Band-tailed Nighthawk

Birds > Caprimulgiformes

The Band-tailed Nighthawk (Nyctiprogne leucopyga) is a graceful, dusk-hunting caprimulgid native to the great river highways of tropical South America. Ranging across the sprawling Amazon and Orinoco basins, this small, highly aerial insectivore is celebrated for its...

Blood-red Crust

Fungi > Crust Fungi

The Blood-red Crust (Hymenochaete cruenta) is a breathtaking, brightly colored corticioid macrofungus found across the pristine montane and subalpine fir forests of the northern hemisphere. Belonging to the family Hymenochaetaceae, this specialized wood-decaying...

Tenax Pitcher Plant

Plants > Pitcher Plants

The Tenax Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes tenax) is an exceptional, rugged carnivorous plant endemic strictly to the sun-baked, seasonal wilderness of Australia’s Cape York Peninsula. While the vast majority of Nepenthes species are delicate, climbing tropical vines...

Robinson’s Peacock Spider

Invertebrates > Arachnids

Robinson’s Peacock Spider (Maratus robinsoni) is an astonishing miniature marvel of sexual selection and nanophotonics. Hailing from the dry eucalyptus scrublands of eastern Australia, this jumping spider (Salticidae) is one of the smallest species in the...

Spined Pygmy Shark

Fish > Sharks & Rays

The Spined Pygmy Shark (Squaliolus laticaudus) is among the smallest living sharks in the world, easily fitting inside the palm of a human hand. Inhabiting deep oceanic waters around the globe, this diminutive dalatiid shark conducts epic daily vertical migrations...