I just got H. oculata. I also have Stapelia flavopurpurea.

Hydrate :)

Literally all I did all day was drink water. 

checked up! Polypedates megacephalus, Brown Tree Frog, I think.

Do you know what type of Hylid you photgraphed? You’re in Japan, no? I think Stejneger’s herpetology of Japan is available at digitallibrary.amnh.org…

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nope, I'm in Hong Kong. I haven't checked up on the frog yet but I'm sure I can find the species - we have very comprehensive local herpetology photographic guides and lists in public libraries. And I took note of the pattern on its back and the hind legs and resting posture. I'll hit the library tomorrow and see what I can find : )

I hope you go back the chrysalis to see what lepidopteran it will turn into!

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sonorensis said: What is your definition of a dinosaur, fossil, or a “living” fossil? I’ve been thinking a lot about turtles and crocodilians and various arthropods…

Well, my definitions are pretty much what everyone else defines them as. Birds are living fossils as well, and crocodilians were around hundreds of millions of years ago, and so were sharks, horseshoe crabs, along with other animals. Crocs are living fossils of their ancestors - like the great Super Croc (Sarcosuchus). They are all under the Superorder Crocodylomorpha. Our current crocodile friends are in the clade Eusuchia, which dates back to the Early Cretaceous, including both living and extinct reptiles. How cool is that!? Coelacanths are a great example as well. It was thought they had gone extinct during the K-Pg (aka K-T) event, but living specimens have been found in the last 100 years. I love how we can date back their relatives to such distant times that many do forget was not just full of dinosaurs. Living fossils are like if you took a fossil and it just came alive out of the rock and started swimming/flying/walking around without much true change, you know? Wikipedia has a list of "living fossils" if you're curious to what is considered a "living fossil". My definition's pretty similar to the accepted term, but I like to think outside the box as well on this.

The word 'dinosaur' itself means "terrible lizard", and were first thought to be these bumbling and massive reptiles, but of course we know much more today when it comes to dinosaurs. Look up the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs to get what I mean about how dinosaurs were viewed over 100 years ago. Sometimes people think "if it lived in the Mesozoic, it must be a dinosaur!". Of course, this is incorrect as we had so many reptiles (pterosaurs are a great example), very small mammals, bugs, etc. When I think or say the world 'dinosaur', I don't think of big slow moving lizards - I think of strong, beautiful, and amazing animals. Yes, I focus mainly on the theropods, but I do love all dinosaurs (and non-dinos)! Frankly, I just adore the Mesozoic as a whole; all of its ecology just blows my mind.

For the word 'fossil', which means "having been dug up", it's pretty simple as well. A fossil is something that once was an animal, left by animals (trace fossils for example), plants, organisms in general, etc. Fossils pretty much are simply traces of a world now long gone - yet have left imprints and moulds of how they originally looked, to which we have been lucky enough to find and study. Fossils are precious, and I love this field of science so damn much.

I just saw this and am flattered. Many thanks, beau garçon gentile ;)