Tuesday Toon
Nuff said.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
On The "Fly of the Wine Cellars"
These aren't my own words, but that of Dr. Thompson on the TAXACOM listserve. But, I do think the information is very interesting, something I didn't know of before and wanted to share. The original message is at the TAXACOM online archives.
"What is more important are the kinds of flies that Linnaeus knew. The most curious in respect to history, is Musca cellaris, described on page 597 [in the Systema Naturae]. Today this name is forgotten due to the fear of geneticists who don't want to recognize the fact that Linnaeus knew Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen 1830). Linneaus loved wine and beer, and described the little flies which are attracted to fermented fruits as Musca cellaris, the fly of the wine cellars. Later Kirby and Spence put this species in its own genus, Oinopota (from the Greek for wine drinker). So by the Official rules of Nomenclature (ICZN) Linnaeus never knew Drosophila nor the species was unknown to the authors of the first text in Entomology."
Curiosly, AnimalBase reports the name Musca cellaris as available. Meaning that it is what is referred to as a nomen dubium ("doubtful name") in taxonomy. Though Meigen described Drosophila melanogaster in 1830, in the 1881 the article How to make vinegar in The Household Cyclopedia of General Information referred to the vinegar fly as Musca cellaris. Did the author recognize Linnaeus' priority or was he or she working under the opinion that Drosophila melanogaster and Musca cellaris were separate taxa? Granted this was before the rise of genetics. It was the geneticists who supressed the more appropriate linnaean name in favor of Drosophila melangaster, whom they had grown to know and love. Drosophila means "lover of dew". I think I prefer a happy drunk fly instead.
*Update: Christopher Taylor has another perspective of fly name conundrums. RPM also weighs in.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Make Friends With an Anemone
Dorid Designs has added a new design to her repertoire, one that certainly makes me happy!
I'm heading over right to place my order. Go check out her store, the designs are brilliant!
SciBlogCon '08: Real Time Blogging in the Marine Sciences
Saturday, January 26, 2008
TO95 Assimilated By DSN?
The word is out now. The blogosphere is a-buzz. Kevin Z is now officially writing for Deep Sea News as a fixed member of their team. I'm very excited to be working with Craig and Peter. They are a great couple of deep diving dudes with an accomplished scientific record to boot. From the comments over at DSN, people seemed a bit concerned about TO95. So here are some FAQs.
What does this all for The Other 95%? Well, nothing really. I'll still keep pluggin along here. Everything that I want to write about thats above 200m or terrestrial will remain here. This is also the home for my spineless music and personal ramblings.
Will we still be able to hear all the news and views of the world's most under-appreciated majority? Yes! I will still bring you content on the most amazing creatures this world has ever seen. Content may be more abbreviated, which may result in there being more of it.
You promised to do all these blog carnivals, your not backing out are you? I will still host blog carnivals occasionally as I've always done here. In fact, I will be looking to host blog carnivals on DSN as well.
Your not selling out are you? Yes and no. Sure, ScienceBlogs pays. But not that much and it will be split 3 ways. Peter and I will have enough to buy a box of diapers and Craig donates his to Oceana. Its nothing that will make a living. My reasons for joining are not monetary. I am passionate about the deep sea and enjoy working with Craig and Peter. DSN provides a high visibility outlet for me as well.
Won't you be stretched a little too thin? Yes, but I am always stretched out thinly. That is the nature of being a successful scientist. Involving yourself in several projects. Starting new collaborations while putting the finishing touches on old ones. My writing at TO95 and DSN nearly always takes place at home on my time, after my kids have gone to sleep. When I am in my office, I work on papers and my dissertation. My advisor wishes I could would work on my dissertation and papers during this time. But sometimes you need to do other things. Many grad students I know read trashy science fiction or romance novels. Many watch T.V. or play video games. Some spend their nights at the bars or other social places. I sit at home in blog in my spare time. I fail to see how blogging is any more of a time waster than those other activities. My blogging has led to great collaborations, friendships, potential job opportunities, educational outreach opportunities, being noticed by more established faculty and researchers, and improved writing that carries over to my dissertation. Jennifer Ouelette said her keynote address to the Science Blogging Conference that her blog was her 'writing lab'. This is a wonderful analogy that I will "link to" often in explaining why I blog.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Everybody Loves A Beagle
If you haven't already head over to The Beagle Project shop and get an awesome T-shirt! I just ordered Beagle Project onesies and a shirt for myself. If you don't know what The Beagle Project is then you've been living in a hole. Get out and click on the icon in my sidebar or on the shirt above and check out their store. The Beagle Project seeks to recreate the Beagle voyage of Charles Darwin, while doing modern science, education and public outreach along the way. It is the most noble project of 2008. So go there, donate by paypal, buy a shirt or a mug and help build the Beagle replica in time for the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth! While you are at go to their blog and get the latest news.
They lived so well without religion and they were so happy...
"... Also they didn't believe what I was saying because I didn't have evidence for it, and that made me think. They would try so hard to understand what I was saying, but it was obviously utterly irrelevant to them. I began to think: what am I doing here, giving them these 2000-year-old concepts when everything of value I can think of to communicate to them they already have?"
- via Aydin from Snail's Tales.
73rd Annual Meeting of the American Malacological Society
There are special symposia on:
1) A land snail conservation symposium and workshop in honor of the late Leslie Hubricht, organized by Kathryn Perez (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill/Duke University), Jay Cordeiro (NatureServe), Jochen Gerber (Field Museum of Natural History) and Kevin Roe (Iowa State University)
2) A symposium on molluscan taxonomy in the 21st century, organized by Benoit Dayrat (UC Merced)
3) A special session on cephalopod biology organized by Frank Anderson, Christine Huffard (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) and Elizabeth Shea (Delaware Museum of Natural History)
I am particularly interested in the 2nd session, but the 3rd session would be interesting too even though I do not really work on cephalopods. I would like to go, but probably won't be able to find the resources. I could present a poster on molluscs as ecosystem engineers/facilitators at hydrothermal vents. Would that fit with the conference or be more appropriate at a general ecology conference?
In other news, and I know its going to upset Jim whom I dearly wanted to meet in Rhode Island, but I probably won't be going to the Benthic Ecology Meeting this year. The Ocean Sciences Meeting will take alot of my time and Benthics is one month after that. My committee is pressuring me to produce a draft of my experimental work by May. STRESS!! Gotta love it!
Work With an Invert! - Scallop Eye Evolution PhD
Ph.D. Graduate Assistantship, Evolutionary Developmental Biology at Iowa State University
A graduate research assistantship is available for Fall 2008 to support a Ph.D. student interested in studying the evolution of developmental mechanisms. Our lab is using the scallop, a novel molluscan model, to study the evolution of the eye. Ongoing and future projects aimed at understanding the evolution of the eye and the development of the nervous system in scallops include laboratory and field experiments. Ultimately, we wish to understand how genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying structural complexity evolve. The position will be located at Iowa State University in the laboratory of Dr. Jeanne Serb.Applicants should be enthusiastic and capable of working independently. Prior experience with DNA and RNA extraction, PCR, in situ hybridization, and DNA sequencing is preferred. The successful candidate will play a significant role in developing his/her research project. All prospective students are encouraged to contact Dr. Jeanne Serb via e-mail (serb::at::iastate::dot::edu). Please include a curriculum vitae, a one-page statement of research interests and relevant experience, and the names and email addresses of three
references.
Applicants should apply to the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) graduate program through the department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology at Iowa State University. For Fall 2008 admittance, formal graduate applications should be received by 1 January 2008.
Work With an Invert! - Natural Sciences Curator in South Africa
Research position at Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
CURATOR: NATURAL SCIENCES
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Natal Museum researchers conduct research in various fields of natural sciences. The main responsibilities for this position are:
· Undertake original research (either independently or under the supervision of a chief curator), with emphasis on the unique resources housed in the Natal Museum: ideally molluscs, or other non-insect invertebrates such as myriapods, arachnids and earthworms.
· Register for higher postgraduate qualification where appropriate.
· Augment the collections through fieldwork where appropriate.
· Critically evaluate and interpret data, and prepare high quality manuscripts that meet the standards of the international scientific community.
· Formulate targeted research projects and submit applications to external funding bodies.
· Assist in efficient management and databasing of the collections, and provide guidance and scientific advice where necessary.
· Provide external and internal clients with authoritative information relating to collections and field of research expertise.
· Engage in collaborative research projects to enhance research capacity.
REQUIREMENTS: PhD degree in relevant field is preferable, ideally with publication record and curatorial experience. Applicants with an Honours or Masters Degree in relevant field may be considered if they intend to continue academic studies. Good existing knowledge of the research field and understanding the role of museum research are essential. Ability to generate funds, conduct research and communicate scientific results to academic community, general public and other interest groups. Excellent writing, presentation and communication skills. Valid drivers licence.
SALARY: Negotiable at salary level 8 of Public Service Employees.
The Natal Museum is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, whose aim it is to promote representativity in all levels of occupational categories in the institution. Applications should be posted to: The Deputy Director: Natal Museum, 237 Jabu Ndlovu Street, Private Bag 9070, Pietermaritzburg, 3200.
No faxed applications will be accepted.
The Natal Museum reserves the right not to make an appointment.
Please send a covering letter stating the position you are applying for, a detailed resume with a list of references and certified copies of all qualifications.
Further enquiries regarding these positions can be directed to the Deputy Director.
Closing date for submission of all applications is 15 February 2008, at 12:00. Late applications will not be accepted. If you have not heard from us by the 20 March 2008, please consider your application to have been unsuccessful.
237 Jabu Ndlovu Street, Pietermaritzburg
For a never ending journey of discovery!
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