User:Hansonsl/sandbox

Review of Cyclostomata webpage

*Each fact given is referenced with a scientific article, or reliable scientific search engine.

*Everything in the article is relevant, however the subject does not feel completed. The information given seems sporadic, missing a few connecting transitions between well-backed information.

*The article is neutral. Two separate theories on the divergence of the cyclostomata class are explained in equal depth, and setbacks to both theories are stated to give the reader an unbiased view on either theory.

*The information is primarily from scientific articles. They are seemingly unbiased, and no bias within the resources is noted within the Wikipedia article.

*The page first defines the cyclostomata class as a class of jawless fish containing both hagfishes and lampreys, which gives the reader fundamental orientation for the content to follow. Next, the possible relationships within the are discussed in a bipartisan way. Finally, the similarities and differences between hagfishes and lampreys are discussed in a semi-sporadic way. Overall this article is very informational, however it is still not quite a comprehensive page for the cyclostomata.

It would be helpful to have more information on the relative environment that these two species live in, as well as diagrams depicting what scientists know about the possible phylogenetic tree in order to better follow the “Possible Relationships” section of the page. Similarly, the “Differences and Similarities” section would benefit from a picture—perhaps one of the lamprey and one of the hagfish.

*All of the links work!

Dissections

First Choice: Iguana

When I studied away in Trinidad, we had a "pet iguana" that lived in the courtyard of our residential hall. This was the first time I had seen an iguana in the wild, and I would love the opportunity to learn more about the internal anatomical structure.

• Pages to edit include: epithalamus, dewlap, and parietal eye (Iguanas have a parietal eye, and the page itself is labeled as "start-class". The parietal eye page could use some overall minor grammatical and formatting help, as well as additional reliable resources.)

Second Choice: Chimaera

I personally have never encountered an organism quite like the chimaera before, and being able to dissect this organism first hand would allow me to better comprehend many of the fundamental topics we have discussed in class.

• Pages to edit include: egg case, rabbit fish, and the phylogenetics section within the Chimaera page itself.

Third Choice: Garter Snake

I had the awesome opportunity to hold a giant snake across my shoulders in Trinidad during my study abroad trip, and I am personally interested in what the internal structural layout of a snake is.

• Pages to edit include: kleptothermy, Duvernoy's gland, and ovoviviparity.

Egg Case Talk Page Addition

Hello, I found a potentially useful resource for this page. The article below outlines the morphological differences between the egg cases of different chondrichthyan fish species. The article also contains clear diagrams of varying types of egg cases, making it easy for a reader to compare structural differences discussed within this page. Please let me know if this may be helpful on this page, or perhaps for another page on Wikipedia.

Thank you!

1. Fischer, Jan, Martin Licht, Jürgen Kriwet, Jörg W. Schneider, Michael Buchwitz, and Peter Bartsch. "Egg capsule morphology provides new information about the interrelationships of chondrichthyan fishes." Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 12.3 (2013): 389-99. Web.

Practice Editing and Linking Pages

I would like to practice linking Wikipedia pages pertaining to the chimaera egg case. Additionally, the species chimaera I am currently researching in this course is the spotted ratfish.

General Plan of Action for Week of April 14th

• Add a link on the "Spotted Ratfish" wiki page to the "Egg case (Chondrichthyes)" page. I have already commented on the talk page of the "Spotted Ratfish" wiki page to suggest this edit. However, next week I will carry out the edit if it has not been done already by the greater wiki community with approval from the instructor.
• I have been having trouble finding an image that is relevant and not under copyright to post to a wiki page relating to the egg case morphology of Chimaeras, or the ratfish in particular.
• I will write a short paragraph relating to the chimaera egg case morphology to be posted on the "Egg case (Chondrichthyes)" wiki page.
  • "…of the sea floor. Chimaera, some sharks, and skates are among the 43% of known Chondrichthian species to exhibit oviparity. However, there are some key morphological differences that are specific to this class. The spotted ratfish chimaera, also known as Hydrolagus colliei, belong to the holocephali taxon. There are currently 11 holocephalan fossil species that were found throughout the United States, Canada, Germany, and Russia. The holocephalan egg capsule, or egg case, has a bulbous center flanked laterally by flattened collagen tissue. The flattened collagen tissue joins on the anterior end of the egg capsule to form a tail."
    • Starting with the ellipses to potentially finish the sentence that is already posted on the Egg case (Chondrichthyes) wiki page

Final Edits (05/08-05/12)

The cephalic clasper, or frontal tenaculum, of the spotted ratfish chimaera is shown in color.

I added a revised version of the frontal tenaculum picture that better highlights the structure, leaving the rest of the image in black and white.

Proposed addition to Egg Case page, including new resource.

Sharp projections located on the anterior and posterior end of the egg case serve to better secure the egg case in between rocks, as well as protection against potential predators.