Latest articles by Werner de Gier

plants and animals
over 3 years ago by Werner de Gier

The forgotten arachnids: Ricinulei

After the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana millions of years ago members of a unique group of arachnids became separated. Today these spider-like critters hide in the corners of only tropical Africa and the Americas.
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plants and animals
over 4 years ago by Werner de Gier

Until death do us part: relationshrimp goals

Unexpectedly, some shrimp prefer the cohabitation with other living things, known as symbiosis. Symbiotic shrimp are heavily understudied – for every species of “jumbo” shrimp on your plate, there are dozens of tiny shrimp yet to be discovered living inside and on other animals.
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plants and animals
over 4 years ago by Werner de Gier

Carrying the world: the environmental burden on a snail’s shoulder

Deep in the jungle of Papua New Guinea, lives a small creature, bright as an emerald. The attractive sheen of the home on its back is a double-edged sword for this slow-moving creature.
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plants and animals
over 4 years ago by Werner de Gier

A bare-bones look at bizarre fish

Modern fish make up a huge part of Earth’s ecosystems, and cover a lot of niches. Predators, omnivores and herbivores are all found in this diverse group. Millions of years of adaptation has sculpted their bodies into the various forms and shapes we see today.
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plants and animals
over 4 years ago by Werner de Gier

The bloodthirsty land leeches of Asia

While most leeches live in fresh or salt water, a small fraction of the blood-sucking parasites are terrestrial. The so-called land leeches are a distinct group of annelid worms native to the rainforests found around the Indo-Pacific.
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Werner
de Gier

Guest Writer