Meet the common rain frog (Breviceps adspersus)! This frog lives in parts of Africa, including Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa, where it inhabits savanna and shrubland. Following a heavy rain in spring or early summer, it emerges from its burrow to mate. Its burrows are typically found in areas below a rock or log where the soil retains a level of moisture. Fun fact: It has horn-like projections on its heels to help it effectively dig backwards!
Summer is in full swing, which means firefly season is officially upon us! There are more than 2,000 known species of fireflies worldwide and most communicate with patterns of flashing light. Like nature’s fireworks, they illuminate the night with their bioluminescence. These signals are used to find and attract mates, deceive other firefly species, and avoid predators. Fireflies produce light by blending a cocktail of two chemicals—luciferin and luciferase—in a specialized organ known as their lantern.
Here’s a fish without scales: the mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus)!✨
Rather than scales, it has a thick coating of foul-smelling, bitter-tasting mucus. In combination with its bright colors, the malodorous mucus is thought to deter predators by signaling toxicity. The vibrant fish inhabits waters in the western Pacific, such as Indonesia and Australia, where it might be spotted “walking” along the seafloor with its pelvic fins.
🚨#NewResearch alert! A recent study co-authored by Museum Senior Research Scientist Jackie Faherty highlights 34 “ultracool” dwarfs, also known as brown dwarfs, that were discovered by a citizen scientist from the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project.
🔭Brown dwarfs are star-like, with more mass than planets but less mass than stars, which makes them much harder to spot. The question of how often stars exist alone is an enduring question in the field of astronomy, and for brown dwarfs, the answer to this question is especially elusive. But these discoveries could help astronomers determine if brown dwarfs are more akin to oversized planets or undersized stars, as well as providing insights into how star systems evolve over time. Read more about their findings in the link in our bio!
