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Showing posts from September, 2020

Vogelkop

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  "Vogelkop"  The dancing bird Vogelkop superb bird of paradise Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Paradisaeidae Genus: Lophorina Species: L. niedda Binomial name:- Lophorina niedda Synonyms:- Lophorina superba niedda About:- The Vogelkop superb bird-of-paradise or crescent-caped lophorina (Lophorina niedda), sometimes noted as the curl-caped bird-of-paradise, is a species of Paradisaeidae (bird-of-paradise) family. It is endemic to the Bird's Head Peninsula in New Guinea (Vogelkop in Dutch). First described in 1930 by Ernst Mayr, it had been treated as a subspecies of the superb bird-of-paradise but was elevated to the status of a full species in 2018 based on its striking black plumage that its feathers absorb 99.95 percent of light and behavioral differences especially visible in the courting male, as shown in audiovisual data documented by Scholes and Timothy Laman of Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology. Etym...

Vaquita

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  "Vaquita" World's rarest creature Conservation status: Critically Endangered (Population decreasing)  Scientific name: Phocoena sinus Class: Mammalia Phylum: Chordata Family: Phocoenidae Order: Artiodactyla Vaquita:- The vaquita (Phocoena sinus), literally "little cow", is species of porpoise endemic to the northern end of the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez, Vermilion Sea). Averaging 150 cm (for females) or 140 cm (for males) in length, it is the smallest of all living cetaceans. Today, the species is on the brink of extinction. Recent research estimates the population at fewer than 19 individuals. The steep decline in abundance is primarily due to bycatch in gillnets from the illegal totoaba  fishery. Taxonomy:- The vaquita was first described as a species by marine biologists Kenneth S. Norris and William N. McFarland in 1958 after studying the morphology of skull specimens found on the beach. It was not until nearly thirty years later, in 1985, that fres...

Trimeresurus insularis

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  "Trimeresurus insularis" Higher classification: Trimeresurus albolabris Scientific name: Trimeresurus albolabris insularis Conservation status: Least Concern Encyclopedia of Life Rank: Subspecies Species: T. insularis Family: Viperidae About:- Trimeresurus insular is a venomous pit viper subspecies found in Indonesia and East Timor. Common names include: white-lipped Island pit viper, lesser sunda pit viper, and Island pit viper. Description:- The scalation includes 21 rows dorsal scales at midbody, 156-164/156-167 ventral scales in males/females, 70-75/54-59 subcaudal scales in males/females, and 7-12 supralabial scales. Their color patterns are often found to be green or a blue-green color with specific populations even containing yellow variants as well.  Geographic range:- Found in Indonesia on eastern Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbava, Suma, Komodo, Ronda, Flores, Adonara, Lembata, Pantar, Alor, Roti, Semau, Timor, Wetar, Kisar  and Romang. The type locality given is "S...

Glaucus Atlanticus

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  "Glaucus Atlanticus" The blue dragon Class: Gastropoda Family: Glaucidae Scientific name: Glaucus Atlanticus Kingdoms: Animalia Higher classification: Glaucus Phylum: Mollusca About:- Glaucus Atlanticus (common names include the sea swallow, blue angel, blue glaucus, dragon slug, blue dragon, blue sea slug and blue ocean slug) is a species of small, blue sea slug, a pelagic aeolid nudibranch, a shell-less gastropod mollusk  in the family Glaucidae . These sea slugs are pelagic, they float upside down by using the surface tension of the water to stay up, where they are carried along by the winds and ocean currents. Glaucus Atlanticus makes use of countershading: the blue side of their body faces upwards, blending in with the blue of the water. The silver/grey side of the sea slugs faces downwards, blending in with the sunlight reflecting on the ocean's surface when viewed facing upwards underwater. Glaucus Atlanticus feed on other pelagic creatures, including the Portugu...

Sloth

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  "Sloth"  World’s slowest animal The Sloth's weight is 11.2 ounces at birth. How big can a Sloth get:- Brown-throated sloth: 42 – 80 cm. Maned sloth: 55 – 75 cm. Pale-throated sloth: 50 – 75 cm. Sloths sleep up to:  15-18 hours per day. About:- Sloths are a group of arboreal Neotropical xenathran mammals, constituting the suborder Folivora. Noted for slowness of movement, they spend most of their lives hanging upside down in the trees of the tropical rain forests of South America and Central America. They are considered to be most closely related to anteaters, together making up the xenarthran order Pilosa. There are six extant sloth species in two genera – Bradypus (three–toed sloths) and Choloepus (two–toed sloths). Despite this traditional naming, all sloths actually have three toes on each rear limb, although two-toed sloths have only two digits on each forelimb. The two groups of sloths are from different, distantly related families, and are thought to have evolved ...

Secretary Bird

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  "Secretary Bird" Higher classification:- Sagittarius Scientific name:- Sagittarius serpentarius Family:- Sagittariidae Class:- Aves Rank:- Species Phylum:- Chordata About:- The secretary bird or secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savanna of the sub Saharan region. Jhon Frederick Miller described the species in 1779. Although a member of the order Accipitriformes, which also includes many other diurnal birds of prey such as kites, hawks, vultures, and harriers, it is placed in its own family, Sagittariidae. The secretary bird is instantly recognizable as a very large bird with an eagle-like body on crane-like legs that give the bird a height of as much as 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in). The sexes are similar in appearance. Adults have a featherless red-orange face and predominantly grey plumage, with a flattened dark crest and black flight feathers and thighs. Breeding ca...

Saint Lucia racer

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 "Saint Lucia racer" World’s rarest snake: Saint Lucia racer Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order : Squamata Suborder: Surpentes Family: Colubridae Genus: Erytholamprus Species: E. Ornatus Binomial name: Erytholamprus Ornatus It’s slithery, brown, and doesn’t mind being picked up: meet the Saint Lucia racer (Liophis ornatus), which holds the dubious honor of being the world’s most endangered snake. A five month extensive survey found just 18 animals on a small islet off of the Caribbean Island of Saint Lucia. The snake had once been abundant on Saint Lucia, as well, but was decimated by invasive mongooses. For nearly 40 years the snake was thought to be extinct until in 1973 a single snake was found on the Maria Major Island, a 12-hectare (30 acre) protected islet, a mile off the coast of Saint Lucia (see map below). After catching and tagging 10 individuals, scientists now believe 18 may survive in total. The island is free of the mongoose that have kille...

Peregrine

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 "Peregrine" Falcon Description:- The peregrine falcon, also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. The Peregrine falcon is the fastest bird – and in fact the fastest animal on Earth – in case of a dive. The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird, and the fastest member of the animal kingdom, with a diving speed of 389 km/h (242 mph). Peregrine falcons are among the world's most common birds of prey and live on all continents except Antarctica. They prefer wide-open spaces, and thrive near coasts where shorebirds are common, but they can be found everywhere from tundra to deserts. Speed: 390 km/h (Maximum, Adult) Wingspan: 74 – 120 cm (Adult) Family: Falconide  Scientific name: Falco peregrinus Class: Aves Length: 34 – 58 cm (Adult) Mass: Female: 0.7 – 1.5 kg (Adult), Male: 0.33 – 1 kg ~~~...

Nembrotha Cristata

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  "Nembrotha  Cristata" Kingdom- Animalia Nembrotha cristata is species of colourful sea slug, a polycerid  nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. This species of sea slug is black with green markings ; adults are around 50 mm in length, and they live on rock or coral reefs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific Ocean. Description- Nembrotha cristata is s large black nembrothine(“nembrothid”in much of the literature) that grows to at least 50 mm in length. Its body is covered with raised green nodules. The rhinophores and gills are black, edged in green. Other than the difference in colour, this species is similar in appearance to Nembrotha yonowae. Distribution- This nudibranch species was described from the Philippines. It lives at depths between three and twenty meters. These sea slugs live on coral or rock reefs, and have a lifespan of up to a year. Behaviour- The bright colours of this nudibranch species are an aposematic warning to predators. T...

Frill Necked Lizard

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  "Frill Necked Lizard" Scientific classification:- Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chrodata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Iguania Family: Agamidae Genus: Chlamydosaurus Gray, 1827 Species: C. kingii Binomial name:- Chlamydosaurus kingii Predators:- eagles, owls, larger lizards, snakes, dingos and quolls. The frill-necked lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii), also known commonly as the frilled lizard, frilled dragon or frilled agama, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to northern Australia and southern New Guinea. This species is the only member of the genus Chlamydosaurus.Its common names come from the large frill around its neck, which usually stays folded against the lizard’s body. C. kingii is largely arboreal, spending the majority of its time in the trees. Its diet consists mainly of insects and small vertebrates. Frill-necked lizards, or ‘frillies’ as some call them, will occasionally eat plants as well, although this behaviour is unc...

African wild dog

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  " African Wild Dog" Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae Subfamily: Caninae Tribe: Canini Genus: Lycaon Species: L. pictus Scientific name: Lycaon pictus Conservation status: Endangered (Population decreasing)   Mass: 22 kg (Adult)   Habitat: Savanna  About:- The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), also called the painted wolf or Cape hunting dog, is a canine native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest indigenous canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus Lycaon , which is distinguished from Canis by dentition highly specialized for a hyper carnivorous diet, and a lack of dewclaws. It is estimated that about 6,600 adults including 1,400 mature individuals live in 39 subpopulations that are all threatened by habitat fragmentation, human persecution and outbreaks of diseases. As the largest subpopulation probably consists of less than 250 individuals, the African wild dog is listed as endangere...