Spotlight On…
Check out this week’s featured specimen!
(Pictured below, really close up!)
Photo: N. Sincero 2011
Can you guess what it is?
Here are some hints:
- If you were alive 5,000 years ago and happened to be in China, you could see examples of this specimen.
- Today you can find examples of this specimen all over the world.
Leave us a comment with your answer! Then come see us outside the Project Lab on Friday, September 16th at 11:30 AM for Specimen Spotlight in order to find out if you’re right.
Is this a silk sampling from the silkworm?
Comment by Daniel — September 14, 2011 @ 9:28 am
Are the answers to these always wild? Because I have a strange feeling that this is a dog. How else would it have spread across the world without wings or fins unless humans took it there. I’m specifically thinking it’s a pekingese or shih tzu.
Comment by george — September 15, 2011 @ 1:05 pm
It is indeed silk from from Bombyx mori, the silk worm.
I really like the reasoning behind guessing a dog though. We’re about to have a new item available for checkout here at the Naturalist Center that examines the human-dog relationship, the DVD Dogs Decoded. I think it’s a fascinating subject!
We’ll have a new guess the specimen up next week, but while you’re waiting won’t you please tell us Who Pooped?
Comment by nature — September 16, 2011 @ 9:40 am
Wow, impressive guess Daniel.
Comment by george — September 16, 2011 @ 1:49 pm