And we have a super #tautonym: 𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠, the nominate subspecies. It occupies much of western and central Europe and is noted for its relatively large size and dense fur, traits that help it thrive in cooler, temperate climates.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Chris P.

𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠 is famous for its complex burrows, or setts, which can be occupied by generations of #badgers over decades. Mostly nocturnal, it feeds on earthworms, insects, fruits, and small vertebrates, adjusting its diet seasonally.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Carolyn Legg

a badger is standing in a field with robert e. fuller wildlife films written on the bottom ALT: a badger is standing in a field with robert e. fuller wildlife films written on the bottom

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠, the European #badger. This powerful mustelid ranges across much of Europe and W Asia, With a bold black‑and‑white facial stripes and stocky build, it's a strong digger and adaptable omnivore living in woodlands and farmlands.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics

Men det er jo ikke før i morra det er #TautonymTuesday!

This species ranges from the Caribbean through N Brazil, favoring bays, river mouths, and muddy or sandy bottoms. As a benthic feeder on small crustaceans and worms, it plays a key role in energy transfer between invertebrate communities and larger predatory fishes.
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics

𝑆. 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟 reaches about 12–18 cm, with a slender, silvery body and a noticeable mental barbel under the chin. Like other croakers, it produces sound using specialized sonic muscles and the swim bladder to communicate in turbid estuarine waters.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics

#TautonymTuesday is back! Meet 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟, the little croaker, a small sciaenid fish found along the Atlantic coasts of S America. It inhabits shallow coastal waters and estuaries, where it schools in soft‑bottom habitats rich in invertebrate prey.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics

Once named 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎, 𝐶. 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 is Critically Endangered after severe overhunting & habitat loss. Small wild colonies survive in remote Andean rocky slopes, where they remain important herbivores in fragile alpine ecosystems.
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Animalia.bio

𝐶. 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 is stockier with a shorter tail & thicker neck compared to its long-tailed cousin. These social #rodents live in colonies & communicate with a range of chirps & barks. Their ultra-dense fur requires special dust baths to stay clean.
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: masaigallery

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎, the short-tailed #chinchilla. Native to the high #Andes , this species is built for cold mountains—with the densest of any land mammal, compact bodies, and strong hind legs for navigating rocky slopes.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Britannica

This viper's #venom is highly potent, selected to immobilize prey quickly in harsh environments where energy #conservation is critical. Despite its fearsome reputation, bites to humans are rare due to its secretive lifestyle.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Philip Kahn

𝐶𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠 is perfectly adapted to #desert life. It uses sidewinding locomotion to move efficiently across scorching sand, reducing heat exposure. Its cryptic coloration allows it to ambush prey like #rodents and #lizards.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Intesar Salih

It’s #TautonymTuesday! 𝐶𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠, the Saharan horned #viper, thrives in N African deserts, where its horn-like scales help break up its outline against the sand. It can bury itself, exposing only its eyes—perfect for ambushing prey.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Holger Krisp

And 𝐺𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠 has a 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘𝐌!
𝐺𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠 is the nominate subspecies, found from the Madeira and Canary Islands across southern Europe to western Turkey. It can live over 9 years in the wild, an unusually long lifespan for a small #rodent!
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Youbadou

𝐺𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠 is a chunky #dormouse with gray fur, large eyes, and a bushy tail. It’s an agile climber, feeding on nuts, fruits, and occasionally #insects. True to its name, it was once considered a delicacy in ancient #Rome, hence “edible dormouse”!
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Pasztilla

After a week away, we’re back with #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐺𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠, the edible #dormouse. Native to Europe & W Asia, this nocturnal #rodent is famous for its long hibernation—up to 7 months! It’s also the largest dormouse species, reaching up to 30 cm long.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Azay

Did you know 𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 is a 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘𝐌?
The nominate subspecies ranges from Madeira and the Canary Islands across southern Europe to western Turkey.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: MPF

𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 is a streaked brown #sparrow with a distinctive yellow throat patch, most visible in adults. These social granivores forage on seeds and insects, nesting in crevices and rocky slopes—perfectly adapted to rugged habitats.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎, the rock #sparrow. This hardy passerine is native to southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia, often found in rocky hillsides and open scrub. Sparrow in a rock >> Partridge in a pear tree!
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics #bird Photo: Zeynel Cebeci

𝑀𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 ranges from southern #Mexico through Central America into northern South America. Its genus name, meaning “large leaf,” highlights its defining facial feature—a key adaptation for sonar-based foraging in #bats.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Map: Cephas

𝑀𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 sports a prominent nose leaf for #echolocation and unusually long legs and tail membrane. Unlike most #bats, it skims #insects from water surfaces using its legs and tail—aerial agility meets precision hunting!
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Wied, Maximilian

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑀𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚, the long-legged #bat. Native to Central and South America, this species is named for its distinctive large nose leaf and elongated limbs—perfect for its unique #hunting style.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Pedro Aguilar

And here’s the 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘𝐌: 𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠! This nominate subspecies occurs in the Red Sea and south along the eastern African coast. Adapted to warm, shallow waters, it’s a key grazer in coral reef habitats. #TautonymTuesday #Systematics

𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠 has an oval body, small mouth with incisiform #teeth, and silvery coloration with faint vertical bars. It feeds on #algae and small #invertebrates, contributing to benthic community dynamics. #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Hamid Badar Osmany

Today’s feature for #TautonymTuesday is 𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠, the karanteen #seabream, a sparid fish found in coastal waters of the W Indian Ocean. Known for its compressed body and strong jaws, it lives in reef and nearshore ecosystems. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Hamid Badar Osmany

And it’s another 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘𝐌: 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠, the Alpine roe deer! Found in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Slovakia, and even introduced to New Zealand. Adapted to rugged terrain and seasonal extremes. #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Bouke ten Cate

Roe deer are small, slender cervids with short #antlers in males, reddish-brown summer coats, and grayish winter fur. They’re selective browsers, feeding on herbs, shoots, and leaves—key players in shaping plant communities. #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Romzig

For #TautonymTuesday this week, we celebrate Europe’s most widespread #deer! 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠, the roe deer, ranges from the Atlantic to western Asia. Agile and adaptable, it thrives in forests, farmland, and even urban edges. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Clément Bardot

Åh, så kult!
Men det er ikke #TautonymTuesday ennå, så den får værsågod henge rundt til over hælja.

Do check out @tedstankowich.bsky.social 's lovely #TautonymTuesday hashtag bsky.app/profile/teds...