commentarium animalium

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These animals are tunicates, otherwise known as Sea Squirts. Along with humans, they are in the phylum chordata which makes them closer relatives to vertebrates than other invertebrates such as insects. As larvae, they are free swimming and have what is called a notochord. This notochord was a precursor to the backbone and is found in humans as the discs between our vertebrae. As they reach maturity, they attach onto rocks or other substrate and digest their entire nervous system leaving just their stomachs. They live the rest of their lives as sessile filter feeders. [x]

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Kakapos or Owl Parrots are large, flightless parrots endemic to New Zealand. They are surprisingly good climbers and walk many miles for food and to breeding grounds called leks where many males gather and advertise to females. Their mating call consists of a very low frequency boom that carries for many miles. Their population has been reduced to four islands and are considered critically endangered. Major threats are the cats and rats that were introduced by European settlers. [x]

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Basically upside down Sea Stars, Feather Stars, also known as Crinoids, are a very interesting class with approximately 625 species known. Generally stationary during the day, they tend to come out at night or extend their arms in order to trap food. Like other Echinoderms, Feather Stars have tube feet, however their tube feet lack the suction cups that are present in Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, etc. They instead secrete mucus that traps food particles and directs it into grooves where cilia move the particles to the mouth. [x]

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Pygmy or Silky Anteaters live in the forests of Mexico, Central America, and south to Bolivia. Little is known about the elusive species due to its arboreal and nocturnal behavior. They are solitary animals and like other anteaters, put their paws in front of their face when threatened so they can swipe with their large claws. Although their forests are being destroyed, they are listed as least concern because of their wide range, presumed large population, and tolerance to habitat modification. [x]

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Two recently hatched Sunda scops (Otus lempiji). These owls range from 20-25 cm. in height and are one of few species of owls that actually benefit from human activities. [x]

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Meerkats, or Suricata suricatta, have more than 20 sounds with which they use to communicate--20 is just the number that has been recorded by researchers. Out of the 6 groups of calls, I personally think that the pup feeding calls are the most interesting. Meerkats know the different calls for each age group of pups and so when a pup cries out to be fed, adult meerkats will search for age appropriate food and then proceed to bring it back to the hungry pup. [x]

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Scientists have recently discovered 24 new species of skink, smooth-bodied lizards, in the Caribbean, which was previously known to be the habitat to only 6 species. One of the new species found, the Anguilla Bank Skink, as seen above, is one of two species of skink in the Caribbean that has a blue tail; however, while its existence is not threatened by mongoose on the islands of Anguilla and St. Barthélemy, the Anguilla Bank Skink faces habitat destruction and invasive predators, such as the black rat. The IUCN considers this newfound species to be vulnerable and has proposed that it be listed as such. [x]  

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Hippopotamuses, meaning “river horse” in Greek, are the third largest land mammals after the Elephant and the Rhinoceros. They secret a red oil from their skin that absorbs much of the UV and acts as a natural sun block. It has webbed feet and can hold its breath for 5 minutes. Despite these adaptations, they aren’t particularly good swimmers and are too dense to even float. The preferred method of locomotion is “galloping” underwater. The majority of hippo activities take place underwater including mating, fighting, and childbirth. A mother must help a baby hippo surface for it to take its first breath. They come up on land at dusk to travel many miles to feed on grasses. Highly territorial, they are one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. [x]

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Baby elephants, called calves, can weigh around 250 pounds when born and are about 3 feet tall when standing. While they have poor eyesight for a while after birth, they have the ability to recognize their mothers based on smell, touch, and sound. [x]

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Rhinoceros beetles, or Dynastinae, are incredibly strong for their size, being able to carry up to 850 times their body weight. There are more than 300 species of rhinoceros beetles and their large horns are used for fighting during mating season and digging. When used for fighting, these beetles are able to lift their competitors and throw them off of trees. [x]

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This one isn't about animals. The arbre du tenere or the lonely tree of tenere was the most isolated tree in the world. It was a solitary acacia that was 250 miles from the nearest tree. An important landmark in the vast Sahara of northeast Niger, it helped people on the caravan routes through the area. The Sahara was less arid a long time ago and there were a group of these trees. This tree was subsisting on a water table over 100 feet below the surface. In 1973, a drunk driver hit it with his truck. It was uprooted. A statue now stands in the place where it once stood. [x]

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Habitat destruction, negative human impact, and degradation are resulting in the extinction of many of the top felines, including lions, tigers, cheetahs, etc. The National Geographic Society and Dereck and Beverly Joubert created the Big Cats Initiative, in order to educate about and support conservation projects and campaigns. One of the group's top concerns, at the moment, is stopping the drop in lion populations. There were over one million lions about 2,000 years ago in Africa, however now the numbers are thought to be as low as 20,000 lions. Donate now, or see what you can do to help!

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Cheetahs make a variety of vocalizations. Unlike big cats like lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars, they can’t roar but instead can purr like housecats. This is because of the structure of their hyoid bone. Their purr shows a content mood but also can portray nervousness. A birdlike chirp is used by mothers and cubs to call each other. Mothers alternate this with an ‘ihn-ihn’ sound to call her young. This is the call the mother and the cub are making in the gif. Growling and hissing shows aggression and defense while bleating which is similar to meowing is a distress call. The male stutter call can actually trigger ovulation in the female which accounts for the erratic reproductive cycles. [x][x]

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The Western Black Rhinoceros was declared extinct by the IUCN in November 2011. The other subspecies of black rhinoceros are considered critically endangered. There are less than 5,000 left in the wild. They have been hunted to near extinction for their horns which are used in traditional Asian medicine to treat various ailments ranging from nosebleeds, to fever, to cancer. There is no scientific basis for these treatments. Their horns are also used as material which is beautiful when carved. There is also a large trade around the poaching and illegal sale of elephant ivory. America is a major importer of illegal ivory due to recent sales on the internet such as eBay. The Black Rhinoceros in the photo was shot by poachers who then sawed off both horns. It had to be euthanized by vets due to a broken shoulder. [x]

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Cheetahs have a unique social organization among the cats. The females are not territorial and are solitary. They are accompanied by a litter usually three cubs. Males are either solitary or live in coalitions of litter mates and go around to mate with as many females as possible. The cubs are born blind and helpless but after 2 years, they are abandoned by their mothers. Cubs often fall prey to hyenas, lions, leopards, and hunting dogs. Cheetahs are classified as vulnerable by IUCN due to poaching, tourism, and habitat loss. There is an Asian subspecies that only remains as a population of under 100 in Iran which is critically endangered. [x]

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Scientists often discover new species in exotic rainforests and other remote corners of the globe. You wouldn't expect a new species to be discovered in NYC. However, a new leopard frog species was recently discovered and the center of its range is right on Yankee Stadium. It originally lived in Manhattan before it was paved over and still survives in the remaining wetlands around New York and New Jersey. It goes to show how much there is to know about the natural world. [x]

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Gynandromorph, from the greek words "gyne" meaning female and "andro" meaning male, is an animal that shows characteristics of both sexes. It can be clearly seen in butterflies like this birdwing butterfly, O. goliath procus, from Indonesia. Birdwings are the largest in the world and have a wingspan of up to 12 inches. These butterflies are endangered due to habitat destruction. [x]