tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31752552590384572612024-02-02T02:37:37.133-05:00Ashland Vertebrate BiologyA course blog for Bio 328 - Vertebrate Biology at Ashland University in Ohio.Mason Posnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00027326710842603888noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-71746907209602840512014-12-08T00:07:00.000-05:002014-12-08T00:07:57.139-05:00It's a bird! It's a beaver! No, it's the duck billed platypus!The Duck Billed Platypus (<i>Ornithorhynchus anatinus</i>)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Platypus_BrokenRiver_QLD_Australia.jpg/1024px-Platypus_BrokenRiver_QLD_Australia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Platypus_BrokenRiver_QLD_Australia.jpg/1024px-Platypus_BrokenRiver_QLD_Australia.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Classification </b><br />
<ul>
<li> The duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of the most mixed up, interesting animals in the world. It has the head of a duck, the body of an otter, the tail of a beaver, and poisonous spurs to boot! Other than the echidna, it is <a href="http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/monotreme.html">one of the five living species</a> of Monotremes, which are egg-laying mammals. </li>
</ul>
<b>Range and Habitat</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/evolution/ornithorhynchus-anatinus/distribution-ecology/index.html">Platypuses are native to Australia</a> and are found on the east coast of Australia in Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales. There is also a small population of platypuses on Kangaroo Island, which is just south of Australia. Their range is limited to the north due to predation by crocodiles and severe flooding. They live in freshwater rivers, streams, farm dams, lagoons and lakes. Platypuses prefer bodies of water that have earthen banks with overhanging plants, tree roots, reeds and logs. The females make their dens in the sides of banks high enough so that they will not flood. They make two burrows, one for sharing with a male and one to have offspring in. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Platypus_Distribution.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Platypus_Distribution.png" height="288" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Physical Description </b><br />
<ul>
<li>Platypuses look like a strange conglomerate of different animals. They have the tail of a beaver, a duck bill-like mouth, and the fur and body of an otter. Their toes have webbing between them to help aid in swimming. Their tails are used in swimming and are also used for fat storage. They also have poisonous spurs hidden behind their hind legs that the males keep through maturity and can be used to inject a <a href="http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/monotremelh.html">painful poison into potential attackers.</a> Their fur is short, brown, thick and waterproof. <a href="http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/egg_laying_mammals/duck_billed_platypus.html">Platypuses are any where between a foot and two feet long and weigh between two and four pounds.</a>
<b> </b></li>
</ul>
<b>Ecology</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.platypus.asn.au/distribution_and_status.html">Platypuses fit into a niche similar to that of a muskrat</a> in so much that they are preyed upon by snakes, water rats, monitor lizards, crocodiles, and birds of prey. However platypuses do not eat as much water vegetation like muskrats and instead eat small invertebrates living at the bottom of bodies of water. </li>
</ul>
<b>Evolutionary History</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080507-platypus_2.html">Platypuses represent a key point in the evolution of mammals.</a> According to a genomic analysis, they are the earliest offshoot of the mammalian tree. They split from other mammals about 166 million years ago and their genes represent a key transitional point in the evolution from reptiles to mammals. Platypuses lay eggs like reptiles do, but they also produce milk like mammals. </li>
</ul>
<b><span id="goog_1701144977"></span><span id="goog_1701144978"></span>Physiology</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.platypus.org.uk/facts-descrip.htm">One of the platypus’ most distinctive futures is its bill.</a> The platypus bill is actually a highly specialized sensory structure the platypus uses to find <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/evolution/ornithorhynchus-anatinus/distribution-ecology/index.html">benthic prey</a> while swimming around with its eyes closed. It has a large amount of nerve endings in its bill that detect not only physical touch extremely well, but also the small electrical charges produced by muscles of its prey. Platypuses store food they find in cheek pouches and chew it when they surface. The <a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/platypus/">platypus does not have teeth</a>, but rather has grinding pads and uses gravel it picks up from the bottom of streams, ponds, and lakes to grind its food. The nostrils of platypuses are located on the top of the bill so that they can breath while most of their body is submerged. Another interesting part of the platypus anatomy is the poisonous spur. The spurs are located on the ankles of the hind legs. They are hollow and connected to venom glands via a duct. The venom is not lethal to humans, but is extremely painful and has been known to kill dogs. <a href="http://www.conservationinstitute.org/platypus-facts/">Platypuses lay around 1-4 eggs and they take only 10-14 days to hatch.</a> </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Platypus_spur.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Platypus_spur.JPG" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Behavior</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.conservationinstitute.org/platypus-facts/">Platypuses are mostly nocturnal or crepuscular creatures.</a>
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part of the night.</span>
They dive to feed for 20-30 second intervals, coming up for breath in between. They tend to live solitary lifestyles when not breeding and males give each other a wide berth because of their poisonous spurs. Platypuses make a few noises, which include a puppy-like growl and a noise that sounds similar to a brooding hen.</li>
</ul>
<b>Conservation Status</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Although rarely seen, <a href="http://www.platypus.asn.au/distribution_and_status.html">platypuses are not considered to be in danger of going extinct.</a> The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as “least concern.” However, there is evidence that suggests population sizes have decreased due to lack of suitable surface water for platypuses to live in. Some things that contribute to the decline in platypus populations include channel sedimentation, habitat loss, droughts, fishing nets, and man-made water control. </li>
</ul>
<b>References</b><br />
<ol>
<li><b>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Australian Platypus Conservancy |
Platypus Fact File - - Distribution and Status. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7,
2014, from <a href="http://www.platypus.asn.au/distribution_and_status.html">http://www.platypus.asn.au/distribution_and_status.html</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><b>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Duck-Billed Platypus: The Animal Files.
(2014, January 1). Retrieved December 7, 2014, from <a href="http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/egg_laying_mammals/duck_billed_platypus.html">http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/egg_laying_mammals/duck_billed_platypus.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Monotremata: Life History &
Ecology. (1994, January 1). Retrieved December 7, 2014, from <a href="http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/monotremelh.html">http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/monotremelh.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Monotremes. (1994, January 1).
Retrieved December 7, 2014, from <a href="http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/monotreme.html">http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/monotreme.html</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">New Page 1. (n.d.). Retrieved December
7, 2014, from <a href="http://www.platypus.org.uk/facts-descrip.htm">http://www.platypus.org.uk/facts-descrip.htm</a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nowak. (1999, January 1).
Ornithorhynchus anatinus (platypus): Distribution and Ecology. Retrieved
December 7, 2014, from <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/evolution/ornithorhynchus-anatinus/distribution-ecology/index.html">http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/evolution/ornithorhynchus-anatinus/distribution-ecology/index.html</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ornithorhynchus anatinus. (2013,
November 15). Retrieved December 7, 2014, from <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ornithorhynchus_anatinus">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ornithorhynchus_anatinus</a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Platypus Facts - Interesting Facts
About Platypus - Habitat, Diet & MOre. (2014, January 1). Retrieved
December 7, 2014, from <a href="http://www.conservationinstitute.org/platypus-facts/">http://www.conservationinstitute.org/platypus-facts/</a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Platypus Genome Reveals Secrets of
Mammal Evolution. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2014, from <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080507-platypus_2.html">http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080507-platypus_2.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Platypuses, Platypus Pictures, Platypus
Facts - National Geographic. (2014, January 1). Retrieved December 5, 2014,
from <a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/platypus/">http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/platypus/</a></span></div>
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<ol></ol>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-39431891959156505322014-12-07T23:53:00.003-05:002014-12-07T23:57:57.303-05:00Albert's Lyrebird by Paige Martin<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Albert's Lyrebird</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Species Common,
Scientific Name, and Classification<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Menura alberti is a small ground dwelling bird that is
rare and only lives in Australia. It is known by three common names Albert's
Lyrebird, Prince Albert, and the Northern Lyrebird. The taxonomic classification
of this bird is as follows Menuridae: Passeriformes: Aves: Chordata: Animalia.
<o:p></o:p><br />
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=652 </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Range and Habitat</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This bird is not threatened but is listed as rare and
vulnerable by the Australian Government Department of the Environment. It has
one of the smallest distribution ranges of any bird in Australia. It resides
only in a small section around the border of far south-east Queensland and far
north-east NSW. It does not ever leave this area because it does not migrate to
breed. Within these ranges it is not
evenly distributed. For example, Small groups of birds will live in one area of
the overall range and other groups will isolate themselves in random other
parts of the range. This random distribution means that there is not expected
to be much gene flow between the small populations. Because of this and the
small range that they live in a threating environmental event could be enough
to completely wipe out entire populations or the species. The population of
this bird has been decreasing since European settlement. Most of its habitat
was cleared in the 19<sup>th</sup> century, but there has been continued
development of its habitat and the bird is being forced to move to higher
altitude forests. Therefore, most of its habitat today is only in nature
reserves. As long as these areas are maintained the Menura ablerti’s
populations numbers are not expected to drop dramatically. (<a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=652">http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=652</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These birds like to live in a very wet environment. As a
result, They live in the wettest rainforests wet sclerophyll forests with a wet
understory. They prefer these rainforests to have a <span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">eucalypts canopy and in the </span>sclerophyll forests they like large
amounts of leaf litter. (<a href="http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10525">http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10525</a>)
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Physical Description
and Image<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The females are approximately 75 cm in long and males 90 cm long. They are chestnut-brown
in color and have a brownish-red on the bottom of their tail, hindquarters, and
throat. A tail display is used to attract females. The male flips and spreads
its tail over its body and head. Not only does the male use the positioning of
the tail to win over females the colorations and types of feathers on the tail
also play a role in this. The male has two outer feathers that are black and
broad; they have bushy filamentaries which are black and silvery, and two long
slim ribbons. All this aids in attracting the females. For females the tail is
not important for mating therefore its not several colors and is not as long as
the males.<o:p></o:p>(<a href="http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10525">http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10525</a>)</div>
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<b>Behavior<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The Albert's Lyrebird is a shy bird. They are not commonly seen
by people but they are often heard by the males. This is due to the males
mating call and their mimicking of other birds call. The territories usually
contain 5 to 15 birds but it is typical to only fine one or two together at a
time. Because they like to be alone for the most part they don’t move location
much through the year. They build domed nests either 2 to 5 meters up in a tree
or up on rock ridges. The egg has an incubation period of 42 days. <a href="https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/near-threatened/alberts_lyrebird.html">https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/near-</a><a href="https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/near-threatened/alberts_lyrebird.html">threatened/alberts_lyrebird.html</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1G_rCNGiV_s/VIUtmYXFJlI/AAAAAAAAAEw/wEL_tev6pPM/s1600/Birdddd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1G_rCNGiV_s/VIUtmYXFJlI/AAAAAAAAAEw/wEL_tev6pPM/s1600/Birdddd.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lyrebird_Albert_f_20091125_flash.JPG">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lyrebird_Albert_f_20091125_flash.JPG</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Conservation Status <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The Species is listed as near threatened. It is not a top priority
on the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection list. The bird is not
a big priority because the species has been stable. There are actions being
taken to further protect the species. Even though the numbers are stable the
general population is so small that one natural disaster could be detrimental
to the species and it could possibly not recover. <a href="https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/near-threatened/alberts_lyrebird.html">https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/near-threatened/alberts_lyrebird.html</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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The conservations actions that are currently in effect are a
study of the habitat distribution and population density, the Whian Whian State
Forest and the Eucalyptus plantations are now protected, state forests are
being turned into national parks, and finding actions to enhance the quality
and level of the habitat. <a href="http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=5161">http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=5161</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Ecology <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Albert's Lyrebird live in wet forests above 300m with thick
understories. They like poorer soil qualities because they look for food in the deep leaf litter on
the forest floor. <a href="http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=5161">http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=5161</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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They eat invertebrates that live in this soil and deep
leaf-litter. They particularly feed on insects and their larvae. http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10525 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Sources Used:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=5161">http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=5161</a><br />
<br />
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10525 <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/near-threatened/alberts_lyrebird.html">https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/near-threatened/alberts_lyrebird.html</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lyrebird_Albert_f_20091125_flash.JPG" style="text-align: center;">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lyrebird_Albert_f_20091125_flash.JPG</a></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-33698915555968585302014-12-07T23:52:00.001-05:002014-12-07T23:57:29.442-05:00The Red River Hog <div class="MsoNormal">
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" 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" /><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/35110249@N05/8487383879/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/35110249@N05/8487383879/</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Red river hogs don’t
actually live in a red river like their name suggests, although they are
particular to moist areas and areas that are close to bodies of water. Red
river hogs actually get their name because of their distinctive reddish brown
fur. The red river hog’s scientific name is </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_river_hog">Potamochoerus porcus</a>,</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> but they are commonly known as “bush pigs.” These bush pigs are
considered even toed ungulates, so they are part of the vertebrate order
artiodactyla. Since they are so particular to water, they are considerably good
swimmers that can swim both above and below the water. Red river hogs are
native to Africa and can live up to fifteen years in the wild.</span></div>
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<table class="infobox biota" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border-spacing: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); clear: right; color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.5em 0px 0.5em 1em; padding: 0.2em; width: 200px;"><tbody style="border-top-style: none;">
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Kingdom:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="kingdom" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Animal">Animalia</a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Phylum:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="phylum" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chordate" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Chordate">Chordata</a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Class:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="class" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammal" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Mammal">Mammalia</a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Superorder:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="superorder" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetartiodactyla" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Cetartiodactyla">Cetartiodactyla</a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Order:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="order" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artiodactyla" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Artiodactyla">Artiodactyla</a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Family:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="family" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suidae" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Suidae">Suidae</a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Genus:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="genus" style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potamochoerus" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Potamochoerus">Potamochoerus</a></i></span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Species:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="species"><i><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;">P. porcus</span></b></i></span><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><u><br /></u></span></span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_river_hog"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_river_hog</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>Range and Habitat</u></b></span><br />
Red river hogs are widely distributed through both the West and Central African rainforest belt, from Senegal in the west throughout the Guinea-Congo forest and to the west of the Albertine Rift. (1) They are typically found in rain forests, gallery forests, and moist savanna wetlands. They also inhabit thickets and swamps. The hogs prefer areas near slow waterways and where dense vegetation occurs. (4) They will also congregate around human villages. Although they prefer moist areas, the habitat varies. Red river hogs are highly adaptable and can benefit from the opening of former forested areas by creating secondary habitats, provision of cultivated foods, and the reductions in numbers of their predators. (3)<br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><u>Physical Description</u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On average the red
river hog is the smallest of the wild African pigs. It is easily recognizable
by its bright red wiry fur, which gives it its name. It has a stocky body with
strong shoulders and a large, wedged shape head used to uproot tough
vegetation. They have long pointed ears with white tufts and there is a
distinctive white ring around each eye. Researchers actually believe that the
ears are used in territorial or dominance displays. The red river hog also has a
prominent white mane that runs down </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">the midline of its back along with long
white whiskers. The canine teeth form tusks, like in all other wild pigs. Tusks
not only occur on the males but also on the females. (2) The distinctive features
that males have to distinguish them from females are the warts found above the
eyes. These warts protrude about four centimeters from the head, but they are
not easily seen due to the amount of facial hair surrounding them. (1) There are
thirteen recognized subspecies, so the physical characteristics vary across the
hogs’ range. The West-African bush pig
is the one described above with reddish fur and a white dorsal stripe. In the
eastern and southern parts of their range, the pigs vary from different shades
of red to brown to black. (2) They can also become darker with age.</span></div>
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<img src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS0vrxTRX3sK-LcByvDevpS41mpa1GRNjvQQozccDCZBxYwZsaFlg" /><br />
<a href="http://silvercrossfox.deviantart.com/art/Red-River-Hog-172463533"> http://silvercrossfox.deviantart.com/art/Red-River-Hog-172463533</a><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Behavior</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">Red
river hogs are very social animals. They form small family groups of about four
to six members that are led by the dominant male (boar). Although larger groups
of about fifty hogs have been seen congregating, these groups usually avoid
each other and can become aggressive when their groups come into contact with
one another. (1) They are known to mark their paths using two unique techniques.
The first is leaving their scent that is secreted from facial glands, like from
the neck and preorbital gland, and they also have glands in their feet that are
easily used to mark their paths. (2) The other technique they use is scraping the
trees with their canines (tusks). (2) The sound that the red river hog makes is
easily comparable to those of other wild pigs. When they feel threatened or are
fighting however they will make a low squealing sound that develops into a
roar-like sound. They are most active during the night and are known to retreat
to burrows with dense vegetation during the day. They are capable of covering
long distances in search of food. In the wild the breeding season for these hogs begins in September and goes until April. The peak season is in the wetter months of November through February. Females are sexually mature at the age of three. (2) Their gestation period is roughly four months and the litter size can consist of one to six piglets. The average litters contain four piglets. (2) The female will make her own nest, which is large and hidden deep in the grasses and lined with vegetation. (4) The female is also the primary caregiver, but the piglets do receive attention from the dominant male as well. The piglets are allowed to leave the nest after only a couple days, and the female and her piglets will then rejoin the group. (4) Young males are able to make their own small "bachelor herds" while they wait for their chance to become the dominant male of a group. (4) The young females usually remain in their natal group. Once the adult female is able to reproduce again, the younger offspring are pushed aside. </span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/j80gayKrZz4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Here is a video of the red river hogs at the Sand Diego Zoo with their babies! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j80gayKrZz4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j80gayKrZz4</a></div>
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<b><u>Conservation Status</u></b><br />
Red river hogs are not considered to be an endangered species. According to the ADW, their numbers are on the rise due to their top predator, the leopard, being hunted by humans and also because of the increase in agriculture. (2) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists the bush pigs as a "least concern." This is due to the species being relatively widespread and common. (3) There are also no major threats that seem to be resulting in a significant population decline. There are several positive and negative economic issues for humans concerning the red river hog. The red river hog can be a food source for humans, and it is also said that it's possible to domesticate these pigs. (2) Because their population numbers are on the rise, red river hogs can be very destructive. In large groups the red river hogs can destroy crops and can eat livestock. (2) They are also known to carry diseases, like the <a href="http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/disease_asf.asp">African Swine Fever</a>, that does not affect the hogs but can affect domesticated livestock. (2) Although there have been decent increases in red river hog populations, some areas have noticed drastic declines, like southern Gabon due to hunting. The hogs have also become a problem for farmers who shoot the pigs when they see them in hopes of exterminating them. (4) The red river hog can be found in various protected areas throughout its range. Organizations like the <a href="http://www.bushmeat.org/">Bushmeat Crisis Task Force</a> are working to help prevent the harvest of African wildlife for the commercial bushmeat trade. (1)<br />
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<br />
References<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(1) </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Red River Hog (Potamochoerus Porcus)." </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Red River Hog <span class="flj5kl2" id="flj5kl2_5" style="border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; height: 14px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Videos</span>, Photos and Facts</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. Wildscreen Arkive. </span><span class="flj5kl2" id="flj5kl2_6" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 14px; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Web</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. Dec. 2014. <http://www.arkive.</span><span class="flj5kl2" id="flj5kl2_2" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 14px; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">org</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">/red-river-hog/potamochoerus-porcus/></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(2) </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Potamochoerus Porcus (red River Hog)." </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Animal <span class="vbsu65" id="vbsu65_2" style="border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; height: 14px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Diversity Web</span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. </span><span class="vbsu65" id="vbsu65_3" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 14px; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">National Science</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Foundation (NSF) & University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Web. Dec. 2014. <http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Potamochoerus_porcus/>.</span><br />
(3) <span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Querouil, S. & Leus, K. 2008. </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Potamochoerus porcus</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. <</span><a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">www.iucnredlist.org</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">>. </span><br />
(4) <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Red River Hog Potamochoerus Porcus." </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Saczoo.org</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. The Sacramento Zoological Society. Web. Dec. 2014. <http://www.saczoo.org/document.doc?id=445>.</span><br />
(5) <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"</span><span class="ot643d05" id="ot643d05_4" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 14px; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Emergency</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> Prevention System for Animal Health (EMPRES-AH)." </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Emergency <span class="ot643d05" id="ot643d05_5" style="border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; height: 14px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Prevention</span>System for Animal Health (EMPRES-AH)</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. Animal Production and </span><span class="ot643d05" id="ot643d05_2" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 14px; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Health Division</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. Web. Dec. 2014. <http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/disease_asf.asp>.</span><br />
(6) <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"</span><span class="fg85u5" id="fg85u5_7" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 14px; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Home</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> | Bushmeat Crisis Task </span><span class="fg85u5" id="fg85u5_5" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 14px; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Force</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">." </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Home | Bushmeat <span class="fg85u5" id="fg85u5_8" style="border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; height: 14px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Crisis</span> Task Force</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. </span><span class="fg85u5" id="fg85u5_6" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 14px; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">Web</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. Dec. 2014. <http://www.bushmeat.</span><span class="fg85u5" id="fg85u5_2" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid !important; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(213, 0, 0) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 14px; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">org</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">/>.</span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-48893478920461050432014-12-07T23:47:00.003-05:002014-12-07T23:47:07.998-05:00The Golden Monkeys of the New World<div style="text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTTmkxEB_SiF2yMT7kOlqNS_d_C0Qj87fOOUV-4EYTIJSv9pqYb" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTTmkxEB_SiF2yMT7kOlqNS_d_C0Qj87fOOUV-4EYTIJSv9pqYb" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Google Images<br />
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<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Kingdom:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="kingdom" style="white-space: nowrap;">Animalia</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Phylum:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="phylum" style="white-space: nowrap;">Chordata</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Class:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="class" style="white-space: nowrap;">Mammalia</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Order:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="order" style="white-space: nowrap;">Primates</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Family:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="family" style="white-space: nowrap;">Callitrichidae</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Genus:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="genus" style="white-space: nowrap;"><i>Leontopithecus</i></span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Species:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span class="species" style="white-space: nowrap;"><i>L. rosalia</i></span></td></tr>
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The golden lion tamarin, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_lion_tamarin#Habitat_and_distribution"><i>Leontopithecus rosalia</i></a>, is an endangered primate native to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, in South America. However, its habitat has been reduced to approximately 5% of its original size due to deforestation, predation, and illegal poaching. Luckily, through conservation efforts, translocation, and reintroduction programs, this little monkey is making a comeback along the coastal areas of Brazil and its numbers are slowly increasing.<br />
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<b><u><a href="http://www.denverzoo.org/animals/golden-lion-tamarin">Physiology:</a></u></b><br />
The golden lion tamarin belongs to the family <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callitrichidae">callitrichidae</a>, a group of new world monkeys that includes marmosets and tamarins. It is the largest of the callitrichines, weighing in at approximately 1.3 pounds and the length of their body being somewhere between six and ten inches, not including the ten to sixteen inch tail. They get their name from the distinctive reddish gold hairs that surround their face and ears, creating a brilliant mane around their dark, hairless face. The golden color of their hair is thought to be caused by the sunlight and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotenoid">organic pigments</a> found in their food. Unlike <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_World_monkey">old world monkeys</a> and apes, who have flat finger and toe nails, the golden lion tamarin and all other <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_World_monkey">new world monkeys</a> have tegulae (1), small claw-like nails that allows the monkey to easily cling to the bark of trees and branches. Their sharp claws, combined with their prehensile tail, are the monkeys mode of transportation, allowing them to quickly travel among the branches in which they live, jumping from tree to tree, and even running, squirrel-like, through the treetops. Golden lion tamarins are not sexually dimorphic, so both male and the female monkeys are both relatively the same size and color.<br />
<br />
<b><u><a href="http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/golden_lion_tamarin/behav">Behavior:</a></u></b><br />
In the wild, golden lion tamarins live in groups of two to eleven, with the average group number ranging around five. However, average group sizes have decreased in recent years due to high levels of predation. The social structure of the group varies, but always includes one dominant male and female breeding pair. Most dominant males are monogamous, breeding with only one female, but occasionally they will exhibit polygamous behavior and breed with two females, usually a mother/daughter pair. In addition to the ruling pair, there will be several subadult, juvenile, and infant members of the group that are usually offspring of the dominant breeding pair. If there is more than one adult male in the group, one asserts his dominance over the other via physical violence and by<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.guim.co.uk/static/w-620/h--/q-95/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2012/4/26/1335451702817/A-golden-lion-tamarin-wit-008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.guim.co.uk/static/w-620/h--/q-95/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2012/4/26/1335451702817/A-golden-lion-tamarin-wit-008.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: The Guardian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"arch walking", where the dominant male will arch his back while walking on all fours, much like a frightened cat. Dominant relationships among the group are determined by a seniority ranking. Those who have been in the group territory longer have a higher hierarchical ranking. For example, if an immigrant male finds his way into the group, a young female who has inherited her mother's breeding position will have dominance over him. Furthermore, females within a group may be related to one another, but males can be non-natal, which is to say they were not born into the group. The logic behind this hinges on the <a href="http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/fs/glossary/glossary.php?term=312">dispersal patterns</a> of adult monkeys. At the age of four, both males and females leave their original group, forming single sex groups and looking for a group they can immigrate into. However, in order to do so, a vacancy must appear in a group, leaving a spot open to be taken over by a new member. For example, if a dominant female dies, her daughter moves up to take her place. Rather than mating with his daughter, the dominant male moves out, leaving an open space available for a new male to move up in rank or an immigrant male to move in. An immigrant male may also take over a group by challenging the reigning, male leader and winning. Two males, usually brothers are sometimes observed taking over a group, while one becomes dominant and asserts his power over the other. Unfortunately for females, those who disperse do not often make it into a new group and usually die or disappear before finding a new home. However, family groups are hostile towards one another, with the dominant male and female behaving violently towards imposing strangers and trespassers (3).<br />
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<b><u><a href="http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/golden_lion_tamarin">Ecology:</a></u></b><br />
Golden lion tamarins are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnivore">omnivorous</a>, eating everything from fruits and flowers to birds eggs, insects, and small vertebrates. Although much of their original habitat has been destroyed, small microhabitats exist within their current range, including<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromeliaceae"> bromeliads</a>, vine tangles, and rotting logs, that are important to the monkeys' foraging habits and living patterns. The tamarins use their elongated fingers to catch small prey hiding in crevices and underneath leaves. Insects, however,only make up approximately 15% of their diet, while a considerably larger portion of their diet consists of fruit, found in the leafy tree tops. During the dry season, when fruit and insects are not as abundant, they must rely on other sources of food, such as nectar, gum, and small animals, usually reptiles.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ_bt7FR2C-tJCxqKVfmwn4LwSEWu-OGRlPKY4gecg0R7X6Go8REg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ_bt7FR2C-tJCxqKVfmwn4LwSEWu-OGRlPKY4gecg0R7X6Go8REg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Flickr</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Because of their reliance on insects and fruit as a food source, golden lion tamarins are often referred to as <a href="http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/fs/glossary/glossary.php?term=19">fauni-frugivores</a>, an animal that specializes in eating fruits. Also, because they feed on fruits and flowers, they are important to plant germination and seed dispersal. Acting as a transportation device for pollen and seeds (4). The monkeys spend their days foraging food, starting with fruit in the morning and moving on to foraging for insects and resting in the afternoon. As the afternoon progresses, they spend the rest of the day traveling to their nighttime nesting sights, where they sleep in groups, usually in hollow tree cavities or in dense vines. During the warmer, wetter season, the tamarins start their foraging earlier and end it later than they do during the colder, drier season. Although most callitrichines depend on gums and saps as a staple part of their diet, golden lion tamarins only rely on them as a supplementary source, only eating it when other food sources are low.<br />
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<b><u>Habitat and Distribution:</u></b><br />
The golden lion tamarin is native to the rain forests of Eastern Brazil, specifically, the Atlantic Coastal Forest. Because of deforestation, they have lost all but approximately 5% of their original habitat and are now limited to three specific areas, Poço (POH-so) das Antas Biological Reserve, Fazenda União Biological Reserve, and some private land through the Reintroduction Program.<a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/EndangeredSpecies/GLTProgram/Learn/"> In Poço das Antas</a> (5), they prefer swamp jungle, situated no more than 300 ft. above sea level, which contains many vines, bromeliads, and a high density of both fruit and animal food sources. Because<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Leontopithecus_rosalia_distribution.svg/220px-Leontopithecus_rosalia_distribution.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Leontopithecus_rosalia_distribution.svg/220px-Leontopithecus_rosalia_distribution.svg.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Wikipedia</td></tr>
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<br />
all of this land originally fell victim to the logging industry, it is not as it once was, so it is not well known what the monkeys preferred before they were thrust into that situation. It is assumed that they preferred a humid, closed canopy forest with a large amount of vegetation that would provide pathways through the trees and protection from airborne predators. A <span style="text-align: center;">population estimate back in 1972 decided that there were approximately between 400 and 500 golden lion tamarins in the wild. A more recent count in 1981 determined the number to be less than 200 and an even more recent estimate has found that numbers have increased to be, at most, 400 individuals (2). </span><br />
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<b><u>Conservation:</u></b></div>
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The golden lion tamarin was first placed on the endangered species list by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Nature">IUCN</a>) in 1982. Not long after, in 1984, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Zoological_Park_(United_States)">National Zoological Park</a> in Washington D.C. and the World Wide Fund for Nature (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Fund_for_Nature">WWF</a>) started a reintroduction program through the Golden Lion Tamarin Association. This program enlisted the help of 140 zoos, worldwide, to breed and reintroduce golden lion tamarins back into the wild in order to boost wild populations. Despite the success of this project, the IUCN increased the level of endangerment to critically endangered in 1996. Deforestation, illegal poaching, and urbanization are some of the main reasons that there has been such a sharp decline in numbers. However, organizations, such as the Nation Zoo, has worked diligently to help bring these numbers back up, through specialized breeding programs, reintroduction, and translocation. By increasing the wild populations by reintroduction and maintaining large breeding groups in captivity, the conservation efforts have succeeded. However, deforestation and poaching are still fierce competitors and the battle is continual (1). </div>
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<b><u>Works Cited:</u></b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Golden lion tamarin. (2014, November 30). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_lion_tamarin">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_lion_tamarin</a></li>
<li>About Golden Lion Tamarins - National Zoo| FONZ. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from <a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/EndangeredSpecies/GLTProgram/Learn/">http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/EndangeredSpecies/GLTProgram/Learn/</a></li>
<li>Golden lion tamarinLeontopithecus rosalia. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from <a href="http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/golden_lion_tamarin">http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/golden_lion_tamarin</a></li>
<li>Lapenta, M. J., De Oliveira, P. P., Kierluff, M. C., & Motta-Junior, J. C. (2003). Fruit exploitation by golden lion tamarins (leontopithecus rosalia) in the uniao biological reserve, rio das ostras, rj - brazil. Mammalia. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.micoleao.org.br/arquivos/artigos/Lapenta%20et%20al_2003.pdf">http://www.micoleao.org.br/arquivos/artigos/Lapenta%20et%20al_2003.pdf</a></li>
<li>Leontopithecus rosalia. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/11506/0">http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/11506/0</a></li>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-21950735790206595702014-12-07T22:41:00.002-05:002014-12-07T22:42:34.010-05:00The Chinese Giant Salamander<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pc52BcDxVV8/VIUcTCrTofI/AAAAAAAAAHg/bPme-OoSZ1I/s1600/sally.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pc52BcDxVV8/VIUcTCrTofI/AAAAAAAAAHg/bPme-OoSZ1I/s1600/sally.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The Chinese giant salamander, or <i>Andrias
davidianus, </i>is the one of the </span><a href="http://www.arkive.org/chinese-giant-salamander/andrias-davidianus/"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">largest
amphibian</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">s in the world. Its' classification is as
follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Phylum: Chordata<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Class: Amphibia<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Order: Caudata<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Family: Cryptobranchidae<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The Cryptobranchid family encompasses three
species of giant salamander, all of which are among the largest in the
world. <i>Andrias davidianus</i> lives in the mountain streams of
China at elevations below 1,500 feet. More specifically, one may find a Chinese
giant salamander in the </span><a href="http://legacy.earlham.edu/~pendemi/giantsalamander.htm"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yangtze,
Yellow,and Pearl Rivers</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and their tributaries. This species prefers cold, fast running
mountain streams and lives in muddy, dark rock crevices. It is also a </span><a href="http://legacy.earlham.edu/~pendemi/giantsalamander.htm"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">nocturnal
species</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, preying on its food mostly at night. Due to
over exploitation and fragmentation of their environment, the Chinese giant
salamander is currently listed as </span><a href="http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Andrias&where-species=davidianus"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">critically
endangered</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by the IUCN
(International Union on Conservation of Nature). The Yangtze River basin alone is
home to 480 million people, or nearly one third of China’s total population.
The high density of humans in this basin puts added stress on the river
systems, which need to be protected in order to save the Chinese giant
salamander. Because of the growing population, the Chinese giant salamander
is </span><a href="http://en.wwfchina.org/en/what_we_do/living_yangtze/"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">loosing
valuable habitat</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, and the habitat it does
have left is becoming polluted. Overhunting also poses a major threat to this
species as it is considered a Chinese delicacy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Another
recent possible factor contributing to the decline of this species is the </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3311219/"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">iridovirus</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. During the summer months in 2010, researchers raising
populations of <i>Andrias davidianus</i> in China in mountain caves
and ditches for conservation reasons found a 95% mortality rate in one group.
More specifically, the most affected populations were those living in ditches.
Some effects of the iridovirus include swelling, emaciation, ulcers and
erythema on the dorsal and ventral body surfaces, toe necrosis, darkened
livers, and lesions on the kidney and spleen. Scientists were able to isolate
the iridovirus from the liver and spleen to better examine it. Researchers
attempted to intervene by giving antimicrobial drug treatments, but they proved
unsuccessful. They suggested that living in the cooler cave environments might
be a better alternative than the ditches because ambient temperatures are
cooler in the caves. One additional way to slow down the epidemic of
the iridovirus, especially in the summer months, is to limit the species
contact with other animals known to carry the disease to decrease the chances
of horizontal transmission. Other animals that have the ability to carry the
disease include the Chinese forest frog and gopher tortoises. By keeping these
populations of <i>Andrias davidianus </i>isolated from possible
carriers and in cooler environments, this iridovirus epidemic may be
controllable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The
Chinese giant salamander is the largest species of salamander ranging in size
from 1 meter to 1.8 meters in length, although they seem to be getting </span><a href="http://www.arkive.org/chinese-giant-salamander/andrias-davidianus/"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">smaller
in size</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> due to over harvesting and exploitation of
their environment. No only are they long, they are also heavily built with
a </span><a href="http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Andrias&where-species=davidianus"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">dorso-ventrally</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> flattened head as well as short and flattened legs. They
have small eyes and rely mostly on sensory organs to sense water and prey
movement. This species is unique in that it is fully aquatic with many
adaptations for this lifestyle. This salamander uses its </span><a href="http://eol.org/pages/1018725/hierarchy_entries/24916893/details"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">skin
for respiration</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, which is specialized in
that it is rough, highly vascular, porous, and has folds to increase oxygen
absorption. The Chinese giant salamander can range in </span><a href="http://eol.org/pages/1018725/hierarchy_entries/24916893/details"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">color</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> from dark brown to black or green and further characterized
by having blotchy patches of color. They also have small, paired tubercles
arranged in rows parallel to the lower jaw, which contain neuromasts to detect
water and prey movement to aid in feeding. These </span><a href="http://eol.org/pages/1018725/hierarchy_entries/24916893/details"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">neuromasts</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> are mechanoreceptive organs which allow the organism to
sense mechanical changes in the water. The Chinese giant salamander uses these
mechanoreceptors to </span><a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/amphibians/species_info.php?id=547"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">feed</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> on smaller salamanders, worms, insects, crayfish, and
snails. It catches its pray by snatching them with a rapid sideways snap of the
mouth. Its only real predator is the human species as we over-harvest them for
the food trade.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
The Chinese giant salamander has an interesting </span><a href="https://ag.purdue.edu/fnr/discover/HerpetologyLab/Documents/Browne_GiantSalamanders.pdf"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">evolutionary
history</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> seeing as there are only three species in
the Cryptobranchid family. The common ancestor of this family diverged from all
other amphibians more than 170 million years ago sometime during the Jurassic
Period. This is unique in that it is one of the longest unbroken lineages among
modern species such as the caecilians, salamanders, frogs, and toads. The
Cryptobranchids are thought to have evolved from primitive salamanders
primarily found in Asia. Because there is only three species within this
family, it is imperative that conservation efforts are put forth to preserve
the biodiversity in regions where these species live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SOURCES:</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1) Sparreboom, Max. (2000). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Andrias davidianus. </i>Retrieved from <a href="http://amphibiaweb.org/%20%09cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Andrias&where-species=davidianus">http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Andrias&where-species=davidianus</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2) Browne, R., Li, J., & Wang, Z. (2012).
The Giant Salamanders: Paleontology, Phylogent, Genetics, and <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Morphology. Amphibian and Reptile
Conservation. (4), 17-29. Retrieved from <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><a href="https://ag.purdue.edu/fnr/discover/HerpetologyLab/Documents/Browne_GiantSalamanders.pdf">https://ag.purdue.edu/fnr/discover/HerpetologyLab/Documents/Browne_GiantSalamanders.pdf</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3) Krebs, Jessi. (2008). Chinese giant
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4) BBC. (2014). Chinese giant salamander.
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5) Pender, Michael. (2006). Chinese Giant Salamander.
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6) Encyclopedia of Life. (2014). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Andrius davidianus</i>; Chinese Giant
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">IMAGES: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=the+chinese+giant+salamander&es_sm=91&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=q3V2VKOrN8ieNrqjhLAG&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1027&bih=558%23tbm=isch&q=chinese+giant+salamander&imgdii=_"><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.google.com/search?q=the+chinese+giant+salamander&es_sm=91&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=q3V2VKOrN8ieNrqjhLAG&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1027&bih=558#tbm=isch&q=chinese+giant+salamander&imgdii=_</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-5384346606363607442014-12-07T22:27:00.005-05:002014-12-07T22:27:34.892-05:00Sunda Colugo<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Colugo_(Galeopterus_variegatus%2C_adult_female)%2C_Central_Catchment_Area%2C_Singapore_-_20060618.jpg/640px-Colugo_(Galeopterus_variegatus%2C_adult_female)%2C_Central_Catchment_Area%2C_Singapore_-_20060618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Colugo_(Galeopterus_variegatus%2C_adult_female)%2C_Central_Catchment_Area%2C_Singapore_-_20060618.jpg/640px-Colugo_(Galeopterus_variegatus%2C_adult_female)%2C_Central_Catchment_Area%2C_Singapore_-_20060618.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: Wikimedia Commons</span></td></tr>
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<br />
Kingdom:
Animalia <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Phylum:
Chordata<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Class:
Mammalia <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Order:
Dermoptera <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Family:
Cynocephaildae<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Genus:
Galeopterus<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Sunda Colugo or <i>Galeopterus </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">variegates,</i> is often given the common name flying lemur. However the Sunda Colugo is not a lemur at all but rather a species of colugo. They are not closely related to
the true lemur, found in Madagascar, but instead are classified in the order,
Dermoptera. Dermoptera as well as Scandentia and Chiroptera are found to be the closest living relatives of Primates <a href="http://eol.org/pages/1040858/overview">(5)</a>. The word Dermoptera comes from the Greek words derma and ptera; derma means skin while ptera means wing, thus skin-wing <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/factsheet/colugo.htm">(2)</a>. There are only two species of
colugo the Philippine Colugo, <i>Cynocephalus volans</i>, and the Sunda Colugo. The Philippine Colugo is found in the southern
Philippines while the Sunda Colugo is found in Southeast Asia. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Range and Habitat <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Sunda_Flying_Lemur_area.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Sunda_Flying_Lemur_area.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: Wikimedia Commons</span></div>
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The Sunda
flying lemur is found in Southeast Asia and is endemic, native or restrictive,
to Indochina and Sundaland. This area is made up of the Malay Peninsula and the vast islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java. These flying lemurs can also be found on several of the surrounding smaller islands <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a><a href="http://eol.org/pages/1040858/overview">(5)</a>. The Sunda flying lemur is arboreal
meaning it spends its’ entire life in the tops of trees located in lowland tropical rain forests <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a>. They can also be found in gardens, secondary forests,
mountainous areas, rubber and coconut plantations, and mangroves. The diverse
habitats in which a Sunda flying lemur can live, lead to the possibility of the
presence of one in a multitude of areas including rural ones <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3819077/">(6)</a>. This species is very versatile, allowing it to adapt to forests that face human destruction, however the disturbed forests do encourage some to live in plantations. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Physical Description<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.batconsultancy.co.uk/Sunda%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.batconsultancy.co.uk/Sunda%201.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.batconsultancy.co.uk/Sunda%201.jpg">Source</a>: Batconsultancy</span></td></tr>
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Sunda
flying lemurs have relatively small heads compared to their bodies with large
forward-facing eye, processing excellent
binocular vision, wide brows, and small round ears. Their snouts are short and blunt
with no obvious whiskers on their face. The flying lemurs’ fur is tightly packed making it very dense and appears marbled. The underside of the fur is light in color while the dorsal fur varies in the following
colors; white, gray, black, and red <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their dorsal marbled fur often has vivid colored markings that resemble lichens on trees, which help them stay camouflaged, in their surroundings. The Sunda Colugo is unable to fly, however
they have a thin film of skin known as the patagium, which enables them to glide. The patagium is completely covered in fur and extends along both the upper and lower extremities to the neck and tail. When the Sunda Colugo glides the patagium may extend to a width of 0.7 meters, with the assistance of their extensor muscle, located inside of the flank tissue <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a>. The flying lemur is a quadruped having all its' legs almost identical in size and posing a membrane between its digits making them webbed. It’s feet include flattened digits, allowing the soles or its’
feet to form sucking discs, aiding them in tree climbing. The flying lemur
weigh any where from 0.9 kg to 2 kg and is about 0.33 to 0.42 meters in length, having
a tail 0.17 to 0.27 meters in length, making up more than half of their body length <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a>. The dentition
of the flying lemur aids in its ability to consume its food of choice. It has 34
carnivore-like teeth; its bottom incisors are a unique comb-shape, exclusive to
the family Cynocephalidae. These comb-shaped teeth are thought to assist in straining food and
grooming. The second incisors of the Sunda flying lemur contain two roots unlike most incisors of mammals, which possess only a single root. The flying lemurs' front upper jaw is absent of teeth, containing incisors only in the sides of its' jaw <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a>. Their
canines resemble premolars proving evidence that these flying lemurs are indeed
herbivores. </div>
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The Sunda
flying lemur is mainly nocturnal. During the day they can be found sleeping in
holes in coconut trees or high in the dense foliage of treetops <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a>. When
perching in a tree these flying lemurs grasp the underside of branches or the
trunk with all four limbs. They are usually seen perching against a tree with
their head pointing upward<a href="http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/factsheet/colugo.htm"> (2)</a>. They go about climbing trees by stretching
their two front legs forward and then bringing the back legs in to meet the
front, giving them a hopping appearance. When threatened they either climb
higher into the tree or completely stop moving, making them relatively easy to
catch. These flying lemurs are strictly arboreal and quite helpless on the
forest floor. Although they are not nimble on the forest floor they are able to
glide over 100 meters with little loss in elevation <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a>. Gliding is done in a
steady controlled manner landing with their heads up neatly and precisely <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/factsheet/colugo.htm">(2)</a>.
These animals often live alone or in small loosely connected groups. Sleeping and feeding areas are the only known areas that they may become territorial of. The Sunda flying lemur is
strictly herbivorous, feeding on soft plant parts. These soft plant parts
include: fruit, flowers, buds, young leaves, nectar, and sap <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a>. These lemurs
have advanced stomachs and long intestines, allowing them to extract nutriment from hard roughage <a href="http://www.safeproject.net/animal-sightings/colugo-galeopterus-variegatus/">(3)</a>. Their comb-shaped incisors help to scrape
up the sap from trees and to strain fruits and flowers <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">(1)</a>. As eutherians, colugos give birth to live young however their gestation period is shorter, similar to marsupials. Their young are
born after a 60-day gestation period in a small undeveloped form; spending the
first six months grasping its' mother’s abdomen <a href="http://www.safeproject.net/animal-sightings/colugo-galeopterus-variegatus/">(3)</a>. The mother folds her gliding membrane by curling her tail towards her stomach to fold a warm, safe temporary pouch, for
protection and transport. Breeding in this species is a rather slow process. The young do not reach their full mature size until they are about two to three
years of age <a href="http://www.safeproject.net/animal-sightings/colugo-galeopterus-variegatus/">(3)</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-6e699af5-eef3-d1ca-1912-9725b2afabe2"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Physiology/</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Evolutionary History</span></div>
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The Sunda flying lemur is a nocturnal animal that is one of the closest living relatives to primates. It was thought that a nocturnal activity pattern was fundamental to the adaptive origins of primates. However with recent research, on the basis of being able to differentiate between the opsin genes of various nocturnal primates, this view has been altered. A resemblance was found between the opsin genes and the activity patterns of several species. These species include members of following orders: Primates, Dermoptera, and Scandentia. Sunda Colugo's possess complete short wavelength sensitive (S-) opsin genes and long wavelength sensitive (L-) opsin genes that are both complete and with out damage <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11692-013-9230-y/fulltext.html">(7)</a>. These opsin genes are both expressed within cone photoreceptors located in the retina. It was thought that since colugus are mostly nocturnal and have been around for 45 million years that they may have a disabled S-opsin gene. However, this is not the case for the Sunda colugos, expressing both the S- and L-opsin genes. Characteristics that are normally consistent with the selection in exon 1 of the S-opsin in the Sunda Colugo were also found. With this knowledge of the S- and L-opsin genes being fully functioning in a nocturnal animal, it is disproved that the S-opsin gene will under go mutations when an animal is nocturnal. The evolutionary history of nocturnal primates with completely functioning S-opsin genes evolving from a diurnal ancestor are also challenged. <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11692-013-9230-y/fulltext.html">(7)</a>. Colugos, having the presence of fully functioning S-cones could aid it the enhancement contract under twilight conditions. These findings suggest that colugos are paving the path of understanding both the ecology and evolution of many nocturnal animal and their color vision <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11692-013-9230-y/fulltext.html">(7)</a>. </div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-6e699af5-eef3-4dd9-ea79-2f2644c86ecc"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conservation Status</span></span><br />
The IUCN categorized
the Sunda Colugo as Least Concern <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41502/0">(4)</a>, however other sources consider this
species as near threatened <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3819077/">(6)</a>. The population of the flying lemur is
decreasing. Due to this decrease they are now protected by national legislation, one of these protected areas include Peninsular Malaysia, containing several flying lemurs <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41502/0">(4)</a>. An estimated population was
given for a protected forest in Singapore. The estimated amount was about one animals per five acres, yielding an estimated number of Sunda Colugos to be 1000 individuals
across Sigapore’s 5,000 acres of protected forest <a href="http://eol.org/pages/1040858/overview">(5)</a>.The main
reason for this population decline is thought to be due to habitat loss.
Deforestation takes away the Sunda flying lemur’s natural habitat. These flying
lemurs are dependent on trees for survival, due to their gliding locomotion and
inability to move quickly on the forest floor. There is also possible
competition with the plantain squirrel, Callosciurus notatus that could be
leading to the population decline <a href="http://www.safeproject.net/animal-sightings/colugo-galeopterus-variegatus/">(3)</a>. The last cause of the population decline
in the flying lemur is the increased pressure every year by the Baduy Tribe.
The Sunda flying lemur is hunted traditionally by the local people for consumption
and fur <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41502/0">(4)</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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References <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> (1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Beatson,
K. (2011, January 1). Galeopterus variegates. Retrieved November 23, 2014, from
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/">http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Galeopterus_variegates/</a> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> (2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Malayan
Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus. (2006, January 8). Retrieved November 23, 2014,
from </span><a href="http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/factsheet/colugo.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/factsheet/colugo.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> (3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sharp,
A., Burdon, R., & Harrison, N. (n.d.). Colugo (Galeopterus variegatus).
Retrieved November 23, 2014, from </span><a href="http://www.safeproject.net/animal-sightings/colugo-galeopterus-variegatus/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.safeproject.net/animal-sightings/colugo-galeopterus-variegatus/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> (4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Steinmetz,
R., & Boeadi, R. (2008, January 1). Galeopterus variegatus. Retrieved
November 23, 2014, from </span><a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41502/0"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41502/0</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> (5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sunda
Flying Lemur (Galeopterus variegatus) - Information on Sunda Flying Lemur -
Encyclopedia of Life. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2014, from </span><a href="http://eol.org/pages/1040858/overview"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://eol.org/pages/1040858/overview</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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variegatus</i>) in Malaysia (Peninsular, Sabah, Sarawak). <i>Tropical Life
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G., Lim, N., Neitz, M., Peichl, L., & Dominy, N. (2013). Expression and
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-73246315112476227902014-12-07T21:04:00.000-05:002014-12-07T21:04:20.205-05:00Cute, Small, and Endangered <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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The Red Panda<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://relivearth.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/red-panda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://relivearth.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/red-panda.jpg" height="260" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: National Geographic </td></tr>
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<i>Ailurus fulgens<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Despite
sharing a name with the giant black-and-white panda, <i>Ailurus fulgens, </i>or more commonly known as the red panda, grows
only to about the size of a common house cat <a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AsiaTrail/RedPanda/factsheet.cfm">1</a>. With red fur and a bushy tail, the red panda has obtained the nickname “firefox,”
and is considered by many to be one of the more “adorable” species in the wild.
Many are unaware that scientists first discovered <i>Ailurus fulgens,</i> fifty years earlier than when the more commonly
known black-and-white panda was discovered <a href="http://redpandanetwork.org/red_panda/about-the-red-panda/">2</a>. The classification of the red panda
was somewhat muddled before scientists could determine its taxonomic
relationship; previously the red panda had been classified in the Family
Procynidae, which includes raccoons, and the Family Ursidae, consisting of
bears <a href="http://redpandanetwork.org/red_panda/about-the-red-panda/">2</a>.
Scientific data and recent research has placed the red panda in its own family
Ailuridae. Two sub-species of the red panda have been recognized; <i>Ailurus fulgen</i>, the more geographically dispersed
of the two species, and <i>Ailurus fulgens
stylani, </i>only found in China and Myanmar <a href="http://redpandanetwork.org/red_panda/about-the-red-panda/">2</a>.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Range and Habitat:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.eduplace.com/kids/mw/wr/graphics/hmm05_wrc_1267a.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.eduplace.com/kids/mw/wr/graphics/hmm05_wrc_1267a.gif" height="289" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source : Eduplace</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The habitat of the red panda is somewhat restricted, with these animals only being found in western China and throughout the Himalayan Mountains, which pass through India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bhutan. <a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=19#distribution">3</a> <i>Ailurus fulgens</i> can be found in roaming in the high altitudes of each of these countries, while <i>Ailurus fulgens stylani</i> can only be seen in eastern China. The mountain tops of the Himalayas make an ideal habitat for red pandas; these mountains are covered with thick, deciduous forests, but more importantly consist of a dense understorey of bamboo <a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=19#distribution">3</a>. Bamboo is essential in the diet of the red panda and the abundance of bamboo found in these mountains are ideal for this species <a href="http://a-z-animals.com/animals/red-panda/">4</a>. Thick forests will tall trees are also ideal for these animals, who spend the majority of their time in trees, climbing from branch to branch in search of food or a nice resting spot.Unfortunately population numbers are rapidly decreasing in countries like Nepal and India due to lack of bamboo resulting from deforestation and climate change <a href="http://a-z-animals.com/animals/red-panda/">4</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Physical Description and Appearance</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pandas.riversafari.com.sg/images/uploads/gallery-redpanda-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://pandas.riversafari.com.sg/images/uploads/gallery-redpanda-03.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: River Safari Image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3175255259038457261" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>With its rust colored fur, small ears, and white muzzle, the red panda is easily one of the more cute species found outside of the United States. The black-striped tail and white facial fur of the red panda are very similar to the appearance of a raccoon. The fur of the red panda is thick and almost entirely a red, rust color except for the white color present on their ears, muzzle, and spots above their eyes and on their cheeks <a href="http://a-z-animals.com/animals/red-panda/">4</a>. The fur on the soles of the red panda's feet provide warmth and help to keep them from slipping on branches. The woolly undercoat of the red panda is covered with guard hairs that are thick and coarse which also aids in warthm <a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=19#distribution">3</a>. Unlike the giant panda, the red panda only grows about 51-64 centimeters in length, but its tail is relatively long, measuring about 28 to 49 centimeters in length <a href="http://theanimalfacts.com/mammals/red-panda/">5</a>. Females typically weigh between 6 to 10 pounds, while males weight slightly more around 10 to 14 pounds <a href="http://theanimalfacts.com/mammals/red-panda/">5</a>. The wrist bones in red pandas are elongated that functions as which functions as a thumb, allowing them to grip branches and bamboo when they are eating <a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=19#distribution">3</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Ecology</b><br />
<br />
Red pandas are predominately solitary creatures, with little to no interaction between the males and females outside of the mating season <a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=19#distribution">3</a>. Red pandas are not truly carnivores, despite being classified in the Order Carnivora; these animals feast on mainly bamboo, but also eat acorns, fruit, roots,eggs and occasionally small rodents <a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/red-panda/" target="_blank">6</a>. The red panda has very few predators but its most dangerous predator is the snow leopard, however the red pandas' ability to quickly climb onto higher branches in trees due to their extended carpal bones allows them to escape predation. The adaptation of extended wrist bones are extremely important in the ability of these animals to grip their food and climb trees to retrieve berries and other fruit <a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/red-panda/" target="_blank">6</a>. Despite being solitary animals, red pandas are able to coexist with other species who share their environment, including their close relative, the giant panda. In a research paper investigating the ecological niche and coexistence of the red panda and the giant panda, scientists studied the two species distributed throughout the Liangshan Mountains and the reasons behind their ability to coexist and relationship between niches and habitat <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227231732_Ecological_niche_modeling_of_the_sympatric_giant_and_red_pandas_on_a_mountain-range_scale" target="_blank">7</a>. Scientists found that while both prefer higher altitude forests, red pandas prefer sparser forests, further away from roads or villages, filled with dense bamboo and fallen logs. Researchers determined that this type of habitat would favor the small body size of the red panda opposed to the giant panda and there is no need for the two species to compete over food since culms is another primary source of food for giant pandas <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227231732_Ecological_niche_modeling_of_the_sympatric_giant_and_red_pandas_on_a_mountain-range_scale" target="_blank">7</a>. Scientists were able to determine that red pandas have developed complex foraging strategies and do not face much competition for food resources <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227231732_Ecological_niche_modeling_of_the_sympatric_giant_and_red_pandas_on_a_mountain-range_scale" target="_blank">7</a>. Red pandas typically only give birth to two young at time in the spring and develop a mother-child bond with their offspring until the next breeding season in winter <a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=19#distribution">3</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Behavior</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bioexpedition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Rad_Panda_Resting_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://bioexpedition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Rad_Panda_Resting_600.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Bioexpedition</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Red pandas typically only interact with others during mating season or early stages of development after birth <a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=19#distribution">3</a>. The range patterns of red patterns reflect those of large carnivores in the fact the animal has overlapping home ranges where members of the species seldom interact <a href="http://redpandanetwork.org/red_panda/about-the-red-panda/">2</a>. Red pandas search for areas where bamboo is most tender which can be randomly distributed throughout the mountain range. This wide search for bamboo allows red pandas to avoid overcrowding and the overuse of shared resources <a href="http://redpandanetwork.org/red_panda/about-the-red-panda/">2</a>. These animals need to conserve energy in order to forage at night, so they usually only cover about 650 to 1,000 feet of their home range a day in search of food or potential mates <a href="http://redpandanetwork.org/red_panda/about-the-red-panda/">2</a>. Red pandas are very arboreal, spending most of the day lying on the branches of trees and are not active until dusk <a href="http://www.saczoo.org/document.doc?id=40" target="_blank">8</a>. At night, these animals can be found foraging for food on the forest floor. Red pandas have developed a very slow metabolic rate, similar to that of a sloth, so breaking down bamboo and other food is a very slow process that can take hours <a href="http://www.saczoo.org/document.doc?id=40" target="_blank">8</a>. Like other territorial animals, red panda urinate or secrete anal fluid on tree branches and bamboo as a way to mark their territory and ward other animals off <a href="http://www.saczoo.org/document.doc?id=40" target="_blank">8</a>. Red pandas also have special scent glands in their feet, which secrete a scent and allows others to know what areas that animal had visited <a href="http://redpandanetwork.org/red_panda/about-the-red-panda/">2</a>. Despite being relatively solitary, red pandas can communicate with other members of the species through vocalization; red pandas will produce squeaky notes or high whistles to when communicating. When they feel threatened or provoked, red pandas will display their dominance by standing on their hind legs and emit a series of hisses and guttural noises <a href="http://www.saczoo.org/document.doc?id=40" target="_blank">8</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Conservation Status:</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Lesser_pandas_playing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Lesser_pandas_playing.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Wikimedia Commons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, red pandas are listed as vulnerable, meaning they are at a high risk of endangerment in the wild <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/714/0" target="_blank">9</a>. These animals face a variety of threats, mainly loss of habitat due to deforestation and poaching. The fur of the red panda is incredibly soft, especially their large bushy tail. Statistics for these animals are alarmingly low, there is estimated to be as low as 400 red pandas in Nepal, while about 2,500 are estimated to be living throughout their entire range <a href="http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Animals/Archives/2009/Fighting-for-the-Firefox.aspx" target="_blank">11</a>. Due to this, these animals are poached for their pelts in China and Myanmar, while in Nepal red panda fur caps and hats can be found for sale <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/red-panda" target="_blank">10</a>. Habitat loss is the chief reason behind population decline in the species, whereas in areas of Myanmar and China, poaching poses the biggest threat to the red panda <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/714/0" target="_blank">9</a>. Commercial logging, the increased demand for firewood, deforestation for farming and housing, and forest plantation are all factors that have led to the destruction of the red panda's habitat and caused a significant drop in the population numbers of the species <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/714/0" target="_blank">9</a>. Biologists fear the red panda may be near the edge of extinction in the western part of their range, specifically Nepal because of human encroachment on the land <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/714/0" target="_blank">9</a>. According to the WWF, red panda are often killed when they are caught in traps or snares meant for larger animals like wild boar and deer <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/red-panda" target="_blank">10</a>. Due to its vulnerable status, the red panda is protected under CITES Appendix I and Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life Protection Act of 1972, the highest protection possible a species can have in India <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/714/0" target="_blank">9</a>. In China, Nepal, and Bhutan the red panda is legally protected under the Wild Animal Protection Law and hunting the animal is a considered a crime <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/714/0" target="_blank">9</a>. Thanks to the collaboration of the WWF and the Nepalese government, anyone found guilty of killing, selling, or even buying red pandas or products created from their fur face fines up to $1000 and anywhere between 1-10 years in jail<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/03/10/article-2577477-1C2A174900000578-422_964x578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/03/10/article-2577477-1C2A174900000578-422_964x578.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Daily Mail Online</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/red-panda" target="_blank">10</a>. In India, there are 20 protected areas of the species, but these areas only cover around one-third of the total habitat for this species <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/714/0" target="_blank">9</a>. The red panda can also be found in the protected Singalila National Park and Langtang National Park in Nepal <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/714/0" target="_blank">9</a>. The Red Panda Network, a non-profit group that promotes education and awareness of the red panda, work with Nepalese people to convince them of the benefits of red panda conservation, and hopefully convert them to "forest guardians" who help monitor the status for the red panda's habitat <a href="http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Animals/Archives/2009/Fighting-for-the-Firefox.aspx" target="_blank">11</a>. This non-profit trains locals to be "forest guardians" who not only aid in red panda conservation, but the conservation of Nepal's forests in general; the Red Panda Network hopes to reach out to locals and stress the need for conservation, and ultimately create a Red Panda Protected Forest, connecting the Kanchenjunga Conservation area in Northeast Nepal to the Singalilia National Park in India <a href="http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Animals/Archives/2009/Fighting-for-the-Firefox.aspx" target="_blank">11</a>.Community awareness of the threats facing the red panda is being spread by the WWF who work with yak herders and other community groups to reduce the impact of humans on the red panda's habitat <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/red-panda" target="_blank">10</a>. The Red Panda Species Survival Program in North America keeps a record of the red pandas, determine how many and which animals should be mated, and develops long-term research and different management strategies to promote the survival of the red panda <a href="http://redpandanetwork.org/red_panda/about-the-red-panda/">2</a>,<br />
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Works Cited</div>
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"About the Red Panda." <i>About the Red Panda</i>. Red Panda Network, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. </div>
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"Ailurus Fulgens." <i>(Lesser Panda, Red Cat-bear, Red Panda)</i>. The IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. </div>
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"EDGE of Existence: Red Panda." <i>EDGE of Existence</i>. Evolutionar Distinct and Globally Endangered, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. </div>
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"Home - The Sacramento Zoo." <i>Home - The Sacramento Zoo</i>. Sacramento Zoo Society, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. </div>
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"Red Panda - The Animal Facts." <i>The Animal Facts RSS</i>. Animal Facts, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. </div>
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"Red Panda." <i>(Ailurus Fulgens)</i>. A-Z Animals, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. </div>
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"Red Panda." <i>Fact Sheet</i>. Smithsonian National Zoological Park, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. </div>
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"Red Pandas, Red Panda Pictures, Red Panda Facts - National Geographic." <i>National Geographic</i>. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2014. </div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.5in;">Ming Li, Y. H. (2009). Ecological niche modeling of
sympatric giant and red pandas on the mountain-range scale. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.5in;">Biodiveristy
and Conservation </i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.5in;">, 18 (8): 2127-2141.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.5in;"><br /></span>
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<div class="hang" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; margin-left: 2.5em; text-indent: -2.5em;">
Holtcamp, Wendee. "Fighting for the Firefox - National Wildlife Federation." <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Fighting for the Firefox - National Wildlife Federation</i>. National Wildlife, 1 Feb. 2009. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.</div>
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Long, Barney, and Shubash Lohani. "Red Panda." <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">WorldWildlife.org</i>. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-79634634413232751062014-12-07T19:31:00.000-05:002014-12-07T19:31:00.268-05:00The Rock Hyrax<i>Procavia capensis</i>, commonly known as the rock hyrax, are actually the closest living relative to elephants! They belong to the class Mammalia, the order Hyracoidea, and the family Procaviidae. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3RyUJBd1Wk/VHo5PltEKGI/AAAAAAAAABk/vbp9O2KUmFE/s1600/Rock_Hyrax_area.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3RyUJBd1Wk/VHo5PltEKGI/AAAAAAAAABk/vbp9O2KUmFE/s1600/Rock_Hyrax_area.png" height="200" width="170" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rock_Hyrax_area.png</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<indent><b><br /></b></indent>
<indent>
<b>Range and Habitat:</b>
The rock hyrax can be found in East Africa and the Middle East. They live in areas with large rocks and boulders such as mountain cliffs and outcrops. They are very adaptable and can live in dry savanna or in rain forest areas as long as they have small crevices or cavities to hide from predators in. These rocks also allow for hyraxes to bask on them when it is cold (3,4). </indent><br />
<indent><b><br /></b></indent>
<br />
<indent><b>Physical Description: </b>
Rock hyraxes are small creatures that range in size from 30cm-58cm. They are covered in brown fur with a light tan underbelly. They have longer hairs that stick out from the body called guard hairs which help the hyrax feel its way around. They have short legs, rounded ears, no tail, and two large incisor teeth that look like mini tusks. They have rubber-like soles on their feet which provide them traction on the rocks. They have a scent gland on its back that can be black, yellow, or orange. This scent gland allows them to communicate with other hyraxes (3,4). </indent><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2U9Zxn5vyV8/VHo5WAO-_NI/AAAAAAAAABs/8eZKHPTTYeQ/s1600/800px-Rock_Hyrax_SA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2U9Zxn5vyV8/VHo5WAO-_NI/AAAAAAAAABs/8eZKHPTTYeQ/s1600/800px-Rock_Hyrax_SA.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rock_Hyrax_SA.jpg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<indent><b></b></indent><br />
<indent><b></b></indent>
<indent><b>Physiology: </b>
Hyraxes physiology is very unique compared to other mammals. They have a complex digestive system which contains one large cecum and a pair of ceca on the colon. These ceca break down most of the food particles because the stomach has limited microbials to ferment the food. Because of this, their digestive system retains food particles longer than other mammals. This was determined by a study that gave hyraxes and other mammal species fluid markers to see how long it takes to go through their digestive system. Most species had excreted at least 80% of the marker after 24 hours, but hyraxes had only excreted 5% (6). Besides a slow metabolism, hyraxes also employ both methods of thermoregulation because they have poor thermoregulatory capabilities. They can maintain an internal body temperature, but when it gets somewhat cold they need to sun themselves. They will also leave the safety of their shelter if they are too hot or cold (1). However; during water shortages, the hyrax can tolerate a larger range of temperatures without activating heat production or cooling mechanisms. Also during water shortages, hyraxes can recycle urea. The recycled urea forms ammonia which can then be used to form amino acids and break down food particles in the hindgut (5). </indent><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAc3w4sCUDI/VHo5cfatIwI/AAAAAAAAAB0/j3-i8556vqI/s1600/800px-IRock_Hyrax_family_in_Rakefet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAc3w4sCUDI/VHo5cfatIwI/AAAAAAAAAB0/j3-i8556vqI/s1600/800px-IRock_Hyrax_family_in_Rakefet.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IRock_Hyrax_family_in_Rakefet.JPG</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<indent><b></b></indent><br />
<indent><b></b></indent>
<indent><b>Behavior: </b>
The rock hyrax lives in colonies of 2-50 individuals. They are diurnal animals, but can sometimes be active at night. They bask during the day, but will stay in their shelter if it is raining or too hot. They are omnivores and eat grasses, shrubs, fruits, leaves, insects, and small lizards. When eating, the head male will keep a lookout in a nearby tree. If he spots a predator, he will make a sharp bark to warn the others to hide. The hyrax has many different calls, but typically you can hear them grunt to warn others to stay away, whistle to indicate that they are happy, bark to alert other hyraxes that a predator is nearby, and mew to indicate to the others their location (4). The hyrax breeding season takes place from August to November. Female hyraxes have a gestation period of 7-8 months and give birth to 1-4 young. The pups are well-developed immediately after birth and look like miniature adult hyraxes. The pups suckle for three months, but can eat solid foods within the first month of being born. They can also move about very easily after just a day. </indent>They become sexually mature at 16-17 months of age and can live up to 11 years (3).<br />
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<indent><b>Evolutionary History: </b>
Before DNA evidence, scientists thought that hyraxes were more closely related to rodents. However; we now know that hyraxes are the closest living relative to elephants. There is a common ancestor that existed about 60 million years ago that connects hyraxes and elephants.</indent><indent> Elephants and hyraxes share many morphological features such as similar shaped bones, tusks, hoof-like toenails, and similar amino acids. They also have their lungs attached to their rib-cage and both do not have a gallbladder (2). </indent>Mitochondrial DNA evidence has also supported this relationship. In addition to DNA evidence, there is fossil evidence to conclude that elephants and hyraxes are related. About 23-54 million years ago, a large, ancient hyrax species called Titanohyrax walked the Earth. Titanohyrax skull was 30cm in length compared to the modern hyrax skull which is 12cm in length. It is estimated that Titanohyrax weighed approximately 800kg. The large size of Titanohyrax gives scientists more evidence to conclude that hyraxes and elephants are related. Unlike the elephants though, hyraxes did not stay the same size as their ancestors. It is thought that the ancient hyraxes could not compete with ungulates for food and water which is why they died and the smaller species survived (7).<br />
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<indent><b>References:</b> </indent><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Feldhamer, George A., Lee C. Drickamer, Stephen Vessey, and Joseph Merritt. Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology. 3rd ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2007. 376-378. Print </li>
<li>Gross, Amanda. "The Hyrax and the Elephant: Distant Cousins." 11 Apr. 2014. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. http://www.critters360.com/index.php/the-hyrax-and-the-elephant-distant-cousins-39289/</li>
<li>"Rock Hyrax (<i>Procavia Capensis</i>)." Rock Hyrax Videos, Photos and Facts. 14 Mar. 2011. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. http://www.arkive.org/rock-hyrax/procavia-capensis/</li>
<li>"Rock Hyrax." (<i>Procavia Capensis</i>). Web. 7 Dec. 2014. http://a-z-animals.com/animals/rock-hyrax-/</li>
<li>Rubsamen, K., I. Hume, and W. Engelhardt. "Physiology of the Rock Hyrax." ScienceDirect, 2 Oct. 1981. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. http://ac.els-cdn.com/0300962982902195/1-s2.0-0300962982902195-main.pdf?_tid=7cde009c-7444-11e4-9332-00000aacb362&acdnat=1416880003_340137b0d392a166ba1b9cdf80da4b82</li>
<li>Stevens, C. E. Comparative Physiology of the Vertebrate Digestive System. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: Cambridge UP, 1988. Print.</li>
<li>Wade, Aaron. "Hyracoidea (Hyraxes) Investigative Report." Hyraxes. 1 Jan. 2008. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. http://tolweb.org/treehouses/?treehouse_id=4741</li>
</ol>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-60063693633289816492014-12-07T17:30:00.001-05:002014-12-07T17:30:26.188-05:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Giraffe camelopardalis</span></b></span></div>
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<i>Giraffe camelopardalis </i>is in the order Artiodactyla which are even toed ungulates (hoofed animals). Their weight is supported equally by the third and fourth toes like cattle, camels, and hippopotamus. It is the world's tallest animal and the largest ruminant. <i>Giraffe camelopardalis </i>are broken into 9 subspecies listed in the image below. <a href="http://www.giraffeconservation.org/giraffe_facts.php?pgid=1">16)</a> Among these nine subspecies there has been extensive genetic testing providing analysis that show some of these subspecies may be their own separate species. <i>Giraffe camelopardalis </i>are in the class Mammalia which is a group of endothermic amniotes with the synapomorphies of hair, three middle ear bones , mammary glands, and a neocortex.<a href="http://tsjok45.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/giraffeevolution.pdf"> 8)</a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oON79EStLS0/VITM41XqRQI/AAAAAAAAABY/7U4A1Fir09Q/s1600/Giraffe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oON79EStLS0/VITM41XqRQI/AAAAAAAAABY/7U4A1Fir09Q/s400/Giraffe.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.macroevolution.net/giraffe-habitat.html"> 1)</a> </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Range and Habitat</span></b><br />
<i>Giraffe camelopardalis </i>are located in arid and dry-savanna zones of sub-Saharan Africa. The growth of human population has constricted the range of these animals. Small populations are spread out on a wide range of Africa. Different sub-species can be found in Chad to the north all the way to South Africa. They also reach from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. These animals usual inhabit savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands. A giraffe's diet restricts it to where it can live. They feed on the leaves of trees like the Acacia, Commiphora, and Terminalia. Open woodlands with these types of trees are the primary habitats for giraffes. Giraffes aren't found in dense forested areas because their height would limit their ability to maneuver through the trees. During the wet season, <i>Giraffe camelopardalis </i>are found in a broader area due to the abundance of food resources. Once the dry season approaches Giraffes are forced to live closer to one another in order to feed off the remaining resources. <a href="http://www.giraffeconservation.org/giraffe_facts.php?pgid=1">16)</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Physical Description </b></span><br />
<i>Giraffe camelopardalis </i>are the tallest land mammals in the world. They can reach heights of anywhere between 20 and 15 feet and can weigh anywhere between 4,250 to 1,200 pounds. Males are often taller and heavier than females. Like all mammals, the giraffe has 7 cervical vertebrae and when elongated, can be about 10 inches long. The vertebrae are connected by ball and socket joints. The vertebrae also have large extensions for muscle and ligament attachment. Giraffes have a nuchal ligament that runs from the top of the head all the way to the base of the tail and acts like a rubber band. These modifications give the giraffe excellent balance, flexibility and durability of the neck and head.<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/%2010.1111/j.1365-2028.2009.01078.x/pdf"> 9) </a> Males and females both have horn like structures on top of their heads though they are not true horns. They are permanent bony structures that are covered with hair and skin. The horns can grow up to 5.3 inches. Horns are different between the sexes. Males' horns are larger and the ends don't contain hair, while females and the young are smaller and are tufted with hair. Another sexual dimorphism of the giraffe is the skull. Mature male heads are often bumpy and rigid looking due to extra ossification over the front of the skull, around the eyes, and on the rostrum. Females may have added knobs similar to males but they are not as extensive as males.<a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-07/sfeb-ggd070314.php"> 11)</a> One unique characteristic of giraffes are their prehensile tongues that measure up to 20 inches. They use them for grasping foliage and cleaning their nose. Giraffes pelage differs among the nine sub-species. Each sub-species has a unique pattern and color to their spots. The spots can range from dark brown to a lighter tan. The patterns are very unique and can be seen in the image below.<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7156146.stm"> 10)</a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7AthkIT5Rk/VITNVgo6toI/AAAAAAAAABg/VBcWgVSl9jU/s1600/Giraffe%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7AthkIT5Rk/VITNVgo6toI/AAAAAAAAABg/VBcWgVSl9jU/s400/Giraffe%2B3.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.hdwallpaperscool.com/giraffe-hd-wallpapers/"> 2) </a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qjACaMl43I4/VITNdtFe0VI/AAAAAAAAABo/b5Yy7uNmHKg/s1600/Giraffe%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qjACaMl43I4/VITNdtFe0VI/AAAAAAAAABo/b5Yy7uNmHKg/s400/Giraffe%2B2.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.wildlifelink.com/2014/06/world-giraffe-day-is-june-21.html"> 4)</a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Physiology </b></span><br />
<i>Giraffe camelopardalis </i>heads are about 2 meters away from their heart. One of the giraffes unique physiology is its ability to supply blood to the head. A giraffe's heart has to deal with the hydrostatic pressure applied by all the blood in the neck and also has to be strong enough the overcome gravity forcing the blood back to the heart. Science has shown that giraffes maintain a very high blood pressure, almost twice that of other animals. Many would think giraffe hearts are very large but this is not the case. Giraffe hearts are actually smaller compared to their body size. The difference is that the walls of the heart are much thicker than other mammals. Their heart has evolved to be able to pump blood in a smaller radius with large muscular walls. It's able to maintain these high pressures without having severe vascular lesions or heart and kidney failure. Science have studied these animals to figure out how they deal with hypertension. They found that small vessels forming at the ends of the carotids have elastic walls that allow them to withstand the strong pressures. When a giraffe drinks, it lowers its head. These small vessels are able to control the amount of blood reaching the head. This prevents the brain from being flooded with blood. A giraffe's diet has also been found to help prevent hypertension. <a href="http://137.215.9.22/bitstream/handle%20/2263/13994/Mitchell_Structu%20re(2009).pdf?sequence=1">15)</a> A giraffe's blood is very similar to humans. It has similar viscosity and protein content. Recent studies have shown that Acacia leaves, which is a major food source for giraffes, contain compounds that prevent hypertension. Scientists think the gum found in the leaves protect the organs and prevent them from failure. Scientist don't fully understand the process but future studies hope to understand these detailed processes.<a href="http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=a4657c02-d779-47e9-90a9-6cb9e69a8c65%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4111"> 5)</a><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Behavior</span></b><br />
<i>Giraffe camelopardalis</i> are non-territorial social animals. They travel in herds known as towers that are not organized in any specific order. These groups can number in different sexes and ages. Though female giraffes often will be in a herd with a couple of young males. There is no true structure to the groups. Sexual mature males will use their horns and long necks to strike and fight other males for dominance and mating rights. <a href="http://www.giraffeconservation.org/giraffe_facts.php?pgid=1">16)</a> Reproduction among giraffes is mostly polygamous. Sexual mature males will most often mate with young adult females. The males will taste the females urine to determine if she is fertile or not. Once a male has picked a female to mate with, he will court her and keep other males away until copulation is finished. Pregnant females gestation last anywhere between 400 and 460 days. Females give birth standing up and once the calve hits the ground it takes only a few hours for it to stand and begin running. Mothers giraffes often form nurseries, where one mother will leave her calf with another so she can feed and drink elsewhere. The bond mothers and calves have with each other varies. Some females will nurture her young for several months while others take care of them until she gives birth again.<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00573.x/abstract"> 14)</a> When giraffes aren't focusing on mating they are most likely grazing for food. Giraffes spend most of the daylight hours feeding and ruminating. Feeding is at its highest during the first and last hour of daylight. They mainly feed off the leaves of Acacia, Commiphora, and Terminalia trees. They have also known to feed on shrubs, grass , and fruit. Studies have shown that when the leaves run short, giraffes will begin feeding on grass. This is not typically preferred because this makes the giraffe vulnerable to predator attack since it must bend over to reach the grasses. Giraffes consume up to 75 pounds of foliage a day. At night they rest standing up while ruminating the food consumed during that day. <a href="http://courses.biolo%20gy.utah.edu/goller/7406/Goller7406/duToitPdfs/Feedingheightstrat_1990.pdf">13)</a><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Conservation Status</span></b><br />
In the past 10 years the giraffe population has decreased by almost half from 140,000 to 80,000. Even though they are still numerous, there is concern that several sub-species may go extinct in the near future. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has placed two sub-species on the endangered list which are the Western African Giraffe and the Rothschild giraffe.<a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/174469/0"> 6)</a> Much of their habitat has been destroyed and is being invaded by humans. Other problems such as poaching and hunting has also lead to the decrease in population. Hunters target giraffes for their meat, tail hairs, and hides. Much of these items are sold and bought on the black market. There are several organizations that have been set up to protect giraffe population.<a href="http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/giraffe"> 7)</a> One of these organizations is the WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) which has monitored giraffe populations to ensure the prevention of habitat loss and illegal hunting. They have helped governments in these areas to form laws and regulations to protect these animals. There are also programs set up to educate local people on the giraffe population. With these efforts the WCS hopes to prevent the population from decreasing.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/from%20http://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife/hoofed-mammals/giraffe.aspx"> 3)</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.macroevolution.net/giraffe-habitat.html"> 1)</a> Giraffe habitat - Online Biology Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.macroevolution.net/giraffe-habitat.html<br />
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<a href="http://www.hdwallpaperscool.com/giraffe-hd-wallpapers/"> 2) </a>Giraffe HD Wallpapers. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.hdwallpaperscool.com/giraffe-hd-wallpapers/<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/from%20http://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife/hoofed-mammals/giraffe.aspx"> 3)</a> Giraffe. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
http://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife/hoofed-mammals/giraffe.aspx<br />
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<a href="http://www.wildlifelink.com/2014/06/world-giraffe-day-is-june-21.html"> 4)</a> Your Link To Wildlife News. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.wildlifelink.com/2014/06/world-giraffe-day-is-june-21.html<br />
<br />
<a href="http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=a4657c02-d779-47e9-90a9-6cb9e69a8c65%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4111"> 5)</a> Qiong Gus, Z. (2006). Hypertension and Counter-Hypertension Mechansims in Giraffes. Cardiovascular & Haematological Disorders- Drug Targets, 6(1), 63-67. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=a4657c02-d779-47e9-90a9-6cb9e69a8c65%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4111<br />
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<a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/174469/0"> 6)</a> Fennessy, J. & Brenneman, R. (2010). "Giraffa camelopardalis ssp. rothschildi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2.International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/174469/0<br />
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<a href="http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/giraffe"> 7)</a> Giraffe | AWF. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/giraffe<br />
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<a href="http://tsjok45.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/giraffeevolution.pdf"> 8)</a> Mitchell, G., & Skinner, J. D. (2003). On the origin, evolution and phylogeny of giraffes Giraffa camelopardalis. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 58(1), 51-73. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
http://tsjok45.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/giraffeevolution.pdf<br />
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<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/%2010.1111/j.1365-2028.2009.01078.x/pdf"> 9) </a>Rick A. Brenneman., Edward E. Louis, Jr and Julian Fennessy (2009). Genetic structure of two populations of the Namibian giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis. African Journal of Ecology, 47(4), 720-728 Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/ 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2009.01078.x/pdf<br />
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<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7156146.stm"> 10)</a> Lever, A. (2007, December 21). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7156146.stm<br />
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<a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-07/sfeb-ggd070314.php"> 11)</a> Groovy giraffes distinct bone structures keep these animals upright. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-07/sfeb-ggd070314.php<br />
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<a href="https://www.ikh%20ebeenvraag.be/mediastorage/FSDocument/73/download.pdf">12)</a> Solounias, N. (1999). "The remarkable anatomy of the giraffe's neck".Journal of Zoology 247 (2): 257–68 Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
https://www.ikh ebeenvraag.be/mediastorage/FSDocument/73/download.pdf<br />
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<a href="http://courses.biolo%20gy.utah.edu/goller/7406/Goller7406/duToitPdfs/Feedingheightstrat_1990.pdf">13)</a> Toit, J. T. (1990). "Feeding-height stratification among African browsing ruminants". African Journal of Ecology 28 (1): 55–62. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
http://courses.biolo gy.utah.edu/goller/7406/Goller7406/duToitPdfs/Feedingheightstrat_1990.pdf<br />
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<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00573.x/abstract"> 14)</a> Mitchell, G.; van Sittert, S. J.; Skinner, J. D. (2009). "Sexual selection is not the origin of long necks in giraffes". Journal of Zoology 278 (4): 281–86 Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00573.x/abstract<br />
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<a href="http://137.215.9.22/bitstream/handle%20/2263/13994/Mitchell_Structu%20re(2009).pdf?sequence=1">15)</a> Mitchell, G.; van Sittert, S. J.; Skinner, J. D. (2009). "The structure and function of giraffe jugular vein valves". South African Journal of Wildlife Research 39 (2): 175–80. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from<br />
http://137.215.9.22/bitstream/handle /2263/13994/Mitchell_Structu re(2009).pdf?sequence=1 <span id="goog_206208728"></span><span id="goog_206208729"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.giraffeconservation.org/giraffe_facts.php?pgid=1">16)</a> Giraffe - The Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.giraffeconservation.org/giraffe_facts.php?pgid=1Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-9925572949667904982014-12-07T17:22:00.001-05:002014-12-07T17:22:17.864-05:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Fox on Stilts</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Chrysocyon brachyurus - </i>The Maned Wolf</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Maned_Wolf_11%2C_Beardsley_Zoo%2C_2009-11-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Maned_Wolf_11%2C_Beardsley_Zoo%2C_2009-11-06.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Wikimedia Commons</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kingdom: Animalia</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Phylum: Chordata</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Class: Mammalia</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Order: Carnivora</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Family: Canidae</span></div>
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The maned wolf or <i>Chrysocyon brachyurus</i> is a canid that is native to South America. At first glance the maned wolf’s appearance is that of a fox with legs comparable to a deer, earning the nickname “fox on stilts”. However, being neither of the two, it is the tallest of all wild canids <a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/ReproductiveScience/Canids/ManedWolf.cfm">(1)</a>. Canids are the family that consists of domestic dogs, wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and other mammals that are dog-like.</span><br />
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<b>Range and Habitat</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ERDJF_VN7OQ/VGuSij_V3oI/AAAAAAAAAAU/un_M1zpWCaY/s1600/Maned%2BWolf%2BFinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ERDJF_VN7OQ/VGuSij_V3oI/AAAAAAAAAAU/un_M1zpWCaY/s1600/Maned%2BWolf%2BFinal.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maps.iucnredlist.org/map.html?id=4819">Source</a>: IUCN Red List</span></td></tr>
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The maned wolf is found native to Central and South America. More specifically, the species is found to live in central and southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, eastern Bolivia, and northern Argentina. <a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/manedwolffacts.cfm">(2)</a> According to a study carried out in 2005, Brazil was found to contain the largest population of maned wolves at an approximation of 21,745. <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4819/0">(3)</a> Despite the belief that the maned wolf became extinct in Uruguay in the nineteenth century, the species is now thought to be present in small numbers in Uruguay again. <a href="http://www.arkive.org/maned-wolf/chrysocyon-brachyurus/">(4)</a> Whether the species truly survived or the animal redistributed to this location again is not absolute. The maned wolf inhabits these locations because of its need for the vast variety of grasslands and scrub forest. Research has shown that they tend to favor regions with low to medium shrub density. Therefore, maned wolves inhabit the variety of tall grasslands, shrub forests, woodland that still contains an open canopy, wet fields, and even land that is used for agriculture and pasture. <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4819/0">(3)</a> These types of environments generate prospective hunting grounds for the species. While resting during the day, the maned wolf can be found in: gallery forests which are located near a water source and also border more open land, a cerrado which is considered a tropical Savannah, or marshy areas near rivers. <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4819/0">(3) </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b>
<b>Physical Description</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being the only species of the genus <i>Chrysocyon</i>, the maned wolf is a unique animal from the canid family. It acquired its nickname the “fox on stilts” due to the fact that an average maned wolf stands almost a meter tall. The rare long legs of this species are thought to be an adaptation to help them see better in their habitat. <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Chrysocyon_brachyurus">(5)</a> This would enable them to see prey or any type of approaching threat in the tall grass and shrubbery. Without this feature it would appear very similar to the red fox or <i>Vulpes vulpes</i>. The maned wolf’s coat is a golden red color and it has a long pointed muzzle. It has large erect ears that can also play a key role in hunting. The species receives its true name, the maned wolf, from the long black mane-like fur that is present on the back of the head down to the shoulders. When the animal senses danger, the black mane is known to stand erect. <a href="http://www.arkive.org/maned-wolf/chrysocyon-brachyurus/">(4)</a> The feet of the animal also are black like it is wearing black stockings while the throat, tail, and inside of the ears are white in color. <a href="https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/1990-008.pdf">(6)</a> The average shoulder height of the maned wolf is about 74-78 centimeters while the total head-body length is about 1.2-1.3 meters long. They weigh an average of 20-23 kilograms. <a href="http://www.arkive.org/maned-wolf/chrysocyon-brachyurus/">(4)</a> The dentition of the maned wolf provides an idea to the type of diet they consume. They have reduced upper carnassials or shearing teeth, weak upper incisors, and long slender canines which display further evidence that they do not kill or consume large prey. <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Chrysocyon_brachyurus">(5)</a><b style="font-size: small;"><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b><b>Behavior </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The maned wolf is nocturnal and crepuscular meaning they are primarily active during the night and at dusk and dawn hours. <a href="https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/1990-008.pdf">(6)</a> They most often rest during daylight hours in thicker brush where they are concealed. This animal is omnivorous and its diet consists of mainly fruit and small to medium size prey. Research of the diet has found that the primary food source is a fruit that is common to the range that comes from the lobeira plant, <i>Solanum lycocarpum</i>, which produces “wolf’s apples”. <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4819/0">(3)</a> The maned wolf may also prey on armadillos, rabbits, pampas deer, birds, reptiles, insects, fish, and arthropods. <a href="http://www.arkive.org/maned-wolf/chrysocyon-brachyurus/">(4)</a> They manipulate their large ears to listen for prey moving in the grass. In addition, the maned wolf is also known to tap the ground with one of their front feet to flush out prey so it can then pounce on it. <a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/manedwolffacts.cfm">(2)</a> </span><br />
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Even though this animal is related to the wolf it does not hunt in a pack. The maned wolf actually spends most of its life as a solitary individual. The maned wolf is factitively monogamous throughout its life and only comes together with its mate during breeding season. The mating season is between April and June after which the female gives birth to one to five pups. <a href="http://www.2ndchance.info/vaccination-ManedWolf1995.pdf">(7)</a> Together the breeding pair covers a permanent home range of about 27 square kilometers. However, their only interaction is during the breeding season; otherwise, they remain independent from each other. They hunt, travel, and rest in solitude. <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Chrysocyon_brachyurus">(5)</a> The territories of each pair are established by urine and feces deposits and respected by other mated pairs. </span><br />
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There have been some behavioral differences observed in captivity compared to the wild. Although as expected of the species, opposite sex pairs cooperate better than same sex pairs in the captive environments. Specifically, mated pairs display different social behaviors in captivity. In these situations, they have been observed to groom each other, eat together, and rest together. The males have also been observed contributing to parental care including: grooming, food portioning, and defense. <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Chrysocyon_brachyurus">(5)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b> Physiology </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The maned wolf prefers and displays the solitary lifestyle in the wild. In order to remain the independent breeding duo of a particular area of land, the maned wolf must be able to effectively mark its territory. It does this through chemical communication with its urine and feces deposits. The maned wolf exclusively sends out strong chemical signals known by a unique and strong odor produced by their excretions. The specific “message” is encoded by the particular volatile substances that vaporize from the urine surface. <a href="http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/2520/1/umi-umd-2402.pdf">(9)</a> Interestingly enough, the maned wolf’s “message” has been observed to smell very similar to marijuana. <a href="http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/03/10/maned-wolf-pee-demystified/">(8)</a> This distinctive urine is not only necessary for identifying and communicating one’s territory, but also for finding one’s mate during the breeding season. A study was carried out to determine this chemical oddity discovered a presence of pyrazine-based compounds found unique to maned wolves in comparison with Mexican Gray Wolves, domestic dogs, and clouded leopards. The compound 2,5-dimethylpyrazine was found consistently in high concentrations in all of the maned wolf urine samples. <a href="http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/2520/1/umi-umd-2402.pdf">(9)</a> Pyrazines comprise a group of compounds that are notorious for very powerful odors often found in nature. They are commonly found among many insects and plants as pheromones or toxins. <a href="http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/2520/1/umi-umd-2402.pdf">(9)</a> This study confirms that the main possible function is to alert others not to enter their territory through the use of the strong odor and specific deposit patterns of excretion. An additional association may be linked with the concept of “reminding” others due to its extensive persistence. The pyrazine compounds establish an immediate warning as well as a continual reminder of the maned wolf territorial markings. Maned wolves have been observed to most often respect these lines of territory and this may explain why. This powerful chemical communication establishes the maned wolf’s home and environment to itself, its mate, and others. <a href="http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/2520/1/umi-umd-2402.pdf">(9)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b>
Conservation Status </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Currently and since 2004, the IUCN has classified the maned wolf as near threatened in regards to their conservation status. This status change was marked as significant improvement for the species because it was previously classified as vulnerable from 1982 to 1994. In 1996, the population experienced its first step towards improvement by becoming a lower risk and borderline near threatened. <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4819/0">(3)</a> They maintain the current status as a result of the continual issues that pose threats to the species. The main threat that the maned wolf suffers from is the expansion of human populations and their agricultural regions. The cultivation of the grasslands into agricultural land has created a drastic decline in the maned wolf’s natural habitat. <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4819/0">(3) </a>While they are still able hunt in the cultivated land, many farmers are not understanding of the unique animal and a great deal are hunted down and killed. <a href="http://www.endangeredwolfcenter.org/educational-resources/maned-wolf/#.">(10)</a> An additional threat to the species involves contracting disease, especially from domestic dogs. Domestic dogs can transfer diseases to the maned wolf, compete for their food, and even kill them. <a href="http://www.arkive.org/maned-wolf/chrysocyon-brachyurus/">(4)</a> Disease also occurs in captivity and many captive breeding attempts result in disease, usually parvovirus. <a href="https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/1990-008.pdf">(6)</a> A large proportion of maned wolves are also killed by vehicles on highways. Road kills are considered to be the cause of death for about half of the yearly pup production in some maned wolf reserves. <a href="http://www.arkive.org/maned-wolf/chrysocyon-brachyurus/">(4)</a> </span><br />
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Actions has been taken during the course of the decline of the maned wolf population. A Species Survival Plan (SSP) has been developed to promote captive breeding of the species. <a href="http://www.endangeredwolfcenter.org/educational-resources/maned-wolf/#.">(10)</a> Many zoos across the United States have been contributing to this plan and increasing the population. The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute is developing a process that would apply modern reproduction techniques to the breeding programs. Artificial insemination would drastically help the species where sexually and socially compatible pairs are necessary for mating and ultimately reproduction. Also, artificial insemination has the potential of creating more genetic diversity in a population that is based on pairs mating for life. <a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/ReproductiveScience/Canids/ManedWolf.cfm">(1)</a> In addition, countries in South America have also taken action to help the species by legally protecting it in Brazil and creating hunting laws. <a href="https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/1990-008.pdf">(6)</a> The maned wolf has also been labeled as endangered in Argentina to raise awareness of the drop. <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4819/0">(3)</a> Further information on human encroachment in these locations and the specific impacts to the different ranges will help produce more effective action for maned wolf conservation.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Resources</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b><a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/ReproductiveScience/Canids/ManedWolf.cfm">(1)</a> Endangered Canids: The Maned Wolf - National Zoo| FONZ. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2014, from http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/ReproductiveScience/Canids/ManedWolf.cfm </span><br />
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<a href="http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/manedwolffacts.cfm">(2)</a> Maned Wolf Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2014, from http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/manedwolffacts.cfm </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4819/0">(3)</a> Rodden, M., Rodrigues, F., & Bestlemeyer, S. (2008, January 1). Chrysocyon brachyurus. Retrieved November 13, 2014, from http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4819/0 </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.arkive.org/maned-wolf/chrysocyon-brachyurus/">(4)</a> Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus). (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.arkive.org/maned-wolf/chrysocyon-brachyurus/ </span><br />
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<a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Chrysocyon_brachyurus">(5)</a> Gorog, A. (1999). Chrysocyon brachyurus: Maned Wolf. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Chrysocyon_brachyurus </span><br />
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<a href="https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/1990-008.pdf">(6)</a> Ginsberg, J., & Macdonald, D. (1990). Foxes, Wolves, Jackals, and Dogs: An Action Plan for the Conservation of Canids. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/1990-008.pdf </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.2ndchance.info/vaccination-ManedWolf1995.pdf">(7)</a> Fletchall, N., Rodden, M., & Taylor, S. (Eds.). (1995). Husbandry Manual for the Maned Wolf: Chrysocyon brachyurus. Retrieved November 15, 2014, from http://www.2ndchance.info/vaccination-ManedWolf1995.pdf </span><br />
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<a href="http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/03/10/maned-wolf-pee-demystified/">(8)</a> Switek, B. (2011). Maned Wolf Pee Demystified. Retrieved November 15, 2014, from http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/03/10/maned-wolf-pee-demystified/ </span><br />
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<a href="http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/2520/1/umi-umd-2402.pdf">(9)</a> Childs-Sanford, S. (2005). Identification of Volatile Compounds in the Urine and Feces of the Maned Wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus. Retrieved from Drum Library, Maryland.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.endangeredwolfcenter.org/educational-resources/maned-wolf/#.">(10)</a> Maned Wolf. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2014, from http://www.endangeredwolfcenter.org/educational-resources/maned-wolf/#. </span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-44282413038745947012014-12-06T23:55:00.000-05:002014-12-07T13:56:38.146-05:00Not Just a Cartoon Character<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oqnj7S1-qDI/VIPYAimUKQI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/MUKrHxw8ZxQ/s320/tazPic.jpg" height="210" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Australian Geographic</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>he Tasmanian Devil is known to many in the cartoon world as the Warner Bros.’ aggressive Looney Tunes cartoon character Taz, but that is not all there is to this creature (5). The Tasmanian Devil, <i>Sarcophilus harrisii</i>, is a carnivorous marsupial. In fact, it is the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world, approximately 30 inches long and 26 pounds, according to National Geographic (1). The Tasmanian Devil did not become the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world until the mid-1930’s when the previous title holder, the Tasmanian wolf or tiger (<i>thylacine</i>), was hunted to extinction (4). <br />
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The Tasmanian Devil was first described in 1808 by George Harris (4) and is in the class Mammalia and the family Dasyuridae, which includes other marsupials that are native to Australia as well as New Guinea. (2). Dasyurids are set apart from other marsupials in Australia because of a couple of characteristics. According to The University of Edinburgh, dasyurids’ lower jaw contains three pairs of incisors and their feet have five toes (6). <br />
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<u><b>Range and Habitat
</b></u><br />
The Tasmanian Devil is native to Australia’s island of Tasmania, though they once roamed most of Australia’s mainland about 400 years ago (7). Many speculations have been made for this decrease in range. The most common speculation for the extinction of Tasmanian Devils on the mainland of Australia is that it could have been caused by the introduction and increased distribution of the dingo (1). The dingo not only became a predator to the Tasmanian Devil, but also competed for the same food sources. Within Tasmania, they are most commonly found on the dry coastal scrub lands and coastal forests of the island, although they can be found anywhere on the island such as the mountains (3). During the day they can often be found hiding away caves or burrows once used by wombats or other animals.
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<u><b>Physical Description</b></u><br />
The Tasmanian Devil has a black or brown coat of fur with white markings on its chest, shoulders, and rear end. They have very powerful jaws and sharp teeth (7). Even though Tasmanian Devils are the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world, they are fairly small, about the size of a small dog. According to the San Diego Zoo, they range in size from 23 to 26 inches long and they weigh in at about 11 to 30 pounds. These mammals have a thick tail that is about 9 to 10 inches long. Typically, adult males will be larger than females. Interestingly, their front legs are slightly longer than their back legs (3). When they are first born they are incredibly small, ‘about the size of a grain of rice’ (4). Tasmanian Devils reach maturity around the age of 2 years and have an expected lifespan of 5 to 8 years in the wild (4).
The female Tasmanian Devil has a pouch with four teats on her underside where her babies, also called imps, will stay for 4 months (3).
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<u><b>Ecology</b></u><br />
The Tasmanian Devil is nocturnal, often feeding at night and traveling upwards of 10 miles (7). During the day they hide away in their dens, keeping safe from predators (1). Once an adult devil finds a suitable den, they typically remain in that same den for the rest of their life. When a den gets destroyed, this can be detrimental to the population. The devil shares den and diet interests with the local red fox population, which causes some competition between the two species. However, this has not caused any noticeable effects on either population (9).
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In general, Tasmanian Devils are very solitary creatures, except when feeding on a large carcass where there are usually multiple devils feasting at a time. The Tasmanian Devil is carnivorous and enjoys munching on fish, insects, birds, and reptiles and amphibians. Though they sometimes catch prey, they are mostly scavengers and will eat everything can, including the bones and fur (1). They even feed on carcasses of large farm animals, which is appreciated by the farmers because it keeps the fly populations down (10). When they do go on the hunt, they use ambush and chasing tactics to catch prey even 44 pounds in size (9).<br />
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<u><b>Behavior
</b></u><br />
As the cartoon character Taz displays, Tasmanian Devils can be pretty fierce and intimidating. When threatened, they let off harsh noises that sound like coughs, screeches, and growls. Even though they sound aggressive, the fierce noises are more for a warning or a display of fear rather than aggression (10). They do still become aggressive with each other though, often biting each other, even until death. Along with these harsh warnings, the Tasmanian Devil also releases a foul odor when it is in a stressful situation (7).
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After a three week gestation period, a female Tasmanian Devil gives birth to about 20 to 30 imps, but unfortunately only 4 of them will survive because the mother only has 4 teats within her pouch to feed her young (1). After leaving the pouch, the imps are carried on their mother’s back (3). At eight months old, the baby devils are on their own (1).
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When hunting, Tasmanian devils can travel long distances each night. On average, they travel just under 6 miles a night, but they have been found to travel up to 30 miles in a single night just to find food. The Tasmanian devil’s home range can be anywhere from 2-17 mi2 within a two-four week period according to the IUCN Red List (9).
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<b><u>Conservation Status</u>
</b><br />
The Tasmanian Devil is listed by The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as an endangered species, with many factors contributing to that status (9). The biggest threat that this species faces is the Devil Facial Tumor Disease, or DFTD, an infectious cancer that was detected in 1996 (4). In this disease the tumor cells are what cause the infection and the spread of the infection to other Tasmanian Devils. It is transmitted from one animal to another usually when they bite each other. A paper about the biting behavior of Tasmanian Devils and its relation to DFTD showed that the dominant devils that bite other devils’ tumors are more likely to contract the disease than the devils that are bitten by these dominant devils. This paper also determined that each population that was observed had similar biting rates, which concluded that the biting rates could not explain the degree of impact this disease had on different parts of Tasmania (8). This disease will kill the infected devil with 6 to 12 months according to San Diego Zoo. Unfortunately, neither a cure nor a vaccine has been discovered yet (4). Since 2001, the population has decline 60 percent due to this disease (3).
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Other factors contributing to the decrease in devil numbers are road-kills and other predators. These don’t have as detrimental of an impact as the Devil Facial Tumor Disease but still have a recognizable impact. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species states that approximately 2,205 Tasmanian devils lose their lives on roadways each year (9). Many initiatives have been put in place by various organizations to save these unique animals. The most prominent effort is the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program that was created by the governments of Tasmania and Australia (10).
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<br />
<b>References: </b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(1). Tasmanian Devils, Tasmanian Devil Pictures, Tasmanian Devil Facts – National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from <a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/tasmanian-devil/">http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/tasmanian-devil/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(2). Myers, P. (2001, September 19). Dasyuridae (dasyurids). Retrieved November 21, from <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Dasyuridae/">http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Dasyuridae/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(3). Bradford, A. (2014, October 23). Facts About Tasmanian Devils. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from <a href="http://www.livescience.com/27440-tasmanian-devils.html">http://www.livescience.com/27440-tasmanian-devils.html</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(4). Mammals | Tasmanian Devil. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from <a href="http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/tasmanian-devil">http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/tasmanian-devil</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(5). Taz the Tasmanian Devil | Looney Tunes Characters | Boomerang TV. (n.d.). November 20, 2014, from <a href="http://www.boomerangtv.co.uk/shows/looney-tunes/characters/taz">http://www.boomerangtv.co.uk/shows/looney-tunes/characters/taz</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(6). DASYURIDS: MARSUPIAL CARNIVORES. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from <a href="http://www.nhc.ed.ac.uk/index.php?page=24.134.165.255.261">http://www.nhc.ed.ac.uk/index.php?page=24.134.165.255.261</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(7). Tasmanian Devil, Sarcophilus harrisii. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from <a href="http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/?base=387">http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/?base=387</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(8). Hamede, R. K., McCallum, H., Jones, M. (2013), <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2656.2012.02025.x/abstract">Biting injuries and transmission of Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease</a>. Journal of Animal Ecology, 82: 182–190. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2012.02025.x
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(9). Hawkins, C.E., McCallum, H., Mooney, N., Jones, M. & Holdsworth, M. 2008. <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/40540/0">Sarcophilus harrisii.</a> The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. <www .iucnredlist.org="">. Downloaded on 21 November 2014.
<br /><br />(10). Latest News (also see our newsletters). (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from <a href="http://www.tassiedevil.com.au/tasdevil.nsf">http://www.tassiedevil.com.au/tasdevil.nsf</a><br /><br />(11). Picture: Hanson, J. (2012, February 20). Tasmanian devil genome offers cancer clues. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from <a href="http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2012/02/tasmanian-devil-genome-offers-cancer-clues/">http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2012/02/tasmanian-devil-genome-offers-cancer-clues/</a></www></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-73311590055478427292014-12-06T13:25:00.000-05:002014-12-06T13:25:48.949-05:00The Naked Mole Rat<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GBqtcNYExso/VHTLtQkUyFI/AAAAAAAAAAw/fHvYF_kY-eM/s1600/mole%2Brat.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GBqtcNYExso/VHTLtQkUyFI/AAAAAAAAAAw/fHvYF_kY-eM/s320/mole%2Brat.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Source: Wikipedia Commons</span></td></tr>
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Naked Mole rats, <i>Heterocephalus glaber</i>, genetically may hold the secret to longevity. These mammals are members of the Bathyergidae family and belong to the Rodentia order.(1)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Range and Habitat</b><br />
Naked Mole rats are found chiefly in Africa, throughout Somalia, Ethiopia, and a large portion of eastern Kenya. Their range extends as far south as the Tsavo West National Park and is thought to be much wider than what is currently known. Naked mole rats live in arid environments with high temperatures and low and irregular rainfall patterns. (1) They live underground their entire lives and only appear when they are unearthing soil at a “volcano” shaped mound. The ground they inhabit is extremely hard—so hard it is difficult to dig with a shovel in. (2)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Physical Description</b><br />
The naked mole rat is often described as looking like a bratwurst with legs and a tail. It is only about 4 or 5 inches long, with the exception of the “queen” who is typically larger. When she takes the queen role, her body length increases by 30% and she adds bone to her vertebral column to assist in carrying large litters. Their eyes are tiny little specks on the head, and the ears are pinholes. The incisor teeth grow through the skin of the mouth, making them permanently external. Naked mole rats are not truly naked as their name suggests. They have a fine scattering of whiskers covering their bodies. (2)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Physiology </b><br />
Uniquely, naked mole rats are insensitive to acid-induced pain, resistant to cancer, and long-lived for a small mammal—up to 30 years. They seem to be resistant to typical signs of aging. The queen does not experience menopause. Blood vessels and muscle structure remain in good condition their entire lives. Additionally, naked mole rats can repair mitochondrial damage in their cells. In humans, this kind of damage is a factor in ailments such as senility and heart failure. (3) They are the only known “cold-blooded” mammals on earth. They are well adapted to a life exclusively underground. Their bodies are shaped to be very aerodynamic. The tail is short and nearly hairless like the rest of the body. Uniquely, they use their teeth to “dig” soil—not their forelimbs like other burrowers. In a sense, they gnaw their way through the ground. To achieve this, their lips close behind of their incisors. This prevents dirt from entering the mouth. Their feet are only used in sweeping soil. Their eyes only sense the extremes of light and dark—thus explaining why they are so small. The whiskers covering their bodies aid in sensing their underground surroundings. They use their sense of smell to identify one another and when two meet in a tunnel, the older mole rat gets to pass over top of the younger. They have very loose skin allowing them to turn into sharp tunnels and squeeze through small spaces. (4) The naked mole rat gut contains a mixture of microorganisms that help breakdown their high cellulose diet. They have an enlarged cecum to enable this digestion, like other rodents. (5)<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Behavior</b><br />
Naked mole rats can travel as fast backwards as they can forwards. They dig in groups almost like a conveyor with one at the front gnawing at the dirt and the rest sweeping the dirt to the surface. (2) The majority of the burrow consists of a labyrinth of shallow foraging tunnels stretching over 4 km. The communal nesting and toilet chambers are safely nestled much deeper underground—upwards of 5 feet beneath the surface. (5) Naked mole rats are never found alone. They survive in colonies. The average colony size is 80 individuals. A single reproductive female and several reproductive males exist within the colony. All the other mole rats are workers. On average the queen will have a litter of 18 pups. She is groomed and fed by other workers. (2) When the young are being weaned, they eat the feces of adults to infect their guts with the microorganisms necessary for digesting root vegetables—known as Coprophagia. (5) This cooperation is evolutionarily convergent with that of bees, wasps and ants. Ecological factors force them to work together as well as have a sense of kinship—the colony is one big family and the workers are helping raise and defend brothers and sisters. The mole rats defend against predators in groups by attacking with their teeth. (2) They have about 17 or 18 different vocalizations which sound like birds twittering. (3) Naked mole rats feed on large tubers. These don’t give off any smells and the mole rats cannot see them. By burrowing blindly over large distances, they come across the tubers by pure chance. Once they find one it can last the colony for up to a month. (2)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ecology</b><br />
Naked mole rats, due to their exclusively underground behavior, do not interact with other species normally. A few species of snakes occasionally prey upon mole-rats—provided that they find them in the tunnel system and manage to get past a mob of attacking mole rats. (5)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Evolutionary History</b><br />
<i>H. glaber</i> is thought to have evolved separately at an early stage from the rest of the African mole-rats. Their divergence is estimated to be between 40 and 48 million years ago or 33-35 million years ago depending on the molecular clock calibration. The Bathyergidae family (African mole rats) is inferred to have originated in the Eocene, but the earliest known fossils have only been Miocene aged. Bathyergids are considered members of Hystricognathi, based on their lower jaw and inner ear morphology,
Bathyergids have unusual masticatory muscle structure. Hystricognathi have an enlarged infraorbital foramen with zygomaticomandibularis muscle attaching to the rostrum. However, the Bathyergidae infraorbital is small and no masticatory musculature attaches to rostrum. Additonally, molecular analyses support close evolutionary association with Thryonomyidae (cane-rats) and Petromuridae (dassie rat). Some have even placed the naked mole rat in it’s own subfamily, Heterocephalinae. (6)<br />
<br />
<b>Resources </b><br />
1. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Maree, S., and C. Faulkes. "Heterocephalus glaber."<i> The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.</i> Version 2014.2.</span><www .iucnredlist.org=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="text-align: center;">I</span><span style="text-align: center;">nternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. 30 Jun. 2008. Web. </span>12 October 2014.</span>< </www><a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/9987/0">http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/9987/0</a>>.<br />
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<www .iucnredlist.org=""><br /></www>
<www .iucnredlist.org="">2. Cornell University, prod. <i>Naked mole-rats of Africa</i>.<i> YouTube</i>. YouTube. 8 Nov. 2010. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <</www><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yRzFZRiTjg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yRzFZRiTjg</a>>.<br />
<www .iucnredlist.org=""><br /></www>
<www .iucnredlist.org="">3. Adams, Tim. <i>"</i>The Weird and Wonderful World of the Naked Mole Rat." <i>The Guardian/The Observer</i>. Guardian News and Media Limited, 13 July 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. </www><br />
<www .iucnredlist.org=""><<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jul/14/naked-mole-rat-cancer-research">www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jul/14/naked-mole-rat-cancer-research</a>>. </www><br />
<www .iucnredlist.org=""><br /></www>
<www .iucnredlist.org="">4.<i>Naked Mole Rat-BBC.flv</i>. <i>YouTube</i>. YouTube. 5 May 2010. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HydmFILYlzM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HydmFILYlzM</a>>. </www><br />
<www .iucnredlist.org=""><br /></www>
<www .iucnredlist.org="">5."Interview About Naked Mole-rats With Dr Chris Faulkes." Nov. 2011. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.</www><br />
<www .iucnredlist.org=""><<a href="http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/assets/document/AC13D658-B57F-F867-A2B7EB40B9A03337/Naked%20mole-rat%20interview%20transcript1.pdf">http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/assets/document/AC13D658-B57F-F867-A2B7EB40B9A03337/Naked%20mole-rat%20interview%20transcript1.pdf</a>>.</www><br />
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6.Cox, Philip G, and Chris G Faulkes. "Digital Dissection Of The Masticatory Muscles Of The Naked Mole-Rat, Heterocephalus glaber (Mammalia, Rodentia)." <i>Peerj</i> 2.(2014): e448. <i>MEDLINE with Full Text.</i> Web. 2 Dec. 2014.<br />
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<i>Naked Molerat</i>. Photograph. <i>Wikimedia.org</i>. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.<br />
<<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Naked_Molerat_001.jpg/1024px-Naked_Molerat_001.jpg">http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Naked_Molerat_001.jpg/1024px-Naked_Molerat_001.jpg</a>>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-56765118829895548862014-12-05T20:17:00.000-05:002014-12-05T20:17:35.370-05:00Save the Kiwis!<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Apteryx australis</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ID4HmswlGG8/VGVWqgF_iVI/AAAAAAAAAHg/b2j4deJBe2g/s1600/Kiwifugl.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="//3.bp.blogspot.com/-ID4HmswlGG8/VGVWqgF_iVI/AAAAAAAAAHg/b2j4deJBe2g/s320/Kiwifugl.jpg" /></a> </div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo cred: <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Apteryx_australis#mediaviewer/File:Kiwifugl.jpg">Wikimedia</a></span></div>
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<b> Kingdom</b>: Animalia </div>
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<b>Phylum</b>: Chordata </div>
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<b>Class</b>: Aves </div>
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<b>Order</b>: Apterygiformes </div>
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<b>Family</b>: Apterygidae
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Although many of you probably thought of the fruit first, this research focuses on a bird native to New Zealand- the Southern Brown Kiwi Bird, or <i>Apteryx australis</i>. You may see the name and think “Australia”, but the name actually means “without wings” and “relating to the south wind”.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(8)</span> They are what is to be considered a ratite. </div>
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<b>Range and Habitat</b> </div>
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The Southern Brown Kiwi Bird is found in the south island of New Zealand. More specifically, it can be seen in Fiordland and Westland. It can also been found on Stewart Island- an island off the coast of the Southern Island of New Zealand.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(1)</span> They can be seen in temperate, sub-tropical forests, as well as grasslands and shrubbery. In some occasions, you can also find them in sand dunes. One of the most important factors for the Southern Brown Kiwi is to live in a place that is large, dense, and dark. This helps them to camouflage into their surroundings during the day and be unseen by predators while they sleep. Southern Brown Kiwis tend to create burrows under stones that are present in their environment, or even in banks of streams, or in soft, flat, open ground.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(4)</span><br />
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<b>Physical Description</b><br />
Kiwi birds have an odd shape to them; they have a round body with a head attached to it, and they also have no tail- they only have some caudal vertebrae. The kiwi’s wings are reduced in size, which explains why they can’t fly. Their feathers have no aftershafts or barbules. Kiwis also don’t have a preen gland (a gland that produces oil).<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(8)</span> They also have muscular legs, which aid their terrestrial kind of lifestyle. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(6)</span> One of the key features that distinguish kiwis from other small birds is their beak; they are long and slender with a slight curve, although some species of Kiwi may have straight beaks. Nostrils can be seen at the tips. Kiwis are known to have an advanced sense of smell and hearing. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(6)</span> Their color is reddish/brown with some streaking. The length of the birds range from 18-22 inches, the females weigh between 4.6 and 8.6 pounds, and the males eight 3.5 to 6.2 pounds. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(7)</span> </div>
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<b>Evolutionary History</b> </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vu1dCJK03ns/VGVXBFoYn2I/AAAAAAAAAHo/6myPFPchE7s/s1600/atb_kiwi_evolved-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="//1.bp.blogspot.com/-vu1dCJK03ns/VGVXBFoYn2I/AAAAAAAAAHo/6myPFPchE7s/s320/atb_kiwi_evolved-2.jpg" /></a> </div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Cred: <a href="http://www.kiwisforkiwi.org/about-kiwi/kiwi-facts-characteristics/how-kiwi-evolved/">Kiwis for kiwi</a></span></div>
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According to a charity group called The Kiwi Trust <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(5)</span>, they state that what is known to be the “proto-kiwi”- an ancestor of the Kiwi Bird- arrived in New Zealand about 50 million years ago. They say that the oldest fossil of the Kiwi that has been found was a femur located on the North Island that dated back to 1 million years ago. TKT explains that the main influence on Kiwi evolution was the ever-changing landscape and formation of New Zealand over the years. There are three basic islands to New Zealand- the north island, the south island, and Stewart Island; they were all joined at one point, eventually split which changed their overall shapes. The Kiwi Trust further explains that when these changes happened, the Kiwis were separated and isolated from each other. As described before, since they can’t fly, there were no ways for the Kiwis to find their way back to each other, which meant that they were forced to stay where they were and breed among the kiwis that were around them. By understanding the mechanisms of natural selection, this essentially led to the differentiations that we see among the different species of kiwis. </div>
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In a New York Times article written by Malcom W. Browne in 1992<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(2)</span>, he talks about how the Kiwis are more closely related to Ostriches than Moas, which was the previous thought. A group of scientists amplified DNA fragments from species of flightless birds thought to be like the Kiwi, and they found that the gene structure of the Moa is a lot different than birds like the emu and ostrich. Because of this, the scientists question if the Kiwis descended from an ancestor that lived in Australia. It would make sense, especially if the two species were separated from each other during land mass splits. </div>
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<b>Behavior</b></div>
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Kiwis often make distinct vocalizations in order to defend their territories. They usually make these calls in an upright position with their legs stretched and their beaks facing upwards. The males and females also sing duets with each other; the males make a “kee wee” or a “kee kee” sound, while the females make more of a “kurr kurr” sound. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(7)</span> Kiwis are quite shy and usually spend time alone, but they can also be seen traveling in companies usually between 6 and 12 kiwis. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(4)</span> As for the Kiwi’s diet, they eat insects, crayfish, amphibians, eels, and fruits. The nostrils on their bills gift them with a great sense of smell. Smell is actually their primary sense that they use- even over sight and sound. Their talented sense of smell helps them to find their prey that may be located in the ground. When they catch their prey, they proceed to beat it against a rock or the ground until the prey is dead- then they consume it. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(1)</span>
When it comes to reproduction, the Kiwi is a monogamous species. Rituals for mating begin in March and last through June, where the Kiwis meet each other in burrows to mate. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(4)</span> Females usually lay one egg, but sometimes they lay 2, and the males incubate the egg(s) for almost 90 days, and then the chicks leave the nest after a few days and fend for themselves. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(1)</span> Female Kiwi birds reach sexual maturity between 3 and 5 years old, while the males reach sexual maturity at 18 months.<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (4)</span>
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<li><b>Interesting Fact:</b>
One unique thing about Kiwis is that they lay huge eggs compared to their body size. According to the WWF <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(6)</span>, they say that the eggs are about 20% of the Kiwi’s body weight, making it proportionally one of the largest of most birds. In a study done by William A. Calder III and other scientists<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(3)</span>, they have backed the finding that Kiwis produce one of the largest eggs compared to their body size among most birds. The scientists studied the energy content of the Brown Kiwi’s eggs; they say that a group of organisms called the megapods have the “largest proportionate yolk know, 62% of egg contents”. The Kiwi bird egg that they looked at had a value of 61.1%- a very close value. </li>
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<b>Conservation Status</b><br />
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In 2000, the IUCN stated that the Southern Brown Kiwi Bird was in “vulnerable” status; Fiordland had only a population of 7,000. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(4)</span> The common predators to the Kiwi bird are possums, stoats, and cats- they tend to eat the Kiwi’s eggs and/or juveniles. Adults are usually eaten or attacked by dogs, ferrets, and possums. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(8)</span> Kiwi birds have been hunted to make cloaks, and have even been eaten by humans, which both only declined the population. The New Zealand government has gone to the extent to declare that if there is ever a flu that attacks the birds of the country, every Kiwi bird will be vaccinated to prevent any more of a decline in their population. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(4)</span> Another conservation effort included the Kiwi Recovery Program set by the Bank of New Zealand in 1991. This program offered predator control, kiwi sanctuaries, outreach and education, as well as a captive breeding program called Operation Nest Egg which started in 1995. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(9)</span> Other efforts include translocations of Kiwis as well as legislation to keep dogs- a predator of the Kiwi- under stricter control. In order to keep track of the population, Kiwis have been banded and radio-tracked; Kiwi eggs have also been removed from nests by humans and incubated, and then they were returned as young adults when they were old enough to fend for itself. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(7)</span> WWF New Zealand has also created conservation efforts that help to protect the Kiwi population. They have also taken part in translocation efforts, breeding grounds, and predator control like the other conservation efforts have been trying. </div>
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<b>Resources:</b> </div>
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(1) "Brown Kiwi (Apteryx Australis)." <i>Encyclopedia of Life</i>. Web. 13 Nov. 2014. <<a href="http://eol.org/pages/1178363/overview">http://eol.org/pages/1178363/overview</a>>. </div>
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<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages="">(2) Browne, Malcolm W. "Extinct Bird and Kiwi." <i>The New York Times</i>. The New York Times, 21 Sept. 1992. Web. 13 Nov. 2014. </http:><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/22/science/science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html">http://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/22/science/science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html</a>>.</span></div>
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<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com=""><br /></http:></http:></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com="">(3) Calder, William A., C.r Parr, and D.p Karl. "Energy Content of Eggs of the Brown Kiwi Apteryx Australis; an Extreme in Avian Evolution." Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology 60.2 (1978): 177-79. Web. </http:></http:></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com=""><br /></http:></http:></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com="">(4) Gudipati, Smitha. "Apteryx Australis." <i>Animal Diversity Web</i>. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014. </http:></http:><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><<a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Apteryx_australis/">http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Apteryx_australis/</a>></span></div>
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<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com=""><http: accounts="" animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu="" pteryx_australis=""><http: about-kiwi="" how-kiwi-evolved="" kiwi-facts-characteristics="" www.kiwisforkiwi.org=""><http: kiwi="" species_="" what_we_do="" www.wwf.org.nz=""><br /></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></div>
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<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com=""><http: accounts="" animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu="" pteryx_australis=""><http: about-kiwi="" how-kiwi-evolved="" kiwi-facts-characteristics="" www.kiwisforkiwi.org=""><http: kiwi="" species_="" what_we_do="" www.wwf.org.nz="">(7) Robertson, H., and B. Weeber. "Southern Brown Kiwi Apteryx Australis." <i>BirdLife International</i>. BirdLife International, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014. </http:></http:></http:></http:></http:><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><<a href="http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=8">http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=8</a>>.</span></div>
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<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com=""><http: accounts="" animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu="" pteryx_australis=""><http: about-kiwi="" how-kiwi-evolved="" kiwi-facts-characteristics="" www.kiwisforkiwi.org=""><http: kiwi="" species_="" what_we_do="" www.wwf.org.nz=""><http: datazone="" speciesfactsheet.php="" www.birdlife.org=""><br /></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></div>
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<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com=""><http: accounts="" animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu="" pteryx_australis=""><http: about-kiwi="" how-kiwi-evolved="" kiwi-facts-characteristics="" www.kiwisforkiwi.org=""><http: kiwi="" species_="" what_we_do="" www.wwf.org.nz=""><http: datazone="" speciesfactsheet.php="" www.birdlife.org="">(8) "Southern Brown Kiwi." <i>Wikipedia</i>. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Dec. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2014. </http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_brown_kiwi">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_brown_kiwi</a>>.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com=""><http: accounts="" animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu="" pteryx_australis=""><http: about-kiwi="" how-kiwi-evolved="" kiwi-facts-characteristics="" www.kiwisforkiwi.org=""><http: kiwi="" species_="" what_we_do="" www.wwf.org.nz=""><http: datazone="" speciesfactsheet.php="" www.birdlife.org=""><http: en.wikipedia.org="" outhern_brown_kiwi="" wiki=""><br /></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<http: eol.org="" overview="" pages=""><http: science-watch-extinct-bird-and-kiwi.html="" science="" www.nytimes.com=""><http: accounts="" animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu="" pteryx_australis=""><http: about-kiwi="" how-kiwi-evolved="" kiwi-facts-characteristics="" www.kiwisforkiwi.org=""><http: kiwi="" species_="" what_we_do="" www.wwf.org.nz=""><http: datazone="" speciesfactsheet.php="" www.birdlife.org=""><http: en.wikipedia.org="" outhern_brown_kiwi="" wiki="">(9) "Tokoeka (Apteryx Australis)." <i>ARKive</i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014. </http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><<a href="http://www.arkive.org/tokoeka/apteryx-australis/">http://www.arkive.org/tokoeka/apteryx-australis/</a>>.</span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-42840325313194214092014-12-05T18:32:00.001-05:002014-12-05T18:32:47.170-05:00The King of the Jungle<br />
<i><br /></i>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iqaHkUrnvtc/VHSgLeiktaI/AAAAAAAAAAM/S6bUecdxKkc/s1600/800px-Lion_waiting_in_Namibia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iqaHkUrnvtc/VHSgLeiktaI/AAAAAAAAAAM/S6bUecdxKkc/s200/800px-Lion_waiting_in_Namibia.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i> </i>Photo by: Kevin Pluck</div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>Panthera leo</i>, better known to people as the lion, is one of the five members that belongs to the genus <i>Panthera</i>. The five big cat groups belong to the mammalian family Felidae. While lions don't reside in the jungle, it's thought that they are given this title due to how strong, powerful and fierce they are. </div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Range and Habitat:</b>
In the past lions have been found on the continent of Africa and also parts of Asia and Europe. You would find lions in grasslands, scrub or open woodland habitats. The range has been decreasing and you can now only find lion populations in parts of the sub-Saharan African region. There is also a small population in Asia that is located in India’s Gir forest (1). Lion populations have been decreasing mainly due to humans. Lions will kill a rancher’s livestock; the rancher will retaliate and kill lions seen in the area surrounding his property. People have also been hunting lions for sport. Stories of this have been popping up more recently, with pictures of the hunter standing over their kill.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Physical description:</b>
Most lions have a sandy brown coat of fur that ranges from a light brown to a darker brown. There are some species that have a white coat. Only males grow a mane, which is different in color from the rest of their fur. A male’s mane will get darker and longer with age. Lions typically weigh anywhere from 330-500 pounds, but they can exceed 500 pounds (3). Lions are carnivores that walk on their toes. They are equipped with padded feet so they can move around quietly, which is important for when they are hunting. The eyes of lions have been adapted to help them see when there is little light. Their tails are important to help them balance but they are also used to signal other lions when hunting (2).<br />
<br />
<b>Behavior:</b>
Lions are a carnivorous species that hunt for their food. Females do the majority of the hunting by working in groups with other females and ambushing their prey. Since they work in groups they are able to take down large species such as, giraffes, buffalo, hippos and rhinos. Lions also scavenge for food. If another animal has made a kill lions will often take over those kills. This scavenging behavior accounts for 50% of the food that they eat. After a kill is made the food is not shared equally among the group. If for some reason food is lacking or scarce, juveniles are likely the first to die because older lions will not share their food, this includes mothers not sharing with their young (3). All the other cat species are solitary except lions. They form prides and work together by dividing up the work that needs to be done. Prides usually consists of fifteen members which has five or more females, their offspring and a couple of males. The main responsibility of the males is to protect the females, offspring and their territory from other prides. Lions are a pretty affectionate species. When they are lying around, which is usually 20 hours a day, they enjoy laying with others in their pride and touch and rub their heads together. They can also show affection by licking and purring. In prides, a couple female lions will often give birth around the same time. In this case the cubs are raised together. If one of the mothers is neglecting her cub the other mother will raise the cub as her own. However, if food is scarce mothers have been known to abandon their cubs (3).<br />
<br />
<b>Ecology:</b>
Terrestrial ecosystems often rely on predator-prey equilibrium. Lions play an important role in this and there are negative impacts to ecosystems when there are fewer or no lions in the area. The decline of lions in terrestrial areas is often linked to anthropogenic causes such as, poaching, hunting and killing because of livestock predation. Lions help to control the herbivore populations like buffalos, wildebeests, elephants, hippos and giraffes. Lions are the only carnivores capable of taking down the larger herbivores like elephants. When lions are limited or completely gone from terrestrial ecosystems there are increases in herbivore populations. When those increases occur the vegetation in the area decreases drastically because of the larger herbivore populations. With vegetation being scarce, smaller herbivores suffer and have a hard time finding food. Eventually food resources would be limited for larger herbivores as well. This can lead to populations dying out. It may not be viewed this way but lions are helpful to the species they hunt. When lions are hunting they are able to determine which members are weak, sick or hurt, and they go after those members. This can weed out members of species that are unfavorable and help to insure that species are breeding healthy offspring (4).<br />
<br />
<b>Conservation status:</b>
According to the IUNC red list of threatened species, lions are listed as vulnerable. It’s estimated that there has been a 30% reduction in the species over the past 20 years (5). The main cause for this reduction is due to people killing lions when their livestock are killed. Some ranchers have built structures made of stones and thorn bushes. This has helped in keeping livestock in and predators, like lions, out (7). Though the species as a whole is listed as vulnerable, lions living in the West African region are considered endangered. In order to protect the species, certain areas of Africa have been declared protected areas (5). Lions inhabiting these areas are less likely to see a decline in their populations. Conservationists also try to limit the lion to human contact and conflict. One way for this to happen is to ensure that there are plenty of wild food sources for lions to hunt and to also preserve their habitats (5). A subspecies of Panthera Leo is the Asian lion. This species has some different physical features compared to lions, but they are still able to breed with one another and produce offspring. There used to be populations all over Western Asia but are now only found in India. At one point the Asian lion was a critically endangered species. In order to save this species, preservation was made in India’s Gir Forest National Park (6). This species numbers have been increasing over the years but they still need to be protected.<br />
<br />
Resources:<br />
<br />
1. National Geographic. African Lion. Retrieved Nov 22, 2014 http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/african-lion/<br />
2. Lions of Africa. Retrieved Nov 21, 2014<br />
http://www.chakarov.com/studentswork/lions/physical.html
<br />
3. African Wildlife Foundation. Retrieved Nov 23, 2014<br />
http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/lion<br />
4. Lion Alert. (7 Mar 2012) The Ecological Role of Lions. Retrieved Nov 23, 2014 http://www.lionalert.org/page/article-ecological-role-of-lions<br />
5. Bauer, H., Nowell, K. & Packer, C. 2012. <i>Panthera leo</i>. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.<br />
Retrieved Nov 23, 2014 http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/15951/0<br />
6. World Wildlife Fund. Asiatic Lion. Retrieved Nov 23, 2014<br />
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/best_place_species/current_top_10/asiatic_lion_.cfm<br />
7. Bauer, Hans., Buij, Ralph., Croes, Barbara and de Longh, Hans. (2008). Management and conservation of large carnivores in West and Central Africa. Retrieved Nov 23, 2014 http://www.leofoundation.org/downloads/Carnivores_CEDC_2008.pdf#page=109Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-83909741432434127812014-12-04T21:58:00.000-05:002014-12-04T22:32:25.245-05:00The Red-Lipped Batfish<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Red-Lipped Batfish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49RDKfT5LSs/VIEcz7O4TlI/AAAAAAAAAAM/kOdnYUCTbDM/s1600/Red_lipped_batfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49RDKfT5LSs/VIEcz7O4TlI/AAAAAAAAAAM/kOdnYUCTbDM/s1600/Red_lipped_batfish.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoCaption">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo
courtesy of </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_lipped_batfish.jpg">Barry Peters</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Ogcocephalus darwini</i></b>, or the red-lipped batfish, is a Teleost
fish in the family <i>Ogcocephalidae</i>,
commonly referred to as the batfishes,<a href="http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=164586"><sup>10</sup></a>
and is “one of the terminal groups of
the highly modified order Pediculati,” the group that contains the angler, also
referred to as the </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Lophiiformes </span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">5</sup><span style="font-size: small;">. Not much literature exists about
this bizarre creature, but what there is provides plenty of information.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Range and Habitat<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Endemic and confined to the Galapagos islands, <i>O. darwini </i>is named after Darwin’s most
influential region of study <sup>5</sup>. It was originally collected using
“Galapagos bait nets,” <sup>5</sup> which are skimmed over the rocky, sandy
bottoms of the ocean floor, meaning the fish inhabits depths between 3-76
meters<span class="MsoHyperlink"><sup> </sup></span><a href="http://www.fishbase.org/summary/8199"><sup>11</sup></a>. Many of the
specimens are found on the west coast if Isla Isabella and one was found on the
east coast of Isla Fernandina, implying that the most populated region is
between these two islands in reef areas. This area is affected by the Humboldt
Current <sup>5</sup>, a slow and shallow cold water current<span class="MsoHyperlink"> </span><a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/453262/Peru-Current"><sup>13</sup></a>,
and by upwelling, a marine process that brings nutrients to the surface<span class="MsoHyperlink"> </span><a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/365256/marine-ecosystem/70732/Upwelling"><sup>14</sup></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Physical Description:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This strange fish has many unique features, but one of the
most prominent, the trait for which it is commonly named, is its bright red
lips <a href="http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Ogcocephalus+darwini&b=FB8199#l"><sup>9</sup></a>.
This red or pink coloration can extend to the lower surface of the fish as well
as the two dorsal stripes that trace along the fish’s body <sup>5</sup>. Aside
from this comical coloration, the <i>O.
darwini </i>sports limb like appendages <a href="http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Ogcocephalus+darwini&b=FB8199#l"><sup>9</sup></a>
formed by the pelvic and pectoral fins, and a horizontally protruding snout that
is equally high as it is wide <sup>5</sup>, with a horn with a few short hairs <a href="http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/sftep/SpeciesPrint157.htm"><sup>12</sup></a>.
This horn also contains a fish-lure <a href="http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/sftep/SpeciesPrint157.htm"><sup>12</sup></a>
in a small cavity. It has fine, needle-like, villiform teeth, and the tongue is
covered by dentate <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dentate"><sup>2</sup></a>
area partially divided by a groove <sup>5</sup>. More generally, it has a
flattened, disk shaped body, sandpaper-like skin, a fine, prickly but velvety,
shagreen covering<sup> 5</sup>, 4 dorsal rays and 3 anal rays, and typically
grows to around 25 cm <a href="http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Ogcocephalus+darwini&b=FB8199#l"><sup>9</sup></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Behavior:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The red-lipped batfish acts as oddly as it looks. Although
it is capable of an awkward, flailing, attempt at swimming, it tends to walk on
the ocean floor with its modified foot-like fins instead of actually swimming <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9inncLXAHg"><sup>6</sup></a>. Not very
much is known about how this strange creature functions, and one of the biggest
points of mystery is what it does with the fish lure concealed in its snout. It
is unknown whether this apparatus is used to attract prey or a mate, for
sensory perception, or some other completely undiscovered function. Their
reproduction is centered around pelagic <a href="http://eol.org/pages/213729/details"><sup>3</sup></a> environments,
meaning they mate and lay their eggs, which spawn pelagic larvae, in open
waters. They are carnivores <a href="http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/sftep/SpeciesPrint157.htm"><sup>12</sup></a>
that feed primarily on mobile benthic worms, crustaceans like shrimp or crabs,
and gastropods or bivalves. When their anatomy is considered, it is
understandable that these fish are restricted in diet. Their limited mobility
means they need easy to catch prey; their small size limits them to small
targets; however, their sharp teeth enable them to crunch open shelled
invertebrates, making their feeding habits a bit more functional. Not much
research has gone into examining the behavior of the red-lipped batfish, but
diving photographers have made some interesting observations. Eric Riesch <a href="http://www.divephotoguide.com/underwater-photography-special-features/article/critter-corner-bizarre-batfish/"><sup>1</sup></a>
tells that “finding batfish is often the hard part” due to their preference for
habituating reef beds and ability to blend well with the sandy ocean floor.
These fish are shy and “will try to turn away” when approached too quickly, so
getting a good shot of them is tricky. The mysterious peculiarities of this
bizarre fish doubtlessly elicit intrigue, so hopefully more research will be
done in the near future to unravel the unknown. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Conservation Status:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Luckily for this weird little guy, he is in the conservation
list of Least Concern <a href="http://eol.org/pages/213729/details"><sup>3</sup></a>
as of 2010. Due to its large depth range that spans into deeper water habitats,
there are no real threats to <i>O. darwini</i>,
and populations show no sign of any significant decline. It is also of no
interest to the fishing industry, and poses absolutely no threat to humans <a href="http://www.fishbase.org/summary/8199"><sup>11</sup></a>, meaning this
fish sees no danger other than accidental netting from us. Although it is in
the group of Least Concern, due to its habitat restriction to the Galapagos
Islands <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/183821/0"><sup>8</sup></a>,
it is included under the shelter of the Galapagos Islands Marine Protected Area.
The Galapagos Marine Reserve <a href="http://www.galapagospark.org/nophprg.php?page=reserva_marina_sobre_la"><sup>4</sup></a>
was created a few decades back to shield the unique species that live on and
around the Galapagos islands from the increasing human activity. In this
protected area, El Nino is one of the most damaging issues. This phenomenon is
caused by differences in water between the East and West areas of the Tropical
Pacific, and cause devastating rains and local water temperature changes,
causing many marine animals to die, leading to malnutrition in others <a href="http://www.galapagospark.org/nophprg.php?page=reserva_marina_sobre_la"><sup>4</sup></a>.
Although El Nino affects the area <i>O.
darwini </i>inhabits, the species is able to evade its disastrous damage, most
likely due to the depth range mentioned above. The red-lipped batfish basically
has everything going in its favor in relation to conservation, which certainly
makes up for strange path evolution has led it down. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Evolutionary History:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>O. darwini’s </i>evolutionary
history has not been mapped out, but the order to which it belongs, the
Lophiiformes or anglerfish, and more specifically its suborder Ogcocephaloidei,
the batfishes, have been extensively examined. Originally, Lophiiformes were
thought to be primitive within the groups of higher teleosts, the group to
which most modern fishes belong, having a common ancestry with the
Batrachoidiformes, or toad fish. However, with the recent use of molecular
phylogenetic studies, Lophiiformes were found to be “highly derived teleosts,
deeply nested in one of the larger percomorph clades” <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2836326/"><sup>7</sup></a> .
Until the introduction of molecular research, lophiiform fishes’ pasts were
unclear due to poor fossil representation. These recent advances have allowed
scientists to move away from the use of the molecular clock and recalibrate
their assessment to include multiple points of reference, including major
events such as Gondwanian fragmentation. The entire tree was not deciphered in
this study, but some significant information was obtained. The researchers
determined that the order Lophiiformes is, in fact, monophyletic as others have
described based on 6 complex synapomorphies. Further monophyly was determined
for each of the 5 suborders, as well and the clade containing 4 out of 5
suborders (Ogcocephaloidei, Antennarioidei, Chaunacoidei, and Ceratoidei).
Determining relations between fewer suborders is trickier, but researchers have
almost conclusively determined that Ogcocephaloidei and Ceratoidei, the deep
sea anglerfishes, comprise a monophyletic clade, bringing us closer to knowing
what is going on with the odd little red-lipped batfish. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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References:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Bizarre Batfish." DivePhotoGuide. N.p., n.d.
Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <sup><a href="http://www.divephotoguide.com/underwater-photography-special-features/article/critter-corner-bizarre-batfish/">1</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Dentate." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster,
n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <sup><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dentate">2</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Descriptions and Articles about the Galápagos Batfish
(Ogcocephalus Darwini) - Encyclopedia
of Life." Encyclopedia of Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 <a href="http://eol.org/pages/213729/details"><sup>3</sup></a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Dirección Del Parque Nacional
Galápagos." Dirección Del Parque Nacional Galápagos. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <a href="http://www.galapagospark.org/nophprg.php?page=reserva_marina_sobre_la"><sup>4</sup></a><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Hubbs, Carl L. "Ogcocephalus Darwini, a New Batfish
Endemic at the Galapagos Islands."Copeia 1958.3
(1958): n. pag. Jstor. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <sup>5<o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<sup><br /></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"NATURE | Shark Mountain | Red-lipped Batfish |
PBS." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 24 Nov.
2014. <sup><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9inncLXAHg">6</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Miya, Masaki, Theodore W. Pietsch, James W. Orr, Rachel J.
Arnold, Takashi P. Satoh, Andrew M. Shedlock,
Hsuan-Ching Ho, Mitsuomi Shimazaki, Mamoru Yabe, and Mutsumi Nishida. "Evolutionary History of
Anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes): A Mitogenomic
Perspective."BMC Evol Biol. 10.58 (2010): n. pag. 23 Feb. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <sup><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2836326/">7</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Ogcocephalus Darwini." (Batfish, Galápagos
Batfish). N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <sup><a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/183821/0">8</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Ogcocephalus Darwini." Discover Life. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <sup><a href="http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Ogcocephalus+darwini&b=FB8199#l">9</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Ogcocephalus Darwini." ITIS Standard Report
Page. ITIS, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.<sup> </sup><sup><a href="http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=164586">10</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Ogcocephalus Darwini Summary
Page." FishBase. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <sup><a href="http://www.fishbase.org/summary/8199">11</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteShorefishes or
the Tropical Eastern Pacific Online Information
System." SFTEP Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <sup><a href="http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/sftep/SpeciesPrint157.htm">12</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Peru
Current." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <sup><a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/453262/Peru-Current">13</a></sup><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
"Upwelling." Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
<a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/365256/marine-ecosystem/70732/Upwelling"><sup>14</sup></a><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-22750426239072016972014-12-01T13:36:00.001-05:002014-12-01T13:36:53.569-05:00Teddy Bears of The North Pole <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Polar Bears-<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ursus maritimus<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mtN853ySAqI/VHx7ezKLArI/AAAAAAAAAAk/-Xf3TYO3-v0/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mtN853ySAqI/VHx7ezKLArI/AAAAAAAAAAk/-Xf3TYO3-v0/s1600/Untitled.png" height="240" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Classification:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="webkit-fake-url://94351AE4-979F-4AB0-87E7-31AC3EC8BE8E/application.pdf" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Polar bears, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ursus
maritimus</i> also known as a sea bear, has </span><span style="color: #373634; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">evolved about 5 million years ago from brown bear
ancestors. They are also mammal vertebrates. Polar bears are different from the
brown bear mainly because they have adapted to living and surviving in freezing
temperatures and ice habitats. Polar bears are very important in the overall
health of the marine environment. They are at the top of the food chain and
provide population balance in the artic habitat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are also important because these bears
depend on the sea ice for their existence and directly are impacted by climate
change therefore serving as an important indicator species.<a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear">(6)</a> Listed below is
polar bears full classification. <a href="http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bear-facts-information/where-do-polar-bears-live">(1)</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" class="article_facts" style="color: #515151; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', sans-serif, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 15px; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="right" style="vertical-align: top;" width="45%"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://a-z-animals.com/reference/glossary/#Kingdom" style="text-decoration: none;">Kingdom</a>:</span></b></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Animalia</span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" style="vertical-align: top;" width="45%"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://a-z-animals.com/reference/glossary/#Phylum" style="text-decoration: none;">Phylum</a>:</span></b></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chordata</span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" style="vertical-align: top;" width="45%"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://a-z-animals.com/reference/glossary/#Class" style="text-decoration: none;">Class</a>:</span></b></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mammalia</span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" style="vertical-align: top;" width="45%"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://a-z-animals.com/reference/glossary/#Order" style="text-decoration: none;">Order</a>:</span></b></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Carnivora</span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" style="vertical-align: top;" width="45%"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://a-z-animals.com/reference/glossary/#Family" style="text-decoration: none;">Family</a>:</span></b></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ursidae</span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" style="vertical-align: top;" width="45%"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://a-z-animals.com/reference/glossary/#Genus" style="text-decoration: none;">Genus</a>:</span></b></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ursus</span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" style="vertical-align: top;" width="45%"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://a-z-animals.com/reference/glossary/#Scientific Name" style="text-decoration: none;">Scientific Name</a>:</span></b></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ursus maritimus</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Range and
habitat</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Polar
bears live mainly in ice habitats. They have been found in the Arctic, Canada;
which is where 60 % of the worlds polar bears live, Alaska, Greenland, Russia,
and Norway. <a href="http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bear-facts-information/where-do-polar-bears-live">(1) </a>Polar bears are one of the few mammals to spend more time at
sea than on land. <a href="http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming/Effects-on-Wildlife-and-Habitat/Polar-Bears.aspx">(3)</a> There have been 19 populations of polar bears living in
four different ice regions in the Arctic. <a href="http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bear-facts-information/where-do-polar-bears-live">(1)</a></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Their habitat range
has been decreasing over time. Global warming has been negatively effecting the
habitat and as well as the population of polar bears. The summer ice melt is
happening earlier and faster every year. <a href="http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bear-facts-information/where-do-polar-bears-live">(1)</a> This affects the polar bears by leaving
them with less time to hunt on the ice before is all melts away. In 20 years
the ice-period in Hudson Bay has increased by 20 days. This cuts the polar bear
seal-hunting season by three weeks. This results in a smaller timeframe to hunt
during the critical season when seal pups are born. Because of this, the average
polar bear weight has dropped by 15 percent and reducing reproduction rates.
<a href="http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming/Effects-on-Wildlife-and-Habitat/Polar-Bears.aspx">(3) </a>The ice is where polar reproduce, the more ice that melts away the less space
there is for polar bears to mate and raise their young. <a href="http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming/Effects-on-Wildlife-and-Habitat/Polar-Bears.aspx">(3)</a> They also have no
place to catch their breath after swimming for long periods of time and they
end up drowning from exhaustion. </span><span style="color: #292929; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">The U.S. Geological Survey projects predict that two thirds of polar bears will disappear by
2050. <a href="http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming/Effects-on-Wildlife-and-Habitat/Polar-Bears.aspx">(3)</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Physical
description and image:</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-697ZFc2L-ZQ/VHx77Hi-a9I/AAAAAAAAAAs/jT5NJAENqwU/s1600/fsg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-697ZFc2L-ZQ/VHx77Hi-a9I/AAAAAAAAAAs/jT5NJAENqwU/s1600/fsg.png" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Polar bears are extremely
large mammals and can weigh up to 1500 pounds! Females can weigh up to 800 pounds.
Males can grow up to 10 feet in length and females can reach up to 8 feet.
Polar bears have very sharp claws to make it easier for walking on the snow and
ice. The claws are also shorter than other bears so they can dig and scoop the
ice. They also have pads on the bottom of their feet to protect them from being
on the ice all the time. It also gives them traction so they wont slip when
they are walking or running. <a href="http://www.polarbear-world.com/polar-bear-anatomy/">(2)</a> Polar bears are considered very talented
swimmers! They can swim a constant pace of six miles per hour by paddling with
their front paws and holding their hind legs flat like a rudder. <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear">(6)</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3175255259038457261" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="webkit-fake-url://63718786-132D-4659-9AC2-196A82EA83CC/application.pdf" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The fur on the polar
bear is dense with an insulating undercoat mixed with guard hairs in different
lengths. Surprisingly the hair on a polar is not white, but is actually pigment
free and transparent. Polar bears are white because of the way the light and
snow reflects onto their fur. Polar bears look the whitest when they are clean
and are in bright sunlight. They have a molt period where the lose some of
their fur and this also makes them look very white. They have also been known
to look a little yellow but this is due to the oils from the seals they eat. In
1979, at the San Diego Zoo, their polar bears turned green due to colonies of
algae growing in their hairs. Polar bears have black skin and layer fat of that
is around 4.5 inches thick. When they are on land the thick fur coat is what
keeps the polar bear warm and prevent heat loss. When they are in the water
polar bears use their fat layer to keep them warm. <a href="http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears/essentials/fur-and-skin">(5)</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Ecology</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">:</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Polar bears have evolved rapidly to take advantage of an empty
ecological niche as a predator of seals. Some of the rapid changes that have
occurred are<a href="http://www.actionbioscience.org/environment/derocher.html">(9)</a>: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 15.75pt; margin-left: 40.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">White-yellow
fur. This helps them camouflage and sneak up on their prey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 15.75pt; margin-left: 40.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">They
have claws to grasp fleeing prey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Their
feet are heavily furred to provide warmth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">They
have smaller ears to avoid freezing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Polar
bears have a narrower and more elongated skull. this is an adaptation to warm
the cold inhaled air, to aid the sense of smell, or to assist with the capture
of prey trying to slip through a narrow opening to the safety of the sea below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 15.75pt; margin-left: 40.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">They
only have four mammae; brown bears have six, and a smaller litter size. This is
an adaptation to the harsh environment for raising young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the Arctic the air temperatures are
around-29 F in the winter and 32 F in the summer. The ocean temperatures in the
arctic drop to 29 F in summer and 28 F, which is the freezing point of
seawater. There is not much interactions between polar bears and other species
because there Artic area is so vacant. An interesting fact about polar bears is
that many people usually group penguins and polar bear together but they
actually will never come into contact with each other. They live in opposite
poles, polar bears live in Arctic and penguins live in Antarctica.(1) There is
not much interactions between polar bears and other species. Mostly the only
species they come into contact to are seals. Polar bears prey on ring seals, bearded seals, hooded seals, and harp seals.
<a href="http://www.actionbioscience.org/environment/derocher.html">(9)</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Behavior:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Polar bears show some
pretty complex behavior. One interesting fact is the adult female bears with
cubs hunt only about 19 % of their time during the spring. They hunt about 38 %
during the spring and about 40% of their time during the summer. When they are
not hunting polar bears often spend their time with sleeping or resting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When there is not a lot of ice around from July
to December, preventing it from seal hunting they are know to spend 87 % of
their time resting. When it is warm out side some bears sprawl out on the
ground and make snow pits to lie in. As for their social life polar bears are
mostly solitary, usually there is only two social units; females with cubs and
breeding pairs. The most constant and strong social interaction is between the
mother and her cubs. She is known to actively touch and groom them. The cubs will stay with their mother for
around two years. After separating from the mother the siblings will usually
stick with each other for a while. The breeding pairs
remain together for around a week and they mate several times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is some aggression that occurs between
males during breeding season where there is competition for females. They are
also known for play fighting between cubs and adults. Polar bears are one of the few bears to
not hibernate during the winter. Only pregnant females do and its not the
typical hibernation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The term
hibernating means to pass the winter in a lethargic stage. When food is scarce
animals hibernate living off of stored body, their heart rate, respiratory and body temperature drops. This does
not happen to polar bears. They go through what is called a
state of carnivore lethargy. Their body temperatures do not drop intensely and
other body functions still continue. <a href="http://seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-infobooks/polar-bears/behavior/">(8)</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Conservation Status<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The current standing for Polar bear conservation is vulnerable
according to the WWF. Polar bears are listed as threatened in the United States under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008.</span><span style="color: #343434; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear">(6) </a>The polar bear population is ranged from 20,000-25,000. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Climate change is a huge factor of why polar
bears are threated. The WWF are doing many things in order to help polar bears
survive. The WWF has really pushed for a statement that will show the urgent need that will address the faults for climate change and what it is doing to the polar bears. Service in the communities where polar bears are common such as Alaska and Russia has been done by the WWF to prevent unintended encounters between polar bears and people. There is a polar bear patrol that helps keeps the communities safe. Some examples are having better lighting near public places,
electric fencing, bear-proof food storage containers and warning plans for when
bears enter the town. <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear">(6)</a> Scientists and the WWF also run polar bear trackers
to monitor the animals by satellite. From this they can map the polar bears
range and how they use their habitat when it changes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #343434; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There was a study done by </span><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Stapleton etal. in Nov
2014. They evaluated satellite images as a tool to track where polar bears are and the abundance. These scientists looked at images from a small island
in Foxe Basin, Canada. There was a high density of polar bears during the
summer free ice season. From </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">their
study they concluded that satellite imagery is a great tool for monitoring polar bears on land. Some future research they suggested was to access <span style="color: #262626;">the utility of multi-spectral imagery and examine sites
with different environmental characteristics<span style="font-size: x-small;">.(7) </span>This study is important to polar bears because it is a way to track them and keep a hold of population sizes. This way scientist can know how the species is doing in terms of </span></span><span style="color: #262626;">endangerment. They can also look at patterns between a natural disaster that occurs or the amount of ice that is melting and compare the population size. </span></div>
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References<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bear-facts-information/where-do-polar-bears-live">1. </a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Where Do Polar Bears Live? P</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">olar Bears international. 2014</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bear-facts-information/where-do-polar-bears-live</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Polar Bear Anatomy. Bio Expedition. 2014. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.polarbear-world.com/polar-bear-anatomy/</span></div>
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3. <o:p></o:p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Global Warming and Polar Bears - National Wildlife Federation. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">National Wildlife Federation. 2014</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming/Effects-on-Wildlife-and-Habitat/Polar-Bears.aspx</span></div>
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<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ursus_maritimus_Polar_bear_with_cub_2.jpg"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">4. commons.wikimedia.org</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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5. <o:p></o:p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Fur and Skin. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">P</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">olar Bears International. (2014)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears/essentials/fur-and-skin</span></div>
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6. <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Polar Bear Species WWF. World Wildlife Foundation. (2014) Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">7.
Stapleton, S., LaRue, M., Lecomte, N., Atkinson, S., Garshelis, D., Porter, C.,
& Atwood, T. (2014). Polar Bears from Space: Assessing Satellite Imagery as
a Tool to Track Arctic Wildlife. <i>Plos ONE</i>, <i>9</i>(7), 1-7.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0101513<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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8. <o:p></o:p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Polar Bear. Behavior. SeaWorld (2014). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-infobooks/polar-bears/behavior/</span></div>
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9. <o:p></o:p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Derocher, A. (2000). Polar Bears and Climate Change. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.actionbioscience.org/environment/derocher.html</span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-17037492070046448512014-11-25T22:57:00.001-05:002014-11-25T22:57:23.676-05:00The Largest Creature the World Has Ever Known<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RAbJfpbw7wA/VG-JXYy7LPI/AAAAAAAAAC8/526DrnLwdyQ/s1600/bluewhale1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RAbJfpbw7wA/VG-JXYy7LPI/AAAAAAAAAC8/526DrnLwdyQ/s1600/bluewhale1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><i>Balaenoptera musculus</i>, more commonly known as the blue whale, is said to be the rarest and most endangered of the great whales. This organism belongs to the order Cetacea, which includes whales, dolphins and porpoises.<br />
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<b>Habitat Range</b><br />
Typically, the blue whale <a href="http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cetaceans/about/blue_whale/">can be found in cold or temperate waters</a> and occur in almost every ocean including the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. In the North Atlantic Ocean, these whales can range from the subtropics to the Greenland Sea. Moreover, these whales are seen frequently in the Gulf of St. Lawrence off the coast of eastern Canada. Most will migrate seasonally, but some studies show that others will stay in the same area year round.<a href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/cetaceans/bluewhale.htm"> Migratory routes </a>are not well known, and distributions vary in different areas. In general, individuals that live in the northern hemisphere will travel further north to Arctic waters in order to feed, while individuals in the southern hemisphere travel further south to the Antarctic to feed. In other words, they seem to migrate based on where food is more abundant, or where krill is more concentrated.<br />
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<b>Physical Description</b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCL1SCh29SU/VG-ItsIR_FI/AAAAAAAAAC0/nd8xOWQHqwM/s1600/bluewhale.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCL1SCh29SU/VG-ItsIR_FI/AAAAAAAAAC0/nd8xOWQHqwM/s1600/bluewhale.gif" height="125" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cetaceans/about/blue_whale/">The blue whale is the largest mammal and animal alive today.</a> It weighs in at about 200 tons, or 400,000 pounds and can be between eighty to one hundred feet in length. This is roughly the size of thirty three elephants. However, the largest of these whales was recorded to be about 110 feet in length. While all of these whales are large, the females are typically about ten meters longer than males. They are a lightly mottled blue/grey color with a light grey or yellow underside. This yellow coloring comes from a buildup of diatoms, or microscopic, unicellular marine algae. These vertebrates can be identified by their relatively small dorsal fin as well as their fairly rounded rostrum, or anterior part of their skull. Each whale is said to have approximately ninety ventral grooves which reach the navel. Also, they have about 300-400 baleen plates on each side of their mouth, which are usually black in color.<br />
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<b>Evolutionary History</b><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V3uoGq6Mmw4/VG-K1vu_JpI/AAAAAAAAADQ/NQpYIMNabjA/s1600/1280px-Blue_whale_tail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V3uoGq6Mmw4/VG-K1vu_JpI/AAAAAAAAADQ/NQpYIMNabjA/s1600/1280px-Blue_whale_tail.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a>It is said that all members of Cetacea, which includes all whales with teeth and baleen, <a href="http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=41#null">evolved from terrestrial hoofed animals</a>, such as the modern day cow, camel, etc. some forty-five million years ago. To add to this belief, a recent study of milk protein genes in both whales and these hoofed animals may help to confirm this idea. This study also showed that the closest living relative of all whales is the hippopotamus. Blue whales, as well as all whales, are an example of <a href="http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=41#null">adaptive radiation</a>, meaning they have undergone many changes in order to thrive in their specific environments. For whales, this was to be able to survive in a marine habitat. Some changes that whales have undergone are that their bodies became streamlined for efficient movement in water, their forelimbs were modified into flippers, their hind limbs have just about disappeared completely, their tail broadened horizontally and now consists of two large flukes that help propel them powerfully through water, they have developed blubber, a fatty substance located just under the skin, for insulation and buoyancy instead of hair or fur, and, lastly, their nostrils have shifted to the top of their head to create the blowhole.<br />
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<b>Ecology </b><br />
As far as predation goes, the blue whale really only seems to have one predator- humans. Occasionally, Orcas will attack and sometimes even kill a young blue whale. Lampreys have also been known to attach themselves to a blue whale and take a bite out of it, but there is no record of them killing the whale. Moreover, according to an article published in<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/blue-whale-plays-with-dolphins_n_3868061.html"> Huffington Post</a>, blue whales seem to have a mutual relationship with dolphins in that dolphins will hitch a ride with a blue whale. The dolphins position themselves in the front of the whale and ride the pressure wave that the whale creates with its massive body size. However, blue whales are also very good at interacting with each other. According to <a href="http://natgeotv.com.au/tv/kingdom-of-the-blue-whale/blue-whales-and-communication.aspx">National Geographic</a>, blue whales have developed a few sophisticated ways to communicate across broad oceans. They use this sound for multiple purposes such as to locate food, navigate and communicate with one another. These methods of communication are important because blue whales live a solitary lifestyle and are usually found alone. Therefore, they need this advanced communication to locate each other. With as large as the blue whales are, they have an equally deep voice. They can vocalize at frequencies as low as 14 Hz. The volume of these sounds can also reach up to 180 decibels, which makes the blue whale the loudest animal on the planet. These modes of communication come in the forms of grunts, humming, moaning and clicks.<br />
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<b>Conservation Status</b><br />
According to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), as of right now, the Blue Whale is ranked as endangered and can no longer be found off the coast of Japan, the Gulf of Alaska nor in the Southern Bering Sea. Only a few hundred are said to be found in the Antarctic. According to a study published in September of 2014, which was performed in California by the University of Washington, the only known <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0098974">population that seems to be rebounding </a>as of late is in the North Pacific off the coast of California, where the population of blue whales has grown to approximately two thousand individuals. Prior to whaling, it is said that there may have been more than 250,000 total individuals. Now, there are roughly 10,000 individuals across their habitat range. Some conditions that have led to this decline in the blue whale populations are that habitats are being lost to landfills, harbors, shipping canals and fisheries. Some other reasons are resort development and increased boat traffic. Currently, the WWF is placing <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/blue-whale">satellite tracking</a> devices on specific whales in order to observe which routes they seem to be taking the most often. This information can then be relayed to large shipping companies and fisheries so that they do not further harm this species.<br />
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<b>Interesting Facts </b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JGDPqwPXdDE/VG-Jq8KJLeI/AAAAAAAAADE/5PPEPigLnnA/s1600/Blue_Whale_002_noaa_blow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JGDPqwPXdDE/VG-Jq8KJLeI/AAAAAAAAADE/5PPEPigLnnA/s1600/Blue_Whale_002_noaa_blow.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
As stated under the physical description, the blue whale is the largest mammal and animal in the world. With that being said, it can be imagined that they should have equally large internal anatomy, which they do. For example, the blue whale’s heart is roughly the size of a <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/blue-whale">Volkswagen Beetle</a> and pumps about 10 tons of blood through the animal’s body. The whale's heartbeat can be heard up to two miles off. Also, its <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Blue_Whale">aorta</a> is large enough for a human to swim through. Another interesting fact about these creatures is that when they blow, also called a <a href="http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/education/cetaceans/blue.php">spout</a>, it releases air and water that can reach thirty feet in the air.<br />
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<b>Sources</b>:<br />
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cetaceans/about/blue_whale/
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/cetaceans/bluewhale.htm
http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=41
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/blue-whale
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140905090223.htm
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0098974
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/blue-whale-plays-with-dolphins_n_3868061.html
http://natgeotv.com.au/tv/kingdom-of-the-blue-whale/blue-whales-and-communication.aspx
http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/education/cetaceans/blue.php
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Blue_Whale http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Balaenoptera_musculusAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-32567523526254089792010-12-04T15:33:00.020-05:002010-12-05T12:05:12.620-05:00Gentle Giants and Graceful Grazers; A Look at the Florida Manatee<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXsO6F0SIdEKbyn8-afmhtx1AfnKs1sKajAA5pxtKCPI0nJUk3lFdn1H0Q9njLwbDBHcMum6uWBdJBEMI5EsFIBE-6oTGfW7DndheOZiXW9mWi22n3vJNaltwDeOEk1TgzYeRWC0n5Q/s1600/100_1049.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547240563841932786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXsO6F0SIdEKbyn8-afmhtx1AfnKs1sKajAA5pxtKCPI0nJUk3lFdn1H0Q9njLwbDBHcMum6uWBdJBEMI5EsFIBE-6oTGfW7DndheOZiXW9mWi22n3vJNaltwDeOEk1TgzYeRWC0n5Q/s200/100_1049.jpg" /></a> The Florida manatee, T<em>richechus manatus latirostris, </em>is known for its gentle nature and lumbersome ways. Its nickname, the sea cow, comes with good reason. This mammal spends nearly 8 hours out of its day doing nothing but eating, yes <em>nothing</em> but eating. During these 8 hours of munching, the manatee can consume about 7.5% its own body weight in food per day. Their diet consists of over 60 different types of aquatic plants including turtle grass, mangrove leaves, and types of algae. That is a lot of food considering adult manatees can reach nearly 10 feet long weighing in at around 1,500 lbs. That is a big cow! A unique aspect of the manatee is that it is the only herbivorous mammal that is specifically designed to live the entirety of its live in the water.<br /><br />The Florida manatee is found in the southeastern part of the U.S. mainly in Florida. Its main habitat consists of coastal wetlands and the warm waters of shallow rivers, bays, and estuaries. They can be found in several different parts of Florida including the North and Southwestern Florida, the Atlantic coast, and St. Johns River along with the Gulf. In these areas, not all of the water is salt water and the sea cows can survive in saltwater as long as there is freshwater nearby and available. They are also found in brackish areas. During the winter months, they will travel further into the gulf and gather in the rivers and the natural springs located there. The internal temperature of a sea cow is 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit and if the temperature of the water that they are in reaches below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, they can get "cold stress syndrome" and can possibly die. <p>While in the water, manatees have been clocked at swimming nearly 20 miles an hour, however they typically only swim at around 3-6 miles per hour, doing somersaults and barrel rolls and can be seen gliding through the water upside-down. To swim, the manatee uses its forearms that are reduced to simple paddles that are used for steering and also are flexible enough to help bring food towards its mouth and to scratch their eyes and face. These paddles each have 4 nails at the tip of each and the rear paddle, or tail, is where the manatee gets its power while swimming. Although the manatee is designed to live in the water for its entire life, it does take breaks from eating and sleeping to come to the surface and take a breath. In fact, the manatee takes a breath every 3 to 4 minutes during activity but can hold its breath for up to 20 minutes during rest. The reason that a manatee can hold its breath for so long is because the lungs in an adult can reach nearly 3 feet in length and when it takes a breath, it can replace up to 90% of the air versus humans who only replace 10%. This air also aids in buoyancy. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayI2IlczQLMDMcWgCWNRRc9vnoZG4Gdm9gP71wB30Q2UchkrO_JIi0VkwBehvG2dfiutqQG5BmZ_ZdSn8TZnUoUBnR3EqKooP3odrXD_flNyKUx5Fs-Wd95mf4cUMkqySCmKyy3Q6WA/s1600/100_1054.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547242812358105826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayI2IlczQLMDMcWgCWNRRc9vnoZG4Gdm9gP71wB30Q2UchkrO_JIi0VkwBehvG2dfiutqQG5BmZ_ZdSn8TZnUoUBnR3EqKooP3odrXD_flNyKUx5Fs-Wd95mf4cUMkqySCmKyy3Q6WA/s200/100_1054.jpg" /></a> Another really cool aspect of the manatee is that its bones are solid and do not contain any marrow or hollow cavities and this is too help the manatee be able to sink to eat the aquatic plants off of the river bed. The bones help to indicate age as well with the growth layers. In the wild, a manatee can live upwards of 50-60 years and in captivity just short of around 65 years. Their lifespan is so long because the manatee has not natural predators and its only threat are people and the cold weather. Boat propellers and jet skis are a huge threat to the manatees along with habitat destruction. The numbers of manatees is declining in the wild because of those previously mentioned and also because they have a very slow reproduction rate. They only have one calf every 5-7 years with a 12 month gestation period. Females also do not typically breed until the age of 6-10 years.<br /><p>Sea cows are gray to brown in color with small, widest set eyes and they have ears that lack external lobes. Since they eat so many plants, they are hind-gut fermenters with a very long digestive tract. Because they are constantly eating, they need to have great teeth to withstand the grinding. With this wear and tear on the teeth, they continuously replace their back molars. The molars erupt from the back of each jaw and pushes forward, forcing out old teeth at the front . </p>I looked at a study done at the University of Florida on the material properties that make up the rib in manatees. This is so interesting because the ribs in manatees are completely solid to help with the density to sink the bottom to graze without using mush energy. However, even though they sink to eat, they still get hit by boats and other water craft. This is analyzing what kind of impact these bones can withstand to be able to better mark speeds that boats can travel in manatee areas. The results show that manatee bone is not as strong and tough as other mammalian bone. Their bones cannot absorb much in the way of energy or impact leading to more fatalities of these creatures when hit by boats. This decrease in energy absorption is because of the density and mineral content of the bone. This was tested by examining the strength, modulus, work of fracture and fracture toughness.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sources-</div><div>Manatee Info- <a href="http://www.cincinnatizoo.org/animals/mammals/floridamanatee.html">http://www.cincinnatizoo.org/animals/mammals/floridamanatee.html</a> <p><a href="http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/manatee.php">http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/manatee.php</a></p><p><a href="http://www.sirenian.org/FPLBooklet.pdf">http://www.sirenian.org/FPLBooklet.pdf</a></p><br /><br /><p>Manatee rib study- <a href="http://journals.ohiolink.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/Clifton_K._B.pdf?issn=09528369&issue=v274i0002&article=150_mpomrb">http://journals.ohiolink.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/Clifton_K._B.pdf?issn=09528369&issue=v274i0002&article=150_mpomrb</a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><br /><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-65431074377734402212010-11-30T21:22:00.004-05:002010-11-30T21:26:52.475-05:00The Red Panda<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvcD9asjT7N3i-i2_p81rXZkiKKaPzYQSRXBOFKSZYNAR3QGEKYdGBk2T_cB2ilLl3Ao9PL0MfHaQ9m3fEeqCqb3zJ9E3ePoNqNzNHEOGt-wUxRK0Af6HSBvmqogX8kKuuxPrSraah8-R/s1600/Red-Panda2.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvcD9asjT7N3i-i2_p81rXZkiKKaPzYQSRXBOFKSZYNAR3QGEKYdGBk2T_cB2ilLl3Ao9PL0MfHaQ9m3fEeqCqb3zJ9E3ePoNqNzNHEOGt-wUxRK0Af6HSBvmqogX8kKuuxPrSraah8-R/s320/Red-Panda2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545534034687209090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">Red Panda</span></b></span> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><em><b style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">Ailurus fulgens</span></b></em><i style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><b style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">Habitat:</span></b><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Red pandas live in the Himalayan Mountains in bamboo forests, spanning across Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Myanma.<span style=""> </span>They enjoy the moist cool air at elevations of 7000-15500 feet.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">Food Source:</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Like there giant panda relative the red panda survives mostly on a diet of bamboo.<span style=""> </span>They must constantly eat in order to maintain their body weight, even eating up to 200,000 bamboo leaves a day. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">Intriguing Facts:</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >They have an incredibly low metabolic rate, similar to that of a sloth.<span style=""> </span>So this animal rests up in the trees for almost 15 hours a day.<span style=""> </span>They spend almost all of their waking time eating.<span style=""> </span>They are solitary creatures, only coming in contact with other red pandas during mating season.<span style=""> </span>Due to habitat loss the red panda is one of the most endangered species on the planet, it is estimated only 2500 individuals remain.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">Resent Research:</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The current phylogeny of the red panda is debated.<span style=""> </span>Some scientist debate that it is more closely related to the raccoon, while others suggest it is more closely related to the bear.<span style=""> </span>Others still suggest that it should be placed in a family all its own.<span style=""> </span>The research done by the Chinese University of Science seeks to better understand the red pandas elusive phyologeny.<span style=""> </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;">They analyzed the: “interchromosomal rearrangements and amplic-cation of repetitive sequences have played a major role in differentiating the karyotypesof the mustelid species.”<span style=""> </span>Their results showed that </span><span style="font-size:100%;">the red panda is closely related to the </span><span style="font-size:100%;">mustelids, or weasel family.<span style=""> </span>This is certainly an interesting find and more genomic research is currently being done, fossil analysis must also be done to confirm the phylogeny thoroughly.<span style=""> </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Sources:<br />General info- <a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=19">http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=19</a> and <a href="http://www.centralparkzoo.com/animals-and-exhibits/animals/mammals/red-panda.aspx">http://www.centralparkzoo.com/animals-and-exhibits/animals/mammals/red-panda.aspx</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:10pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Research- </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/uvnvj8x37ytcmnkt/">http://www.springerlink.com/content/uvnvj8x37ytcmnkt/</a></span></span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/uvnvj8x37ytcmnkt/"></a><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:10pt;" > <span style=""> </span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-91991410813520730782010-11-30T20:09:00.004-05:002010-12-01T10:24:33.692-05:00Special Little Swimers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONfqgDZjvE8hD7WFir2JuiWlwLHXsGy6fxsmb8q0v2dMCoFvNPek-ZkQh4KRPpNs8AyirMk2oVBCroKcyaZ26nkae7HZccxRHOo8cMt5Uj5fSqOJLdD-Ts7_Zv-qRyWVvHJd3zx6DuAw/s1600/river+otter.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONfqgDZjvE8hD7WFir2JuiWlwLHXsGy6fxsmb8q0v2dMCoFvNPek-ZkQh4KRPpNs8AyirMk2oVBCroKcyaZ26nkae7HZccxRHOo8cMt5Uj5fSqOJLdD-Ts7_Zv-qRyWVvHJd3zx6DuAw/s320/river+otter.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545499172181026466" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">The otter is one of my favorite animals not only 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font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >(Lontra Canadensis) which </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjZFd_hnNiD3J8AVEAC29ZyP767MUpipV5VRFRRJnGUDqB2bNdTuBJZw3NPNLifW7nFD32Lzi3IvJZXa6IOV7QZBWChnXdV8U8uXt8VjcfvF6dLkPoaBUaZF1mMNFapedmiZoYhc0hlM/s1600/river+otter+pups.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjZFd_hnNiD3J8AVEAC29ZyP767MUpipV5VRFRRJnGUDqB2bNdTuBJZw3NPNLifW7nFD32Lzi3IvJZXa6IOV7QZBWChnXdV8U8uXt8VjcfvF6dLkPoaBUaZF1mMNFapedmiZoYhc0hlM/s320/river+otter+pups.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545513233516735858" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >obviously live in North America as the name says. They can be found in most rivers throughout the entire continent and exist here in Ohio. They usually eat fish, crayfish, and crabs since they spend most of their time in the water but can occasionally eat small birds and rodents. They are very specialized for water life and are able to close their ears and nose, have a clear third eyelid</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" > called a nictitating membrane, webbed feet, and they can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes. They also have claws that are useful if they happen to venture onto land or need to build their </span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >dens.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><br />In a recent study researchers studied the patterns of these otters moving throughout Minnesota. A group of otters was monitered for multiple seasons and things such as time of day, temperature, weather etc. were observed. The otters were most active in the evening and least active around mid-day. It was also found that there was more activity during mating season and less during winter. Although there was less winter activity in general there was more foraging for food probably because of the increased energy needs for temperature regulation. There was also increased activity in males compared to females. Although the authors hypothesize that it may be because of differing diets, or different energy needs</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> they did not test these hypotheses.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.colszoo.org/meet_our_animals/mammals/default.aspx">Zoo otter info</a><br /><a href="http://journals.ohiolink.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/Wengeler_William_R.pdf?issn=00063207&issue=v143i0005&article=1144_ecoiltroiynp">Otter research study </a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-19329373234370138872010-11-30T19:50:00.004-05:002010-12-01T19:58:43.980-05:00The North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis)<span style="font-style: italic;">Basic Information</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC829qa4s-okjZM5ZpuvjLxLYpmd7SBNIDzIjrywIyhVZMDnYiBZoStuzqeSs-5X1h863b6jrYoyoG2rUoxhcp6pQaKLdPMuVgeTGsQaZHDouzMhiHsB-3-nmsnubB6jjCNSQkYdRsu7Q/s1600/1104001225.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC829qa4s-okjZM5ZpuvjLxLYpmd7SBNIDzIjrywIyhVZMDnYiBZoStuzqeSs-5X1h863b6jrYoyoG2rUoxhcp6pQaKLdPMuVgeTGsQaZHDouzMhiHsB-3-nmsnubB6jjCNSQkYdRsu7Q/s320/1104001225.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545880362589311138" border="0" /></a><br />These very social, playful aquatic animals are members of the weasel family of the order Carnivora. Their bodies are highly modified for a life spent mostly in and around the water. These modifications include a streamlined body, webbed feet, thick, water-repelling, insulating fur, a tapered tail, and small ears and nasal openings that can close underwater!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Habitat and Range</span><br />These river otters live in mainly the northern U.S., the coastal states, and parts of Canada in and close by any inland waterways.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Diet</span><br />River otters will eat many different types of freshwater creatures including fish, crayfish, small mammals, frogs, mollusks, and other small invertebrates.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Life History</span><br />Females give birth to one to six young in their underground burrows. Males do not take part in the care of the young. After about 2 months of mainly being in the burrow, the mother pushes the young otters into the water, forcing them to learn how to swim while she supervises.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Primary Research</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIVAuppgc4nZeUZ4wLhpsH1ksJW3skdpdu8BW9lmPCa7zV6vOkpxO0AWckQECV40q9oxGP14sfb4PTcX8zQgifni3XaZxbrWvx6u3QOGlEcNPt5b4LL-dP5ud3whTKRQuCuVepHsg0iA/s1600/1104001234.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIVAuppgc4nZeUZ4wLhpsH1ksJW3skdpdu8BW9lmPCa7zV6vOkpxO0AWckQECV40q9oxGP14sfb4PTcX8zQgifni3XaZxbrWvx6u3QOGlEcNPt5b4LL-dP5ud3whTKRQuCuVepHsg0iA/s320/1104001234.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545880565329237650" border="0" /></a><br />I looked at two current research articles on the North American River Otter, one explored the impact of an invasive trout species on the otter populations in Yellowstone National Park and the other was written about an attempt to reintroduce the river otters to waterways in Indiana.<br /><br />The paper about the invasive species of Lake trout being found in increasing amounts in several lakes in Yellowstone National Park, revealed that although some other species of piscivores (fish-eaters) such as the grizzly bear and some birds are being impacted by the replacement of the endangered Yellowstone cutthroat trout with the invasive lake trout, the river otter is doing fine. The river otter eats a variety of different fish, so replacing one of its major food types with the invasive species of trout does not change anything except now more of the river otter's diet is made up of lake trout rather than the cutthroat trout.<br /><br />The second paper spoke about the attempt to reintroduce the North American river otter to Indiana after the species had disappeared from the state in 1942 due to fur trapping, loss of habitat, and food. The attempt had mixed results in that many of the original otters introduced from surrounding states were killed by various means just as they were before. However, some good was achieved and many of the otters did begin breeding and establishing themselves in certain regions of the state. The paper stated that the researchers conducting this experiment did need to look further into ways to protect, maintain, and regulate these restored populations as well as defining the exact occupied regions and certain age-specific reproductive patterns.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Resources</span><br /><br />1. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/american-river-otter.html<br />2. Kelt, D; Johnson, M. (2010) Ecological consequences of invasive lake trout on river otters in Yellowstone National Park. <cite>BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION</cite>, 143, 5, p. 1144-1153.<br />http://journals.ohiolink.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/Wengeler_William_R.pdf?issn=00063207&issue=v143i0005&article=1144_ecoiltroiynp<br />3. Walker, H; Hudson, C; Hewitt, T; Thompson, J. (2007) Prospects for restoring river otters in Indiana. <cite>Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science</cite>, 116, 1, p. 71-83.<br />http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=18&sid=a7a05636-c0b2-4db4-b24a-160dd978c61a%40sessionmgr15&vid=2<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-69525001238616399862010-11-29T23:56:00.002-05:002010-11-30T00:27:11.708-05:00This Should Lure You In.....<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkYJpZMkKWM9bqpajIjfqxWZqZ1XOiWeElprdxtUO9dgh7uUoDvHZzE3YazemuSHAelO8A-k9jzePkK7G3PMDgph9DH4JVq6wor754N6DNNMqv7ete_k9P_HlnRErdZ51vh88giPR1SE/s1600/DSCF4744.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 341px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 241px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545202756305787858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkYJpZMkKWM9bqpajIjfqxWZqZ1XOiWeElprdxtUO9dgh7uUoDvHZzE3YazemuSHAelO8A-k9jzePkK7G3PMDgph9DH4JVq6wor754N6DNNMqv7ete_k9P_HlnRErdZ51vh88giPR1SE/s320/DSCF4744.JPG" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkYJpZMkKWM9bqpajIjfqxWZqZ1XOiWeElprdxtUO9dgh7uUoDvHZzE3YazemuSHAelO8A-k9jzePkK7G3PMDgph9DH4JVq6wor754N6DNNMqv7ete_k9P_HlnRErdZ51vh88giPR1SE/s1600/DSCF4744.JPG"></a><br />The alligator snapping turtle, <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Macrochelys</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">temminckii</span>,</em> is found in lakes and streams in the south eastern region of the United States and can be found into Canada. The largest specimen ever formally recorded was a 236 pound alligator snapper at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Brookfield</span> Zoo in Chicago. On average, these turtles generally grow to a carapace length of 26 inches and weigh up to 175 pounds. These turtles got their name from the three pronounced ridges that are on the carapace which resemble those of the alligator. Often called the dinosaur of the turtle world, these interesting turtles are very primitive in appearance. These turtles can live anywhere from 50-100 years!<br /><br />Alligator snapping turtles are scavengers by night and hunters by day. During the day, the use a specialized section of their tongue, which resembles a worm, to lure in prey. When the lure is in use, it fills with blood giving it the red color of a worm. To help with camouflage, the deep ridges of the turtle's shell become covered with algae helping to blend their shell into the substrate. The inside of the turtles mouth is grey in color and also blends in with its surroundings.<br /><br />These turtles mate in early spring and nest 2 months later. The female will lay her eggs about 50 yards from the water's edge and this is the commonly the only time these turtles will leave the water. A clutch of eggs can contain 8-52 eggs and incubation lasts anywhere from 100 to 140 days. Sex is determined by the temperature of each individual egg during incubation.<br /><br />A study produced by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in 2006 titled "Food Habits of <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Macrochelys</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">temminckii</span></em> from Arkansas to Louisiana" includes interesting information on the food habits of these interesting turtles. This experiment was carried out by investigating the stomach contents and intestinal tracts of 109 alligator snapping turtles from both Arkansas and Louisiana. One of the first findings of the study was that a positive correlation between body mass and stomach content was discovered. This means that the larger a turtle was, the more food it consumed. Contents of the stomach and intestinal tracts included the following in order of most common: fish, crayfish, mollusks, turtles, insects, and nutria. Most surprisingly mammals were found in the digestive tracts of these primitive looking turtles. It is just another connection to the alligators from which they got their common name. Mammals that were found in their stomach include; <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dasypus</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">novemcinctus</span> </em>(armadillo), <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Didelphis</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">virginiana</span> </em>(Virginia opossum), <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sciurus</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">sp</span>. </em>(squirrel), and <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sus</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">scrofa</span> </em>(hogs). The take home message from this study is that alligator snapping turtles are opportunistic scavengers and have the ability to consume a wide variety of prey.<br /><br /><br />Sources:<br />Turtle info: <a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/alligator-snapping-turtle/">http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/alligator-snapping-turtle/</a><br /><a href="http://www.tortoise.org/archives/snapping.html">http://www.tortoise.org/archives/snapping.html</a><br />Louisiana Study:<a href="http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=17&sid=9c803ba8-173d-4f22-82b9-5300ed2f3730%40sessionmgr12">http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=17&<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">sid</span>=9c803<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">ba</span>8-173d-4f22-82b9-5300ed2f3730%40<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">sessionmgr</span>12</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-29526115583763942532010-11-29T23:29:00.005-05:002010-11-29T23:42:19.282-05:00Caribbean flamingo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-0rKcnKUvjW5yGMEgJ_sY1pqraQxRyh3ariH0O9AxsozUCi092HgC8SXwEPl7H7TYBTxM_SAc7lx4QdbBoqajfIwRCjYq1CK5gPofRU6kXXZ11udSn-DJEmXzhbpl7__WkL9tABpjdQ/s1600/flamingo.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-0rKcnKUvjW5yGMEgJ_sY1pqraQxRyh3ariH0O9AxsozUCi092HgC8SXwEPl7H7TYBTxM_SAc7lx4QdbBoqajfIwRCjYq1CK5gPofRU6kXXZ11udSn-DJEmXzhbpl7__WkL9tABpjdQ/s320/flamingo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545196890893049202" /></a><br />Caribbean flamingo<br /><em>Phoencopterus ruber ruber</em><br /><br />Habitat: North and South America; mud flats, shallow lakes, and salt lagoons<br /><br />Food source: Filter feed on algae, crustaceans, seeds, small fish, insects, and mollusks<br /><br />Interesting facts: Both male and female flamingos produce crop milk which is used to feed the juvenile flamingos while they are young. Flamingos typically only lay one egg at a time. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRUiLqRhSE1MxD2LonfSPUBAt3Dud2Gc5AF824SAdWjr6jZrvvFDbGc-ZNeRbfssV8pMbOET455-McTAq1Lcjzx-1I-vy64aM_r7Q7NYc2zCC-eX411IabXaLg941yGSNbFCJZiGoj3U/s1600/flamingo2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRUiLqRhSE1MxD2LonfSPUBAt3Dud2Gc5AF824SAdWjr6jZrvvFDbGc-ZNeRbfssV8pMbOET455-McTAq1Lcjzx-1I-vy64aM_r7Q7NYc2zCC-eX411IabXaLg941yGSNbFCJZiGoj3U/s320/flamingo2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545197757236078210" /></a><br /><br />Recent research: There has always been a common question surrounding the way that flamingos rest. Flamingos are known for resting on one leg. The common question is: Why do the flamingos only stand on one leg and not two. Recently studies (Anderson 2009) have found that resting on one leg may help the flamingos in thermoregulation. <br /><br />Because flamingos are filter feeders, they heavily rely on the health of their beak and tongue to survive. Another fairly recent study (Hammer 2007) showed that if flamingos eat foods that are too greasy, they can have a build-up that will hinder their filter feeding ability. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://journals.ohiolink.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/Anderson_Matthew_J.pdf?issn=07333188&issue=v29i0003&article=365_wdfsool">Anderson, Matthew J. and Sarah A. Williams. “Why do flamingos stand on one leg?” Zoo Biology 29:365-374 (2009). </a><br /><a href="http://journals.ohiolink.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/Hammer_Sven.pdf?issn=10427260&issue=v38i0003&article=465_biiagoccfrr"><br />Hammer, Sven, Simon Jenson, Raffy Borjal, and Marcus Clauss. “Bill impaction in a group of captive Caribbean flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber).” Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 38(3): 465-470 (2007).</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-17131128376935025342010-11-29T22:56:00.006-05:002010-11-30T01:03:33.220-05:00Alligator snapping turtle<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Physical description</span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;">With large heads and powerful jaws, </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">alligator snapping turtles (<em>Macrochelys temminckii</em>) are the largest freshwater turtles in the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can be easily distinguished by the three large pronounced ridges that run from front to back on the carapace. The fact that they have eyes on the sides of their heads makes them unique. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyerH-fHnrq-2WsBgTgBodcwZvNlpVQ0nI1YIrwF1CswpIdTjTZrTfhXiTZQTOPN_bXcZiKZdZcAr6KsoVUSaYDVyE0J4a-A5FeiX2CxQ8lOequZ2ZWTVYZFRkBA-NZ5X6ID140-M_wJ47/s1600/Macrochelys+temminckii_bmp.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyerH-fHnrq-2WsBgTgBodcwZvNlpVQ0nI1YIrwF1CswpIdTjTZrTfhXiTZQTOPN_bXcZiKZdZcAr6KsoVUSaYDVyE0J4a-A5FeiX2CxQ8lOequZ2ZWTVYZFRkBA-NZ5X6ID140-M_wJ47/s400/Macrochelys+temminckii_bmp.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: auto 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">[Picture of an </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">alligator snapping turtle (<em>M. temminckii</em>) that I took while at the Columbus Zoo</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">]</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: auto 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Habitat</span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Alligator snapping turtles live in freshwater areas in the southeastern United States. Adults live in deep lakes and ponds, while juveniles are usually found in smaller rivers and streams.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Diet</span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Alligator snapping turtles are hunters and sometimes scavengers. They sit still with their mouth open, using their tongue to lure in fish. Alligator snapping turtles will also eat molluscs, crayfish, insects, leaves, roots, tubers, nuts, and seeds, and aquatic plants, but their diet mainly consists of fish. They may even eat other turtles; in one Louisiana study, turtles were found in the stomachs of just under 80% of all alligator snapping turtles.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><b>Habitat Study</b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">By attaching radio transmitters to alligator snapping turtles in Arkansas, Howey and Dinkelacker found how they choose habitats throughout the year. Both males and females showed a high preference for aquatic sites with large amounts of submerged debris and canopy cover. This may be due to increased prey abundance near debris and higher chance of nuts and seeds falling from canopy cover. Also, more cover allows for more places for the alligator snapping turtles to hide from predators. Howey and Dinkelacker also found that both sexes prefer deeper water or stream banks during the summer months for easier thermoregulation. This allows them to sun themselves to warm up, and go underwater to cool off.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Sources: </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AnimalDiversityWeb. (2010, November).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Macrochelys temminckii</span>. Retrieved November 29, 2010, from</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Macrochelys_temminckii.html"><span style="color: purple;">http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Macrochelys_temminckii.html</span></a> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24pt; text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Howey, C. A. F. & Dinkelacker, S. A. (2009). Habitat Selection of the Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) in Arkansas. <i>Journal of Herpetology</i>, <i>43</i>(4), 589-596. doi:10.1670/08-105.1</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: auto 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://journals.ohiolink.edu/ejc/article.cgi?issn=00221511&issue=v43i0004&article=589_hsotasttia&search_term=%28Alligator+snapping+turtle%29"><span style="color: purple;">http://journals.ohiolink.edu/ejc/article.cgi?issn=00221511&issue=v43i0004&article=589_hsotasttia&search_term=%28Alligator+snapping+turtle%29</span></a> </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-32438651457583259222010-11-29T22:11:00.002-05:002010-11-29T23:22:28.492-05:00The Cause of the Extinction of the Australian Megafauna is...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2010/01/100121141109.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 466px;" src="http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2010/01/100121141109.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">...Humans!?!</span><br /><br />Yes, several findings and papers link the migration of humans to the Australian continent to the eventual extinction of many of Australia's existing megafauna, including giant marsupials such as the gigantic kangaroo, <span style="font-style: italic;" class="i">Procoptodon</span>, the two ton wombat-like marsupial, <span style="font-style: italic;" class="i">Diprotodon</span>, and the half ton <span style="font-style: italic;">Palorchestes azael</span>, an extinct Australian giant marsupial which was similar to a ground sloth<em style="font-family: arial;"></em>, giant reptiles, and flightless birds.<br /><br />Humans arrived on the Australian continent between 60,000 and 45,000 years ago and fossil records place the megafauna extinctions to have completed by around 46,000 years ago. For some time, the large Australian animals and humans might have coexisted but eventually most of the megafauna were driven to extinction. Researchers believe this was because humans were hunting the megafauna for a food source. The conflicting argument that other scientists have is that climate caused the extinctions, similar to many of the other extinctions that have occurred in history.<span style="font-size:78%;"><em></em><br /><br /></span>There is supporting and conflicting evidence for both hypotheses. The fact that the large animals went extinct shortly after the supposed arrival of humans supports the theory that humans were a driving force for the extinction of these great animals. However, several sites, especially one particular controversial site known as Cuddie Springs (it is controversial because some researchers have said the layers of rock may have moved or been moved, with some much older fossil rock pushing up into more recent rock with human tools), have shown sedimentary rock layers with both prehistoric man-made tools and megafauna fossils in the same time period, showing that humans and these large Australian animals may have coexisted for several thousand years before some other event occurred or maybe until humans eventually hunted them to extinction anyway. That other event could have been a climate change, because evidence has shown that that period of the Last Ice Age had above average aridity. However, evidence against climate being a factor was that these animals were already evolved for the drier conditions since the climate had been fairly arid for several thousand years, and when these animals went extinct, the climate was fairly calm and tolerable.<br /><br />The argument goes both ways on how these great megafauna went extinct: climate or humans, and many scientists see the situation as unresolved. So, maybe it was not the Australian ancestors who had the major role in the extinction of the Australian megafauna?<br /><br />(The image above is an artist's reconstruction of the half-tonne <span style="font-style: italic;">Palorchestes azael</span>, an extinct Australian giant marsupial which was similar to a ground sloth. (Credit: Courtesy of Peter Schouten))<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Source Articles</span><br />http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100121141109.htm<br />http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100123/full/news.2010.30.htmlUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2