The first edition of our new monthly contest had perhaps a little less participation than I hoped for, but it still resulted in a huge amount of content work, mainly focussed on de-stubbing articles on little-known species, although we did also see two GAs for Holozoa and Hypericum perforatum. Overall, over 60 articles were improved, with most going from stubs or redlinks to fully fleshed out articles. The winner this month was Simongraham, who improved 21 articles about spiders, mainly to B and C class, and racked up 70 points, over twice the next highest. Hopefully, we'll continue to see such great work next month, with even more participants and even more articles improved.
Also anyone who wants to help coordinate the contest can just drop by at the talk page, I really need help.

Republicopteron douseae fossil

Male Phallichthys fish

Mimodactylus reconstruction

Adult ashy flycatcher

• ... that with all known Palae­orehniidae fossils (example pictured) being incomplete, the relationships of the family are uncertain? (September 2)
• ... that butterfly collector Ian Heslop was once required to supervise an execution? (September 3)
• ... that the Munich Mouser, Neville Chamberlain's pet, and Nelson, Winston Churchill's pet, had a rivalry during World War II? (September 6)
• ... that Phal­lich­thys (literally 'penis fish') species are so called because the males (example pictured) have "comparatively huge" sex appendages? (September 8)
• ... that merry widows like soft bottoms? (September 10)
• ... that Mimodactylus (reconstruction pictured) is the first complete pterosaur from the Afro-Arabian continent? * ... that small Poecilia gillii males have longer sex organs than larger males, to facilitate mating with females that flee from them? (September 12)
• ... that the dwarf merry widow is not very brave? (September 13)
• ... that dwarf mollies hit rock bottom when they grow up? (September 14)
• ... that the Siberian crane is considered more threatened than the whooping crane, despite there being an estimated ten times more of them? (September 15)
• ... that one way to tell the African dusky flycatcher apart from the ashy flycatcher (example pictured) is that the former is "cuter"? (September 18)
• ... that the spiky inedible grass Triodia scintillans tastes like salt and vinegar chips? (September 19)
• ... that the bicolor molly inevitably goes off the deep end in adulthood? (September 27)
• ... that the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve is the only known nesting area for the eastern great egret in New Zealand? (September 28)

The second edition of our monthly contest was even better than the last month, with 80 articles improved spanning the entire tree of life. The winner this month was Quetzal1964, who contributed to 47 articles, mainly relating to marine fish, and racked up 81 points in the process. In second place was simongraham, who got 60 points from 14 articles on various species of jumping spiders. simongraham is still at the top of our overall standings, with 130 points, and Quetzal1964's close behind on 108. The November edition of the contest is now open: feel free to drop by and participate if you work on any TOL-related articles this month.

Illustration of swordtail mollies

Lycorma meliae

Illustrations of the front foot (A) and hind foot (B) of Diplobune quercyi

• ... that the Siberian columbine has been crossed with another species in the genus Aquilegia to determine the gene behind the genus's nectar spurs? (October 2)
• ... that the swordtail molly (examples pictured) and the Petén molly have been named and renamed so often, one even ending up with the other's name at one point, that the swordtail molly's current scientific name means 'confusion'? (October 8)
• ... that the early big cat Pachypanthera may have weighed as much as 142 kilograms (313 lb) and had teeth similar to a hyena's? (October 9)
• ... that ancient Greek philosopher Xenophon thought the alopekis was part dog, part fox? (October 11)
• ... that the katydid-like fossil Republicopteron douseae possibly could not sing? (October 12)
• ... that a Brontosaurus stamp led to the United States Postal Service being accused of "fostering scientific illiteracy"? (October 16)
• ... that the wings of Lycorma meliae (example pictured) undergo multiple color changes throughout their lives? (October 16)
• ... that the three-toed species of Diplobune (fossils pictured) were mammals of the order of "even-toed ungulates"? (October 17)
• ... that although fossils of the extinct mammal Asiavorator were first found in 1922, the genus was not named until 73 years later, in 1995? (October 18)
• ... that in aquariums, the humpbacked limia is known to cannibalise the young? (October 21)
• ... that Hypericum perforatum was a common component of classical cure-all concoctions called theriacs? (October 21)
• ... that Aristotle classified living things based on whether they had a "sensitive soul" or, like plants, only a "vegetative soul"? (October 22)
• ... that in June 2022, a neurosurgeon found a roundworm in someone's brain? (October 23)
• ... that ancient permafrost can preserve viable microorganisms, some of which contain antibiotic-resistance genes that may be transferred to modern bacteria? (October 27)

The third edition of our monthly contest saw Quetzal1964 win for the second month in a row, scoring 68 points from 39 articles about a variety of marine fishes. In second place for the month is Olmagon, who scored 45 points from 10 articles on extinct crustaceans and geckoes. In the overall standings, Quetzal1964 leapfrogged over simongraham into first place, with 176 points from 109 articles; simongraham is now in second place with 136 points from 37 articles. The December edition of the contest is now open: feel free to drop by and participate if you work on any TOL-related articles this month.

Now, this newsletter is technically not new, but I have only recently become aware of its existence and am only a month late, so it still counts. Wikiproject Fungi's Lichen task force has a new newsletter that is very nicely formatted and also features much better writing than this newsletter. Anyone interested in receiving the newsletter can add their name here.

A bacterium that thrives in the deep ocean

Georges Cuvier's reconstruction of Anoplotherium commune

Paroedura maingoka

Field of Wyethia amplexicaulis in bloom

An adult dwarf pufferfish

Adult Balkan terrapin

Planocarina marginata, a hyalospheniid amoeba

• ... that a variety of the Connecticut field pumpkin is known as "the original commercial jack-o'-lantern pumpkin"? (November 1)
• ... that insects not only destroyed the personal plant collection of John Hunter Thomas, but also bear his name? (November 3)
• ... that life exists in every part of the biosphere, from the deepest parts of the ocean (bacterium pictured) to altitudes of up to 64 km (40 miles) in the atmosphere? (November 6)
• ... that Sivapardus was larger than a leopard, smaller than a lion, and had a face like a cheetah? (November 7)
• ... that Lillian V. Holdeman Moore identified a spike in hydrogen-gas-producing bacteria in Skylab astronauts? (November 8)
• ... that euglossine bees distribute the seeds of vanilla tlatepusco? (November 11)
• ... that in 1822, the Paleogene mammal Anop­lo­therium commune (reconstruction pictured) was the first fossil species to be subjected to a brain cast study? (November 12)
• ... that the island bronze-naped pigeon is a popular food at bars and parties on São Tomé? (November 12)
• ... that little pink elephants are parasitic? (November 12)
• ... that the gecko Paroedura maingoka (pictured) imitates venomous scorpions to discourage predators? (November 13)
• ... that the scenic fields of northern wyethia (pictured) found in the western United States are sometimes a sign that an area has been overgrazed? (November 15)
• ... that a 1950s album of frog calls developed a cult following? (November 15)
• ... that at a maximum standard length of roughly 2 cm (0.8 in), dwarf pufferfish are some of the smallest pufferfish in the world? (November 18)
• ... that the authors of The Neanderthals Rediscovered learned that their book proposal had been accepted on the same day they took their twin sons home from hospital? (November 20)
• ... that hatchling Balkan terrapins are only 3 to 4 centimetres (1.2 to 1.6 in) in length, while adults (example pictured) can grow as long as 25 cm (9.8 in)? (November 21)
• ... that organisms could harvest kinetic energy to survive? (November 22)
• ... that pollution in rivers scatters far-red light, making it harder for plants like Noveloa to germinate? (November 23)
• ... that many hyalospheniid amoebae (example pictured) construct shells by stealing mineralized particles from the shells of their prey? (November 28)
• ... that an ancient wildcat species is known only from a part of the jaw of a single animal discovered in Poland? (November 29)

And so ends the fourth edition of the monthly rolling contest, as well as the 2023 Tree of Life Contest as a whole. This month saw simongraham win with a very impressive 120 points from 27 articles. Quetzal1964 was second with 74 points from 37 articles. The annual contest was a close race between simongraham and Quetzal1964; simongraham won first place with 256 points from 64 articles, and Quetzal1964 was second with 250 points from 146 articles. Snoteleks was third with 79 points from 33 articles. Congratulations to everyone who won this year and my gratitude to everyone else who helped raise the quality of articles in our little corner of Wikipedia this year. Additionally, a very Happy New Year to everyone in the project and here's looking forward to continuing our good work in 2024!

Snowy plover with chicks

Bofedales in the foreground

Adult female Varroa mite

Dennstaedtia christophelii fossil frond

• ... that a "bat ensnared by a plant" was discovered in the garden of the Palestine Museum of Natural History? (December 2)
• ... that female snowy plovers often abandon their families as soon as the chicks hatch? (December 4)
• ... that Lepas testudinata can form colonies of more than 1000 members at a time? (December 5)
• ... that the gecko Teratoscincus roborowskii eats caper fruits and disperses the plant's seeds in its feces? (December 5)
• ... that Henk Zwartepoorte quacked at caimans? (December 5)
• ... that the green colour of bofedales (examples pictured) stands out in the yellow surrounding landscape? (December 6)
• ... that Desulfovibrio vulgaris can remove toxic heavy metals from the environment? (December 8)
• ... that Varroa destructor (example pictured), the Varroa mite, is an external parasitic mite that attacks and feeds on honey bees and is one of the most harmful honey-bee pests in the world? (December 11)
• ... that young orange-billed lorikeets are actually yellow-billed? (December 16)
• ... that stinking tutsan smells like goat? (December 20)
• ... that orange paintbrushes are guarded by rufous hummingbirds? (December 21)
• ... that the Antarctic lichen Buellia frigida has been to outer space? (December 22)
• ... that the closest modern fern relatives to Dennstaedtia christophelii (fossil pictured) of the Pacific Northwest are tropical species from South America? (December 24)
• ... that in Icelandic folklore, the Yule cat eats people who do not receive new clothing for Christmas? (December 25)
• ... that the Lake Patzcuaro salamander's native habitat is limited to a single lake in Mexico? (December 28)
• ... that plant species like Hypericum bupleuroides can reproduce by a callus? (December 29)