New "Flying" Frog Species Has Amazing Feet (Pictures)

Jodi Rowley

In Vietnam, researches recently conducted an extensive study on a newly discovered "flying" frog.  The frog, dubbed Helen's flying frog, is named after discoverer Jodi Rowley's mother.   Jodi, an amphibian biologist at the Australian Museum in Sydney, is the lead author of the new study.

Jodi Rowley

Currently, scientists have identified 80 species of flying frogs.  The unique creatures have the ability to "parachute" from tree to tree due to special aerodynamic feet and unique shape.  Helen's flying frog is "one of the most flying frogs of the flying frogs," Rowley said, "in that it's got huge hands and feet that are webbed all the way to the toepad." 

The new flying frog study was published in December 2012 in the Journal of Herpetology.  Original article was posted here.

Hilarious Compilation of Goats Acting Goofy

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Image by Cordyceps

Dung Beetles - Amateur Astronomers?

(Rafael Brix)

Researchers at Johannesburg’s Wits University have conducted tests indicating that a species of South African dung beetle (Scarabaeus zambesianus) use stars from the Milky Way to navigate. The beetles, which roll dung balls from larger piles to escape from competing beetles, amazingly are able to roll in nearly perfect straight lines.  Scientists predict this action is simply to retreat in the most efficient manner possible. Although scientists have known for years that the insects use the sun and moon to navigate, it remained a mystery as to how they were able to be remarkably consistent on moonless nights until now. 

To test their theory, researches placed beetles into the university’s planetarium to see how they would act with a normal night sky (with stars and no moon), and then in one without the Milky Way.  With the Milky Way off, the dung beetles were disoriented and lost.

"The dung beetles don't care which direction they're going in. They just need to get away from the bun fight at the poo pile," Marcus Byrne, a professor at Wits said. "But when we turned off the Milky Way, the beetles got lost."

Dung beetles feed on dung, mushrooms, and decaying leaves.  They search for food mainly by smell and often compete with each other for resources.  They are found on all continents except Antarctica.

Monster White Sturgeon Caught in Canada

GrindTV

"The thrill of a lifetime." That is how Michael Snell of Salisbury, England described this incredible catch.  In the summer of 2012, Michael landed this monster fish on the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada while on a guided fishing tour.  The fish weighed approximately 1,100 pounds (498.9 kg) and measured 12 feet, 4 inches. 

GindTV

White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are prehistoric-looking fish that potentially can reach up to 1,800 lbs and almost 20 feet in length.  They are the largest freshwater fish in North America.  Sturgeon can live to be over a hundred years old.

After getting video and photographs, the thousand pound fish was released back into the river.  Here is the full video from GrindTV:

http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/video/monster_white_sturgeon_caught_in_canada/#65446

Skyping Dogs!

Radioactive Fish Found Off of Coast of Japan

Mike, the Murasoi - Sebastes pachycephalus (TEPCO)

Scientists from Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) say a murasoi fish found near Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan had levels of radiation over 2,500 times the legal safe limit for seafood.  In 2011, a massive tsunami severely damaged the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, resulting in radioactive contamination from reactor meltdowns.

Despite the extremely high levels of radiation, the fish had no visible signs of mutations.  Murasoi (Sebastes pachycephalus) are members of the rockfish family and grow to a maximum length of about 42 cm (16.5 inches).

The media has dubbed this fish "Mike, the Murasoi."

Fish are not the only wildlife to be affected by the reactor meltdowns:
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/fukushima-radiation-causes-insect-mutations-researchers-20120817-24cy2.html