Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
@taricha-rivularis.bsky.social
PhD Candidate at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, UC Berkeley | Newts, toxins, and gay frogs!
She/They
✨🏳️⚧️🐸🏳️⚧️✨
She/They
✨🏳️⚧️🐸🏳️⚧️✨
Pinned
Herpetology and queer internet culture
YouTube video by Kannon Pearson
www.youtube.com
This is a link to an earlier version of the Gay Frogs Talk that I gave at SSAR this summer!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A7S...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A7S...
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
Had an awesome time doing work on Taricha granulosa (Rough-skinned Newt) and Taricha torosa (California Newt) last Sunday.
Thank you to the ever amazing Kannon Pearson @taricha-rivularis.bsky.social for leading this and having me on to work on this research. The world is an amazing place.
Thank you to the ever amazing Kannon Pearson @taricha-rivularis.bsky.social for leading this and having me on to work on this research. The world is an amazing place.
September 23, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Had an awesome time doing work on Taricha granulosa (Rough-skinned Newt) and Taricha torosa (California Newt) last Sunday.
Thank you to the ever amazing Kannon Pearson @taricha-rivularis.bsky.social for leading this and having me on to work on this research. The world is an amazing place.
Thank you to the ever amazing Kannon Pearson @taricha-rivularis.bsky.social for leading this and having me on to work on this research. The world is an amazing place.
I am doing a Q&A with @skypeascientist.bsky.social tomorrow at 10am PST! RSVP here if you want to interrogate me about newts and their poisons 🦎🐸🧪☠️: givebutter.com/2yhDvr
Newts
With Kannon Pearson
givebutter.com
September 1, 2025 at 11:35 PM
I am doing a Q&A with @skypeascientist.bsky.social tomorrow at 10am PST! RSVP here if you want to interrogate me about newts and their poisons 🦎🐸🧪☠️: givebutter.com/2yhDvr
July 22, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
You need newt squeaks today. Refusing them is not an option.
It's pretty rare to hear, but newts can vocalize. Listen to this lil guy squeak at me!
July 17, 2025 at 11:38 PM
You need newt squeaks today. Refusing them is not an option.
It's pretty rare to hear, but newts can vocalize. Listen to this lil guy squeak at me!
July 17, 2025 at 10:28 PM
It's pretty rare to hear, but newts can vocalize. Listen to this lil guy squeak at me!
At the end of my #JMIH25 presentation, I thanked the Carl Gans Travelling Fellowship for funding my attendance. The auto-generated caption software heard something VERY different ☠️🏳️🌈
July 17, 2025 at 6:19 AM
At the end of my #JMIH25 presentation, I thanked the Carl Gans Travelling Fellowship for funding my attendance. The auto-generated caption software heard something VERY different ☠️🏳️🌈
A rough skinned newt falling off a log. He did Not want to stay for a photo
April 24, 2025 at 1:23 PM
A rough skinned newt falling off a log. He did Not want to stay for a photo
I drew a desert tortoise shell for the @mvzucb.bsky.social specimen art night! You can see the accession number on some of the scutes and exposed bones
#sciart #illustration #art #museum
#sciart #illustration #art #museum
April 12, 2025 at 6:07 AM
I drew a desert tortoise shell for the @mvzucb.bsky.social specimen art night! You can see the accession number on some of the scutes and exposed bones
#sciart #illustration #art #museum
#sciart #illustration #art #museum
Some #art for a friend inspired by @mouseguard.bsky.social! They requested a giant mouse barbarian. I based the character on Petter's mouse, a very big species from Madagascar known from just one specimen! I also included an eastern falanouc teeth and skull, tho the species ranges don't rly overlap
April 7, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Some #art for a friend inspired by @mouseguard.bsky.social! They requested a giant mouse barbarian. I based the character on Petter's mouse, a very big species from Madagascar known from just one specimen! I also included an eastern falanouc teeth and skull, tho the species ranges don't rly overlap
A long (5ft) and lovely Sonoran gopher #snake (Pituophis catenifer affinis) that I saw in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument last week!
#photography #herpetology
#photography #herpetology
April 3, 2025 at 3:59 PM
A long (5ft) and lovely Sonoran gopher #snake (Pituophis catenifer affinis) that I saw in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument last week!
#photography #herpetology
#photography #herpetology
A bit belated, but happy trans day of visibility to those who celebrate! I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to exist and be visible as a trans person in professional, personal, and fieldwork settings. Thought it would be fun to share a pic of each!
April 2, 2025 at 2:46 PM
A bit belated, but happy trans day of visibility to those who celebrate! I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to exist and be visible as a trans person in professional, personal, and fieldwork settings. Thought it would be fun to share a pic of each!
Precisely! California newts lay eggs in clusters. They have the texture of crystal boba imo, tho much deadlier! The newt mothers likely transfer some of their toxin into the eggs before laying, which protects the babies until they start accumulating their own after metamorphosis
April 2, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Precisely! California newts lay eggs in clusters. They have the texture of crystal boba imo, tho much deadlier! The newt mothers likely transfer some of their toxin into the eggs before laying, which protects the babies until they start accumulating their own after metamorphosis
Omg lil babies! These look to me like two California newts (they tend to have eyelids that are lighter than their dorsal color). Rough skinned newts are also found in that pond! And the real tea is that the species are almost impossible to tell apart in the Bay Area, even by herpetologists like me
Anyways look I found some newts having an intimate moment at the botanical garden! @taricha-rivularis.bsky.social tell me about these little babies please
April 2, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Omg lil babies! These look to me like two California newts (they tend to have eyelids that are lighter than their dorsal color). Rough skinned newts are also found in that pond! And the real tea is that the species are almost impossible to tell apart in the Bay Area, even by herpetologists like me
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
The newts are lingering at the Japanese Pool along with hundreds (thousands?) of egg clusters, & ICYMI: we've just posted a recent video to our website: Know Your Newts, with Kannon Pearson. Don't miss this fascinating talk: botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/learn/garden...
Know Your Newts - UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley
The peaceful waters of the Japanese Pool–a haven for amphibian mating season–also house a deadly surprise!
botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu
March 20, 2025 at 9:58 PM
The newts are lingering at the Japanese Pool along with hundreds (thousands?) of egg clusters, & ICYMI: we've just posted a recent video to our website: Know Your Newts, with Kannon Pearson. Don't miss this fascinating talk: botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/learn/garden...
My presentation for the @ucbgarden.bsky.social is online! In it, I talk about deadly coffeepots, intrepid newt journeys, and radical scientific experiments! Here's the link :D
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltty...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltty...
Know Your Newts with Kannon Pearson
YouTube video by UC Botanical Garden
www.youtube.com
March 20, 2025 at 6:53 PM
My presentation for the @ucbgarden.bsky.social is online! In it, I talk about deadly coffeepots, intrepid newt journeys, and radical scientific experiments! Here's the link :D
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltty...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltty...
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
MVZ Professor Jim McGuire and Former MVZ Postdoc Simon Scarpetta find that Fiji iguanas are most closely related to the North American desert iguana — evidence of the longest known transoceanic dispersal of any land animal. bit.ly/3DMIAUD
March 19, 2025 at 5:16 PM
MVZ Professor Jim McGuire and Former MVZ Postdoc Simon Scarpetta find that Fiji iguanas are most closely related to the North American desert iguana — evidence of the longest known transoceanic dispersal of any land animal. bit.ly/3DMIAUD
I have been researching #queer herpetologists (and folks who have amphibian & reptile study systems — not everyone likes the label of herpetologist) and have encountered a decent spread of identities. But I have yet to find openly-transfemme professors who study herps. DM me if you have any leads 🥺
March 19, 2025 at 12:42 AM
I have been researching #queer herpetologists (and folks who have amphibian & reptile study systems — not everyone likes the label of herpetologist) and have encountered a decent spread of identities. But I have yet to find openly-transfemme professors who study herps. DM me if you have any leads 🥺
My sketches from yesterday’s @mvzucb.bsky.social specimen art night! The theme was #Shrek — look at the lil “shrek ears” on the beaver skull! And a scrub jay to represent the bird that Fiona exploded via singing competition. #sciart #museum #illustration
March 15, 2025 at 5:06 PM
My sketches from yesterday’s @mvzucb.bsky.social specimen art night! The theme was #Shrek — look at the lil “shrek ears” on the beaver skull! And a scrub jay to represent the bird that Fiona exploded via singing competition. #sciart #museum #illustration
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
For #calbiggive we are excited to share profiles of graduate students like PhD Candidate David Tian who says the best thing about working in the MVZ is, “the diversity of organisms, locations, and questions that MVZ members investigate.” To support the MVZ visit mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/
March 13, 2025 at 5:11 PM
For #calbiggive we are excited to share profiles of graduate students like PhD Candidate David Tian who says the best thing about working in the MVZ is, “the diversity of organisms, locations, and questions that MVZ members investigate.” To support the MVZ visit mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
For #calbiggive we are sharing profiles of graduate students like PhD Candidate Emily Bogner who knew she wanted to be a scientist after watching Jurassic Park, “I thought it was so cool you could dig in the dirt and find remains from animals that are no longer alive.” mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/
March 13, 2025 at 6:05 PM
For #calbiggive we are sharing profiles of graduate students like PhD Candidate Emily Bogner who knew she wanted to be a scientist after watching Jurassic Park, “I thought it was so cool you could dig in the dirt and find remains from animals that are no longer alive.” mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
For #calbiggive learn about Staff Researcher Ammon Corl “I get to work with scientists at the forefront of their fields. The strong spirit of collaborative research allows everyone to figure out more than had they worked alone.” Support the MVZ at mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/
March 13, 2025 at 8:52 PM
For #calbiggive learn about Staff Researcher Ammon Corl “I get to work with scientists at the forefront of their fields. The strong spirit of collaborative research allows everyone to figure out more than had they worked alone.” Support the MVZ at mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
For #calbiggive graduate studentAnaid Cárdenas-Navarrete, who grew up in Mexico City, shares when she knew she wanted to be a scientist. To support the @mvzucberkeley and students like Anaid visit mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/
March 13, 2025 at 10:03 PM
For #calbiggive graduate studentAnaid Cárdenas-Navarrete, who grew up in Mexico City, shares when she knew she wanted to be a scientist. To support the @mvzucberkeley and students like Anaid visit mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/
Really excited to be involved with organizing this! I sketched a spectacled bear #skull last time. We are ultimately hoping to accession all of the specimen art on Arctos. The theme this week is 💚✨Shrek✨💚, and we will be sketching various swamp creatures! #sciart #art #illustration #museum
March 12, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Really excited to be involved with organizing this! I sketched a spectacled bear #skull last time. We are ultimately hoping to accession all of the specimen art on Arctos. The theme this week is 💚✨Shrek✨💚, and we will be sketching various swamp creatures! #sciart #art #illustration #museum
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
they put up the mist nets together?
When two ornithologists like each other very much…
March 11, 2025 at 3:53 AM
they put up the mist nets together?
Reposted by Kannon Pearson 🏳️⚧️
Taricha rivularis | Mendocino County | March 2025
Still learning macro techniques, but really happy with this shot of my favorite species of newt.
#wildlifephotography #wildlife #herpetology #newt #PhotographersOfBlueSky
#EastCoastKin #photography #macromonday
#macro #california
Still learning macro techniques, but really happy with this shot of my favorite species of newt.
#wildlifephotography #wildlife #herpetology #newt #PhotographersOfBlueSky
#EastCoastKin #photography #macromonday
#macro #california
March 3, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Taricha rivularis | Mendocino County | March 2025
Still learning macro techniques, but really happy with this shot of my favorite species of newt.
#wildlifephotography #wildlife #herpetology #newt #PhotographersOfBlueSky
#EastCoastKin #photography #macromonday
#macro #california
Still learning macro techniques, but really happy with this shot of my favorite species of newt.
#wildlifephotography #wildlife #herpetology #newt #PhotographersOfBlueSky
#EastCoastKin #photography #macromonday
#macro #california