Ted Stankowich

Last week, a production team came to CSU Long Beach to film a sit-down interview for a documentary on wildlife living in Los Angeles. Hopefully, they got some good material, and the plan is to go out and film some skunks in the field later this spring!

This species ranges from the Caribbean through N Brazil, favoring bays, river mouths, and muddy or sandy bottoms. As a benthic feeder on small crustaceans and worms, it plays a key role in energy transfer between invertebrate communities and larger predatory fishes.
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics

𝑆. 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟 reaches about 12–18 cm, with a slender, silvery body and a noticeable mental barbel under the chin. Like other croakers, it produces sound using specialized sonic muscles and the swim bladder to communicate in turbid estuarine waters.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics

#TautonymTuesday is back! Meet 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟, the little croaker, a small sciaenid fish found along the Atlantic coasts of S America. It inhabits shallow coastal waters and estuaries, where it schools in soft‑bottom habitats rich in invertebrate prey.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics

Territoriality, sociality and male weaponry shape horn investment in female bovids Female weaponry remains underexplored across animal taxa. We analyzed socio-ecological predictors of female horn presence and size within the mammalian fam

New paper out with Nicole Lopez showing that predation risk, male horn size, and female territoriality drive the evolution of and investment into female horns!
"Territoriality, sociality and male weaponry shape horn investment in female bovids": academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...

Animal defenses with Dr. @tedstankowich.bsky.social.

Get into it:

alieward.com/ologies/zooh...

Zoohoplology (ANIMAL DEFENSES) with Dr. Ted Stankowich — alie ward Barbs. Spurs. Stinks. Scutes. Shrieks. Fashion. Drama. Animal behaviorist, evolutionary biologist, Cal State Long Beach professor, and your new favorite Zoohoplologist, Dr. Ted Stankowich, divulges ab...

Barbs. Spurs. Stinks. Scutes. Shrieks. Fashion. Drama.

Zoohoplology (ANIMAL DEFENSES) w/ *the* Dr. @tedstankowich.bsky.social has armadillos, skunks, pangolins, horned lizards, wombats, coyotes, kit foxes, poodles, porcupines, tigers, deer & the will to survive.

www.alieward.com/ologies/zooh...

My @ologies.bsky.social episode on animal defenses is out now!

Zoohoplology (ANIMAL DEFENSES) with Ted Stankowich

Take a listen to this awesome episode on animal defenses with @tedstankowich.bsky.social on @ologies.bsky.social with @alieward.bsky.social !!! I’ve had the pleasure of following Ted and meeting him in person and he is extremely knowledgeable! 🦨🦨🦨

Once named 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎, 𝐶. 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 is Critically Endangered after severe overhunting & habitat loss. Small wild colonies survive in remote Andean rocky slopes, where they remain important herbivores in fragile alpine ecosystems.
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Animalia.bio

𝐶. 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 is stockier with a shorter tail & thicker neck compared to its long-tailed cousin. These social #rodents live in colonies & communicate with a range of chirps & barks. Their ultra-dense fur requires special dust baths to stay clean.
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: masaigallery

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎, the short-tailed #chinchilla. Native to the high #Andes , this species is built for cold mountains—with the densest of any land mammal, compact bodies, and strong hind legs for navigating rocky slopes.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Britannica

Let's go, Buffalo!

Why do skunks stink? - Brains On! Science podcast for kids Skunks can stink, no doubt about it. But that stink is actually a superpower! Join Molly and co-host Diya as they find out how these critters use their smell to scare away enemies, what the smell is m...

Check out this great episode of the kids' podcast Brains On! where I talk about skunks! My parts are at 2:00 and 20:45. omny.fm/shows/brains...

This viper's #venom is highly potent, selected to immobilize prey quickly in harsh environments where energy #conservation is critical. Despite its fearsome reputation, bites to humans are rare due to its secretive lifestyle.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Philip Kahn

𝐶𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠 is perfectly adapted to #desert life. It uses sidewinding locomotion to move efficiently across scorching sand, reducing heat exposure. Its cryptic coloration allows it to ambush prey like #rodents and #lizards.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Intesar Salih

It’s #TautonymTuesday! 𝐶𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠, the Saharan horned #viper, thrives in N African deserts, where its horn-like scales help break up its outline against the sand. It can bury itself, exposing only its eyes—perfect for ambushing prey.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Holger Krisp

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎, the stone loach. This small benthic #fish inhabits cool, fast-flowing streams across Europe and western Asia. They live on the bottom, often partly buried. A classic tautonym in freshwater ichthyology! #Systematics #TaxonomyTuesday Photo: Holger Krisp

And 𝐺𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠 has a 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘𝐌!
𝐺𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠 is the nominate subspecies, found from the Madeira and Canary Islands across southern Europe to western Turkey. It can live over 9 years in the wild, an unusually long lifespan for a small #rodent!
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Youbadou

𝐺𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠 is a chunky #dormouse with gray fur, large eyes, and a bushy tail. It’s an agile climber, feeding on nuts, fruits, and occasionally #insects. True to its name, it was once considered a delicacy in ancient #Rome, hence “edible dormouse”!
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Pasztilla

After a week away, we’re back with #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐺𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠, the edible #dormouse. Native to Europe & W Asia, this nocturnal #rodent is famous for its long hibernation—up to 7 months! It’s also the largest dormouse species, reaching up to 30 cm long.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Azay

a man and a woman are jumping in the air in a living room . ALT: a man and a woman are jumping in the air in a living room .

All grades are now finalized and posted! I am officially on sabbatical until August 2026!!

Did you know 𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 is a 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘𝐌?
The nominate subspecies ranges from Madeira and the Canary Islands across southern Europe to western Turkey.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: MPF

𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 is a streaked brown #sparrow with a distinctive yellow throat patch, most visible in adults. These social granivores forage on seeds and insects, nesting in crevices and rocky slopes—perfectly adapted to rugged habitats.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎, the rock #sparrow. This hardy passerine is native to southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia, often found in rocky hillsides and open scrub. Sparrow in a rock >> Partridge in a pear tree!
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics #bird Photo: Zeynel Cebeci

Territoriality, sociality and male weaponry shape horn investment in female bovids Female weaponry remains gravely understudied across animal taxa. To investigate the factors driving female weapon investment, we analyzed socio-ecological

New Publication!
Territoriality, sociality and male weaponry shape horn investment in female bovids url: academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...

Survival of the Filthiest: Wild Animal Defenses with Dr. Ted Stankowich (Vertical) YouTube video by Natalia Reagan

Check out the recording of Tuesday's livestream with Natalia Reagan! www.youtube.com/live/X4-vE-R...

𝑀𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 ranges from southern #Mexico through Central America into northern South America. Its genus name, meaning “large leaf,” highlights its defining facial feature—a key adaptation for sonar-based foraging in #bats.
#TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Map: Cephas

𝑀𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 sports a prominent nose leaf for #echolocation and unusually long legs and tail membrane. Unlike most #bats, it skims #insects from water surfaces using its legs and tail—aerial agility meets precision hunting!
#TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Wied, Maximilian

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑀𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚, the long-legged #bat. Native to Central and South America, this species is named for its distinctive large nose leaf and elongated limbs—perfect for its unique #hunting style.
#TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Pedro Aguilar