Timid Sacoglossan

Invertebrates > Sea Slugs

The Timid Sacoglossan (Elysia timida) is a remarkable photosynthetic sea slug endemic to the Mediterranean Sea and adjacent eastern Atlantic waters. Belonging to the family Plakobranchidae, this delicate gastropod is celebrated in evolutionary biology for its...

Ravenel’s Red Stinkhorn

Fungi > Stinkhorns

Ravenel’s Red Stinkhorn (Mutinus ravenelii) is an iconic, vividly colored saprotrophic mushroom belonging to the stinkhorn family Phallaceae. Named in honor of 19th-century American botanist Henry William Ravenel, this bizarre fungus is celebrated for its rapid...

Thurber’s Stemsucker

Plants > Parasitic Plants

Thurber’s Stemsucker (Pilostyles thurberi) is one of the most astonishing, botanically bizarre flowering plants in North America. Belonging to the ancient parasitic family Apodanthaceae, this extreme holoparasite has abandoned all traditional plant structures:...

Goliath Stick Insect

Invertebrates > Stick Insects

The Goliath Stick Insect (Eurycnema goliath) is one of the heaviest and most magnificent phasmids on Earth. Native to the tall eucalyptus woodlands of eastern Australia, this colossal insect exemplifies the absolute pinnacle of vegetative mimicry (phytomimesis)....

Pelagic Gooseneck Barnacle

Invertebrates > Crustaceans

The Pelagic Gooseneck Barnacle (Lepas anatifera) is one of the most intriguing and historically legendary invertebrates in marine biology. Belonging to the goose barnacle family Lepadidae, this pelagic crustacean lives an obligate rafting lifestyle, drifting thousands...