tiny tethers for the carcass camouflage"enables the bug to escape while the predator was occupied with the investigation of the putative food item!" #ShufflesLooseHisImmortalCoil (Brandt & Mahsberg 2002) #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:02:06.643Z
ASSASSIN BUG IS ALMOST OFF THE FIELD OF BATTLE WHEN A BARKING RINGS IN THE NIGHT!!! #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:02:41.941Z
HONEY BADGER HAS CAUGHT A BARKING GECKO HE QUICKLY SILENCES, after all, it only takes Honey Badger 60 seconds to dig up barking gecko prey! (Begg et a. 2003)!! #2026MMM #2026mmm#SoundUp : tinyurl.com/syu67fjr
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:04:49.790Z
Honey Badger INTIMIDATES Assasin Bug!!! #2026MMM #2026mmm
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:05:28.094Z
#2026MMM #2026mmm #BoneyardDivision #TeamHoneyBadger Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social
— V Pellicer- looking for work! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:05:57.611Z
The venom gland of the assassin bug is a specialized factory. Using RNA-Seq, researchers identified 127 unique protein sequences, including "redulysins", pore-forming toxins that help melt prey tissues from the inside out. doi.org/10.1074/mcp…. #2026MMM #2026mmm #RIP
— Elinor Karlsson (@elinork.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:06:06.739Z
InspirationalIntermission #2026mmm #2026MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:07:46.895Z
InspirationalIntermission #2026mmm #2026MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T01:08:30.627Z
Christopher N Anderson 
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