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January and February 2024—Issue 026

Tree of Life

Welcome to the Tree of Life newsletter!

Newly recognized content

Alpine ibex by LittleJerry Markham's storm petrel by FunkMonk, Jens Lallensack, and Therapyisgood List of primates by PresN List of birds of Alberta by grungaloo Rice by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by RecycledPixels Barley by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Bruxton Chicken by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by DocZach Cereal by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Bruxton Ant mimicry by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by AryKun Anopheles by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by AryKun Mosquito by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by 20 upper Cherry blossom by Reconrabbit, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Sei whale by 20 upper, reviewed by grungaloo Megaherbivore by 20 upper, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Brown bear by 20 upper, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Indian rhinoceros by 20 upper, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Hypericum hircinum by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by grungaloo Hypericum foliosum by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Hypericum grandifolium by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by Esculenta Boquila by Etriusus, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Aptostichus barackobamai by Etriusus, reviewed by Esculenta Crassispira incrassata by Etriusus, reviewed by 20 upper Punctelia by Esculenta, reviewed by Ealdgyth Chrysothrix chlorina by Esculenta, reviewed by Ealdgyth Chrysothrix chlorina by Esculenta, reviewed by Ealdgyth Ramalina peruviana by Esculenta, reviewed by Ealdgyth Menemerus animatus by simongraham, reviewed by Esculenta Afraflacilla braunsi by simongraham, reviewed by grungaloo Nasutoceratops by FunkMonk, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Pseudastacus by Olmagon, reviewed by FunkMonk Angustidontus by Super Dromaeosaurus and Ichthyovenator, reviewed by Amitchell125 Pruemopterus by Super Dromaeosaurus and Ichthyovenator, reviewed by Etriusus Black-billed magpie by grungaloo, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Black-capped chickadee by grungaloo, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Horned sungem by Jens Lallensack, reviewed by grungaloo Flaco (owl) by Rhododendrites, reviewed by Etriusus Telonemia by Snotoleks, reviewed by Esculenta "Pliosaurus" andrewsi by Amirani1746, reviewed by grungaloo Beaver drop by Lightburst, reviewed by Chiswick Chap

Newly nominated content

Horned sungem by Jens Lallensack Tufted jay by grungaloo Nasutoceratops by FunkMonk Maize by Chiswick Chap Cattle by Chiswick Chap Pig by Chiswick Chap Domestic duck by Chiswick Chap Eusociality by Chiswick Chap Fish by Chiswick Chap Barnacle by Chiswick Chap Ochrophyte by Snotoleks Parvilucifera by Snotoleks Thalattoarchon by Amirani1746 Hydropunctaria amphibia by Esculenta Melanohalea by Esculenta Spot test (lichen) by Esculenta Lecideaceae by Esculenta Hypericum × inodorum by Fritzmann2002 Hypericum sect. Androsaemum by Fritzmann2002 Olga Hartman by Viriditas Mixtotherium by PrimalMustelid Enhydriodon by PrimalMustelid Lentinus brumalis by Зэгс ус

News at a glance

Our first double issue in almost four years, although we will try to return to a monthly schedule henceforth (incidentally, the last double issue saw Markham's storm petrel at GAN, and this one sees it finally pass FAC). A highly competitive first round of the WikiCup sees four Tree of Life editors advance to the second round: MtBotany, Fritzmann2002, Ealdgyth, and AryKun The March 2024 GAN Backlog Drive starts today; everyone is welcome to participate and help reduce the backlog of GANs. The January edition of our monthly rolling contest was won by Quetzal1964 with 100 points from 40 articles, mainly related to various species of marine fish. simongraham was second with 80 points from 14 articles on jumping spiders. The February edition saw Quetzal1964 win for the second time in a row, with 114 points from 43 articles. In second place was Snoteleks, with 21 points from 7 seven articles on various unicellular eukaryotes, including the GA Telonemia.

January DYKs

... that Dacrytherium, literally meaning 'tear beast', was named after its "tear-pit"? (3 January) ... that misidentifications of the crested cuckoo-dove have led to claims that the extinct Choiseul pigeon is still around? (4 January) ... that the wood-pasture hypothesis posits that semi-open wood pastures and not primeval forests are the natural vegetation of temperate Europe? (5 January) ... that until April 2023, when the genus Triassosculda was discovered, the mantis shrimp fossil record contained a gap of more than a hundred million years? (5 January) ... that although Olga Hartman believed that her basic research on marine worms had no practical value, it was applied to experimental studies of oysters? (6 January) ... that Oxford ivy grows towards the light to bloom and then towards the darkness when going to seed? (17 January) ... that S. F. Light (pictured) disliked using his full name? (20 January) ... that the fossil turtle Acherontemys was named for a "river of the fabled lower world"? (26 January) ... that a species of spider is named after Barack Obama? (27 January) ... that Boquila trifoliolata is the only known plant capable of simultaneously mimicking multiple species? (27 January) ... that Harpegnathos alperti worker ants have black heads and chocolate-colored mandibles? (28 January) ... that all known populations of Epipterygium opararense (example pictured) live within a 5-metre (16 ft) radius in New Zealand? (28 January) ... that female swamp guppies (pictured) show no preference for orange or red coloration during courtship? (29 January) S. F. Light examining termites Epipterygium opararense Gold-morph swamp guppies

February DYKs

... that black-billed magpies are known to eat ticks off deer and other large mammals (example pictured)? (1 February) ... that scientist Adelaida K. Semesi was known as "mama mangroves" due to her specialist knowledge of their ecology? (2 February) ... that for the southern molly, sexual selection favors smaller males because they copulate by sneaking up to females? (2 February) ... that eyelash seaweed may have been made extinct by a single 2016 earthquake? (4 February) ... that conservation in Indonesia had little local support after independence because it was associated with the Dutch colonial period? (5 February) ... that the artiodactyl Ephelcomenus is thought to have been capable of burrowing? (6 February) ... that male mangrove mollies mate sneakily? (14 February) ... that barley was once used as a form of money? (14 February) ... it has been suggested that Crassispira incrassata may be a southern variation of Crassispira bottae and not its own species? (15 February) ... that the shining St John's wort owes its bright colors partly to carotenoid compounds? (18 February) ... that having lived in Central Park for more than a year after becoming homeless, Flaco (pictured) has been accused of being a peeping tom? (19 February) ... that the horned sungem (example pictured) becomes a nectar robber when food is scarce? (24 February) ... that the sea slug Bosellia mimetica benefits from photosynthesis? (25 February) ... that almost all members of a flock of tufted jays work together to build a nest? (28 February) ... that the hippocampus of the black-capped chickadee grows in the fall and shrinks in the spring? (29 February) ... that an Indian rhinoceros, sent as a gift to Pope Leo X in 1515, was immortalised as Dürer's Rhinoceros after dying in a shipwreck? (29 February) Black-billed magpie eating ticks off the back of a cow Flaco peeping through a window Horned sungem robbing a flower

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• Issue 026: (January and February): Delivered