Life, Death, and Taxonomy

Episode 152 – Pacific Hagfish: Sticky Business

Post author By admin
Post date December 15, 2020

“…And today we’re talking about a sea noodle that’s as disgusting as we’ve come to expect from the bottom of the ocean.”

Imagine you’re a big fish with a hankering for some ocean detritus. You find a carcass that’s descended to the seafloor, but you’re late to the party. It’s surrounded by a nightmare mob of tangled noodles making quick work of the body. But no matter, you’ll just take one of these noodles for your supper. But it’s not a noodle. It’s a pacific hagfish, and with your first bite, you know you’ve made a huge mistake. But surprising defensive tactics are essential in the sea, especially if you seek success in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Episode 151 – Platypus: Defying its Stars

Post author By admin
Post date December 8, 2020

“…and today we’re talking about a creature that looks like it specced into every skill tree. But more on that later.”

In the land down under, there’s dwelleth a strange mammal that looks like an otter that glued a bunch of other animal parts onto its body. The platypus is famous not only for its odd look, but also for its odd behavior. But bills and tails aren’t the only trick the platypus has picked up. It also has some offensive and defensive traits that make it the most interesting animal in the world. But that’s just how you survive in Australia here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Tags mammal, platypus, semi-aquatic

Episode 150 – Spider-Tailed Horned Viper: The Crafty Serpent

Post author By admin
Post date December 1, 2020

“And today we’re talking about something we were supposed to talk about a few weeks ago but we goofed and now we’re talking about it now. More on that now.”

Hunters have all kinds of methods to help catch their prey. There’s ambushing, stalking, and brute force. But one of the most clever ways may be luring. Snakes are usually predators of the ambush varieties, though they’ll engage in a stalking or two. But one dessert viper has been known to employ a lure that would make the most experienced fishermen blush. But anatomical trickery may be the key to this serpent’s survival in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Tags reptile, snake, spider

Episode 149 – Bottlenose Dolphin: Thanks for all the Fish

Post author By admin
Post date November 24, 2020

“…and today we’re talking about one of the most famous sea animals of all time. The white hat to the black hat of the great white shark. Though, PR can be deceiving. But more on that later…”

When life kicks mud in your face, most of us, and most animals, would give up or bemoan our misfortune. But the bottlenose dolphin is smarter than that. It takes that mud and makes some lemonade, which isn’t a great material to make lemonade out of. But it gets the job done when it comes to tricking a bunch of fish to jump directly into your open jaws. But that’s just how the bottlenose snatches up its supper here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Tags dolphin, mammal

Episode 148 – Coyote: An Unlikely Friendship

Post author By admin
Post date November 17, 2020

“…And today we’re talking about a legendary animal friendship. But more on that later.”

The American coyote is a famous animal in folklore and fables. The cunning animal is a mainstay in Native American folk tales and culture. Coyotes have long exhibited a behavior that was thought to only be true in stories. In fact, this odd partnership would fit right into a fantastic fable. But as it turns out the stories are true and the coyote found a friend in an unlikely ally. But even solitary animals sometimes turn to cooperation in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Tags badger, canine, coyote, mammal

Episode 147 – Penduline Tit: The Prepper Penny Parker

Post author By admin
Post date November 10, 2020

“…and today we wrestle between good SEO and saying the awkward name of a bird over and over. But more on that later.”

If you were walking through the woods one day, you might see something strange… a fluffy white mass up in the trees. You might think it was a hanging goat carcass or a pinata of the abominable snowman from the stop-motion Rudolphi Christmas special. Well, you’d be wrong on both points. It’s actually the nest of the penduline tit, a tiny bird with a tendency for traps. But having options helps this bug-out bird survive here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Episode 146 – Black Footed Cat: A Prolific Predator

Post author By admin
Post date November 3, 2020

“… and today we’re talking about a predator so adorable, it rivals the pika-killing stoat in deadly cuteness.”

Predators come in all shapes and sizes, but a small size doesn’t necessarily mean an animal is a less effective hunter. And if you’re a rodent in the semi-desert plains of southern Africa, it’s a lesson you need to learn quickly, lest you be lunch for a tiny feline. The black-footed cat is smaller than a typical tabby, but it’s anything but tame. But hiding fierceness behind a pair of finely tuned night-vision goggles is one key to success in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Tags africa, cat, feline, mammal

Episode 145 – Adelie Penguin: A Formal Feathered Friend

Post author By admin
Post date October 27, 2020

“…and today we’re talking about a formal feathered friend. But more on that later.”

Birds of a feather waddle together. And that’s never been truer than it is for the Adelie penguin. As the dapper flippers make their way across the Antarctic ice each year, it’s important for each one to stake their claim on what little land is available. But how can birds solve these gerrymandering disputes? With money of course! But having a crude currency is just one of the Adelie’s survival techniques here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Tags antarctica, bird, Penguin

Episode 144 – Horned Viper: The Vied Viper

Post author By admin
Post date October 20, 2020

“…and today we’re talking about an animal that has adapted to a legless lifestyle in an arid region. But more on that later.”

Cursed to crawl on their bellies, snakes have taken to the limbless life with seemingly listless languid movement. But these apparently listless articulations of their sinuous bodies, are done with great intention. Snakes are able to slither almost everywhere. Without claws, legs, or arms that can climb trees, slide across the ground, and some can even glide on the air. But the horned viper is posed with a particular challenge in the form of soft shifting sand. But laudable locomotion is an interesting way a serpent can make its way through Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Tags dessert, horned viper, reptile, snake

Episode 143 – Barreleye: The Spookiest Fish

Post author By admin
Post date October 13, 2020

“…and today we’re talking about a mysterious organic, deep-diving submarine. But more on that later.”

Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, there sits an alien monster fish that stares up straight through its own skull to spy prey: the barreleye. How does it do this? By being one of the weirdest creatures alive, even for deep-sea animals—and that’s saying something! But looking strange is just a fortunate side effect of being an empty-headed harbinger of jellyfish death from below here in LDT.

Tags barreleye, fish, ocean