DNA in fringe-lipped bat poop reveals unexpected eating habits
The poop of Trachops cirrhosus revealed surprising results about its foraging abilities and prey preferences.
The ritual significance of a classic Maya sweat bath in Guatemala
An unusual offering in an abandoned and unique-looking structure revealed new evidence of the role it played in the community
Mosquito-borne Disease Transmission Risk
Join Jose Loaiza, STRI Research Associate and Senior Scientist at Panama’s INDICASAT-AIP, for the latest information about the role of disease transmission by mosquitos in Panama.
New nature documentary follows Smithsonian scientists underwater
Deep reefs may represent one of the most diverse, underexplored ecosystems on the planet.
How the ability to clone itself may empower a mystery globetrotter
It always pays to think outside of the box. Rachel Collin decided to look further afield to find the adult form that matched a larvae from a plankton sample in Panama and was surprised by the result.
A journey of growth and discovery
The first time Dumas Gálvez saw the ant species Ectatomma ruidum under a microscope, he was just a little boy. He was immediately fascinated. A few decades later, as a postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), a professor in the entomology department at the University of Panama and a mentor to young scientists, he does research on that same ant species. Listen...
Unequal migration across the land-bridge millions of years ago
The disproportionate extinction of South American mammals when the Americas collided is still evident today
A new nemertean species discovered in Panama’s Bocas del Toro archipelago was named after a local biologist
The novel ribbon worm was found as part of STRI’s Training in Tropical Taxonomy program and represents the first species of its genus from the Caribbean
Why do small marine organisms matter for the future of our oceans?
Beneficial partnerships between diverse marine organisms are often favorable to the health of marine ecosystems as well. Listen to STRI postdoctoral fellow and marine and evolutionary biologist Matthieu Leray describe how mutualistic relationships among coral reefs and small marine species or microorganisms may help them cope with climate change.
How do Giraffes and Elephants alter the african savanna landscape?
Through their foraging behavior across the diverse topography of the African savanna, megaherbivores may be unknowingly influencing the growth and survival of vegetation on valleys and plateaus, while preserving steep slopes as habitat refugia.
