Creature 212: Basiliscus

Real Basilisks

Description:
Basiliscus is a genus of lizards commonly known as Basilisks or the Jesus Lizard.

Before you get too excited I should clarify that they don't scorch the earth on which they walk, they can't kill you by looking at you and they don't have wings. I suspect they were named after the ancient Greek legend because of the large crest on their head. The ancient Greek basilisk was king of the reptiles and had a crown growing out of its head.

So they may not have all the traditional powers but they do have one really cool trick. They can walk on water. When I say walk, it only really works when they are running but in any case that is where its common name the Jesus lizard comes from. Much like the frill necked lizard they can run on their hind legs,  only these guys have webbed feet. They expand the web while running to increase the area of contact with the water and run as fast as their tiny legs can carry them. They can only keep this up for a few seconds, but fortunately for them they are also great swimmers.

Distribution:
Basilisks are endemic to central and tropical South America.

Classification:
There are four recognized species in the genus.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Squamata
Family: Corytophanidae
Genus: Basiliscus

Image Links:

http://merrittcollegeherpetology.weebly.com/corytophanidae.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basiliscus_(genus)

Video Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AOyRjCWNcs

Creature 211: Actinoscyphia aurelia

An anemone that looks like a venus fly trap

Description:
Actinoscyphia aurelia is an anemone (try pronouncing that) which is known as the Venus fly trap anemone.  They look a bit like a venus fly trap.

Much like a venus fly trap their fleshy lobes shut in order to trap their prey inside. When they are threatened they release some sort of slime which glows in the dark. I know, that doesn't sound like a particularly great defense to me either. We're not really sure what this is supposed to accomplish,  but there are several hypotheses.

Distribution:
Venus fly trap anemones are found on the ocean floor at depths of over 1000 m in the Atlantic ocean, particularly the gulf of Mexico.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Actiniaria
Family: Actinoscyphiidae
Genus: Actinoscyphia
Species: Actinoscyphia aurelia

Image Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_flytrap_sea_anemone

http://animals.pawnation.com/features-venus-flytrap-sea-anemone-3621.html

Creature 210: Pipa pipa

This frog is not roadkill. It's supposed to be like that.

Description:
The Pipa pipa is a frog which is commonly called the Suriname toad in English.

When you have a toad which looks like that I don't know why you would name it after its location. Even the scientific name is more interesting as pipa means kite. Why couldn't we call it a kite toad? Anyway as you may have noticed it is very flat. They mimic rotting leaves on the bottom of swamps and slow moving bodies of water and are almost entirely aquatic. Their creepy long fingers are used to feel around for prey while remaining mostly motionless.

Female eggs are attached to their back when they are fertlised and develop in little pockets that form giving the female an even more bizarre appearance. The tadpoles develop here until they are ready to emerge.

Distribution:
The Pipa pipa is mostly found in the North of continental South America but it is also known from Trinidad and Tobago.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Pipidae
Genus: Pipa
Species: Pipa pipa

Image Links:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pipa_pipa_juillet_2007_-_3.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3207/3101439965_e08e30a04c_o.jpg

https://scottthong.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/

Creature 209: Diopsidae

How to fight with your eyes

Description:
Diopsidae are a family of flies which are commonly called stalk eyed flies because their eyes protrude from their head on massive stalks.

These stalks are so prominent that their antennae are attached to to the stalk rather than the center of the head. In stalk eyed flies these eye stalks are used by males to beat off competitors in brutal eye stalk battles. Some stalk eyed flies can even inflate these stalks to scare off competitors.

Distribution:
Stalk eyes flies can be found on all continents except South America (and Antarctica). They are most commonly found in Tropical Africa and Asia

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Diopsidae

Image Links:

http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/tag/diopsidae/

http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=11711&page=10

Creature 208: Craseonycteris thonglongyai

A small bat

Description:
Craseonycteris thonglongyai in the vernacular is called Kittis hog nosed bat or the bumblebee bat.

Kittis hog nosed bat only grows to 33 mm in length at the most and weighs about 2 grams when it is fully grown. This makes it the smallest mammal by length, but not by weight.

They tend to live in flocks of around 100 individuals. Like most small bats they are insectivores.

Distribution:
Kittis hog nosed bat can only be found in Sai Yok province, Thailand.

Classification:
Kittis hog nosed bat is quite distantly related to any other living bat and is the only extant described species in the family Craseonycteridae.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family:Craseonycteridae
Genus:Craseonycteris
Species: Craseonycteris thonglongyai

Image Links:

http://www.labioguia.com/los-10-animales-mas-pequenos-del-mundo/

http://www.datuopinion.com/craseonycteris-thonglongyai

Creature 207: Hypselodoris bullockii

By popular demand: another Nudibranch

Description:
Feast your eyes on Hypselodoris bullockii.

Colours in this species are highly variable with many different and spectacular color morphs.

They feed off bryozoans and sponges.

Distribution:
Hypselodoris bullockii is found in the tropical west Pacific.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Hypselodoris
Species: Hypselodoris bullockii

Image Links:

http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20276

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypselodoris_bullockii

Creature 206: Ptilonorhynchidae

Impressive mating displays

Description:
Ptilonorhynchidae are a family of 20 species of birds commonly called bower birds.

They are a largish relatively long lived family of birds. The males are not as spectacularly colored as many other birds, and the reason for this is very interesting.  Males attract female attention by doing a dance a structure they build which is called a bower. The bower is not a nest but a display to attract females. Bower birds collect several items of a particular color to decorate their bower to attract the females. The color of the items varies with species.

This behavior is supposed to have evolved from a need to prove to the females that the male is a good forager. It shows that he is good enough at collecting food that he can waste time collecting hundreds of useless rare items. Think of it as the avian equivalent of buying a Ferrari. By mating with a good forager the females increase the chance that their offspring will also be good foragers. Their dance is also funny to watch.

Distribution:
Bower birds are found in Australia and New Guinea.

Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Ptilonorhynchidae

Image Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowerbird

http://www.viralforest.com/bower-bird/

http://lananhbirds.com/diendan/showthread.php?t=2435

Creature 205: Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis

Frogs from beyond the grave

Description:
Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis is a species of frogs with purple frog as their surprisingly boring common name. They could have done so much more with this one.

Purple frogs are burrowing frogs, and unlike most burrowing frogs they are almost entirely subterranean.  They spend almost their whole life underground,  even feeding underground which is unusual behavior for a frog. They live off the termites which also live underground. They only come out for a couple of weeks every year during the monsoon for mating.

They are commonly found in human burial grounds. My guess is that this has something to do with the fact that burial grounds have loose soil for the frogs to burrow into and possible an abundance of termites feeding off wooden coffins. As the Purple frog will commonly dig up to 4 meters below the surface they are probably living underneath the graves. Therefore they come from beyond the grave.

Distribution:
Purple frogs are found in South West India.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Sooglossidae
Genus: Nasikabatrachus
Species: Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis

Image Links:

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/amphibians-face-raised-extinction-threat-6263377.html?action=gallery&ino=3

https://www.tumblr.com/search/nasikabatrachus%20sahyadrensis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_frog

Creature 204: Arthropleura

A millipede that was bigger than you.

Description:
Arthropleura is a genus of millipedes which went extinct a very long time ago.

The larger species in this genus could reach sizes of over 2 meters long. This makes it the largest terrestrial arthropod of all time. Millipedes couldn't grow that large in today's atmosphere because there is a lower concentration of Oxygen. Millipedes, like most other arthropods don't breath but rely on the diffusion of oxygen in and out of their body through a complex network of tubes exposed to the atmosphere. This process is more efficient when the atmospheric concentration of Oxygen is high.

Distribution:
Fossils of this genus are restricted to the Carboniferous Period (360-300 million years ago). They are found in the North East of the North American continent and in Scotland.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Diplopoda
Order: Arthropleurida
Family: Arthropleuridae
Genus: Arthropleura

Image Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthropleura

http://iqpill.com/thank-you-extinction/

Creature 203: Omphalotus olearius

It must taste really good

Description
Omphalotus olearius is a fungus which is sometimes known as the Jack O'Lantern mushroom.

It is often mistaken for members of the genus Cantharellus. Unlike Cantharellus the Jack O'Lantern mushroom is toxic to humans. While it will not kill you it will make you vomit and give you diarrhea and severe stomach cramps. If you turn the light off and look at them, you might think twice about eating them.

That's right, they glow in the dark. When things glow in dark and are poisonous that's usually enough to discourage me from eating them. However these mushrooms apparently smell and taste so good that even people who have been poisoned by them in the past find them appealing.

Distribution:
Omphalotus olearius is endemic to Europe.

Classification:

Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Marasmiaceae
Genus:Omphalotus
Species: Omphalotus olearius

Image Links:

http://expressdebanat.ro/padurea-plina-de-ciuperci-dar-atentie-la-cele-otravitoare-afla-aici-cum-le-poti-deosebi/omphalotus-olearius/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omphalotus_olearius

Creature 202: Eriophora

Spiders that eat their own web.

Description:
Eriophora are a genus of spiders known as garden orb weaver spiders.

All images in this post are my own work and you can use them for whatever you want if you want to use them.

Apart from the fact that they look weird many of the species of this genus have an unusual habit. Instead of leaving their web out during the day in the off chance they might catch something they tear it down and eat it. They hide inside leaves or bark in daylight hours and come out in late afternoon or twilight to spin their enormous webs all over again. Make no mistake these webs can be huge, sometimes reaching 2 meters wide.

Distribution:
Members of this genus can be found in Africa, Australia, south east Asia and the Americas. They happen to be very common in Sydney and I don't know how many times I have walked into their webs as they are spinning them around twilight.

Classification:
There are about 100 species in this diverse genus of spiders.

Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Eriophora

Creature 201: Eurypegasus draconis

A fish that sheds its skin in one piece

Description:
Eurypegasus draconis is commonly known as the Dragon sea moth, the little dragonfish or the short dragonfish.

Dragon seamoths change the color of their skin to match their surroundings, which is not exactly a unique trick but is always pretty cool. You would think that this would mean that they invest a lot in their skin which makes it valuable to the. This is not the case. They shed their skin periodically and in one piece.

Distribution:
The dragon seamoth is found in tropical Indopacific waters.

Classification:
Sea moths are a small family of fishes similar to the dragon seamoth. They are in the same order as sea horses, as you might have guessed from the shape of their head.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gasterosteiformes
Family: Pegasidae
Genus: Eurypegasus
Species: Eurypegasus draconis

Image Links:

http://www.maldivesdivetravel.com/maldives-blog/tag/slender-seamoth

http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurypegasus_draconis

Creature 200: Buprestidae

200th creature. Beetles that look like jewels.

200 days of bizarre creatures without missing a day. Today I will be blogging about jewel beetles as a celebration.

Description:
Buprestidae are a large family of beetle commonly called jewel beetles.

They are called jewel beetles because of their metallic or jewel like shine and their variety of vibrant colours. Their colours are not a result of pigmentation but of slight differences in the structure of the exoskeleton reflecting different bands of light. Despite their spectacular colouration they spend most of their time hidden. They bore into woody parts of trees and feed off the sap and will not leave as juveniles.

Distribution:
Like most beetle families, jewel beetles are cosmopolitan.

Classification:
There are around 15, 000 described species of jewel beetles. That's a lot, even for a beetle family,  although it is not nearly the largest.  You can peobably find them in any color you can imagine.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Buprestidae

Image links:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buprestidae_-_Perotis_unicolor.JPG
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buprestidae_-_Polybothris_sumptuosa.jpg

Creature 199: Pitohui

Poisonous birds

Description:
Pitohui is a genus of 2 species of birds.

When you think of poisonous animals you do not usually think bird probably because birds usually rely on their ability to fly as a defence. The Pitohui are different. They are one of the few birds in the world which are toxic. Pitohui  don't produce their own poison but sequest it from various insects in their diet. The poison is a neurotoxin and it accumulates in their skin and feathers. One of these birds is toxic enough to kill you within seconds of the poison reaching the circulatory system, but they don't have a delivery method. Not only is the bird highly toxic if eaten,  but it causes severe irritation when handled.

Distribution:
Pitohui are endemic to New Guinea.

Classification:
There are several species which have previously been included in this genus, but have been moved to other genera, sometimes other families.
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Oriolidae
Genus: Pitohui

Image links:
http://top10rate.com/beware-of-these-top-10-wild-animals-that-can-kill-you-in-seconds/animal
http://www.zoopicture.ru/xoxlatyj-pitoxuj/

Creature 198: Varanus komodoensis

A deadly lizard

Description:
Varanus komodoensis is a monitor lizard known as the Komodo dragon.

Growing up to 3 m in length and weighing up to 70 kg they are the largest living lizard.  They are predators and feed mostly on deer which they hunt. The Komodo dragon can sprint at speeds speeds of up to 20 km/h but a single one may struggle to keep up with a quick agile deer if it does not catch them by surprise. That is why Komodo dragons, unlike any other snake or lizard,  will cooperate whole hunting.  They are also armed with anticoagulants in their bite to prevent prey from running too far if they are bitten. They may have other poisons in their bite.

The Komodo dragon will occasionally attack and eat humans if given the opportunity.

Distribution:
The Komodo dragon can only be found on a few islands of the Lesser Sunda islands,  Indonesia especially the island called Komodo. Fossil records may indicate that they were once more wide spread.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Species: Varanus komodoensis

Image Links:
http://spinelizard.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/komodo-dragon-lizard-king.html
https://www.apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=2&issue=1020&article=1728

Creature 197: Solaster dawsoni

Star wars.

Description:
Solaster dawsoni is a sea star which is usually referred to as the morning sun star, which is a silly name because the sun is a star.

This sea star is interesting in that it specializes in eating other sea stars. It will even eat other members of its own species. They are so good at eating other sea stars that many sea stars whose distribution overlaps with the morning sun star have evolved defence mechanisms. These range from fleeing the second they make contact to fighting back with pincers or slime. You can watch one of these slow motion battles here:

Distribution:
Solaster dawsoni  is found on continental shelf of the north Pacific ocean.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Velatida
Family: Solasteridae
Genus: Solaster
Species: Solaster dawsoni

Image Links:

http://www.jaxshells.org/1074.htm

Video Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9oZcLG51vM

Creature 196: Calcarifera ordinata

A cool looking caterpillar

Description:
Calcarifera ordinata is a species of moth. The adult has no common name that I am aware of but the juvenile is known as a wattle cup caterpillar.

The adult is mostly light brown with a few cool markings, but nothing to write a blog post about.

The juvenile looks a lot more interesting.  It is covered in a variety of fine colour markings. It also carries four pairs of thorn like protrusions covered in stinging setae. These setae are venomous and being stung by one of these guys is apparently far worse than your average wasp.

Distribution:

Calcarifera ordinata is mostly found in the Australian tropics with a little overflow into the temperate region.

Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Limacodidae
Genus: Calcarifera
Species: Calcarifera ordinata

Image Links:

http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/lima/ordinat.html

http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_loopers/WattleCup.htm

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Creature 195: Dyscophus

A really red frog.

Description:
Dyscophus is a genus of 3 species of frogs which are commonly called tomato frogs.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that their common name comes.from their color. As a defensive mechanism it expands when it feels threatened giving its body a rounded shape.  This only makes it look more like a tomato.

Distribution:
All 3 species are endemic to Madagascar.

Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Microhylidae
Genus: Dyscophus

Image Links:

https://web.stanford.edu/~siegelr/animalz/frogs.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyscophus_antongilii#/media/File:Dyscophus_antongilii02.jpg

Creature 194: Gigantoraptor

This would be more terrifying without feathers

Description:
As far as dinosaur names go Gigantoraptor sounds pretty scary. They need a scary name, because they probably looked quite ridiculous.

The Gigantoraptor grew to up to 8 m long and probably weighed well over 1000 kg. its lower jaw lacked teeth but appears to be modified into something resembling a beak. Feathers were actually quite common in Therapod dinosaurs. There is a good chance the Velociraptors had feathers, and the T. rex may have also been feathered.

Distribution:
Specimens of the Gigantoraptor have been found in inner Mongolia and are around 70 million years old.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Saurischia
Family:Caenagnathidae
Genus: Gigantoraptor

Image Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigantoraptor

http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Talk:Gigantoraptor

Creature 193: Pecteilis radiata

Orchid day today.

Pecteilis radiata is an orchid. Commonly called the white egret orchid. Take a look:

It clearly looks like a spectacular white bird taking off. Apparently an egret.

Distribution:
You can find the white egret orchid in East and North Asia.

Classification:
This orchid has many invalid scientific names attached to it.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiosperms
Class: Monocotyledon
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Genus: Pecteilis
Species: Pecteilis radiata

Image Links:

http://icps.proboards.com/thread/3338/pecteilis-radiata

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13241

Creature 192: Proteus anguinus

How long can you go without food?

Description:
Proteus anguinus is a Salamander which is commonly known as an olm.

The olm has adapted to life in underground caves and displays many characteristics which are considered troglodytic such as blindness and pale skin. They are also interesting because although they are amphibians they are completely aquatic, living their entire lives in the water. They almost certainly evolved from an ancestor with terrestrial adults.

They have also adapted to the scarcity of food in some of those cave ecosystems. They can smell food better than any other amphibian, and as they may not get food very regularly they have developed very efficient means of storing energy in their liver. They can live up to ten years without eating.

Description:
The olm is only found in the limestone caves of central Europe and the Baulkans.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Caudata
Family: Proteidae
Genus: Proteus
Species: Proteus anguinus

Image links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olm

http://www.blikk.it/forum/blog.php?bn=nii_blognature&lang=de&cat=1297936614

Creature 191: Rhinopithecus

Skeletor monkeys

Description:
Rhinopithecus is a genus of monkey which is called snub nosed monkeys. 

It is hard to look at these guys without looking at that nose. That and the facial color pattern make their heads looks like a skull to me. Some species have some bizarre fur colors. How often do you are blue fur?

Distribution:
Snub nosed monkeys can be found in the mountain forests of continental South East Asia. They are usually found in small colonies at altitudes of at least 1200 m.

Classification:
Members of the closely relayed genus Pygathtix are also sometimes referred to as snub nosed monkeys.

Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Cercopithecidae
Genus: Rhinopithecus

Image Links:

http://news.discovery.com/animals/snub-nosed-monkey-sneezes-when-it-rains.htm

http://www.factzoo.com/mammals/monkeys/snub-nosed-monkeys.html

Creature 190: Azorella compacta

A Patient plant

Description:
Azorella compacta is a funny looking plant which is commonly known as Llareta (as in in Spanish ll).

It may look a little like a giant ball of moss, but it is a flowering plant, or a colony of flowering plants anyway. They grow in dense colonies in order to prevent heat loss at the high altitudes they it lives. Some llareta plants are estimated to be 3,000 years old. Of course when you live that long there is really no hurry, and they only grow at a rate of around 1.5 cm per year.

Distribution:
Llareta can only be found in the Andes mountains at atitudes between 3000 and 4500 m.

Classification:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiosperms
Class: Dicotyledon
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Azorella
Species: Azorella compacta

Image Links:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/349943833516826887/

http://www.myrokan.com/

Creature 189: Walliserops

Poseidon's pet.

This is the first trilobite I have posted in this blog and for that I apologize to any trilobite fans out there. For those of you who have not heard of trilobites, they were a group of aquatic arthropods which exploded in diversity during the Canbrian. They are the most common type of fossile we find from that era. They slowly went extinct as time went on before they were finally finished off bu the Permian extinction.

Description:
Walliserops is a genus of strange looking trilobite which have all been described recently (since 2001).

As you may have noticed this trilobite has a sort of trident hanging off the front of their head. This structure looks a little like something which wpuld be carried by Poseidon, the Greek god of the ocean. No one is exactly sure what this structure was for, although there are several theories. They also have three long curved dorsal spines and several small lateral spines.

Distribution:
All known specimens come from Southern Morocco and are lower to middle Devonian in age.

Classification:
There are three recognised species in the genus Walliserops.
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class: Trilobita
Order: Phacopida
Family: Acastidae
Genus: Walliserops

Image Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walliserops

http://www.fossilmall.com/EDCOPE_Enterprises/trilobites/mtrilo77/moroccantrilobite77b.htm