Monday, September 19, 2011

Animal Alphabet: Y is for Yapok

I'm posting this late enough on Monday that I know at least my pal Ben Towle, at the very least, has already scooped my entry for this week in the Animal Alphabet.

Well, be that as it may, I say Y is for yapok.

A yapok is a South American marsupial (a sort of possum, like most if not all New World marsupials) with cool webbed feet. And its feet and hands are webbed because it does its hunting by swimming around in a river and noodling.

Aw, that's nothing, you say. Otters do it. Sure, the yapok has a cool name, but what's so special about it?

Well, think for a second: we know it's a marsupial, which means Mama Yapok carries her babies in a pouch. But she also spends a lot of time submerged. A yapok's pouch has a strong sphincter that closes it up watertight while Mama is swimming.



That's why I have drawn a yapok with a Ziploc.

Next week: a terrifying chimera.

3 comments:

Loops O'Fury said...

Fascinating!

Curious Art said...

Oh my goodness, poor Mama Yapok! It's tough enough to deal with a new baby without always worrying if the seal is tight! Yapok Ziploc should be a band name, though.

Isaac said...

Yapok Ziploc is a retrofuturist folk trio that opens for Yakov Smirnoff when he's not in Branson, MO.