Ryan Shofner
@lizardman8891.bsky.social
Entomological researcher in taxonomy, systematics, phylogenetics, and pop gen. Barcoding Manager at Australian Museum. Avid photographer of plants and most cold-blooded things.
A TRA local #train crosses a stream in Pingxi. The clash between #urban and #nature in #taiwan really fascinates me, with really abrupt transitions and each fighting to take over space from the other. #travel #longexposure #railfan #urbandecay
April 10, 2025 at 11:27 AM
A TRA local #train crosses a stream in Pingxi. The clash between #urban and #nature in #taiwan really fascinates me, with really abrupt transitions and each fighting to take over space from the other. #travel #longexposure #railfan #urbandecay
A bombardier beetle (𝘗𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘶𝘴 sp.) from Neihu District #taiwan. It certainly surprised me with how vigorous it sprayed its hot gasses (with a high-pitched “poovv!” sound). That, and it constantly moving, made photography a bit challenging! #entomology #beetle #macrophotography #nature
April 9, 2025 at 11:52 AM
A bombardier beetle (𝘗𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘶𝘴 sp.) from Neihu District #taiwan. It certainly surprised me with how vigorous it sprayed its hot gasses (with a high-pitched “poovv!” sound). That, and it constantly moving, made photography a bit challenging! #entomology #beetle #macrophotography #nature
The local #train in Pingxi pulling into the station. This is the same train famous for running down the middle of the narrow street in Shifen. #taiwan #longexposure #travel
April 9, 2025 at 2:07 AM
The local #train in Pingxi pulling into the station. This is the same train famous for running down the middle of the narrow street in Shifen. #taiwan #longexposure #travel
Raohe Night Market is always a hive of activity. Makes sense, as the food here is absolutely incredible (and cheap!) #taiwan #longexposure #travel #foodie
April 8, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Raohe Night Market is always a hive of activity. Makes sense, as the food here is absolutely incredible (and cheap!) #taiwan #longexposure #travel #foodie
This is one of the most impressive artificial waterfalls I’ve seen. Really captures the natural look of the surrounding landscapes. Longshan Temple, Taipei #longexposure #taiwan #landscape
April 8, 2025 at 4:01 AM
This is one of the most impressive artificial waterfalls I’ve seen. Really captures the natural look of the surrounding landscapes. Longshan Temple, Taipei #longexposure #taiwan #landscape
I am back in Taiwan, and I hope to find some of the excellent #herps that call the island home, although the weather has been cold the last week. Still, even 14 degree nights turn up house geckos! #taiwan #gecko #reptile #addHerper
April 7, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I am back in Taiwan, and I hope to find some of the excellent #herps that call the island home, although the weather has been cold the last week. Still, even 14 degree nights turn up house geckos! #taiwan #gecko #reptile #addHerper
Tiger snake (𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴) from Tasmania. There are only 3 species of snake in Tasmania (4 if you count washed up sea snakes), all of them dangerously venomous. 🐍 #snake #herpetology #australia #tasmania
February 11, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Tiger snake (𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴) from Tasmania. There are only 3 species of snake in Tasmania (4 if you count washed up sea snakes), all of them dangerously venomous. 🐍 #snake #herpetology #australia #tasmania
This was my first glowing mushroom, 𝘔𝘺𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘴, found after trudging through a pitch-black rainforest without any flashlight. I didn't have my tripod, so I laid in the mud and propped my camera with sticks to get this long-exposure shot. #mycology #mushroom #bioluminescence
February 10, 2025 at 12:01 AM
This was my first glowing mushroom, 𝘔𝘺𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘴, found after trudging through a pitch-black rainforest without any flashlight. I didn't have my tripod, so I laid in the mud and propped my camera with sticks to get this long-exposure shot. #mycology #mushroom #bioluminescence
Apparently you all are talking about a movie? I saw Sonic 3 and immediately thought of the game on Genesis. Was wondering exactly how the game shifted opinions on everything…
January 26, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Apparently you all are talking about a movie? I saw Sonic 3 and immediately thought of the game on Genesis. Was wondering exactly how the game shifted opinions on everything…
I went and saw it. Easily over 1,000 people in line. Took 2 hours. Everyone in line was in high spirits, it was a really good vibe. Really massive and regal, and smelled like a rancid raccoon. 11/10 would go again.
January 24, 2025 at 5:43 AM
I went and saw it. Easily over 1,000 people in line. Took 2 hours. Everyone in line was in high spirits, it was a really good vibe. Really massive and regal, and smelled like a rancid raccoon. 11/10 would go again.
The juxtaposition here was wild, I thought it had to be a comment under the comic at first
January 23, 2025 at 6:39 PM
The juxtaposition here was wild, I thought it had to be a comment under the comic at first
January 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Update: the line for Putricia is enormous. 3 hours from here!
January 23, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Update: the line for Putricia is enormous. 3 hours from here!
I saw another video recently on Bluesky (which I haven't been able to find again) that showed the process of focus stacking images. I figured I could post the video I produced for the Sydney Science Trail this year on the same topic. It is a very useful technique for #macro photography!
January 23, 2025 at 12:16 AM
I saw another video recently on Bluesky (which I haven't been able to find again) that showed the process of focus stacking images. I figured I could post the video I produced for the Sydney Science Trail this year on the same topic. It is a very useful technique for #macro photography!
240fps video of an electrical storm in Sydney, captured with my iPhone. It was a whopper of a storm, with more lightning strikes per second than I think I've seen in any other storm. #sydney #australia #weather #thunderstorm #lightning #slomo
January 17, 2025 at 8:38 PM
240fps video of an electrical storm in Sydney, captured with my iPhone. It was a whopper of a storm, with more lightning strikes per second than I think I've seen in any other storm. #sydney #australia #weather #thunderstorm #lightning #slomo
My proudest achievement so far: publishing a chapter of my PhD thesis! 🧪 I described 2 new genera and 7 new species of lace bug, and clarified phylogenetic relationships of some Australian lace bug genera. It was a whopper of a paper; 66 pages long! #entomology #science #bugs
doi.org/10.1093/zool...
doi.org/10.1093/zool...
January 9, 2025 at 10:49 PM
My proudest achievement so far: publishing a chapter of my PhD thesis! 🧪 I described 2 new genera and 7 new species of lace bug, and clarified phylogenetic relationships of some Australian lace bug genera. It was a whopper of a paper; 66 pages long! #entomology #science #bugs
doi.org/10.1093/zool...
doi.org/10.1093/zool...
Alishan Forest Railway
January 9, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Alishan Forest Railway
This isn't a particularly interesting shot by itself, but I thought that the juxtaposition here between humankind and nature was interesting. This 𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪 is sitting exactly as I found it, on a discarded catalogue.
December 23, 2024 at 9:22 PM
This isn't a particularly interesting shot by itself, but I thought that the juxtaposition here between humankind and nature was interesting. This 𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪 is sitting exactly as I found it, on a discarded catalogue.
Can #toadtuesday be a thing? Let's make it a thing.
𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Taiwan common toad); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro, diffused flash.
#toad #frog #herpetology #amphibian #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #m4/3
𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Taiwan common toad); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro, diffused flash.
#toad #frog #herpetology #amphibian #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #m4/3
December 23, 2024 at 9:12 PM
Can #toadtuesday be a thing? Let's make it a thing.
𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Taiwan common toad); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro, diffused flash.
#toad #frog #herpetology #amphibian #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #m4/3
𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Taiwan common toad); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro, diffused flash.
#toad #frog #herpetology #amphibian #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #m4/3
I love harvestsmen from tropical/subtropical areas; they take on some pretty funky forms. This one comes complete with a meal.
𝘎𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 sp. (I think); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/13; diffused flash.
#arachnology #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #olympus #m4/3
𝘎𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 sp. (I think); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/13; diffused flash.
#arachnology #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #olympus #m4/3
December 23, 2024 at 8:44 AM
Another 𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪 (LaTouche's frog) on the trails of Neihu District, Taiwan.
Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/9; flash with diffuser.
#herpetology #frog #amphibian #macro #taiwan #wildlife
Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/9; flash with diffuser.
#herpetology #frog #amphibian #macro #taiwan #wildlife
December 23, 2024 at 8:20 AM
Another 𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪 (LaTouche's frog) on the trails of Neihu District, Taiwan.
Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/9; flash with diffuser.
#herpetology #frog #amphibian #macro #taiwan #wildlife
Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/9; flash with diffuser.
#herpetology #frog #amphibian #macro #taiwan #wildlife
A quite common frog I encountered on the trails of Neihu District, Taiwan. Amphibians were far more common than I expected them to be in February.
𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪, LaTouche's frog. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/9; flash with diffuser.
#herpetology #frog #amphibian #macro #taiwan #wildlife
𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪, LaTouche's frog. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/9; flash with diffuser.
#herpetology #frog #amphibian #macro #taiwan #wildlife
December 23, 2024 at 8:17 AM
A quite common frog I encountered on the trails of Neihu District, Taiwan. Amphibians were far more common than I expected them to be in February.
𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪, LaTouche's frog. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/9; flash with diffuser.
#herpetology #frog #amphibian #macro #taiwan #wildlife
𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪, LaTouche's frog. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/9; flash with diffuser.
#herpetology #frog #amphibian #macro #taiwan #wildlife
I have finally edited the lion's share of my photos from Taiwan. Be prepared for a lot of frogs.
𝘖𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢 (Chrysomelidae) from Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/13; flash with diffuser
#entomology #macro #coleoptera #taiwan #wildlife #olympus #m4/3
𝘖𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢 (Chrysomelidae) from Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/13; flash with diffuser
#entomology #macro #coleoptera #taiwan #wildlife #olympus #m4/3
December 23, 2024 at 1:55 AM
I have finally edited the lion's share of my photos from Taiwan. Be prepared for a lot of frogs.
𝘖𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢 (Chrysomelidae) from Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/13; flash with diffuser
#entomology #macro #coleoptera #taiwan #wildlife #olympus #m4/3
𝘖𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢 (Chrysomelidae) from Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro @ f/13; flash with diffuser
#entomology #macro #coleoptera #taiwan #wildlife #olympus #m4/3