Geoffroy's Spider Monkey

Geoffroy's Spider Monkey is the only Central American monkey species that occurs in all seven Central American countries

Protect Wildlife

Non Aggressive Red tailed hawk

In flight, this hawk soars with wings in a slight dihedral, flapping as little as possible to conserve energy. Active flight is slow and deliberate, with deep wing beats. In wind, it occasionally hovers on beating wings and remains stationary above the ground. When soaring or flapping its wings, it typically travels from 20 to 40 mph (64 km/h), but when diving may exceed 120 mph (190 km/h). When the Red-tailed Hawk walks, its steps are slow and awkward.The Red-tailed Hawk is generally non-aggressive toward people and toward other birds. It is commonly harassed by crows, magpies, owls, other hawks, and even songbirds over territorial disputes, though it is generally not injured. When threatened by a human intruder, a Red-tailed Hawk will generally flee rather than defend its nest.
The Red-tailed Hawk is carnivorous, and an opportunistic feeder. Its diet is mainly small mammals, but it also includes birds and reptiles. Prey varies with regional and seasonal availability, but usually centers on rodents. Additional prey (listed by descending likelihood of predation) include lagomorphs, shrews, bats, snakes, waterfowl, fish, crustaceans and insects.

Wild beast

The ungainly gnu earned the Afrikaans name wildebeest, or "wild beast," for the menacing appearance presented by its large head, shaggy mane, pointed beard, and sharp, curved horns. In fact, the wildebeest is better described as a reliable source of food for the truly menacing predators of the African savanna: lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, and hyenas.

Their habitat comprises the grassy plains and open woodlands of central, southern, and eastern Africa, particularly the Serengeti in Tanzania and Kenya. They travel in large herds and are active day and night, grazing constantly.

Source: National Geographic.org

Red-eyed Tree Frog

The Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas) is a small-sized tree frog, reaching lengths of about 5 to 7 centimeters (3 inches), native to Neotropical rainforests in Central America. They are not poisonous and rely on camouflage to protect them. During the day, they remain motionless with their colorful parts hidden. Thus, they appear almost completely green, and well hidden among the foliage.

source:Wikipedia

Chital

I took this picture in the nearby national park.

Chital most commonly occur in herds of ten to fifty individuals, with one or two stags and a number of females and young. They are often fairly tolerant of approach by humans and vehicles, especially where they are accustomed to human disturbance. They do not occur at higher elevation forests where they are usually replaced by other species such as the Sambar deer. Chital eat primarily grasses and vegetation, but also eat their shed antlers as a source of nutrients.

Most beautiful eagle

I took this picture in the nearby national park.


The sea eagle is white on the head, rump and underparts and dark grey on the back and wings. In flight the black flight feathers on the wings are easily seen when the bird is viewed from below. The large, hooked bill is grey with a darker tip, and the eye is dark brown. The legs and feet are cream-white, with long black talons (claws). Young Sea-eagles are brown when juveniles then gradually come to resemble adults, acquiring the complete adult plumage by their fourth year. Birds form permanent pairs that inhabit territories throughout the year. Their loud "goose-like" honking call is a familiar sound, particularly during the breeding season. They chose the tallest tree to nest, and even sometimes man-made pylons.

Intelligent - African Gray Parrot

While comparative judgments of animal intelligence are always very difficult to make objectively, Psittaciformes are generally regarded as being the most intelligent of birds. African grey parrots are particularly noted for their cognitive abilities, which are believed to have evolved as a consequence of their history of cooperative feeding as largely tree-dwelling birds in central Africa.
Irene Pepperberg's extensive research with captive African greys, especially the one known as Alex, have provided evidence that these parrots are capable of associating human words with their meanings, at least to some extent, though these conclusions are disputed. Ambitious claims of language use have been made for another African grey, N'kisi, who has a vocabulary of around a thousand words and speaks in sentences.

Fox Squirrels

Fox Squirrels depend primarily on tree seeds for food, but they are generalist eaters and will also consume buds and fruits, cultivated grain, insects, birds' eggs, and small lizards. Cannibalism has been reported, but should be considered very rare. In their regular diet of nuts, fox squirrels are classic scatter-hoarders that bury caches of nuts in dispersed locations, some of which are inevitably left unretrieved to germinate.
Fox Squirrels are strictly diurnal, non-territorial, and spend more of their time on the ground than most other tree squirrels. They are still, however, agile climbers. They construct two types of homes called "dreys", depending on the season. Summer dreys are often little more than platforms of sticks high in the branches of trees, while winter dens are usually hollowed out of tree trunks by a succession of occupants over as many as 30 years. Cohabitation of these dens is not uncommon, particularly among breeding pairs.

Geographic cone snail

The incredibly toxic venom of the geographic cone snail has to be strong enough to paralyze instantly. Otherwise, the fish it preys on would swim away to die, and the slow-moving gastropod would have nothing for its efforts.
Indigenous to the reefs of the Indo-Pacific, geographic cones grow to about 6 inches (15 centimeters) in length and have intricately patterned brown-and-white shells highly prized by shell collectors.
The geographic cone is the most venomous of the 500 known cone snail species, and several human deaths have been attributed to them. Their venom, a complex concoction of hundreds of different toxins, is delivered via a harpoonlike tooth propelled from an extendable

Milk snakes don't drink milk

Milk snakes activity is mostly nocturnal. They are primarily terrestrial, except the scarlet kingsnake which is known to take shelter under the bark of standing dead trees.Milk snakes eat a lot of different rodents.Milk Snakes are much more opportunistic eaters than the fox snake or corn snake. They have been known to consume a variety of animals including rodents, eggs, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Nevertheless the diet of an adult milk snake still primarily consists of rodents. They are nocturnal eaters and are often found during the day in old barns and under wood.
Like other members of the king snake family, the milk snakes sometimes eat other snakes, and do have at least some immunity to their venom.

Burying beetles

Burying beetles have large club-like antennae equipped with chemoreceptors capable of detecting a dead animal from a long way away. After finding a carcass (most usually that of a small bird or a mouse), beetles fight amongst themselves (males fighting males, females fighting females) until the winning pair (usually the largest) remains. If a lone beetle finds a carcass, it can continue alone and await a partner. Single males attract mates by releasing a pheromone from the tip of their abdomens. Females can raise a brood alone, fertilizing her eggs using sperm stored from previous copulations.
The prospective parents begin to dig a hole below the carcass. While doing so, the beetles cover the animal with antibacterial and antifungal oral and anal secretions, slowing the decay of the carcass and preventing the smell of rotting flesh from attracting competition. The carcass is formed into a ball and the fur or feathers stripped away and used to line and reinforce the crypt, where the carcass will remain until the flesh has been completely consumed. The burial process can take around 8 hours. Several pairs of beetles may cooperate to bury large carcasses and then raise their broods communally.

Red-ant dismembered by weaver ants

Weaver ants collaborating to dismember a red ant (the two at the extremities are pulling the red ant, while the middle one cuts the red ant until it snaps).

Red-headed rock agama

It can often be seen in the heat of the day. in the breeding season the males develop their most dramatic markings, the head and neck and also tail turning bright orange, and the body dark blue. Outside of the breeding season, the male is a plain brown. The females and juveniles are always more cryptically marked. This lizard can be climbing rocks and walls.

The dash-and-dot goatfish

The dash-and-dot goatfish has the twin chin barbels typical of goatfishes. The body color is white with a black to dark brown stripe (dash) reaching from the upper lip through the eye and along the body, followed by a black spot (dot) at the base of the caudal fin. Above the stripe, the body has a yellowish tint. Dash-and-dot goatfish from deeper water will usually have red stripes and spots. They can reach a maximum length of 60cm.

Largest and oldest known chestnut tree in the world

The Chestnut Tree of One Hundred Horses is the largest and oldest known chestnut tree in the world. Located on Linguaglossa road in Sant'Alfio, on the eastern slope of Mount Etna in Sicily — only 8 km (5 miles) from the mountain's crater — it is generally believed to be 2,000 to 4,000 years old (4,000 according to the botanist Bruno Peyronel from Turin). It is a Sweet Chestnut . Guinness World Records has listed it for the record of "Greatest Tree Girth Ever", noting that it had a circumference of 57.9 m (190 ft) when it was measured in 1780. Above-ground the tree has since split into multiple large trunks, but below-ground these trunks still share the same roots.The tree's name originated from a legend in which a queen of Aragon and her company of one hundred knights, during a trip to Mount Etna, were caught in a severe thunderstorm. The entire company is said to have taken shelter under the tree.

Fearless Hood Mockingbird

Hood Mockingbird is found in dry forests and is omnivorous, though it primarily is a carnivore or scavenger. The species has a highly territorial social structure and has no fear of humans.The bird is extremely aggressive and curious, and has no fear of humans whatsoever. The bird will chase after tourists in search of food, drink, or any unusual object. In some cases, the species will attempt to obtain water from tourists by pecking at their water bottles.
The birds have a strong social structure organized into family groups. Highly territorial, these groups will cooperatively hunt within their area as well as defend it against other groups. Lower-ranking members of the group will assist in caring for the young.The bird is considered to be vulnerable in the wild by BirdLife International due mainly to its limited area.

Worlds largest fish

The whale shark is considered to be the world's largest fish.

This species, despite its enormous size, does not pose any significant danger to humans. It is a frequently cited example when educating the public about the popular misconceptions of all sharks as "man-eaters". They are actually quite gentle and can be playful with divers. There are unconfirmed reports of sharks lying still, upside down on the surface to allow divers to scrape parasites and other organisms from their bellies. Divers and snorkelers can swim with this giant fish without any risk apart from unintentionally being struck by the shark's large tail fin.

Sea Dragon

The lobes of skin that grow on the Leafy Sea Dragon give it the appearance of seaweed, allowing it to camouflage with its surroundings. Its leafy appearance also allows it to appear to move through the water like a piece of floating seaweed. The Leafy Sea Dragon can also change color to blend in, but this ability relies on the sea dragon's diet, location, and stress levels.
The Leafy Sea Dragon has a long, pipe-like snout that it uses to feed. It primarily eats crustaceans including plankton and mysids, but its diet also includes shrimp and other small fish. It catches its prey using its camouflage ability. Leafy sea dragons oddly enough do not have teeth, which is rare amongst animals that eat small fish and shrimp.
The Leafy Sea Dragon is a cousin of the pipefish and belongs to the family Syngnathidae, along with the seahorse. The Leafy Sea Dragon differs from the seahorse in its appearance, form of locomotion, and the Leafy Sea Dragon's inability to coil or grasp things with its tail. A related species is the weedy sea dragon, which is multi-coloured and grows weed-like fins and can be much smaller than the leafy sea dragon. In the November 2006 issue of National Geographic magazine, marine biologist Greg Rouse is reported as investigating the DNA variation of the two sea dragon species across their ranges.

Gila monster's venom

Venom is produced in modified salivary glands in the Gila monster's lower jaw, unlike snakes, whose venom is produced in the upper jaw.[15] The Gila monster lacks the musculature to forcibly inject the venom; instead, the venom is propelled from the gland to the tooth by chewing. Capillary action brings the venom out of the tooth and into the victim.[6] The teeth are loosely anchored, which allows them to be broken off and replaced throughout life. Gila monsters have also been observed to flip over while biting the victim, presumably to aid the flow of the venom into the wound. Because the Gila monster's prey consists mainly of eggs, small animals, and otherwise "helpless" prey, it is thought that the Gila monster's venom evolved for defensive rather than for hunting use. A defensive use would also explain the Gila monster's bright warning coloration

Frill-necked lizards - one meter length

Adult frill-necked lizards may grow up to one metre in total length. They often walk quadrupedally when on the ground. When frightened they begin to run on all-fours and then accelerate onto the hind-legs. In Australia, the frill-necked lizard is also known as the "bicycle lizard" because of this behaviour. Males are significantly larger than females both as juveniles and when mature. The frill of the Australian frilled dragon is used to scare off potential predators — as well as hissing and lunging. If this fails to ward off the threat, the lizard flees bipedally to a nearby tree where it climbs to the top and relies on camouflage to keep it hidden. Adult males fight for mates, displaying their frills and biting each other.

Dangerous yellowjacket

The yellowjacket has a yellow coat to warn other animals that it is dangerous and should stay away. It is bold and aggressive, and if provoked, it can sting repeatedly and painfully. The German yellowjacket builds its nests in cavities (not necessarily underground) with the peak worker population in temperate areas between 1,000 and 3,000 individuals between May to August, each colony producing several thousand new reproductives after this point, through November. The Eastern yellowjacket builds its nests underground, also with the peak worker population between 1,000 and 3,000 individuals similar to the German yellowjacket. Nests are built entirely of wood fiber (usually weathered or dead) and are completely enclosed (football or soccer-ball shaped) except for a small opening (entrance) at the bottom. The color of the paper is highly dependent on the source of the wood fibers used. The nests contain multiple, horizontal tiers of combs (10 or more) within. Larvae hang down in combs.

Weaver ants as natural biocontrol agents against agricultural pests

Weaver ant workers hunt and kill insects that are potentially harmful plant pests, trees harboring weaver ants benefit from having decreased levels of herbivory. They have traditionally been used in biological control in Chinese and Southeast Asian citrus orchards from around least 400 AD. Many studies have shown the efficacy of using weaver ants as natural biocontrol agents against agricultural pests.Fruit trees harboring weaver ants produce higher quality fruits, show less leaf damage by herbivores, and require fewer applications of synthetic pesticides.

Ant mimicking spiders

Some species also look strikingly like an ant.
Spiders in this genus are commonly called "antmimicking spiders", although there are many other spiders that mimic ants. Colors vary from black to yellow, depending on the mimicked ant species. One African species was observed to mimick one species when immature, and another as an adult

Pouched Frog

It is a small frog about 2.5 cm long, red-brown in colour, with some individuals having reverse V shaped patches and/or with light brown dots randomly on their backs. Most specimens have a darker brown stripe that runs from the nostril through the eye down the side of the body. A skin fold is present on either side of the frog running from its eye to its hip. Its hands and feet are completely free of webbing and discs, but the tips of the fingers and toes are swollen. The eye is gold with brown flecks and when the pupil is constricted it is horizontal. There is a 'pocket' on its hip where the frog's tadpoles travel to after hatching.The tadpoles will reside in the pouch until they have morphed.
This species formerly experienced declines, however it has recovered.

Large Bee Fly

The Large Bee Fly (Bombylius major) is a bee mimic, squat and very hairy, 14 to 18 mm in length and a wingspan around 24 mm. Adults feed by means of their very long proboscises on the nectar of many species of flower. The species is widely distributed throughout the whole northern hemisphere and in North Africa, and is very well known.

Wood Scorpion

Forest scorpion or wood scorpion, is a scorpion native to southeastern Australia. It is typically around 25-40 mm long. The Australian Wood Scorpion's venom is not considered dangerous to humans.

Only spice to come from coniferous trees

A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give it a berry-like appearance. The cones from a handful of species, especially Juniperus communis, are used as a spice, particularly in European cuisine, and also give gin its distinguishing flavour. According to one FAO document, juniper berries are the only spice derived from conifers, though tar and inner bark (used as a sweetener by Apache cuisines) from pine trees is sometimes considered a spice as well.The flavour profile of young, green berries is dominated by pinene; as they mature this piney, resinous backdrop is joined by what McGee describes as "green-fresh" and citrus notes. The outer scales of the berries are relatively flavourless, so the berries are almost always at least lightly crushed before being used as a spice. They are used both fresh and dried, but their flavour and odour is at their strongest immediately after harvest and decline during drying and storage.

150 years to reach maturity

Organ Pipe Cactus species has several narrow stems that rise vertically, growing from a single short trunk just above the ground level. These stems are about 6 inches (15 cm) thick and grow to a height of 16 feet (5 m), however it has been known to reach 23 to 26 feet (7 to 8 m). These stems rarely branch but rather grow annually from the tip of the last growth. The mature plant can reach a width of 12 feet (3.7 m). Each stem has 12 to 19 1/3 inch (.85 cm) high ribs that bear dark brown to black spines that turn gray as it matures. It takes 150 years to reach maturity. The older plants produce three-inch (8 cm) funnel-shaped white flowers annually which are open at night and close by the morning and have a purple or pink tint to them. These usually grow during April, May, and June. The organ pipe cactus is usually pollinated by bats. The plant also produces fruit about the size of a tennis ball. Beneath the fruit's spined exterior is red flesh that supposedly tastes like watermelon. This fruit has traditionally been harvested by the Seris, who call the plant ool, and is used as a medicine

Stinkpot turtles release a musky smell

Stinkpots are a black, grey or brown turtle with a highly domed shell. They grow to approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in length. They have long necks and rather short legs. Males can usually be distinguished from females by their significantly longer tails. Their heads are vaguely triangular in shape, with a pointed snout and sharp beak, and yellow-green striping from the tip of their nose to their neck. Algae often grows on their carapace. Musk turtles are almost entirely aquatic, spending the vast majority of their time in shallow, heavily vegetated waters of slow moving creeks, or in ponds. They typically only venture onto land when the female lays her eggs, or in some rare cases, to bask.
Their common names are derived from the scent glands located just under the rear of their shell, which allows them to release a foul musky odor to deter predation.

Over 1000 individual flowers around its mid axis

Banksia spinulosa was introduced into cultivation in the United Kingdom in 1788 by Joseph Banks who supplied seed to Kew, Cambridge Botanic Gardens and Woburn Abbey among others; var. collina followed in 1800 and var. cunninghamii in 1822. It has proven a highly ornamental and bird-attracting plant in cultivation. In general, all forms prefer sandy, well-drained soils with sunny aspect, though some local forms hailing from Wianamatta shales may tolerate heavier soils. It is resistant to dieback, like most eastern banksias. As it grows naturally on acid soils, Banksia spinulosa is particularly sensitive to iron deficiency. Known as chlorosis, it manifests as yellowing of new leaves with preservation of green veins, and occurs when the plant is grown in soils of higher pH. This can also happen where soil contains quantities of cement, either as landfill or building foundations, and can be treated with iron chelate or sulfate.Regular pruning is important to give the plant an attractive habit and prevent it from becoming leggy. It has over 1000 flowers around its mid axis

Bird that swims for 2 hours after hacthing

The Black-necked Stilt is a locally abundant shorebird of American wetlands and coastlines. Adults have long pink legs and a long thin black bill. They are white below and have black wings and backs. The tail is white with some grey banding. A continuous area of black extends from the back along the hindneck to the head. There, it forms a cap covering the entire head from the top to just below eye-level, with the exception of the areas surrounding the bill and a small white spot above the eye. Males have a greenish gloss to the back and wings, particularly in the breeding season. The Black-necked Stilt forages by probing and gleaning primarily in mudflats and lakeshores, but also in very shallow waters near shores; it seeks out a range of aquatic invertebrates – mainly crustaceans and other arthropods, and mollusks – and small fish, tadpoles and very rarely plant seedsBlack-necked Stilt (pictured) appears to be dressed in a tuxedo, and the chicks can swim competently two hours after hatching.

California Clapper Rail - Rarely flies but can swim

California Clapper Rail, a chicken-sized bird that rarely flies, has chicks that can swim when they are just two hours old. Like other subspecies of Clapper Rail, this form has a long, downward curving bill and is grayish brown with a pale chestnut breast and conspicuous whitish rump patch. The population levels of the California Clapper Rail are precariously low due to destruction of its coastal and estuarine marshland habitat by prior land development and shoreline fill. It has year-long, circadian activity and is most vocal nocturnally and crepuscularly. The California Clapper Rail forages at the upper end of marshes, along the ecotone between mudflat and higher vegetated zones, and in tidal sloughs. Mussels, clams, arthropods, snails, worms and small fish are its preferred foods, which it retrieves by probing and scavenging the surface while walking. The bird will only forage on mudflats or very shallow water where there is taller plant material nearby to provide protection at high tide. At such high tides it may also prey upon mice, and has been known to scavenge dead fish.

Rocking slug

The color of the black slug is generally black, but the colouration is very variable and this slug
can even be white. The general trend is for a darker pigmentation the farther north the species
is found. The classification of brown-coloured and rust-coloured "black" slugs is somewhat
disputed; the brown variation is sometimes considered to be a separate species, Arion rufus
(Red Slug). Young specimens of black slug do have a brown colour, which is later lost if and
when the slug changes color to the mature state.The slug covers itself in a thick foul-tasting mucus which serves as both protection against
predators as well as a measure to keep moist. It is somewhat difficult to wash off.The black
slug is mainly nocturnal and avoids exposure to sunlight. It is omnivorous, eating carrion,
fungi, and vegetation (living and decaying). The slug prefers moist conditions, such as lawns,
making it an unwelcome sight for homeowners. This moist environment is essential for the
terrestrial locomotion of the slug to function.The mucus of the slug is highly distasteful to many animals. However, this slug does have
some natural predators, including the hedgehog, badger, shrew, mole, mouse, frog, toad,
snake, carnivorous beetle, and some birds. When picked up or touched, the black slug will
contract to a hemispherical shape and begin to rock from side to side. This defensive
behaviour confuses predators, and is unique in the Arionidae family

Mouse that gives birth to 40-60 offspring in a year

Breeding nests are spherical constructions woven from grass or other plant material. A nest is approximately 13 centimeters in diameter and lined with a more downy material of fibrous plants. A nest may have one or more entrances near its base. Most commonly, the nest is built on the ground in a protected area such as within a shrub or beside a fallen tree; however, the mouse will occasionally place the nest aboveground within a shrub. It is not uncommon for a female to have ten to fourteen litters per annum, with a typical litter size of two to six individuals; however, litters of up to nine offspring can occur. Thus an annual production of forty to sixty young per female is normal. The Western Harvest Mouse is nocturnal, with particularly intense activity on very dark nights. This mouse is particularly resourceful, making use of the ground runways of other rodents. It is also a very agile climber. Its primary food source is seeds, but springtime dining is augmented with new plant growth. In June, July and August the mouse is known to consume certain insects, especially grasshoppers and caterpillars. Again resourceful, the Western harvest mouse stores seeds and other foodstuffs in underground vaults. Its many predators include the fox, weasel, coyote, hawk, snake and owl species.

Eagle that barks and screams

Bateleur is a common resident species of the open savanna country in Sub-Saharan Africa. It nests in trees, laying a single egg which is incubated by the female for 42 to 43 days, with a further 90 to 125 days until fledging. Bateleurs pair for life, and will use the same nest for a number of years. Unpaired birds, presumably from a previous clutch, will sometimes help at the nest.An immature domestic BaleteurThe Bateleur is a colourful species with a very short tail (ecaudatus is Latin for tailless) which makes it unmistakable in flight. The adult male is 60 to 75 cm (24 to 30 in) long with a 175 cm (5.75 ft) wingspan. He has black plumage except for the chestnut mantle and tail, grey shoulders, and red facial skin, bill and legs.The female is similar to the male except that she has grey rather than black secondary flight feathers. Immature birds are brown with white dappling and have greenish facial skin. It takes them seven or eight years to reach full maturity.The eagle hunts over a territory of 250 square miles a day. The prey of this raptor is mostly birds, including pigeons and sandgrouse, and also small mammals; it also takes carrion.The Bateleur is generally silent, but on occasions it produces a variety of barks and screams."Bateleur" is French for "tight-rope walker". This name describes the bird’s characteristic habit of tipping the ends of its wings when flying, as if catching its balance.In some countries, the Bateleur is occasionally known as the "Conifer Eagle" or even "Pine Eagle", since its feathers somewhat resemble a conifer cone when it fluffs itself up.

Bird that attacks known predators

The Puerto Rican Spindalis are usually found in pairs but may travel in small flocks. These birds
also engage in a behavior called mobbing. This is when a flock of birds, from one or more
species, attack a known predator, usually to defend their eggs or hatchlings. Such behavior
has been observed being directed against the Puerto Rican Boa by immature Puerto Rican
Spindalis. The Puerto Rican Spindalis exhibits sexual dimorphism with males being brightly
colored and females being dully colored. Males are green colored above with an orange neck
and chest. They have a black head with two white stripes running across it, with one above
and one below the eyes. The tail and wings are gray to black with small white stripes at the
tips. In contrast, the female is a dull olive-green color with slightly noticeable white stripes. It
is widely distributed throughout the island and is an important part of the Puerto Rican
ecosystem because of its help in seed dispersal and plant reproduction. The Puerto Rican
Spindalis is also the national of the United States Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Bat ray in large numbers, while more recently it is mostly taken by oyster growers who mistakenly believe it feeds on their oysters

Bat ray in large numbers, while more recently it is mostly taken by oyster growers who mistakenly believe it feeds on their oysters. Bat rays feed on mollusks, crustaceans and small fish on the seabed, using their winglike pectoral fins to move sand and expose prey animals. They may also dig trenches up to 20 cm deep to expose buried prey, such as clams. Bat ray teeth are flat and pavementlike, forming tightly-packed rows that are used for crushing and grinding prey--the crushed shells are ejected and the flesh consumed. As with all elasmobranchs, these teeth fall out and are replaced continuously.While the bat ray, like other stingrays, has a venomous spine in its tail (near the base), it is not considered dangerous and uses the spine only when attacked or frightened. Currently, the bat ray is fished commercially in Mexico but not the United States. However, it is sometimes fished for sport for its fighting characteristics.

The plant that catches frog, rat and lizards

Nepenthes rajah is an insectivorous pitcher plant species of the monotypic Nepenthaceae
family. It is endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in Sabah,
Malaysian Borneo. N. rajah grows exclusively on serpentine substrates, particularly in areas of
seeping ground water, where the soil is loose and permanently moist. Nepenthes rajah, the
most famous of all pitcher plants, produces traps up to 40 cm in height and has been known to
catch prey as large as rats, frogs and lizards. MYTH- Another myth surrounding this species is that it occasionally catches small monkeys
and other large animals in its pitchers. Such tales have persisted for a very long time, but can
probably be explained as rodents being mistaken for other species. It is interesting to note
that one common name for Nepenthes plants is 'Monkey Cups'. The name refers to the fact
that monkeys have been observed drinking rainwater from these plants. Thus, in a sense, this
mythology may have some basis in fact.

Dancing clownfish

Clownfish perform an elaborate dance with an anemone before taking up residence, gently touching its tentacles with different parts of their bodies until they are acclimated to their host. A layer of mucus on the clownfish's skin makes it immune to the fish-eating anemone's lethal sting. In exchange for safety from predators and food scraps, the clownfish drives off intruders and preens its host, removing parasites.There are 28 known species of anemonefish, most of which live in the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the western Pacific. They are not found in the Caribbean, Mediterranean or Atlantic Ocean.Bright orange with three distinctive white bars, clown anemonefish are among the most recognizable of all reef-dwellers. They reach about 4.3 inches (11 centimeters) in length, and are named for the multicolored sea anemone in which they make their homes.Surprisingly, all clownfish are born male. They have the ability to switch their sex, but will do so only to become the dominant female of a group. The change is irreversible.

Largest freshwater turtle - Dinosaur of the turtle world

The prehistoric-looking alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America and among the largest in the world. With its spiked shell, beak-like jaws, and thick, scaled tail, this species is often referred to as the "dinosaur of the turtle world."
Found almost exclusively in the rivers, canals, and lakes of the southeastern United States, alligator snappers can live to be 50 to 100 years old. Males average 26 inches (66 centimeters) in shell length and weigh about 175 pounds (79.4 kilograms), although they have been known to exceed 220 pounds (100 kilograms). The much smaller females top out at around 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms).
Alligator snappers spend most of their lives in water, the exception being when females trudge about 160 feet (50 meters) inland to nest. They can stay submerged for 40 to 50 minutes before surfacing for air.
The alligator snapper employs a unique natural lure in its hunting technique. Its tongue sports a bright-red, worm-shaped piece of flesh that, when displayed by a motionless turtle on a river bottom, draws curious fish or frogs close enough to be snatched.
Adult snappers have no natural predators other than humans, who capture them for their meat and shells, and to sell in the exotic animal trade. A severe reduction in population due to unregulated harvesting and habitat loss has led states to protect them throughout most of their range, and they are listed as a threatened species.

Type: Reptile

Diet: Carnivore

Average lifespan in captivity: 20 to 70 years

Size: 26 in (66 cm)

Weight: 220 lbs (100 kg)

Large bony and fiercest creature of the sea

Xiphactinus was one of the largest bony fish of the Late Cretaceous and is considered one of the fiercest creatures in the sea. A powerful tail and winglike pectoral fins shot the 17-foot-long (5-meter-long) monster through the surface waters of the ocean. Unlucky fish and unsuspecting seabirds were snared inside Xiphactinus's upturned jaw, which was lined with giant, fanglike teeth, giving it an expression akin to that of a bulldog.A 13-foot-long (4-meter-long) Xiphactinus could open its jaw wide enough to swallow six-foot-long (two-meter-long) fish whole, but it itself was occasionally prey to the shark Cretoxyrhina.Xiphactinus trolled an ancient ocean called the Western Interior Seaway, which covered much of central North America during the Cretaceous. Though long extinct, if alive today the bony fish would look like a giant, fanged tarpon.
Type: PrehistoricDiet: CarnivoreSize: Length, Up to 17 ft (5 m)A Xiphactinus on display at a museum in Kansas has a complete, well-preserved fish inside it. Scientists believe the struggling prey ruptured an organ of its captor as it was swallowed, killing the larger fish.

Most venomous snake on the earth

It seems unfairly menacing that a snake that can literally "stand up" and look a full-grown person in the eye would also be among the most venomous on the planet, but that describes the famous king cobra.
King cobras can reach 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length, making them the longest of all venomous snakes. When confronted, they can raise up to one-third of their bodies straight off the ground and still move forward to attack. They will also flare out their iconic hoods and emit a bone-chilling hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog.
Their venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes, but the amount of neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite—up to two-tenths of a fluid ounce (seven milliliters)—is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant. Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible, but they are fiercely aggressive when cornered.
King cobras live mainly in the rain forests and plains of India, southern China, and Southeast Asia, and their coloring can vary greatly from region to region. They are comfortable in the trees, on land, and in water, feeding mainly on other snakes, venomous and nonvenomous. They will also eat lizards, eggs, and small mammals.
They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatchlings emerge.
King cobras may be best known as the species of choice for the snake charmers of South Asia. Although cobras can hear, they are actually deaf to ambient noises, sensing ground vibrations instead. The charmer's flute entices the cobra by its shape and movement, not by the music it emits.Type: ReptileDiet: CarnivoreAverage lifespan in the wild: 20 yearsSize: 13 ft (4 m)Weight: Up to 20 lbs (9 kg)Group name: QuiverDid you know? Synthetic cobra venom is used in pain relievers and arthritis medication.Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m)

Whales Had Legs - STUDY

Whales Had Legs, Wiggled Hips, Study Says a study.

An early whale had large back legs, a tail like a dog's, and a hip-wiggling swimming style, according to a new fossil study. The discovery helps pinpoint the advent of "modern" whale flukes to between 38 and 40 million years ago, scientists say. Flukes are the two wide, flat triangular lobes on a whale's back end and are made of skin and connective tissue, with bones in the middle. Scientists have known whales evolved from semiaquatic, four-footed creatures with long, thin tails to today's fully aquatic mammals with fluked tails, no back legs, and flippers instead of front legs. (Related story: Whales Evolved From Tiny Deerlike Mammals, Study Says [December 19, 2007].)
But it was previously unknown when the tail flukes first arose in the whale family tree.
"What's interesting about this animal is that it had these back legs that it used to push itself through the water," said study author Mark D. Uhen, a paleontologist from the Alabama Museum of Natural History.
"This animal didn't have flukes, but the ones just a little bit younger [geologically] did. So we can really narrow that time frame now."

The Most beautiful butterfly

Monarch butterflies are known for the incredible mass migration that brings millions of them to California and Mexico each winter. North American monarchs are the only butterflies that make such a massive journey—up to 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers). The insects must begin this journey each fall ahead of cold weather, which will kill them if they tarry too long.
Monarch butterflies begin life as eggs and hatch as larvae that eat their eggshells and, subsequently, the milkweed plants on which they were placed. (Monarchs are dependent on milkweed plants, which larvae eat nearly exclusively.)
Fattening larvae become juicy, colorful caterpillars, then create a hard protective case around themselves as they enter the pupa stage. They emerge as beautifully colored, black-orange-and-white adults. The colorful pattern makes monarchs easy to identify—and that's the idea. The distinctive pattern warns predators that the insects are foul tasting and poisonous.
Butterflies that emerge from chrysalides (pupa state) in late summer and early fall are different from those that do so during the longer days and warmer weather of summer. These monarchs are born to fly, and know because of the changing weather that they must prepare for their lengthy journey.
Only monarchs born in late summer or early fall make the migration, and they make only one round trip. By the time next year's winter migration begins, several summer generations will have lived and died and it will be last year's migrators' great grandchildren that make the trip. Yet somehow these new generations know the way, and follow the same routes their ancestors took—sometimes even returning to the same tree.
Many scientists are concerned about the eastern population of monarchs, which summer east of the Rocky Mountains. This group is occurring in ever smaller numbers, and its survival may be threatened by a series of natural disasters in the Mexican wintering grounds, as well as by reduced acreage of milkweed plants in their summer home.

Dragonflies - Strange Love

Dragonflies Strange Love Grab, shake, bite, puncture, punch—that's just the courtship ritual of these dazzling aerobats.You may have seen their antics on a languid summer day: Somewhere on the reedy fringes of a pond, a male dasher dragonfly pursuing a female, like two hyphens of lightning. Or a tiger-striped spiketail diving, twirling, flashing its gossamer wings, then in a blink, meeting a mate to ascend together into the ether. Or a linked pair of brilliant green darners hovering as one over the dark water, the male towing the female, darting forward, then back, then straight up with the kind of aerial agility of which we masters of the helicopter can only dream. From a distance, dragonfly rituals of courtship and sex look harmless, even romantic. But a close look at their mating game reveals a harsher tale of sexual harassment and conflict. Take the jewelwing Calopteryx splendens. Some males dispense with courtship altogether and just snatch unwary females while they're warming in the sun—even immature ones, shimmer-fresh after emergence from their larval youth. Others, called "stealers," attack and split mating pairs by ramming, pulling, and biting them; still others, "water lurkers," grab a female in the midst of egg laying so they can have their way with her, even if she drowns in the process. Females, for their part, attempt to escape this boorish behavior by flipping, zigzagging, spiraling upward or downward, submerging in water, fleeing at high speed, or fighting back, sometimes murderously.

Ladybug - Farmer's friend

Many people are fond of ladybugs because of their colorful, spotted appearance. But farmers love them for their appetite. Most ladybugs voraciously consume plant-eating insects, such as aphids, and in doing so they help to protect crops. Ladybugs lay hundreds of eggs in the colonies of aphids and other plant-eating pests. When they hatch, the ladybug larvae immediately begin to feed. By the end of its three-to-six-week life, a ladybug may eat some 5,000 aphids.Ladybugs are also called lady beetles or, in Europe, ladybird beetles. There are about 5,000 different species of these insects, and not all of them have the same appetites. A few ladybugs prey not on plant-eaters but on plants. The Mexican bean beetle and the squash beetle are destructive pests that prey upon the crops mentioned in their names.Ladybugs appear as half-spheres, tiny, spotted, round or oval-shaped domes. They have short legs and antennae.Their distinctive spots and attractive colors are meant to make them unappealing to predators. Ladybugs can secrete a fluid from joints in their legs which gives them a foul taste. Their coloring is likely a reminder to any animals that have tried to eat their kind before: "I taste awful." A threatened ladybug may both play dead and secrete the unappetizing substance to protect itself.

Ghost crabs

Ghost crabs, also called sand crabs, are common shore crabs in many
countries. In the south eastern United States, Ocypode quadrata is frequently seen
scurrying along beaches between sunset and dawn.These crabs are called ghosts because of their ability to disappear from sight almost
instantly, scuttling at speeds up to 10 miles per hour, while making sharp directional
changes. These creatures have two black eyes, with sharp 360° vision which they use to
see flying insects and catch them in mid air. The ghost crab, however, cannot see directly
up, so it must burrow into the ground to prevent birds from catching it.The ghost crab tunnels down four feet into the ground at a 45° angle, creating 1-2 inch wide
holes, which speckle the beach. At dusk, these crabs will sprint to the ocean in order to
obtain oxygen from the water which washes over their gills, and in June, females will release
their eggs into the ocean. Ghost crabs hibernate during the winter, holding their breath for
six months, by storing oxygen in sacs near the gills. They can also have a natural filter
system which gathers oxygen from the air, enough to survive for one year without entering
into water.

Bombardier beetle defense mechanism

A Bombardier beetle produces and stores two reactant chemical compounds, hydroquinone
and hydrogen-peroxide in separate reservoirs in the rear tip of its abdomen. When
threatened, the beetle contracts muscles that force the two reactants through valved tubes
into a mixing chamber containing water and a mixture of catalytic enzymes. When combined,
the reactants undergo a violent exothermic chemical reaction raising the temperature to near
the boiling point of water. The corresponding pressure buildup forces the entrance valves
from the reactant storage chambers to close thus protecting the beetles internal organs.
The boiling, foul-smelling liquid partially becomes a gas (flash evaporation) and is expelled
through a outlet valve into the atmosphere with a loud popping sound. The flow of reactants
into the reaction chamber and subsequent ejection to the atmosphere occurs cyclically at at
a rate of about 500 times per second and with the total pulsation period lasting for only a
fraction of a second.These reactions release free oxygen and generate enough heat to bring the mixture to the
boiling point and vaporize about a fifth of it. Under pressure of the released gasses the valve
is forced closed, and the chemicals are expelled explosively through openings at the tip of
the abdomen. Each time it does this it shoots about 70 times very rapidly. The damage
caused can be fatal to attacking insects and small creatures and is painful to human skin.

Mosquito that spreads dengue fever Chikungunya and yellow fever

The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti is a mosquito that can spread the dengue fever,
Chikungunya and yellow fever viruses, and other diseases as well. The mosquito can be
recognized by white markings on legs and a marking of the form of a lyre on the thorax. Although it may feed at any time, the mosquito bites humans only between a few hours after
dawn until an hour or so after sunset. The mosquito's preferred breeding areas are in areas of stagnant water, such as flower
vases, uncovered barrels, buckets, and discarded tires, but the most dangerous areas are
wet shower floors and toilet tanks, as they allow the mosquitos to breed right in the
residence. Research has shown that certain chemicals emanating from bacteria in water
containers stimulate the female mosquitoes to lay their eggs. They are particularly motivated
to lay eggs in water containers that have just the right amounts of specific fatty acids
associated with bacteria involved in the degradation of leaves and other organic matter in
water. The chemicals associated with the microbial stew are far more stimulating to
discerning female mosquitoes than plain water, for example, or filtered water in which the
bacteria once lived