Another mystery hide. I paraphrase the Charlie Sheen of philosophers: “Jerry Coyne is a man who can’t pass a(n) ________ in the street without mistaking it for a pair of shoes.” Fill in the blank.
Weekend footwear
March 5, 2011 • 5:26 am
Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
Lesser Spotted Unicorn?
Alligator, of course!
I’m sure it’s not an actual alligator, as that would be too easy. I am equally sure, however, that it’s a relatively close relative of an alligator; that’s the belly running along the top.
We’ve already had caiman here. Could this be a repeat?
Whatever it is, it’s either a juvenile or a small species. It’s almost the right size for an iguana….
Cheers,
b&
Well, alligators and the source species are in a smaller monophylic taxon than snakes and the source species… (Same division rather than same subclass.)
Puh-lease, guys. Small-spotted catsnark, of course. (Snarkorhinus canicula)
I guess ‘Intelligent Design proponent’ would be politically incorrect…
That’s insulting for reptiles Chris, I know only of one species able of such stupidity.
Nauga.
🙂
Goddess?
Regardless, the boots have a nice “Sheen” on ’em.
*giggle* Good one!
It’s not armadillo, is it?
Quite handsome, arrigato!
Is it a python?
Can’t be Accomodationist their hides apparently are not very tough.
Their allotted portion of thickness is relegated to their skulls.
Australian Saltwater Croc dispatched by the late Steve Irwin.
It’s a snake not a crocodillian or lizard.
I think it’s likely Python reticulatus, belly cut and bleached.
I agree that it’s a boid of some kind, could be Python reticulatus.
…argument…
Jerry, do you have any boots like these yet?
http://www.chuntaritos.com/
Bichon frise.
All wrong so far.
Rattlesnake?
The Charlie Sheen of philosophers. Mmmmmmmph!
Nice.
My first thought was snake-belly too, though certainly not rattlesnake.
But no, snake scales are more imbricate except for like filesnakes.
It’s no lizard, I’m sure of that too.
hmmm, now it’s going to bother me.
*googles furiously*
a-HA!! Wow! That’s very cool; I never would have guessed.
Here’s the spoiler link; don’t click if you have more guesses!
http://www.dentrohome.com/materials.php?cat=8&id=28
That is the one kind of leather boot I purposefully did not look at for comparison because I thought there was no way it could be that kind of animal. Little did I know it was all in the legs.
Yup that’s it. Interesting that it’s listed with the snake skins.
Oh well, whod’a thunk it
Oh and apparently ‘belly cut’ means cut along the snake’s belly so that the dorsal scales show, not cut along the back or sides so the ventral scales show. So I was wrong on that too.
There’s a better image here
$65 per leg. And that’s before making the boot itself. Expensive boots?
Oh – sorry I didn’t see Sven had found it! Now I will bury my head under my pillow in shame…
You are in the office on a Saturday – if only the students were as studious!
Jerry – you’re going to have to post a pic of the entire collection all together today. I’m convinced that you may be the Imelda Marcos of Evolutionary Biologists.
Only better looking & with more style!
😉
Cobra?
It’s the “mistaking it for” that riles me. How uncivil!
“…can’t pass a … without thinking what a nice pair of boots it would make” would be closer to the mark.
Dr. Coyne, goddamn. (Channeling Nina Simone). Your footwear is instilling in me guilt. I don’t even eat bacon, ferchrissakes. I think your boots must be beautiful, and I can’t take it any more.
Ostrich maybe? Tastes nice! Quite a few farms in the UK farm them these days.
Mmmm … Red meat.
Wonder if colonel Sanders ever tried ostrich nuggets?! Or is that Mcthingy?
Ostrich burgers are very good, actually. I have them from time to time at farmers’ markets and country fairs. The meat is more like beef than chicken, but less fatty. (Healthier!)
The Fuddruckers chain also sells ostrich burgers (along with bison burgers).
Yes. I was wondering if those UK farms sell the skins for tanning.
An evolutionary biologist should have boots made from Darwin’s rhea – Rhea pennata.
Know your leathery tetrapods; those big scales are definitely the belly scutes of a snake.
Nope. The answer has already been given in the thread above.
Ouch. Have been spending too much time around reptiles, too little around cowboy boots, lately. And with this place (http://www.houstonredneck.com/main.html) close to home, I’ve no excuse.
Ha, I knew it! The rare New Zealand Scaly Bichon Frise!
Gharial?