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The Core Contest winners announced[edit]

The winners of the 2023 The Core Contest are announced 🎉. We had an amazing set of improvements this year, and the judges (Femke, Aza24 and Casliber) would like to thank everybody who joined and congratulate the winners.

First place goes to Buidhe for improving The Holocaust; very core, highly relevant; their work on bringing geographical balance to the article puts the topic in a whole different light. We also commend improvements to sourcing and prose
A close second place goes to Phlsph7 for improving Education from an unstructured jumble into a well-sourced piece of instruction
Third prize goes to Johnbod for improving Donatello, a near five-fold expansion with great sourcing and fantastic imagery
A tie for fourth place goes to Thebiguglyalien for improving Crime, for a strong improvement in sourcing
A tie for fifth place goes to Sammielh for International law, improved by converting contextless listicles into a proper sourced prose

If you wish to start or stop receiving news about The Core Contest, please add or remove yourself from the delivery list. —Femke 🐦 (talk) 20:07, 21 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Awesome 174.251.240.219 (talk) 18:17, 6 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

WikiCup 2023 July newsletter[edit]

The third round of the 2023 WikiCup has come to an end. The 16 users who made it to the fourth round had at least 175 points. Our top scorers in round 3 were:

Thebiguglyalien, with 919 points from a featured article on Frances Cleveland as well as five good articles and many reviews,
Unlimitedlead, with 862 points from a high-scoring featured articles on Henry II of England and numerous reviews,
Iazyges, with 560 points from a high-scoring featured article on Tiberius III.

Contestants achieved 11 featured articles, 2 featured lists, 47 good articles, 72 featured or good article reviews, over 100 DYKs and 40 ITN appearances. As always, any content promoted after the end of round 3 but before the start of round 4 can be claimed in round 4. Please also remember that you must claim your points within 14 days of "earning" them. When doing GARs, please make sure that you check that all the GA criteria are fully met. Please also remember that all submissions must meet core Wikipedia policies, regardless of the review process.

If you are concerned that your nomination—whether it is at good article nominations, a featured process, or anywhere else—will not receive the necessary reviews, please list it on Wikipedia:WikiCup/Reviews Needed (remember to remove your listing when no longer required). Questions are welcome on Wikipedia talk:WikiCup, and the judges are reachable on their talk pages or by email. Good luck! If you wish to start or stop receiving this newsletter, please feel free to add or remove your name from Wikipedia:WikiCup/Newsletter/Send. Sturmvogel 66 (talk) and Cwmhiraeth (talk). MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 15:18, 8 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

WikiProject Tree of Life Newsletter Issue 21[edit]

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WP:TOLN

August 2023—Issue 021

Tree of Life

Welcome to the Tree of Life newsletter!

Newly recognized content
Australiformis by Mattximus Rodrigues night heron by FunkMonk Titanis by Augustios Paleo List of lorisoids by PresN List of storks by AryKun Brontosaurus by Augustios Paleo, reviewed by The Morrison Man Eukaryote by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Fritzmann2002 Stramenopile by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Fritzmann2002 Titanoboa by Augustios Paleo, reviewed by SilverTiger12 Antarctopelta by Augustios Paleo, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Anna Blackburne by Kusma, reviewed by Etriusus Anomochilus leonardi by AryKun, reviewed by Amitchell125 Nyctibatrachus manalari by AryKun, reviewed by Sammi Brie Mimodactylus by FunkMonk, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Nyctibatrachus major by AryKun, reviewed by Etriusus Anomochilus weberi by AryKun, reviewed by Etriusus Plant by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Cessaune

Newly nominated content
Ohmdenosaurus by Jens Lallensack Polar bear by LittleJerry Mimodactylus by FunkMonk List of cercopithecoids by PresN List of tapaculos by AryKun Klallamornis by Larrayal Hypericum perforatum by Fritzmann2002 Holozoa by Snoteleks Teloschistaceae by Esculenta Carcharodontosaurus by Augustios Paleo Nyctibatrachus radcliffei by AryKun Anomochilus by AryKun

New contest!

This month has seen an incredible amount of activity creating high quality content, with 3 FAs, 3 FACs, and a veritable flood of GAs and GANs, not to mention the FLs and FLCs. To help maintain this high level of activity going forward, WikiProject Tree of Life is starting a new monthly rolling contest, inspired by the contest run by WikiProject Military History. This contest should hopefully help incentivize editors to contribute in ways that are less daunting than writing articles that are GA and FA-quality. Even improving articles from stub to start class, or helping other editors by reviewing their work at GAN, FAC, or FLC, gets you points, with bonus points for articles with especially high page views. Make sure to participate in any way you can, and help improve the 'pedia while having fun and winning Barnstars!

August DYKs

Two salt marsh snakes

Blackburnian warbler

... that orcas have been teaching each other to attack boats? (August 2)
... that Ameles decolor has one of the most complex mating rituals of any praying mantis? (August 4)
... that salt marsh snakes (examples pictured) drink only rainwater? (August 6)
... that by 1967, staff at the Home Office were told not to feed Peta morsels of food as she had become "inordinately fat"? (August 8)
... that the perigynia of the few-flowered sedge spring outward when brushed against? (August 16)
... that three burnt golf balls are preserved at Kew Gardens as a "rare fungal species"? (August 19)
... that the chemicals responsible for the smell of freshly cut grass are a plant defense mechanism? (August 20)
... that the Blackburnian warbler (example pictured) is named after Anna Blackburne, who provided specimens to Thomas Pennant? (August 22)
... that Tylocephale possibly used their domed skulls to fight one another? (August 24)
... that John Cleese once called Olivia Benson "the weirdest cat I've ever seen in my life"? (August 25)
... that Winston Churchill was often portrayed as a bulldog (pictured), but his personal pet dog during the Second World War was a poodle? (August 25)
... that a report by the philosopher Jonathan Birch and colleagues led to cephalopods and decapods being recognised as sentient under the UK's Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act? (August 27)
... that Mike Wingfield named a fungus after his first grandchild, Rachel? (August 27)
... that depending on who you ask, an anomochilid could be a dwarf or a giant? (August 28)

Discuss this issue

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Delivered by: MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 23:14, 31 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]

WikiCup 2023 September newsletter[edit]

The fourth round of the competition has finished, with anyone scoring less than 673 points being eliminated. It was a high scoring round with all but one of the contestants who progressed to the final having achieved an FA during the round. The highest scorers were

Epicgenius, with 2173 points topping the scores, gained mainly from a featured article, 38 good articles and 9 DYKs. He was followed by
Sammi Brie, with 1575 points, gained mainly from a featured article, 28 good articles and 50 good article reviews. Close behind was
Thebiguglyalien, with 1535 points mainly gained from a featured article, 15 good articles, 26 good article reviews and lots of bonus points.

Between them during round 4, contestants achieved 12 featured articles, 3 featured lists, 3 featured pictures, 126 good articles, 46 DYK entries, 14 ITN entries, 67 featured article candidate reviews and 147 good article reviews. Congratulations to our eight finalists and all who participated! It was a generally high-scoring and productive round and I think we can expect a highly competitive finish to the competition.

Remember that any content promoted after the end of round 4 but before the start of round 5 can be claimed in round 5. Remember too that you must claim your points within 10 days of "earning" them and within 24 hours of the end of the final. If you are concerned that your nomination will not receive the necessary reviews, please list it on Wikipedia:WikiCup/Reviews. It would be helpful if this list could be cleared of any items no longer relevant. If you want to help out with the WikiCup, please do your bit to keep down the review backlogs! Questions are welcome on Wikipedia talk:WikiCup, and the judges are reachable on their talk pages or by email. If you wish to start or stop receiving this newsletter, please feel free to add or remove your name from Wikipedia:WikiCup/Newsletter/Send.

I will be standing down as a judge after the end of the contest. I think the Cup encourages productive editors to improve their contributions to Wikipedia and I hope that someone else will step up to take over the running of the Cup. Sturmvogel 66 (talk), and Cwmhiraeth (talk)

WikiProject Tree of Life Newsletter Issue 22[edit]

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WP:TOLN

September 2023—Issue 022

Tree of Life

Welcome to the Tree of Life newsletter!

Newly recognized content
List of cercopithecoids by PresN List of tapaculos by AryKun Polar bear by Little Jerry Ohmdenosaurus by Jens Lallensack Amargatitanis by Augustios Paleo, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Teloschistaceae by Esculenta, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Holozoa by Snoteleks, reviewed by Esculenta Ashy flycatcher by AryKun, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Nyctibatrachus radcliffei by AryKun, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Carcharodontosaurus by Augustios Paleo, reviewed by SilverTiger12 Life by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Apatosaurinae by Augustios Paleo, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Hypericum perforatum by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by Femke

Newly nominated content
Mountain pigeon by AryKun List of hominoids by PresN List of cranes by AryKun List of tarsiiformes by PresN Lycorma meliae by Etriusus Aristonectes by Amirani1746 Animal echolocation by Chiswick Chap Hyalospheniidae by Snoteleks Buellia frigida by Snoteleks

Contest results

The first edition of our new monthly contest had perhaps a little less participation than I hoped for, but it still resulted in a huge amount of content work, mainly focussed on de-stubbing articles on little-known species, although we did also see two GAs for Holozoa and Hypericum perforatum. Overall, over 60 articles were improved, with most going from stubs or redlinks to fully fleshed out articles. The winner this month was Simongraham, who improved 21 articles about spiders, mainly to B and C class, and racked up 70 points, over twice the next highest. Hopefully, we'll continue to see such great work next month, with even more participants and even more articles improved.
Also anyone who wants to help coordinate the contest can just drop by at the talk page, I really need help.

September DYKs

Republicopteron douseae fossil

Male Phallichthys fish

Mimodactylus reconstruction

Adult ashy flycatcher

... that with all known Palaeorehniidae fossils (example pictured) being incomplete, the relationships of the family are uncertain? (September 2)
... that butterfly collector Ian Heslop was once required to supervise an execution? (September 3)
... that the Munich Mouser, Neville Chamberlain's pet, and Nelson, Winston Churchill's pet, had a rivalry during World War II? (September 6)
... that Phallichthys (literally 'penis fish') species are so called because the males (example pictured) have "comparatively huge" sex appendages? (September 8)
... that merry widows like soft bottoms? (September 10)
... that Mimodactylus (reconstruction pictured) is the first complete pterosaur from the Afro-Arabian continent? * ... that small Poecilia gillii males have longer sex organs than larger males, to facilitate mating with females that flee from them? (September 12)
... that the dwarf merry widow is not very brave? (September 13)
... that dwarf mollies hit rock bottom when they grow up? (September 14)
... that the Siberian crane is considered more threatened than the whooping crane, despite there being an estimated ten times more of them? (September 15)
... that one way to tell the African dusky flycatcher apart from the ashy flycatcher (example pictured) is that the former is "cuter"? (September 18)
... that the spiky inedible grass Triodia scintillans tastes like salt and vinegar chips? (September 19)
... that the bicolor molly inevitably goes off the deep end in adulthood? (September 27)
... that the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve is the only known nesting area for the eastern great egret in New Zealand? (September 28)

Discuss this issue

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Sent by MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 16:23, 1 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]

WikiProject Tree of Life Newsletter Issue 23[edit]

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WP:TOLN

October 2023—Issue 023

Tree of Life

Welcome to the Tree of Life newsletter!

Newly recognized content
Mimodactylus by FunkMonk Mountain pigeon by AryKun List of tarsiiformes by PresN List of hominoids by PresN List of cranes by AryKun Outline of lichens by MeegsC Lycorma meliae by Etriusus, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Oak by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Esculenta Animal echolocation by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Primium Elke Mackenzie by Esculenta, reviewed by Moriwen Dwarf pufferfish by Primium, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Hyalospheniidae by Snoteleks, reviewed by An anonymous username, not my real name Paroedura maingoka by Olmagon, reviewed by Jens Lallensack

Newly nominated content
Hypericum sechmenii by Fritzmann2002 Teloschistaceae by Esculenta Nyctibatrachus major by AryKun List of sunbirds by AryKun List of platyrrhines by PresN Handicap principle by Chiswick Chap Slime mold by Chiswick Chap Punctelia by Esculenta Pulchrocladia retipora by Esculenta Anaptychia ciliaris by Esculenta Mocquard's Madagascar ground gecko by Olmagon Zavodovski Island by Jo-Jo Eumerus Chrysothrix chlorina by Esculenta Wood-pasture hypothesis by AndersenAnders Mammalian kidney by D6194c-1cc Lepas testudinata by Etriusus Teratoscincus roborowskii by Olmagon

Contest results

The second edition of our monthly contest was even better than the last month, with 80 articles improved spanning the entire tree of life. The winner this month was Quetzal1964, who contributed to 47 articles, mainly relating to marine fish, and racked up 81 points in the process. In second place was simongraham, who got 60 points from 14 articles on various species of jumping spiders. simongraham is still at the top of our overall standings, with 130 points, and Quetzal1964's close behind on 108. The November edition of the contest is now open: feel free to drop by and participate if you work on any TOL-related articles this month.

October DYKs

Illustration of swordtail mollies

Lycorma meliae

Illustrations of the front foot (A) and hind foot (B) of Diplobune quercyi

... that the Siberian columbine has been crossed with another species in the genus Aquilegia to determine the gene behind the genus's nectar spurs? (October 2)
... that the swordtail molly (examples pictured) and the Petén molly have been named and renamed so often, one even ending up with the other's name at one point, that the swordtail molly's current scientific name means 'confusion'? (October 8)
... that the early big cat Pachypanthera may have weighed as much as 142 kilograms (313 lb) and had teeth similar to a hyena's? (October 9)
... that ancient Greek philosopher Xenophon thought the alopekis was part dog, part fox? (October 11)
... that the katydid-like fossil Republicopteron douseae possibly could not sing? (October 12)
... that a Brontosaurus stamp led to the United States Postal Service being accused of "fostering scientific illiteracy"? (October 16)
... that the wings of Lycorma meliae (example pictured) undergo multiple color changes throughout their lives? (October 16)
... that the three-toed species of Diplobune (fossils pictured) were mammals of the order of "even-toed ungulates"? (October 17)
... that although fossils of the extinct mammal Asiavorator were first found in 1922, the genus was not named until 73 years later, in 1995? (October 18)
... that in aquariums, the humpbacked limia is known to cannibalise the young? (October 21)
... that Hypericum perforatum was a common component of classical cure-all concoctions called theriacs? (October 21)
... that Aristotle classified living things based on whether they had a "sensitive soul" or, like plants, only a "vegetative soul"? (October 22)
... that in June 2022, a neurosurgeon found a roundworm in someone's brain? (October 23)
... that ancient permafrost can preserve viable microorganisms, some of which contain antibiotic-resistance genes that may be transferred to modern bacteria? (October 27)

Discuss this issue

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-MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 16:30, 2 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

WikiCup 2023 November newsletter[edit]

The WikiCup is a marathon rather than a sprint and all those reaching the final round have been involved in the competition for the last ten months, improving Wikipedia vastly during the process. After all this hard work, BeanieFan11 has emerged as the 2023 winner and the WikiCup Champion. The finalists this year were:-

BeanieFan11 with 2582 points
Thebiguglyalien with 1615 points
Epicgenius with 1518 points
MyCatIsAChonk with 1012 points
BennyOnTheLoose with 974 points
AirshipJungleman29 with 673 points
Sammi Brie with 520 points
Unlimitedlead with 5 points

Congratulations to everyone who participated in this year's WikiCup, whether they made it to the final round or not, and particular congratulations to the newcomers to the competition, some of whom did very well. Wikipedia has benefitted greatly from the quality creations, expansions and improvements made, and the numerous reviews performed. All those who reached the final round will win awards. The following special awards will be made based on high performance in particular areas of content creation and review. Awards will be handed out in the next few days.

Unlimitedlead wins the featured article prize, for 7 FAs in total including 3 in round 2.
MyCatIsAChonk wins the featured list prize, for 5 FLs in total.
Lee Vilenski wins the featured topic prize, for a 6-article featured topic in round 4.
MyCatIsAChonk wins the featured picture prize, for 6 FPs in total.
BeanieFan11 wins the good article prize, for 75 GAs in total, including 61 in the final round.
Epicgenius wins the good topic prize, for a 41-article good topic in the final round.
LunaEatsTuna wins the GA reviewer prize, for 70 GA reviews in round 1.
MyCatIsAChonk wins the FA reviewer prize, for 66 FA reviews in the final round.
Epicgenius wins the DYK prize, for 49 did you know articles in total.
Muboshgu wins the ITN prize, for 46 in the news articles in total.

The WikiCup has run every year since 2007. With the 2023 contest now concluded, I will be standing down as a judge due to real life commitments, so I hope that another editor will take over running the competition. Please get in touch if you are interested. Next year's competition will hopefully begin on 1 January 2024. You are invited to sign up to participate in the contest; the WikiCup is open to all Wikipedians, both novices and experienced editors. It only remains to congratulate our worthy winners once again and thank all participants for their involvement! (If you wish to start or stop receiving this newsletter, please feel free to add or remove your name from Wikipedia:WikiCup/Newsletter/Send.) Sturmvogel 66 and Cwmhiraeth. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 16:51, 5 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

ArbCom 2023 Elections voter message[edit]

Hello! Voting in the 2023 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23:59 (UTC) on Monday, 11 December 2023. All eligible users are allowed to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.

The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.

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WikiProject Tree of Life Newsletter Issue 24[edit]

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November 2023—Issue 024

Tree of Life

Welcome to the Tree of Life newsletter!

Newly recognized content
Hypericum sechmenii by Fritzmann2002 Nyctibatrachus major by AryKun List of platyrrhines by PresN List of gymnosperm families by Dank Varroa destructor by KoA, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Lepas testudinata by Etriusus, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Island bronze-naped pigeon by AryKun, reviewed by SilverTiger12 Placidium arboreum by Esculenta, reviewed by SilverTiger12 Orange-billed lorikeet by AryKun, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Spinular night frog by AryKun, reviewed by An anonymous username, not my real name Crested cuckoo-dove by AryKun, reviewed by Femke Aristonectes by Amirani1746, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Mocquard's Madagascar ground gecko by Olmagon, reviewed by Etriusus Femoral gland by Esculenta, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Ameerega munduruku by AryKun, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Snowy plover by Jens Lallensack, reviewed by SilverTiger12 Crested cuckoo-dove by AryKun, reviewed by Grungaloo Wood-pasture hypothesis by AndersenAnders, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Hypericum bupleuroides by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by Etriusus Teratoscincus roborowskii by Olmagon, reviewed by Esculenta Pulchrocladia retipora by Esculenta, reviewed by Etriusus Anaptychia ciliaris by Esculenta, reviewed by Jens Lallensack

Newly nominated content
Snowy plover by Jens Lallensack List of birds of Bouvet Island by AryKun Laomaki by An anonymous username, not my real name Nyctibatrachus robinmoorei by AryKun Nyctibatrachus sabarimalai by AryKun Nyctibatrachus mewasinghi by AryKun Eucalyptus gomphocephala by Hughesdarren

Contest results

The third edition of our monthly contest saw Quetzal1964 win for the second month in a row, scoring 68 points from 39 articles about a variety of marine fishes. In second place for the month is Olmagon, who scored 45 points from 10 articles on extinct crustaceans and geckoes. In the overall standings, Quetzal1964 leapfrogged over simongraham into first place, with 176 points from 109 articles; simongraham is now in second place with 136 points from 37 articles. The December edition of the contest is now open: feel free to drop by and participate if you work on any TOL-related articles this month.

New newsletter!

Now, this newsletter is technically not new, but I have only recently become aware of its existence and am only a month late, so it still counts. Wikiproject Fungi's Lichen task force has a new newsletter that is very nicely formatted and also features much better writing than this newsletter. Anyone interested in receiving the newsletter can add their name here.

November DYKs

A bacterium that thrives in the deep ocean

Georges Cuvier's reconstruction of Anoplotherium commune

Paroedura maingoka

Field of Wyethia amplexicaulis in bloom

An adult dwarf pufferfish

Adult Balkan terrapin

Planocarina marginata, a hyalospheniid amoeba

... that a variety of the Connecticut field pumpkin is known as "the original commercial jack-o'-lantern pumpkin"? (November 1)
... that insects not only destroyed the personal plant collection of John Hunter Thomas, but also bear his name? (November 3)
... that life exists in every part of the biosphere, from the deepest parts of the ocean (bacterium pictured) to altitudes of up to 64 km (40 miles) in the atmosphere? (November 6)
... that Sivapardus was larger than a leopard, smaller than a lion, and had a face like a cheetah? (November 7)
... that Lillian V. Holdeman Moore identified a spike in hydrogen-gas-producing bacteria in Skylab astronauts? (November 8)
... that euglossine bees distribute the seeds of vanilla tlatepusco? (November 11)
... that in 1822, the Paleogene mammal Anoplotherium commune (reconstruction pictured) was the first fossil species to be subjected to a brain cast study? (November 12)
... that the island bronze-naped pigeon is a popular food at bars and parties on São Tomé? (November 12)
... that little pink elephants are parasitic? (November 12)
... that the gecko Paroedura maingoka (pictured) imitates venomous scorpions to discourage predators? (November 13)
... that the scenic fields of northern wyethia (pictured) found in the western United States are sometimes a sign that an area has been overgrazed? (November 15)
... that a 1950s album of frog calls developed a cult following? (November 15)
... that at a maximum standard length of roughly 2 cm (0.8 in), dwarf pufferfish are some of the smallest pufferfish in the world? (November 18)
... that the authors of The Neanderthals Rediscovered learned that their book proposal had been accepted on the same day they took their twin sons home from hospital? (November 20)
... that hatchling Balkan terrapins are only 3 to 4 centimetres (1.2 to 1.6 in) in length, while adults (example pictured) can grow as long as 25 cm (9.8 in)? (November 21)
... that organisms could harvest kinetic energy to survive? (November 22)
... that pollution in rivers scatters far-red light, making it harder for plants like Noveloa to germinate? (November 23)
... that many hyalospheniid amoebae (example pictured) construct shells by stealing mineralized particles from the shells of their prey? (November 28)
... that an ancient wildcat species is known only from a part of the jaw of a single animal discovered in Poland? (November 29)

Discuss this issue

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MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 17:45, 1 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Precious anniversary[edit]

--Gerda Arendt (talk) 15:49, 20 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Welcome to the 2024 WikiCup![edit]

Happy New Year and Happy New WikiCup! The 2024 competition has just begun and all article creators, expanders, improvers and reviewers are welcome to take part. Even if you are a novice editor you should be able to advance to at least the second round, improving your editing skills as you go. If you have already signed up, your submissions page can be found here. If you have not yet signed up, you can add your name here and the judges will set up your submissions page ready for you to take part. Any questions on the scoring, rules or anything else should be directed to one of the judges, or posted to the WikiCup talk page. Signups will close on 31 January, and the first round will end on 26 February; the 64 highest scorers at that time will move on to round 2. The judges for the WikiCup this year are: Cwmhiraeth (talk · contribs · email), Epicgenius (talk · contribs · email), and Frostly (talk · contribs · email). Good luck! If you wish to start or stop receiving this newsletter, please feel free to add or remove your name from Wikipedia:WikiCup/Newsletter/Send. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:21, 1 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

WikiProject Tree of Life Newsletter Issue 25[edit]

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December 2023—Issue 025

Tree of Life

Welcome to the Tree of Life newsletter!

Newly recognized content
Snowy plover by Jens Lallensack Teloschistaceae by Esculenta List of birds of Bouvet Island by AryKun List of sunbirds by AryKun Slime mold by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Esculenta Handicap principle by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Etriusus Insect by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Iztwoz Wheat by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by KoA Eucalyptus gomphocephala by Hughesdarren, reviewed by Grungaloo Buellia frigida by Esculenta, reviewed by J Milburn Nyctibatrachus robinmoorei by AryKun, reviewed by Grungaloo Nyctibatrachus mewasinghi by AryKun, reviewed by Grungaloo Nyctibatrachus sabarimalai by AryKun, reviewed by Grungaloo Great cuckoo-dove by AryKun, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Lake Patzcuaro salamander by Etriusus, reviewed by Grungaloo Anoplotherium by PrimalMustelid, reviewed by 20 upper

Newly nominated content
Alpine ibex by LittleJerry Pseudastacus by Olmagon Pachysentis by Mattximus List of primates by PresN Banded palm civet by Cremastra Perothops by Memer15151 Hypericum hircinum by Fritzmann2002 Boquila by Etriusus and Veridicae Aptostichus barackobamai by Etriusus Buffy-tufted marmoset by André Ribeiro Cardoso Ant mimicry by Chiswick Chap Mosquito by Chiswick Chap Anopheles by Chiswick Chap Rice by Chiswick Chap Pliosaurus andrewsi by Amirani1746 Triassosculda by Abdullah raji Flaco (owl) by Rhododendrites Crassispira incrassata by Etriusus Sei whale by 20 upper

Contest results

And so ends the fourth edition of the monthly rolling contest, as well as the 2023 Tree of Life Contest as a whole. This month saw simongraham win with a very impressive 120 points from 27 articles. Quetzal1964 was second with 74 points from 37 articles. The annual contest was a close race between simongraham and Quetzal1964; simongraham won first place with 256 points from 64 articles, and Quetzal1964 was second with 250 points from 146 articles. Snoteleks was third with 79 points from 33 articles. Congratulations to everyone who won this year and my gratitude to everyone else who helped raise the quality of articles in our little corner of Wikipedia this year. Additionally, a very Happy New Year to everyone in the project and here's looking forward to continuing our good work in 2024!

December DYKs

Snowy plover with chicks

Bofedales in the foreground

Adult female Varroa mite

Dennstaedtia christophelii fossil frond

... that a "bat ensnared by a plant" was discovered in the garden of the Palestine Museum of Natural History? (December 2)
... that female snowy plovers often abandon their families as soon as the chicks hatch? (December 4)
... that Lepas testudinata can form colonies of more than 1000 members at a time? (December 5)
... that the gecko Teratoscincus roborowskii eats caper fruits and disperses the plant's seeds in its feces? (December 5)
... that Henk Zwartepoorte quacked at caimans? (December 5)
... that the green colour of bofedales (examples pictured) stands out in the yellow surrounding landscape? (December 6)
... that Desulfovibrio vulgaris can remove toxic heavy metals from the environment? (December 8)
... that Varroa destructor (example pictured), the Varroa mite, is an external parasitic mite that attacks and feeds on honey bees and is one of the most harmful honey-bee pests in the world? (December 11)
... that young orange-billed lorikeets are actually yellow-billed? (December 16)
... that stinking tutsan smells like goat? (December 20)
... that orange paintbrushes are guarded by rufous hummingbirds? (December 21)
... that the Antarctic lichen Buellia frigida has been to outer space? (December 22)
... that the closest modern fern relatives to Dennstaedtia christophelii (fossil pictured) of the Pacific Northwest are tropical species from South America? (December 24)
... that in Icelandic folklore, the Yule cat eats people who do not receive new clothing for Christmas? (December 25)
... that the Lake Patzcuaro salamander's native habitat is limited to a single lake in Mexico? (December 28)
... that plant species like Hypericum bupleuroides can reproduce by a callus? (December 29)

Discuss this issue

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MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 10:57, 1 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Upcoming Event in Auckland[edit]

You might be interested in an upcoming event in Auckland. Wikimedia Aotearoa is having a WikiCon! WikiCon Aotearoa 2024 is the annual gathering for all new and experienced editors of Wikipedia, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikisource projects. Anyone interested in editing is welcome to attend. This conference is organized by Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand (WANZ). It aims to provide training to new editors, to encourage editors to learn new skills, to grow the Wiki community in Auckland and to ensure that we have a fun weekend. Food and refreshments provided.

When: Saturday 23 March - Sunday 24 March 2024

Where: Auckland University of Technology - Sir Paul Reeves Building - WG Building 2 Governor Fitzroy Place, Auckland.

Cost: $10, fully catered, sponsorship / registration fee waiver available

We are offering full scholarships (registration, travel & accommodation) to attend - please email info at wikimedia.nz for more information.

To see the full programme as it develops check out the Wikipedia Event page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiCon_Aotearoa/Auckland_2024

To register: https://events.humanitix.com/wikicon-aotearoa-2024 CopperAlchemy CopperAlchemy (talk) 02:55, 1 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

WikiCup 2024 February newsletter[edit]

The 2024 WikiCup is off to a flying start, with 135 participants. This is the largest number of participants we have seen since 2017.

Our current leader is newcomer Generalissima (submissions), who has one FA on John Littlejohn (preacher) and 10 GAs and 12 DYKs mostly on New Zealand coinage and Inuit figures. Here are some more noteworthy scorers:

AirshipJungleman29 (submissions), with one FA on Hö'elün, two GAs on Mongolia-related articles, and two DYKs;
Vami_IV (submissions), with one FA on Doom (2016 video game), one GA on Boundary Fire (2017), and 11 reviews;
MaranoFan (submissions), with one FA on Holidays (Meghan Trainor song), a nine-article FT on 30 (album), and two DYKs;
Skyshifter (submissions), with one FA on OneShot and one DYK;
Sammi Brie (submissions), with five GAs and five DYKs on television and radio stations;
voorts (submissions) and Elli (submissions), both with one FA and one DYK each.

As a reminder, competitors may submit work for the first round until 23:59 (UTC) on 27 February, and the second round starts 1 March. Remember that only the top 64 scoring competitors will make it through to the second round; currently, competitors need at least 15 points to progress. If you are concerned that your nomination will not receive the necessary reviews, and you hope to get it promoted before the end of the round, please list it on Wikipedia:WikiCup/Reviews. However, please remember to continue to offer reviews at GAN, FAC and all the other pages that require them to prevent any backlogs which could otherwise be caused by the Cup. As ever, questions are welcome on Wikipedia talk:WikiCup and the judges (Cwmhiraeth (talk · contribs), Epicgenius (talk · contribs), and Frostly (talk · contribs)) are reachable on their talk pages. Good luck! If you wish to start or stop receiving this newsletter, please feel free to add or remove your name from Wikipedia:WikiCup/Newsletter/Send. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 17:58, 11 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

WikiCup 2024 March newsletter[edit]

The first round of the 2024 WikiCup ended at 23:59 (UTC) on 27 February. Everyone with at least 30 points moved on to Round 2, the highest number of points required to advance to the second round since 2014. Due to a six-way tie for the 64th-place spot, 67 contestants have qualified for Round 2.

The following scorers in Round 1 all scored more than 300 points:

Generalissima (submissions), who has 916 points mostly from one FA on John Littlejohn (preacher), 15 GAs, and 16 DYKs on a variety of topics including New Zealand coinage and Inuit figures, in addition to seven reviews
Vami_IV (submissions), who has 790 points from two FAs on Felix M. Warburg House and Doom (2016 video game), two GAs, one DYK, and 11 reviews
AirshipJungleman29 (submissions), who has 580 points from one FA on Hö'elün, two GAs on Mongolia-related articles, two DYKs, and five reviews
Sammi Brie (submissions), who has 420 points mostly from nine GAs and seven DYKs on television and radio stations
MaranoFan (submissions), who has 351 points from one FA on Holidays (Meghan Trainor song), a nine-article FT on 30 (album), and three DYKs
Skyshifter (submissions), who has 345 points from one FA on OneShot, one DYK and two reviews

In this newsletter, the judges would like to pay a special tribute to Vami_IV (submissions), who unfortunately passed away this February. At the time of his death, he was the second-highest-scoring competitor. Outside the WikiCup, he had eight other featured articles, five A-class articles, eight other good articles, and two Four Awards. Vami also wrote an essay on completionism, a philosophy in which he deeply believed. If you can, please join us in honoring his memory by improving one of the articles on his to-do list.

Remember that any content promoted after 27 February but before the start of Round 2 can be claimed in Round 2. Invitations for collaborative writing efforts or any other discussion of potentially interesting work is always welcome on the WikiCup talk page. Remember, if two or more WikiCup competitors have done significant work on an article, all can claim points. If you are concerned that your nomination—whether it is at good article candidates, a featured process, or anywhere else—will not receive the necessary reviews, please list it on Wikipedia:WikiCup/Reviews Needed. If you want to help out with the WikiCup, feel free to review one of the nominations listed on Wikipedia:WikiCup/Reviews Needed. Questions are welcome on Wikipedia talk:WikiCup, and the judges are reachable on their talk pages. Good luck! If you wish to start or stop receiving this newsletter, please feel free to add or remove your name from Wikipedia:WikiCup/Newsletter/Send. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:40, 28 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

WikiProject Tree of Life Newsletter Issue 26[edit]

Shortcut

WP:TOLN

January and February 2024—Issue 026

Tree of Life

Welcome to the Tree of Life newsletter!

Newly recognized content
Alpine ibex by LittleJerry Markham's storm petrel by FunkMonk, Jens Lallensack, and Therapyisgood List of primates by PresN List of birds of Alberta by grungaloo Rice by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by RecycledPixels Barley by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Bruxton Chicken by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by DocZach Cereal by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by Bruxton Ant mimicry by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by AryKun Anopheles by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by AryKun Mosquito by Chiswick Chap, reviewed by 20 upper Cherry blossom by Reconrabbit, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Sei whale by 20 upper, reviewed by grungaloo Megaherbivore by 20 upper, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Brown bear by 20 upper, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Indian rhinoceros by 20 upper, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Hypericum hircinum by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by grungaloo Hypericum foliosum by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Hypericum grandifolium by Fritzmann2002, reviewed by Esculenta Boquila by Etriusus, reviewed by Chiswick Chap Aptostichus barackobamai by Etriusus, reviewed by Esculenta Crassispira incrassata by Etriusus, reviewed by 20 upper Punctelia by Esculenta, reviewed by Ealdgyth Chrysothrix chlorina by Esculenta, reviewed by Ealdgyth Chrysothrix chlorina by Esculenta, reviewed by Ealdgyth Ramalina peruviana by Esculenta, reviewed by Ealdgyth Menemerus animatus by simongraham, reviewed by Esculenta Afraflacilla braunsi by simongraham, reviewed by grungaloo Nasutoceratops by FunkMonk, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Pseudastacus by Olmagon, reviewed by FunkMonk Angustidontus by Super Dromaeosaurus and Ichthyovenator, reviewed by Amitchell125 Pruemopterus by Super Dromaeosaurus and Ichthyovenator, reviewed by Etriusus Black-billed magpie by grungaloo, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Black-capped chickadee by grungaloo, reviewed by Jens Lallensack Horned sungem by Jens Lallensack, reviewed by grungaloo Flaco (owl) by Rhododendrites, reviewed by Etriusus Telonemia by Snotoleks, reviewed by Esculenta "Pliosaurus" andrewsi by Amirani1746, reviewed by grungaloo Beaver drop by Lightburst, reviewed by Chiswick Chap

Newly nominated content
Horned sungem by Jens Lallensack Tufted jay by grungaloo Nasutoceratops by FunkMonk Maize by Chiswick Chap Cattle by Chiswick Chap Pig by Chiswick Chap Domestic duck by Chiswick Chap Eusociality by Chiswick Chap Fish by Chiswick Chap Barnacle by Chiswick Chap Ochrophyte by Snotoleks Parvilucifera by Snotoleks Thalattoarchon by Amirani1746 Hydropunctaria amphibia by Esculenta Melanohalea by Esculenta Spot test (lichen) by Esculenta Lecideaceae by Esculenta Hypericum × inodorum by Fritzmann2002 Hypericum sect. Androsaemum by Fritzmann2002 Olga Hartman by Viriditas Mixtotherium by PrimalMustelid Enhydriodon by PrimalMustelid Lentinus brumalis by Зэгс ус

News at a glance

Our first double issue in almost four years, although we will try to return to a monthly schedule henceforth (incidentally, the last double issue saw Markham's storm petrel at GAN, and this one sees it finally pass FAC).
A highly competitive first round of the WikiCup sees four Tree of Life editors advance to the second round: MtBotany, Fritzmann2002, Ealdgyth, and AryKun
The March 2024 GAN Backlog Drive starts today; everyone is welcome to participate and help reduce the backlog of GANs.
The January edition of our monthly rolling contest was won by Quetzal1964 with 100 points from 40 articles, mainly related to various species of marine fish. simongraham was second with 80 points from 14 articles on jumping spiders.
The February edition saw Quetzal1964 win for the second time in a row, with 114 points from 43 articles. In second place was Snoteleks, with 21 points from 7 seven articles on various unicellular eukaryotes, including the GA Telonemia.

January DYKs

... that Dacrytherium, literally meaning 'tear beast', was named after its "tear-pit"? (3 January)
... that misidentifications of the crested cuckoo-dove have led to claims that the extinct Choiseul pigeon is still around? (4 January)
... that the wood-pasture hypothesis posits that semi-open wood pastures and not primeval forests are the natural vegetation of temperate Europe? (5 January)
... that until April 2023, when the genus Triassosculda was discovered, the mantis shrimp fossil record contained a gap of more than a hundred million years? (5 January)
... that although Olga Hartman believed that her basic research on marine worms had no practical value, it was applied to experimental studies of oysters? (6 January)
... that Oxford ivy grows towards the light to bloom and then towards the darkness when going to seed? (17 January)
... that S. F. Light (pictured) disliked using his full name? (20 January)
... that the fossil turtle Acherontemys was named for a "river of the fabled lower world"? (26 January)
... that a species of spider is named after Barack Obama? (27 January)
... that Boquila trifoliolata is the only known plant capable of simultaneously mimicking multiple species? (27 January)
... that Harpegnathos alperti worker ants have black heads and chocolate-colored mandibles? (28 January)
... that all known populations of Epipterygium opararense (example pictured) live within a 5-metre (16 ft) radius in New Zealand? (28 January)
... that female swamp guppies (pictured) show no preference for orange or red coloration during courtship? (29 January)

S. F. Light examining termites
Epipterygium opararense
Gold-morph swamp guppies

February DYKs

... that black-billed magpies are known to eat ticks off deer and other large mammals (example pictured)? (1 February)
... that scientist Adelaida K. Semesi was known as "mama mangroves" due to her specialist knowledge of their ecology? (2 February)
... that for the southern molly, sexual selection favors smaller males because they copulate by sneaking up to females? (2 February)
... that eyelash seaweed may have been made extinct by a single 2016 earthquake? (4 February)
... that conservation in Indonesia had little local support after independence because it was associated with the Dutch colonial period? (5 February)
... that the artiodactyl Ephelcomenus is thought to have been capable of burrowing? (6 February)
... that male mangrove mollies mate sneakily? (14 February)
... that barley was once used as a form of money? (14 February)
... it has been suggested that Crassispira incrassata may be a southern variation of Crassispira bottae and not its own species? (15 February)
... that the shining St John's wort owes its bright colors partly to carotenoid compounds? (18 February)
... that having lived in Central Park for more than a year after becoming homeless, Flaco (pictured) has been accused of being a peeping tom? (19 February)
... that the horned sungem (example pictured) is sometimes a nectar robber? (24 February)
... that the sea slug Bosellia mimetica benefits from photosynthesis? (25 February)
... that almost all members of a flock of tufted jays work together to build a nest? (28 February)
... that the hippocampus of the black-capped chickadee grows in the fall and shrinks in the spring? (29 February)
... that an Indian rhinoceros, sent as a gift to Pope Leo X in 1515, was immortalised as Dürer's Rhinoceros after dying in a shipwreck? (29 February)

Black-billed magpie eating ticks off the back of a cow
Flaco peeping through a window
Horned sungem robbing a flower

Discuss this issue

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MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 12:53, 1 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Signups open for The Core Contest 2024[edit]

The Core Contest—Wikipedia's most exciting contest—returns again this year from April 15 to May 31. The goal: to improve vital or other core articles, with a focus on those in the worst state of disrepair. Editing can be done individually, but in the past groups have also successfully competed. There is £300 of prize money divided among editors who provide the "best additive encyclopedic value". Signups are open now. Cheers from the judges, Femke, Casliber, Aza24. – Aza24 (talk) 02:20, 25 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

If you wish to start or stop receiving news about The Core Contest, please add or remove yourself from the delivery list.

WikiCup 2024 April newsletter[edit]

We are approaching the end of the 2024 WikiCup's second round, with a little over two weeks remaining. Currently, contestants must score at least 105 points to progress to the third round.

Our current top scorers are as follows:

Sammi Brie (submissions) with 642 points, mostly from 11 GAs about radio and television;
voorts (submissions) with 530 points, mostly from two FAs (Well he would, wouldn't he? and Cora Agnes Benneson) and three GAs;
Generalissima (submissions) with 523 points, mostly from 11 GAs about coinage and history;
SounderBruce (submissions) with 497 points, mostly from a FA about the 2020 season of the soccer club Seattle Sounders FC and two GAs;
Tamzin (submissions) with 410 points, mostly from a FA about the drink Capri-Sun and three GAs;
Kusma (submissions) with 330 points, mostly from a FA about the English botanist Anna Blackburne and a GA.

Competitors may submit work for the second round until the end of 28 April, and the third round starts 1 May. Remember that only competitors with the top 32 scores will make it through to the third round. If you are concerned that your nomination will not receive the necessary reviews, and you hope to get it promoted before the end of the round, please list it on Wikipedia:WikiCup/Reviews. Please remember to continue to offer reviews at GAN, FAC and all the other pages that require them to prevent any backlogs. As a reminder, competitors are strictly prohibited from gaming Wikipedia policies or processes to receive more points.

If you would like to learn more about rules and scoring for the 2024 WikiCup, please read Wikipedia:WikiCup/Scoring. Further questions are welcome on Wikipedia talk:WikiCup and the judges (Cwmhiraeth (talk · contribs), Epicgenius (talk · contribs), and Frostly (talk · contribs)) are reachable on their talk pages. Good luck! If you wish to start or stop receiving this newsletter, please feel free to add or remove your name from Wikipedia:WikiCup/Newsletter/Send. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 15:05, 12 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]