An Animal A Day
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Laughing Gull
The Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. It breeds on the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, southern California, USA, and northern South America. Northernmost populations migrate further south in winter, and this species has occurred as a very rare vagrant to western Europe.
Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla
This species is easy to identify. The summer adult's body is white and its wings are much darker grey than all other gulls of similar size except the smaller Franklin's Gull, and have black tips. Its bill is red. The hood is mostly lost in winter. The Laughing Gull's name is derived from its raucous call.
Laughing Gulls breed in coastal marshes and ponds as far north in large colonies. The large nest, made largely from grasses, is constructed on the ground. The 3 or 4 greenish eggs are incubated for about three weeks. These are omnivores like most Larus gulls, and they will scavenge as well as seeking suitable small prey.
Laughing Gull in mid-May
A first winter Laughing Gull
A flock of Laughing Gulls on the beach at Atlantic City
A juvenile Laughing Gull on the beach at Atlantic City
Issue #135 -
OMG hyacinth macaw, me likey!!!
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Coal Skink
The Coal Skink (Eumeces anthracinus) is a North-American lizard that grows to 13 to 18 cm (5-7 in) in length with a maximum snout to vent length of 7 cm (2.75 in). It is a four-lined skink whose light stripes extend onto the tail. The broad dark lateral stripe is 4-4.5 scales wide and there are no light lines on top of the head. The dorsolateral light stripe is on the edges of the 3rd and 4th scale rows, counting from midline of back. One postmental scale is present. The sides of the head of the male are reddish during spring breeding season, at least in some parts of the range.
Coal Skink, Eumeces anthracinus
Taxonomy
There are two subspecies of the Coal Skink:
- Northern Coal Skink (E.a. anthracinus)
- Southern Coal Skink (E.a. pluvialis)
The (Northern) Coal Skink has first been described by Baird in 1850; the southern subspecies E.a. pluvialis was identified by Cope in 1880.
The Southern Coal Skink as a subspecies has posterior supralabials with light centers and dark edges, producing a spotted appearance. There are 26 or more rows of scales around the middle of the body.
Reproduction
The Coal Skink mates in spring or early summer, laying a clutch of 8 or 9 eggs. The young hatch after four to five weeks and are about 5 cm (2 in) long. The hatchlings have a blue tail; those of the Northern Coal Skink are striped like the adults, but young Southern Coal Skinks have black bodies with at the utmost faint traces of stripes.
Habitat and Range
The more humid portions of wooded hillsides with abundant leaf litter or loose stones are favorite habitats. Coal Skinks' habitat may also include areas around springs and rocky bluffs overlooking creek valleys. If pursued, they will not hesitate to take refuge in shallow water, going to the bottom and hiding under stones or debris.
Coal Skink Distribution
The Northern Coal Skink (blue in the figure) occurs in western New York and central Pennsylvania and in isolated colonies in the Appalachians. The Southern Coal Skink (orange) can be found on the eastern Gulf coast from the Florida panhandle to Louisiana as well as west of the Mississippi from eastern Kansas and central Missouri to eastern Texas and northern Louisiana. Scattered intermingled occurrences of both species (green in the figure) occur in Alabama and in Georgia.
Issue #136 -
Peacock Butterfly
The Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io) is a well-known colourful butterfly, found in temperate Europe and Asia. The species is resident in much of its range, often wintering in buildings or trees. It therefore often appears quite early in spring.
Peacock butterfly, Inachis io, on heather flowers
The butterfly measures about 5 cm (2 in) from wingtip to wingtip and is easily identified by its striking eye pattern on a ruddy background, although with wings closed the cryptically coloured underwings make it look like a dead leaf. The eyespots are reminiscent of those on the feathers of the peacock, hence the name. They are believed to be used to frighten predators (such as birds) by creating a false perception of a another predator (note how a glance at the image can give the impression of a cat staring).
The butterfly hibernates over winter before laying its eggs in early spring, in batches of up to 500 at a time. The caterpillars, which are shiny black with six rows of barbed spikes and a series of white dots on each segment, hatch after about a week and feed on nettles and hops. The adult butterflies feed on a wide variety of flowering plants, including buddleia, sallows, dandelions, wild marjoram, danewort, hemp agrimony, and clover; they also utilize tree sap and rotten fruit.
Peacock caterpillars feeding on nettles
The Peacock can be found in woods, fields, meadows, pastures, parks, and gardens, and from lowlands up to 8,200 feet elevation. It is the commonest butterfly seen in parks and gardens in Europe.
Issue #137 -
Grayling
The grayling (Thymallus thymallus) is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family (family Salmonidae) of order Salmoniformes. It is the type species of its genus. Native to the Palearctic ecozone, the grayling is widespread throughout northern Europe, from the United Kingdom and France to the Ural Mountains in Russia. While it was introduced to Morocco in 1948, it does not appear to have become established there.
Grayling, Thymallus thymallus, in the river Seine.
The grayling grows to a maximum recorded length of 60 cm (24 in) and a maximum recorded weight of 6.7 kg (15 lb). Of typical Thymallus appearance, the grayling proper is distinguished from the similar Arctic grayling (T. arcticus arcticus) by the presence of 5–8 dorsal and 3–4 anal spines, which are absent in the other species; T. thymallus also has a smaller number of soft rays in these fins. Individuals of the species have been recorded as reaching an age of 14 years.
The grayling prefers cold, running riverine waters, but also occurs in lakes and, exceptionally, in brackish waters around the Baltic Sea. Omnivorous, the fish feeds on vegetable matter as well as crustaceans, insects and spiders, molluscs, zooplankton, and smaller fishes, including Eurasian minnows and yellow perch. Graylings are also prey for larger fish, including the huchen (Hucho hucho).
With the Arctic grayling, T. thymallus is one of the economically important Thymallus species, being raised commercially and fished for sport.
The grayling is a protected species listed in appendix III of the Bern Convention.
The term "grayling" is often used to refer generically to the Thymallus species, and T. thymallus is sometimes called the European grayling for clarity. There are many obsolete synonyms for the species.
The several United States Navy submarines and patrol boats named USS Grayling have presumably been named for the Arctic grayling native to North America rather than this European fish.
Conservation status: Secure
Issue #138 -
Crab spider
The true crab spiders are a group of spiders constituting the family Thomisidae or thomisids. Thomisids are non-web-building ambush predators whose coloration often matches the substrates they are found upon. They are called crab spiders because of their first two pairs of legs, which are held out to the side giving them a crab-like appearance. These are termed laterigrade legs.
A Crab Spider, family Thomisidae, uses camouflage to gain a meal on a Black-Eyed-Susan.
True crab spiders differ from philodromid crab spiders in usually having numerous hair-like setae on their bodies and in having the first pair of legs the longest. Philodromid crab spiders have scale-like setae and the second pair of legs is usually the longest. True crab spiders include the flower spiders in the genera Misumena, Misumenops, and Misumenoides in North America, as well as the nominate Thomisius in the Old World. The bark and ground-dwelling genus Xysticus is widespread in distribution, with many species in North America. Members of the strange genus Tmarus looks much like a small knot on a branch. Other odd thomisids include those that live in carnivorous pitcher plants and those that appear to mimic orchid flowers.
Crab spiders often live on flowers.
Genera
Misumena
Misumenops
Misumenoides
Thomisius
Xysticus
Tmarus
Goldenrod crab spider, Misumena vatia
Issue #139 -
Brachiosaurus
For many decades, Brachiosaurus (brack-ee-oh-SORE-us) was the largest dinosaur known. It has since been exceeded in sheer mass by a number of giant titanosaurids like the Argentinosaurus and it was finally surpassed in height by another brachiosaurid, the Sauroposeidon. It was, however, still the largest dinosaur known from a relatively complete skeleton.
A Brachiosaurus, genus Brachiosaurus, from the movie Jurassic Park
However, even that may no longer be true, since the largest known specimens are now considered to be part of the new Giraffatitan genus. This new genus includes the famous mounted Brachiosaurus in the Humboldt Museum of Berlin, which is the tallest mounted skeleton in the world.
Brachiosaurus is estimated to weigh from 30 to 80 tonnes (35 to 90 tons), to reach 13 meters (42 feet) in height, and 25 meters (82 feet) in length. Higher estimates are usually based on the Ultrasauros, which was originally considered to be an extremely large Brachiosaurus. However, Ultrasauros is now believed to be a chimera, composed of neck bones from a Supersaurus, and a shoulder bone (scapulacoracoid) from a Brachiosaurus smaller than the largest Giraffatitan specimens.
Description and environment
Brachiosaurus was a sauropod, one of a group of four-legged, plant-eating dinosaurs with long necks and tails, and tiny brains. Unlike other families of sauropods, it had a giraffe-like build, with long forelimbs and a raised neck, which it probably used to graze in the tops of trees. It had teeth like chisels (spatulate), and nostrils on the top of its head, which may indicate it had a good sense of smell. It had a number of holes in its skull to reduce weight. The first toe on its front foot, and the first three on its hind feet had claws. They may have traveled in herds.
It used to be theorized that it used the nostrils on the top of its head like a snorkel, and spent most of its time submerged in water to help support its great mass. However, it is now believed that it was a fully terrestrial animal. Studies have shown that the water pressure would be too great for it to breathe while submerged, and its feet are too narrow, and would sink into the mud.
Like all of the other "long-necked" dinosaurs, the BrachiosaurusÂ’ neck was heavy and when it held it in a upright position for too long time, it would not get any blood to the brain. It might have stood at the edge of the forests and waved the head up and down, while it systematically removed all the eatable food on the trees.
If the Brachiosaurus was warm-blooded, it is estimated that it would take ten years to reach full size. If it was cold-blooded, then it would take over 100 years to do so. If it was warm-blooded, it would have to eat more than 400 lbs. (200 kg) a day, but a lot less if it was not.
Berlin's brancai and Chicago's high flyer
The mounted skeleton of a B. brancai (or Giraffatitan) in the Humboldt Museum in Berlin is 4 stories tall, reaching 12 meters (39 feet) into the air, and is 23 meters (74 feet) long. It is the tallest mounted skeleton in the world, though the bones come from several different specimens.
A Brachiosaurus is also mounted in the B Concourse of United Airlines' Terminal One in O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, courtesy of the Field Museum of Chicago. It is a model, not a collection of fossils.
Classification
Brachiosaurus has three known species:
-- B. alataiensis de Lapparent & Zbyszewski, 1957: Is known from back bones (vertebrae), and parts of the hip and limbs, which were recovered in Estremadura, Portugal. It lived about 150 million years ago, during the Kimmeridgian age of the late Jurassic period.
-- B. altithorax Riggs, 1903: The type species is known from two partial skeletons recovered in Colorado and Utah in the United States. It lived from 145 to 150 million years ago, during the Kimmeridgian to Tithonian ages.
-- ?B. nougaredi de Lapparent, 1960: While it may not be a distinct species (nomen dubium?) it is known from set of fused bones over the hip (sacrum), and parts of a forelimb, which were recovered in Wargla, Algeria in Africa. It lived 100 to 110 million years ago, during the Albian to Cenomanian ages of the middle Cretaceous period.
The best specimens of Brachiosaurus were from the species B. brancai, which was found in the Tendaguru Beds of Tanzania, in Africa. In 1991, George Olshevsky placed them in a new genus, Giraffatitan because they share no derived characteristics with Brachiosaurus. Giraffatitan has withers over its shoulder, and a rounded crest over its nostrils.
-- Giraffatitan brancai Janensch, 1914 (formerly B. brancai): The new type species, it is known from five partial skeletons, including at least three skulls, and some limb bones, which were recovered in Mtwara, Tanzania, in Africa. It lived from 145 to 150 million years ago, during the Kimmeridgian to Tithonian ages of the late Jurassic period.
Discovery
The first Brachiosaurus was discovered in 1900 by Elmer S. Riggs, in the Grand River Canyon of western Colorado, in the United States. He named the new species and genera in 1903 after its long front limbs — Brachiosaurus means "arm lizard", from the Greek brachion ("arm") and sauros ("lizard").
Starting in 1909, Werner Janensch found many new specimens in Tanzania, Africa, including some nearly complete skeletons, which were widely used in Brachiosaurus reconstructions. These are now considered to be Giraffatitan fossils.
Conservation status: Fossil
Issue #140 -
Australian Kelpie
The Kelpie is an Australian breed of sheep dog that has proven very successful at herding sheep in the mountainous areas of New Zealand. They are medium-sized dogs and come in a variety of colours. Kelpies have been exported throughout the world and are used for herding sheep, cattle, goats, ducks, and other livestock.
Red and tan Australian Kelpie
Appearance
The Kelpie's short double coat has a thick undercoat and a weather-resistent outer coat. The coat comes in many colours, including black, red (from dark chocolate to a light red), blue (gray or slate), and tan (from dark brown through fawn to a light cream)--each either solid or with tan, and occasionally with small white markings. Different kennel clubs' breed standards have preferences for certain colours, so what is acceptable for show dogs in some venues might not be acceptable in others. The colour has no relationship to the dog's working ability, so ranchers looking for capable working dogs usually disregard the dog's colour.
Black and tan Kelpie
Kelpies stand between 17 and 23 inches (43-58.5 cm) at the withers and generally weigh from 24 to 45 lbs (11 to 30 kg).
Temperament
They are clever, loyal, and friendly and typically have an abundunce of energy, often working sixty kilometers (37 miles) and upwards in extremes of climates and conditions. They are renowned for running along the backs of sheep when moving them through chutes.
Health
Kelpies are a hardy breed with few health problems.
History
Some people claim that Kelpies have some Dingo blood. A possible reason for this belief is that, in areas where it is illegal to keep dingoes as pets, some dingo owners register their animals as Kelpies or Kelpie crosses. The breed is most likely a cross between Scottish sheepdogs and smooth-haired collies of the past.
Breed standards
As is the case with many breeds of dogs that are still used for their original purposes, breed standards vary depending on whether the registry is more interested in a dog who performs his job superbly or a dog whose appearance meets an ideal standard. It is possible for a dog to do both, but his options for competition in dog shows might be limited depending on his ancestry and on the opinions of the various kennel clubs or breed clubs involved.
For example, in Australia, there are two separate registries for Kelpies. The Working Kelpie Council encourages breeding for herding ability, and allows a wider variety of coat colors than does the Australian National Kennel Council, which encourages breeding for a certain appearance and limits dogs to certain colors, apparently promoting solid colors over others.
Solid-color chocolate (or red) Kelpie
As another example, in the United States, the Kelpie was recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club for a while, but currently the AKC (which promotes standards based on the dog's appearance) does not recognize the breed, and the North American Australian Kelpie Registry, which promotes the dog as a working breed, does not appear to want the breed to be promoted by the AKC.
Alternative names: Australian Sheep Dog, Barb, Kelpie
Country of origin: Australia
Issue #141 -
This is a very informative thread.
Great work. will be back for more.
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Fin Whale
The Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is a mammal which belongs to the baleen whales suborder. It is the second largest whale and also the second largest animal ever to have lived, after the Blue Whale. It has a world wide distribution, and in Europe is readily seen in the Bay of Biscay. The Fin Whale was hunted more than any other whale during the twentieth century.
Fin Whale, Balaenoptera physalus
Taxonomy
The Finback has long been known to taxonomists. It was first described by Frederick Martens in 1675 and then again by Paul Dudley in 1725. These descriptions were used as the basis of Carolus Linnaeus' Balaena physalus (1758). The Comte de Lacepede reclassified it as Balaenoptera physalus early in the nineteenth century. The specific name comes from the Greek physa, meaning bellows.
The Fin Whale is a close relative of the Blue Whale taxonomically speaking. Evolutionary divergence occurred between 3 and 5 million years ago. Hybrids between the two species are quite common - for every 1,000 Fin Whales there is a hybrid Blue-Fin Whale.
Population groups have split into north-south groups. On account of their migatory patterns (see below), the northern and southern groups do not meet and hence do not interbreed. There has been some genetic drifting and some sources recognise two sub-species B. p. physalus (Northern Fin Whale) and B. p. quoyi (Southern Fin Whale).
Physical description and behaviour
Fin Whales are enormous animals. The longest specimens - typically females found in Southern Hemisphere populations can be up to 26 m in length and weigh 120,000 kg. Males are typically a metre shorter. Northern specimens are between 21 m and 23 m long. Even at birth Fin Whales weigh in excess of 3,000 kg - more than half the weight of a fully grown Indian elephant. They reach their full size at about 10 years old and can live for over 80 years. The gestation period is eleven months to one year. Calves stay close to their mother for about six months.
Fin Whales are usually distinguished by their gigantic size. From this fact only, the only possibilities for confusion when making an identification at size are with the Blue Whale, the Sei Whale, or, in warmer waters, Bryde's Whale. The Fin Whale has a large white patch on its right jaw (and right jaw only, the left jaw is grey) and the baleen at the tip of the right jaw is also white. This type of asymmetry can be seen occasionally in Minke whales, but the fin whales's asymmetry is universal and thus is unique to the amongst cetaceans and is the key to making a full identification. Although it was hypothesized to probably have arisen because the whale swims on its right side when surface lunging and circles to the right often while at the surface, presumably above a prey patch (circle feeding), the whales just as often circle to the left. To date, we have no successful hypothesis to explain the asymmetry (Tershy, B. R. 1992. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, 8(3):315-318). The belly and underside of the flippers are white. The rest of the body is grey - with lighter patches on the head roughly demarced from the dark back in V-shapes (chevrons) which also assist in identification. 50-100 ventrical pleats or grooves run from the tip of the chin to the navel.
A surfacing Fin Whale
This rorqual is a filter-feeder, using its baleen to strain small schooling fish, squid and crustaceans. An adult has between 260 and 480 baleen plates on each side of the mouth for filtering.
It is a long slim whale with a prominent dorsal fin about three-quarters of the way along the back. The fin is visible soon after the blow when the whale surfaces. It has a 5 m vertical single column blow. The whale will blow one to several times on each visit to the surface, staying close to the surface for about one and a half minutes each time. The tail remains submerged during the dive sequence. It can dive to depths of 250 m and dives last between 10 and 15 minutes.
The Fin Whale is a very fast swimmer amongst whales of its size. Speeds of 20 mph are common, and bursts in excess of 25 mph have been recorded, which labeled it with the nickname "greyhound of the sea". Breaching is seen but is not common. Fin Whales appear to have an ambivalent attitude to boats.
Like Blue Whales, Fin Whales have been recorded making long, loud, low-frequency noices. Under water, these vocalizations can be detected hundreds of miles from their source. It is undetermined whether the vocalization is used for communication and/or shows of machismo from breeding males.
Population and distribution
Like many of the large rorquals, the Fin Whale is a cosmopolitan species. It is found in all the world's major oceans, and in waters ranging from the polar to the tropical. It is absent only from waters close to the ice pack at both the North and South extremities and relatively small areas of water away from the large oceans, such as the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the eastern part of the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea. The highest population density occurs in temperate and cool waters. It is less densely populated in the hottest, equatorial regions. Deep waters beyond the continental shelf are preferred to shallow waters.
Fin Whale range
The total population is estimated to be just in excess of 100,000. The largest populations include 24,000 in the Southern Ocean and 14,000 in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Greenland.
Fin Whales are migratory species. A north-south pattern has been proposed for populations in both the northern and southern hemispheres. For southern populations this pattern is believed to be well understood. Animals travel south for the summer and back north for the winter. The precise route of migration appears to be governed by the strength of geo-magnetic fields - Fin Whales preferring low and constant fields strengths to high and variable ones. The northern migration is less well-understood and is probably more patchy particularly in the North Atlantic. There are three suggested reasons for this. One is that the Atlantic Gulf Stream lessens the north-south temperature gradient making migration a less attractive option. Thirdly food may be available in the cold north all year round, again lessening the need for travel. Finally in winter, Fin Whales prefer to stick to deeper colder waters, further from the shore and thus less easily detected by humans wanting to measure their movement.
Human interaction
In the early days of whaling, Fin Whales were safe from the hunters. Their rapid speed enabled them to become a low priority for whalers. However the advent of steam-powered boats and harpoons that exploded on impact took the upper hand away from the Fin Whale. It went on to become the most hunted cetacean in history. 725,000 recorded kills of Fin Whales were made in the twentieth century, causing them to become endangered around the world, and in particular in the Southern and Atlantic Oceans. Whaling of the species reached its peak between 1935 and 1970 when in excess of 30,000 animals were taken annually. Following a morartorium on hunting of Fin Whales enforced since 1985, the Northern and Southern Pacific Oceans populations have recovered somewhat. There may also be some recovery in Antarctic waters. However all populations worldwide remain listed as endangered species on the International Conservation Union Red List. Today about 10 Fin Whales are killed each year by whalers on the west coast of Greenland, under an agreement with the International Whaling Commission to allow subsistence whaling in the area.
Other cetacean dangers caused by humans, including catching in fishing nets, collisions with ships and pollution, are relatively rare in Fin Whales on account of their size, speed and position high in the food chain.
Conservation status: Endangered
Issue #142 -
Emperor Penguin
The Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the largest of all penguins. Emperor Penguins eat crustaceans (such as krills), squid, and small fish. They live for around 20 years— some records indicate a maximum of 40.
Emperor Penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri
The King Penguin is a different species, and the Royal Penguin is a subspecies of the Rockhopper Penguin.
Behaviors
In order to find food, these penguins need to dive 150 to 250 metres into the Southern Ocean. The deepest diving on record is 565 metres. The longest they can hold their breath when underwater is 20 minutes. Their swimming speed is 6 to 8 km per hour.
In response to the cold, emperor penguins will stand in a compact huddle, whether in a group of ten or many hundreds of birds, each one leaning forward on a neighbor. Those on the outside tend to face inward and push slowly forward. This produces a slow churning action, giving each bird a turn on the inside.
Physical characteristics
Adults average about 1.1 metres (4 ft) and weigh 30 kilograms (75 lb) or more
Like the King Penguin counterpart, a male Emperor Penguin has an abdominal fold, the "brood pouch", between its legs and lower abdomen.
The head and wings are black, the abdomen white, black bluish grey, bill purplish pink. On the sides of the neck, there are two golden circular stripes.
Emperor Penguins, Ross Sea, Antarctica
Baby Emperor penguins are covered with a thick layer of light gray down, not shiny like the plumage of the adults but opaque and wooly. This covering ensures that they absorb as much heat as possible, vital at this early stage when they are not capable of maintaining their body temperature.
A distinguishing character between male and female is their call.
Reproduction and breeding
Emperor penguins travel about 90 km inland to reach the breeding site. March or April, the penguins start courtship, when the temperature can be as low as -40 degrees Celsius.
In May or June, female penguin lays one 450-gram egg and abandons it immediately to spend the winter at sea. The male will incubate the egg in its brood pouch for about 65 days consecutively without food by surviving on his fat reserves and spending the majority of the time sleeping to conserve energy. To survive the cold and wind (up to 200 km per hour), the males huddle together, taking turns in the middle of the huddle. If the chick hatches before the mother's return, the father will sit the chick on his feet and cover with it with his pouch, feeding it a white milky substance produced by a gland in his esophagus.
After about two months, the female returns with food in her stomach, which is regurgitated to feed the chicks and she takes over the protection process with her brood pouch for a few weeks while the male takes his turn fishing.
After these few weeks, the male returns and both parents tend to the chick by keeping it off the ice and feeding it food from their stomachs. About two months after hatching, the chicks huddle in a crèche for warmth and protection, still fed by their parents.
Miscellaneous
Emperor penguins tend to be monogamous unless their mate dies.
In early and mid-20th century, the penguins were hunted for their fat.
Predators include Leopard Seal, Killer Whale, and sharks.
Issue #143 -
Natterjack Toad
The Natterjack Toad (Bufo calamita) is a toad native to sandy and heathland areas of Northern Europe. Adults are 60-70 mm in length and are distinquished from the common toad by a yellow line down the middle of the back.
Natterjack Toad, Bufo calamita
They have relatively short legs, and this gives them a distinctive running gait, contrasting with the hopping movement of many other toad species.
Natterjacks have a loud and distinctive mating call, amplified by the single vocal sac found under the chin of the male animal.
This toad lives for up to 12 years and feeds on insects and other small animals. It spawns between April and July, laying 'strings' of eggs in shallow water.
Issue #144 -
Colorado potato beetle
The Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Chrysomelidae) has also been known as the Colorado beetle, Ten-striped spearman and the Ten-lined potato beetle. It is approximately 10 mm (0.4 inches) long, with a bright yellow/orange body and bold brown stripes across the length of its wing covers. Despite its name, this beetle is not native to Colorado, probably originating in central Mexico.
Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Life cycle
It can lay up to 800 eggs at a time, up to three times per year. The eggs are usually deposited on the leaves of potato plants and other related plants in the genus Solanum. After 4-15 days, they hatch into reddish-brown larvae with humped backs and two rows of dark brown spots on either side, which feed on the leaves. Larvae drop to the soil and burrow to a depth of several inches, where they emerge in the spring as adults after two weeks of pupation. They return to their host plant to mate and feed, hence their unpopularity with potato farmers.
Colorado potato beetle larvae in Hemingway, South Carolina
As a crop pest
The Colorado beetle is a serious crop pest of potatoes. Insecticides are often used unsuccessfully against Leptinotarsa because of the beetle's resistance to toxins and ability to rapidly develop immunity to them. In the United Kingdom, where the Colorado beetle is a rare visitor on imported farm produce, it is a notifiable pest; any found must be reported to DEFRA.
In Europe
In 1877 the Colorado beetle reached Europe. It spread over much of the continent. During World War II the Nazi regimen in Germany used them for propaganda, claiming that the beetles had been dropped by the U.S. Air Force. The Americans were also blamed by regimen propaganda when after World War II in the Soviet occupation zone of Germany almost half of all potato fields were infested by the beetle by 1950.
Issue #145 -
Iridescent Shark
Despite its name, the Iridescent Shark (Pangasius hypophthalmus) is not a shark, but a catfish. They are found in Southeast Asia in the Mekong basin as well as the Chao Phraya river, and are heavily cultivated for food there. They have also been introduced into other river basins as a food source and are common in the fish keeping hobby. It is named for its glow or iridescence.
Iridescent Shark, Pangasius hypophthalmus
The fish can be found in the world's supermarkets labeled as basa. These fish have caused much debate within the political world, with protectionist legislation passed recently to prevent basa imports from cutting into American farmed catfish sales.
Iridescent Sharks are harmless, schooling fish that prefers to be kept in groups of 5 or more. Adults reach up to 130 cm (4 ft) in length and can weigh up to a maximum of 44.0 kg (97 lbs). They prefer large bodies of water similar to the deep waters of its native Mekong river basin. Iridescent Sharks are a freshwater fish that natively live in a tropical climate and prefer water with a 6.5-7.5 pH, a water hardness of 2.0-29.0 dGH, and a temperature range of 72-79 °F (22-26 °C). Their omnivorous diet consists of crustaceans, other fish, and plant matter.
The Iridescent Shark is a migratory fish that moves upstream to spawn during the flood season while the waters are high and returns downstream to seek rearing habitats when the river water levels receed. The dates of the migrations vary depending on the river system. In the Mekong river basin, they migrate upstream in May to July and return downstream during September through December.
They are a popular type of pets for home aquariums. However it is not an easy fish to keep and is not recommended for beginners. It requires a minimum tank size of 150 cm (5 feet).
Iridescent sharks get frightened easily and play dead. They also have bad eyesight so they may swim into the glass of a tank and hurt themselves.
Conservation status: Secure
Issue #146 -
Barnacle
A barnacle is a type of arthropod belonging to infraclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacea and is hence distantly related to crabs and lobsters. Some authorities regard Cirripedia as a full class or subclass, and the orders listed at right are sometimes treated as superorders. Around 1,220 barnacle species are currently known.
Barnacles (probably Balanus balanoides) growing on rocks in the Oslofjord, Norway.
Barnacles have two larval stages. The first is called the nauplius, which spends its time as part of the plankton, floating wherever the wind, waves, currents, and tides may take it, whilst eating and molting. This lasts for about two weeks until the sixth stage is reached. At this point the nauplius metamorphoses into a non-feeding, more strongly swimming cyprid larva. The cyprids settle down in an area where environmental cues indicate a safe and productive environment. If they don't, the larvae will die.
When an appropriate place is found, the cyprid larva cements itself headfirst to the surface and then undergoes metamorphosis into a juvenile barnacle. Typical barnacles develop six hard armor plates to surround and protect their body. For the rest of their lives they are cemented to the ground, using their feathery legs to capture plankton and gametes when spawning. They are usually found in the intertidal zone.
Like many invertebrates, barnacles are hermaphroditic and alternate male and female roles over time.
Barnacles often attach themselves to human-made structures, sometimes to the structure's detriment. In particular to ships, they are classified as fouling organisms.
However, some members of the class have quite a different mode of life. For example, members of the genus Sacculina are parasitic on crabs.
Orders
Ascothoracica
Acrothoracica
Thoracica
Rhizocephala
Issue #147 -
Moa-nalo
The Moa-nalos are an extinct group of aberrant ducks that used to live on the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific. They were the major herbivores on the islands for the last 3 million years until they became extinct when humans first reached the islands.
Moa-nalo
Description
The Moa-nalos (the name literally means lost fowl) were unknown to science, having been wiped out before the arrival of Captain Cook (1778), until the early 1980s, when their sub-fossil remains were discovered in sand dunes on the islands of Molokai and Kauai. Subsequently fossils were found on Maui, Oahu and Lanai, the remains found in lava tubes, in lakebeds and sinkholes. They represent four species, Chelychelynechen quassus (from Kauai), Thambetochen xanion (from Oahu), Thambetochen chaulious, (from Maui, Lanai and Molokai) and Ptaiochen pau (from Maui). Chelychelynechen, meaning turtle-jawed goose, had a large heavy bill like that of a tortoise, while the other two genera, Thambetochen and Ptaiochen all had serrations in their bills known as pseudoteeth. All the species were large, weighing between 4 to 7.5 kg, and were flightless.
Evolution and Ecology
Some of the fossils found contained traces of mitochondrial DNA, which were compared to living duck species in order to establish their place in the duck family, Anatidae. Contrary to expectations, the Moa-nalos were not related to the large geese (Anserinae) but instead the dabbling ducks of the genus Anas; (for example the Mallard). From the DNA it has been estimated that the Moa-nalos reached the Hawaiian Islands about 3.6 million years ago. There they increased in size, but must have retained the ability to fly until they had spread to the newer islands. They seem to have lost the power of flight by the time the main island of Hawaii had emerged from the sea, instead their niche was filled by a goose related to the Hawaiian Goose.
The unusual shape and size of the Moa-nalos can be attributed to their role in the ecology of prehistoric Hawaii. Studies of coprolites (fossil dung) found in caves associated with their remains has shown they ate leaves, particularly fronds from ferns, this is backed up by the shapes of their beaks. This indicates they were the principal browsers on the island, studies of fern species suggest that there was coevolution between the fern species and the Moa-nalos, with the ferns evolving thorn-like prickles on new growth to defend itself. The Moa-nalos themselves filled the niche of herbivore usually filled by mammals such as goats and deer. This has implications for the ecology of Hawaiian Islands today, as a major group of species have been lost.
The Moa-nalos went extinct after the arrival of Polynesian settlers in the islands, along with many other species, including a native eagle, owls, several species of flightless ibis and a large number of flightless rails. Like island faunas from Mauritius, New Zealand and Polynesia, they were unused to mammals and were easily taken by hunters or the animals that were introduced.
Genera
Chelychelynechen
Thambetochen
Ptaiochen
Conservation status: Fossil
Issue #148 -
Russian Blue
The Russian Blue is a breed of cat. It has a lean medium-sized body and a short, plush blue (a blueish-grey that is the dilute expression of the black gene) coat. This coat is unique to the breed as it is a double coat, with the undercoat being a soft and downy and the longer guard hairs an even blue with the silver tips. This "tipping" gives the coat a shimmering appearance. Its eyes are green and ideally should be dark and vivid. These cats are intelligent and playful but tend to be shy around strangers although they develop a close bond with their owner.
Russian Blue cat
Unlike many modern cat breeds, the Russian Blue is a naturally occurring breed which is believed to originate in Russia although the only evidence of this is anecdotal. They are found in many countries, and the majority of their modern breeding program has been carried out in the USA.
Although they have been used on a limited basis to create other breeds (such as the Havana Brown) or add type to a breed in creation (the Nebelung), Russian Blues themselves are shorthaired, blue cats.
Russian Blues should not be confused with 'British Blues' (which are not a distinct breed but rather a British Shorthair with a blue coat), nor the Chartreux or Korat which are two other naturally occurring breeds of blue cats.
Country of origin: Russia
Issue #149 -
Cape Hyrax
The Cape Hyrax (Procavia capensis) is a species in the order Hyracoidea. Superficially, it resembles rabbits with short ears and tail.
A Cape Hyrax, Procavia capensis, basking on Table Mountain, Cape Town
Occurrence
Cape Hyraxes occur south of Syria, through North Africa and much of sub-Saharan Africa, living in savanna or grassland areas. They live in cavities in rock outcroppings and can often be found in the burrows of other animals including those of aardvarks and meerkats.
In South Africa, these animals are commonly called Dassies or "Rock rabbits" since they are often seen sunning themselves on rocks and, like the rabbits that they resemble, are small herbivores.
Physical description and lifestyle
The skull of Cape Hyrax has a pair of long tusk-like incisors and molars that resemble rhinoceros' molars. The forefeet are plantigrade, and the hindfeet semi-digitigrade. The soles of the feet have large, soft pads that are kept moist with sweat-like secretions. Male hyraxes are slightly larger than females.
Cape Hyrax give birth to between two to three young after a 6-7 month gestation period. The young are well-developed at birth with fully-opened eyes and complete pelage. Young can ingest solid food after two weeks and are weaned at ten weeks. Young are sexually mature after 16 months, reach adult size at three years, and typically live about ten years.
A Cape Hyrax foraging on Table Mountain, Cape Town
Hyraxes live in herds of up to 80 individuals. These herds are subdivided into smaller flocks consisting of a few families and headed by an adult male. Hyraxes spend most of their time resting in large huddles or basking alone. These behaviors probably serve to help regulate body temperature as hyraxes' body temperature fluctuates with ambient temperature (i.e. they are not strictly homeothermic).
Cape Hyraxes and medical treatment
Cape Hyraxes produce large quantities of hyraceum (sticky mass of dung and urine) that has been employed by people in the treatment of several medical disorders, including epilepsy and convulsions.
Issue #150 -
Western Grebe
The Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis*, is a member of the grebe family of water birds.
As the largest North American grebe (22"-29"), it is black-and-white, with a long, slender, swan-like neck and red eyes. The Western Grebe is easily confused with Clark's Grebe, which shares the same features, behavior and habitat. Intermediates are known.
Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
These are the Western Grebe's distinguishing features: Black around the eyes, whereas the Clark's Grebe has white around the eyes; straight greenish-yellow bill, whereas the Clark's bill is up-turned and bright yellow; downy young are grey, whereas the Clark's downy young are white.
They nest on large inland lakes, sometimes using coastal marshes, in western North America. Northern birds migrate west to coastal ocean in winter; birds in the southwest and Mexico may be permanent residents.
This bird dines by diving for carp, herring, mollusks, crabs, and salamanders.
The Western Grebe will nest in colonies of hundreds. These birds are known for their spectacular courtship displays; the two birds will rear up and patter across the water's surface.
Folk names include dabchick, swan grebe, and swan-necked grebe.
* Aechmophorus: from the Greek aichme (a spear) and phoros (bearing), in reference to its bill; occidentalis: Latin for western.
Issue #151 -
Common Garter Snake
The Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is common in North America. T.s. parietalis has also been introduced to northern Halland in Sweden, where it thrives. The habitat of these snakes can range from forests, fields and prairies to streams, wetlands, meadows, marshes and ponds, but they're often found near water. They're semi-aquatic animals that can swim. Habitats range from sea level to mountain locations. Their diet consists of amphibians, insects, fish, small birds, and rodents. The animals that eat the common garter snake are: large fish, bull frogs, snapping turtles, milk snakes, hawks, and foxes. Most garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a brown background and their average length is about 1 - 1.5 m (3 - 4.5 ft). Like any other snake, garter snakes use their tongue to smell.
Red-sided Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis, a subspecies of the Common Garter Snake
Water contamination, urban expansion, and residential and industrial development are all threats to the garter snakeÂ’s species. The San Francisco Garter Snake (T.s. tetrataenia), which is extremely scarce and occurs only in the vicinity of ponds and reservoirs in San Mateo County, California, has been listed as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1967.
Garter snakes can make excellent pets as they are small, easily kept in terrariums and feed readily on goldfish and other commercially available live foods. It is advisable not to give a steady diet of earthworms/nightcrawlers as these lack sufficient vitamins for the snake's health. Although they are usually found near water, the pet habitat must be dry with only a water bowl to avoid serious skin diseases. This is true of all snake species, including water snakes.
Life history
The Common Garter Snake is a diurnal snake. In summer, it is most active in the morning and late afternoon; in cooler seasons or climates, it restricts its activity to the warm afternoons.
In southern, warm areas, the Common Garter Snake is active year-round; otherwise, it hibernates in common dens, sometimes in great numbers. On warm winter afternoons, some Common Garter Snakes have been observed to emerge from their hibernacula to bask in the sun.
Garter snakes generally mate in March or April, after hibernation. The species is viviparous; females give birth to a litter of 12-40 live young anytime from July through October.
Toxicity
The saliva of a garter snake may be toxic to amphibians and other small animals. For humans, a bite is not dangerous, but may produce a swelling or a burning rash. Most garter snakes also secrete a foul-smelling fluid from postanal glands when handled or harmed. Like any predator they are highly unpredictable.
Taxonomy
Current scientific classification recognizes twelve subspecies:
- T.s. sirtalis Linnaeus 1758: Common Garter Snake
- T.s. parietalis Say 1823: Red-sided Garter Snake
- T.s. infernalis Blainville 1835: California Red-sided Garter Snake
- T.s. concinnus Hallowell 1852: Red-spotted Garter Snake
- T.s. dorsalis Baird and Girard 1853: New Mexico Garter Snake
- T.s. pickeringii Baird and Girard 1853: Puget Sound Garter Snake
- T.s. tetrataenia Cope 1875: San Francisco Garter Snake; endangered
- T.s. semifasciatus Cope 1892: Chicago Garter Snake
- T.s. pallidulus Allen 1899: Maritime Garter Snake
- T.s. annectens Brown 1950: Texas Garter Snake
- T.s. fitchi Fox 1951: Valley Garter Snake
- T.s. similis Rossman 1965: Blue-striped Garter Snake
Issue #152 -
Small Tortoiseshell
The Small Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis urticae) is a well-known colourful butterfly, found in temperate Europe. There are a few records from New York City which, however, are believed to have arrived human-assisted.
Small Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis urticae
This is a species often found in gardens. The caterpillars feed on nettles, as do those of several Nymphalidae butterflies.
The adult is striking, with its dark body and red and yellow wings, which have a row of blue dots around the rear edge. However, the underwings are dull, which helps to conceal stationary or hibernating individuals.
Issue #153 -
Dragonet
Dragonets are small perciform marine fish of the diverse family Callionymidae (from the Greek kallis, "beautiful" and onyma, "name"). Found mainly in the tropical waters of the western Indo-Pacific, the family contains approximately 186 species in 18 genera. The Draconettidae may be considered a sister family, whose members are very much alike though rarely seen. Due to similarities in morphology and behaviour, dragonets are sometimes confused with members of the goby family.
Ocellated dragonet, Synchiropus ocellatus
Physical description
These "little dragons" are generally highly colourful with cryptic patterns. Their bodies are elongate and scaleless; a strong spine guards the preopercle (part of the gill cover), which has been reported to be venomous in some species. All fins are large, showy and elongate; the first high dorsal fin usually has four spines; in males, the first of these spines may be further adorned with filamentous extentions. Dragonets have flattened, triangular heads with large mouths and eyes; their tail fins are fan-shaped and tapered.
The largest species, the longtail dragonet (Callionymus gardineri) reaches a length of 30 centimetres. At the other end of the scale, the St. Helena dragonet (Callionymus sanctaehelenae) reaches a length of just 2 centimetres. Many species exhibit marked sexual dimorphism: males and females are coloured and patterned differently, and (in addition to the spine filament) males have a much higher dorsal fin. This theme is taken to extremes in the high-finned dragonet (Synchiropus rameus).
Behaviour
Dragonets are benthic animals, spending most of their time on or near the bottom. They prefer sandy or rocky substrates, sometimes near reefs. Inhabiting depths down to about 200 metres, dragonets feed mostly on crustaceans, worms and other small invertebrates rooted out from the substrate. The dragonet's large pectoral fins serve as a primary means of propulsion. Males are highly territorial between themselves.
Although their bright colours and showy fins make them a popular choice for the aquarium, most dragonets are picky eaters and will only accept live food.
Spawning involves elaborate courtship displays; the males show off their flashy fins and repeatedly open and close their mouths. If the female is interested, pairing occurs and the two fish rise upwards with male supporting the female on his pectoral fins. Eggs and sperm are released in midwater, where fertilization takes place. The buoyant eggs subsequently become part of the plankton, drifting with the currents until hatching.
Genera
Anaora
Bathycallionymus
Callionymus
Calliurichthys
Dactylopus
Diplogrammus
Draculo
Eleutherochir
Eocallionymus
Foetorepus
Minysynchiropus
Neosynchiropus
Paracallionymus
Paradiplogrammus
Protogrammus
Pseudocalliurichthys
Repomucenus
Synchiropus
Issue #154 -
Australian land hermit crab
The Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) is one of two terrestrial hermit crab species native to Australia, and is found in northern parts of Australia including northern Western Australia, Northern Territory and northern Queensland. The other terrestrial species is the Strawberry Land Hermit Crab (C. perlatus) which is reportedly restricted to the islands and coral cays of the Great Barrier Reef, north-eastern Australia.
Australian Land Hermit Crab, Coenobita variabilis
The Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) ranges in size between a pea and a tennis ball. They closely resemble the Pacific hermit crab (Coenobita compressus) in appearance and they both have a shortened aquatic development stage.
The preferred seashells of C. variabilis include Babylonia, Nerita, Phasianella, Thais, Tonna and Turban seashells. They are also found to be fond of several varieties of land snail shells such as Aratan Snail and Rice Snail.
Australian land hermit crabs are sold as pets under the trade names 'Aussie Hermits', 'Crazy Crabs' and 'Happy Hermits'. It is recommended that they are kept in tropical conditions with temperatures ranging between 21°C and 28°C, with the relative humidity between 70% and 80%.
Issue #155 -
Deinonychus
Deinonychus antirrhopus ("counterbalancing fearsome claw") is a wolf-sized, carnivorous dromaeosaurid dinosaur species from the Early Cretaceous Clovery Formation of Montana. Its name, "fearsome claw", refers to the huge, sickle-shaped talons on the second toe. These claws were probably held retracted while the dinosaur walked on the third and fourth toes. It is thought that Deinonychus would kick with the sickle claws to slash at its prey. Like with all dromaeosaurids the tail was stiffened by a series of elongated bones (not tendons).
Skull of Deinonychus antirrhopus
Discoveries
Based on the association of a number of Deinonychus skeletons in a single quarry — several hundred Deinonychus bones were discovered by paleontologist John Ostrom and Grant E. Meyer in 1964 in southern Montana — it has been speculated that Deinonychus lived in packs. This is quite possible, but it is difficult to prove or disprove this idea. Shed teeth of Deinonychus are often found alongside skeletons of the ornithopod dinosaur Tenontosaurus, indicating that it fed on them, and perhaps hunted them.
John Ostrom named and described Deinonychus, and the discovery of this clearly active, agile predator did much to change the scientific (and popular) conception of dinosaurs and open the door to speculation that dinosaurs may have been warm-blooded. Deinonychus was a fearsome predator that probablly hunted in packs. They used their retractable foot claws to slash at and weaken their prey.
Several years later, Ostrom noted similarities between the hand of Deinonychus and birds, which led him to revive the hypothesis that birds are descended from dinosaurs. Thirty years later, this idea is almost universally accepted. Finds of related dinosaurs from China, such as Sinornithosaurus and Microraptor indicate that this dinosaur probably bore feathers. Other relatives include Velociraptor, Utahraptor, and Dromaeosaurus.
A skeleton of Deinonychus can be seen on display at the American Museum of Natural History or the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology. The American Museum and Harvard specimens are from a different locality than the Yale specimens which Ostrom described, and the claws are different shapes (Ostrom 1976). This raises the possibility that the two are, in fact, different species or even different genera.
Physical characteristics
- Skull length: 410 mm (16 in)
- Total length: 3 m (10 ft)
- Hip height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
- Weight: 80 kg (175 lb)
Conservation status: Fossil
Issue #156 -
Bernese Mountain Dog
The Bernese Mountain Dog (also called Berner Sennenhund or Bouvier Bernois) is a versatile cattle-herding or farm dog originating in the canton of Berne in Switzerland.
A 12-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog
Appearance
A strikingly handsome dog of medium size, the “Berner” (as his friends often call him) stands 23 to 27.5 inches (58-70 cm) at the withers; breed standards for this breed normally specify no weight, but the usual range is 70 to 110 pounds (32-50 kg). The breed is instantly recognised by its distinctive tricolour pattern: body, neck, legs, cranium and ears black; cheeks, stockings and eyespots rich tan, toes, chest, muzzle, tail tip and blaze between the eyes white. The pattern is rigid and varies only slightly in the amount of white. A perfectly-marked individual gives the impression of a white “Swiss cross” on the chest, when viewed from the front in sitting position. The eyes are an expressive dark brown.
Grooming
The Bernese coat is slightly rough in outline, but not at all harsh in texture. The undercoat is fairly dense; the coat is quite dirt and weather resistant. A good brushing every week or two is sufficient to keep it in fine shape, except when the undercoat is being shed; then daily combing is in order for the duration of the shed.
Temperament
Berners are outdoor dogs at heart, though well-behaved in the house; they need activity and exercise, but do not have a great deal of endurance. They can move with amazing bursts of speed for their size when motivated; stray cats and similar intruders must beware of the Berner!
Female and male Bernese Mountain Dogs
The Berner temperament is a strong point of the breed. Affectionate, loyal, faithful, stable and intelligent, Bernese Mountain Dogs make wonderful family pets. They are very trainable provided the owner is patient and consistent in training; Berners need time to think things through. Although the breed is stable in temperament, patient and loving, a Berner who has really lost his temper is a fearsome thing; given cause for attack they are swift, powerful and efficient. It is said that the breed is descended from the molossus war dogs of the Roman legions; anyone who has witnessed an angry Berner will have no trouble believing that story.
Health
The breedÂ’s genetic base is somewhat narrow, so hereditary diseases and inbreeding depression are major issues. Several kinds of cancer (histiocytosis, mastocytoma, lymphosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, osteosarcoma) affect Berners; hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, osteoarthritis, plus autoimmune and kidney problems are other major health issues for the breed. Many litters contain stillborn young (a major indicator of inbreeding depression).
Although slow to mature, the Berner is not particularly long-lived. The Swiss say, “three years a young dog, three years a good dog, and three years an old dog.” Today even nine years may be slightly optimistic; certainly a ten-year-old Berner is a very old one. In fact, surveys around the world show that the average lifespan is seven years.
History
The breed originated in Swiss farm villages where it was used as a cowherd, a draught dog to haul carts containing milk cans and farm goods, and a flock guardian. It nearly disappeared in the late 1800s but was rescued around the turn of the century by a determined Swiss cynologist, Herr Franz Schertenleib.
Alternative names: Berner Sennenhund, Bouvier Bernois, Dürrbächler
Common nicknames: Berner
Country of origin: Switzerland
Issue #157
