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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 1d

You’d be fine, hopefully unlikely to need hospitalization 🙏

Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 2d

Literally forgot it was Mid Autumn Festival (lunar calendar Aug 15) yesterday and did take a photo of the moon 🌕
But today’s moon is nice too.

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 7d

So here’s my (1st) #arachtober post: a pair of oval St Andrew's cross spider (Argiope aemula), along with a prey.

A pair of oval St Andrew's cross spider (Argiope aemula) on the web. The bigger one is the female.

A pair of oval St Andrew's cross spider (Argiope aemula) on the web. The bigger one is the female. A prey item, which appears to be an orthopteran, is on the left.

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 8d

Congrats to Nonno-san!

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 10d

The topic of resurrection/immortality was explored extensively in this novel. In addition to Sun Kukong himself, revival of the Chinese Emperor Li Shimin and the king of Wuji were also quite wild…

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 11d

BTW: the individual on the left side is a 14yo female. Her name is Hina (kanji: 妃南)--a really cute name IMO!

Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 11d

Visited the Okinawa Zoo today and saw the two giant anteaters “kissing” each other like this. It’s the first time I saw such behavior… #anteater

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 14d

Two bugs (probably of genus Cletus) are mating, while a third one is watching beside…I’ve never felt so sorry for a bug.
(I’m assuming the third bug is the “loser”, but I’m unfamiliar with this group and don’t know what exactly is going on.)

Two bugs (probably of genus Cletus) are mating on a plant, and another bug is beside.

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 20d

Did the ability of movement on water surface evolve by natural selection, or is it a byproduct of other attributes of the caterpillar? Intuitively, the chance of falling into water by chance should be low and it'd be hard for selection to act on it...

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 20d

I tried searching a bit and found this paper. The authors stated that it's motivated by an observation in 2018.

peerj.com/articles/119...

Active behaviour of terrestrial caterpillars on the water surface

Most butterfly and moth larvae (Lepidoptera) are terrestrial. When terrestrial caterpillars accidentally fall into water, they may drown or be preyed upon by aquatic predators before they can safely r...

peerj.com

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 20d

Saw this caterpillar crawling on water surface today! Apparently it fell into water and was trying to find its way to survival. I suppose it isn't that common a scene to see, is it?

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 23d

I’ve seen lots of Coenobita land hermit crabs here in #Okinawa, but this time it’s a different one! Saw this ribbed hermit crab (Clibanarius striolatus) in a little pool when tide was low. #HermitCrab #crustacean

A ribbed hermit crab (Clibanarius striolatus) in a broken conch shell. Species ID by iNaturalist.

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 26d

I had a look at their website, where it's stated that they have two Tarbosaurus mounts, respectively representing outdated and modern understanding of their posture. So I suppose this is the 'modern' one!
muzeumewolucji.pl?page_id=2779...

Exhibitions - Muzeum Ewolucji Instytutu Paleobiologii PAN

Exhibitions • Virtual walk Permanent exhibition The palaeontological exhibition focuses mainly on dinosaur skeletons found by Polish-Mongolian expeditions to

muzeumewolucji.pl

Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 27d

Isn’t the first picture a Tarbosaurus (which is Nemegt)? Historically it has been classified as a species of Tyrannosaurus though…

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · 27d

There’s a classic Chinese idiom 求仁得仁 that describes someone who gets what they seek (usually something bad). Perfectly appropriate for #Kirk.

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Sep 6

Encountered this Scylla serrata 🦀 today. Most of them promptly swam away as approached. This one apparently lost its way, allowing me to take the photos (before releasing it).

A mud crab (Scylla serrata) in shallow water near the shore.

A mud crab (Scylla serrata), whose right pincer is missing.

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Aug 31

Some beautiful #arthropods 🦀🦋🕷️ seen today in #Okinawa

A blueberry hermit crab (Coenobita purpureus). This is a species of terrestrial hermit crab native to the Ryukyu Islands.

A female great Mormon (Papilio memnon) of form agenor, resting on a tree leaf.

A dead female giant golden orbweaver (Nephila pilipes). Ants are gathering around her dead body.

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Aug 30

The "prior generations of women in science" were expected to silently tolerate all the toxicity and assaults. Sadly, such expectation persists today, and shark science is far from unique.

Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · Aug 30

When I wrote this for SciAm, the thing that genuinely surprised me most was the number of emails I got (mostly from men) telling me that prior generations of women in science would be ashamed of me for my weakness in writing it.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...

The Dark Side of Being a Female Shark Researcher

Being a scientist should not require developing the grit to continually endure misogyny, discrimination, harassment, assault or bullying

www.scientificamerican.com

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Aug 29

Have fun!

Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Aug 29

The Paleozoological Museum of China (中国古动物馆)? It’s in the same building as IVPP, so maybe already in your plan. I also recommend the Geological Museum of China (they had materials once described as “Tyrannosaurus zhuchengensis”).

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Aug 28

I doubt if those in the 4th photo, apparently by Chinese paleoartist Chuang Zhao (a source image shown below), were used with permission. Many Chinese museums don't take paleoarts seriously, thus often steal artworks & misuse them for wrong taxa. Lame AI drawing could be their future...

Recontruction of Hamipterus tianshanensis, a pterosaur from Hami, China. Artwork by Chuang Zhao (Chinese: 赵闯).

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Aug 24

In hindsight, I kinda regretted not mentioning Gould & Lewontin’s spandrel paper 😂

Lee Hsiang Liow （廖珕庠） @lhliow.bsky.social · Aug 19

G.G. Simpson is the most mentioned paleontologist at #eseb2025. These are 3 different talks from two separate sessions. But there are more! adaptive landscapes, adaptive radiations and horotely (rates) are in! So is the fossil record! @roszenil.bsky.social @ignacioq.bsky.social and others!

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Aug 24

Also quite close to the conference venue of #ESEB2025 is Parc de Diagonal Mar. There are a lot of birds (and bugs) here. Very enjoyable to walk around here.

Gulls at Parc de Diagonal Mar, including at least yellow-legged gulls (Larus michaheis) and black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

Greylag geese (Anser anser) in the park. Some are sleeping.

Birds in the park. At the center is a gray heron (Ardea cinerea).

A black-tailed skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Aug 24

With my #ESEB2025 tour concluded and myself on the way back, I’m arranging photos taken in #Barcelona. First of all, the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona, which is sweetly located near the conference venue.

Skeleton of a fin whale near the entrance. The whale beached in 1862 and was kept in Catalonia because of local people’s wish.

Some animal specimens in the museum. This set has a theme of “predators”, with animals included here all have some unique/interesting means of hunting.

Fossilized skull of a Ophthalmosaurus incenicus. It’s one of the best known ichthyosaurs thanks to it appearance in the documentary series Walking with Dinosaurs.

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Daohan "Rex" Jiang @rexjiang.bsky.social · Aug 23

About to fly back to Okinawa now! #ESEB2025 is an amazing experience.
Also hope I'm not being delayed by typhoon on my way back😂

ESEB 2025 Congress @eseb2025.bsky.social · Aug 22

✨ Day 5 of #ESEB2025 wrapped! Thanks for an inspiring week: safe travels home, and see some of you tonight 🎉

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