For all nature lovers....

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Kingdom Animalia

Animals are a major group of organisms, classified as the kingdom Animalia.

An animal is a multicellular organism that obtains energy by eating food. With over 2 million known species, and many more awaiting identification, animals are the most diverse forms of life on earth. They range in size from 30-m (100-ft) long whales to microscopic organisms only 0.05 mm (0.002 in) long. They live in a vast range of habitats, from deserts and Arctic tundra to the deep-sea floor. Animals are the only living things that have evolved nervous systems and sense organs that monitor their surroundings. They are also the only forms of life that show flexible patterns of behavior that can be shaped by past experience. The study of animals is known as zoology.


Aphthona flava flea beetle

Animals are multicellular organisms, a characteristic they share with plants and many fungi. But they differ from plants and fungi in several important ways. Foremost among these is the way they obtain energy. Plants obtain energy directly from sunlight through the process of photosynthesis, and they use this energy to build up organic matter from simple raw materials. Animals, on the other hand, eat other living things or their dead remains. They then digest this food to release the energy that it contains. Fungi also take in food, but instead of digesting it internally as animals do, they digest it before they absorb it.

Most animals start life as a single fertilized cell, which divides many times to produce the thousands or millions of cells needed to form a functioning body. During this process, groups of cells develop different characteristics and arrange themselves in tissues that carry out specialized functions. Epithelial tissue covers the body's inner and outer surfaces, while connective tissue binds it together and provides support. Nervous tissue conducts the signals that coordinate the body, and muscle tissue–which makes up over two-thirds of the body mass of some animals–contracts to make the body move. This mobility, coupled with rapid responses to opportunities and hazards, is one feature that distinguishes animals from other forms of life.

Some kinds of animal movement, such as the slow progress of a limpet as it creeps across rocks, are so slow that they are almost imperceptible. Others, such as the attacking dive of a peregrine falcon or the leap of a flea, are so fast that they are difficult or even impossible to follow. Many single-celled organisms can move, but in absolute terms, animals are by far the fastest-moving living things on earth.

Animal life spans vary from less than 3 weeks in some insects to over a century in giant tortoises. Some animals, such as sponges, mollusks, fish, and snakes, show indeterminate growth, which means that they continue to grow throughout life. Most, however, reach a pre-defined size at maturity, at which point their physical growth stops.

Issue #1

o.0 new forum~! PCT and bblover congratz~!!

Danisdead101times reporting in~

Originally posted by Danisdead101times:

o.0 new forum~! PCT and bblover congratz~!!

Danisdead101times reporting in~

tan q~ tan q~

qing duo duo zhi chi~

Beagle

A Beagle is a medium-sized dog breed and a member of the hound group, similar in appearance to a Foxhound but smaller with shorter legs, and with longer, softer ears. It has a somewhat domed skull; a medium-length, square-cut muzzle; large, hound-like hazel or brown eyes; long, low-set ears, turning towards the cheeks slightly and rounded at the tips; a medium-length, strong neck without folds in the skin; a short, slightly curved tail; an overall muscular body; and a medium-length, smooth, hard coat. They appear in a range of colors, not limited to the familiar tricolor (white with large black and light brown spots). The UK Kennel Club describes it as "a merry hound," and it is indeed a cheerful, energetic dog.


A tri-colour Beagle

The American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club recognize two separate varieties of Beagle: the 13-inch for hounds less than 13 inches, and the 15-inch for those between 13 and 15 inches. The Kennel Club (UK) and FCI affiliated clubs recognise a single type, with a height of between 13 and 16 inches.

As well as making excellent (if difficult to train) pets, Beagles are used for hunting. Beagling has been referred to as "the poor person's foxhunting," as a Beagle pack (30-40 dogs) is followed on foot, not horseback. The usual quarry is the hare. Beagles are admired by some for the bloodcurdling "Beagle music" they emit when in full pursuit. Beagling, like foxhunting, is banned in England. Drag hunting is another Beagle sport.


Beagle taking a break.

Beagles (or their ancestors) appear to have been used for hare hunting in England as early as the reign of Edward III, who had a pack of up to 120 hare hounds with him on the battlefield during the Hundred Years' War. The first mention of the beagle in English literature by name dates from 1475. The origin of the word "beagle" is uncertain, although it has been suggested that the word derives from the French begueule (meaning "open throat") or from an Old English, French, or Welsh term meaning "small."

Beagles have superb noses and, despite their self-willed temperament, are sometimes used as sniffer dogs for drug detection. More often, though, they are the breed of choice of the United States Department of Agriculture to detect food items in luggage being transported into the U.S. The force is called the Beagle Brigade and these dogs wear a green jacket. Beagles were chosen because they are small and easy to care for, and because they are not as intimidating for people who are uncomfortable around dogs. They are also used for this purpose by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in New Zealand.

Country of origin: United Kingdom

Issue #2

Red Panda

The Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens, Latin "fire colored cat"), Chinese pinyin xiao xiong mao or lesser panda, is a mostly vegetarian cat-sized (60 cm long) mammal. Its classification is uncertain. It was formerly classified in the raccoon family (Procyonidae), but now many experts, including Wilson and Reeder, classify it as a member of the bear family (Ursidae) or in its own family the Ailuridae. It is native to the Himalayas and southern China. Fossil evidence suggests that it once also existed in North America.


Red Panda

Its Western name is taken from a Himalayan language, possibly Nepalese, but its meaning is uncertain. One theory is that "panda" is an anglicisation of "poonya", which means "eater of bamboo". Its Chinese name means "little panda," named after the Giant Panda. Because of its distinctive cry, it is also commonly known as the Wah.

Like the Giant Panda, it eats large amounts of bamboo, but its diet also includes fruit, roots, acorns, and lichen, and captive Red Pandas readily eat meat. Red Pandas are excellent climbers, and forage largely in trees. Since the Red Panda mainly eats bamboo, it has a low-calorie diet which causes it to not do much more than eat and sleep.

The red panda has a digestive system more suited to a carnivorous diet, and cannot digest cellulose, meaning that it must eat a great deal of bamboo to survive. Red pandas are known to supplement their diet with young birds, eggs, small rodents and insects on occasion.

The Red panda has semi-retractile claws and a "false thumb", really an extension of the wrist bone. Thick fur on the soles of the feet offers protection from cold, and also hides scent glands.

Adults are largely solitary and mainly nocturnal. Females give birth to litters of one to four young (most often two) between mid-May and mid-July. The young are born fully-furred, but blind and helpless, and are weaned at five months of age. Sexual maturity occurs at age 18–20 months.

The species is endangered, largely because of habitat loss, though there is also some illegal hunting. Red Pandas are often killed for their coats to make fur hats and clothes. Also, because of the growing population in China, their habitats are knocked down in order to build houses. Approximately 10,000 pandas die per year, and approximately 7,000 of the 10,000 die from deforestation.

There are two subspecies of red panda: Ailurus fulgens fulgens and Ailurus fulgens styani. A.f. fulgens is a little smaller and its facial fur is much lighter; its range covers Nepal, Tibet, the Indian states of Assam and Sikkim, Bhutan and China. A.f. styani has more pronounced facial markings; it is restricted to northern Myanmar and some areas of China. The red panda depicted in the photo above seems to be A.f. fulgens. The red panda is the state animal of Sikkim.

Firefox

The Chinese name huo hu, which literally translates as 'fire fox', can refer to the red fox or sometimes to the red panda. However, the name normally used for the Red Panda is xiao xiong mao (literally `little bear cat').

The term, firefox, to describe the Red Panda has been propagated by its use in the web browser, Mozilla Firefox, although the logo of Firefox is a fox with its tail on fire as opposed to a red panda.


A Red Panda at the Munich zoo.

Conservation status: Endangered

Issue #3

Hyacinth Macaw

The Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) is the largest species in the macaw family. Its unique size, color, and markings make the Hyacinth Macaw one of the most popular species of macaw among bird lovers and caretakers. Just like the Green-winged Macaw, the Hyacinth Macaw is considered more docile than other members of the macaw family, making it a popular pet.


Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)

These birds grow to a total length of 42" and can weigh over 4 lbs. Wingspan is around 4 ft. They have a beak pressure that can easily disassemble the bars of a welded wrought iron cage in a short time. This powerful beak is ideal for its favorite foods, which include hard nuts and seeds that would otherwise be inaccessible to it. In addition, they eat fruits and other vegetable matter. There are eight species of palm that are central to its diet. They are generally messy eaters.

The Hyacinth Macaw has a solid blue/purple body of feathers, similar to the color of a blueberry. It has a solid black beak with bright yellow along the sides of the lower part of the beak and circling its solid dark eyes. Unlike other breeds of macaw, it does not have a white patch of featherless skin around the eye. The female and male are nearly indistinguishable, although the female is typically a bit more slender.

These birds nest in preexisting holes in trees. The clutch size is two or three eggs, although usually only one fledgling survives. Juveniles stay with their parents until they are six months old. They are mature and begin breeding at seven years.

The Hyacinth Macaw survives today in three known distinct populations in South America: southern Brazil, eastern Bolivia and northeastern Paraguay. It is possible that smaller, fragmented populations occur in other areas of its range. Its habitat includes riverside tropical rain forests and palm swamps.

Bird experts often advise those interested in obtaining a macaw as a pet to educate themselves extensively about these birds prior to obtaining one, as these animals require more attention than a dog or cat and they are not considered domesticated animals by the official definition. Also, one should consider the bird's endangered status before choosing to own one, as trade in these birds is illegal.

The Hyacinth Macaw is considered an endangered species due to overcollection for the cage bird trade and by the use of their feathers by the Kayapo Indians of Gorotire in southern Brazil. These Indians use the feathers to make headdresses and other baubles for the tourist trade. Like so many other species, their habitat is also being reduced by development.






Conservation status: Endangered

Issue #4

Veiled Chameleon

The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus), is a large species of chameleon found in the mountain regions of Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It is also sometimes referred to as the Yemeni Chameleon.


Veiled Chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus

The male veiled chameleon has a green base color and, depending on mood, this green will range from a bright lime green to a dark olive (color) drab. The green base color is marked with stripes and spots of yellow, brown, and blue. Non breeding females and juvinile chameleons are generally a uniform green color with some white markings. Breeding and gravid females are a very dark green with blue and yellow spots. The prominence of these markings is dependent on several factors including health, mood, and temperature of the lizard.

This species is sexually dimorphic, meaning it is possible to tell the gender of an individual by looking at physical traits. Aside from the previously mentioned color differences, adult male veiled chameleons are large animals. It is possible for them to reach an over all length of 24 inches. Most specimens usually reach between 14 to 18 inches. Females are smaller with the average over all length being just under 12 inches. Males and females both have a decorative growth called a "casque" on their heads. The casque of a male chameleon is much taller than the female's. Males also have a spur on each hind leg that the females do not have.

Like most chameleons, veiled chameleons are specialized tree dwellers. They have a flattened body meant to mimic a leaf and feet specially designed for grasping limbs and branches. They have a prehensile tail that acts as a fifth appendage and aids in climbing. Their eyes work ingependently of one another allowing the chameleon to look infront of and behind itself at the same time. They have a long sticky tongue that they use to capture their insect prey. Veiled chameleons are ambush predators and are capable of lying still for very long periods of time waiting for an unsuspecting locust to wander by.


A young adult male veiled chameleon, with a characteristically masculine casque. Foot spurs are present, though not clearly visible in this photograph.


An adult female, with a relatively small casque.

Veiled Chameleons are omnivores. While their main diet consists of insects, they will occasionally consume the leaves and blossoms of various plants. This is especially true in times of drought when water is scarce. Like all chameleons, veiled chameleons prefer to drink water that is in drops. They do not always recognize standing water and may dehydrate if that is their only source.

Female veiled chameleons can produce up to 3 clutches of eggs a year. Each clutch may contain 20-70 eggs. The eggs usually take 6-9 months to hatch.

Issue #5

Axolotl

The Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) colloquially known as the "Mexican walking fish" is an aquatic salamander.

It is noted for its appearance and its demonstration of neoteny, remaining in its aquatic larval form even as a sexually-mature adult, and not undergoing metamorphosis into a terrestrial form.


Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum

A fully grown axolotl, at age 18-24 months, ranges in length from 150-450 mm (6-18 inches), although a size close to 230 mm (9 inches) is most common and greater than 300 mm (12 inches) is rare. They have distinctive 'fern-like' gill structures that are not covered (as are gills in fish and in frog tadpoles) - usually 3 stalks on each side of the head; axolotls also breathe through the skin and possess lungs. In colour they range from albino or white (leucistic) to black, through greys, tans and browns. Wild axolotls are rarely white, though all leucistic (white with black eyes) axolotls are decended from a single mutant male brought to Paris in 1863 in a shipment to the Jardin des Plantes in the city. The true albino mutant common in labs and pet stores was created in an American laboratory in the 1950s. No axolotls commercially available today are wild caught (since doing so is strictly forbidden), the majority being descended from these same research specimens, even in the pet trade.

The axolotl is carnivorous, consuming small prey such as worms, insects, and small fish in the wild. In captivity, they can be fed a variety of readily available foods, including trout and salmon pellets, frozen or live bloodworms, earthworms, and waxworms on occasion. Beef Heart is sometimes recommended, but is not a good choice for the animal as mammal proteins are not readily digestible. Small juveniles can be fed with Daphnia or brine shrimp until old enough for the larger foodstuffs. Axolotls locate food by smell, and will "snap" at any potential meal, sucking the food into their stomachs with vacuum force. This is why other animals may not be housed with axolotls (excluding adults with adults) as anything smaller will invariably end up in their mouths - even siblings. Fish can also nibble an axolotl's gill stalks and appendages while it is asleep, leading to infection.

Axolotls live at temperatures of 14-20 C (54-68 F). Lower temperatures slow down their metabolism, although temperatures around 10 C (50 F) are a panacea when it comes to treating disease. Higher temperatures can lead to stress and increased appetite. In the wild, the water temperature in Xochimilco rarely rises above 20°C (68°F), though it may fall to 6 or 7°C (43°F) in the winter, and perhaps lower. Tapwater should be treated with a dechlorinator before the animal is introduced into it, as chlorine is harmful. A single typical axolotl should be kept in a normal 10 US gallon tank with around 150 mm (6 inches) of water. A full tank without a lid can lead to the animal "jumping ship" as it were. A power filter or underwater filter run by an airpump can be used, though water flow should be kept to a minimum to avoid stressing the animal. A 20% water change should be done every week, with debris being siphoned from the bottom. Small gravel should be avoided, as the axolotl can mistakenly injest the rocks, leading to stress and gas. Floating plants should be provided for juveniles as a hiding place, and small caves should likewise be provided for adults. No light is necessary as axolotls are nocturnal. Axolotl's will spend a majority of the time on the bottom of the tank (floating is a sign of stress and illness), so design accordingly.

Axolotls are very closely related to Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum). Some axolotls can metamorphose, although they do so rarely, and usually have to be treated with iodine or shots of thyroxine hormone to achieve the full transformation. The loss of the ability to produce the hormones on their own is what results in the animal's neotenic existence. Metamorphosis also dramatically shortens the axolotl's lifespan, assuming they even survive the process. A neotenic axolotl will live an average of 10-15 years (though an individual in Paris is credited with achieving 25 years), while a metamophosed speciman will scarcely live past the age of 5.

Native to Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in central Mexico, they also live in "axalapascos" (volcanic craters filled with water, maare). The wild population has been put under heavy pressure by the growth of Mexico City. Axolotls are also sold as food in Mexican markets, and were a staple in the Aztec diet. It is currently listed by CITES as an endangered species. In the Spanish language it is called the ajolote.

The axolotl is used in research and large numbers are bred in captivity. The feature of the salamander that attracts most attention is its healing ability: the axolotl does not heal by scarring and is capable of the regeneration of entire lost appendages in a period of months, and, in certain cases, more vital structures. Some have indeed been found restoring the less vital parts of their brains. They can also readily accept transplants from other individuals, including eyes and parts of the brain - restoring these alien organs to full fuctionality. In metamorphosed individuals, however, this ability is greatly diminished. Another attractive feature, for research, is the large and robust embryos. Axolotls are especially easy to breed compared to other salamanders in their family, which are almost never captive bred.

The name is from the Aztec Nahuatl language, from "atl" meaning water, and "xolotl" meaning dog. It also derives its name from the Aztec God of Death Xolotl, who - according to myth - assumed the amphibian's form in an effort to escape exile, and was killed while such.

Pop cultural reference: The word "axolotl" is used frequently in crossword puzzles. It was often used in the early years of Mad Magazine as a running joke.

Axolotl tanks are frequently mentioned in Frank Herbert's Dune series of books.

Conservation status: Vulnerable

Issue #6

Monarch butterfly

The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a well-known North American butterfly. Its wings feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern. The females have darker veins on their wings, and the males have a spot in the center of each hindwing from which pheromones are released.


Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus

Monarchs are especially noted for their lengthy annual migration. They make massive southward migrations from August through October. A northward migration takes place in the spring. Female Monarch butterflies deposit eggs for the next generation during these migrations. The population east of the Rocky Mountains overwinters in Michoacán, Mexico, and the western population overwinters in various sites in central coastal California, notably in Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz. The length of these journeys far exceeds the lifetime of any given butterfly. How the species manages to return to the same overwintering spots over a gap of several generations remains a mystery. This is one of the few insects to manage transatlantic crossings. A few Monarchs turn up in the far southwest of Great Britain in any year when the wind conditions are right.



The life cycle of a Monarch butterfly includes a change of form called complete metamorphosis. This process goes through four radically different stages. First, as mentioned above, the eggs are laid by the females during migration. Second, the eggs hatch, revealing worm-like larva, the caterpillars. The caterpillars consume their egg cases, then feed on milkweed, and sequester substances called cardenolides, related to the cardiac glycoside digitalis. The amount accumulated depends on the level present in the milkweed. This accumulation makes the adult butterfly distasteful and poisonous to Blue Jays and other would-be predators, and many such animals avoid consuming it. This defense is shared by the similarly distasteful (and similar-appearing) viceroy, in an example of Mullerian mimicry.


Monarchs swarm in Santa Cruz, California during winter.


Monarch egg on milkweed.

During the caterpillar stage, Monarchs store energy in the form of fat and nutrients to carry them through the non-feeding pupa stage. The third stage is the pupa, or chrysalis. The caterpillar attaches itself to a lump of material secreted on a twig or leaf. It hangs upside down in the shape of a 'J', and then molts, leaving itself encased in an articulated green exoskeleton. At this point, hormonal changes occur, leading to the development of a butterfly. Fourth, the mature butterfly emerges after about two weeks.


Monarch caterpillar

The monarch butterfly is the state insect of Texas and the state butterfly of Minnesota. It was nominated in 1989 as the national insect of the United States, and is the national insect of Canada.

Recent illegal deforestation of the Monarch's overwintering grounds have led to a drastic reduction in the butterfly's population. Efforts to classify it as a protected species and to restore its habitat are underway.

Issue #7

Quagga

The Quagga (Equus quagga quagga) is an extinct subspecies of the Plains Zebra, which was once found in great numbers in South Africa's Cape Province and the southern part of the Orange Free State. It was distinguished from other zebras by having the usual vivid stripes on the front part of the body only. In the mid-section, the stripes faded and the dark, inter-stripe spaces became wider, and the hindquarters were a plain brown. The name comes from a Khoikhoi word for zebra and is onomatopoeic, being said to resemble the Quagga's call. It is said to have mass-mated with 20 other Quaggas.


Quagga (Equus quagga quagga) in London Zoo c. 1870

The Quagga was originally classified as an individual species, Equus quagga, in 1788. Over the next 50 years or so, many other zebras were described by naturalists and explorers. Because of the great variation in coat patterns (no two zebras are alike), taxonomists were left with a great number of described "species", and no easy way to tell which of these were true species, which were subspecies, and which were simply natural variants.

Long before this confusion was sorted out, the Quagga had been hunted to extinction for meat, hides, and to preserve feed for domesticated stock. The last wild Quagga was probably shot in the late 1870s, and the last specimen in captivity died on August 12, 1883 at the Artis Magistra zoo in Amsterdam. Because of the great confusion between different zebra species, particularly among the general public, the Quagga had become extinct before it was realised that it appeared to be a separate species.


Water colour on vellum parchment by Nicolas Marechal (1753 -1802), painted at Paris in 1793 and illustrates the Quagga stallion of Louis XVI menagerie at Versailles.

Recent genetic research, however, has demonstrated that the Quagga was in fact not a separate species at all, just a subspecies of the very variable Plains Zebra Equus burchelli, which suggests that it should be named Equus burchelli quagga. However, according to the rules of biological nomenclature, where there are two or more alternative names for a single species, the name first used takes priority. As the Quagga was described about 30 years earlier than the Plains Zebra, it appears that the correct terms are E. quagga quagga for the Quagga and E. quagga burchelli for the Plains Zebra.

After the very close relationship between the Quagga and surviving zebras was discovered, workers in South Africa began a project to recreate the Quagga by selective breeding from Plains Zebra stock, with the eventual aim of reintroducing them to the wild. This type of breeding is also called Breeding back.

Conservation status: Extinct (1883)

Issue #8

Whale shark

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a large, distinctively marked member of the subclass Elasmobranchii of the class Chondrichthyes. It is the largest shark and also the largest fish. The greatest size accurately recorded was 14 m long, but lengths up to 20 m have been reported. It is not to be confused with the Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), the second largest fish.


Photograph of a small (4m) Whale Shark, taken in the Maldives

The average whale shark is around 8 m long. A member of the order Orectolobiformes, it is a filter feeder. The shark has a capacious mouth, which can be up to 1.5 m wide and contain up to 300 rows of tiny teeth, and as part of its feeding process, it also has five large pairs of gill arches. The head is, naturally, wide and also flat with the small eyes towards the front of the snout. The body is mostly grey with a white belly, but three prominent ridges run along each side and the skin is marked with a 'checkerboard' of pale yellow spots and stripes. The shark has two pairs each of dorsal fins and pectoral fins. The tail is large, with a much larger top fin than lower in juveniles but semi-lunate in adults. The spiracles are just behind the shark's eyes. The whale shark is not an efficient swimmer - with the entire body in motion, unusual for sharks, an average speed of around 5 km/h is achieved.

The shark feeds on phytoplankton, macro-algae, and planktonic (plankton, krill) or nektonic life (small squid or vertebrates). The many rows of teeth playing no role in feeding. Instead, water is actively drawn into the mouth and passes over gill rakers and then out through the gill arches. Any material caught in the rakers is swallowed. The shark can circulate up to 6000 liters of water every hour but they are active feeders and target concentrations of plankton or fish by olfactory cues rather than 'vacuuming' constantly.

The whale shark is a tropical and warm water fish, operating near the surface (benthic) mostly in coastal waters throughout the world, except the Mediterranean. Its range is restricted to about ±30 ° latitude. The shark is solitary and only rarely seen in groups. It is believed to be migratory but on what scale is uncertain (transoceanic has been suggested).

Like most sharks the reproductive habits of the whale shark are obscure. It was believed to be oviparous based on a single egg recovered off Mexico in 1956, but the capture of a pregnant female in 1995 containing 300 young indicates that they are viviparous with ovoviviparous development - i.e., the eggs remain in the body and the females give birth to live 40-60 cm young. It is believed that they reach sexual maturity at around 30 years and the life span has been variously estimated at 60 to 150 years.

The species was first identified in 1828 off the coast of South Africa. The family Rhincodontidae was not finalized until 1984.


A diagram of the Whale shark

The whale shark is fished for off Taiwan and in the Philippines. The population is unknown and the species is considered vulnerable by the IUCN. Whale sharks are known to frequent the waters off Donsol in Sorsogon province of the Philippines. A whale shark is also featured as the main attraction of Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.

In popular culture, this species is the leading example when it is explained that not all sharks are dangerous to humans. Nature documentaries frequently show footage of divers keeping pace with the giant fish, and the shark pays them no mind.

Conservation status: Vulnerable

Issue #9

Portuguese Man O' War

The Portuguese man o' war (genus Physalia), also known as the blue bottle, is commonly thought of as a jellyfish but is actually a siphonophore—a colony of four sorts of polyps. A similar group of animals are the chondrophores. The man o' war's float is bilaterally symmetrical with the tentacles at one end, while the velella is radially symmetrical with the sail at an angle. Also, the man o' war has a siphon, while the velella does not.


Portuguese man o' war, Physalia physalia

The Portuguese man o' war has an air bladder that allows it to float on the surface of the ocean. It has no means of propulsion and is pushed by the winds and the current. The bladder is actually a single large polyp, called the pneumatophore, which produces its own gas to stay inflated.

Below the jelly dangle long tentacles, sometimes stretching to over ten metres in length. These tentacles are individual polyps called dactylozooids. They stun and kill small sea creatures using poison-filled nematocysts and use muscles to draw the prey in to the gastrozooids, which are yet another different type of polyp that surround and digest it. Gonozooids, the fourth type of polyp, are responsible for reproduction.

Portuguese men o' war are an important source of food to sea turtles, which are immune to the poison. The Portuguese man o' war can be found on the coast of North America and Europe as well as in other areas of the world.

The Portuguese man o' war has tentacles which can be as long as 55 m (33 ft). Their sting is potentially dangerous to humans; these stings have been responsible for several deaths, but usually only cause intense (if not lethal) pain. Detached tentacles and specimens washed up on shore can sting just as painfully as the full creature in the water.

Issue #10

Burmese

The Burmese is a breed of domesticated cats descended from a cat, Wong Mau, who was found in Burma in 1930 by Dr. Joseph G. Thompson. She was brought to San Francisco, California, where she was bred with Siameses. This breed was first recognized in 1936 by the CFA and that postponed the registration between 1947 and 1953. Finally, in 1952 the breed was recognized by GCCF (UK Governing Council of the Cat Fancy).


Pedigree Chocolate Burmese

The Burmese is a foreign shorthair, categorised by colour into brown (or seal), blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream and tortoise shell. They have yellow eyes and a very short satiny coat. They are heavier than they look, as they are very muscular. By the standards of pedigreed cats they are long-lived, many reaching 16 to 18 years.

Burmese have very strong voices and are very affectionate, forming a strong bond with their owners. Other characteristics include an inclination to climb curtains and sit on doors. They are also territorial and may hiss at uninvited guests, though are social when neutered. They are athletic, brave and humourous, and may show remarkable ingenuity, particularly in finding warm places.


Brown Burmese

Country of origin: Burma

Issue #11

Honey Possum

The Honey Possum (Tarsipes rostratus) or Noolbenger is a tiny Australian marsupial weighing just 5 to 10 grams—about half the size of a mouse.


Honey Possum, Tarsipes rostratus

The Honey Possum has no close relatives. It is currently classified as the only member of its genus and of the family Tarsipedidae, but many authorities believe that it is sufficiently distinct to be more properly raised to a separate superfamily within the Diprotodontia, or perhaps even further.

It is one of the very few entirely nectarivoruos mammals; it has a long, pointed snout and a long, protusible tongue with a brush tip like a honeyeater or a hummingbird. It is thought to be the sole survivor of an otherwise long-extinct marsupial group. Although restricted to a fairly small range in the southwest of Western Australia, it is locally common and does not seem to be threatened with extinction so long as its habitat remains intact and diverse. (Floral diversity is particularly important for the Honey Possum as it cannot survive without a year-round supply of nectar, and unlike nectarivorous birds, it cannot easily travel long distances in search of fresh supplies.)

The Honey Possum is mainly nocturnal but will come out to feed during daylight in cooler weather. Generally, though, it spends the days asleep in a shelter of convenience: a rock cranny, a tree cavity, the hollow inside of a grass tree, or an abandoned bird nest. When food is scarce or in cold weather, it becomes torpid to conserve energy.

Conservation status: Lower Risk

Issue #12

Olive-backed Sunbird

The Olive-backed Sunbird or Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Cinnyris jugularis (formerly Nectarinia jugularis), is an Asian sunbird.


Olive-backed Sunbird, Cinnyris jugularis

The sunbirds are a group of very small Old World passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Their flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed most of the time.

The Olive-backed Sunbird is common across Southern China to the Philippines and Malaysia down to northeast Australia.

Olive-backed Sunbirds are tiny, at most 12cm long. The underparts of both male and female are bright yellow, the backs are a dull brown colour. The forehead, throat and upper breast of the adult male is a dark, metallic blue-black. Originally from mangrove habitat, the Olive-backed sunbird has adapted well to humans, and is now common even in fairly densely populated areas, even forming their nests in human dwellings.


Male (left) and female birds

The birds mate between the months of April and August. Both the male and the female assist in building the nest which is flask-shaped, with an overhanging porch at the entrance, and a trail of hanging material at the bottom end.

After building the nest, the birds abandon the nest for about a week before the female returns to lay one or two greenish-blue eggs. The eggs take a further week to hatch. The female may leave the nest for short periods during the day during incubation. After the chicks have hatched, both male and female assist in the care of the young, which leave the nest about two or three weeks later.

Issue #13

nice panada n firefox

Komodo Dragon

The Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest lizard in the world, growing to a length of 3 metres and weighing between 80 and 140 kg (175 to 310 lb). It is a member of the monitor lizard family, Varanidae.


Komodo Dragon, Varanus komodoensis

Dragons have keen senses and are considered among the most intelligent living reptiles.

They are carnivores and hunt live prey, with a stealthy approach followed by a sudden short charge (they can run briefly at speeds up to 20 km/h). They have a strong bite augmented by severe infection of wounds, caused by the some 50 different strains of bacteria in their saliva. After they bite, they release their prey to allow it to die before devouring it; this allows them to avoid injury. Dragons will fight over kills.



Dragons eat any animals they can catch, up to the size of wild pigs, goats, deer, and water buffaloes and occasionally including human beings. Over a dozen human deaths have been attributed to dragon bites in the last century, though there are reports of survivors of the resulting septicemia.

Mating occurs between May and August, with the eggs laid in September. The eggs are protected, but the hatchlings (100 g and 40 cm in length) are not and most are eaten. Komodo Dragons take around five years to grow to 2 metres in length and can live for up to 30 years.



There are around 6,000 living Komodo Dragons, restricted to the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia, including the islands of Komodo (1,700), Rinca (1,300), Gili Motang (100) and Flores (maybe 2,000).

The Komodo monitor was first reported by a European in 1910. The creatures were introduced to the rest of the world in a 1912 paper by Peter Ouwens, the director of the Zoological Museum at Bogor, Java.

In order to protect the Komodo Dragon, in 1980 the Komodo National Park was founded.


Two komodo dragons at a komodo ranger station.

Conservation status: Vulnerable

Issue #14

Fire Salamander

The Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is probably the most well-known salamander species in Europe. It is black with yellow spots or stripes to a varying degree - some specimens can be nearly completely black while on others the yellow is dominant. In some cases the spots are more orange or red than yellow.


Fire Salamander, Salamandra salamandra

Habitat

Fire salamanders live in forests in the hilly parts of southern and central Europe. They prefer deciduous forests, as they like to hide in the fallen leaves, but also at mossy tree trunks. They need clean small brooks in their habitat for the development of the larvae.

Fire salamanders are active in the evening and the night, but on rainy days they are active in daytime as well. Their diet consists of various insects, spiders, earthworms and slugs.

Reproduction

Males and females look much alike except during the the breeding season, when the most conspicuous difference is a swollen gland around the male's vent. This gland produces the spermatophore, which carries a sperm packet at its tip. The courtship happens on land. After the male becomes aware of a potential mate, he captures her and blocks her paths. The male now deposits his spermatophore on the ground. Reproduction occurs by means of this spermatophore, which will be taken up by the female salamander.

The eggs are retained in the oviducts of females by developing within several months. Under normal conditions the females give ovoviviparous birth to nearly full developed aquatic larvae with external gills and caudal fin borders. After several months, the larvae transform into adults and leave the water. During the transformation they lose their gills and develop lungs. Neotenic fire salamanders were watched at no time.


Larva with external gills

Toxicity

Fire salamanders are able to extrude heavy toxic skin secretions, e.g. the neurotoxic alkaloid Samandarin. This alkaloid causing to all vertebrates strong muscle convulsions and high-blood pressure combined with hyperventilation. The poison glands of salamanders are concentrated in certain areas of the body, especially around the head and the dorsal skin surface. Most of these secretions might be effective against bacterial and fungal infections of the epidermis, but some secretions can also be dangerous to human life.


The neurotoxic alkaloid Samandarin produced in the skin glands of the Fire Salamander.

Distribution

Fire salamanders are found in most of southern and central Europe. They are most commonly found at altitudes between 400 and 1000 m, only rarely below. However on the Balkan or in Spain they are commonly found in higher altitudes as well.


Map of Europe showing the distribution of the Fire Salamander.

Names of the fire salamander across Europe:

-- England - Fire salamander, Spotted salamander
-- France - Salamandre tachetée
-- Spain - Salamandra commún
-- Italy - Salamandra pezzata
-- Netherlands - Vuurslamander
-- Norway - Ildsalamander

Subspecies

Several subspecies of the Fire salamander are recognized. Most notable are the subspecies fastuosa and bernadezi, which are the only viviparous subspecies - the others are ovoviviparous.

-- S. s. almanzoris - Spotted Fire Salamander
-- S. s. bejarae (or hispanica)
-- S. s. bernardezi (extinct?)
-- S. s. beschkovi
-- S. s. crespoi
-- S. s. fastuosa (or bonalli) - Yellow Striped Fire Salamander
-- S. s. gallaica - Portuguese Fire Salamander
-- S. s. gigliolii
-- S. s. infraimmaculata
-- S. s. longirostris - Los Barrios Fire Salamander
-- S. s. morenica
-- S. s. salamandra (or werneri)
-- S. s. semenovi
-- S. s. terrestris - Barred Fire Salamander

Issue #15

Carolina mantis