another graduate student graduating... cartoon

I have to admit I loved this recent PhD Comic:

bat sperm!

Post-field update: I've returned home, almost caught up on sleep and grocery shopping but most importantly I am happy to report that I've been able to find and photograph BAT SPERM!  While I have a lot of work to do with my samples this seemed like news worth sharing.

So here is is- my first successful bat sperm sample! Join with me to marvel at this tiny wonder (below).

This particular sample is from an Artibeus jamaicensis (the Jamaican fruit bat).  The sperm is as of yet unstained but at least here it is in all of it's glory for a quick glimpse!

A Eumops by any other anem- howlers and prehensile-tailed porcupines (oh my)!!

Busy busy busy! 

We've been busy processing lots of great bats here.  Last night was a bit of a mess with a massive storm that rained us all out and forced us to close nets down.  Winds were strong enough to rip down branches - some of which almost hit several people!   Despite this we did catch some bats (pre-rain).

Also- this morning a big surprise was that two big bats were knocked down from a nearby palm tree and found by workers here where we are staying.  We thought these guys were Mollosida rufus but it turns out they were Eumops sp.!  Pretty exciting!

In other news- howler monkeys have decided that they like being closer to our cabins! 

Tonight an exciting discovery came in the form of a NEOTROPICAL porqupine!

Sorry for the brief blog but I have to hit the hay to get up and check a harp trap in the am... photos to be uploaded soon/next!

Bats bats bats! Belize bats!

It has been extraordinary, wonderful, exciting, thrilling, lovely, great AND awesome to be here in Belize catching bats and working in the field with wonderful scientists such as Nancy Simmons, Sharon Swartz and the 'leader of the pack' Brock Fenton (that is a short list of those who are in attendance- let me say LOTS of other great people!)  Lots of nets, harp traps and echolocation recording as well as radio telemetry is happening all around as we speak!

As things are so busy I only have time to mention a few of the most exciting species we've caught so far!  Photos and information on each will follow soon.

Belize bats (May 2013):

>Carollia perspicillata- common name: Seba's short-tailed bat

(a male shown here eating a piece of papaya)

Artibeus lituratis
 *image/info coming soon

Eptesicus furnalis
 *image/info coming soon
 
Myotis keaysii
  *image/info coming soon

Desmodus rotundus
 *image/info coming soon

Rhynchonycteris naso
 *image/info coming soon
 
and MORE (I think we have ~19 species so far)!