Word of the day: ZALAMBDODONT

Za`lamb´do`dont

a.	1.	(Zool.) Of or pertaining to a tribe (Zalambdodonta) of Insectivora in which the molar teeth have but one V-shaped ridge.
n.	1.	One of the Zalambdodonta. The tenrec, solenodon, and golden moles are examples.

Tenrecs are the bomb. Why did I never learn about these as a kid? Punk rock hair, detachable spines, earthworm eating balls of adorableness - what's not to love? Seriously.

I came across a fact about tenrecs having 32 nipples (I can't find a source that corroborates this, though) and the next thing I know I'm reading scientific papers about their ultrasonic communication methods.  Turns out that the Lowland tenrec has 7-16 specialized spines on their lower back, with an underlying musculature that allows them to rub the spines together. It has been hypothesized that this is how they communicate about good foraging spots or the location of predators, but no one really knows. I love the fact that there are so many things we as humans still don't know about the world around us. 

References: 

Animal Diversity Web, Lowland Tenrec. Accessed 7/23/2018.  http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Hemicentetes_semispinosus/

Cal Photos, Hemicentetes semispinosus; Lowland Streaked Tenrec. Accessed 7/23/2018

https://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0024+3291+2008+0063

Endo, H., Koyabu, D., Kimura, J., Rakotondraparany, F., Matsui, A., Yonezawa, T., ... & Hasegawa, M. (2010). A quill vibrating mechanism for a sounding apparatus in the streaked tenrec (Hemicentetes semispinosus). Zoological science, 27(5), 427-432.

Webster's 1913 dictionary. Accessed 7/23/2018

http://www.webster-dictionary.org/definition/zalambdodont

Library Fun Fact #2

In 1774, the Scottish physician, James Lind, then an officer in the British navy, conducted the first systematic study that proved that vitamin C cures scurvy. The navy then made barrels of lemon juice a mandatory item on all ships. By 1880, they placed 1.6 billion barrels on board. 

All of these lemons had to come from somewhere. Citrus is native to southeast Asia. It traveled trade routes, being cultivated in the Mediterranean climate. Lemons, which are a cultivar cross (citron x sour orange) were mostly grown on the island of Sicily in the late 1700's. Far enough from mainland Italy, Sicily was not directly affected by Italy's war with Napolean. Instead, they fell into political turmoil of their own, being mostly run by families in a feudal-type arrangement. 

Lemon growers often fell victim to neighboring families, who would sneak into their orchards at night and strip the trees. Growers built walls around their trees. They increased the height of the walls. They added rocks or glass shards on top of the walls. They had guard dogs. Even if they got this far, shipments to the warehouses were often robbed. Guards were hired. 

Then the family guards began to extort the farmers to provide lemon crop protection. If you didn't pay, your crop would disappear and you would be left with nothing. And *that* is where the Sicilian mafia began. Really.

When life gives you lemons, create your own mafia.

References

Dimico, Arcangelo, Alessia Isopi & Ola Olsson. (2017) Origins of the Sicilian Mafia: The Market for Lemons. Journal of Economic History, v.77(4).

Stone, Daniel. (2017) The Citrus Family Tree. National Geographic magazine, accessed online https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/02/explore-food-citrus-genetics/