Life, Death, and Taxonomy

“…and today we’re talking about the familiar of a ferocious female. But more on that later.”

The life of a pet is a charmed one–at least when your owner is a kind and benevolent ruler. But what if you lived in the home of a giant arachnid, ten times your size. Would you still want belly rubs and walks in the park? Such is the life of the dotted humming frog. But sometimes a large and scary defender is not something you can afford to turn away in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Measure Up

Welcome to the beloved Measure Up segment. The official listener’s favorite part of the show! The part of the show when we present the animal’s size and dimension in relatable terms through a quiz that’s fun for the whole family. It’s also the part of the show that’s introduced by you when you send in audio of yourself saying, singing, or chittering the words Measure Up into ldtaxonomy at gmail dot com. We don’t have a new Measure Up intro!

Length

• 0.7 inches (2 cm)
• How many dotted humming frogs go into the length of a direhorse on Pandora?
• Hint: The direhorse is the fictional animal from the Avatar universe. It is essentially an ugly horse that sounds exactly like the raptors from Jurassic Park 3.
• 240 frogs. The big horse is 14 feet long.

Tadpole Length

• 0.6 inches (17 mm)
• How many tadpoles go into the length that Pattrick Mahomes threw for in the 2023 Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Hint: Mahomes completed 21 of the 27 passes for three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for 44 yards despite an ankle injury.
• 10,920 frogs. Mahomes threw for 182 yards.

Major Fact: Friends in Low Places

The dotted humming frog is the pet of a much bigger spider.

These small frogs have a commensal, if not mutualistic, relationship with big hairy tarantulas. Researchers have observed the frogs living in the burrows of colombian lesser black tarantulas.

But they aren’t just like muskrats that find their way into beaver dams. These frogs have been observed darting away from danger, not just into spider holes, but underneath the tarantulas themselves.

Black tarantula females fiercely guard their burrows to protect their young. Frogs in those burrows have a guard that can take on other insects, small mammals, and snakes that would make a meal out of small frogs.

The frogs rarely leave the burrows unless the tarantula ventures out first. 

But why don’t these protective tarantulas eat these tiny green morsels?

They have been observed investigating and picking up the frogs, but quickly spitting them out or dropping them. It’s thought that this particular species is poisonous or distasteful to tarantulas. The spiders were also tested to see if they don’t eat frogs in general, but other species of frogs made fine meals. 

So if the frogs get protection and the tarantulas get nothing in return, that is called commensalism. But some researchers think the situation might be more mutually beneficial. 

Why would an aggressively protective spider tolerate a freeloader, even if they can’t eat them?

It is theorized that frogs are to spiders as cats are to us. They may serve to keep the place clear of pests. 

Frogs eat small insects that might pose a threat to spider eggs. While the spider defends the nest from large things, the frogs eat up any small vermin the spider might overlook.

“…and today we’re talking about the lurker in the cathedral, the stained aranea. But more on that later.”

In the forests of Australia, the glistening dew of a rain-kissed leaf might be a little more than just a water droplet. The mirror spider takes what would be waste to another spider and turns it into a beautiful mosaic of genius camouflage. Taking a few notes out of the cephalopod’s declassified wild survival guide, this little spider shines bright like a diamond, which is sometimes the way to survive here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

“…and today we’re talking about a frog with a killer skincare routine. But more on that later.”

For too long, amphibians have only dared to come out at night. But the waxy monkey frog says no more. This amphibian has chosen to step into the sun and lay eyes upon an earth in the full brightness of day. There’s just one problem: how can a supple, tree frog avoid drying out in direct sunlight? Our friend the monkey frog has a wonderful waxy way to stay cool in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

“…and today we’re talking about a ba… I mean bird. But more on that later.”

The caves of the Caribbean are home to a slick bird that thinks it’s a bat. Deep in these midnight caverns, shining an unwelcome light will be met with the anguished screeches of the little devil known as the oilbird. But how does this bird navigate in the pitch black to find its favorite tasty fruit? Well it all comes down to having the right tools for the job here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy. 

“…and today we’re talking about a canis comrade, but more on that later.”

There are many symbiotic relationships in nature, but there is no closer interspecies bond than the one found between humanity and their dogs. Canines and humans have been close companions for so long that we’ve influenced the course of dog adaptation and development. While we’ve changed dogs, dogs have also changed us. The title “man’s best friend” is more than appropriate in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

“…and today we’re talking about a stone at the bottom of the sea. Definitely don’t be on that later.”

It’s no surprise that the most venomous fish in the world is found in none other than the land down under. Hidden among the rocks and coral in Australia and the surrounding islands, the reef stonefish never backs down from a fight. Instead, it attacks with a vitriolic and very venomous vengeance. Its venom is so powerful, it’s worked its way into the folklore and rituals of the natives. But affecting the heart, mind, and soles of your feet is how the stonefish gets by here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

“…and today we are talking about Godwit the Soarin. But more on that later.”

If you’re looking wistfully out the window at a frozen or snowy gray day, you know that winter can be a real drag. Some birds fly south for the winter, and sometimes those birds clog up South Florida roadways. But what if you could fly so far south that it became springs again? That’s what the Bar-Tailed Godwit does, but soaring into the wild blue yonder in search of opportunity can really pay off in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

“…and today we’re talking about a flat character in the animal kingdom, but more on that later.”

There are hundreds of species of spiders that call Australia home. Some small, some big, some deadly, and some…hidden. But one master of disguise tends to order a side of contortion with its camoflauge entre. Taking the term tree hugger a bit too literally, the wrap-around spider keeps out of sight from both predator and prey by getting close and personal with the local flora. But hiding in plain sight is how this spider survives here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

“…and today we are talking about an impostor that’s not among us, but among the fish of the sea. But more on that later.”

Humans have explored nearly every biome on earth, but when it comes to getting around in the ocean, we are clearly outmatched. Fish are built to ride waves and currents with ease. To effectively navigate the water, we need to mimic fish by wearing fins. One sea slug looked up from the reef to see some tasty resources and did something very similar. Sometimes there’s more than one way to get past a problem, but other challenges require a single solution in Life, Death, and Taxonomy. 

“And today we’re talking about a gruff goat with a wooly throat. But more on that later.”

High up in the mountains of central Asia lives a giddy goat with a lot of panache and a penchant for stomping its enemies into the dirt. But the rumor mill stops for no goat, not even for the Markhor, and this cud-chewer’s legendary hooves have earned it a name that have led to an unusual fascination with its spit. But expecting exceptional expectoration is all part of Life, Death and Taxonomy.