Silly Finnish biology student

[NukeCow]

Hi there!

This isn't the first time I've been reading this forum but this was the time I decided to register myself here

I'm a soon-to-be 23-year old Finnish girl studying biology at the University of Helsinki for the second year now. Still not sure about what I'm going to major in, neurobiology, physiology, and zoology have been quite strong but I've been finding myself getting more and more acquaint with marine biology..

For now, I've believed that scorpions would be the only animals that would measure up to the standards which keep my biologic interests ticking.. I love animals that havn't undergone any gross morphologic or overall change since the dawn of their forefathers (as I've understood, cephalopods havn't changed that much under 500my when scorpions range at about 400my). All that time to perfect the already perfect (Well OK scorpions were aquatic at first and then changed a bit when they became landlovers but it only had to do with the gravitational differences with these two environments)

I've been keeping herps and exotic inverts (snakes, venomous snakes, lizards, tortoises, scorpions, spiders, hermit crabs..) but keeping cephs.. man, as a goal, from where I am, I could compare that to the thought of man visiting the moon in the 1920's or something (if we ever did it, that's not my job to prove).

Don't think we have any ppl keeping cephs in Finland exept at SeaWorld aquarium by the Linnanmäki amusement part. Needless to say that making it a bit difficult to gain experience from direct contact. But it might be a project for the future

Any marine biologists with a need for a graduate paper student in a couple of years? Seriously, I would be interested (if someone has the information) about studying and working possibilities abroad having to do with these magnificent creatures.

Wishing you all the best!

-Erika/NukeCow

 

[Melissa]

Hello and welcome, Erika

Good luck with your studies. Take a look at the thread called something like "research opportunities" - the search button makes this easy. This one makes me think that I may have preferred bio.

Melissa

 

[ArchyNorth]

Hi there and welcome Erika.

Lots of great information and people here.

Tervetuloa !!

 

[Nancy]

HI and welcome to TONMO.com!

I think you'd find keeping any sort of ceph very rewarding (I'm fond of octopuses). Also, you'll find many people on this site who share your interest in other inverts.

Nice to have you with us.

Nancy

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Go marine, Erika; you'll not regret it.

And a big also.

 

[cthulhu77]

Hey Erika !! Welcome to Tonmo !!! Neat to see you have so many of the same interests as many of us...would love to see some pics of Finland also!
greg

 

[Squidman]

Always good to have another TONMOer!

 

[NukeCow]

Thank you so very much! Pictures you say? Well I'll have to make that digital camera singing then! In the mean time, some of my best nature photos:

http://www.kolumbus.fi/nukecow/kuvia/berus.jpg

Vipera berus, one of the three snakes you find here in Finland, and the only venomous one with haemotoxic venom. This photo was taken in Oulu March'04, the adders wake up from their hibernation in March. A (ovo)viviparious snake.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/nukecow/kevatretki04/kyy.jpg

The head of a Vipera berus being held by a fellow biology student. Don't try this at home! Note the thick gloves.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/nukecow/kevatretki04/sissari.jpg

Zootoca vivipara, a viviparious (or is it ovoviviparious) lizard that lives here in Finland. One of two lizard species. Picture taken in April'04 at the Finnish Herpetological Societys springwalk we do every year to welcome and greet the awakened reptiles and amphibians.

The fact that they're viviparious has to do with the fact that it's so friggin cold up here so keeping the eggs warm is easier when you keep them with you until they hatch

http://www.kolumbus.fi/nukecow/kevatretki04/suruvaippa.jpg

Nymphalis antiopa, a butterfly that in stead of sucking nectar feeds itself on sap running from trees and treestomps preparing to feed (as you can see). One of my best nature photos. This is a very timid butterfly, reacting to the tinyest stimulus. This picture was taken with a friend's 7-year old girl in my watch, when I took this photo I just prayed she'd stay still. Even she took some photos of the butterfly But it was hard. So hard.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/nukecow/otokka.jpg

Closeup of some insect. Don't know what that is but that it was so cool I had to take a pic

I'll see what I can do about some more pics greg, maybe in a few weeks.. After one of the worst winters we're finally getting some spring action with the sun out and all. Sun means basking, and basking means herps!

 

[Colin]

Hi erika welcoem to TONMO.com...

I am in scotland and have family in finland (dont know where exactly, must find out)

Nice pics of adders, we get the same species here and is the only scottish snake.

Last pic is a daddy long legs or crane fly, their larvae are a plant pest called leather jackets.

cheers
colin