Frozen in time: Unique fossil shows snake coiled among nest of dinosaur eggs and titanosaur hatchling.
Courtesy PLoS Biology
Diagram of fossil
Courtesy PLoS BiologyCheck out this amazing fossil showing the remains of a snake coiled around a nest of dinosaur eggs, including a nearby titanosaur hatchling. The fossil was found 26 years ago in northwestern India, and was originally thought to contain remains of eggs and baby dinosaur bones. But recent re-evalutions revealed some of the bones were actually those of a new species of snake named Sanajeh indicus. The incredible 67 million-year-old fossil is the first of its kind, and suggests that snakes preyed on dinosaurs, just as they prey on birds today. A newly hatched titanosaur would have been easy pickings for the 11.5 foot S. indicus, but an adult titanosaur - which grew to more than 100 feet in length - would have been another story. Scientists think the unique Cretaceous fossil resulted from an ancient landslide that buried the snake just when it was about to go after its next meal. Here's a photo of the incredible fossil and along with a diagram of what it contains. You can read the whole story at PLoS Biology where the research has been published.
Tags : Balancing act: What would you do if you're watching nature get out of whack?
There was an interesting package of stories in Sunday's Star-Tribune about Isle Royale and the troubling circumstances of wolf and moose populations falling out of balance at the island national park in Lake Superior. For years, researchers have used the island as a case study of predator/prey interactions in an area untainted by human development. With moose numbers dropping and threatening the survival of wolves, what should they do? Let nature run its course or intervene to keep this lab vital? The link above will take you to stories, photos and videos of the situation. What do you think should be done?
For those Hawaiian albatrosses who just can't get the hanging of flying, there's always a tiger shark nearby to provide some extra motivation. Just watch the video below. If you want to skip the Mr. Rogers'-like commentary, mute the sound on your computer. I found it much better that way.
I think I spent too much time last night watching the NFL schedule preview shows. I'm clicking around the Net this morning and found this match-up: Tigers vs. Crocodiles. Watch the video and enjoy.
It's a little on the long side, but the video below shows amazing footage of a sea turtle hunting down a tasty snack. The camera work is with the same technology – the Critter Cam – that's given us awesome views of penguins, falcons and other predators at work.
Pelagia noctiluca aka the mauve stinger
Courtesy Wikimedia CommonsBillions of stinging jellyfish have wiped out more than 100,000 salmon in Northern Ireland, essentially decimating the region’s only salmon farm.
The attack, which took place north of Belfast just off the coast of the Glens of Antrim, involved an amazing 10 square mile by 35 feet deep swarm (or shoal) of the jellyfish species Pelagia noctiluca.
"It was unprecedented, absolutely amazing," said John Russell, managing director of the Northern Salmon Company, Ltd. "The sea was red with these jellyfish, and there was nothing we could do about it, absolutely nothing."
Workers for the company battled for hours to get through the huge mass of mauve stingers - as they are commonly known - but they were clearly outnumbered. By the time they reached the net pens all the salmon were either dead or dying from the attack. Russell fears that without some sort of government aid the company will be forced to go out of business.
Swarms of mauve stingers are not uncommon. However, they’re mostly known for stinging swimmers in the warmer waters of the Mediterranean. It was rare to see them as far north as Great Britain until recently, presumably due to climate change.
Here's some great video posted on YouTube by NewScientist of a mauve stinger swarm shot near the Balearic Islands in Spain and elsewhere in the Mediterranean.
STORY LINKS
Reuters Science News
UPI Story
Story in Minneapolis Star Tribune
Cleaning up: A ladybug has its eyes on an aphid that it could likely snarf up and eat. A company called Planet Natural is providing ladybugs as a natural alternative to insecticides in getting rid of insect pests. (Flickr photo by teece)Just yesterday when I arrived home, there were a ton of ladybugs all over the front door. Little did I know they might be hanging around for more than the scenery.
A New York City apartment complex has turned to the little critters to tackle a big clean-up project on the 80-acre complex. It’s shipped in nearly three-quarters of a million ladybugs to eat other bugs that are destroying the ornamental landscaping features of the property.
The bugs come from Montana and have a big hunger for aphids and mites, insects that live and devour plants and flowers. The building complex owner is trying this natural solution to the problem in lieu of using chemical insecticides.
The natural method also helps to keep “the good guys,” other non-destructive bugs, around while chemical applications kill pretty much all of the insects in the area.
The apartment complex purchased the lady bugs from a business called Planet Natural. You can get a box of 2,000 ladybugs for $16.50.
On average, each ladybug can clear an area measuring about 19 inches square, eating about 50 nuisance bugs a day plus any eggs they may have also laid in the area. The commercial cleaners are also a different strain of ladybug than the Asian ladybugs that have become a common, swarming presence in urban areas.
Lately I’ve been reading a book called “Predatory Dinosaurs of the World” by Gregory S. Paul that details the traits and behaviors of carnivorous dinosaurs throughout the Mesozoic Era. Of course, since most dinosaurs (except birds) have been extinct for 65 million years, the theories in the book derive mainly from clues left in the fossil record. However, a lot can also deduced from studying and comparing the behaviors of present day predators and prey. It’s easy to surmise that not much in that arena has really changed over time.
Which brings me to this amazing piece of video I stumbled upon on YouTube. It was taken at South Africa's Kruger National Park by tourist David Budzinski, and is a great example of predator-prey behavior! This one even has a couple surprises which I wasn't expecting. I think you’ll find it as fascinating as I did.
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