Hexagenia limbata, Flathead Lake, Polson, MT, July 2, 2016.
Hexagenia limbata
Fierce Roller
Evolution, transitions, and volvocine algae
Hexagenia limbata, Flathead Lake, Polson, MT, July 2, 2016.
Bald eagle near Flathead Lake, Polson, MT.
This poor beetle was probably just minding his own business before a gigantic flying terror swooped down, stabbed him with its proboscis, and started digesting his insides.
Robber fly with beetle prey.
Volvox photo by Jack Challoner
Wired has a short blurb featuring some photos from Jack Challoner’s new book The Cell: A Visual Tour of the Building Block of Life, including the above Volvox picture. The caption is
Algae Colonies
Each green sphere is a colony of Volvox algae with more than 50,000 cells. Scientists study these glowing, freshwater organisms as models for how living creatures develop specialized cells and tissue. Strands of cytoplasm connect neighboring cells, allowing them to communicate, and slender flagella propel the colony through the water.