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

A high number of endemic species may have gone extinct silently in the Brazilian savannah, a biodiversity hotspot, as researchers are not able to describe them as fast as their natural habitats are being destroyed.

Read the study by Oliviera et al. (2014) here: buff.ly/t85ORGU

#TaxonomyTuesday

#TaxonomyTuesday

Gorgeous 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙖 sea slugs by Ekimova et al. (2025) ... and the new cover image for Vol. 24 🐛

Read the full study here: buff.ly/kyw3xTc

#TaxonomyTuesday

Lateral and dorsal views of 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙤𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖 𝙖𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙪𝙢 skulls

This Hispaniolan hutia, is an endangered arboreal rodent endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Read the full study by Hansford 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. 2012 here: buff.ly/pMEY80j

Giant Frogs!

#TaxonomyTuesday

Lyakurwa et al. (2025) and the amphibians of Tanzania’s Ukaguru Mountains—featuring a description of a new giant species of 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙨 (Amphibia: Anura).

Read the full study: buff.ly/VtX70fU #GiantFrogs #Biodiversity #Herpetology #Taxonomy

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

How did bumblebees end up where they are today?
Did they fly from Asia to South America 15–17 million years ago— before the North–South American land bridge formed, despite being poor at long‑distance dispersion (especially over water).

Read more here: buff.ly/4aj2kaH #TaxonomyTuesday

This week, we’re celebrating some of the true romantics of the natural world:

First, the serenades of the cicadas of Spain 🎶
Puissant & Sueur (2010) identified four brand‑new genera and species, each with a distinctive mating call, a unique song to find love 💘 buff.ly/LwUrREv
#TaxonomyTuesday

#TaxonomyTuesday

Revision of 𝘖𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘢 (Bacillariophyta): life-cycle and taxonomy by Williams 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. (2025).

𝘖𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘢 is a highly polymorphic species with three “phenotypes” (or “phases”).

Read the full study here: buff.ly/CDOuhGs

#Systematics #Biodiversity #NHM

#TaxonomyTuesday 🐜

In an attempt to fill some of the gaps in knowledge in terms of species distribution data and sampling coverage , Feitosa 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. (2022) used a scientometric approach to investigate the ants of Brazil: an overview based on 50 years of diversity studies.
Read here: buff.ly/uvbCoQ4

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

Achatz 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. (2025) report the phylogeny and systematics of diplostomids (Digenea: Diplostomidae) from passeriform and cuculiform birds in South America.

Read here: buff.ly/GBLlSOl #Parasite #Biodiversity #TaxonomyTuesday

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

Biodiversity loss is systematic and predictable.

The Goldilocks Hypothesis suggests that extinction risk is lowest in mid‑sized species sitting in a “Goldilocks zone” of lower risk.
Read about trait‑based selectivity patterns: buff.ly/JrzQYaY

#TaxonomyTuesday #extinction #GoldilocksHypothesis

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

Camps-CastellÀ 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. investigate the biodiversity of eastern Pacific octocorals

Revisiting Chilean gorgonians (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae): taxonomic clarification and molecular phylogeny of 𝙇𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙨 and 𝙋𝙝𝙮𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙖 🪸

Read here: buff.ly/7oJolr1 #TaxonomyTuesday

Research on the flat lizard 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙙𝙪𝙧𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙨 shows that many lineages are quietly diverging in isolated pockets of Brazil’s semi‑arid biome.
Ferreira 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. (2025) show that microendemism isn’t the exception in the Caatinga—it may be the rule. #Biodiversity #Systematics #TaxonomyTuesday

New study out in JSP!

Vento 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. report the integrative phylogeny of extinct and extant Andean subgenus 𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙛𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙨 (str.) trees 🍃

Results highlight the importance of leaf morphology when analysing extinct and extant species together: buff.ly/QhNWFTS
#PaleoSky #PaleoBotany #TaxonomyTuesday

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

New study!
Camps-CastellÀ 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. investigate the biodiversity of Pacific octocorals 🪸
Revisiting Chilean gorgonians (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae): taxonomic clarification and molecular phylogeny of 𝙇𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙨 and 𝙋𝙝𝙮𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙖

Read here: buff.ly/khMhI2j

#TaxonomyTuesday

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

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

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