𝐻𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘 ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘 is one of only three recognized hoolock gibbon species and represents the westernmost member of the gibbon family. As an important seed disperser in forests, it helps maintain ecosystem health, but habitat fragmentation threatens many populations. #TautonymTuesday Photo: Evakp

𝐻. ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘 is known for its long arms and brachiation, swinging from branch to branch with effortless precision. Mated pairs defend territories using loud, coordinated songs that can carry long distances through dense forests. #TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Programme HURO

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘 ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘, the western hoolock gibbon. Native to NE India, Bangladesh, and western Myanmar, this agile ape spends nearly its entire life in the forest canopy, moving through the trees with remarkable speed and grace. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Abdul Momin

And there's a super tautonym: 𝐶𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠. It occurs across much of the species' northern range and is notable for its remarkable circumpolar distribution, spanning freshwater systems in both NAmerica & N Eurasia. #TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: J Gillespie

𝐶. 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠 is built for life on the bottom. Its downward-facing mouth acts like a vacuum, allowing it to sift through gravel & sediment for food. In spawning season, adults migrate into tributary streams, where they gather in large numbers to reproduce. #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: USFWS

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐶𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠, the longnose sucker. This fish is found across northern N America & Eurasia, inhabiting cold lakes, rivers, & streams. Its elongated snout helps it forage along the bottom for aquatic insects and other inverts. #Systematics Photo: Dustin Snider

The species includes a super #tautonym: 𝑉𝑢𝑙𝑝𝑒𝑠 𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑝𝑒𝑠 𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑝𝑒𝑠. Found across Europe, it was described by Linnaeus in 1758. This highly adaptable subspecies has occupied landscapes shaped by humans for centuries while remaining one of the most effective mesopredators in the world. Photo: M Thyssen

The species includes a super tautonym: 𝑁𝑦𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑥 𝑛𝑦𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑥 𝑛𝑦𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑥. It occurs across much of Europe, Africa, and Asia and is highly migratory in northern parts of its range, traveling thousands of kilometers between breeding and wintering grounds. #TautonymTuesday Photo: Charles Sharp

Unlike more gracile herons, 𝑁. 𝑛𝑦𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑥 has a compact build, a thick neck, and striking red eyes. It often hunts by standing motionless at the water's edge before making a rapid strike, & it often nests in large colonies with other #waterbirds. #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Calibas

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑁𝑦𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑥 𝑛𝑦𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑥, the black-crowned night #heron. Found on every continent except Australia & Antarctica, this heron is most active at dusk and night, stalking fish, amphibians, and crustaceans along shorelines & wetlands. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Calibas

Once widespread, 𝐶𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠 has undergone severe population declines and is now Critically Endangered in much of its range. Changes in agriculture, habitat fragmentation, & climate pressures have all contributed to its rapid decline. #TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Sphoo

𝐶𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠 is solitary and highly territorial, spending much of its life in extensive burrow systems. It uses expandable cheek pouches to transport food, storing seeds and crops underground to survive long periods of inactivity. #TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: SgH Vienna

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐶𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑠, the European hamster. Native to grasslands and agricultural regions of Central & Eastern Europe, this burrowing rodent is known for its bold coloration: black belly, reddish flanks, and white patches. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Charles J Sharp

The species includes a super tautonym: 𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑠, the nominate subspecies. It occurs across much of the Central American range, especially along rivers and lowland forests, where access to water is key to its remarkable escape strategy. #TautonymTuesday Photo: Anthony Batista

𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑠 has long toes with fringes that help it move across water surfaces at high speed. Males also sport prominent crests on the head, back, and tail. When threatened, it sprints bipedally across water or dives to escape predators. #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: C & L Van Loon

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑠, the brown #basilisk. Native to Central America, this semi‑aquatic #lizard is famous for its ability to run across water, earning it the nickname “Jesus Christ lizard.” #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Charles J Sharp

The species includes a 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐦: 𝐺𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎, the western lowland gorilla. Found in lowland rainforests from Cameroon to the Congo, it is the most widespread gorilla subspecies and the one most often seen in zoos. #TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Tuxyso

Western gorillas play a key role as seed dispersers, helping maintain forest ecosystems. But they are Critically Endangered due to habitat loss, hunting, & disease, including Ebola outbreaks that have severely impacted populations. #TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Diego Delso

𝐺𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 has a robust build, long arms, and a primarily herbivorous diet of leaves, stems, & fruit. They live in cohesive family groups and communicate through vocalizations, body language, and even chest‑beating displays. #TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Charles Sharp

It’s a very special #TautonymTuesday! 𝐺𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎, the western #gorilla, is native to the forests of Cen. Africa. It’s the largest living #primate, known for immense strength, social #intelligence, & complex group structures led by dominant silverbacks. #Systematics Photo: Anil Oxtaz

Thrilled to receive this permanent loan from the USFWS Repository of siezed items. We finally have a tiger skin, lion skull, & babirusa skull! Plus a small sea lion skin, wallaby skull, & mounts of a long eared owl, tawny owl, Northern goshawk, red kite, mangrove cuckoo, & black-capped Kingfisher.

This species is typically found in shallow coastal waters, including lagoons and estuaries. By living near burrows and soft substrates, it plays a role in benthic ecosystems, recycling nutrients and linking invertebrate prey to larger predators. #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Klaus Stiefel

𝑂𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠 is a burrow‑associated goby with an elongated body and a distinctive spine on the cheek region. It often rests near or within burrows, darting out to feed on small invertebrates while staying close to shelter. #TautonymTuesday #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Chris Spain

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝑂𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠, the spinecheek goby. This Indo‑Pacific species inhabits sandy and muddy coastal habitats, where its subtle coloration helps it blend into the seafloor and avoid predators. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: US National Parks Service

The #species includes a super #tautonym: 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎, the nominate subspecies. Native to #Africa but introduced to southwestern #Europe, it is now well established in #Iberia and parts of #France, expanding its range with human help! #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Scarabinol

𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎 has a sleek body, retractable claws, and sharp senses suited for life in trees and dense cover. It feeds on small #mammals, #birds, #insects, and fruit, often hunting alone at night and resting in sheltered spots during the day. #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Scarabinol

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎, the common #genet. This slender, spotted #carnivore ranges across #Africa and parts of southern #Europe, with a long ringed tail and cat‑like agility that makes it an excellent nocturnal #hunter. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: Frédéric Salein

We have a super tautonym: 𝐶𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑥 𝑐𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑥 𝑐𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑥, the nominate subspecies! It occupies most of the European breeding range & represents the classic form described by Linnaeus in 1758, linking modern pops to the origins of zoological nomenclature #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: Waarneming.nl

𝐶𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑥 𝑐𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑥 is a compact, streaked brown bird built for life in grasslands. It forages on seeds and insects, relying on camouflage rather than flight to avoid predators. During migration, however, it journeys all the way across the Mediterranean! #TautonymTuesday #Systematics Photo: baldcoot

It’s #TautonymTuesday! Meet 𝐶𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑥 𝑐𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑥, the 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐢𝐥. This small, ground‑dwelling galliform bird breeds across Europe & W Asia and migrates to Africa for winter. It’s one of the few truly long‑distance migratory gamebirds. #TaxonomyTuesday #Systematics Photo: christoph_moning