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Shelf Life Episode 16: Tales From the Cryptic Species

5 minutes 58 seconds

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What do crocodiles and leopards have in common? Century-old specimens of both are helping to decode the biodiversity of ecosystems that are under threat today. Researcher Evon Hekkala and curator Joel Cracraft help unravel the mystery of cryptic species. Part of the "Shelf Life" series.

Media Details

Runtime: 5 minutes 58 seconds

Topic: Science
Subtopic: Biology, Ecology, Science Experiments, Science Methods, Zoology
Grade/Interest Level: 10 - 12
Standards:

Release Year: 2017
Producer/Distributor: American Museum of Natural History
Series: Shelf Life
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Congo expedition of the American Museum of Natural History May 1909 to November 1915. Black and white photos of explorers with crocodile skulls and a map in the background. Caption: Those explorers had collected crocodile specimens

Person holding the fossilized skull of an animal. Caption: but there's still a liveliness and a connection

Three turtles, one with a tag around its neck. Caption: The turtles are all here together.

Irregular pinkish-brown shapes on a white background. Caption: you can actually really see that very fine cellular detail.

Four observatory telescopes pointed towards a starry sky. Caption: We have one record of the universe streaming by us.

Illustration of a person standing on the shoreline next to a squid with a body larger than the person is tall. Caption: had just found a giant squid, and would I be interested?

Fossilized dinosaur skeleton still partially encased in rock displayed next to a model of the same dinosaur. Caption: Out of those, only a few are really prepared well.

Two toads, one light brown, the other darker brown with light spots. Caption: Maybe temperatures got too warm for these toads.