Dr. Kara M. Million
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million
@darterdancer.bsky.social
1.7K followers 1K following 300 posts
Assistant Professor in Biology at UNA. Darters, parasites, and behavior. Owned by 2 cats, 2 snakes, and 2 many parrots.
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 14h
#Inktober2025 Day 17: Ornate
The Japanese white-spotted pufferfish creates elaborate geometric circles in the sand. This "sand art" is thought to attract females, making his work truly a labor of love. #Inktober
A pufferfish admires his carefully crafted sand art while he waits for a female to come along and be dazzled
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 15h
#Inktober2025 Day 16: Blunder
This actually happened to me. Mommy skunk and her five babies were adorable, but EEK!! I don't know how I avoided getting skunked, but I'm pretty sure that was my fastest 5K time ever. 😅
#Inktober
A jogger stumbles into a group of skunks (a mom and her five babies). The jogger is terrified but the skunks seem unbothered.
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 23h
The gold edge is so stunning!
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 2d
Gah! Just stepped off the elevator in my building and was face to face with this lovely lady. Guess I'm in charge of the department skeleton this Monday (Mandy Bull). Eh... come get candy!
A human skeleton is dressed in a fish print tropical floral shirt and field hat and holding a dipnet containing a rainbow darter. Sign on the skeleton reads, "Life is much harder/ When you're a darter/ You don't have to pay bills/ But there's worms in your gills/ But that's fine and dandy/ Dr. Million has candy!"
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 2d
*That's* the term I was trying to remember; thank you!!
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 2d
#Inktober2025 Day 15: Ragged
Yeahhhh... Cardinals look pretty rough when they're molting. #Inktober
A cardinal molting
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 2d
#Inktober2025 Day 14: Trunk

I always picture Mimics (from tabletop RPGs) with pharyngeal teeth. Side effect of being an ichthyologist, I guess. Put a rasping tongue on this one too for good measure (love you forever, cyclostomes). #Inktober
A Mimic (living treasure chest with two sets of fanged jaws and a protruding tongue covered in teeth.
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 3d
#Inktober2025 Day 13: Drink
This beetle in the Namib desert has no access to water except when the fog rolls over the dunes. Then it sticks its abdomen straight in the air and collects condensation that rolls down to its mouth.
...Yep, it drinks with its butt. Heh. Bottoms up! #Inktober
A Namib beetle raises its abdomen into a foggy sky to collect drinking water from the vapor.
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 5d
#Inktober2015 Day 12: Shredded

#Inktober
The Shredder (villain from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) grates parmesan cheese over a frightened man's spaghetti while saying menacingly, "SAY WHEN"
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 6d
The parrot is now arguing with me that it is "Murdoch bed" (the cat), not his own bedtime, and we allegedly need "warter" immediately. 😑 Can I claim him as a dependent *now*?
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 8d
#Inktober2025 Day 11: Sting
#Inktober
A male velvet ant admires a female while she fantasizes about "killing cows"
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 8d
#Inktober2025 Day 10: Sweep
Woman sweeping up debris on a floor while parrots gleefully replace all the debris behind her
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 10d
#Inktober2025 Day 9: Heavy
#Inktober
Lord Nibbler walks away whistling happily while a dung beetle strains to carry his latest dropping of "dark matter"
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 11d
#Inktober2025 Day 8: Reckless
I've heard of Tarantula Island in ACNH. I can only imagine this is how that would go for me ...
#Inktober
Animal Crossing player skips across an island beach with a bug net, blissfully unaware of the horde of tarantulas skipping along behind her.
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 12d
#Inktober2025 Day 7: Starfish
... this is a real starfish that exists. I think about it once a day. ⭐🍑 #Inktober
Ink drawing of a starfish with a "big butt"
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 12d
I have some growing up in my recently-rewilded yard here in Alabama. Maybe my babies will make it on the map someday too. ♥️
Monarch caterpillar Monarch caterpillar Monarch chrysalis Monarch chrysalis
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 12d
I heard the peewee in my head as I read it.
darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 12d
Actual ecologists: no spoilers!!
darterdancer.bsky.social Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 12d
It's that time again: Paramecium Wars!! This time you can choose your fighter! Scan the code and choose who you think will in our competition experiment in Ecology lab.
Flyer for Paramecium Wars experiment. Depicted are P. aurelia and P. caudatum in a "vs." arrangement. Text: "Two Paramecia will enter. One will prevail. Who do you think it will be? Scan and choose your fighter!!"
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 12d
It's that time again: Paramecium Wars!! This time you can choose your fighter! Scan the code and choose who you think will in our competition experiment in Ecology lab.
Flyer for Paramecium Wars experiment. Depicted are P. aurelia and P. caudatum in a "vs." arrangement. Text: "Two Paramecia will enter. One will prevail. Who do you think it will be? Scan and choose your fighter!!"
1
darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 12d
One group has named them Biggie and Tupac 😅
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 13d
Yes!! ♥️🐟
darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 13d
Excuse me where is the photo of you in the costume?
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 13d
Putting a CW on this one for physical/spiritual harm.
Inktober 2025 Day 6: Pierce
A hand bearing thousands of tiny cuts, each one delivered by a well-meaning cliche
darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 14d
#Inktober2025 Day 5: Deer
Remember, if you see one of these cuties by itself and it isn't injured, leave it alone! Mom is likely nearby getting a much-needed snack and she will be back soon. If the fawn really is in crisis, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. #Inktober
Ink drawing of a fawn sitting in grass
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darterdancer.bsky.social
Dr. Kara M. Million @darterdancer.bsky.social · 14d
Scoop!!
A white budgie perches on a human's head
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