Alligators and Marmots

There was some controversy over my last post. Stimey regretfully informed me that I did not actually draw an alligator. It was, in fact, a crocodile. Faithful reader Madame A forwarded my last post to her sister who is a scientist with Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries.

Here is her response:

Actually what they drew looks like a Tomistoma or gavialis…They’re the ones with the really skinny snouts and eat fish

I looked up Tomistoma, and according to the Tomistoma Task Force, there is some controversy over its taxonomic status. Yes, that's right! But, wait--- It is a split decision over if it is a Crocodile or a Gharial. Not, unfortunately, any controversy over if it is an alligator. It is definitely not an alligator. Here's a nice site with a summary of the differences between alligator and crocodile.

I ended up sending my hardcopy alligator drawing to SiL and she graciously responded with this:

I think she did a very nice job. She even wrote a note: "I haven't drawn anything for years and years, but I gave it my best shot...It was fun! Is this one of your new year's resolutions?" SiL loves to hear my new year's resolutions ever since last year's: To Not Be Crazy. Seems appropriate that I broke down in April only due to a child and rodent related activity.

Alas, I have made no New Year's Resolutions this year. No time and too depressing. Maybe I'll wait until the end of the year. I'll figure out what new, good behavior I've developed and write down the resolution then.

In the meantime, another item on the accomplishment list has been completed. Behold my Marmot:

You'll notice that he is holding a flower because I thought the arms looked a little awkward. After I drew it, I looked up a photo on-line:

Photo by flickr's Alan Vernon

Please reference photographer's creative commons licensing policy

Hmmmm...I was not thinking of a marmot when I drew it. What animal was I thinking of? Maybe a Marmoset. I looked up a marmoset:

Photo by flickr's Jack Hynes

Please reference photographer's creative commons licensing policy

Okay, what the heck was I thinking of? Uh oh. I was thinking of Timon from The Lion King. I was thinking of a Meerkat:

Photo by flickr's tambako.
Please reference photographer's creative commons licensing policy

Well, at least real life meerkats have funny arms too.