Amazing Zoology

This article was originally posted at Amazing Zoology . View original article at http://amzoo.in/7-3lv A beautiful orchid, isn’t it? But it is an insect, commonly called as Orchid mantis. It is known by various common names including walking flower mantis and orchid mantis. It is one of several species known as flower mantises from their resemblance and behaviour. This one, Hymenopus coronatus, can be found in the rain forests of Southeast Asia. More information can be fount at https://www.keepinginsects.com/praying-mantis/species/orchid-mantis/

This article was originally posted at Amazing Zoology . View original article at http://amzoo.in/qsbpf Even though it seems like an ant, it is not! This is one of 3,000 species of wasps in the family Mutillidae of Order Hymenoptera. Commonly known as Velvet ants, but black and white specimens are sometimes known as panda ants due to their hair coloration resembling that of the giant panda. Their bright colors serve as aposematic signals. They are known for their extremely painful stings, hence the common name cow killer or cow ant. However, mutillids are not aggressive and sting only in defense. Unlike true ants, they are solitary, and lack complex social systems.

This article was originally posted at Amazing Zoology . View original article at http://amzoo.in/tsbif A giant isopod is any of the almost 20 species of large isopods in the genus Bathynomus. They are abundant in cold, deep waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Bathynomus giganteus, the species upon which the generitype is based, is often considered the largest isopod in the world, though other comparably poorly known species of Bathynomus may reach a similar size. The giant isopods are noted for their resemblance to the much smaller common woodlouse, to which they are related. Giant isopods are a good example of deep-sea gigantism, as they are far larger than the typical isopods that are up to 5 cm. They are infamous for attacking and destroying fish caught in trawls, and they are eaten in Taiwan.

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This article was originally posted at Amazing Zoology . View original article at http://amzoo.in/b9f0d Name: Velociraptor‭ (‬Swift seize.r‭) Phonetic: Vell-oss-e-rap-tor. Named By: Henry Fairfield Osborn‭ ‬-‭ ‬1924. Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia Theropoda Tetanurae Coelurosauria Dromaeosauridae. Species: V.‭ ‬mongoliensis,‭ ‬V.‭ ‬osmolskae. Type: Carnivore. Size: 2‭ ‬meters long. Known locations: Mongolia,‭ ‬Barun Goyot Formation,‭ ‬Djadochta Formation. Time period: Campanian of the Cretaceous. Fossil representation: Many fossilised skeletons. The overall appearance of Velociraptor was that of a lightweight bipedal hunter built for speed, unlike other known Dromaeosaurids by having an upturned snout at the front of a long,‭ ‬low skull.‭ ‬The skull was filled with small teeth,‭ ‬suitable for taking meat off a carcass,‭ ‬but not for killing.‭ ‬Instead of a‭ ‘‬killing bite‭’‬,‭ ‬ Velociraptor  would instead utilise the enlarged sickle shaped cl

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This article was originally posted at Amazing Zoology . View original article at http://amzoo.in/x5giu Contents 1 What is a Whale Fall? 2 What happens to whales when they die? 3 How often does that happen? 4 Where can we find whale falls? 5 What happens to dead whales that fell to sea floor? 5.1 Stage 1: Mobile-scavenger stage 5.2 Stage 2: Enrichment opportunist stage 5.3 Stage 3: Sulphophilic (sulphur-loving) stage 6 What is the significance of whale falls? 7 References What is a Whale Fall? Whales are the largest living organisms living on the surface of Earth. An adult blue whale weighs up to 173 tonnes with 30 meters in length. [1] When a whale dies in the ocean, its body usually falls to the sea floor and becomes a huge source of organic matter for the animals that live there. This is known as a Whale fall. Animal communities forms around the whale carcass called Whale fall communities. What happens to whales when they die? Three things can happen to dead bodies of whal

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This article was originally posted at Amazing Zoology . View original article at http://amzoo.in/lej41 © KidsPress Magazine Tsunami, are dangerous natural disasters caused by large movements of rock in the ocean or by extra-terrestrial bodies. While these giant waves may hardly be noticeable out at sea where the water is deep, they quickly start to rise much higher than normal waves when they come in to shore. Waves tens of meters tall have incredible energy and can demolish entire cities causing terrible devastation. Here are the main causes of these destructive waves. Undersea Earthquakes Powerful earthquakes can happen at the boundaries of oceanic and continental plates. Oceanic plates are heavier and slowly get forced down under lighter continental plates when they meet, but the downward movement, called “subduction” isn’t smooth. Instead, the ocean plate may get stuck for a period of time while energy builds up, and then suddenly the plate slips down and that energy is released as

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This article was originally posted at Mantis Shrimp Mantis shrimps are marine crustaceans of the order Stomatopoda. They typically grow to around 10 cm in length. The largest mantis shrimp ever caught had a length of 46 cm and was caught in the Indian River near Fort Pierce, Florida, in the United States. A mantis shrimp"s carapace (outer covering) covers only the rear part of the head and the first four segments of the thorax. They are among the most important predators in many shallow, tropical, and sub-tropical marine habitats. However, despite being common, they are poorly understood as many species spend most of their life tucked away in burrows and holes. Mantis shrimps are called "sea locusts" by ancient Assyrians, "prawn killers" in Australia and now sometimes as "thumb splitters" – because of the animal"s ability to inflict painful gashes if handled incautiously. These animals sport powerful claws that are used to attack and kill prey by

This article was originally posted at Blue Dragon Blue Dragon or Blue sea slug ( Glaucus atlanticus ) is an aeolid nudibranch which comes under the Phylum mollusca and family Glaucidae. These sea slugs are pelagic: they float upside down by using the surface tension of the water to stay up, where they are carried along by the winds and ocean currents. THis animal is camouflaged: the blue side of their body faces upwards, blending in with the blue of the water. The silver/grey side of the sea slugs faces downwards, blending in with the silvery surface of the sea. It feeds on other pelagic creatures, including the venomous siphonophore, the Portuguese man o" war. This sea slug stores stinging nematocysts from the cnidarian within its own tissues as defense against predation. Humans handling the slug may receive a very painful and potentially dangerous sting. You will be interested in knowing what a nudibranch is! Nudibranchs, naked sea slugs.

This article was originally posted at Thorny dragon Moloch horridus is an Australian lizard, also known as the mountain devil, the thorny lizard, or the moloch. This is the sole species of genus Moloch. Thorny dragon grows up to 20 cm (7.9 in) in length, and it can live for 15 to 20 years. Most of these lizards are coloured in camouflaging shades of desert browns and tans. These animals are covered entirely with conical spines that are mostly uncalcified. Also visit  The Creature Feature: 10 Fun Facts About the Thorny Devil

This article was originally posted at Red-lipped batfish The red-lipped batfish or Galapagos batfish (Ogcocephalus darwini) is a fish of unusual morphology found around the Galapagos Islands and off Peru at depths of 3 to 76 m. This fish is mainly known for its bright red lips. Batfish are not good swimmers; they use their highly adapted pectoral fins to "walk" on the ocean floor. When the batfish reaches maturity, its dorsal fin becomes a single spine-like projection (thought to function primarily as a lure for prey). Like other anglerfish, the red-lipped batfish has a structure on its head known as illicium. This structure is employed for attracting prey.

This article was originally posted at Jellyfish Jellyfishes are softbodied, free-swimming aquatic animals with a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles. The bell can pulsate to acquire propulsion and locomotion. The tentacles may be utilized to capture prey or defend against predators by emitting toxins in a painful sting. Jellyfish species are classified in the subphylum Medusozoa which makes up a major part of the phylum Cnidaria, although not all Medusozoa species are considered to be jellyfish

This article was originally posted at Meerkats The meerkat (Suricata suricatta) is a small carnivoran belonging to the mongoose family (Herpestidae). It is the only member of the genus Suricata. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan".

This article was originally posted at Anatomy of Horse, Equus cabalus

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This article was originally posted at Colours of Bioluminesence Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organisms. Bioluminescence occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi, microorganisms including some bioluminescent bacteria and terrestrial invertebrates such as fireflies. Get an overview of various bioluminescent organisms producing lights in various colours. Also watch this video from National geographic

This article was originally posted at The Chemistry of Spider venom Spider venoms can be grouped into two broad categories: necrotic, and neurotoxic. Necrotic, or cytotoxic venoms, are those which cause cell and tissue damage after envenomation. This can lead to the appearance of inflammation, lesions, and blisters. Neurotoxic venoms, on the other hand, exert their effects on the nervous system, and interfere with signalling between neurons. In extreme cases, these can lead to respiratory and cardiac arrest. Note that some spider venoms can actually contain both necrotic and neurotoxic components. Components of the venom are often grouped into categories according to their molecular weights: low molecular weight compounds (<1000), peptides (1000-10000), & proteins (10000+). For different species of spider, a different one of these categories may contain the primary toxic component of the venom. Inspite of the huge number of different spider species, a comparatively small percent

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This article was originally posted at A fish that walks on its legs Chaunax pictus, commonly called as pink frogmouth is a sea toad of the family Chaunacidae. It is found around the world on continental shelves in tropical and temperate waters (except the Caribbean Sea), usually at depths between 200 and 660 m. Its length is up to 40 cm. [1] This individual was filmed by NOAA"s Okeanos Explorer during an expedition near Puerto Rico. It has fins that are modified into leg like structures. See the way it uses its fins to "walk" across the continental shelf. Even though many fishes ‘walk’ using its fins, these fishes are unique in producing a leg like appearance for fins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKGRAm3TdlQ References 1. Susan M. L. – Chaunax pictus  Lowe, 1846. FishBase . Available at: http://www.fishbase.org/summary/5047 .

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This article was originally posted at Sea turtle species - Infographic Sea turtles or  marine turtles  are reptiles of the order Testudines. There are seven extant species of sea turtles. 1. Leatherback 2. Loggerhead 3. Green Turtle 4. Flatback 5. Hawksbill 6. Kemp"s Ridley 7. Olive Ridley

This article was originally posted at Biggest predators in the history of earth Which are the world’s biggest predators on Earth? This Infographic sheds light on 15 biggest predators that ever existed in the history of earth. Surprisingly, Jurassic Park fame, Tyrannosaurus rex , ranks only 14th. On the enlarged grid, each square corresponds to 1 meter, and a 1.75 meter human figure appears as a size reference. [caption id="attachment_1114" align="alignnone" width="1077"] On the enlarged grid, each square corresponds to 1 meter, and a 1.75 meter human figure appears as a size reference.[/caption] Predator Length Weight Period Sperm whale 20.5 m 57 t Alive today Mauisaurus 20 m - 65 MYA Megalodon 18 m 70 t 25-1.5 MYA Spinosaurus 18 m 9 t 106-93.5 MYA Basilosaurus 18 m 6 t 40-34 MYA Tylosaurus 17.5 m - 85-80 MYA Mosasaurus 16 m 17 t 70-65 MYA Pilosaurus 15 m 45 t 147 MYA Titanoboa 15 m 1.2 t 65-58 MYA Gigantosaurus 14.8 m 8 t 95 MYA Carcharodontosaurus 14 m

This article was originally posted at Most ferocious dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus rex - Infographic Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs that ever lived. According to fossils, Tyrannosaurus was about 12 meters long and about 4.5 to 6 meters tall. It had strong thighs and long, powerful tail, which helped it move quickly. The massive 1.5-meter-long skull was designed for maximum bone-crushing. Even though there is no direct evidence for T. rex  had feathers, many scientists now consider it likely had feathers on at least parts of its body. T. rex "s serrated, conical teeth were most likely used to pierce and grip flesh, which it then ripped away with its neck muscles. Its two-fingered forearms were too short and may be used to seize its prey. It is believed that it could eat up to 230 kilograms of meat in one bite. Presence of broken bones found in its dung suggest they crushed bones while they ate.

This article was originally posted at Dinosaur Classification - Infographic Dinosauria is a superorder that comes under reptilia, which contains all known dinosaurs in the world. Dinosauria is divided into two groups namely Saurischia and Ornithischia based on the anatomy of Pelvic girdle (hip). This division is put forward by a British scientist named Harry Seeley in 1887. Saurichians are known as "Lizard hipped" and Ornithischians as "Bird hipped" dinosaurs. [caption id="attachment_1093" align="alignnone" width="800"] "A" represents a Saurischian dinosaur and "B" an Ornithischian dinosaur. See the difference in the arrangement of hip bones. "C" Saurischian hip and "D" Ornithischian hip[/caption] Classification of Dinosaurs (Infographic)

This article was originally posted at Five worst Mass Extinctions the world has seen - Inforgraphic [caption id="attachment_1050" align="alignnone" width="1200"] 5 Mass Extinctions the world has seen[/caption]

This article was originally posted at Amazing Zoology [toc] Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution As recently as 1966, sheik Abd el Aziz bin Baz asked the king of Saudi Arabia to suppress a heresy that was spreading in his land. Wrote the sheik: "The Holy Koran, the Prophet"s teachings, the majority of Islamic scientists, and the actual facts all prove that the sun is running in its orbit... and that the earth is fixed and stable, spread out by God for his mankind.... Anyone who professed otherwise would utter a charge of falsehood toward God, the Koran, and the Prophet." The good sheik evidently holds the Copernican theory to be a "mere theory," not a "fact." In this he is technically correct. A theory can be verified by a mass of facts, but it becomes a proven theory, not a fact. The sheik was perhaps unaware that the Space Age had begun before he asked the king to suppress the Copernican heresy. The sphericity of the earth

This article was originally posted at Sea turtle thanks divers for rescuing Colin Sutton and Cameron Dietrich were diving off the coast of Mexico when they found a sea turtle tangled up in the rope attached to a buoy. Though the impressive turtle is nearly as large as the divers, he was unable to free himself and the two men spent quite some time removing the rope from his fin, allowing him to swim away without a scratch. But before he swam out of sight, the creatures turned around and surprised his rescuer with a sweet show of gratitude. Watch the video and see for yourself — who knew turtles could say “thank you”? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSCbpcpjJl4

This article was originally posted at Starvation turns herbivorous Drosophila into a carnivore [toc] Starvation induces cannibalism! Drosophila melanogaster larvae are classified as herbivores. They usually feed on herbivorous diet under normal conditions. During starvation, they are observed to feed on larger larvae of their own species and carcasses of other flies. Interesting thing is they even ate eggs of their own kind. These cannibalistic larvae developed as normal, when they were grown with adequate nutrition. This study suggest that nutritionally stressed Drosophila show distinct and unusual feeding behaviours. These include detritivorous, cannibalistic and/or carnivorous behaviours. [1] But how can that happen? Animals avoid certain food materials due to activation of certain taster receptors that are termed to produce ‘bitter’ taste. What happens to Drosophila’s bitter taste during starvation? Another study gives the answer. Can animals sense ‘taste’? In animals, long range f

This article was originally posted at How smart are Orangutans? Orangutans belong to the Hominidae family tree, like humans. Origin of the family stretches back 14 million years. Lu Gao shares some amazing facts about these incredibly intelligent great apes from Asia. Lets see what make Orangutans so special!