markscherz - Tumblr blog

[markscherz]

With more and more passion projects like games and zines being crowdfunded, do you think we'll see a day when research is as well?

That day came many years ago: https://experiment.com/ was founded in 2012!

[markscherz]

No, that project is only to take a genomic approach to understanding miniaturisation. This is biomechanics and anatomy; a different field of study altogether, requiring specialised equipment and analytical methods. Not really feasible to put them on the same grant.

why are you skeptical of the current explaintion for Brachycephalus's landing issues? 👀

Basically, Brachycephalus are the only miniaturised frogs that seem to have these problems, and there are other frogs with equally small vestibular systems that work fine. I have seen tiny Stumpffia jump over a metre and then jump again moments later, which Brachycephalus are apparently incapable of.

Moreover, the behaviour we see in Brachycephalus is not just disorientation, which I think should be accompanied by wild flailing, but more closely resembles the spontaneous myotonic stiffening that occurs in fainting goats. Compare:

We also know that the entire otic capsule of Brachycephalus is, to use the scientific terminology, fucked, leading to the seemingly impossible but apparently confirmed consequence that they cannot hear their own calls. This is dramatically different from most if not all other miniaturised frogs.

So basically, I think Brachycephalus are a special case, and that the current explanation that supposes that the fluid of the semicircular canals cannot travel fast enough to allow orientation, is at best genus-specific and not miniaturisation-determined, and at worst simply wrong. Hence, I have a grant application seeking to test it in other miniaturised frogs. It has been rejected before, so I am not holding my breath, but it would be nice to be able to look into this.

[markscherz]

This majestic potato is Breviceps gibbosus. Here’s the original in context.

Art by Georges Louis Leclerc Buffon, (1707 - 1788)

[markscherz]

Fantastic!

Titicaca water frog & tadpoles :3

[markscherz]

why are you skeptical of the current explaintion for Brachycephalus's landing issues? 👀

Basically, Brachycephalus are the only miniaturised frogs that seem to have these problems, and there are other frogs with equally small vestibular systems that work fine. I have seen tiny Stumpffia jump over a metre and then jump again moments later, which Brachycephalus are apparently incapable of.

Moreover, the behaviour we see in Brachycephalus is not just disorientation, which I think should be accompanied by wild flailing, but more closely resembles the spontaneous myotonic stiffening that occurs in fainting goats. Compare:

We also know that the entire otic capsule of Brachycephalus is, to use the scientific terminology, fucked, leading to the seemingly impossible but apparently confirmed consequence that they cannot hear their own calls. This is dramatically different from most if not all other miniaturised frogs.

So basically, I think Brachycephalus are a special case, and that the current explanation that supposes that the fluid of the semicircular canals cannot travel fast enough to allow orientation, is at best genus-specific and not miniaturisation-determined, and at worst simply wrong. Hence, I have a grant application seeking to test it in other miniaturised frogs. It has been rejected before, so I am not holding my breath, but it would be nice to be able to look into this.

[markscherz]

Loonacy Prints / Patreon

[markscherz]

This only happens in Brachycephalus, and I am very skeptical of the current explanation. I hope to be able to address this question in the future.

You might know this tiny frog.

This is Mini mum (photo by Andolalao Rakotoarison), a species I had the pleasure to name—together with a team of amazing colleagues—back in 2019.

That was the start of a fascination with the process and consequences of miniaturisation for vertebrates. How the hell does this tiny frog manage to fit all of its vital organs—more or less all the same senses and organs that we have—into a package the size of a tic-tac‽ Why and how has it evolved to be so small? And why don't we get frogs that are much smaller?

Well, I just secured 1.5 MILLION Euros (!!!) in the form of a European Research Commission Starting Grant, to answer these and other related questions in the genomes of Mini frogs and other miniaturised vertebrates.

Because it turns out, there are *lots* of miniaturised vertebrates, and they push the boundaries of how small we think it is possible for a vertebrate to be! Here is a little graphic of some of them, scaled to a BIC ballpoint pen.

The project is called GEMINI: The Genomics of Miniaturisation in Vertebrates! You can read more about it on my website here, and in the press release, here!

[markscherz]

Ha, joke’s on you, I’ve never surpassed two-tiered stress cake and have yet to see a therapist!

I fear I have discovered bread-making as a coping mechanism as my defense date looms.

[markscherz]

I can recommend my Hefekranz recipe as an excellent coping mechanism. It pairs well with hot chocolate and panic.

I fear I have discovered bread-making as a coping mechanism as my defense date looms.

[markscherz]

by spirithiker

[markscherz]

Me when I feel like shit but my partner pays me a compliment.

[markscherz]

Is there an online register of different frog species' sounds that you would recommend?

There is no one good place to go, but

iNaturalist.org has a lot

xeno-canto.org just added frogs, and is probably the best in terms of data and UI

Macaulay library has some

FonoZoo is horribly built but has quite a few

Museum für Naturkunde Berlin's Animal Sound Archive is horribly built but has quite a few

Hope that helps!

[markscherz]

For those who missed it: I got a little money to study some tiny animal genomes.

Forgive me for vagueblring, but I have received SO much exciting news in the last week that I am not allowed to talk about, that I am going a little crazy!

So tune in on 5 September when the biggest news of my career so far will drop!

[markscherz]

Thanks Jens!

Jens has gathered all the Mini Frogs today to send Big Congratulations to @markscherz from all the Stickyfrogs! @markscherz is a Very Awesome Herpetologist, Evolutionary Biologist and FROG WIZARD who you might know for the exquisitely named Minu ature, Mini mum, and Mini scule!

Mark has been awarded a €1.5 Million European Research Commission Starting Grant for his project GEMINI: The Genomics of Miniaturisation in Vertebrates! Read more here and here! Congratulations Mark! 🐸

[markscherz]

You might know this tiny frog.

This is Mini mum (photo by Andolalao Rakotoarison), a species I had the pleasure to name—together with a team of amazing colleagues—back in 2019.

That was the start of a fascination with the process and consequences of miniaturisation for vertebrates. How the hell does this tiny frog manage to fit all of its vital organs—more or less all the same senses and organs that we have—into a package the size of a tic-tac‽ Why and how has it evolved to be so small? And why don't we get frogs that are much smaller?

Well, I just secured 1.5 MILLION Euros (!!!) in the form of a European Research Commission Starting Grant, to answer these and other related questions in the genomes of Mini frogs and other miniaturised vertebrates.

Because it turns out, there are *lots* of miniaturised vertebrates, and they push the boundaries of how small we think it is possible for a vertebrate to be! Here is a little graphic of some of them, scaled to a BIC ballpoint pen.

The project is called GEMINI: The Genomics of Miniaturisation in Vertebrates! You can read more about it on my website here, and in the press release, here!

[markscherz]

Yes accurate

Forgive me for vagueblring, but I have received SO much exciting news in the last week that I am not allowed to talk about, that I am going a little crazy!

So tune in on 5 September when the biggest news of my career so far will drop!

[markscherz]

Big Things™ dropping at 12h CEST today 🙃

Forgive me for vagueblring, but I have received SO much exciting news in the last week that I am not allowed to talk about, that I am going a little crazy!

So tune in on 5 September when the biggest news of my career so far will drop!