Wikipedia:WikiProject Tree of Life/Newsletter/027

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March and April 2024—Issue 027

Tree of Life

Welcome to the Tree of Life newsletter!

Newly recognized content
Horned sungem by Jens Lallensack Tufted jay by grungaloo Pseudastacus by Olmagon List of erinaceids by PresN Primates by PresN Hypericum sect. Androsaemum by Fritzmann2002 Thalattoarchon by Amirani1746, reviewed by Esculenta Lentinus brumalis by Зэгс ус, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Hypericum sect. Androsaemum by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by Maxim Masiutin Hypericum × inodorum by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by AryKun Barnacle by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Lightburst Maize by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by AryKun Pig by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Wolverine XI Orange (fruit) by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by 750h+ Fish by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Reconrabbit Organism by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Esculenta Hydropunctaria amphibia by Esculenta, reviewed by AryKun Melanohalea by Esculenta, reviewed by AryKun Lecideaceae by Esculenta, reviewed by Wolverine XI Xylopsora canopeorum by Esculenta, reviewed by AryKun Spot test (lichen) by Esculenta, reviewed by AryKun Gustaf Einar Du Rietz by Esculenta, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Allocalicium by Esculenta, reviewed by Simongraham Multiclavula mucida by Esculenta, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Aphaena submaculata by Etriusus, reviewed by Wolverine XI White-tailed jay by Grungaloo, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Fork-tailed drongo by The Blue Rider, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Northern green anaconda by Chaotic Enby, reviewed by Geardona Heptamegacanthus by Mattximus, reviewed by Esculenta Mixtotherium by PrimalMustelid, reviewed by FunkMonk Diplobune by PrimalMustelid, reviewed by Wolverine XI Ochrophyte by Snoteleks, reviewed by Ealdgyth Parvilucifera by Snoteleks, reviewed by Fritzmann2002 Urceolus by Snoteleks, reviewed by Fritzmann2002 Plexippoides regius by Simongraham, reviewed by Grungaloo Olga Hartman by Viriditas, reviewed by Lightburst Giant panda by Wolverine XI, reviewed by Thebiguglyalien Enchylium conglomeratum by Xkalponik, reviewed by Wolverine XI

Newly nominated content
Great cuckoo-dove by AryKun Heptamegacanthus by Mattximus List of talpids by PresN List of birds of New Brunswick by B3251 List of forest-inventory conifers in Canada by Dank Dissoderma odoratum by NotAGenious Xiphodon by PrimalMustelid Banana by Chiswick Chap Phintella parva by Simongraham Evarcha maculata by Simongraham Asian elephant by Wolverine XI Megafauna by Wolverine XI Fishing cat by Wolverine XI Thistle tortoise beetle by Justinxuje Enchylium limosum by Xkalponik Enchylium polycarpon by Xkalponik Skeleton panda sea squirt by Chaotic Enby Hypericum aciferum by Fritzmann2002 Hypericum russeggeri by Fritzmann2002 Hypericum minutum by Fritzmann2002 Chrompodellid by Snoteleks Aquilegia sibirica by Pbritti Carabus japonicus by NHanselman Charles De Geer by Yakikaki Cheetah reintroduction in India by Magentic Manifestations

News at a glance

The newsletter will not be returning to a monthly format (mainly because the author is busy failing every exam imaginable) and is on a bimonthly schedule for the foreseeable future.
The second round of the WikiCup was very competitive, requiring the highest points total to advance since 2014. Two TOL editors, AryKun and Fritzmann2002, advanced to the third round.
The March edition of our monthly rolling contest was won by simongraham, who amassed 118 points from 21 articles on various species of jumping spider; in second place was Quetzal1964 with 109 points from 53 articles on marine ray-finned fish.
Quetzal1964 and simongraham were also the top two in the April edition, although Quetzal was ahead this time, with 68 points to simongraham's 48. In the annual leaderboard, Quetzal and simongraham are in first and second place respectively, with 291 and 246 points; in third place is Snotoleks, with 76 points.

March DYKs

... that an Indian rhinoceros, sent as a gift to Pope Leo X in 1515, was immortalised as Dürer's Rhinoceros after dying in a shipwreck? (1 March)
... that due to a misunderstanding, Catodontherium was moved from its original genus name? (3 March)
... that a malaria-control program in rural Brazil attracted droves of annoying, colorful bees that collect pesticide (example pictured) into homes? (4 March)
... that popular garden plants like malfurada often escape from cultivation and become invasive? (5 March)
... that the cherry blossom was used symbolically in Japanese World War II propaganda, with falling petals representing "young soldiers' sacrifice for the emperor"? (8 March)
... that off-roading at Muriwai Beach in New Zealand may be damaging the habitat of the newly described korowai gecko (example pictured)? (9 March)
... that Will Smith took part in the expedition that discovered the northern green anaconda? (13 March)
... that the Kīlauea lava cricket disappears from a lava field as soon as any plants start to grow there? (13 March)
... that Julian Assange's lawyer argued that the rules set by the Ecuadorian embassy requiring Assange to take care of his pet cat Michi were "denigrating"? (13 March)
... that mule deer sometimes prefer the flavor of one Rocky Mountain juniper tree, like "ice cream", over another? (21 March)
... that the skeleton panda sea squirt was known on the Internet for its skeleton-like appearance years before its formal description? (26 March)
... that only one fruit but several thousand seeds were known when Allenbya collinsonae was named? (26 March)
... that while named for alliums, the fossil Paleoallium (pictured) was not necessarily directly related to any allium species? (27 March)
... that the extinct genus Mixtotherium, meaning 'mixed beast', has traits of both extinct primates and hyraxes? (28 March)
... that the fossil fern Dickwhitea was described from a single block of chert? (28 March)
... that Scytalopus krabbei is named after Niels Krabbe, who discovered seven other species in its genus? (29 March)
... that Institutiones rei herbariae, published in 1700, sought to give a unique name to every plant based on their "essence"? (29 March)
... that in some rare cases, large Siberian tigers prey on adult brown bears? (30 March)
... that only six years after its 2016 discovery, the Meratus blue flycatcher (pictured) was found being sold in Indonesian songbird markets? (30 March)
... that the spirit liverwort is called such because of its proximity to the Māori afterlife? (31 March)
... that cultures of the fungus Lentinus brumalis have been flown on three different satellites? (31 March)
... that the English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper claimed that eating alkanet leaves would make a person's spit deadly to serpents? (31 March)

Eufriesea purpurata
Korowai gecko
Paleoallium billgenseli fossil
Male Meratus blue flycatcher

April DYKs

... that despite its name meaning 'unscented', Hypericum × inodorum can smell strongly of goat? (1 April)
... that color-changing cats (artist's impression pictured) could help us communicate with the future? (2 April)
... that Pep the dog was falsely accused of murdering a cat and sent to Eastern State Penitentiary? (2 April)
... that an extinct French scarab beetle was discovered in a Prague factory? (3 April)
... that the white-tailed jay (example pictured) found in Ecuador and Peru was once thought to have been brought to Mexico by pre-Columbian trade? (5 April)
... that saving the Guadalupe cypress included the help of 40 Judas goats? (5 April)
... that the fork-tailed drongo gives genuine alarm calls but will sometimes lie to steal food from other animals? (5 April)
... that Bangiales, an order of red algae, contains both the oldest-known sexually reproducing organism and the seaweed used to make sushi wrappers? (7 April)
... that beavers, mules, and dogs have been parachuted from airplanes? (8 April)
... that Aphaena submaculata (pictured) uses specialized mouthparts to suck the sap of trees? (8 April)
... that female Eriopis connexa beetles prevent sibling cannibalism by laying unfertilized eggs? (9 April)
... that Androsaemum androsaemum is botanically unacceptable, but Aniculus aniculus is perfectly valid? (9 April)
... that there is one male for every 31 females in an E. interjectus colony, and each female can start its own colony? (10 April)
... that the first extant deer discovered in the 21st century is only 38 centimetres (15 in) tall? (10 April)
... that Buellia aethalea, a species of fungus, is also known as the "darkened button lichen" due to the small black spots on its crusty grey surface? (14 April)
... that despite commonly being caught with a hook and line, the holotype of the Rapa Nui lizardfish was instead collected with a spear? (14 April)
... that ochrophyte algae have twice as many membranes around their chloroplasts as plants? (16 April)
... that while the lichen species Enchylium conglomeratum is considered secure globally, it has been designated as extinct in the UK and regionally extinct in Switzerland? (18 April)
... that Cladonota's extravagant dorsal structures have been called both "grotesque" and "particularly charismatic"? (19 April)
... that the damselfly-relative Okanagrion is suggested to have eight species due to both alpha and beta diversity drivers? (21 April)
... that trees of the extinct genus Calamophyton (example pictured) formed the earliest known forest? (22 April)
... that the color of a black-headed tailorbird's throat was thought to depend on sex, but later turned out to depend on age? (23 April)
... that Biodiversity Impact Credits seek to stop species extinction? (30 April)

Artist's impression of a ray cat
White-tailed jay
Aphaena submaculata
Calamophyton tree

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