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HomesickAlien

By HomesickAlien,
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HomesickAlien
HomesickAlien

16 March 2014 Sunday   The Titan Arum Amorphophallus titanum   http://i.imgur.com/sAtk90F.png http://i.imgur.com/q69WGSs.png http://i.imgur.com/nRM9UdN.png http://i.imgur.com/jRegam3.png

HomesickAlien
HomesickAlien

02 May 2015 Saturday     Madagascar Leaf-Nosed Snake   This bizarre-looking snake is an arboreal species endemic to Madagascar. As their name implies, leaf-nosed snakes have bizarre nasal appendage

HomesickAlien
HomesickAlien

18 June 2014 Wednesday     Alligator Snapping Turtle       The prehistoric-looking alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America and among the largest in the world. Wi

Your_Lion

Your_Lion

Posted
Posted

16 April 2015

Thursday

 

It's been a while since we've had a spider in this thread.

 

 

Bird-dropping Spider

 

(Celaenia excavata)

 

Several groups of spiders have evolved an effective strategy against being eaten by day-active predators like birds and wasps - they have bodies that look like unappetizing bird droppings.

 

One of the best known bird-dropping spiders is Celaenia excavata. Other names for this spider are the death's head spider, as its markings can also resemble the shape of a skull, and the orchard spider, because it is often seen on fruit trees where moths, its main source of food, may be abundant.

 

Its large size, distinctive colour pattern and resting posture all make this dung mimicking spider hard to mistake. The abdomen is broad and triangular in shape, concave along midline, and has a pair of roughened humps towards the rear. The legs are usually held folded against body.

 

The bird-dropping spider also uses mimicry of a quite different sort to capture its prey, which consist almost exclusively of male moths. At night the bird-dropping spider hangs from the edge of a leaf or twig on a short silk thread, its forelegs outstretched. While doing this it releases a chemical scent (pheromone) that mimics the airborne sex pheromone released by female moths to attract their mates. The unfortunate male moths that are attracted by the spider's deceiving pheromone eventually flutter close enough to the spider to be grabbed by its strong front legs.

 

The egg sacs of the bird-dropping spider are large, marbled brown coloured balls, each about 12 mm in diameter and containing more than 200 eggs. Up to 13 sacs are silked together in a group, beneath which the spider may be found sitting by day or hanging by night awaiting prey.

 

The bird-dropping spider is found throughout much of eastern and southern Australia.

 

 

Well, I, myself, am a fan of the Spider.

But these ones bear a striking resemblance to the "face huggers" in the Alien movies

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

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Posted (edited)

17 April 2015

Friday

 

 

Sri Lankan Frogmouth

 

Distinctive in both its appearance and its loud, laughing song, the Sri Lankan frogmouth is a tropical bird related to the nightjars. So called because of its large, gaping mouth, the Sri Lankan frogmouth’s head is as wide as its body, and has a broad, flattened, hooked bill. The female is rusty red with sparse white freckling, whereas the male is grey and more heavily spotted with white. The tail feathers are long and narrow.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth is nocturnal, hunting insects at night and resting on branches during the day. It builds a nest in the fork of a tree from 2 – 12 metres above the ground, lining it with moss, small leaves, twigs and underfeathers. A single white egg is laid and is incubated by the female at night and the male during the day. The white chick is cared for over a period of weeks before dispersing.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth inhabits dense tropical rainforest and is sometimes found in shade grown coffee plantations. It is found only in the Western Ghats of southwest India and Sri Lanka.

 

 

More info: planetofbirds

 

 

 

 

Edited by substancewithoutstyle
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Your_Lion

Your_Lion

Posted
Posted

17 April 2015

Friday

 

 

Sri Lankan Frogmouth

 

Distinctive in both its appearance and its loud, laughing song, the Sri Lankan frogmouth is a tropical bird related to the nightjars. So called because of its large, gaping mouth, the Sri Lankan frogmouth’s head is as wide as its body, and has a broad, flattened, hooked bill. The female is rusty red with sparse white freckling, whereas the male is grey and more heavily spotted with white. The tail feathers are long and narrow.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth is nocturnal, hunting insects at night and resting on branches during the day. It builds a nest in the fork of a tree from 2 – 12 metres above the ground, lining it with moss, small leaves, twigs and underfeathers. A single white egg is laid and is incubated by the female at night and the male during the day. The white chick is cared for over a period of weeks before dispersing.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth inhabits dense tropical rainforest and is sometimes found in shade grown coffee plantations. It is found only in the Western Ghats of southwest India and Sri Lanka.

 

 

More info: planetofbirds

 

 

 

 

Their beak and eyes are really big compared to the rest of their body. Gives them a bit of a Muppet look

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Babycat

Babycat

Posted
Posted

17 April 2015

Friday

 

 

Sri Lankan Frogmouth

 

Distinctive in both its appearance and its loud, laughing song, the Sri Lankan frogmouth is a tropical bird related to the nightjars. So called because of its large, gaping mouth, the Sri Lankan frogmouth’s head is as wide as its body, and has a broad, flattened, hooked bill. The female is rusty red with sparse white freckling, whereas the male is grey and more heavily spotted with white. The tail feathers are long and narrow.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth is nocturnal, hunting insects at night and resting on branches during the day. It builds a nest in the fork of a tree from 2 – 12 metres above the ground, lining it with moss, small leaves, twigs and underfeathers. A single white egg is laid and is incubated by the female at night and the male during the day. The white chick is cared for over a period of weeks before dispersing.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth inhabits dense tropical rainforest and is sometimes found in shade grown coffee plantations. It is found only in the Western Ghats of southwest India and Sri Lanka.

 

 

More info: planetofbirds

 

 

 

 

 

I can honestly say that I have never heard of or seen such fascinating creatures! They're amazing! :D

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Babycat

Babycat

Posted
Posted

Too much spider hate here. Spiders are cool.

 

I can't help it - they scare the proverbial **** out of me! :o

 

(Even though they are amazing creatures! :) )

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x1yyz

x1yyz

Posted
Posted

Too much spider hate here. Spiders are cool.

 

I can't help it - they scare the proverbial **** out of me! :o

 

(Even though they are amazing creatures! :) )

 

Ditto what Babycat said. I can't even look at them :scared:

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x1yyz

x1yyz

Posted
Posted

17 April 2015

Friday

 

 

Sri Lankan Frogmouth

 

Distinctive in both its appearance and its loud, laughing song, the Sri Lankan frogmouth is a tropical bird related to the nightjars. So called because of its large, gaping mouth, the Sri Lankan frogmouth’s head is as wide as its body, and has a broad, flattened, hooked bill. The female is rusty red with sparse white freckling, whereas the male is grey and more heavily spotted with white. The tail feathers are long and narrow.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth is nocturnal, hunting insects at night and resting on branches during the day. It builds a nest in the fork of a tree from 2 – 12 metres above the ground, lining it with moss, small leaves, twigs and underfeathers. A single white egg is laid and is incubated by the female at night and the male during the day. The white chick is cared for over a period of weeks before dispersing.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth inhabits dense tropical rainforest and is sometimes found in shade grown coffee plantations. It is found only in the Western Ghats of southwest India and Sri Lanka.

 

 

More info: planetofbirds

 

 

 

 

 

The shaking to look like a leaf thing is neat!

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Babycat

Babycat

Posted
Posted

Too much spider hate here. Spiders are cool.

 

I can't help it - they scare the proverbial **** out of me! :o

 

(Even though they are amazing creatures! :) )

 

Ditto what Babycat said. I can't even look at them :scared:

 

I know! :scared:

 

:hug2:

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Tombstone Mountain

Tombstone Mountain

Posted
Posted

17 April 2015

Friday

 

 

 

Sri Lankan Frogmouth

 

Distinctive in both its appearance and its loud, laughing song, the Sri Lankan frogmouth is a tropical bird related to the nightjars. So called because of its large, gaping mouth, the Sri Lankan frogmouth’s head is as wide as its body, and has a broad, flattened, hooked bill. The female is rusty red with sparse white freckling, whereas the male is grey and more heavily spotted with white. The tail feathers are long and narrow.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth is nocturnal, hunting insects at night and resting on branches during the day. It builds a nest in the fork of a tree from 2 – 12 metres above the ground, lining it with moss, small leaves, twigs and underfeathers. A single white egg is laid and is incubated by the female at night and the male during the day. The white chick is cared for over a period of weeks before dispersing.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth inhabits dense tropical rainforest and is sometimes found in shade grown coffee plantations. It is found only in the Western Ghats of southwest India and Sri Lanka.

 

 

More info: planetofbirds

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder how they taste?

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x1yyz

x1yyz

Posted
Posted

17 April 2015

Friday

 

 

 

Sri Lankan Frogmouth

 

Distinctive in both its appearance and its loud, laughing song, the Sri Lankan frogmouth is a tropical bird related to the nightjars. So called because of its large, gaping mouth, the Sri Lankan frogmouth’s head is as wide as its body, and has a broad, flattened, hooked bill. The female is rusty red with sparse white freckling, whereas the male is grey and more heavily spotted with white. The tail feathers are long and narrow.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth is nocturnal, hunting insects at night and resting on branches during the day. It builds a nest in the fork of a tree from 2 – 12 metres above the ground, lining it with moss, small leaves, twigs and underfeathers. A single white egg is laid and is incubated by the female at night and the male during the day. The white chick is cared for over a period of weeks before dispersing.

 

The Sri Lankan frogmouth inhabits dense tropical rainforest and is sometimes found in shade grown coffee plantations. It is found only in the Western Ghats of southwest India and Sri Lanka.

 

 

More info: planetofbirds

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder how they taste?

 

With their tongues, duh! :outtahere:

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

Posted
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Posted (edited)

18 April 2015

Saturday

 

 

Dung Beetles

 

Dung beetles are coprophagous insects, meaning they eat excrement of other organisms. Although not all dung beetles eat poop exclusively, they all eat feces at some point in their life. Most prefer to feed on herbivore droppings, which are largely undigested plant matter, rather than carnivore waste, which holds very little nutritional value for insects.

 

When you think of a dung beetle, you probably picture a beetle pushing a ball of poop along the ground. But some dung beetles don’t bother rolling neat little dung balls at all. Instead, these coprophages stay close to their fecal finds. Aphodian dung beetles (subfamily Aphodiinae) simply live within the dung they find, often cow patties, rather than investing energy in moving it. The earth-boring dung beetles (family Geotrupidae) typically tunnel below the dung pile, making a burrow which can then be easily provisioned with poop.

 

When dung beetles do carry or roll the dung away, they do so primarily to feed their young. Dung beetle nests are provisioned with poop, and the female usually deposits each individual egg in its own tiny dung sausage. When the larvae emerge, they are well-supplied with food, enabling them to complete their development within the safe environment of the nest.

 

When it comes to poop, the fresher the better (at least from the dung beetle perspective). Once a dung patty has dried out, it’s less palatable to even the most dedicated poop eater. So dung beetles move quickly when an herbivore drops a gift in the pasture. One scientist observed 4,000 dung beetles on a fresh pile of elephant scat within 15 minutes after it hit the ground, and shortly thereafter, they were joined by an additional 12,000 dung beetles.

 

Even a small ball of fresh dung can be hefty to push, weighing 50 times the weight of the determined dung beetle. Male dung beetles need exceptional strength, not just for pushing dung balls but also for fending off male competitors. The individual strength record goes to a male Onthphagus taurus dung beetle, which pulled a load equivalent to 1,141 times its own body weight. In human terms, that would be like a 150 lb. person pulling 80 tons.

 

There are 7000 dung beetle species that can be found on each continent except Antarctica. Dung beetles inhabit many different types of ecosystems; they can be found in rainforests, deserts, and grasslands.

 

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung-beetle_novolyze_zpsymhrt4hp.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/db4_zps2hnkcpnm.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Earth-boring_dung_beetle_from_Slovakia_zpsknqx8pod.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung_beetle_indiana_2_zps90hngsqe.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/4c6d2921e17f2847b2f85e5b8e2131fa_zps6ywfd4de.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/1174067416_ff57ec5b71_b_zpst6otqdtl.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Dung-beetle_zpsymhsjcce.jpeg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung-beatle-wallpaper-2_zpsrdbzj5qr.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/scienc-06_zpsayvjgj12.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Type20of20dung20beetles_zpstadd6zyx.jpg

 

Edited by substancewithoutstyle
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Babycat

Babycat

Posted
Posted

18 April 2015

Saturday

 

 

Dung Beetles

 

Dung beetles are coprophagous insects, meaning they eat excrement of other organisms. Although not all dung beetles eat poop exclusively, they all eat feces at some point in their life. Most prefer to feed on herbivore droppings, which are largely undigested plant matter, rather than carnivore waste, which holds very little nutritional value for insects.

 

When you think of a dung beetle, you probably picture a beetle pushing a ball of poop along the ground. But some dung beetles don’t bother rolling neat little dung balls at all. Instead, these coprophages stay close to their fecal finds. Aphodian dung beetles (subfamily Aphodiinae) simply live within the dung they find, often cow patties, rather than investing energy in moving it. The earth-boring dung beetles (family Geotrupidae) typically tunnel below the dung pile, making a burrow which can then be easily provisioned with poop.

 

When dung beetles do carry or roll the dung away, they do so primarily to feed their young. Dung beetle nests are provisioned with poop, and the female usually deposits each individual egg in its own tiny dung sausage. When the larvae emerge, they are well-supplied with food, enabling them to complete their development within the safe environment of the nest.

 

When it comes to poop, the fresher the better (at least from the dung beetle perspective). Once a dung patty has dried out, it’s less palatable to even the most dedicated poop eater. So dung beetles move quickly when an herbivore drops a gift in the pasture. One scientist observed 4,000 dung beetles on a fresh pile of elephant scat within 15 minutes after it hit the ground, and shortly thereafter, they were joined by an additional 12,000 dung beetles.

 

Even a small ball of fresh dung can be hefty to push, weighing 50 times the weight of the determined dung beetle. Male dung beetles need exceptional strength, not just for pushing dung balls but also for fending off male competitors. The individual strength record goes to a male Onthphagus taurus dung beetle, which pulled a load equivalent to 1,141 times its own body weight. In human terms, that would be like a 150 lb. person pulling 80 tons.

 

There are 7000 dung beetle species that can be found on each continent except Antarctica. Dung beetles inhabit many different types of ecosystems; they can be found in rainforests, deserts, and grasslands.

 

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung-beetle_novolyze_zpsymhrt4hp.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/db4_zps2hnkcpnm.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Earth-boring_dung_beetle_from_Slovakia_zpsknqx8pod.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung_beetle_indiana_2_zps90hngsqe.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/4c6d2921e17f2847b2f85e5b8e2131fa_zps6ywfd4de.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/1174067416_ff57ec5b71_b_zpst6otqdtl.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Dung-beetle_zpsymhsjcce.jpeg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung-beatle-wallpaper-2_zpsrdbzj5qr.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/scienc-06_zpsayvjgj12.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Type20of20dung20beetles_zpstadd6zyx.jpg

 

 

Oh, crap! :o

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Your_Lion

Your_Lion

Posted
Posted

18 April 2015

Saturday

 

 

Dung Beetles

 

Dung beetles are coprophagous insects, meaning they eat excrement of other organisms. Although not all dung beetles eat poop exclusively, they all eat feces at some point in their life. Most prefer to feed on herbivore droppings, which are largely undigested plant matter, rather than carnivore waste, which holds very little nutritional value for insects.

 

When you think of a dung beetle, you probably picture a beetle pushing a ball of poop along the ground. But some dung beetles don’t bother rolling neat little dung balls at all. Instead, these coprophages stay close to their fecal finds. Aphodian dung beetles (subfamily Aphodiinae) simply live within the dung they find, often cow patties, rather than investing energy in moving it. The earth-boring dung beetles (family Geotrupidae) typically tunnel below the dung pile, making a burrow which can then be easily provisioned with poop.

 

When dung beetles do carry or roll the dung away, they do so primarily to feed their young. Dung beetle nests are provisioned with poop, and the female usually deposits each individual egg in its own tiny dung sausage. When the larvae emerge, they are well-supplied with food, enabling them to complete their development within the safe environment of the nest.

 

When it comes to poop, the fresher the better (at least from the dung beetle perspective). Once a dung patty has dried out, it’s less palatable to even the most dedicated poop eater. So dung beetles move quickly when an herbivore drops a gift in the pasture. One scientist observed 4,000 dung beetles on a fresh pile of elephant scat within 15 minutes after it hit the ground, and shortly thereafter, they were joined by an additional 12,000 dung beetles.

 

Even a small ball of fresh dung can be hefty to push, weighing 50 times the weight of the determined dung beetle. Male dung beetles need exceptional strength, not just for pushing dung balls but also for fending off male competitors. The individual strength record goes to a male Onthphagus taurus dung beetle, which pulled a load equivalent to 1,141 times its own body weight. In human terms, that would be like a 150 lb. person pulling 80 tons.

 

There are 7000 dung beetle species that can be found on each continent except Antarctica. Dung beetles inhabit many different types of ecosystems; they can be found in rainforests, deserts, and grasslands.

 

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung-beetle_novolyze_zpsymhrt4hp.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/db4_zps2hnkcpnm.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Earth-boring_dung_beetle_from_Slovakia_zpsknqx8pod.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung_beetle_indiana_2_zps90hngsqe.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/4c6d2921e17f2847b2f85e5b8e2131fa_zps6ywfd4de.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/1174067416_ff57ec5b71_b_zpst6otqdtl.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Dung-beetle_zpsymhsjcce.jpeg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung-beatle-wallpaper-2_zpsrdbzj5qr.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/scienc-06_zpsayvjgj12.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Type20of20dung20beetles_zpstadd6zyx.jpg

 

It takes all sorts...I'm not going to judge

That metallic green one with the horn looks cool, though :cool:

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

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OK Sean...got some more flora to investigate...the flowers in the moss are pretty neat

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6YORDaV0FA

 

It looks like your morel season is a couple weeks ahead of mine.

 

2:15

 

I'm not sure what that is -are the flowers fully open? It could be another Thalictrum. :unsure:

 

2:30

 

Phacelia bipinnatifida (Fernleaf Phacelia)

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

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Posted

19 April 2015

 

Paleontology... Sunday?

 

 

Argentavis

 

Argentavis magnificens (literally "magnificent Argentine bird") is the largest flying bird ever discovered. This bird, sometimes called the Giant Teratorn, is an extinct species known from three sites from the late Miocene (6 million years before present) of central and northwestern Argentina, where a good sample of fossils has been obtained.

 

With a wingspan estimated at seven meters across,‭ ‬Argentavis was roughly twice the size of the largest flying bird today‭ (‬Wandering Albatross‭)‬,‭ ‬and only the long extinct pterosaurs could have rivalled and exceeded it for size.‭

 

Argentavis seems to have relied more upon air currents for taking off as the immense size of its wings means that it could not flap them when outstretched without the tips hitting the ground.‭ ‬Instead, Argentavis would have had an easier time just stretching out its wings and facing into the oncoming wind.‭ ‬From this position, Argentavis could run into the prevailing wind to get air moving across its wing surfaces and then use its legs to jump up into the air.‭ ‬

 

Feeding behaviour for Argentavis has been hard to ascertain,‭ ‬but it is thought to have been a carnivore.‭ ‬Argentavis is not thought to have been an active predator due to its body shape and comparatively weak breast muscles.‭ ‬A much more believable behaviour for Argentavis would be that of a scavenger,‭ ‬perhaps similar to an Andean Condor‭,‭ ‬a bird thought to possibly be the most similar living bird to Argentavis but less than half its size.‭ ‬Scavenging would also require little in the way of active movement,‭ ‬reducing the required number of calories to keep its body going.

 

While no one can say for certain how long Argentavis lived,‭ ‬its large size and possibly sedate lifestyle when compared to active predators suggest that it may have been quite long lived.‭ ‬The large size of Argentavis meant that it also had no known predators in the air, while most of the ground predators were too small to be a threat.

 

 

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x1yyz

x1yyz

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Posted
18 April 2015 Saturday

Dung Beetles

Dung beetles are coprophagous insects, meaning they eat excrement of other organisms. Although not all dung beetles eat poop exclusively, they all eat feces at some point in their life. Most prefer to feed on herbivore droppings, which are largely undigested plant matter, rather than carnivore waste, which holds very little nutritional value for insects. When you think of a dung beetle, you probably picture a beetle pushing a ball of poop along the ground. But some dung beetles don’t bother rolling neat little dung balls at all. Instead, these coprophages stay close to their fecal finds. Aphodian dung beetles (subfamily Aphodiinae) simply live within the dung they find, often cow patties, rather than investing energy in moving it. The earth-boring dung beetles (family Geotrupidae) typically tunnel below the dung pile, making a burrow which can then be easily provisioned with poop. When dung beetles do carry or roll the dung away, they do so primarily to feed their young. Dung beetle nests are provisioned with poop, and the female usually deposits each individual egg in its own tiny dung sausage. When the larvae emerge, they are well-supplied with food, enabling them to complete their development within the safe environment of the nest. When it comes to poop, the fresher the better (at least from the dung beetle perspective). Once a dung patty has dried out, it’s less palatable to even the most dedicated poop eater. So dung beetles move quickly when an herbivore drops a gift in the pasture. One scientist observed 4,000 dung beetles on a fresh pile of elephant scat within 15 minutes after it hit the ground, and shortly thereafter, they were joined by an additional 12,000 dung beetles. Even a small ball of fresh dung can be hefty to push, weighing 50 times the weight of the determined dung beetle. Male dung beetles need exceptional strength, not just for pushing dung balls but also for fending off male competitors. The individual strength record goes to a male Onthphagus taurus dung beetle, which pulled a load equivalent to 1,141 times its own body weight. In human terms, that would be like a 150 lb. person pulling 80 tons. There are 7000 dung beetle species that can be found on each continent except Antarctica. Dung beetles inhabit many different types of ecosystems; they can be found in rainforests, deserts, and grasslands.

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung-beetle_novolyze_zpsymhrt4hp.jpg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/db4_zps2hnkcpnm.jpg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Earth-boring_dung_beetle_from_Slovakia_zpsknqx8pod.jpg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung_beetle_indiana_2_zps90hngsqe.jpg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/4c6d2921e17f2847b2f85e5b8e2131fa_zps6ywfd4de.jpg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/1174067416_ff57ec5b71_b_zpst6otqdtl.jpg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Dung-beetle_zpsymhsjcce.jpeg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/dung-beatle-wallpaper-2_zpsrdbzj5qr.jpg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/scienc-06_zpsayvjgj12.jpg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Type20of20dung20beetles_zpstadd6zyx.jpg

Oh, crap! :o

 

Exactly! :LOL:

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x1yyz

x1yyz

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19 April 2015 Paleontology... Sunday?

Argentavis

Argentavis magnificens (literally "magnificent Argentine bird") is the largest flying bird ever discovered. This bird, sometimes called the Giant Teratorn, is an extinct species known from three sites from the late Miocene (6 million years before present) of central and northwestern Argentina, where a good sample of fossils has been obtained. With a wingspan estimated at seven meters across,‭ ‬Argentavis was roughly twice the size of the largest flying bird today‭ (‬Wandering Albatross‭)‬,‭ ‬and only the long extinct pterosaurs could have rivalled and exceeded it for size.‭ Argentavis seems to have relied more upon air currents for taking off as the immense size of its wings means that it could not flap them when outstretched without the tips hitting the ground.‭ ‬Instead, Argentavis would have had an easier time just stretching out its wings and facing into the oncoming wind.‭ ‬From this position, Argentavis could run into the prevailing wind to get air moving across its wing surfaces and then use its legs to jump up into the air.‭ ‬ Feeding behaviour for Argentavis has been hard to ascertain,‭ ‬but it is thought to have been a carnivore.‭ ‬Argentavis is not thought to have been an active predator due to its body shape and comparatively weak breast muscles.‭ ‬A much more believable behaviour for Argentavis would be that of a scavenger,‭ ‬perhaps similar to an Andean Condor‭,‭ ‬a bird thought to possibly be the most similar living bird to Argentavis but less than half its size.‭ ‬Scavenging would also require little in the way of active movement,‭ ‬reducing the required number of calories to keep its body going. While no one can say for certain how long Argentavis lived,‭ ‬its large size and possibly sedate lifestyle when compared to active predators suggest that it may have been quite long lived.‭ ‬The large size of Argentavis meant that it also had no known predators in the air, while most of the ground predators were too small to be a threat.

 

Wow, that would have been scary to see that thing fly over you!

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Tombstone Mountain

Tombstone Mountain

Posted
Posted
19 April 2015 Paleontology... Sunday?

Argentavis

Argentavis magnificens (literally "magnificent Argentine bird") is the largest flying bird ever discovered. This bird, sometimes called the Giant Teratorn, is an extinct species known from three sites from the late Miocene (6 million years before present) of central and northwestern Argentina, where a good sample of fossils has been obtained. With a wingspan estimated at seven meters across,‭ ‬Argentavis was roughly twice the size of the largest flying bird today‭ (‬Wandering Albatross‭)‬,‭ ‬and only the long extinct pterosaurs could have rivalled and exceeded it for size.‭ Argentavis seems to have relied more upon air currents for taking off as the immense size of its wings means that it could not flap them when outstretched without the tips hitting the ground.‭ ‬Instead, Argentavis would have had an easier time just stretching out its wings and facing into the oncoming wind.‭ ‬From this position, Argentavis could run into the prevailing wind to get air moving across its wing surfaces and then use its legs to jump up into the air.‭ ‬ Feeding behaviour for Argentavis has been hard to ascertain,‭ ‬but it is thought to have been a carnivore.‭ ‬Argentavis is not thought to have been an active predator due to its body shape and comparatively weak breast muscles.‭ ‬A much more believable behaviour for Argentavis would be that of a scavenger,‭ ‬perhaps similar to an Andean Condor‭,‭ ‬a bird thought to possibly be the most similar living bird to Argentavis but less than half its size.‭ ‬Scavenging would also require little in the way of active movement,‭ ‬reducing the required number of calories to keep its body going. While no one can say for certain how long Argentavis lived,‭ ‬its large size and possibly sedate lifestyle when compared to active predators suggest that it may have been quite long lived.‭ ‬The large size of Argentavis meant that it also had no known predators in the air, while most of the ground predators were too small to be a threat.

 

Wow, that would have been scary to see that thing fly over you!

so says the chick who swims with sharks

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Your_Lion

Your_Lion

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Posted

19 April 2015

 

Paleontology... Sunday?

 

 

Argentavis

 

Argentavis magnificens (literally "magnificent Argentine bird") is the largest flying bird ever discovered. This bird, sometimes called the Giant Teratorn, is an extinct species known from three sites from the late Miocene (6 million years before present) of central and northwestern Argentina, where a good sample of fossils has been obtained.

 

With a wingspan estimated at seven meters across,‭ ‬Argentavis was roughly twice the size of the largest flying bird today‭ (‬Wandering Albatross‭)‬,‭ ‬and only the long extinct pterosaurs could have rivalled and exceeded it for size.‭

 

Argentavis seems to have relied more upon air currents for taking off as the immense size of its wings means that it could not flap them when outstretched without the tips hitting the ground.‭ ‬Instead, Argentavis would have had an easier time just stretching out its wings and facing into the oncoming wind.‭ ‬From this position, Argentavis could run into the prevailing wind to get air moving across its wing surfaces and then use its legs to jump up into the air.‭ ‬

 

Feeding behaviour for Argentavis has been hard to ascertain,‭ ‬but it is thought to have been a carnivore.‭ ‬Argentavis is not thought to have been an active predator due to its body shape and comparatively weak breast muscles.‭ ‬A much more believable behaviour for Argentavis would be that of a scavenger,‭ ‬perhaps similar to an Andean Condor‭,‭ ‬a bird thought to possibly be the most similar living bird to Argentavis but less than half its size.‭ ‬Scavenging would also require little in the way of active movement,‭ ‬reducing the required number of calories to keep its body going.

 

While no one can say for certain how long Argentavis lived,‭ ‬its large size and possibly sedate lifestyle when compared to active predators suggest that it may have been quite long lived.‭ ‬The large size of Argentavis meant that it also had no known predators in the air, while most of the ground predators were too small to be a threat.

 

 

Impressive wingspan! :o

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

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You know have your own segment. I expect answers my friend...you're the man on this stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgunir2ATqI

 

1:05 Isn't that a garter snake? It could also be a ribbon snake, but ribbon snakes have a white spot in front of the eye; I couldn't tell from the video. Anyway, I see a lot of garter snakes here, and I've unintentionally sent more than one to an early grave with the lawn mower. :(

 

4:20 Obolaria virginica (Pennywort)

 

4:45 :huh:

 

4:57 Conopholis americana (Squawroot) -parasitic and grows mostly on the roots of oaks.

 

5:03 Some sort of cup fungus, maybe a species of Peziza.

 

6:30 Wild violets

 

6:35 Buttercups (Ranunculus)

 

6:42 Fleabane (maybe Erigeron annuus)

 

6:50 Dogwood (Cornus)

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Tombstone Mountain

Tombstone Mountain

Posted
Posted (edited)

You know have your own segment. I expect answers my friend...you're the man on this stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgunir2ATqI

 

1:05 Isn't that a garter snake? It could also be a ribbon snake, but ribbon snakes have a white spot in front of the eye; I couldn't tell from the video. Anyway, I see a lot of garter snakes here, and I've unintentionally sent more than one to an early grave with the lawn mower. :(

 

4:20 Obolaria virginica (Pennywort)

 

4:45 :huh:

 

4:57 Conopholis americana (Squawroot) -parasitic and grows mostly on the roots of oaks.

 

5:03 Some sort of cup fungus, maybe a species of Peziza.

 

6:30 Wild violets

 

6:35 Buttercups (Ranunculus)

 

6:42 Fleabane (maybe Erigeron annuus)

 

6:50 Dogwood (Cornus)

Did you see Ginseng at 4:14? How did you like my "swami" music?

Edited by Tombstone Mountain
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