First photographic record of albinism in Baiomys taylori (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Cases of albinism have been reported in less than 2% of living rodent species. Here, we report the first description of complete albinism in Baiomys taylori along with photographic evidence. This adult female was captured on three occasions as part of a long-term small mammal study on rangelands of extreme southern Texas. The individual was developing teats upon the third capture, an early sign of pregnancy. Despite selective pressures against albino phenotypes, this animal was able to survive to adulthood and potentially pass its albino alleles to offspring.

Photographic record of Dholes predating on a young Banteng in southwestern Java, Indonesia

A long-term camera-trap study of the Javan Rhinoceros in 2013 in Ujung Kulon National Park (UKNP), Indonesia, allowed us to document the first photographic evidence of Dholes preying on a young Banteng and other species. Our photographs suggested that Dholes get in large packs to predate on Banteng and commonly separate young from adults when attacking the young. Future research should examine the Dhole diet and interspecific relationships between Dhole and Banteng to gain a better understanding of the ecological impacts of endangered predators on endangered prey in UKNP.

Planetary Cinema

The story is now familiar. In the late 1960s humanity finally saw photographic evidence of the Earth in space for the first time. According to this narrative, the impact of such images in the consolidation of a planetary consciousness is yet to be matched. This book tells a different story. It argues that this narrative has failed to account for the vertiginous global imagination underpinning the media and film culture of the late nineteenth century and beyond. Panoramas, giant globes, world exhibitions, photography and stereography: all promoted and hinged on the idea of a world made whole and newly visible. When it emerged, cinema did not simply contribute to this effervescent globalism so much as become its most significant and enduring manifestation. Planetary Cinema proposes that an exploration of that media culture can help us understand contemporary planetary imaginaries in times of environmental collapse. Engaging with a variety of media, genres and texts, the book sits at the intersection of film/media history and theory/philosophy, and it claims that we need this combined approach and expansive textual focus in order to understand the way we see the world.

Sundering of earthworms by the Fairy Pitta (Pitta nympha): an unexplored strategy of prey preparation for brood provisioning by avian vermivores

Ecological specialists utilize a restricted range of resources and have evolved adaptations to exploit their specialized resources. For example, avian insectivores that feed nestlings with grasshoppers, beetles, or moths perform insect prey preparation before feeding nestlings so that the nestlings are able to swallow the prey. This behavior is generally not expected for soft prey such as earthworms. However, an overview of photographic evidence available online suggested that earthworms are sundered by parents before bringing the prey to the nestlings in a range of species from several families of vermivores worldwide. Reports on the provisioning of nestlings by the vermivores are relatively scant and no report on earthworm sundering has been published. We studied earthworm sundering performed by parents provisioning their broods at four nests of the Fairy Pitta in Korea. The birds sundered earthworms more often when nestlings were smaller and when the earthworm was longer. This is the first quantitative description of earthworm sundering in avian vermivores. We present and evaluate four hypotheses for the function of sundering: provisioning of small nestlings, decreased detectability, hunting multiple prey, and transport of prey. Among these, provisioning of small nestlings seems the most feasible explanation of sundering by the Fairy Pitta as sundering the earthworm allows parents to efficiently provision the younger/smaller nestlings who would have difficulties swallowing unsundered earthworms. This specialized prey preparation technique of vermivores suggests a tight adaptive match between their parental behaviors and their diet (vermivory).

On the occurance of crowned river turtle, Hardella thurjii in Gujarat, India

The crowned river turtle, Hardella thurjii (Gray, 1831) is widely distributed from Pakistan to Bangladesh, and possibly in western Myanmar. It prefers the middle and lower reaches of the northern river systems on the Indian subcontinent, comprising the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries. The species is classified as Endangered, but nationally remains a poorly protected species under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act. This communication presents the first photographic evidence of the crowned river turtle, from Gujarat State, India. It was previously reported from North Gujarat two decades ago, but without any evidence.

Unexpected Directionality of Failures in the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake near Point Reyes Station

This study investigates the directions of structural failures and toppling near Point Reyes Station during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake (Mw 7.9). We examined archives of the Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History and other historical sources for photographs and other evidence relevant to the dynamics of the 1906 rupture in this area. Using historical maps, site investigations, and previously unpublished photographs, we determined the precise locations and orientations of several structures, including a correction to the orientation of the train that was the subject of previous studies. Based on the photographic evidence and written accounts, we estimate the direction of toppling or collapse of each structure. Nearly all objects found were thrown in a direction approximately parallel to the right-lateral San Andreas fault, and in the same direction as the static ground displacement. This suggests that fault-parallel accelerations may have been stronger than fault-normal accelerations, and that the slip on the fault may have begun slowly and stopped more suddenly.

Urban estates in Astrakhan of the late XVIII – early XX centuries: typological aspect

The subject of this research is the typological groups of urban estates in Astrakhan of the late XVIII – early XX centuries. The object is the peculiarities of urban estates in Russia of that time. The goal lies in studying the urban estates in Astrakhan of the late XVIII – early XX centuries from the perspective of their classification. The article touches upon the question of phenomenology of the Russian estate, the architecture and typology of urban estates in the Russian province, as well as the architecture of urban estates in Astrakhan. The research employs the general scientific method (analysis of the historical and logical), historical-architectural approach, and art history techniques for studying estates in urban environment and photographic evidence. The author also attracts historical references, archival and other documents on the topic. The theoretical framework is comprised of the works of M. B. Mikhaylova and E. I. Kirichenko on the estate construction in Russian cities; T. V. Vavilonskaya and G. G. Nugmanova on the classification of urban estates. The scientific novelty lies in outlining the typological groups of urban estates of Astrakhan from the perspective of their architectural and artistic characteristics, as well as social rank of the lords. It is established that the urban estates of Astrakhan are divided into wealthy estates of the merchants that are an artistic phenomena in the architectural image of the city; prosperous and middle-class of the merchants and officials oriented towards eclectic architecture; wooden estates of modest merchants and philistines that carry certain artistic value. The practical importance of this research consists in contribution to the creation of the holistic picture of the development of Astrakhan architecture.

The occurrence of mobulid rays at St Helena Island, Cardno seamount and Bonaparte seamount in the South Atlantic and its significance for conservation

Data from 369 sightings of mobulid rays from St Helena Island, Cardno and Bonaparte seamounts in the South Atlantic are summarised. 50 % (183) of sightings were observed from a boat, 48 % (176) of sightings were encountered in water, of which 95 % (168) were whilst actively scuba diving. 2 % (10) of mobulid ray sightings were observed from land. Sightings data indicate that the Chilean devil ray Mobula tarapacana (Philippi, 1892) is a frequent visitor to St Helena and is present all year. We document the first photographic evidence of the presence of oceanic manta, Mobula birostris (Walbaum, 1792) at St Helena. Two solitary individuals were photographed off the north coast of St Helena in June 2018. These sightings confirm previous unverified reports on the species occurrence and extend the known distribution range of M. birostris in the open South Atlantic Ocean to 16°S.