Posts tagged illustration

Top left: Hippocampus sp. internal structure
Top right: Short-snouted seahorse - Hippocampus hippocampus
Center: 1. Syngnathus hippocampus [now Hippocampus hippocampus]
2. Pegasus draconis [now Eurypegasus draconis] - the Little Dragonfish (*unrelated to Syngnathidae family*)
3. Syngnathus pelagicus - the Sargassum pipefish
Bottom: Phyllopteryx taeniolatus -the Weedy Sea Dragon

Despite their remarkable appearance, seahorses are true ray-finned bony fishes (class Actinopterygii, infraclass Teleostei), along with bass, mullets, eels, salmon, and lanternfish.

Many people know of the male seahorse incubating the eggs and giving “birth” to 100-1000 offspring after they hatch, but reproduction is similar throughout the order Syngnathidae (including the seahorses, leafy and weedy sea dragons, and pipefish). There’s a persistent myth that seahorses are monogamous, but that’s not strictly true. The majority of species are serially monogamous, and remain together throughout the mating season (until the male births the babies).

Another remarkable thing about seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) is that they’re the only fish with prehensile tails - even their close relatives, the sea dragons and pipefish, don’t have this adaptation. However, since the seahorses are the only ones that swim upright, and they have the poorest locomotive skills, they need to be able to anchor themselves to the sea flora in order to not be swept away. The Guinness Book of World Records has named Hippocampus zosterae, the dwarf seahorse, the slowest fish in the world, moving less than 5 ft [150 cm] an hour.

Aside from the seahorses, the razorfish (Aeoliscus strigatus) is the only other fish to swim “upright”.

Images:
Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission, Vol 1. 1881.
Arcana; or, The Museum of Natural History. George Perry, 1811.

“Ok, I’ll just leave the front here and hang the tentacles over here, get this squid drawn up before we bring in the next haul, and make it more accurate than last time! I want the squid exactly as it is; they don’t all look the same!” Several hours later… “DAMNIT CHARLES, I DIDN’T MEAN DRAW THE SQUID EXACTLY AS IT WAS!” Cephalopoda of the Hawaiian Islands. S. Stillman Berry, 1914.

“Ok, I’ll just leave the front here and hang the tentacles over here, get this squid drawn up before we bring in the next haul, and make it more accurate than last time! I want the squid exactly as it is; they don’t all look the same!”

Several hours later…

“DAMNIT CHARLES, I DIDN’T MEAN DRAW THE SQUID EXACTLY AS IT WAS!”

Cephalopoda of the Hawaiian Islands. S. Stillman Berry, 1914.

biomedicalephemera

Black-Necked Aracari - Pteroglossus aracari
Top, Bottom - 10-day-old juvenile
Center - Adult (male/female form similar)

Aracaris are toucans, in the genus Pteroglossus (along with the Saffron toucanet). Though the toucans are among the largest tropical birds, aracaris are relatively small members of their family. Aside from size, their omnivorous diet chiefly consisting of fruits, proportionally huge bill used for plundering fruits and nests of other birds, and their altricial (helpless at birth) chicks, are all characteristic of other toucans.

Top, Bottom: Tropical Wild Life in British Guyana. William Beebe, 1917.
Center: Os quadros de aves tropicais do Castelo de Hoflössnitz. Albert Eckhout, ca. 1653-1659.

Top: Screening adult men for tuberculosis with radiographyBottom: The chest of the man being screened above, clear of tuberculosis or other abscesses. Radiography and the ‘X’ Rays in Practice and in Theory. S. R. Bottone, 1898.

Top: Screening adult men for tuberculosis with radiography
Bottom: The chest of the man being screened above, clear of tuberculosis or other abscesses.

Radiography and the ‘X’ Rays in Practice and in Theory. S. R. Bottone, 1898.

Artistic interpretations of sea life, birds, and reptiles

Between the beginning of the Scientific Revolution (which began in the mid-17th century) and the early-19th Century movement towards dry and clinical accuracy in both anatomical and zoological illustrations, there was a period of extravagance, showiness, and artistic expression in the sciences.

Instead of being solely geared towards other scientists, the artists sought to entice the general public and show off their vast collections, in many of their works. This can be seen in the medical illustrations of Frederick Ruysch, as well as here, in the zoological illustrations of Albertus Seba.

[h/t to Biodiversity Library’s blog for tipping me off to the interesting connections between two collections already in my archive]

Locupletissimi rerum naturalium thesauri accurata descripto, tome II & III. Albetus Seba, 1735.

Hasselet’s Dendrobium - Dendrobium hasseletii This orchid lives high in the hills and mossy, montane forests of the Malaysian peninsula, as well as in Sumatra and Java. It has sparse, thin leaves, on a sturdy bamboo-like stalk. The flowers bloom from leafless parts of the stalk, in late summer and early fall. Despite its elegance, this orchid is one of the more difficult keepers, and as such is not widespread in the gardening and botanical circles. Collection d’orchidées: aquarelles originales. Unknown German author/artist, late 1800s.

Hasselet’s Dendrobium - Dendrobium hasseletii

This orchid lives high in the hills and mossy, montane forests of the Malaysian peninsula, as well as in Sumatra and Java. It has sparse, thin leaves, on a sturdy bamboo-like stalk. The flowers bloom from leafless parts of the stalk, in late summer and early fall. Despite its elegance, this orchid is one of the more difficult keepers, and as such is not widespread in the gardening and botanical circles.

Collection d’orchidées: aquarelles originales. Unknown German author/artist, late 1800s.

archive.org

Field illustration of Wallace’s flying frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus) Alfred Russel Wallace discovered this “flying” (gliding) frog during his first expedition to South-East Asia. This is the first known illustration of the species.

Field illustration of Wallace’s flying frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus)

Alfred Russel Wallace discovered this “flying” (gliding) frog during his first expedition to South-East Asia. This is the first known illustration of the species.

unnaturalist

biomedicalephemera: Method of the mussurana’s attack upon the jararaca. Note the size difference between the two snakes. The mussurana is able to consume comparatively large snakes because its digestive system compresses the body of the other snake into a wave-like shape. Through the Brazilian Wilderness. Theodore Roosevelt, 1914.

biomedicalephemera:

Method of the mussurana’s attack upon the jararaca.

Note the size difference between the two snakes. The mussurana is able to consume comparatively large snakes because its digestive system compresses the body of the other snake into a wave-like shape.

Through the Brazilian Wilderness. Theodore Roosevelt, 1914.

biomedicalephemera: The Naming of Beasts: Adam, in the Garden of Eden An angel holds a scroll with the title of the book and points toward Heaven, as Adam points toward a Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules). An Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) rests on the side of the rock Adam sits upon, and a Pipevine swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor) and white dragonfly (subfamily Anisoptera) are depicted aside the scene. Entomologie, ou, Histoire Naturelle des Insects: Coleoptera. Antoine Guilame Olivier, 1808. [Fourth edition, original publication date 1798.]

biomedicalephemera:

The Naming of Beasts: Adam, in the Garden of Eden

An angel holds a scroll with the title of the book and points toward Heaven, as Adam points toward a Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules).

An Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) rests on the side of the rock Adam sits upon, and a Pipevine swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor) and white dragonfly (subfamily Anisoptera) are depicted aside the scene.

Entomologie, ou, Histoire Naturelle des Insects: Coleoptera. Antoine Guilame Olivier, 1808. [Fourth edition, original publication date 1798.]

The Naming of Beasts: Adam, in the Garden of Eden An angel holds a scroll with the title of the book and points toward Heaven, as Adam points toward a Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules). An Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) rests on the side of the rock Adam sits upon, and a Pipevine swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor) and white dragonfly (subfamily Anisoptera) are depicted aside the scene. Entomologie, ou, Histoire Naturelle des Insects: Coleoptera. Antoine Guilame Olivier, 1808. [Fourth edition, original publication date 1798.]

The Naming of Beasts: Adam, in the Garden of Eden

An angel holds a scroll with the title of the book and points toward Heaven, as Adam points toward a Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules).

An Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) rests on the side of the rock Adam sits upon, and a Pipevine swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor) and white dragonfly (subfamily Anisoptera) are depicted aside the scene.

Entomologie, ou, Histoire Naturelle des Insects: Coleoptera. Antoine Guilame Olivier, 1808. [Fourth edition, original publication date 1798.]

I'm a teratoma, short and stout; here is my handle, here is my snout; when I get all steamed up and I shout, poke a finger in and pull stuff out! — Asked by railways-and-roses

OUT, OUT DAMN SPOT!

“The Pharmacist of the Future as Visualized by J. Lewis Cobb” If your pharmacist is not emitting alpha particles from his radio antenna whilst combining glowing liquids, he is clearly not a truly modern pharmacist. The Carolina Journal of Pharmacy. August 1950: Vol. XXXI, No. 8.

“The Pharmacist of the Future as Visualized by J. Lewis Cobb”

If your pharmacist is not emitting alpha particles from his radio antenna whilst combining glowing liquids, he is clearly not a truly modern pharmacist.

The Carolina Journal of Pharmacy. August 1950: Vol. XXXI, No. 8.

archive.org

biomedicalephemera: Harlequin Ichthyosis Comprising less than 0.001% of the cases of ichthyosis, Harlequin-type ichthyosis was uniformly fatal in the past. It is an autosomal recessive condition, with both parents having to carry the same mutation of the gene ABCA12. Historically, it was known to be a disease found in first-degree and second-degree consanguineous unions (children from siblings or first cousins), but today it is not one of the major inbreeding-related or Founder effect syndromes. Harlequin infants are born with thick, plate-like keratin “armor”, often accompanied by ectropion (out-turned eyelids - that’s what causes the blood-like eye appearance). Historically, they would generally die before 14 days of age, due to dehydration, overwhelming infection/sepsis, breathing problems (from the keratin plates restricting inhalation), or related problems. None were known to survive beyond 5 months. These days, some people who are affected by Harlequin-type ichthyosis manage to survive infancy, though the percentage is still barely above half. The high retention rate and cracking of the plates of keratinous cells leaves the dermis vulnerable to disease and dehydration, but frequent application of Isoretinoin can allow the skin to shed keratin layers faster than it produces them. This allows for a higher level of flexibility and protection (because of no deep fissures in the skin). Currently, there are multiple people who have Harlequin-type ichthyosis treated by Isoretinioin and therapeutic baths who have survived long beyond anything ever seen in the past. Despite the inconvenience their condition poses, some of them present a pretty darn inspirational way of living: Nusrit “Nelly” Shaheen is 28 (born in 1984) and studied at Hereward College in the UK. She lives a very active lifestyle, and is the oldest living survivor of Harelequin-type ichthyosis. Ryan Gonzalez is 25, and lives in the United States, where he participates in triathlons and swimming competitions. He uses a different regimen from Nelly in his treatment, where he relies almost exclusively on Isoretinoin ointment. Both require a huge caloric intake to match their skins turnover rate, though. Today, there are 56 other known survivors of Harlequin-type ichthyosis that are beyond 2 years of age. It may seem like a tiny number, but a 53% survival rate at 2-years-old is certainly better than zero percent! Hopefully the future will hold new therapies for all of the ichthyosis syndromes. Image: Harlequin Fetus from 1880 at Museum Vrolik, in Amsterdam, Holland. Photograph by Zzzak.

biomedicalephemera:

Harlequin Ichthyosis

Comprising less than 0.001% of the cases of ichthyosis, Harlequin-type ichthyosis was uniformly fatal in the past. It is an autosomal recessive condition, with both parents having to carry the same mutation of the gene ABCA12. Historically, it was known to be a disease found in first-degree and second-degree consanguineous unions (children from siblings or first cousins), but today it is not one of the major inbreeding-related or Founder effect syndromes.

Harlequin infants are born with thick, plate-like keratin “armor”, often accompanied by ectropion (out-turned eyelids - that’s what causes the blood-like eye appearance). Historically, they would generally die before 14 days of age, due to dehydration, overwhelming infection/sepsis, breathing problems (from the keratin plates restricting inhalation), or related problems. None were known to survive beyond 5 months. These days, some people who are affected by Harlequin-type ichthyosis manage to survive infancy, though the percentage is still barely above half.

The high retention rate and cracking of the plates of keratinous cells leaves the dermis vulnerable to disease and dehydration, but frequent application of Isoretinoin can allow the skin to shed keratin layers faster than it produces them. This allows for a higher level of flexibility and protection (because of no deep fissures in the skin). Currently, there are multiple people who have Harlequin-type ichthyosis treated by Isoretinioin and therapeutic baths who have survived long beyond anything ever seen in the past. Despite the inconvenience their condition poses, some of them present a pretty darn inspirational way of living:

Nusrit “Nelly” Shaheen is 28 (born in 1984) and studied at Hereward College in the UK. She lives a very active lifestyle, and is the oldest living survivor of Harelequin-type ichthyosis.

Ryan Gonzalez is 25, and lives in the United States, where he participates in triathlons and swimming competitions. He uses a different regimen from Nelly in his treatment, where he relies almost exclusively on Isoretinoin ointment. Both require a huge caloric intake to match their skins turnover rate, though.

Today, there are 56 other known survivors of Harlequin-type ichthyosis that are beyond 2 years of age. It may seem like a tiny number, but a 53% survival rate at 2-years-old is certainly better than zero percent! Hopefully the future will hold new therapies for all of the ichthyosis syndromes.

Image:

Harlequin Fetus from 1880 at Museum Vrolik, in Amsterdam, Holland. Photograph by Zzzak.

ofpaperandponies: biomedicalephemera: I understand the reptiles here, but I can’t figure out the Acus marina. It looks like an elongated seahorse, but from all the other literature that I’ve looked at, no one actually knows what it is, besides “not an insect”. This was a book that used a non-binomial naming system, and as such is very difficult to figure out the equivalent species as classified by other authors. In response to the anon question I got asked about this old post, “Acus marina” is a pipefish. “Acus marina” literally translates to “Sea-needle” or needle-fish. Both the pipefish and seahorses were once classified in the broad group that included reptiles and amphibians.

ofpaperandponies:

biomedicalephemera:

I understand the reptiles here, but I can’t figure out the Acus marina. It looks like an elongated seahorse, but from all the other literature that I’ve looked at, no one actually knows what it is, besides “not an insect”. This was a book that used a non-binomial naming system, and as such is very difficult to figure out the equivalent species as classified by other authors.

In response to the anon question I got asked about this old post, “Acus marina” is a pipefish. “Acus marina” literally translates to “Sea-needle” or needle-fish. Both the pipefish and seahorses were once classified in the broad group that included reptiles and amphibians.

unnaturalist

Harlequin Ichthyosis Comprising less than 0.001% of the cases of ichthyosis, Harlequin-type ichthyosis was uniformly fatal in the past. It is an autosomal recessive condition, with both parents having to carry the same mutation of the gene ABCA12. Historically, it was known to be a disease found in first-degree and second-degree consanguineous unions (children from siblings or first cousins), but today it is not one of the major inbreeding-related or Founder effect syndromes. Harlequin infants are born with thick, plate-like keratin “armor”, often accompanied by ectropion (out-turned eyelids - that’s what causes the blood-like eye appearance). Historically, they would generally die before 14 days of age, due to dehydration, overwhelming infection/sepsis, breathing problems (from the keratin plates restricting inhalation), or related problems. None were known to survive beyond 5 months. These days, some people who are affected by Harlequin-type ichthyosis manage to survive infancy, though the percentage is still barely above half. The high retention rate and cracking of the plates of keratinous cells leaves the dermis vulnerable to disease and dehydration, but frequent application of Isoretinoin can allow the skin to shed keratin layers faster than it produces them. This allows for a higher level of flexibility and protection (because of no deep fissures in the skin). Currently, there are multiple people who have Harlequin-type ichthyosis treated by Isoretinioin and therapeutic baths who have survived long beyond anything ever seen in the past. Despite the inconvenience their condition poses, some of them present a pretty darn inspirational way of living: Nusrit “Nelly” Shaheen is 28 (born in 1984) and studied at Hereward College in the UK. She lives a very active lifestyle, and is the oldest living survivor of Harelequin-type ichthyosis. Ryan Gonzalez is 25, and lives in the United States, where he participates in triathlons and swimming competitions. He uses a different regimen from Nelly in his treatment, where he relies almost exclusively on Isoretinoin ointment. Both require a huge caloric intake to match their skins turnover rate, though. Today, there are 56 other known survivors of Harlequin-type ichthyosis that are beyond 2 years of age. It may seem like a tiny number, but a 53% survival rate at 2-years-old is certainly better than zero percent! Hopefully the future will hold new therapies for all of the ichthyosis syndromes. Image: Harlequin Fetus from 1880 at Museum Vrolik, in Amsterdam, Holland. Photograph by Zzzak.

Harlequin Ichthyosis

Comprising less than 0.001% of the cases of ichthyosis, Harlequin-type ichthyosis was uniformly fatal in the past. It is an autosomal recessive condition, with both parents having to carry the same mutation of the gene ABCA12. Historically, it was known to be a disease found in first-degree and second-degree consanguineous unions (children from siblings or first cousins), but today it is not one of the major inbreeding-related or Founder effect syndromes.

Harlequin infants are born with thick, plate-like keratin “armor”, often accompanied by ectropion (out-turned eyelids - that’s what causes the blood-like eye appearance). Historically, they would generally die before 14 days of age, due to dehydration, overwhelming infection/sepsis, breathing problems (from the keratin plates restricting inhalation), or related problems. None were known to survive beyond 5 months. These days, some people who are affected by Harlequin-type ichthyosis manage to survive infancy, though the percentage is still barely above half.

The high retention rate and cracking of the plates of keratinous cells leaves the dermis vulnerable to disease and dehydration, but frequent application of Isoretinoin can allow the skin to shed keratin layers faster than it produces them. This allows for a higher level of flexibility and protection (because of no deep fissures in the skin). Currently, there are multiple people who have Harlequin-type ichthyosis treated by Isoretinioin and therapeutic baths who have survived long beyond anything ever seen in the past. Despite the inconvenience their condition poses, some of them present a pretty darn inspirational way of living:

Nusrit “Nelly” Shaheen is 28 (born in 1984) and studied at Hereward College in the UK. She lives a very active lifestyle, and is the oldest living survivor of Harelequin-type ichthyosis.

Ryan Gonzalez is 25, and lives in the United States, where he participates in triathlons and swimming competitions. He uses a different regimen from Nelly in his treatment, where he relies almost exclusively on Isoretinoin ointment. Both require a huge caloric intake to match their skins turnover rate, though.

Today, there are 56 other known survivors of Harlequin-type ichthyosis that are beyond 2 years of age. It may seem like a tiny number, but a 53% survival rate at 2-years-old is certainly better than zero percent! Hopefully the future will hold new therapies for all of the ichthyosis syndromes.

Image:

Harlequin Fetus from 1880 at Museum Vrolik, in Amsterdam, Holland. Photograph by Zzzak.