Sunday 31 January 2016

Change the world with a bunch of squid!

Image: Richard Ling
A bunch of squid? A BUNCH?

That, dear reader, is the problem.

Image: Richard Ling
A murder of crows. A parliament of owls. A gaggle of geese.

A cackle of hyenas. A leap of leopards. A tower of giraffes.

A knot of toads. A shiver of sharks. A... what... of squid?

Image: Daniel Kwok
Of course, the answer SHOULD be squad. A squad of squid. Look at them, they even swim in formation! What else could they possibly be? If lion's have their pride then squid must surely have their squad?

And yet our scientific lords and masters in their ivory towers and submarines appear blissfully unaware of their moral obligation to officially squadify all squid.

This is where you come in. Do you have a big piece of cardboard and a stick? Then make a "SQUAD OF SQUID" placard and tag along with your nearest protest march. Are you a vandal? Then consider spray painting "SQUAD OF SQUID" rather than your delinquent gang symbols. Do you have a squid suit? Several squid suits? Several squid suits and several friends each willing to wear a squid suit? Then walk around town together and if anyone asks, inform them that you're a SQUAD OF SQUID. And say it quite loud so people can overhear.

Or perhaps, before all that, you might consider signing the SQUAD OF SQUID petition. Hopefully that'll get their attention. But I warn you, if that doesn't work, it's squid suits for everyone.

Thursday 28 January 2016

A Worm With Ambition


I love worms that have ambition!

Monday 25 January 2016

The Blues V

Image: Hiyashi Haka
Lamprotornis caudatus
It's time for the blues! Either that or I'm a week late... Oh dear. Failure upon failure! Blues upon blues! Well, I guess it makes sense, really. Blues are eternal, after all. Haven't you heard? It's blues all the way down! At least on this page...

Friday 22 January 2016

Iridogorgia

Image: NOAA Photo Library
Oooo... Aaaaah...

Nice to see some fireworks brightening up the abyss!

Wednesday 20 January 2016

Tiger Cowrie

Images: Nick Hobgood
Cypraea tigris
The Tiger Cowrie!

Because sometimes two tentacles are not nearly enough.

Monday 18 January 2016

Slingjaw Wrasse

Image: Mark Rosenstein
Epibulus insidiator
You're at a party, having fun, drinking drinks, nibbling nibbles when suddenly, disaster strikes: they've run out of those little sausages on sticks! What madness is this? What lunacy? What dark forces are at work to deprive us of our little sausages on sticks?

You look around and notice that some, fellow party-goers are walking around with paper plates piled high with gluttonous quantities of little sausages on sticks. They've hoarded them, the rascals!

Friday 15 January 2016

Strike of the Spider's Snake

Image: Omid Mozaffari
Pseudocerastes urarachnoides
Weird animal friendships. The crow and the cat. The fox and the cat. The owl and the cat. The human and the cat. Also the elephant and the ostrich, but stuff like that doesn't involve a cat. I heard that whenever love manages to get through a cat's haughty disinterest, an angel gets its wings.

Wednesday 13 January 2016

Halimeda Crab

Huenia heraldica
It's a plant! It's a crab! It's...

Sunday 10 January 2016

Cushion Star

Image: Patrick Randall
Even mermaids need a place to lay down their head.

Starfish to the rescue!

Friday 8 January 2016

Spiky Grouse Grasshopper

Image: Bernard DUPONT
Discotettix belzebuth
Ouch!

Just looking at this thing hurts!

Wednesday 6 January 2016

Decorated Warbonnet

Image: David Csepp, NMFS/AKFSC/ABL
Chirolophis decoratus
To battle!

Grab your warbonnet! Don your grapple-gown! Your battle-bodice! Your combat-corset! Peril-petticoat! Havoc-heels! And don't forget the embroidery of enmity and the sequins of strife.