Leafy seadragon
Named after the dragons of Chinese mythology, Leafy seadragons
(Phycodurus eques) resemble a piece of drifting seaweed as they float in
the seaweed-filled water. The Leafy seadragon, with green, orange and
gold hues along its body, is covered with leaf-like appendages, making
it remarkably camouflaged. Only the fluttering of tiny fins or the
moving of an independently swiveling eye, reveals its presence.
Like the seahorse, the male seadragon carries as many as 150-200 eggs.
After being deposited by the female, the eggs are carried in the
honeycomb-shaped area (known as the brood patch) under the male's tail
for approximately eight weeks. Seadragons have no teeth or
stomach
and feed exclusively on mysidopsis shrimp. Known as "Australian
seahorses" in Australia, they are found in calm, cold water that is
approximately 50-54° F (10-12° C). Leafy seadragons have been protected
by the South
Australian government since 1982.
Sun Bear
The Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is a bear found primarily in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia.
The
Sun Bear stands approximately 4 ft (1.2 m) in length, making it the smallest member in the bear family. It is often called the
dog bear because of its small
stature. It has a 2 in (5 cm) tail and on average weighs less than 145 lb (65 kg). Males tend to be slightly larger than females.
Unlike other bears,
the Sun
Bear's fur is short and sleek. This adaptation is probably due to the
lowland climates it inhabits. Dark black or brown-black fur covers its
body, except on the chest where there is a pale orange-yellow marking
in the shape of a horseshoe. Similar colored fur can be found around
the muzzle and the eyes. This distinct marking gives the sun bear its
name.
Komondor Dog
Females are 27 inches (69cm) at the
withers.
Male Komondorok are a minimum of 28 inches at the withers, but many
are over 30 inches tall, making this one of the larger common breeds of
dog. The body is not overly coarse or heavy, however, and people
unfamiliar with the breed are often surprised by how quick and agile the
dogs are.
Its long, thick, strikingly corded white coat (the heaviest amount of
fur in the canine world) resembles dreadlocks or a mop. The puppy coat
is soft and fluffy. However, the coat is wavy and tends to curl as the
puppy matures. A fully mature coat is formed naturally from the soft
undercoat and the coarser outer coat combining to form tassels, or
cords. Some help is needed in separating the cords so the dog does not
turn into one large matted mess. The length of the cords increases with
time as the coat grows. Shedding is very minimal with this breed,
contrary to what one might think (once cords are fully formed). The only
substantial shedding occurs as a puppy before the dreadlocks fully
form. The Komondor is born with only a white coat, unlike the
similar-looking Puli, which is usually white, black or sometimes
grayish. However, a working Komondor's coat may be discolored by the
elements, and may appear off-white if not washed regularly.
Angora Rabbit
The Angora rabbit is a variety of domestic rabbit bred for its long,
soft hair. The Angora is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit,
originating in Ankara, Turkey, along with the Angora cat and Angora
goat. The rabbits were popular pets with French royalty in the mid
1700s, and spread to other parts of Europe by the
end of the century.
They first appeared in the United States in the early 1900s. They are
bred largely for their long wool, which may be removed by shearing or
plucking (gently pulling loose wool).
There are many individual breeds of Angora rabbits, four of which are
ARBA recognized. Such breeds include, French, German, Giant, English,
Satin, Chinese, Swiss, Finnish, to name a few.
Red Panda
The Red Panda, Ailurus fulgens ("shining cat," from a Latinized form of
the Greek, ailouros, "cat," and the participial form of the Latin
fulgere, "to shine") is a mostly herbivorous mammal, slightly larger
than a domestic cat (55 cm long). The Red Panda has semi-retractile
claws and, like the Giant Panda, has a "false thumb" which is really an
extension of the wrist bone. Thick fur on the soles of the feet offers
protection from cold and hides scent glands. The Red Panda is native to
the Himalayas in Nepal and southern China. The word panda is derived
from Nepalese word "ponya" which means bamboo and plants eating animals
in Nepal.
Sloth
Sloths are medium-sized mammals that live in
Central and South America
belonging to the families Megalonychidae and Bradypodidae, part of the
order Pilosa. Most scientists call these two families the Folivora
suborder, while some call it Phyllophaga.
Sloths are omnivores. They may eat insects, small lizards and carrion,
but their diet consists mostly of buds, tender shoots, and leaves.
Sloths have made extraordinary adaptations to an arboreal browsing
lifestyle. Leaves, their main food source, provide very little energy or
nutrition and do not digest easily: sloths have very large,
specialized, slow-acting stomachs with multiple compartments in which
symbiotic bacteria break down the tough leaves.
As much as two-thirds of a well-fed sloth's body-weight consists of the
contents of its stomach, and the digestive process can take as long as a
month or more to complete. Even so, leaves provide little energy, and
sloths deal with this by a range of economy measures: they have very
low metabolic rates (less than half of that expected for a creature of
their size), and maintain low body temperatures when active (30 to 34
degrees Celsius or 86 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit), and still lower
temperatures when resting. Sloths mainly live in Cecropia trees.
Emperor Tamarin
The Emperor Tamarin (Saguinus imperator) is a tamarin allegedly named
for its similarity with the German emperor Wilhelm II. The name was
first intended as a joke, but has become the official scientific name.
This tamarin lives in the southwest Amazon Basin, in east Peru, north
Bolivia and in the west Brazilian states of Acre and Amazonas.
The fur of the Emperor Tamarin is predominantly grey colored, with
yellowish speckles on its chest. The hands and feet are black and the
tail is brown. Outstanding is its long, white mustache, which extends to
both sides beyond the shoulders. The animal reaches a length of 24 to
26 cm, plus a 35 cm long tail. It weighs approximately 300 to 400 g.
This primate inhabits
tropical rain forests,
living deep in the forest and also in open tree-covered areas. It is a
diurnal animal, spending the majority of its days in the trees with
quick, safe movements and broad jumps among the
limbs.
White-faced Saki Monkey
The White-faced Saki (Pithecia pithecia), also known as the Guianan
Saki and the Golden-faced Saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of
New World monkey, found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and
Venezuela. This monkey mostly feed on fruits, but also nuts, seeds, and
insects.
Tapir
Tapirs are large browsing mammals, roughly pig-like in shape, with
short, prehensile snouts. They inhabit jungle and forest regions of
South America, Central America, and
Southeast Asia.
All four species of tapir are classified as endangered or vulnerable.
Their closest relatives are the other odd-toed ungulates, horses and
rhinoceroses.
Hagfish
Hagfish are marine craniates of the class Myxini, also known as
Hyperotreti. Despite their name, there is some debate about whether they
are strictly fish (as there is for lampreys), since they belong to a
much more primitive lineage than any other group that is commonly
defined fish (Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes). Their unusual feeding
habits and slime-producing capabilities have led members of the
scientific and popular media to dub the hagfish as the most "disgusting"
of all sea creatures.
Hagfish are long, vermiform and can exude copious quantities of a sticky
slime or mucus (from which the typical species Myxine glutinosa was
named). When captured and held by the tail, they escape by secreting the
fibrous slime, which turns into a thick and sticky gel when combined
with water, and then cleaning off by tying themselves in an overhand
knot which works its way from the head to the tail of the animal,
scraping off the slime as it goes. Some authorities conjecture that this
singular behavior may assist them in extricating themselves from the
jaws of predatory fish. However, the "sliming" also seems to act as a
distraction to predators, and free-swimming hagfish are seen to "slime"
when agitated and will later clear the mucus off by way of the same
travelling-knot behavior.
Star-nosed Mole
The Star-nosed Mole (Condylura cristata) is a small North American mole
found in eastern Canada and the north-eastern United States. It is the
only member of the tribe Condylurini and the genus Condylura.
It lives in wet lowland areas and eats small invertebrates, aquatic
insects, worms and molluscs. It is a good swimmer and can forage along
the bottoms of streams and ponds. Like other moles, this animal digs
shallow surface tunnels for foraging; often, these tunnels exit
underwater. It is active day and night and remains active in winter,
when it has been observed tunnelling through the snow and swimming in
ice-covered streams. Little is known about the social behavior of the
species, but it is suspected that it is colonial.
The Star-nosed Mole is covered in thick blackish brown water-repellent
fur and has large scaled feet and a long thick tail, which appears to
function as a fat storage reserve for the spring breeding season. Adults
are 15 to 20 cm in length, weigh about 55 g, and have 44 teeth. The
mole's most distinctive feature is a circle of 22 mobile, pink, fleshy
tentacles at the end of the snout. These are used to identify food by
touch, such as worms, insects and crustaceans.
Proboscis Monkey
Nasalis larvatus also known as Long-nosed Monkey is a reddish-brown
arboreal Old World monkey. It is the only species in monotypic genus
Nasalis.
The most distinctive trait of this monkey is the male's large protruding
nose. The purpose of the large nose is unclear, but it has been
suggested that it is a result of sexual selection. The female Proboscis
Monkey prefers big-nosed male, thus propagating the trait.
Males are much larger than females, reaching 72 cm (28 inches) in
length, with an up to 75 cm tail, and weighing up to 24 kg (53 pounds).
Females are up to 60 cm long, weighing up to 12 kg (26 lb).
The Proboscis Monkey also has a large belly, as a result of its diet.
Its digestive system is divided into several parts, with distinctive gut
flora, which help in digesting leaves. This digestive process releases
a lot of gas, resulting in the monkey's "bloated" bellies. A
side-effect of this unique digestive system is that it is unable to
digest ripe fruit, unlike most other simians. The diet consists mainly
of fruits, seeds and leaves.
Pink Fairy Armadillo
The Pink Fairy Armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) or Pichiciego is the
smallest species of armadillo (mammals of the family Dasypodidae, mostly
known for having a bony armor shell). It is approximately 90-115 mm
(3?-4?") long excluding the tail, and is pale rose or pink in color. It
is found in central Argentina where it inhabits dry grasslands and
sandy plains with thorn bushes and cacti. It has the ability to bury
itself completely in a matter of seconds if frightened.
The Pink Fairy Armadillo burrows small holes near ant colonies in dry
dirt. It feeds mainly on ants and ant larvae near its burrow.
Occasionally it feeds on worms, snails, insects and larvae, or various
plant and root material.
Axolotl
The Axolotl (or ajolote) (Ambystoma mexicanum) is the best-known of the
Mexican neotenic mole salamanders belonging to the Tiger Salamander
complex. Larvae of this species fail to undergo metamorphosis, so the
adults remain aquatic and gilled. The species originates from the lake
underlying Mexico City. Axolotls are used extensively in scientific
research due to their ability to regenerate most body parts, ease of
breeding, and large embryos. They are commonly kept as pets in the
United States, Great Britain, Australia, Japan (where they are sold
under the name Wooper Rooper, and other countries.
Axolotls should not be confused with waterdogs, the larval stage of the
closely related Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum and Ambystoma
mavortium), which is widespread in much of North America which also
occasionally become neotenic, nor with mudpuppies (Necturus spp.), fully
aquatic salamanders which are unrelated to the axolotl but which bear a
superficial resemblance.
Aye-aye
The Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a strepsirrhine native to
Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth with a long, thin middle
finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker. It is the
world's largest nocturnal primate, and is characterized by its unique
method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes
in the wood and inserts its elongated middle finger to pull the grubs
out.
Daubentonia is the only genus in the family Daubentoniidae and
infraorder Chiromyiformes. The Aye-aye is the only extant member of the
genus (although it is currently an endangered species); a second
species (Daubentonia robusta) was exterminated over the last few
centuries.
Alpaca
The Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American
camelid developed from the wild alpacas. It resembles a sheep in
appearance, but is larger and has a long erect neck as well as coming in
many colors, whereas sheep are generally bred to be white and black.
Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes
of Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an
altitude of 3500 to 5000 meters above sea-level, throughout the year.
Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike them are not
used as beasts of burden but are valued only for their fiber. Alpacas
only have fleece fibers, not woolen fibers, used for making knitted and
woven items much as sheeps wool is. These items include blankets,
sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, a wide variety of textiles and ponchos
in South America, and sweaters, socks and coats in other parts of the
world. The fiber comes in more than 52 natural colors as classified in
Peru, 12 as classified in Australia and 22 as classified in America.
Tarsier
Tarsiers are prosimian primates of the genus Tarsius, a monotypic genus
in the family Tarsiidae, which is itself the lone extant family within
the infraorder Tarsiiformes. The phylogenetic position of extant
tarsiers within the order Primates has been debated for much of the past
century, and tarsiers have alternately been classified with
strepsirrhine primates in the suborder Prosimii, or as the sister group
to the simians (=Anthropoidea) in the infraorder Haplorrhini. Analysis
of SINE insertions, a type of macromutation to the DNA, is argued to
offer very persuasive evidence for the monophyly of Haplorrhini, where
other lines of evidence, such as DNA sequence data, had remained
ambiguous. Thus, some systematists argue that the debate is conclusively
settled in favor of a monophyletic Haplorrhini.
Tarsiers have enormous eyes and long feet. Their feet have extremely
elongated tarsus bones, which is how they got their name. They are
primarily insectivorous, and catch insects by jumping at them. They are
also known to prey on birds and snakes. As they jump from tree to tree,
tarsiers can catch even birds in motion.[citation needed] Gestation
takes about six months, and tarsiers give birth to single offspring. All
tarsier species are nocturnal in their habits, but like many nocturnal
organisms some individuals may show more or less activity during the
daytime. Unlike many nocturnal animals, however, tarsiers lack a
light-reflecting area (tapetum lucidum) of the eye. They also have a
fovea, atypical for nocturnal animals.
Dumbo Octopus
The octopuses of the genus Grimpoteuthis are sometimes nicknamed "Dumbo
octopuses" from the ear-like fins protruding from the top of their
"heads" (actually bodies), resembling the ears of Walt Disney's flying
elephant. They are benthic creatures, living at extreme depths, and are
some of the rarest of the Octopoda species.
Frill-necked Lizard
The Frill-necked Lizard, or Frilled Lizard also known as the Frilled
Dragon, (Chlamydosaurus kingii) is so called because of the large ruff
of skin which usually lies folded back against its head and neck. The
neck frill is supported by long spines of cartilage, and when the lizard
is frightened, it gapes its mouth showing a bright pink or yellow
lining, and the frill flares out, displaying bright orange and red
scales. The frill may also aid in thermoregulation.
They may grow up to one metre in total length. They often walk
quadrupedally when on the ground. When frightened they begin to run on
all-fours and then accelerate onto the hind-legs. In Australia, the
frill-necked lizard is also known as the "bicycle lizard" because of
this behaviour. Males are significantly larger than females both as
juveniles and when mature. The frill of the Australian frilled dragon is
used to frighten off potential predators — as well as hissing and
lunging. If this fails to ward off the threat, the lizard flees
bipedally to a nearby tree where it climbs to the top and relies on
camouflage to keep it hidden.
Narwhal
The Narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is an Arctic species of cetacean. It is a
creature rarely found south of latitude 70°N. It is one of two species
of white whale in the Monodontidae family (the other is the beluga
whale). It is possibly also related to the Irrawaddy dolphin.
The English name narwhal is derived from the Dutch name narwal which in
turn comes from the Danish narhval which is based on the Old Norse word
nar, meaning "corpse." This is a reference to the animal's colour. The
narwhal is also commonly known as the Moon Whale.
In some parts of the world, the Narwhal is colloquially referred to as a "reamfish."
Sucker-footed Bat
The Madagascar Sucker-footed Bat, Old World Sucker-footed Bat, or
Sucker-footed Bat (Myzopoda aurita and Myzopoda schliemanni) is a
species of bat in the Myzopodidae family. It is monotypic within the
genus Myzopoda. It is endemic to Madagascar. It is threatened by habitat
loss.
Pygmy Marmoset
The Pygmy Marmoset (Callithrix (Cebuella) pygmaea) is a monkey native to
the rainforest canopies of western Brazil, southeastern Colombia,
eastern Ecuador, and eastern Peru. It is one of the smallest primates,
with its body length ranging from 14-16 cm (excluding the 15-20 cm tail)
and the smallest monkey. Males weigh around 140 g (5 ounces), and
females only 120 g (4.2 ounces).
TDespite its name, the Pygmy Marmoset is somewhat different from the
typical marmosets classified in genus Callithrix. As such, it is
accorded its own subgenus, which was formerly recognized as its own
genus, Cebuella.
TThe Pygmy Marmoset has a tawny coat, and a ringed tail that can be as
long as its body. Their claws are specially adapted for climbing trees, a
trait unique to the species. They are omnivorous, feeding on fruit,
leaves, insects, and sometimes even small reptiles. Much of their diet,
however, comes from tapping trees for sap. Up to two-thirds of their
time is spent gouging tree bark to reach the gummy sap. The Pygmy
Marmoset has specialized incisors for gouging holes in bark.
Unfortunately, because of its small size, and its swift movements, it is
very hard to observe in the wild.
TIn captivity, the Pygmy Marmoset can live up to 11 years.
Blobfish
The blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus) is a fish that inhabits the deep
waters off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania. Due to the
inaccessibility of its habitat, it is rarely seen by humans.
Blobfish are found at depths where the pressure is several dozens of
times higher than at sea level, which would likely make gas bladders
inefficient. To remain buoyant, the flesh of the blobfish is primarily a
gelatinous mass with a density slightly less than water; this allows
the fish to float above the sea floor without expending energy on
swimming. The relative lack of muscle is not a disadvantage as it
primarily swallows edible matter that floats by in front it.
Platypus
The Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic
to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four
species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes,
the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.
It is the sole living representative of its family (Ornithorhynchidae)
and genus (Ornithorhynchus), though a number of related species have
been found in the fossil record.
The bizarre appearance of this egg-laying, duck-billed mammal baffled
naturalists when it was first discovered, with some considering it an
elaborate fraud. It is one of the few venomous mammals; the male
Platypus has a spur on the hind foot which delivers a poison capable of
causing severe pain to humans. The unique features of the Platypus make
it an important subject in the study of evolutionary biology and a
recognizable and iconic symbol of Australia; it has appeared as a mascot
at national events and is featured on the reverse of the Australian 20
cent coin.
Until the early 20th century it was hunted for its fur, but it is now
protected throughout its range. Although captive breeding programs have
had only limited success and the Platypus is vulnerable to the effects
of pollution, it is not under any immediate threat.
via Wiki
Shoebill
The Shoebill, Balaeniceps rex also known as Whalehead is a very large
bird related to the storks. It derives its name from its massive
shoe-shaped bill.
The Shoebill is a very large bird, averaging 1.2 m (4 ft) tall, 5.6 kg
(12.3 lbs) and 2.33 m (7.7 ft) across the wings. The adult is mainly
grey, the juveniles are browner. It lives in tropical east Africa, in
large swamps from Sudan to Zambia.
The Shoebill was added rather recently to the ornithological lists; the
species was only discovered in the 19th century when some skins were
brought to Europe. It was not until years later that live specimens
reached the scientific community. The bird was known to both ancient
Egyptians and Arabs however. There exist Egyptian images depicting the
Shoebill while the Arabs referred to the bird as abu markub, which means
one with a shoe. Clearly, this refers to the striking bill.
Yeti Crab
Kiwa hirsuta is a crustacean discovered in 2005 in the South Pacific
Ocean. This decapod, which is approximately 15 cm (6 inches) long, is
notable for the quantity of silky blond setae (resembling fur) covering
its pereiopods (thoracic legs, including claws). Its discoverers dubbed
it the "yeti lobster" or "yeti crab"[2].
K. hirsuta was discovered in March 2005 by a group organised by Robert
Vrijenhoek of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Monterey,
California, using the submarine DSV Alvin, operating from RV
Atlantis[3]. The discovery was announced on the 7th of March, 2006. It
was found 1,500 km (900 miles) south of Easter Island in the South
Pacific, at a depth of 2,200 m (7,200 feet), living on hydrothermal
vents along the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge[4]. Based on both morphology and
molecular data, the species was deemed to form a new genus and family
(Kiwaidae). The animal has strongly reduced eyes that lack pigment, and
is thought to be blind.
The 'hairy' pincers contain filamentous bacteria, which the creature may
use to detoxify poisonous minerals from the water emitted by the
hydrothermal vents where it lives. Alternatively, it may feed on the
bacteria, although it is thought to be a general carnivore[2]. Its diet
also consists of green algae and small shrimp.
