Thylacoleo carnifex The January 25, 2007, issue of Nature announced the first analysis of a treasure trove of fossils unearthed in southern Australian underground caves in the Nullarbor plains. Hundreds of fossils were extremely well preserved, from the the middle Pleistocene (200,000 and 800,000 years ago). They constitute a veritable Rosetta stone for ice age Australia. We discovered 69 species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including a remarkable eight new species of kangaroo, the most common of which sported unusually large brow ridges. – Palaeontogist Gavin Prideaux Western Australia Museum Bert Robert, on left, Mike Morwood, right. The most impressive [...]
“Hidden” Frog Found
Talk about your “hidden animal.” Now we know why they call cryptozoology the study of “hidden animals.” (It’s a joke, herpers.) Above is shown one of the rare members of the Nannophrys frogs, from Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon, which frequently remains as a historical artifact in their scientific names). Craig Heinselman has posted at Strange Ark that there has been a new species of frog (shown below) described from Sri Lanka. It is a new species of endemic frog belonging to the genus Nannophrys. Heinselman notes: “In 2004 and 2005, nine specimens of the amphibian were collected. These [...]
Super Sunday Goes Ape
Who would have thought that CBS News on Super Bowl Sunday would attempt to tackle the Skunk Ape? Well, that is exactly what happened on “CBS Sunday Morning,” on February 4, 2007. Correspondent Bill Geist did one of his folksy and friendly stories from the field. Geist is one of the best parts of “Sunday Morning,” and routinely does a roadside America-type report. Even though they are funny, as opposed to getting the feeling Geist is trying for ridicule, he honestly appears to enjoy this kind of journalism about unusual attractions and weird stops during his travels. Geist calmly began [...]
Russian Relic Hominids
Since Boris Porshnev’s time, the hypothesis that the Caucasus Almasty is a Neanderthal has existed.
Extinct Parrot Found
This is a story about finding hidden treasures right before your eyes, in this case (pun intended), the beautiful Paradise Parrot of Australia. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The University of Aberdeen Zoology Museum (UK) has taken care of a case of mounted Australian birds, one of which is the spectacular but sadly extinct Paradise Parrot (Psephotus pulcherrimus). Nature-lover Michael Middleton, from the [Aberdeen] city centre, donated the exotic birds after the case that held them developed woodworm. It prompted him to scan the internet for more information on the assortment of stuffed birds, totalling three parrots, a pardalote, a kookaburra, a wild budgie [...]
Great Auk
Chad Arment’s Coachwhip Publications has announced the release of The Great Auk, or Garefowl. Below is Arment’s overview of the contents. Grieve’s classic text on the Great Auk provides a wealth of information on early knowledge of this extinct bird: records of specimens (birds and eggs), lists of former breeding-grounds, and stories from sailors and explorers who had first-hand sightings of the auks before they disappeared. Discussion ranges from archaeology to etymology: where the garefowl got its name. (And, are they the true “penguins”?) First published in 1885, this scarce reprint brings back to light the detailed scholarship of one [...]
Euro Stego
One of the first dinosaur names that all dino-crazy kids (myself included) learns to pronounce and links to pictures of that tiny-headed, plates-on-the-back image is the “Stegosaurus.” This is the kind of chart presently found on Strategic Transitions learning software that will soon have to be revised. Ask any kid interested in dinosaurs: Where are Stegosaurus found? The answer always has been: The American West, of course. That response is no longer true. News services from China to the USA are flashing the new discovery of a Stegosaurus in Portugal. This recent finding of the first Stegosaurus fossil in Europe [...]
Berkshire Beast Blarney?
A copy (above) of an allegedly actual mountain lion (puma, cougar) track sold commercially by Acorn Products. As you may recall, in the recent posting entitled “Eastern Cougar Catfights”, I discussed the on-going battles between the older pro-eastern felid group, Eastern Puma Research Network (EPRN), and the newer more debunking Eastern Cougar Foundation (ECF). ECF member and mushroom expert Joseph Lankalis has “demanded” that I publish his contribution below, before it goes up on the eastern cougar page. To demonstrate how personal this feud has become, sure, I’ll post this. Lankalis’ argument may have some merit but the way he [...]
Sea Serpent Snatching?
Recently in response to my blog about the San Francisco Bay Sea Serpent, one comment maker wrote in to mention this news item: By now everyone who is connected by radio, tv, internet or newspaper is aware that James Gray of Microsoft has just disappeared from the face of the earth while expertly sailing his 40ft sailboat on a day cruise under nearly perfect condition, through very well known waters, to the Farallon Islands. Speculation as to his whereabouts is wide-open and even the most serious and likely suggestions underscore just how slight is the ability of our human perceptions [...]
Oudemans’ Classic Resurfaces
You can go online today and find a copy of A.C. Oudemans’ The Great Sea-Serpent for $3705 US. The book is very rare, having been published first in 1892, by E. J. Brill in Leiden and by Luzac & Co. in London. Soon, a much more reasonably-priced edition will be available. The reprinting of the classic cryptozoological text, The Great Sea Serpent by Antoon C. Oudemans, has been in the works for months, with a new introduction by Loren Coleman. It will be published late in February, with an official publication date of March 1, 2007. This book is being [...]
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