Gobi Pre-History

Back a bit early from an utterly spectacular, 2000km transverse of Mongolia's South and East Gobi provinces. Newly discovering these exquisite expanses, I've returned even more deliriously in love with this desert. In fact, this morning I feel like this lovely looks, whose portrait I snapped along the way:

I need a day or two to edit several hundred photographs, recall and refine details, and just process. But rest assured, I'll share as much as I can this week, undoubtedly over several posts.

But in the meantime, what in the hell are these?

On the first day's drive, we happened upon a pea-green, brackish pond, along the edges of which hundreds of these bizarre creatures were scuttling about and fighting whenever they encountered each other. I recalled at once the horseshoe crabs I used to find in childhood visits to Long Island, tales of the Mongolian Death Worm, and the hideous tracking robot that burrowed into Neo's bellybutton in The Matrix. They're about three inches long, and about 300 million years out of place. Please forward to friends who may be zoologists; I have no idea where to even begin researching what these are and how they came to be in a small pond smack in the middle of the Gobi Desert. I just stood there watching them, my face locked somewhere between a scowl and a gawp, contemplating karma until summoned back into the car.

Zendette's Geography Quiz Answers and A New Geo Teaser

Congrats to Leamur for correctly working out Venezuela/Caracas as the nation where its citizens might shout the name of the capital as an insult to southern Americans.

But by gum, I stumped y'all on the nation's name that a Japanese metal fan might yell when demanding an encore. How strangely satisfying. The answer, beloveds, is of course Morocco!

Now, we had another new country's citizen visit in my absence. We will ponder deeply (or, perhaps, not) how it was exactly that said 'net surfer arrived at DODR searching for images -- images, mind you -- of "rectal temperature" (true). But in the meantime, here's the clue to the nation's identity: its name might be confused for an Australian describing diminutive insect dwellings in the remote outback. Post guesses in the comments and good luck!

Comments

[Christian]

Its a crustacean called triops. A quote I found on a web site:

There are several stories of people finding Triops in desert pools in isolated areas, and thinking they stumbled across living trilobites (a large, but extinct group of arthropods). Thus, Triops have been called the "living fossils."

Very interesting animals.

[Carol of Seattle]

Please don't tell me these are some Mongolian delicacy that a polite traveler might be forced to eat out of fear of insulting her host...

Actually, that'd be a wicked joke to play one someone!

[minnie]

all i can think of is webelo?

[sarah]

Waaahhhh! Woodgie woodgie woodgie! OK, I only looked at the camel pic. Now I'll read the rest.

[Mel]

I see you've already had an answer on the Triops. The Wikipedia entry has a bit more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadpole_shrimp

[Carol]

The water critter is icky. Doesn't much matter to me what it really is called. Ick is what I shall call it! As for the camel shot...I don't know how you did it, but getting those to pose for you must have been a job and a half!

[Leamur]

Antilles.

And I still can't get over how much cuter the Gobi camels are than the Arabian kind, which are so not.

[Palzang]

It's no wonder they Triops look like Trilobites - they basically have looked exactly the same for over 220 million years!

[Konchog]

Leamur -- Yes! But which Antilles? The whole name is what makes it all the way funny. And you ain't seem nothin' yet afa camel pix. Stay tuned.

Minnie -- Very good! Yours made me laugh too.

[Leamur]

Well, Netherlands Antilles is the only one I can think of that's funny, and that's just given the source of how they found you looking for something, well, netherly...

[Konchog]

There you go. I was actually thinking of the Lesser and Greater Antilles as separate from the NA, but I once again must confront my ignorance. Apparently there are two sets of Antilles, Greater and Lesser, encompassing most islands in the Carribean. Netherlands Antilles is but one part of the Lesser Antilles.

This blog is quite educational, no?

[Carol of Seattle]

Dang, I was thinking 'Antigua' but couldn't make it fit the joke...

[Samaya]

oooo! cutest camels...I rode one when I was about 7 at the Bronx Zoo in NYC...he was dusty and rude.

next time you visit me, Konchog, check your pockets! I wouldn't want to become host to your ancient tribbles....(sp?) I bet they would love my lotus pond.

[Carol of Seattle]

Hey, there's a thought. I brought Gobi sand back with me from Sainshand. I wonder if I add water, if I'll get Mongolian Sea Monkeys. Guess I'll have to try it. I'll send pictures if I hatch anything!

[Sarantuya]

Great trip!
It made me to reminnisce over my trekking in Gobi.
About the small animals, I think its old animal called "tadpole". When i was a child, there were lived many tadpoles in dirty water from rain.

Goodluck!

[Vanessa]

i think i know what those things are i think there triops they took place when the dinos where alive.I the reason why i know what they are is because i bought some at the zoo when i was 10. and they grew to be about that big and always used to fight when came across each other

[Eric]

Yes, for sure it is triops, but perhaps a new species ! Do you think that it could be possible to collect some soil of this pool, please ?

[Eric]

Hello Samaya, did you achieve to hatch something from your desert sand?

[zzz]

as Cristian said they are probably triops you can buy kits and grow them at home like sea monkeys i had them when i was around 8