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RaySocietyBooks

@raysocietybooks.bsky.social
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The Ray Society a 180 yr old non-profit charity named after eminent naturalist John Ray (1628-1705) publishes natural history works often unavailable elsewhere. raysociety.org.uk

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
🌊 On the germination, development, and fructification of the higher Cryptogamia London: Published for the Ray Society, by Robert Hardwicke ..., 1862. [Source]
Ray illustration from historical archives
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
🕸️ [Iconographie des crustacés et des arachnides de l'Égypte /. Paris: De l'Imprimerie royale, 1805-1812. [Source]
Arachnida illustration from historical archives
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RaySocietyBooks @raysocietybooks.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Cover for Marine crabs and lobsters from Gulf of Mexico.D.Felder Part 3: Keys + species accounts for Trichopeltarioidea,Cancroidea,Carpilioidea,Portunoidea,Goneplacoidea,Eriphioidea,Trapezioidea,Pseudozioidea,Pilumnoidea,Xanthoidea,Cryptochiroidea,Pinnotheroidea,Ocypodoidea,Grapsoidea, Gecarcinoidea
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RaySocietyBooks @raysocietybooks.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Cover approved for forthcoming public’n of Marine crabs and lobsters from Gulf of Mexico.. D.Felder Part 2: Keys + species accounts for Paguroidea,Raninoidea, Homolodromioidea,Dromioidea,Homoloidea,Cyclodorippoidea,Dorippoidea, Leucosioidea,Calappoidea,Aethroidea, Parthenopoidea,Majoidea,Palicoidea
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RaySocietyBooks @raysocietybooks.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Cover approved for forthcoming public’n of Marine crabs and lobsters from Gulf of Mexico.. D.Felder Part 1: Intro, image prep, morphology, keys to families, species & infraorders Stenopodidea, Polychelida,Achelata,Astacidea, Axiidea,Gebiidea and superfamilies Chirostyloidea,Galatheoidea,Hippoidea
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
🧠 Report on the zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean during the voyage of H.M.S. 'Alert' 1881-2. London: Printed by order of the Trustees, 1884. [Source]
Illustration from an 1884 zoological report showing detailed scientific drawings of three crab species collected during the Indo-Pacific voyage of H.M.S. Alert. The central focus includes full views and close-ups of claws and carapaces labeled A (Euxanthus tuberculosus), B (Hypocoelus punctatus), and C (Banareia inconspicua). The finely stippled engraving highlights surface textures, tubercles, and anatomical features with labeled parts such as claws and carapace sections. This historical plate reflects 19th-century taxonomic study methods, linking to Darwin’s legacy of natural history exploration and species documentation.
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NHM Library and Archives @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Recent new additions to our library botanical journal collections 📚️ Visitors to our reading room can access our physical and online collections. ⬆️Use the link in our bio to learn more about our collections and how to make an appointment. #NaturalHistoryMuseum #Botany
Seven modern journals, all related to the natural sciences, laid out. Above are the words: Recent new additions to our botanical journal collections.
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old wildlife illustrations @wildlife.nathan.fun · 27/09/2026
The stalk-eyed Crustacea Cambridge, Printed for the Museum, 1895. (source: biodiversitylibrary.org/page/138853…) #nature #illustration #art
The stalk-eyed Crustacea
Cambridge, Printed for the Museum, 1895.
https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13885333�
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NHM Library and Archives @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Thomas Pennant's (1726-1798) body of work spanned natural history, antiquities and travel. To celebrate his tercentenary, we've added his correspondence and catalogues to our Digital Special Collections: buff.ly/ZFULOe0. #Manuscripts #18thCentury #HistoryOfScience #HistoryOfNaturalHistory
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
🧠 Report on the zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean during the voyage of H.M.S. 'Alert' 1881-2. London: Printed by order of the Trustees, 1884. [Source]
Illustration from an 1884 zoological report depicting detailed scientific drawings of three crab species collected during the H.M.S. 'Alert' voyage in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. The image shows labeled parts including full dorsal views and close-ups of claws and carapaces. Species illustrated are Euacanthus tuberculosus, Hypocoelus punctatus, and Banareia inconspicua. The crabs are finely detailed with emphasis on texture and morphology, reflecting 19th-century naturalist documentation influenced by Darwinian zoology. The plate is titled "ALERT MELANES COLL. B.M." and includes annotations and scale references for taxonomic study.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
🌊 Monograph of the British aphides ... London, Printed for the Ray Society, 1876-83. [Source]
Illustration titled "Plate LXXXIV" from the 1876-83 British aphides monograph, depicting various life stages of the aphid species Cryptosiphum artemisiae. The detailed colored drawings show winged and wingless aphids in black and brown tones, clustered on green leaves with distinctive red galls. Additionally, there are faint pencil sketches of aphid anatomical features such as antennae and head structures. The artwork is scientific, focusing on accurate insect morphology and plant interaction for identification purposes. The page includes publication credits to G.B. Buckton and W. West & Co.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
🐧 Coloured figures of the birds of the British Islands / issued by Lord Lilford.. London: R. H. Porter, 1885-1897.. [Source]
Illustration of two sooty shearwaters, seabirds with dark brown plumage and slightly lighter underbellies, perched on a rocky surface. One bird is closer, showing detailed feathers and a curved black beak, while the other stands slightly behind, facing the opposite direction. The background is a muted, cloudy sky with hints of water and cliffs, rendered in soft tones. The print includes scientific names and publication details from the late 19th century, emphasizing an antique natural history style. The birds are not puffins but are related seabirds from the British Islands.
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Ian Beavis @ianbeavis.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Figures 2-2f here show colour forms of Pale Tussock caterpillar (see my last post) and its pupa & cocoon. From William Buckler's Larvae of British Butterflies & Moths vol.3 (Ray Society, 1889)
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Ele Willoughby @minouette.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The Yeti crab is really a squat lobster so I’m sharing it this National Lobster Day! This is a handprinted lino block print of the Yeti crab (Kiwa hirsuta), a crustacean with silky blond setae (resembling fur, which reminded scientists of the Abomnible Snowman) found on the Pacific-Antarctic 🧪🐡🦞
A linocut print on a black vertical rectangle of kozo paper of a yeti crab from above with its two elongated and fury arms reaching upwards.
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Jo Wolfe, PhD @jopabinia.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
@minouette.bsky.social informed me it is National Lobster Day, so here is one! 🦞 (Maine lobsters are Astacidea; slipper + spiny lobsters are Achelata = no claws)
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The University of Chicago Press @uchicagopress.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Congratulations to Alison Pouliot whose magical new book, FUNGA OBSCURA, has been highly commended by the 2026 Wainwright Prize for Illustrative Books! Please join us in celebrating both Pouliot's work and the wonder of all things fungi 🍄
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Princeton University Press @princetonupress.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Seashells by Paul Callomon & Gary Rosenberg is a marvelous single-volume reference to some five thousand species, presenting shells found from sandy beaches & coral reefs to polar shores & the ocean depths. Available 13 Oct. Preorder yours: buff.ly/vzA4JBG #Shells #Seashells #Nature #Mollusks
Seashells: A Compendium of Five Thousand of the World's Species by Paul Callomon and Gary Rosenberg. A sumptuously illustrated guide to marine mollusks from around the world.
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old wildlife illustrations @wildlife.nathan.fun · 19/09/2026
A monograph of the British marine annelids. London, The Ray society, 1873/1900-1922/23. (source: biodiversitylibrary.org/page/378241…) #nature #illustration #art
A monograph of the British marine annelids.
London, The Ray society, 1873/1900-1922/23.
http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37824145�
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old wildlife illustrations @wildlife.nathan.fun · 20/09/2026
The stalk-eyed Crustacea Cambridge, Printed for the Museum, 1895. (source: biodiversitylibrary.org/page/138853…) #nature #illustration #art
The stalk-eyed Crustacea
Cambridge, Printed for the Museum, 1895.
https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13885341�
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
🦀 Journal of entomology and zoology Claremont, Calif., U.S.A.: Pomona College Dept. of Zoology, [1913- [Source]
Crab illustration from historical archives
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René Campbell @renecampbellart.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
Added in the shiny reflections and he is pretty much done. I'd like to touch up certain areas after resting for a bit, but I may as well show him off early. This is "Regal", a male Australian blue swimmer crab that took nearly 250 hours to paint, spanning over 3 years #sciart #crustmas 🦀
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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The Beasts in the Myths! We will be exploring the wild in Greek myths. Today, it is this cicada (Tacua speciosa) from Edward Donovan’s ‘An Epitome of the Natural History...' (1800-1804).
A natural history illustration of a cicada, with four-wings outstretched. The insect is depicted in front of small red flower.
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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Exploring more natural history in the Myths, today it is this jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) from Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen (1887-1898). Favoured by the sorceress Circe, jimsonweed conjured the epic transformation of Odysseus’ band of men into pigs, using this infamous poison.
A natural history illustration of jimsonweed leaves, its white flower, and spiky seed capsules.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
🐉 British libellulinae, or, Dragon flies: . London: Printed by J.C. Bridgewater, 1845.. [Source]
Dragon illustration from historical archives
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
🦪 A history of British Mollusca and their shells London: John Van Voorst, 1853. [Source]
Mollusca illustration from historical archives
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OhtsuchiN @kelpcrabs1582.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Our newest report have just been released from CANCER (domestic journal of the Carcinological Society of Japan). Decapod and stomatopod crustaceans collected from the vicinity of Yokonami Peninsula, Kochi, Japan. Cancer, 35: e15-e35. www.google.com/url?q=https%... 🦀
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
🦪 A history of British Mollusca and their shells London: John Van Voorst, 1853. [Source]
Historical illustration plate titled "Plate P" from 1853, showing detailed scientific sketches of British mollusca shells. Seven different mollusk shells are depicted in fine line art, each labeled with a number from 1 to 6, including two labeled with a superscript "a" to indicate specific shell parts such as byssal appendages and disks. The shells vary in shape and texture, some elongated and others round, with detailed ridges and spiny edges. Below the illustrations are corresponding scientific names for each shell, such as Arca tetragona, Leda caudata, Leda pygmæa, and others, emphasizing the taxonomy and anatomical features typical of mid-19th century natural history documentation.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
🏝 A monograph of the free and semi-parasitic Copepoda of the British islands London, Ray Society, 1878-80. [Source]
Detailed scientific line drawing from an 1878-80 monograph showing multiple views of the copepod species Lichomolgus Thorellii furcillatus, native to British island waters. The black-and-white illustration features segmented body parts, jointed legs, and long, fine setae extending from limbs, highlighting anatomy crucial for parasitic and free-living life stages. Each body part is numbered for reference, capturing intricate limb structures with emphasis on sensory and locomotion appendages. The image serves as a taxonomic and morphological study of marine copepods associated with island ecosystems around the British Isles.
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The Palaeontographical Society @palaeontosoc.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Happy #MonographMonday! This plate depicts a fossil colony of Thecosmilia annularis. The detail is absolutely stunning! A Monograph of the British Fossil Corals. Second Part. Corals from the Oolitic Formations by Milne Edwards and Haime (Volume 5, Issue 12, 1851).
A black and white plate depicting several corallites of the coral Thecosmilia annularis, showing numerous closely packed, tubular coral corallites with finely ridged walls. Several corallites are viewed from above.
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old wildlife illustrations @wildlife.nathan.fun · 02/09/2026
The natural history of British fishes: London: Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1802-08. (source: biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5897278) #nature #illustration #art
The natural history of British fishes: 
London: Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1802-08.
https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5897278�
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old wildlife illustrations @wildlife.nathan.fun · 03/09/2026
The natural history of British fishes: London: Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1802-08. (source: biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5897344) #nature #illustration #art
The natural history of British fishes: 
London: Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1802-08.
https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5897344�
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
🦞 The Journal of the Linnean Society of London London: Academic Press [etc.], 1865-1968. [Source]
Illustration from the 1865 Journal of the Linnean Society of London depicting detailed pencil sketches of various crustacean claws and appendages labeled with numbers. The drawings show segmented limbs with setae (hair-like structures) and multiple views of crab claws featuring textured surfaces with nodules and serrated edges. The claws differ in size and shape, highlighting anatomical variations within the Sudan Brachyura species. The page includes scientific references and is titled "Sudan Brachyura," emphasizing the focus on crab morphology for zoological study.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
🌊 Monograph of the British aphides ... London, Printed for the Ray Society, 1876-83. [Source]
Illustration titled "Monograph of the British aphides," Plate IX, showing four detailed, hand-colored drawings of two species of green aphids: Siphonophora menthae (two winged, two wingless) and Siphonophora chelidonii (two winged, two wingless). The winged aphids have translucent wings with subtle pink tinting and black veins, while the wingless ones display textured, segmented bodies with fine leg and antenna details. Each insect is numbered and positioned on a yellowed background typical of 19th-century scientific plates, emphasizing morphological differences important for entomological study. The illustration highlights anatomical accuracy characteristic of Victorian natural history.
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Shepherd @neolithicsheep.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
WAIT A MINUTE the king crab with its delicious legs is actually a HERMIT CRAB as in the small inquisitive guys with soft butts!!! why is nature like this bsky.app/profile/jopa...
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John Wares @johnwares.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Some good news for once - dear invert nerds, my student in Invert Ecology last Fall has now published her term paper - a field guide to the #Crabs of #Georgia! Her own watercolor work for each plate :) @jopabinia.bsky.social figshare.com/articles/pre...
Speckled crab Arenaeus cribrarius
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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
It is back to school everyone! And to mark that, we have here William Keble Martin's paintbox which was used for his well loved Concise British Flora in Colour (1965) published when Martin was 88. It has 1,400 species of plants and has been the inspiration for many budding botanists ever since.
Antique watercolor kit with brushes and squeezed paint tubes in an open velvet-lined case set before an open botanical reference showing detailed plant illustrations and labels.
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Lukas Large @lukaslarge.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A new book on British Earthstars by Jonathan Revett is now available to preorder from @summerfieldbooks.com #MycoBookClub #fungi #FungiFriday #Mycology www.summerfieldbooks.com/product/brit...
British Earthstars by Jonathan Revett14. Geastrum rufescens Pers.

Rosy Earthstar

<<< rufescens = red, reddening >>>

Icons: Pegler et al. (1995) p103; Jeppson (2013) p168; Læssøe et al. (2019) p1249.

A medium to large sized species with thick fleshed pinkish-red non-hygroscopic rays, a fimbriate peristome and stalked spore sac

Unexpanded fruitbody: Subglobose, 30mm 40mm.

Expanded fruitbody: 50mm - 90mm with 5-8 non-hygroscopic rays, flattened or arching with age.

Mycelial layer: Persistent, encrusting debris.

Fibrous layer: Pale grey brown

Fleshy layer: Warm reddish pink, flesh up to 8mm thick when fresh, quickly cracking and falling apart, darker with age but normally with residual reddish tones.

Spore sac: Subglobose 10mm 30mm diameter, greyish buff or light brown, smooth or minutely hairy (hand lens needed!) and with a fimbriate peristome which is often ill-defined and a short stem.

Mature Spore Mass: Dark brown.

Spores: Globose, 3.8µm 4.3µm, covered in elongated warts up to 0.5µm high.

Capillitial hyphae: 4.0µm 8.0µm, thick walled, tapering, encrusted.

Habitat: Rich litter in both deciduous and coniferous woodland, parks, arboretums.

Distribution: An uncommon species but well represented across Britain.

Discussion:

Unmistakable when fresh, thick fleshed with some degree (often very intense) of pinkish red tones and a weakly defined fimbriate peristome. The spore sac often degrades very quickly, especially around the peristome and can end up with several tears and holes. The short stem is best seen in mature specimens when all the flesh has eroded.

Unlikely to be confused with other earthstars when fresh but old specimens can resemble Geastrum michelianum or even Geastrum fimbriatum however the rays normally have dark reddish tones and sometimes dried patches of the thick flesh. The spores are also larger than G fimbriatum & G michelianum.

Often found in and around rotting tree stumps or on big thick piles of needle litter.

European Distribution & Species:

Common and widespread a…
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Ashmolean Museum, Oxford @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
A little pinch of the crabs in our collection 🦀 🦀 Bronze box in the form of a Crab, 16th or 17th century, northern Italy. Bronze, 15.5 cm x 12.8 cm. WA1947.191.174 🦀 Study of a Velvet Crab, 1870, by John Ruskin (1819–1900). Bodycolour over graphite on blue wove paper. WA.RS.ED.199
A bronze box in the form of a crabAn artwork by John Ruskin of a Velvet Crab against a light blue background.A Japanese fuchi, black with a gold crab detail.A Japanese colour woodblock prink of a woman in traditional dress sat on the ground surrounded by crabs.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
🦟 The British miscellany London: Printed by R. Taylor & Co., and sold by the author, J. Sowerby by White, Johnson, Symonds, and all other booksellers, 1806. [Source]
Illustration of a dragonfly resting on a curved green leaf. The dragonfly features translucent, veined wings with dark tips and a segmented body in shades of yellow and brown. Its head shows prominent, detailed eyes and short antennae. The style is a detailed, hand-colored scientific drawing typical of early 19th-century natural history prints. The background is plain and cream-colored, emphasizing the insect and leaf. The image includes a faint handwritten number "46" in the upper corner and publication details at the bottom, dated December 7, 1805, by J.Sowerby, London.
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old wildlife illustrations @wildlife.nathan.fun · 31/08/2026
The natural history of British fishes: London: Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1802-08. (source: biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5897376) #nature #illustration #art
The natural history of British fishes: 
London: Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1802-08.
https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5897376�
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
💦 A manual of the land and fresh-water shells of the British Islands London: Printed for Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, 1831. [Source]
Historical illustration from an 1831 manual depicting detailed, colored drawings of various land and freshwater snail shells found in the British Islands. The image is divided into sections labeled "Valvata," "Paludina," "Neritina," and "Ancylus," each showing different shell shapes and patterns. Larger, prominently featured shells have spiral shapes with brown and beige banded markings, while smaller shells include varied shapes and surface textures. Each shell is numbered and some are shown in cross-section to reveal internal structure. The illustration is softly colored on a cream background, emphasizing the diversity of freshwater snail shells related to aquatic environments.
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🦋 Alie of the Woods 🦋 @humanbyweight.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
PREORDERS ARE OUT TODAY FOR MY NEWEST FIELD GUIDE, "WIDOW SPIDERS OF THE WORLD"!!!! www.owlflyllc.com/publishing
The front cover of my new field guide to widow spiders. The cover is artfully decorated with seven black, red, brown, and white spotted and striped spider illustrations showing some of the variability within the genus Latrodectus. A tiny male widow spider is positioned in the center on top of a spiky egg sac. From top to bottom, the text of the cover reads "Owlfly Publishing | Widow Spiders of the World | A Traveler's Guide to Dangerous Spiders | Written & Illustrated by Chris Alice Kratzer"
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
🦪 A history of British Mollusca and their shells London: John Van Voorst, 1853. [Source]
Historical black-and-white illustration plate labeled "Plate LI" from 1853, showing detailed, scientific drawings of twelve different British mollusk shells of the genus Pecten. Each shell varies in shape, size, and texture, featuring ribbed, scalloped, and patterned surfaces. Central larger shells display fine radial ridges with notched edges. Smaller surrounding shells exhibit diverse markings including spots, stripes, and varying rib density. The plate includes close-up inserts of shell edge structures for two specimens. Captions below identify species and varieties such as Pecten striatus, P. opercularis var. lineatus, and P. pusio young. Published by John Van Voorst, emphasizing molluscan shell morphology.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
🦞 Fauna japonica, sive, Descriptio animalium, quae in itinere per Japoniam, jussu et auspiciis, superiorum, qui summum in India Batava imperium tenent, suscepto, annis 1823-1830 Lugduni Batavorum: Apud Auctorem, 1833-1850. [Source]
Historical scientific illustration depicting detailed black-and-white drawings of various crustaceans, including a large, textured crab seen from above with prominent claws and spiny edges. Also shown are side views of lobsters and smaller crabs, along with close-up line drawings of specific body parts such as claws, shells, and segments. The page features labeled species names from the Raninoidea and Astacoidea groups, emphasizing morphological details like jointed legs, segmented bodies, and exoskeleton texture, illustrating the crustaceans’ anatomy for taxonomic study during an 1823–1830 Japanese expedition.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
❄ The Danish Ingolf-Expedition. Copenhagen: H. Hagerup, 1899-1928. [Source]
Scientific illustration from the Danish Ingolf Expedition (1899-1928) depicting detailed line drawings of various Arctic crustacean species and their anatomical parts. The black-and-white sketches show multiple views of crustacean claws, legs, and body segments, each labeled with numbers and letters for identification. The names of ten species are listed at the bottom, including Leucon spinulosus, L. tener, L. spiniventris, and others, highlighting the taxonomic focus. The image emphasizes fine structural details such as spines and joint articulations, reflecting the scientific study of Arctic marine crustaceans during early 20th-century exploration.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
🐠 A monograph of the British fossil corals London: Printed for the Palaeontographical society, 1850-54. [Source]
Black and white historical scientific illustration from "A monograph of the British fossil corals" (1850-54) showing detailed fossil coral specimens. The image features multiple views: close-up circular cross-sections reveal radial patterns of septa inside coral corallites; square fragments display polygonal corallite arrangements with intricate mesh-like skeletal structures. Two larger, branching coral colonies with tube-like, hollow stalks are depicted, showing natural wear and erosion on their rough surfaces. The illustration emphasizes the diverse morphology of British fossil corals, highlighting internal and external skeletal features for paleontological study against a solid black background.
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old wildlife illustrations @wildlife.nathan.fun · 19/08/2026
The stalk-eyed Crustacea Cambridge, Printed for the Museum, 1895. (source: biodiversitylibrary.org/page/138853…) #nature #illustration #art
The stalk-eyed Crustacea
Cambridge, Printed for the Museum, 1895.
https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13885377�
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Ian Beavis @ianbeavis.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Queen of Spain Fritillary life history plate from The Complete British Butterflies in Colour (1967)
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NHM Library and Archives @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
🦋 The Varieties of British butterflies 🪶 Cassowaries prepared for possible publication in Walter Rothschild's Monograph of the genus Casuarius. 🦘 Tree-kangaroos of the genus Dendrolagus ⬆️ Use the link in our bio to the 'Digitised Collections' to view these collections and to explore many others.
A watercolour drawing of two brown Tree kangaroos. They are depicted sitting on branches.A page of watercolours which is placed on a scanner with a colour collaboration chart next to it. The watercolours are of two butterflies. The top one is drawn side on, with the side of one wing and the body in view. It is shades of orange and brown. The bottom butterfly is viewed flat from above. The left wing is dark brown and the right dark blue.
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NHM Library and Archives @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Born on this day in 1861, Frederick William Frohawk (1861-1946) was an English zoological artist, author and naturalist. Our Library Special Collections hold a significant number of his original artwork and publications. We have digitised three collections of his watercolours. #NaturalHistoryMuseum
Watercolour drawing of the head of a Cassowary bird. It is black, blue and red in colour.Watercolour of a pheasant bird. The body of the bird is white and the head is blue, green and red.
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