Creature 341: Carcharias taurus

How to get ahead in life

Carcharias taurus is commonly known as the sand tiger shark or the grey nurse shark.

These large sharks can reach up to 3.2 meters long and usually live in large colonies. A feeding frenzy of these sharks can make for a difficult environment for smaller sharks which may struggle to get a fair share of the food. This had led to a fairly common condition in sharks which is called oviviviparity. They develop inside eggs, which are not laid by sit inside a pouch inside the shark. The egg hatches while still inside the pouch. In grey nurse sharks the young hatchlings don't leave immediately as it is useful to them to grow as large as possible before they are required to fend for themselves. After they hatch they consume the other hatchlings inside their mother's pouch. In every brood only one shark will survive after consuming all its siblings.

Distribution:
Sand tiger sharks can be found in temperate coastal regions all over the world.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Odontaspididae
Genus: Carcharias 
Species: Carcharias taurus

Image Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_tiger_shark
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/04/30/shark-dads-lose-babies-to-unborn-cannibal-siblings/

Creature 340: Sula

Sula is a genus of six species of birds.

The cammon name for these bizarre looking bird is booby. Boobys look like they should be in a comedy with their awkward appearance and their feet which dramatically contrast in color. They are large birds with some species nearly reaching 1 meter tall. on some islands like the galapogas boobies don't display much fear and like the dodo were used by sailors as easy meals.

Distribution:
Various species of boobies can be found throughout the world's tropical coastal areas, but they are most diverse in the East Pacific.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Suliformes
Family: Sulidae
Genus: Sula

Image Links:

http://imgur.com/gallery/nhjtg56

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/red-footed-booby/

Creature 338: Dracorex hogwartsia

The dragon king of hogwarts
Dracorex hogwartsia is a recognised dinosaur species which has been recently (2006) described.

It is the only species in the genus Dracorex, meaning dragon king. The specific epithet hogwartsia is a tribute to the Harry Potter series. Its spiky head and long muzzle probably gave it a dragon-like appearance.

The name might be pretty cool, but it may not exist forever.  Some scientists believe they it is not a separate genus or species but that it is the juvenile form of a species of Pachycephalosaurus. Apparently the bizarre horns and bumps on the head changed quite dramatically as the dinosaur matured. I have no idea which hypothesis is correct.

Distribution:

The only fossil which has ever been uncovered was found in South Dakota and is from the late Cretaceous.

Classification:
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Ornithischia
Family:Pachycephalosauridae
Genus:Dracorex
Species: Dracorex hogwartsia

Image Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracorex

http://visitcryptoville.com/2013/11/04/dracorex-hogwartsia-another-candidate-for-an-actual-dragon/

Creature 335: Myzopoda

Myzopoda are a genus of bats commonly known as old-world sucker foot bats.

Like the South American sucker foot bats they have tiny suction pads on their wrists and ankles which enables them to latch onto objects, even smooth surfaces. However they are so distantly related from any other bats in that they have been given their own family. They are the most basal genus in their subfamily Noctilionoidea.

Distribution:
The genus only exists in Madagascar, but fossil evidence indicates they once existed in Africa.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Myzopodidae
Genus: Myzopoda

Image Links:
http://www.supremelists.com/top-10-weird-looking-creatures
http://bats.mampam.com/madagascar/images/myzopoda/pages/36_jpg.htm

Creature 333: Coleodactylus

Tiny floating Gecko

Chatogekko amazonicus is known as the Brazilian pygmy Gecko formerly in the genus Coleodactylus.

They only grow to around 24mm in size. This little lizard has strongly hydrophobic skin which enables it to walk on water indefinitely. They can even rest on water without falling in, but a well aimed raindrop can break the water's surface tension and cause the lizard to fall in.

Dustribution:
The Brazilian pygmy gexko is native to the Amazon rainforest.

Classification:
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Squamata
Family: Sphaerodactylidae
Genus: Chatogekko
Species: Chatogekko amazonicus

Image Links:

http://www.herpetofauna.com.br/LagartosBrasil.htm