Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

General interest items found around the web.

Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby BROWNRECLUSE » Sun Nov 29, 2015 3:42 pm

http://gizmodo.com/we-still-dont-know-why-the-heck-there-are-so-many-blue-1744998465

Image

Gizmodo wrote:A very particular shade of blue hair has evolved independently on eight separate occasions and in at least three different ways in tarantulas, a new study finds. And scientists are having a hell of a time figuring out why.

Like most animals with a blue hue, tarantulas don’t get their color from pigments. Rather, that striking cobalt fuzz comes from nanoscale lattices bending and scattering light in specific ways. So called “structural colors” are used for everything from attracting mates to warding off predators. Usually, the function of these dazzling displays is obvious; in tarantulas, it’s an ever-deepening mystery.

As reported this week in Science Advances, a team of researchers has completed a detailed optical, morphological, and evolutionary analysis of blue haired tarantulas. At least forty species in eight distinct lineages are blue—and not just any ol’ shade. Across those eight groups, hair color converges within an extraordinarily narrow band of wavelengths, centered around 450 nanometers. That suggests natural selection is playing a big role. But what are the spiders adapting to by going blue?

Image

Color (LM), morphology (SEM), and nanostructure (TEM) of blue hairs in eight different tarantulas (A-H). Image via Hsiung et al. 2015

Perhaps “tarantula blue” is a side-effect of some other desired physical property, for instance, the ability to repel water. But if that were the case, we’d expect each type of tarantula hair to have a similar molecular architecture. Instead, the researchers found at least three distinct nanoscale configurations, including multi-layered sheets of cells, and semi-ordered spongy structures.

Mate attraction also seems to be off the table, seeing as tarantulas have very poor color vision and don’t perform any conspicuous courtship displays. The most likely explanation seems to be that tarantulas are signaling another species—perhaps a predator—but at present “the receiver of that signal remains unclear.”

In any case, it’s a fascinating illustration of how natural selection can produce similar outcomes from very different starting points. The ways of evolution are often mysterious, but there is a method to the madness.


Stupid blue tarantulas. Think they're better than other spiders.
  • 12

Tesseracts wrote:In this age of falsehoods and lies, it's comforting to know some people are genuinely idiots.
User avatar
BROWNRECLUSE
Jedi Knight
Jedi Knight
 
Posts: 4142
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:55 pm
Location: Inside your ear canal
Show rep

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby sunglasses » Sun Nov 29, 2015 3:51 pm

*scoffs*

That's because they are, my dear.

*sips expensive tea*
  • 14

TCS Etiquette Guide

Rules and FAQs

Zevran wrote:Magic can kill. Knives can kill. Even small children launched at great speeds can kill.
User avatar
sunglasses
TCS Moderator
TCS Moderator
 
Posts: 11541
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:52 pm
Show rep
Title: The Speaker of Horrors.

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby Paradox » Sun Nov 29, 2015 4:30 pm

Oh, another poor blue collar arachnid. Did you steal her job too, you brown recluse?
  • 12

[Signature removed for nonpayment.]

The artist once again known as Dox.
User avatar
Paradox
Resident Dickhead
Resident Dickhead
 
Posts: 2243
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 6:56 pm
Location: Dunbar, WV
Show rep
Title: True Neutral

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby BROWNRECLUSE » Sun Nov 29, 2015 6:38 pm

Paradox wrote:Oh, another poor blue collar arachnid. Did you steal her job too, you brown recluse?


You are really asking for the Million Spider March in Rio, young lady.
  • 7

Tesseracts wrote:In this age of falsehoods and lies, it's comforting to know some people are genuinely idiots.
User avatar
BROWNRECLUSE
Jedi Knight
Jedi Knight
 
Posts: 4142
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:55 pm
Location: Inside your ear canal
Show rep

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby Bromo » Sun Nov 29, 2015 9:54 pm

I don't think any species would be so pretentious or desperate enough to eat a tarantula, let alone a blue one.
  • 6

"I spent a good 20 minutes searching for my glasses, when I realized I was seeing a bit too well.

Then I reached for my face and there were they." --Toy, 2016


The Pokémon master formerly known as Kevin Durant.
User avatar
Bromo
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1201
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2013 10:41 pm
Location: 'Murica
Show rep
Title: Token Homo

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby mancityfooty » Sun Nov 29, 2015 10:00 pm

Image

Humans are called omnivores for a reason.
If you can eat a regular roasted spider, I really doubt the blue would be a turn off.
They'd probably charge more for it.
  • 12

72% Vanilla
User avatar
mancityfooty
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1481
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2015 10:16 pm
Location: Olathe, KS
Show rep
Title: Duke Mix a Lot

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby CarrieVS » Sun Nov 29, 2015 11:16 pm

The best thing about eating tarantulas is you can use the inch-long fangs for toothpicks to get the bits of leg and stuff out of your teeth afterwards.
  • 11

A Combustible Lemon wrote:Death is an archaic concept for simpleminded commonfolk, not Victorian scientist whales.
User avatar
CarrieVS
TCS Redshirt
TCS Redshirt
 
Posts: 7103
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:43 pm
Location: By my wild self in the wet wild woods waving my wild tail
Show rep
Title: Drama Llama

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby iMURDAu » Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:39 am

Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy
You already know
I'm in the fast lane
From L.A. to Tokyo
Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy
Can't you taste this gold

Dammit. You can't drive from L.A. to Tokyo. I fucking hate pop music.
  • 7

“This is going to become a bad meme,” Todd observed.
User avatar
iMURDAu
TCS Chomper
TCS Chomper
 
Posts: 6752
Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:08 am
Location: twitch.tv/beakstore
Show rep
Title: King of Fuh

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby Bromo » Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:12 am

CarrieVS wrote:The best thing about eating tarantulas is you can use the inch-long fangs for toothpicks to get the bits of leg and stuff out of your teeth afterwards.


I stand corrected.
  • 9

"I spent a good 20 minutes searching for my glasses, when I realized I was seeing a bit too well.

Then I reached for my face and there were they." --Toy, 2016


The Pokémon master formerly known as Kevin Durant.
User avatar
Bromo
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1201
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2013 10:41 pm
Location: 'Murica
Show rep
Title: Token Homo

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby BROWNRECLUSE » Wed Dec 02, 2015 8:31 pm

These tarantulas ain't got shit on the peacock spider:

Image
  • 11

Tesseracts wrote:In this age of falsehoods and lies, it's comforting to know some people are genuinely idiots.
User avatar
BROWNRECLUSE
Jedi Knight
Jedi Knight
 
Posts: 4142
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:55 pm
Location: Inside your ear canal
Show rep

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby Bromo » Wed Dec 02, 2015 10:34 pm

BROWNRECLUSE wrote:These tarantulas ain't got shit on the peacock spider:

Image


Does the mating ritual of these spiders involve dancing to Katy Perry?

  • 4

"I spent a good 20 minutes searching for my glasses, when I realized I was seeing a bit too well.

Then I reached for my face and there were they." --Toy, 2016


The Pokémon master formerly known as Kevin Durant.
User avatar
Bromo
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1201
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2013 10:41 pm
Location: 'Murica
Show rep
Title: Token Homo

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby PSTN » Thu Dec 03, 2015 8:25 am

BROWNRECLUSE wrote:These tarantulas ain't got shit on the peacock spider:

Image


Is that a spider... With the design of a spider on it's back?

Like there's birds flying around being like "Oh snap! A spider! I'mma eat the fuck outta you." But then they swoop in and are all "oh shit! It's a double spider! Fuck this, I'm out!"
  • 9

User avatar
PSTN
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1422
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 1:24 am
Show rep
Title: II

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby Paradox » Thu Dec 03, 2015 10:20 pm

PSTN wrote:
BROWNRECLUSE wrote:These tarantulas ain't got shit on the peacock spider:

Spoiler: show
Image


Is that a spider... With the design of a spider on it's back?

Like there's birds flying around being like "Oh snap! A spider! I'mma eat the fuck outta you." But then they swoop in and are all "oh shit! It's a double spider! Fuck this, I'm out!"

It's not a defense mechanism. It's a gentleman spider trying to impress a lady spider.

Spiders can't compare the size of their junks on the internet, afterall.
  • 7

[Signature removed for nonpayment.]

The artist once again known as Dox.
User avatar
Paradox
Resident Dickhead
Resident Dickhead
 
Posts: 2243
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 6:56 pm
Location: Dunbar, WV
Show rep
Title: True Neutral

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby BROWNRECLUSE » Thu Dec 03, 2015 11:02 pm

Paradox wrote:
Spiders can't compare the size of their junks on the internet, afterall.


Image

Right swipe dat, honey.
  • 7

Tesseracts wrote:In this age of falsehoods and lies, it's comforting to know some people are genuinely idiots.
User avatar
BROWNRECLUSE
Jedi Knight
Jedi Knight
 
Posts: 4142
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:55 pm
Location: Inside your ear canal
Show rep

Re: Blue tarantulas think they're so fancy...

Postby Bromo » Thu Dec 03, 2015 11:10 pm

BROWNRECLUSE wrote:
Paradox wrote:
Spiders can't compare the size of their junks on the internet, afterall.


-snip-

Right swipe dat, honey.


Reported for posting lewd photos. :roll:
  • 8

"I spent a good 20 minutes searching for my glasses, when I realized I was seeing a bit too well.

Then I reached for my face and there were they." --Toy, 2016


The Pokémon master formerly known as Kevin Durant.
User avatar
Bromo
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1201
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2013 10:41 pm
Location: 'Murica
Show rep
Title: Token Homo


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests