Neat-o animals

Been struggling to keep this blog active lately, but I (try to) post/reblog a daily animal and usually some facts about that creature. I like sea creatures a lot so more of my stuff will be fish related than not.

[dailycreatures]

Hello!

I reblog posts about creatures mostly, but I also have a running collection of original creature posts that I make sometimes. On that note if you want to suggest a creature just send it into my asks!

I love Wikipedia, zoo websites, and commas. I forget to post a lot oops!

[dailycreatures]

Creature 108

Ponderosa pine 

Native to Western North America, the ponderosa pine (also known as the bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine) is one of the most widely distributed pine species in North America. 

   The tree is/has been used as food by the Sanpoil and Nespelem People of Eastern Washington, and as a building material for the Klamath tribes. 

    The ponderosa pine is intolerant of shade, and grows in open stands that require semi-frequent fires to stay open, or else shade thriving trees will take over and drive the ponderosa out. The natural fire cycle of the ponderosa is 5-10 years, and these mild, once a decade, fires are known to help extend the trees life for half a millennium or more. The ponderosa make good old growth trees.

Little factoids:

The ponderosa pine is an invasive species in New Zealand, and considered a weed in Australia. 

The tree was first modernly documented in 1826 in Eastern Washington. 

The tallest specimen measured to date is 83.45 meters tall.

They were used as part of a nuclear test in 1953, Area 5 - Nevada.

Sources:

U.S. fish and wildlife service 

Portland .gov

Wikipedia 

Minnesota wildflowers

Friends of trees .org

[dailycreatures]

Holy freak I was swamped and wayyyy too busy for this blog for months and then I kinda forgot it existed

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Today's fish of the day is a bit different from normal, instead of focusing on a particular species of genus we will be focusing on landlocked salmon today by special request of Topi!

(Atlantic Salmon)

Landlocked salmon are notable due to the inherent nature of the salmon life cycle, where salmon hatch in a freshwater stream, migrate to the ocean until they achieve sexual maturity, and then travel back to the same stream they hatched from. However, landlocked salmon are unable to migrate and spend their life cycles entirely in freshwater. The three main landlocked salmon would be The Kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), which are a subspecies of sockeye salmon, the Formosan landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus masou formosanus), which is a subspecies of masu salmon, and finally the several populations of landlocked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

(Formosan landlocked salmon)

Landlocked salmon hold almost no differences to their sea run relatives, other than that which speciation provides. Almost always landlocked salmon are far smaller. Considering that salmon are mid level carnivores, whose diet shifts based on age, freshwater prey is just simply less available than marine prey is. Salmon fry survive off of zooplankton, which is available in large amounts in freshwater, but as they grow into juveniles who eat worms and larvae, but by the time they are of age to transition to the marine environment, they rely on larger prey, such as other fish or squid. This is why landlocked salmon are far smaller, and often considered a far blander flavor by fishers.

(Atlantic salmon)

Another difference between the anadromous (migratory) fish and the non migratory is based on the migration pathways themselves. Landlocked salmon species tend to spend their lives within lakes, as they tend to offer more large prey than rivers do, and when after reaching the end of their lifecycle, these fish tend to run rivers connected to lakes, searching for the same stream they were born in. Those salmon of which were transported or by some means found themselves the first generation of landlocked salmon tend to search only for a safe area, other salmon, and higher elevations during their migration. Of those salmon landlocked only in lakes with no connection to other bodies of water there is significant inbreeding, and disease often tends to kill these populations out. It is thought that salmon of which are acclimated to freshwater and intentionally landlocked have a higher chance of surviving after spawning season, as some salmon species possess the ability to survive the spawning, and return to the ocean for another year. This is something that is not fully understood, and currently being researched by many of the fish hatcheries along the Columbia river, major rivers in California, and along the Atlantic. We may understand the relation between the stresses of moving from saltwater to freshwater better in the future!

(kokanee salmon)

To focus on the landlocked variations of Atlantic salmon for a moment, these are individual populations caught in the many lakes or river systems along the Eastern coast of the United States and Canada. These fish in particular are known as some of the best for fishing in the areas they live in. These fish can be found in a range from the Atlantic coast all the way as Western as Lake Eerie in some cases, living in cold water conditions, with growth being the highest at temperatures of 67-77 degrees fahrenheit, and a diet that is mostly made up of insects and small fish, often cannibalizing other young landlocked salmon.

(Atlantic landlocked Salmon)

The kokanee salmon is found along the Pacific coast, in many different lakes from Alaska to California, and as far East as Idaho, and in some rare cases, Nevada. There are also populations within lakes in Japan and Russia, although there is debate on the subject of speciation for these populations. Although some populations of kaknee have been intentionally introduced across lakes and freshwater systems much further East in the United States. Thes fish can get as large as 8-20 inches, and have a handful of morphological differences between them and sockeyes. Kokanee have a higher number of gill rakers, smaller egg size, and a higher efficiency rate in taking in red coloring from food sources to distribute in their eggs. They can live a lifespan around 4 years before spawning and passing away, as these fish do not survive after breeding, and can not interbreed with sockeye salmon.

(kokanee salmon)

The Formosan landlocked salmon, also called the Cherry salmon, is found in Taiwan. Living in the Lishan mountain range, these fish survive in cold water at extremely high altitudes, with an upper temperature limit of 60 degrees. These fish are thought to have become landlocked by the warming of the Dajia River during the last ice age. They live along the many small creeks and backwater streams, with an extremely endangered population with only around 4,000 living at any given time. Cherry salmon are exceptionally small, reaching only 30cm (around a foot) with most around only 6 inches in their adult life. Subsisting off of bugs and small terrestrial life that gets close to the water. These fish survive only around 4 to 5 years before breeding in higher colder waters, and passing away for their fry to replace them.

(Formosan landlocked salmon)

Those are the landlocked Salmon everybody! Have a wonderful day

[amnhnyc]

Peek-a-boo! Have you ever seen the granulate shellback crab (Hypoconcha arcuata)? Growing about 0.6 in (1.4 cm) long, this unusual-looking crustacean inhabits coastlines along parts of the western Atlantic, with a range that includes parts of the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. Unlike hermit crabs—which hide inside their chosen shells—this critter uses its posterior legs to secure shells onto its back, often shouldering pieces larger than its own body, as a defense against foes.

Photo: Austin Smith, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist

[uncharismatic-fauna]

An Affinity for the Southern River Terrapin

The southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis), also known as the tungtung or the royal turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle residing, as its name implies, in the southern part of the Malaysian Peninsula, particularly along the western coast. They reside in estuaries, portions of large rivers that are regularly exposed to ocean tides.

While initially plain in appearance, the southern river terrapin can be visually striking. The body and shell are entirely black, or dark brown in females. The only spots of color are carried by males: bright yellow or white eyes and orange inner cheek flaps that are exposed when the mouth opens. Batagur affinis is also quite big, with females (the larger of the two sexes) reaching an average length of 62 cm (24 in) and a weight of 38 kg (83 lbs).

The tungtung is an omnivorous species. Its serrated beak allows it to feed on a variety of plants like grasses, algae, and fruits, as well as freshwater invertebrates like crustaceans and mollusks. Due to the high salinity of their habitats, they often leave the rivers and forage for food on land. The large size and thick shells of adults deters most predators. However, eggs and hatchlings are vulnerable to monitor lizards, otters, birds of prey, and crocodiles.

Mating for Batagur affinis occurs from October to February. Males and females remain relatively solo throughout the rest of the year, although they aren't overly territorial. Once a male locates a female, the two touch noses and he pulses his jaw to emphasize his bright orange cheek pouches and the white stripes on the inside of his throat. After copulation, the female lays a clutch of 20-40 eggs in nests dug in the sandy river bank. Young royal turtles hatch anywhere from 60-120 days later, depending on the temperature of the nest. Juveniles can take 18-22 years to reach maturity. Adults regularly reach ages well over 45, and individuals as old as 100 have been recorded.

Conservation status: The southern river turtle is considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Over-harvesting of both eggs and individuals has decimated populations, and those that remain are threatened by habitat destruction. However, both local and international conservation efforts have been underway to preserve the species and its ecosystem.

If you like what I do, consider buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Eng Heng Chan

Paul Calle

Thorn Sophun

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Today's fish of the day is the Alabama Cavefish!

The Alabama Cavefish, scientific name Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni, is known for being one of the rarest troglobitic fish species in North America. Discovered in 1967, by the time the alabama cavefish was scientifically described in 1974, there were only about 100 fish left. On any visit to the cave, only about 10 fish have ever been seen, but they are consistently different fish, so the estimated number is a little under 100, making them critically endangered. This also makes them a possibility for the rarest cavefish in North America!

Despite the large waterways connecting caves in Key Cave National park to several other cave systems, the Alabama cavefish has restricted itself to only one cave for reasons we don't understand. A search of over 120 caves in the surrounding area revealed no populations or signs of populations. With a range consisting only of Key cave in Lauderdale county, Alabama; these fish are constantly faced by the threat of extinction, and most of their worries are based on the limited home range, and waters entering the cave. Any water with chemicals, especially fertilizers and other agricultural runoff are a large concern. That along with competition from more aggressive cavefish, and predation from nearby crawfish. Due to their living situation and delicate population, much is unknown about these fish. But, let us go over what we do know!

The diet of the Alabama cavefish consists mostly of invertebrates found in the caves: copepods, isopods, smaller cavefish, spiders, beetles, and anything else it can find that will fit in its mouth. They grow up to a size of 2-3 inches in length. They have no eyes or pigment, and hunt solely based off of sensory protrusions that dot the head and sides, a trait evolved to handle the almost complete darkness. These fish have no breeding season, and instead breed based off of the environmental signal: when the caves flood in the winter and spring. Insufficient flooding can lead to years where no breeding or spawning occurs, and when it does females carry few eggs, and even fewer eggs hatch. Their lifespans, based off of the lifespan of Northern cavefish, are an estimated 5-10 years.

[protectoursharks]

There are four types of fish scales!

Cycloid scales are thin, overlap, and flexible. They're found on primitive teleosts (like minnows and carp).

Ctenoid scales have small, backwards pointed scales (known as cterns) make the fish more hydrodynamic and faster. They're found on Advanced Ctenoids (like perch and sunfish).

Ganoid scales are thick, diamond-shaped, and mostly non-overlapping. They're found on Chondrostei (like sturgeons and paddlefish).

Placoid scales are spikey and tooth-like with nerves. These are found on Chondrichthyes (like sharks and rays).

Ichthyology Notes 3/?

[bethanythebogwitch]

I heard it's Superb Owl Sunday so I have prepared some superb owls for you.

The barn owl is the most widespread species of owl, living on every continent except Antarctica. Their faces are shaped like a disk to help their hearing, giving them some of the best hearing of any owl. They mostly hunt by sound.

Snowy owls are the largest arctic predatory birds, They are born with black feathers and get whiter as they age. Females usually have more dark feathers than males.

Eastern screech owls have a few feather variants that make them look like completely different species.

The southern white-faced owl can increase its metabolic rate during winter to compensate for the cold and lack of food. They lay their eggs in nests built and abandoned by other birds.

The great grey owl is the largest owl by length, but a lot of that is feathers and they're actually very light for their size. Their hearing is good enough to hear rodents burrowing through snow and they can break through hard-packed snow to catch prey.

Blakiston's fish owl is the largest owl by mass and eats mostly fish. Despite the name, they may be more closely related to eagle owls than fish owls.

The elf owl is the smallest owl species, barely larger than a sparrow. They hunt bugs and play dead when caught. They like to live in holes in saguaro cacti.

Burrowing owls live in underground burrows. While they can dig, they mostly take over burrows from other animals. Farmers killing prairie dogs has severely reduced burrowing owl populations. They decorate their burrows with feces to attract bugs to eat.

The barking owl is called that because

Its nice to have a day to appreciate superb owls. Feel free to spread the love by reblogging with some more owl facts.

[samimarkart]

cephalopodssss

[sturgeonposting]

Lowkey grinds my gears when people tag me in pictures of gar

Like he is beautiful he is wonderful but he is not a sturgeon

He doesn’t even have denticles

he doesn’t even scutes

Come on guys let’s put on our thinking caps

[sturgeonposting]

And another thing

[sturgeonposting]

the recurring theme of my life

[bogleech]

I took my second ADHD pill a little too late I guess because it was suddenly 4 am and I made this thing about why parasitic organisms are shaped like ways and how to consider that for your fiction settings. Raw text version below the cut for people with busted seeing:

Keep reading

[twinprime]

when i die i hope i come back as a beautiful microscopic granule of sand

[twinprime]

these are all me in my next life btw

[lepertamar]

#these are mostly Foraminifera and I once spent a month sorting through thousands of these on a microscope slide#I did resent them terribly for a while but I respect them too much for any of it to stick#they were 40 million years old#their shells hold chemical memories of the water temperature and salinity#so we can use them to reconstruct past sea levels#we can read the shapes of dead continents through the bodies of these creatures#we can track cycles of earth’s orbital precession in space#so I guess even if you don’t get to come back as a beautiful microscopic grain of sand something will (@catadromously )

[official-nature-posts]

Official nature post

[fishyfishyfishtimes]

Fish fact #880

Barreleye!

Much like in other members of the family Opisthoproctidae, its eyes are encased under a transparent dome of flexible tissue and surrounded by fluid. It is theorised that its head dome protects its eyes from the stinging tentacles of siphonophores, which it feeds on and may steal food from!

[fishyfishyfishtimes]

Daily fish fact #879

Lampreys!

Carnivorous lamprey species will use their circular mouth lined with teeth to suction and hold onto the side of an animal, and then bore into the animal's flesh with their sharp tongues! Some carnivorous lampreys feed on blood only, some feed on blood and flesh, and some feed on flesh only — lampreys that feed on blood even produce a great deal of anticoagulant, which stops the blood from clotting and makes it significantly easier to eat.

[critter-of-the-day]

2nd of November 2024: Merendon Pit Viper

First Snake Saturday of the month, and I shall use it to introduce the Merendon Palm Pit Viper (Bothriechis thalassinus). They’re an arboreal snake [1] around half a metre in length [2].

They’re a type of pit viper, meaning they have a pit organ which helps them detect radiant heat, allowing them to hunt at night. They’re generalist predators, feeding on lizards, amphibians, small mammals, and birds [1], however they used to feed a lot on one particular genus of streamside frog (Craugastor), but they disappeared, leaving The Merendon Palm Pit Vipers in a decline [3].

They are found in wet or moist lower montane forest in Guatemala and Honduras, and one of their recognisable features is their colour. Their species name thalassinus actually derives from the blue-green tinges and spots they have on their body [2]. Their habitat is quite small and fragmented, which in addition to them being illegally exported for the pet trade, leaves them Endangered [3]. At least part of their habitat is on the Sierra Caral Amphibian Reserve though, which was bought by nature conservation groups in 2012 [4].

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [Image] 

[pleistocene-pride]

The Baudet du Poitou, also called the Poitevin or Poitou donkey, is a large French breed of domestic donkey. The exact origins of the Poitou breed are unknown, but donkeys may have been introduced to the Poitou region of France by the Roman Empire. The Baudet de Poitou and the Mulassière horse breed were developed together for the use of producing superior mules. In the Middle Ages, owning a Poitou donkey may have been a status symbol among the local French nobility. In the mid-1800s, Poitevin mules were "regarded as the finest and strongest in France", and between 15,000 and 18,000 were sold annually. In 1884, a studbook was established for the Poitou donkey in France. During the first half of the twentieth century, the mules bred by the Poitou and the Poitevin continued to be desired throughout Europe, and were called the "finest working mule in the world". As mechanization increased around World War II, mules became outmoded, and the Poitou donkey population fell dramatically. After a a breed census in 1977 found only 44 Poitou donkeys worldwide, conservation efforts were led by several public and private groups in France and Portugal. These efforts proved successful and today around 2,000 Poitou donkeys are known. With females reaching 4.6 (1.4m) tall at the shoulders, and males reaching 5.2ft (1.56m), the Baudet is a one of the largest breeds of domestic donkey with only the Catalan, Mammoth Jack, Andalusian, and Balearic breeds reaching similar or larger sizes. They have large, long heads, strong necks, long backs, short croups and round haunches. The limb joints and feet are large, and the legs strong.The temperament has been described as "friendly, affectionate and docile". In Poitou, the coat of the Baudet was traditionally – and deliberately – left ungroomed; with time, it formed cadenettes aka long shaggy locks somewhat like dreadlocks. The coat is typically dark brown to black but may also by silver, dark grey, or red.