Substancewithoutstyle's Slightly Frivolous Flora and Fauna Photo Gallery

[x1yyz]

TOO MANY SPIDERS!

[HomesickAlien]

TOO MANY SPIDERS!

 

:eyeroll:

 

Why do so few people appreciate spiders? Spiders are cool, and most are harmless to humans.

 

Maybe a cute mammal tomorrow, or a pretty bird. :P

[Your_Lion]

28 September 2014

Sunday

 

 

Golden Orb Weaver Spider

 

Found throughout S.E. Asia, the golden orb weaver is one of the largest spiders in the world & is known for it's striking black & yellow coloring.

 

The genus name roughly translated from Greek means "fond of spinning", a testament to the enormous webs the golden orbs weave. The golden orb's web has been seen to start at the top of a 6 metre tree and stretch as much as 2 metres across. Whereas most other spider webs are short-lived, these impressive structures can last for years.

 

The golden orb spider is so named because of the colour of its silk. It is thought that this colour may serve two purposes; in the sunlight it will attract bees drawn to the bright yellow, whereas in shadow it becomes camouflaged into the foliage, thus ensnaring other insects.

 

Its size and formidable looks make this one of the most recognisable and easy to identify spider species. Although it is frightening to look at, this spider is non-aggressive and relatively harmless. It can deliver a painful bite if severely provoked, but the venom is not lethal, generally only causing redness and blistering.

 

The silk of this species is incredibly strong. It can even trap small birds. In some tribal communities, the web silk is used to make fishing lures and traps. Fishermen on the islands of the Indo-Pacific roll the nets into a ball and throw them into the water. The ball unrolls and is then used as a net to catch bait fish. Efforts to use the silk commercially to manufacture cloth have failed; however, there has been some promising research on the silk in the field of tissue engineering for medical use.

 

 

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver_zps3645e78f.png

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver2_zpsf560d5c3.png

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver6_zps9a5415db.png

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver5_zps30ca1a24.png

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver4_zps1f4a8013.png

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver3_zpsc1f75b4c.png

At first I was like "nice colours and pattern"....then I saw the size of the spider on the hand!!! :o

[Your_Lion]

TOO MANY SPIDERS!

 

:eyeroll:

 

Why do so few people appreciate spiders? Spiders are cool, and most are harmless to humans.

 

Maybe a cute mammal tomorrow, or a pretty bird. :P

Don't worry. I like spiders.

Mainly because I hate Flies...gah! they're annoying...so I formed an alliance with the spiders against our common enemy.

[Babycat]

Fungi are creepy. And more closely related to animals than they are to plants.

 

http://tedideas.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/gif4b.gif

http://img.izismile.com/img/img2/20090922/slime_mold_75.gif

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know, I know. . . slime molds are no longer considered fungi.

 

 

 

 

 

. . . they're aliens. :dweez:

 

What's the one in the second pic trying to do? Launch itself off? It looks stuck.

[Babycat]

26 September 2014

 

FLORA FRIDAY

 

 

Royal Poinciana

 

(Delonix regia)

 

Although widely cultivated in the tropics since the 19th century, the native habitat of the Royal Poinciana was unknown to science until the 1930s, when it was rediscovered growing in the wild in Madagascar. The genus name is derived from the Greek words delos (meaning conspicuous), and onyx, meaning claw, referring to the appearance of the spectacular flowers. It is widely cultivated and may be seen adorning avenues, parks and estates in tropical areas throughout the world, but is under increasing threat in Madagascar due to habitat destruction.

 

The Royal Poinciana grows to 9 - 15 m in height but its elegant, wide-spreading, umbrella-like canopy can be even wider. The Royal Poinciana is deciduous in climates that have a marked dry season, but in tropical areas where the winter is not that much dryer than the summer it is a semi-evergreen tree. The flame-colored flowers are formed in dense clusters and bloom seasonally, usually in midsummer.

 

The seeds of D. regia are sometimes used as beads, and there has been some research on the use of the gum obtained from the dried seeds as a binder in the manufacture of tablets, such as paracetamol.

 

Delonix regia is often depicted on postage stamps of countries around the world which have tropical or subtropical climates, from the small island of Anguilla (one of the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean) to China.

 

It has become naturalised in some places, such as parts of southern Florida in the United States, and is invasive in parts of Australia, where it competes with native vegetation.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/JeqjPbr.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/yMK78y2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lZbhKRV.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/VmKVwC9.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/55sK2bY.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZsixUoF.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/OmjW6rA.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pVpE5o6.jpg

 

Dormant:

 

http://i.imgur.com/ZLXFArM.jpg

 

Seedling:

 

http://i.imgur.com/VmoBWfv.jpg

 

Stamps:

 

http://i.imgur.com/cCf0NWb.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KRwFCSH.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/NDZCIel.jpg

 

Truly gorgeous! :)

[Babycat]

27 September 2014

 

Paleontology Saturday

 

 

Short-faced Bear

 

(Arctodus simus)

 

The short-faced bear is not only the largest bear ever known, but also the largest carnivorous land mammal ever to exist. Having lived from 800,000 to 12,500 years ago, during the ice age, Arctodus simus is believed to have evolved from Plionarctos, the oldest known genus of the subfamily Tremarctinae.

 

Arctodus simus inhabited North America from Alaska down to central Mexico. Fossils have been found over a very wide range (as far east as Virginia), but more commonly in the western states, especially California. Enormous specimens have been found in Alaska and the Yukon.

 

Also known as the bulldog bear because of its short, broad muzzle Arctodus simus had a low forehead with eyes set far apart and facing forward, giving it excellent vision. It measured 5.5 feet at shoulder height when standing on all fours, and up to 12 feet when on its hind legs, with a reach of over 14 feet. Though it weighed as much 2,000 pounds, it had a leaner build than the brown bear. It had much longer limbs than today's brown bears, allowing it to run faster (over 40 miles per hour).

 

The skull was broad and resembled that of a lion skull. It had a short snout with large nasal openings to supply large quantities of oxygen for running. The teeth are large and higher crowned than its modern relatives. It is estimated that this top predator had a bite force of 2000 lbs. per square inch.

 

Although Arctodus simus may have been omnivorous, the vast majority of its diet was probably meat. Its longer legs would have allowed it to cover a larger territory in search of prey and carrion. It had the capability of catching and killing bison, deer, elk, muskoxen, and other large animals. However, it was probably more of a scavenger. Because of it's size, it could easily chase other predators off their kills. The short-faced bear had a hunting range of over 200 square miles.

 

Its competition with smaller animals entering North America across the Bering Straight, and the dying off of some of its prey both may have led toward the extinction of Arctodus about 12,000 years ago. This is also about the time that humans in North America greatly improved their hunting techniques, which could have contributed to the bear's extinction both directly and by exhausting its food supply.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/Q4VHFYx.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/tYPH5GV.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/6nkI1c5.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1ucPBzF.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/m4MzTnv.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/metGcRz.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3FdO8SR.jpg

 

Amazing looking bear. And what a skeleton! :)

[Babycat]

28 September 2014

Sunday

 

 

Golden Orb Weaver Spider

 

Found throughout S.E. Asia, the golden orb weaver is one of the largest spiders in the world & is known for it's striking black & yellow coloring.

 

The genus name roughly translated from Greek means "fond of spinning", a testament to the enormous webs the golden orbs weave. The golden orb's web has been seen to start at the top of a 6 metre tree and stretch as much as 2 metres across. Whereas most other spider webs are short-lived, these impressive structures can last for years.

 

The golden orb spider is so named because of the colour of its silk. It is thought that this colour may serve two purposes; in the sunlight it will attract bees drawn to the bright yellow, whereas in shadow it becomes camouflaged into the foliage, thus ensnaring other insects.

 

Its size and formidable looks make this one of the most recognisable and easy to identify spider species. Although it is frightening to look at, this spider is non-aggressive and relatively harmless. It can deliver a painful bite if severely provoked, but the venom is not lethal, generally only causing redness and blistering.

 

The silk of this species is incredibly strong. It can even trap small birds. In some tribal communities, the web silk is used to make fishing lures and traps. Fishermen on the islands of the Indo-Pacific roll the nets into a ball and throw them into the water. The ball unrolls and is then used as a net to catch bait fish. Efforts to use the silk commercially to manufacture cloth have failed; however, there has been some promising research on the silk in the field of tissue engineering for medical use.

 

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver_zps3645e78f.png

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver2_zpsf560d5c3.png

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver6_zps9a5415db.png

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver5_zps30ca1a24.png

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver4_zps1f4a8013.png

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/GoldenOrbWeaver3_zpsc1f75b4c.png

 

It's a beautiful looking spider, though it still makes me feel and makes me want to :outtahere:

[Babycat]

TOO MANY SPIDERS!

 

:eyeroll:

 

Why do so few people appreciate spiders? Spiders are cool, and most are harmless to humans.

 

Maybe a cute mammal tomorrow, or a pretty bird. :P

 

Most spiders are beautiful, it's just the size of them and their furry legs that send me into hysterics..!

[x1yyz]

TOO MANY SPIDERS!

 

:eyeroll:

 

Why do so few people appreciate spiders? Spiders are cool, and most are harmless to humans.

 

Maybe a cute mammal tomorrow, or a pretty bird. :P

 

As a biologist I realize they are necessary, but then I have this irrational arachnophobia to deal with :| It's funny that I swim with sharks, have worked with large, dangerous animals, yet a tiny spider will send me screaming like a little girl.

[HomesickAlien]

29 September 2014

Monday

 

 

Golden Pheasant

 

At one time the Golden Pheasant, Chrysolophus pictus, was only to be found in Western and Central China, hence its alternative name of the Chinese Pheasant. Acquisitions around the world by various zoos and private collectors have seen captive and wild populations expand, and in countries like the United Kingdom there is a significant feral population.

 

The Golden Pheasant is a relatively small gamebird. From end of beak to the tip of the tail, an adult male will measure at about 100cm, with females being a fifth smaller; the tail makes up between half and two thirds of this total length. The wingspan of the Golden Pheasant is normally about 70cm.

 

In the wild the Golden Pheasant is normally located in wooded areas, and in China is associated with the more mountainous regions, although most people will only see it in an aviary or zoo.

 

Golden Pheasants are very timid birds and will hide in dark, dense forests and woodlands during the day and roost in very high trees during the night. Golden Pheasants often forage on the ground despite their ability to fly, this may be because they are quite clumsy in flight. However, if they are startled, they are capable of taking off in a sudden fast upward motion with a distinctive wing sound. Little is known about their behaviour in the wild; although the males are very colourful birds, they are difficult to spot. The best time to possibly observe a Golden Pheasant is very early in the morning when they may be seen in clearings.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/E9byYan.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/0h8MfK8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xNoL0NB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/caeVfjO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RoDh0yZ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9ileFYS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5Jh76dm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XSJ093z.jpg

 

[Babycat]

29 September 2014

Monday

 

 

Golden Pheasant

 

At one time the Golden Pheasant, Chrysolophus pictus, was only to be found in Western and Central China, hence its alternative name of the Chinese Pheasant. Acquisitions around the world by various zoos and private collectors have seen captive and wild populations expand, and in countries like the United Kingdom there is a significant feral population.

 

The Golden Pheasant is a relatively small gamebird. From end of beak to the tip of the tail, an adult male will measure at about 100cm, with females being a fifth smaller; the tail makes up between half and two thirds of this total length. The wingspan of the Golden Pheasant is normally about 70cm.

 

In the wild the Golden Pheasant is normally located in wooded areas, and in China is associated with the more mountainous regions, although most people will only see it in an aviary or zoo.

 

Golden Pheasants are very timid birds and will hide in dark, dense forests and woodlands during the day and roost in very high trees during the night. Golden Pheasants often forage on the ground despite their ability to fly, this may be because they are quite clumsy in flight. However, if they are startled, they are capable of taking off in a sudden fast upward motion with a distinctive wing sound. Little is known about their behaviour in the wild; although the males are very colourful birds, they are difficult to spot. The best time to possibly observe a Golden Pheasant is very early in the morning when they may be seen in clearings.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/E9byYan.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/0h8MfK8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xNoL0NB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/caeVfjO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RoDh0yZ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9ileFYS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5Jh76dm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XSJ093z.jpg

 

 

What gorgeous colors!

And those chicks!

[Your_Lion]

29 September 2014

Monday

 

 

Golden Pheasant

 

At one time the Golden Pheasant, Chrysolophus pictus, was only to be found in Western and Central China, hence its alternative name of the Chinese Pheasant. Acquisitions around the world by various zoos and private collectors have seen captive and wild populations expand, and in countries like the United Kingdom there is a significant feral population.

 

The Golden Pheasant is a relatively small gamebird. From end of beak to the tip of the tail, an adult male will measure at about 100cm, with females being a fifth smaller; the tail makes up between half and two thirds of this total length. The wingspan of the Golden Pheasant is normally about 70cm.

 

In the wild the Golden Pheasant is normally located in wooded areas, and in China is associated with the more mountainous regions, although most people will only see it in an aviary or zoo.

 

Golden Pheasants are very timid birds and will hide in dark, dense forests and woodlands during the day and roost in very high trees during the night. Golden Pheasants often forage on the ground despite their ability to fly, this may be because they are quite clumsy in flight. However, if they are startled, they are capable of taking off in a sudden fast upward motion with a distinctive wing sound. Little is known about their behaviour in the wild; although the males are very colourful birds, they are difficult to spot. The best time to possibly observe a Golden Pheasant is very early in the morning when they may be seen in clearings.

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/E9byYan.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/0h8MfK8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xNoL0NB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/caeVfjO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RoDh0yZ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9ileFYS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5Jh76dm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XSJ093z.jpg

 

Amazing colours. I've seen plenty of Pheasants, but I don't recall any with such vivid colours

[Babycat]

29 September 2014

Monday

 

 

Golden Pheasant

 

At one time the Golden Pheasant, Chrysolophus pictus, was only to be found in Western and Central China, hence its alternative name of the Chinese Pheasant. Acquisitions around the world by various zoos and private collectors have seen captive and wild populations expand, and in countries like the United Kingdom there is a significant feral population.

 

The Golden Pheasant is a relatively small gamebird. From end of beak to the tip of the tail, an adult male will measure at about 100cm, with females being a fifth smaller; the tail makes up between half and two thirds of this total length. The wingspan of the Golden Pheasant is normally about 70cm.

 

In the wild the Golden Pheasant is normally located in wooded areas, and in China is associated with the more mountainous regions, although most people will only see it in an aviary or zoo.

 

Golden Pheasants are very timid birds and will hide in dark, dense forests and woodlands during the day and roost in very high trees during the night. Golden Pheasants often forage on the ground despite their ability to fly, this may be because they are quite clumsy in flight. However, if they are startled, they are capable of taking off in a sudden fast upward motion with a distinctive wing sound. Little is known about their behaviour in the wild; although the males are very colourful birds, they are difficult to spot. The best time to possibly observe a Golden Pheasant is very early in the morning when they may be seen in clearings.

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/E9byYan.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/0h8MfK8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xNoL0NB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/caeVfjO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RoDh0yZ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9ileFYS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5Jh76dm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XSJ093z.jpg

 

Amazing colours. I've seen plenty of Pheasants, but I don't recall any with such vivid colours

 

Neither have I. Such brightness! :)

[HomesickAlien]

30 September 2014

Tuesday

 

 

Black-footed Ferret

 

This small carnivore once was widely distributed throughout the North American Great Plains from Alberta, Canada, south through the Rocky Mountains to the southwestern United States. This animal's long slender body, like that of a weasel, enables it to crawl in and out of the holes and dwellings of its primary prey—the prairie dog. The last wild black-footed ferrets were taken into captivity in 1987. Today, the ferrets have been reintroduced to a few limited areas in the state of Wyoming.

 

Though black-footed ferrets sometimes eat squirrels, mice, and other rodents, prairie dogs are essential to their survival, making up the majority of the ferret diet. These voracious predators hunt them in their own burrows, and take shelter in abandoned prairie dog dwellings.

 

Ferret reintroduction efforts have been mixed. Populations need viable prairie dog towns to survive, but they also face threats from predators such as golden eagles, owls, and coyotes. Reintroduced animals lack some survival skills so their mortality rate is high. Diseases are another major threat to prairie dog towns and to the black-footed ferrets that depend upon them.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/mYIjLMq.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/yUKDJB7.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nScVjM8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/O0aZbeu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bn5rlfT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/g0x6n9k.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RYOtQHQ.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/0t6VgdU.jpg

[Babycat]

30 September 2014

Tuesday

 

 

Black-footed Ferret

 

This small carnivore once was widely distributed throughout the North American Great Plains from Alberta, Canada, south through the Rocky Mountains to the southwestern United States. This animal's long slender body, like that of a weasel, enables it to crawl in and out of the holes and dwellings of its primary prey—the prairie dog. The last wild black-footed ferrets were taken into captivity in 1987. Today, the ferrets have been reintroduced to a few limited areas in the state of Wyoming.

 

Though black-footed ferrets sometimes eat squirrels, mice, and other rodents, prairie dogs are essential to their survival, making up the majority of the ferret diet. These voracious predators hunt them in their own burrows, and take shelter in abandoned prairie dog dwellings.

 

Ferret reintroduction efforts have been mixed. Populations need viable prairie dog towns to survive, but they also face threats from predators such as golden eagles, owls, and coyotes. Reintroduced animals lack some survival skills so their mortality rate is high. Diseases are another major threat to prairie dog towns and to the black-footed ferrets that depend upon them.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/mYIjLMq.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/yUKDJB7.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nScVjM8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/O0aZbeu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bn5rlfT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/g0x6n9k.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RYOtQHQ.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/0t6VgdU.jpg

 

It sounds like the poor things are on the endangered lost.

[HomesickAlien]

01 October 2014

Wednesday

 

Isn't there already an entry about tarsiers?

I can't remember.

 

 

Tarsiers

 

Tarsiers are small species of primates found inhabiting the well-vegetated forests on a number of islands in south-east Asia. Although fossil records show that tarsiers would have once been found on mainland Asia, Europe, North America and in Africa, modern tarsiers are today restricted to just a handful of islands in Malaysia, Indonesia and the southern Philippines.

 

Tarsiers are unique and distinctive looking animals that have evolved a number of specific features to aid their nocturnal and arboreal lifestyle. Although the exact appearance of the tarsier may vary slightly between species, all are relatively similar with a small, stocky body and long tail that is either sparsely covered in fur or has a tuft at the end. Their immensely soft fur varies from grey, to brown or ochre in colour depending on the species, but all tarsiers share the characteristic long hind legs which enable them to leap distances of up to 5 meters between branches.

 

The tarsiers are unusual animals as they are the only completely carnivorous primates in the world. Under the cover of night, tarsiers sit clinging to vertical branches where they wait motionless and survey their surroundings 180 degrees each way, watching closely with their huge eyes and picking up on even the tiniest noise with their incredibly sensitive hearing. Once food has been located, the tarsier moves slightly closer to it before leaping onto it and catching it with it's front hands. Insects make up the bulk of a tarsier's diet, along with small vertebrates such as frogs, lizards and small birds.

 

The tarsier is an incredibly elusive animal that is known to be particularly shy around humans. With increasing human activity in areas throughout much of their natural range, tarsiers are being pushed into smaller and more isolated pockets of their once extensive and rich habitats. They are also not known to be particularly adaptable to areas of degraded forest, often due to a lack of abundance of food and trees where they can not only sleep but also sit and look out for prey or potential predators.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/9JT0yqG.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/xHskbq2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/D2rX7tf.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/e5kBoFi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dwFN8br.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qdPMt0N.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wK4aplE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XrW6jrj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/oYHktTU.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FjOo6QX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9OP2qUh.jpg

 

[Your_Lion]

30 September 2014

Tuesday

 

 

Black-footed Ferret

 

This small carnivore once was widely distributed throughout the North American Great Plains from Alberta, Canada, south through the Rocky Mountains to the southwestern United States. This animal's long slender body, like that of a weasel, enables it to crawl in and out of the holes and dwellings of its primary prey—the prairie dog. The last wild black-footed ferrets were taken into captivity in 1987. Today, the ferrets have been reintroduced to a few limited areas in the state of Wyoming.

 

Though black-footed ferrets sometimes eat squirrels, mice, and other rodents, prairie dogs are essential to their survival, making up the majority of the ferret diet. These voracious predators hunt them in their own burrows, and take shelter in abandoned prairie dog dwellings.

 

Ferret reintroduction efforts have been mixed. Populations need viable prairie dog towns to survive, but they also face threats from predators such as golden eagles, owls, and coyotes. Reintroduced animals lack some survival skills so their mortality rate is high. Diseases are another major threat to prairie dog towns and to the black-footed ferrets that depend upon them.

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/mYIjLMq.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/yUKDJB7.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nScVjM8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/O0aZbeu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bn5rlfT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/g0x6n9k.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RYOtQHQ.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/0t6VgdU.jpg

Cute little fellas. I hope they make it.

[Your_Lion]

01 October 2014

Wednesday

 

Isn't there already an entry about tarsiers?

I can't remember.

 

 

Tarsiers

 

Tarsiers are small species of primates found inhabiting the well-vegetated forests on a number of islands in south-east Asia. Although fossil records show that tarsiers would have once been found on mainland Asia, Europe, North America and in Africa, modern tarsiers are today restricted to just a handful of islands in Malaysia, Indonesia and the southern Philippines.

 

Tarsiers are unique and distinctive looking animals that have evolved a number of specific features to aid their nocturnal and arboreal lifestyle. Although the exact appearance of the tarsier may vary slightly between species, all are relatively similar with a small, stocky body and long tail that is either sparsely covered in fur or has a tuft at the end. Their immensely soft fur varies from grey, to brown or ochre in colour depending on the species, but all tarsiers share the characteristic long hind legs which enable them to leap distances of up to 5 meters between branches.

 

The tarsiers are unusual animals as they are the only completely carnivorous primates in the world. Under the cover of night, tarsiers sit clinging to vertical branches where they wait motionless and survey their surroundings 180 degrees each way, watching closely with their huge eyes and picking up on even the tiniest noise with their incredibly sensitive hearing. Once food has been located, the tarsier moves slightly closer to it before leaping onto it and catching it with it's front hands. Insects make up the bulk of a tarsier's diet, along with small vertebrates such as frogs, lizards and small birds.

 

The tarsier is an incredibly elusive animal that is known to be particularly shy around humans. With increasing human activity in areas throughout much of their natural range, tarsiers are being pushed into smaller and more isolated pockets of their once extensive and rich habitats. They are also not known to be particularly adaptable to areas of degraded forest, often due to a lack of abundance of food and trees where they can not only sleep but also sit and look out for prey or potential predators.

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/9JT0yqG.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/xHskbq2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/D2rX7tf.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/e5kBoFi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dwFN8br.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qdPMt0N.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wK4aplE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XrW6jrj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/oYHktTU.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FjOo6QX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9OP2qUh.jpg

 

Eyes!...Also, I can almost hear the little melody that Gizmo sings in Gremlins

[HomesickAlien]

02 October 2014

Thursday

 

 

Giraffe Weevil

 

The giraffe weevil, a type of beetle indigenous to Madagascar, is so called because of its distended neck that rises above its carapace. The long neck above a sloped body is reminiscent of the African giraffe. Giraffe weevils are a deep black in color with bright red wing coverings. The giraffe weevil, like all weevils, is a form of beetle.

 

The male giraffe weevil's neck can be up to three times as long as his female's counterpart. The length of the beetle's neck is used primarily for nest building and fighting with other male giraffe weevils. Fighting between giraffe weevils is typically done during the mating season, where the male weevils attempt to impress the females by defeating other weevils. The neck itself is used as a weapon to push and wrestle with the opponent; it is rare that one of the opponents will die in the course of a fight.

 

The anecdotal "giraffe beetle tree," known by its scientific name Dichaetanthera arborea, is found only in Madagascar. It provides both home and diet for the giraffe weevil. In addition to eating the leaves of this tree, the giraffe weevil also nests in it. While the male giraffe weevil rolls a leaf in a cigar shape, the female giraffe weevil deposits a single egg in the middle. When the larvae hatches, the leaf will provide sustenance in the first few days of life.

 

Despite its rarity, the giraffe weevil is not considered to be endangered or threatened by the human population or by predation from other species.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/tZBUCh2.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/2rUK46J.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iRSvR7G.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/L2rmyhH.jpg

 

Egg:

 

http://i.imgur.com/1mrg92j.png

 

Egg is deposited in a rolled leaf:

 

http://i.imgur.com/4rgEjQe.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/TNtHl8m.jpg

 

[x1yyz]

That's a silly-looking bug :)

[Babycat]

So that's what a weevil looks like! :o

[HomesickAlien]

03 October 2014

 

FLORA FRIDAY

 

 

Grandidier's Baobab

 

(Adansonia grandidieri)

 

This imposing and unusual tree occurs only on the island of Madagascar, where it is threatened by the encroachment of agricultural land. There are eight species of baobabs, six of which are endemic to Madagascar; Adansonia grandidieri is the strangest and most magnificent of them all. They have massive cylindrical trunks, up to three meters across, covered with smooth, reddish-grey bark. At certain times of the year the flat-topped crowns bear bluish-green palmate leaves, dark brown floral buds or spectacular flowers with white petals. The large, dry fruits of the baobab contain kidney-shaped seeds within an edible pulp.

 

The long-lived Grandidier’s baobab is in leaf from October to May, and flowers between May and August. The flowers, said to smell of sour watermelon, open just before or soon after dusk, and all the pollen is released during the first night. It is pollinated by nocturnal mammals, such as fork-marked lemurs. They move through the canopies, inserting their snouts into the white flowers and licking nectar from the petal bases, resulting in pollen being deposited in the lemur’s face.

 

Adansonia grandidieri is the most heavily exploited of all the Malagasy baobabs. The seeds and the vitamin C-rich fruit pulp are eaten fresh, and cooking oil is extracted from the oil-rich seeds. The fruit is either collected from the ground, or wooden pegs are hammered into the trunk so the tree can be climbed to collect the fruit. The thick bark of the baobab is composed of tough, long fibres that can be used to make ropes, and the majority of trees bear scars from where the bark was cut from ground level to about two meters to obtain this material. The spongy wood is comprised of sheets of fibre that are collected from dead or living trees, dried in the sun and sold for thatch. Most of these varied uses do not involve the tree being killed, and thus are unlikely to pose a great threat to the baobab.

 

The greatest threat to this species has come from the transformation of its forest habitat into agricultural land. Within these disturbed habitats, there is a noticeable lack of young trees. Fires, seed predation, competition from weeds and an altered physical environment might be affecting the ability of the Madagascar baobab to reproduce, which may have devastating consequences for its survival.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/t6daSW1.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/SEJ82rP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IuRbK4P.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/z1XgJH3.jpg

 

Seedling:

 

http://i.imgur.com/u1Ps90c.jpg

 

Flowers:

 

http://i.imgur.com/uVvQGbN.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5NT57IK.jpg

 

Fruit:

 

http://i.imgur.com/Hp5S2FZ.jpg

 

[x1yyz]

Those are super-cool looking trees!

[HomesickAlien]

04 October 2014

 

Paleontology Saturday

 

 

Spinosaurus

 

Pending further discoveries, Spinosaurus is the current record-holder in the "world's largest carnivorous dinosaur" category: full-grown, 10-ton adults outweighed Tyrannosaurus Rex by about a ton and Giganotosaurus by about half a ton. Since so few Spinosaurus fossils are extant, it's possible that other individuals were even larger—though for now that's just speculation. It lived during the middle of the Cretaceous Period about 112 million to 97 million years ago, roaming the swamps of North Africa.

 

The shape of Spinosaurus' skull—combined with the fact that it lived along the north African shoreline—has led paleontologists to surmise that it (at least occasionally) speared fish out of the water, in addition to hunting down and killing smaller dinosaurs. It's even conceivable that this huge predator pursued a strictly aquatic diet, which would make it the top semi-aquatic reptile of the middle Cretaceous period. (A recent study has concluded that Spinosaurus spent much, or even all, of its time in rivers, which would make it the first identified swimming dinosaur.)

 

There has been much scientific debate regarding the evolution and purpose of the Spinosaurus' sail. It is possible that the sail served multiple purposes, including regulating body temperature by absorbing heat, and attracting mates. Because of its size, the Spinosaurus did not have many predators, but the sail could have been used to ward off enemies, as the dinosaur appeared to be twice its size when the sail was fully extended. Paleontologists theorize that the sails were brightly colored, much like the fins of some modern-day reptiles.

 

It is believed that Spinosaurus walked on two muscular legs most of the time, although it may have moved on all fours occasionally based on the length of its arms and fossil tracks. Spinosaurus may have been able to run 12 mph to 15 mph (19 kph to 24 kph), making it relatively fast for its size.

 

In 2011, a neck vertebra from a dinosaur with a snout resembling that of a crocodile — believed to be a Spinosaurus — was found in Australia, showing that the creature had a much wider range than scientists had previously thought possible.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/7nA1hyB.png

 

http://i.imgur.com/Ojrdp1z.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/MggSNRd.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EME8dyC.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/A9mc3u0.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/X3Sz4LN.jpg