Date: July 5, 2020 Location: Higo Province, Japan Collected by: 99percentinvisible – Return of the Yokai Observations: legendary Japanese mermaid or merman with three legs, who allegedly emerges from the sea and prophesies either an abundant harvest or an epidemic.
Author: Matteo Farinella
several billions of neurons on fire
Specimen #016 Carnival Ants of Gamboa
Date: March 18, 2019 Location: Gamboa, Panama Collected by: DiNaLab Observations: every year, usually around March, near the town of Gamboa, this unidentified species of ants has been observed collecting fallen flowers and using them as colourful masks in prolonged processions and competitive dance rituals, believed by some to be an ancient celebration of Spring. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fandrew.quitmeyer%2Fvideos%2F2574062975957122%2F&show_text=0&width=476
Specimen #014 – Dracula marina
Date: July, 2018 Location: Koh Lon, Thailand Collected by: DoAR (DiNaCon Field Lab) Observations: This macabre species of orchids blooms by the full moon on humid sandy beaches, during the monsoon season. It emits a putrid fish smell to attracts its pollinators. Methods: PlantSnap was misused to identify a non-vegetable sample
Specimen #013 – Rhyticeros panpiped
Date: July, 2018 Location: Koh Lon, Thailand Collected by: David Bowen / #DiNaCon Observations: The R. panpiped also known as the ‘tropical hautboy’ is a species of hornbill that, after being isolated on a remote tropical island (probably as a result of a strong hurricane), has evolved its upper casque into a highly convoluted series of…
Specimen #012 – Formificus
Date: July, 2018 Location: Koh Lon, Thailand Collected by: DoAR (DiNaCon Field Lab) Observations: This rare family of ants is prized for their sweet fig-flavoured nectar produced by fungal colonies living inside their gastris. They can be easily picked from trees in early Autumn, when the juice accumulated during the Summer makes them plump and heavy….
Specimen #011 – Ascapus fontana
Date: July, 2018 Location: Koh Lon, Thailand Collected by: DoAR (DiNaCon Field Lab) Observations: A now extinct species of prehistoric frog that once roamed the intertidal zone. It is believed to have squirted seawater in powerful bursts to shoot down flying insects. Methods: analysis by Demitasse image recognition Agama (0.3468) Tiger Beetle (0.0343) Leaf Beetle,…
Specimen #008 – Paratoxodera florita
Date: June, 2018 Location: Greenfield, MA, USA Collected by: Margaret Minsky Illustration by: Matteo Farinella Observations: The Paratoxodera Florita is a species of stick mantis which evolved to perfectly imitate potted plants. Its wings, middle and posterior legs are purely decorative and have lost almost all functionality. The P. Florita stands perfectly still balanced on it lower abdomen,…
Department of Amphibological Research 