Hard clam

The hard clam ("Mercenaria mercenaria"), also known as a quahog (; or quahaug), round clam or hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince Edward Island to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is one of many unrelated edible bivalves that in the United States are frequently referred to simply as clams, as in the expression "clam digging". Older literature sources may use the systematic name "Venus mercenaria"; this species is in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.
Confusingly, the "ocean quahog" is a different species, "Arctica islandica", which, although superficially similar in shape, is in a different family of bivalves: it is rounder than the hard clam, usually has black periostracum, and there is no pallial sinus in the interior of the shell.
Alternative names.
The hard clam has many alternative common names. It is also known as the Northern quahog, round clam, or chowder clam.
In fish markets, there are specialist names for different sizes of this species of clam. The smallest legally harvestable clams are called countnecks or peanuts, next size up are littlenecks, then topnecks. Above that are the cherrystones, and the largest are called quahogs or chowder clams.
The most distinctive of these names is "quahog" ( , , or ). The word comes from the Narragansett word "poquauhock", which is similar in Wampanoag and some other Algonquian languages; it is first attested in North American English in 1794. Native polities on the eastern Atlantic seaboard made valuable beads called wampum from the shells, especially those colored purple; the species name "mercenaria" is related to the Latin word for commerce. Today people living in coastal New England still use Algonquian words for the clam, as they have done for thousands of years.
In many areas where aquaculture is important, clam farmers have bred specialized versions of these clams with distinctions needed for them to be distinguished in the marketplace. These are quite similar to common "wild type" "Mercenaria" clams, except that their shells bear distinctive markings. These are known as the "notata" strain of quahogs, which occur naturally in low numbers wherever quahogs are found.
Distribution.
Hard clams are quite common throughout New England, north into Canada, and all down the Eastern seaboard of the United States to Florida; but they are particularly abundant between Cape Cod and New Jersey, where seeding and harvesting them is an important commercial form of aquaculture. For example, the species is an important member of the suspension-feeding, benthic fauna of the lower Chesapeake Bay.
Rhode Island is situated right in the middle of "quahog country" and has supplied a quarter of the U.S.'s total annual commercial quahog catch. The quahog is the official shellfish of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The species has also been introduced and is farmed on the Pacific coast of North America and in Great Britain and continental Europe. It reproduces sexually by females and males shedding gametes into the water.
Parasite.
Quahog parasite unknown (QPX) is a parasite that affects the hard shell clam "Mercenaria mercenaria". While little is known about the disease, research is currently under way in several laboratories. This research is fueled by the need to inform aquaculturists, who suffer financially because of the mortality rates in clams that QPX inflicts and the ensuing years in which runs must be left fallow to clear the disease. It was discovered along the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1995.
Quahog parasite X (or quahog parasite unknown [QPX]) disease of the hard clam "Mercenaria mercenaria" is caused by a poorly known protistan parasite. Its DNA sequence analysis places the QPX parasite among the thraustochytrid stramenopiles. Thraustochytrids are common protists in marine sediments and the water column, but only a few thraustochytrids are known as parasites of marine animals. Although QPX disease was first recorded on the Atlantic coast of Canada in the early 1960s, it did not become a major economic problem until its appearance in cultured clams at Prince Edward Island, Massachusetts in 1992, and Virginia in 1997. Infected clams are characterized by the presence of blisters or pustules in the mantle and later by gaping and death.
Human use.
In coastal areas of New England, New York, and New Jersey, restaurants known as raw bars or clam bars specialize in serving littlenecks and topnecks raw on an opened half-shell, usually with a cocktail sauce with horseradish, and often with lemon. Sometimes littlenecks are steamed and dipped in butter, though not as commonly as their soft-shelled clam cousin the "steamer". Littlenecks are often found in-the-shell in sauces, soups, stews, and clams casino, or substituted for European varieties such as the cockle in southern European seafood dishes. The largest clams are quahogs or chowders and cherrystones; they have the toughest meat and are used in such dishes as clam chowder, clam cakes, and stuffed clams, or are minced and mixed into dishes that use the smaller, more tender clams.
Historically, Native Americans used the quahog as a component in wampum, the shell beads exchanged in the North American fur trade. The Narragansetts used the hard clam for food and ornaments.
A population of hard clams exists in Southampton Water in Hampshire, England. Originally bred in the warm water outflows at Southampton Power Station for use as eel bait, the population became self-sustaining and can now be found in Southampton Water and has also spread to Portsmouth Harbour and Langstone Harbour.
Clams and red tide.
The term "red tide" refers to an accumulation of a toxin, such as saxitoxin, produced by marine algae. Filter-feeding shellfish are affected, such as clams, oysters, and mussels. The toxin affects the human central nervous system. Eating contaminated shellfish, raw or cooked, can be fatal. Some other kinds of algal blooms make the seawater appear red, but red tide blooms do not always discolor the water, nor are they related to tides.


Euptychia picea

Euptychia picea is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Brazil (Amazonas), Peru and Suriname.


Agyneta sheffordiana

Agyneta sheffordiana is a species of sheet weaver found in Canada. It was described by Duperre & Paquin in 2007.


Harpactea sadistica

Harpactea sadistica is a species of dysderine spider, found only in Israel. It was first described in 2008.
Description.
Both sexes have the same body characteristics. The length of the pale yellow-brown, smooth carapace ranges from 1.1 to 1.7 mm. The legs are pale yellow, with the first two pairs darker than the other two. The cylindrical, whitish opisthosoma is 2.3 mm long in the holotype specimen. The tip of the embolus of the male resembles the tip of a hypodermic needle, and the vulva of the female is atrophied.
Ecology.
"Harpactea sadistica" probably exhibits an annual lifecycle. Eggs are laid from March to April. The species is found in woodlands dominated by "Quercus calliprinos" and pine plantations, and in steppe habitats where "Asphodelus" is predominant.
Traumatic insemination.
"Harpactea sadistica" is the first spider species – and the first member of the entire subphylum Chelicerata – found to use traumatic insemination. The males have specialized genital structures at the pedipalps that are adapted to grip the female and inject the sperm, using a structure resembling a hypodermic needle. After positioning himself, the male pierces the female on both sides and injects the sperm directly into the ovaries, resulting in about eight holes in two rows. Consistent with the modified mating behavior, the spermathecae of the female, which normally store received sperm, are weakly developed in this species.
Whereas in other spiders the eggs are fertilized only when laid, in this special case fertilization takes place at the moment of insemination, and develop as embryos before being laid.
This behavior seems to have evolved in order to ensure that the mating male is also the one providing the sperm for the progeny. Spermathecae fertilize the eggs with the sperm of the last mating male. With the adaption of traumatic insemination, the male ensures that his sperm will be used, circumventing this mechanism.
Like many other spider species, "H. sadistica" has elaborated mating rituals preceding the insemination, involving tapping the female, subduing her and wrapping himself around her in order to position himself prior to insemination.
Name.
The species name refers to the seemingly sadistic habit of stabbing the body cavity of the female.


Bahama swallow

The Bahama swallow ("Tachycineta cyaneoviridis") is a swallow found only in the Bahamas.
Description.
This glossy "Tachycineta" swallow has a green head and back, blue upper wings, a black tail and wingtips, and a white belly and chin.
Range and habitat.
This swallow breeds only in pineyards on four islands in the northern Bahamas: Andros, Grand Bahama, Abaco, and New Providence. The breeding population on New Providence is, at the very least, greatly reduced from historical levels, and may be extirpated as a breeding species.
The Bahama swallow winters throughout the eastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is a rare vagrant elsewhere during migration, including south Florida and the Florida Keys. It is also an occasional vagrant to the southerly Americas.
"T. cyaneoviridis" is a bird of the Caribbean pine forests. They are somewhat capable of adapting to urban habitat. Although they do not breed in marshland and fields, they need such habitat to forage; like all swallows they feed on flying insects.
Reproduction.
Bahama swallows nest in old West Indian woodpecker holes in Caribbean Pine ("Pinus caribaea" var. "bahamensis"), using pine needles, "Casuarina" twigs, and grass to make the nest, and they line it with feathers from other passerines. They typically lay three eggs. Incubation is 15 days and the fledging period is roughly 22 days.


Naden gecko

The Naden gecko ("Gekko nadenensis") is a species of gecko. It is endemic to central Laos.


Zodarion emarginatum

Zodarion emarginatum is a spider species found in France, Corsica, Malta and Greece.


Iniistius trivittatus

Iniistius trivittatus, the three banded razorfish or blue razor wrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses, currently only known from the Pacific waters off Hong Kong and Taiwan. This species inhabits reefs from the surface to deep. It can reach in total length.
It is deep bodied and extremely laterally compressed as in all members of its genus. It is distinctively coloured, generally pale yellow with three broad, dark, vertical bars on its body. A further diagnostic trait is the presence of a deep notch between the first two spines of the dorsal fin.


Palau bush warbler

The Palau bush warbler ("Horornis annae") is a species of Old World warbler in the family Cettiidae.
It is found only in Palau.


Karta (orangutan)

Karta (22 July 1982 – January 2017) was a Sumatran orangutan ("Pongo abelii"), who is best remembered for her attempts to have a living baby and care for it herself, first at San Diego Zoo in the United States, and later at Adelaide Zoo in Australia.
Karta was the mother of celebrity orangutan Karen, her one surviving offspring who was handraised by zookeepers and who in 1994 became the first orangutan to undergo open heart surgery. Unable to thrive under Karta's care, Karen was removed and Karta was transferred to Adelaide Zoo, where after a number of baby losses, she was taught baby care and trained to nurse.
Karta made headlines in 2009 when she short circuited the electric fence around her enclosure and made a brief escape. In the same year, she was the face of a national campaign for the conservation of orangutan habitats.
She died during the birth of her stillborn baby in January 2017, following which funds were raised to erect Camp Karta in her name at Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in central Sumatra.
Early life.
Karta was born on 22 July 1982 to Jane and Otis at San Diego Zoo, where she spent her first 10 years. Her mother raised her and her younger brother Nias (born 1988), until they were both transferred to another zoo, leaving Karta at San Diego.
Karen.
In 1992, following failed contraception, Karta had an unplanned pregnancy with Otis and on 11 June 1992, she gave birth to Karen.
The zookeepers observed that Karen was not being nursed in the first few days of life and she was therefore removed from Karta. On reintroducing her back to Karta, feeding did not recommence and Karen was removed again to be handraised.
Following the discovery of a large hole in the heart, Karen became the first orangutan to have open heart surgery, becoming a celebrity overnight.
Infant losses.
Over the course of the next 15 years, Karta experienced a number of infant losses.
Karta's caring skills as a mother were adequate. She had already been trained in mothering skills using a toy orangutan. It took a number of years and four infant losses to realise that it was breastfeeding that was the problem. Her small nipples caused an inability to nurse the infant and the infant failed to thrive. Extra monitoring and teaching of infant care were put into place on the discovery of an unplanned pregnancy in 2016.
In 1997, Karta was sent to Perth to learn mothering skills. Her bad behaviour however, resulted in her being returned to Adelaide. In 2003, she was noted to have a good interaction with a pair of siamangs.
Mates.
In February 2006 Karta and her mate Pusung were transferred to the new orangutan facility at Adelaide Zoo. In 2009, Pusung died at the age of 31 from a chest infection.
In June 2007, Karta was introduced to 12 year old Kluet and within six months they had formed a strong bond.
National campaign.
In May 2009, efforts to discourage people from buying palm oil products because its production involved destroying orangutan habitats were revealed in an advertisement in "New Scientist". At the same time, Karta's image was used in the national campaign which encouraged the Australian government to introduce strict food labelling of products containing palm oil.
Escape attempts.
Also in May 2009, Karta made a brief escape from her enclosure at the Zoo by twisting a stick around the electrified wires and short-circuiting the fence around her. A Zoo spokesman said: "She climbed over those disabled hot wires, built up a mound of leaf litter and then used a branch to climb out of the exhibit and on to the surrounding wall of the exhibit." She had tried the same thing before but only to get food. She was outside her enclosure for about 30 minutes before returning peacefully. Zoo officials speculated that she may have been looking for her recently deceased mate, Pusung.
Death and legacy.
Karta died from heavy blood loss after giving birth to a still born baby in January 2017. The unborn baby had aspirated meconium. Subsequently the zoo received more than 2,500 expressions of condolence.
Funds were raised by the Zoo to build a guard post to defend wild orangutans, Camp Karta in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, in central Sumatra.
Gallery.
Sumatran orangutans:


Cosmochilus falcifer

Cosmochilus falcifer is a species of cyprinid in the genus "Cosmochilus". It inhabits Indonesia and Malaysia.


Bombus steindachneri

Bombus steindachneri is a species of bumblebee. It is endemic to Mexico.
This bee lives in pine-oak forests, thorn forest, and tropical dry forest habitat. It occurs at sea level to elevations around 2600 meters. It is active year-round.
This is an endangered species on the IUCN Red List. Threats include habitat loss to agriculture, including cattle ranching, and associated chemical use. It is also impacted by urbanization, mining, and loss of the native flora.


List of birds of Slovenia

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Slovenia. The avifauna of Slovenia include a total of 376 species, of which four have been introduced by humans and five are rare or accidental. Eleven species are globally threatened.
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of "The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World", 6th edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Slovenia.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories.
Loons.
Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Loons, known as divers in Europe, are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Europe. They are the size of a large duck or small goose, which they somewhat resemble when swimming, but to which they are completely unrelated. There are 5 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in Slovenia.
Grebes.
Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. There are 20 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in Slovenia.
Shearwaters and petrels.
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.
Boobies and gannets.
Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Cormorants.
Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colourful.
Pelicans.
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae
Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes.
Herons, egrets, and bitterns.
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons, and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.
Ibises and spoonbills.
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae
Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers.
Storks.
Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory. There are 19 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Slovenia.
Flamingos.
Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down. There are 6 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Ducks, geese and swans.
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating..
Osprey.
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae
The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.
Hawks, eagles, and kites.
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight.
Caracaras and falcons.
Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.
Pheasants, grouse, and allies.
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Cranes.
Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
Rails, gallinules, and coots.
Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Bustards.
Order: OtidiformesFamily: Otididae
Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays.
Oystercatchers.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. There are 11 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Avocets and stilts.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. There are 9 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Slovenia.
Thick-knees.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats. There are 9 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Pratincoles and coursers.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings and long, pointed bills which curve downwards. There are 17 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Slovenia.
Plovers and lapwings.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Sandpipers and allies.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 28 species which have been recorded in Slovenia.
Skuas and jaegers.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants. There are 7 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in Slovenia.
Gulls, terns, and skimmers.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.
Auks, murres and puffins.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture and some of their habits, however they are not related to the penguins and differ in being able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest. There are 24 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Slovenia.
Sandgrouse.
Order: PterocliformesFamily: Pteroclidae
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes. There are 16 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Pigeons and doves.
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. There are 308 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in Slovenia.
Old World parrots.
Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittaculidae
Cuckoos and anis.
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites. There are 138 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Slovenia.
Barn owls.
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae
Barn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are 16 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Typical owls.
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae
The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.
Nightjars.
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
Swifts.
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Kingfishers.
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails. There are 93 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Bee-eaters.
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Meropidae
The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colourful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar. There are 26 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Typical rollers.
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Coraciidae
Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not. There are 12 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Hoopoes.
Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Upupidae
Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head. There are 2 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Woodpeckers and allies.
Order: PiciformesFamily: Picidae
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.
Larks.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Alaudidae
Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. There are 91 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in Slovenia.
Swallows.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Hirundinidae
The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.
Wagtails and pipits.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Motacillidae
Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country.
Kinglets.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Regulidae
The kinglets, also called crests, are a small group of birds often included in the Old World warblers, but frequently given family status because they also resemble the titmice. There are 7 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Slovenia.
Waxwings.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Bombycillidae
The waxwings are a group of birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and cedar waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter. There are 3 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Dippers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cinclidae
Dippers are a group of perching birds whose habitat includes aquatic environments in the Americas, Europe and Asia. They are named for their bobbing or dipping movements. There are 5 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Wrens.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Troglodytidae
The wrens are mainly small and inconspicuous except for their loud songs. These birds have short wings and thin down-turned bills. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous.
Accentors.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Prunellidae
The accentors are in the only bird family, Prunellidae, which is completely endemic to the Palearctic. They are small, fairly drab species superficially similar to sparrows. There are 13 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Slovenia.
Thrushes and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Turdidae
The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.
Cisticolas and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cisticolidae
The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub. There are 111 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Bush warblers and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Scotocercidae
Locustellid warblers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Locustellidae
Acrocephalid warblers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acrocephalidae
Phylloscopid warblers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Phylloscopidae
Sylviid warblers, parrotbills, and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sylviidae
The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. They mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.
Old World flycatchers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Muscicapidae
Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.
Bearded reedling.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Panuridae
Long-tailed tits.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Aegithalidae
Long-tailed tits are a group of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They make woven bag nests in trees. Most eat a mixed diet which includes insects. There are 9 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Chickadees and titmice.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Paridae
The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects. There are 59 species worldwide and 7 species which occur in Slovenia.
Nuthatches.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sittidae
Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails and powerful bills and feet. There are 24 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Slovenia.
Wallcreeper.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Tichodromidae
The wallcreeper is a small bird related to the nuthatch family, which has stunning crimson, grey and black plumage.
Treecreepers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Certhiidae
Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees. There are 6 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Slovenia.
Penduline tits.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Remizidae
The penduline tits are a group of small passerine birds related to the true tits. They are insectivores.
Old World orioles.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Oriolidae
The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles. There are 29 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Slovenia.
Shrikes.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Laniidae
Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey. There are 31 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in Slovenia.
Crows, jays, ravens and magpies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Corvidae
The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence. There are 120 species worldwide and 10 species which occur in Slovenia.
Starlings.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sturnidae
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen. There are 125 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Slovenia.
Longspurs and arctic buntings.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Calcariidae
Old World buntings.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Emberizidae
The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns.
Finches, euphonias, and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Fringillidae
Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.
Old World sparrows.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae
Old World sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects. There are 5 species which have been recorded in Slovenia.


Red-billed starling

The red-billed starling ("Spodiopsar sericeus") is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in south and southeastern China.


Pseudopaludicola boliviana

Pseudopaludicola boliviana is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, swamps, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, pastureland, ponds, irrigated land, and seasonally flooded agricultural land.


Fauna of South Korea

South Korea, also known as Republic of Korea is a nation located in East Asia. It is a peninsula with 3 parts of its nation facing the sea; east, west and south. There are numerous wildlife existing in Korean Peninsula. The characteristics of the wild mammals in Korea is that despite South Korea's small territory, there are many medium and large sized animals. It is natural characteristic that medium and large sized animals require large land and vast amount of food to survive. The characteristic of fauna in South Korea follows the regional aspect that the nation is connected to the wider Eurasian continent, resulting, surviving mammals to also have continental elements.
History.
Aristotle primarily divided 'sensitive' biological organisms into animals and 'non-sensitive' biological organisms as plants. Unlike livestock, which have become tamed for at least a few century and have a much different appearance and character to their inhabitants in the wild, wild animals have intrinsic characteristics. People are accustomed to be more familiar to livestock and often know their original form as livestock. But, the difference between the livestock and wild fauna is that livestock evolved in a direction favorable to human, whilst other fauna still consist their wild instinct. To have a clear insight of South Korea's wild fauna, In the case of wolves, unlike dogs that evolved to actively pursue cooperation with humans, they do not show any reliance on humans. The wild version of the pig, the Wild Boar, is larger on average than the pigs used for food, and also has long hair with sharp tusks.
During the Japanese colonial era, vast number of wild fauna were poached leading some of the species to be threaten to potential extinction. Initially, the wild Tiger, which inhabited on the Korean Peninsula was a Siberian tiger species. It was very large in its size and large number existed throughout the nation. However, as part of the Korean annihilation policy of the Joseon Dynasty, Japanese hunters were invited to hunt tigers. It is well known that tigers are originally the culmination of the food chain, yet, during this period of the time nearly 800 were hunted as the Japanese colonial rule, leading the species itself to face potential extinction. Currently, there are only few left close on the border to China.
Again, the Leopard on the Korean Peninsula, which had clear stripes and larger size compared to other general leopards were widely hunted during the Japanese colonial era. Nearly 2000 were hunted, and only few are left in China. Recently, it has been informed that only about a total of 10 leopards are preserved at the zoo.
The wolves that inhabited in the Korean Peninsula were species with their own unique characteristic. It had dark brown hair compared to other wild wolves. Again, about 3,000 of them were hunted by hunters during the same period of time. Unlike other species, the wild wolves existed in Korean Peninsula eventually went extinct in the wild. Restoration effects are currently being undertaken by geneticists
A fox on the Korean Peninsula belonging to the Red Fox were also widely hunted during the Japanese colonial era. It was hunted at random for the purpose of making luxury goods using their hair. Among Japanese ladies at the time, it was said that products made from Korean fox were fashionable. The wild fox were known to have been extinct for decades, but recently some were found in the wild. A very small number has yet to be found alive in the wild. It is urgently designated as a protected species and is dedicated to the study and conservation of species. However, even now, the few remaining numbers are decreasing due to illegal poaching.
 was once home to a large group of sea lions. However, as Japanese fishermen started to poach, more than 100,000 number of sea lions were poached. The group of sea lions inhabited here are believed to have been extinct or moved to other places to avoid fishermen.
Ecology.
Korea is located between 33 ° and 43 ° N, the eastern end of the Eurasian continent. It is rich in precipitation and has various seasonal climate characteristics. In Korea, there are large proportion of areas occupied by mountains, and mainly mountains are distributed in the north and east part of the nation. Large and gentle rivers flow along west and south, and there are various erosion and sediment terrains along the rivers. On the southern coast, there are many islands and complex coastlines, and a wide tideline appears on the west coast. Dunes and lagoons are developed along the monotonous coastline on the east coast.
The habitat of wild forest has been damaged or cut off every year due to the development of roads and industrial complexes, and the total area of forests of 67,000 ㎡ is reduced annually by farmland, new city, industrial complex development.
In addition, Korea is expected to suffer sustain warming and increased precipitation due to climate change. Also, frequent and intense extreme climate is expected. It is estimated that after 2071, South Korea will enter the sub-tropical climate, with the exception of some high altitudes in Baekdudaegan. Furthermore, In the forecast of the spatial distribution of precipitation, it is expected that the areas with more than 1,600㎜ of annual precipitation will increase gradually in Jeju and some parts of the southern coast, and after 2040, in Gangwon, South region of the country and Jeju. This threats changes in the species throughout the biodiversity and result ecosystem disturbance. 18 species of vertebrates, 28 species of invertebrates, 44 species of plants, and 10 species of fungi and algae are mainly expected to be threaten.
Law.
There are a total of 10 laws related to protected areas in Korea. Among the 10 laws, the three laws including the Natural Environment Conservation Act, the Marine Environment Management Act, and the Cultural Properties Protection Act provide general provisions for protection of natural environments and cultural properties. It specifies contents about designation of area. The other seven laws contain the management of the designated area as the main contents, and the provisions for the designation and management of the protected area for the object of preservation are stipulated.
Diversity.
Species.
The number of living species in Korea is estimated to be about 100,000 species. So far, 42,756 species have been recorded. Out of whole, 25,453 species have been recorded in the animal family, which comprises 59.5% of the total recorded species. When divided more specifically, 1,936 species are vertebrates, 102 species are resting animals and 23,415 species are invertebrates.
Korea is a peninsula located in Northeast Asia. Ecologically, Baekdu Mountain Alpine Zone and two large rivers isolate the Korean Peninsula from the continent. The Yalu River in the northwest of the Korean Peninsula and the Tumen River in the northeast play a role in limiting the movement of wildlife from China and Russia. Therefore, the isolation by Tuman and Yalu rivers from the Korean Peninsula shows that the percentage of endemic species of freshwater fish and insects to be high. An endemic species refers to a species of organism that lives only in geographically limited areas or countries, and represents species that live only in that area all over the world. Of the 100,000 species currently identified, approximately 10% are believed to be endemic species in Korea. Four species of mammals, four species of algae, five species of amphibians, one species of reptiles and 59 species are known as endemic species in Korea.
Amongst, 246 species of endangered wildlife (Class I and II), there are 166 animal species. Out of 35,569 species of internationally endangered species (I, II and III), there are 5,659 animal species.31 species of wildlife are prohibited from eating, 479 species of wildlife are prohibited from capturing, 568 species of wild animals are prohibited to be exported and licensed. In the case of marine life, 77 kinds of endangered species living in the marine or coastal area and domestic endemics.
In order to preserve endangered species, the Korean Government has designated certain species as natural monuments.
Habitat.
Various climatic changes and complex terrain have also contributed to the emergence of diverse ecosystems, which have led to greater biodiversity. Deciduous broad-leaved forests are present in the northern part whereas subalpine coniferous forests are present in the central part. Temperate evergreen forests are present in the south part as well as in the island areas. Characteristics of such forests have resulted different fauna to survive in different regions. On the northern part of the country, where, deciduous broad-leaved forests are present, shrewmouse, rabbits, wolves, fox, tigers and lynx are mostly present. On the central part of the country where subalpine coniferous forests are present, mole, raccoon and wildcat widely exist. On the southern part of the  country, bats, sea lion, dolphins and seal widely exist.
One of the unique aspect of South Korea's fauna environment is that they have a demilitarized zone. Demilitarized zone has been designated as a 2 km zone (4 km in total) between North and South, centered on the MDL (Military Demarcation Line) since the Korean War. The southern boundary of the Demilitarized Zone is the SLL (Southern Limit Line) and the northern boundary is the NLL (Northern Limit Line). For over 60 years, The area has been strictly forbidden for public activities, preserving natural ecosystems, and attracting attention as Asia's largest protected area.
One of the characteristics of the DMZ is that the wetland ecosystem is well formed. In the region there are a wide variety of wetlands ranging from valley wetlands in the eastern region to lowland wetlands in the western region. This is where many people lived and built rice fields in the past. These places have been left as wetland ecosystems for 60 years after the Korean War. The wetland ecosystem of the DMZ shows how past farmlands and lowlands developed into wetlands. The Han River estuary where the Cheorwon Plain area, Panmunjom area, Imjin river and the Han river meet with the west coast plays an important role as the final destination for the migratory birds. In Cheorwon Plain, more than 3,000 eagles come to spend winter each year.
DMZ has the most biodiversity in Korea in terms of distribution of mammals and algae, which is the peak of the natural ecosystem. The largest number of natural monuments and species of endangered species such as bears, foxes, musk deer and other species are present in this region. The DMZ is well developed with rivers and wetlands, and holds a variety of fish species and abundant populations.
In addition, plant distribution of DMZ is also unique. It is home to a variety of species including endangered wild animals and plants, such as parasitic flowers, winged larks, and plum blossoms. These naturalized plants are mainly dandelion, swine grass, maple leaf swine and evening primrose. In particular, maple leaves and pig grasses originating in North America are threatened by indigenous plant ecosystems. These alien species were estimated to have been handed over to Korea by the US army at the time of the Korean War. Thus, the DMZ has a unique natural ecosystem that can not be seen elsewhere, and is a place of study that shows the process of changing natural ecosystems after the war.
Currently, the DMZ may be better known abroad than in Korea. Increasing number of people come and visit the region. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) have been organizing the DMZ International Environmental Park on both sides of the Korean Peninsula. South Korea is also striving to designate the preservation area of UNESCO Border Biosphere Reserve, to certify UNESCO World Geological Park, and to designate UNESCO World Heritage.


Albinaria mixta

Albinaria mixta is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Clausiliidae, the door snails. The species is endemic to Greece and only known from the eastern Peloponnese.


Ostorhinchus neotes

Ostorhinchus neotes, the mini cardinalfish, is a species of ray-finned fish, a cardinalfish, from the family Apogonidae. It is found in the western central Pacific Ocean from the Philippines south to Australia and has been reported from Tonga. It is a small cardinalfish with a small semi-transparent body which has a black stripe along its flanks underneath the skin, and a large, black spot at the base of the caudal fin. It occurs in lagoons and outer reefs where the water is relatively clear and normally where there are soft corals or gorgonian fans. It forms small schools, but mates in couples and the male mouth broods the eggs. It shelters in crevices in the reef.


Lesser roadrunner

The lesser roadrunner ("Geococcyx velox") is a large, long-legged member of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, from Mesoamerica. The Latin name means "swift earth-cuckoo". Along with the greater roadrunner, it is one of two species in the genus "Geococcyx".
Description.
The lesser roadrunner is a slender bird that reaches a length of 46 to 51 cm (18 in), the tail itself accounting for about 24 cm. Its average length is 46 cm. The male weighs 174–207 grams, while the female weighs 162–192 grams.
The crown, crest and neck of the lesser roadrunner are black with a bronze glow and small light brown spots. The back neck is black-brown, with feathers are lined with a pale brown, so that a brown-white dashes arises. The plumage of the upper body is dark brown with light speckles and lightens to maroon towards the rump, and its breast is white. The rectrices are black with a dark purple luster. Young roadrunners resemble adults, but have ocher-colored lines, and duller skin around the eye.
The iris is yellow to brown, with a yellow to silvery-white ring surrounding the pupil. The eye ring is pale lavender to bright blue. The area behind the eye extends to a narrow band that turns into a bright red color on the neck, which is mostly covered by feathers. The upper beak is gray, while the lower beak is bluish-gray.
The lesser roadrunner resembles the greater roadrunner ("Geococcyx californianus") in appearance and habit but is smaller, with a less streaked throat and chest, brownish on the rump and on the outer wings and yellowish undersides. The lesser roadrunner also has a significantly shorter bill.
Habitat.
The lesser roadrunner occurs in arid lowlands of Mesoamerica up to 3,000 meters in altitude. It inhabits open ground areas, with scrub and thorny bushes. They can be found in higher elevations of stratovolcanoes such as Conchagua, San Miguel, Santa Ana and San Salvador, in semi-open areas above the treeline. They also adapt to cultivated land such as henequen and corn fields.
Its breeding range is in southwestern Mexico, north into the western side of the Sierra Madre Occidental range, along with northern Central America and a disjunct range in the northern Yucatán Peninsula. It overlaps with the range of the greater roadrunner in a small area in the states of Sonora, Sinaloa, Jalisco, and Michoacán.
Behavior.
The lesser roadrunner can run up to 20 miles per hour (32 km per hour). It spends most of its time on the ground, running in open areas, along roads or under cover. and is capable of limited flight, perching in bushes or low trees.
Roadrunners bask in the early morning, on a fence post or bush. They cock their tail and droop their wings, then turn their back towards the sun, raising the scapular feathers and exposing their black skin which absorbs heat. They may preen themselves as well.
The bird's call is a series of soft "cooing", about one note per second, made three to seven times on a descending scale.
Diet.
The lesser roadrunner is an opportunistic feeder, which eats seeds, fruit, small reptiles and frogs. It forages around roadsides for large insects and roadkill. Grasshoppers make up a significant portion part of its diet, as do caterpillars.
Nesting.
Breeding is reported from Mexico between April and July, and in El Salvador in August.
The lesser roadrunner builds its nest in a low tree, a thorn bush or an "Opuntia" cactus, about 2 meters off the ground. Its eggs, which are white and 35 x 26 mm in length, are laid in clutches of 2 to 4. Their nests are smaller than those of the greater roadrunner, but are stronger and more compact, built in the shape of a cup with sturdy grass stems and twigs, with a diameter of ca 14.5 cm. Both male and female roadrunners incubate.
Lesser roadrunner clutches show less variation in size than those of the greater roadrunner, and from observation, all eggs appear to hatch around the same time.


Agdistis morini

Agdistis morini is a moth in the family Pterophoridae that is endemic to Italy.


Red tegu

The red tegu ("Salvator rufescens") is a lizard native to western Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is sold in the pet trade around the world because of its relatively docile nature and because it is comparatively easy to keep.
Habits and habitat.
In the wild, red tegus are diurnal and terrestrial. Living in a temperate climate in Argentina, they brumate in the winter, burying themselves and remaining largely dormant during the coldest periods, in some areas for up to seven months. They also burrow as a matter of habit at other times of year. In the ecotone between the arid Chaco and the Espinal of central Argentina they are known to naturally hybridise with the Argentine black and white tegu ("Salvator merianae") with a stable hybrid zone.
Growth.
The red tegu grows rapidly, typically reaching maturity in two to three years. It is not uncommon for well-fed juveniles to experience growth spurts of more than an inch per week.
Diet.
The red tegu is a very opportunistic feeder. Wild specimens will eat a variety of plant and animal matter: fruits, vegetables, insects, rodents, birds, and fish. Red tegus raised in captivity will often be more picky eaters, especially as juveniles, and may prefer a diet of mostly meat.
Being omnivores, red tegus will eat a diverse range of foods, with a focus on animal protein, including small to medium rodents, birds, many insects, and any dead animal they can scavenge.
Appearance.
As hatchlings, most red tegus display little, if any, red coloration. They are typically brownish-green with black strips across their width and several broken white stripes down their length. They develop red coloration as they mature; males are usually brighter than females. Adult females can reach 91 cm (just under 3 ft) in length. Males are significantly larger, reaching up to 140 cm (4.5 ft) and developing large jowls.
Captivity.
These reptiles are common in the pet trade. They can be trained with "clickers" and are known for following their owners around the house "like a dog". MacGyver the Lizard is a famous YouTube channel focused on one such red tegu.


Lycorea halia

Lycorea halia, the tropical milkweed butterfly (also known as tiger-mimic queen), is a species of nymphalid butterfly in the Danainae subfamily. It is found from Peru to the Caribbean and Mexico. Strays can be found as far north as Texas. The habitat consists of rainforest.
The wingspan is about 95–108 mm. Adults feed on bird droppings.
The larvae feed on "Carica papaya", "Ficus carica", "Asclepias curassavica" and "Jacaratia".


Pelturagonia spiniceps

Pelturagonia spiniceps, the Sarawak eyebrow lizard, is a species of agamid lizard. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.


Drilliola annosa

Drilliola annosa is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Borsoniidae.
Distribution.
This fossil species was endemic to New Zealand.


Saffron-cowled blackbird

The saffron-cowled blackbird ("Xanthopsar flavus") is a species of bird in the family Icteridae, in the monotypic genus Xanthopsar.
It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay (where it is found at the Quebrada de los Cuervos).
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and pastureland.
It is threatened by habitat loss.


Nonia belizae

Nonia belizae is a species of snout moth in the genus "Nonia". It was described by Herbert H. Neunzig and L. C. Dow in 1993 and is known from Belize (including San Ignacio, the type location).


Rana chensinensis

The Asiatic grass frog or Chinese brown frog ("Rana chensinensis") is a species of frog in the family Ranidae, found in China and Mongolia.
Its natural habitats are temperate forests, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, pastureland, and irrigated land. It is threatened by habitat loss.
This frog is noted in Chinese agriculture for its strong preying performance on pests. A study conducted in Qingyuan County during the years 1982 and 1983 found that breeding the frogs decreased both the use of pesticides and the pollution in the environment.
Within China, fatty tissue close to the frog's fallopian tubes are used to make Hasma, a dessert ingredient and traditional medicine.


Trichodes zaharae

Trichodes zaharae is a beetle species of "checkered beetles" belonging to the family Cleridae, subfamily Clerinae. It was described by Louis Alexandre Auguste Chevrolat in 1861 and is endemic to Spain.


Pelturagonia nigrilabris

Pelturagonia nigrilabris, the blacklipped eyebrow lizard, is a species of agamid lizard. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.


White-cheeked starling

The white-cheeked starling or grey starling ("Spodiopsar cineraceus") is a passerine bird of the starling family. It is native to eastern Asia where it is a common and well-known bird in much of its range. Usually, it is placed in the genus "Spodiopsar".
Description.
White-cheeked starlings are 24 cm in length. The adult male is mainly dark grey-brown with a paler belly and a whitish band across the rump. The head is blackish with whitish cheeks and forehead. There is a white border to the tail and white markings on the secondary wing feathers. The legs are pale orange and the bill is orange with a black tip. Adult females are similar to the males but paler and duller.
The juvenile is brown with pale cheeks and rump and no black tip to the bill.
The loud, monotonous call is a series of harsh, creaking notes.
Distribution and ecology.
The breeding range covers central and north-east China, Korea, Japan and south-east Siberia. In winter birds from colder regions migrate south to southern and eastern China, South Korea, southern Japan, Taiwan and northern Vietnam with vagrants reaching the Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar. There is a record from Homer, Alaska in 1998 which probably arrived with a ship (West 2002).
It inhabits woodland, farmland, and open country and has also adapted to parks and gardens in urban areas. It is most common in lowland areas (usually below 700m in Japan).
It has a varied diet which includes fruit and insects such as mole crickets.
The breeding season lasts from March to July and often two clutches of eggs are laid during that time. The nest is built in a hole in a tree or building or in a nestbox. Four to nine eggs are laid and are incubated for 14 to 15 days. The young birds fledge 13 to 15 days after hatching.


Tecution

Tecution is a genus of spiders from Saint Helena within the family Cheiracanthiidae. They were first described and named by Benoit in 1977. It was originally placed in the Clubionidae, but it was moved to Miturgidae in 1997, then to Cheiracanthiidae (syn. Eutichuridae) by Ramírez in 2014. The genus consists of three species.
Species.
, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species:


Dalaca stigmatica

Dalaca stigmatica is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It is known from Paraguay.


Rufous-tailed plantcutter

The rufous-tailed plantcutter ("Phytotoma rara"), sometimes called the Chilean plantcutter, is a passerine bird of southern South America, now placed in the cotinga family. It is a medium-sized bird about long with a long black tail with a red base. Males have greyish-brown upper parts, a chestnut crown and breast, and dark facial markings. Females are similar but lack the chestnut crown and have streaked, buff underparts. There is a wing bar which is white in the male and buff in the female. This is a fairly common species with a wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Description.
It is a stocky bird, 18-20 centimetres in length, with short wings and a red eye. The longish tail is black with a reddish base. The upperparts of the male are grey-brown with dark streaks while the crown and underparts are chestnut-coloured. There is a white bar on the wing and a pattern of dark and pale areas on the face. Females have buff underparts with brown streaks and have buff rather than white in the wings. They do not have the males' chestnut crown but may show a cinnamon wash to the forehead and throat. The song is a series of stuttering notes followed by a rasping trill similar to the noise made by a fishing reel.
The finch-like bill is short and thick with serrated edges and is used for stripping off buds, leaves and fruits. Insects are eaten on occasions and are fed to the chicks.
Distribution and habitat.
The rufous-tailed plantcutter is found further south than any other cotinga, inhabiting scrub, forest edge and river valleys in Chile and western Argentina. The range extends from Magallanes region north to Atacama in Chile and from Santa Cruz north to Mendoza in Argentina. Birds breeding in southern or high-altitude regions move northwards or towards the lowlands in winter. It has been recorded as a vagrant to the Falkland Islands. Birds are often seen in gardens, farmland and orchards and are sometimes considered to be a pest. The nest is a cup of root fibres and twigs built in a fork in a shrub or tree. Two to four eggs are laid, they are blue-green with dark spots concentrated at the larger end.
Status.
This bird has a very wide range and though not particularly common, is presumed to have a large total population. The population trend is thought to be stable and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the bird's conservation status as being of "least concern".


Eupithecia plumbeolata

Eupithecia plumbeolata, the lead-coloured pug, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species can be found all over Europe ranging to the Urals, then through Central Asia to Siberia and to Sayan mountains, the Altai and the Amur. In the Alps, the species occurs up 2000 metres above sea level and in the Pyrenees up to in 2400 metres.
The wingspan is 14–15 mm. The ground color of both forewings and hindwings is grey-brown to lead. All wings have alternating light and dark cross lines. These are weaker on the rear wings. Discal flecks have been identified. The abdomen is grey to grey-brown. The larva is grey-yellow with two red dorsal stripes.
Depending on the location, the moth flies from May to June.
The larvae feed on "Melampyrum pratense".
The species preferably inhabits light forests, forest edges, as well as hedge and bushes landscapes.


Diploderma laeviventre

Diploderma laeviventre, also known as the smooth-venter mountain dragon, is a species of lizard native to China.


Skulpin

The skulpin ("Physiculus helenaensis"), also known as the St Helena mora, is a species of morid cod endemic to the waters around Saint Helena. This species reaches in total length.


Pristimantis adnus

Pristimantis adnus is a species of frogs endemic to Panama; it is only known from its type locality in Serranía del Sapo, Darién Province. The species was found while researchers were working on a way to save Panama's frogs from extinction from the deadly amphibian disease chytridiomycosis. The frog was collected in Panama's Darién Province in 2003 and described as a new species in 2010. The name of the species is a Latinized version of the Spanish term for DNA which is "ADN".
Description.
"Pristimantis adnus" is known from two males. They were small frogs, measuring in snout–vent length, but reproductively mature. Their dorsum was shagreen with some scattered enlarged granules. They were found in the leaf litter during the day at elevations of about asl.


Leptobrachella serasanae

Leptobrachella serasanae (sometimes known as the Serasan Borneo frog) is a species of amphibian in the family Megophryidae.
It is found in Pulau Serasan (the type locality; South Natuna, Indonesia) and central Sarawak, Borneo, (Malaysia).
Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and rivers.
It is threatened by habitat loss.


Calathus pirazzolii

Calathus pirazzolii is a species of ground beetle from the Platyninae subfamily that is endemic to Italy.


Amphisbaena littoralis

Amphisbaena littoralis is a species of worm lizards found in Brazil.


Pantoporia sandaka

Pantoporia sandaka, the extra lascar, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in tropical and subtropical Asia.
Subspecies.
The subspecies of "Pantoporia sandaka" are-
Food plants.
The larvae feed on "Acacia caesia" and "Dalbergia horrida".


Procaris ascensionis

Procaris ascensionis is a species of shrimp, known only from two saltwater pools on Ascension Island; the larger of the two pools is about in diameter and contains of water.


Xylocopa aestuans

Xylocopa aestuans, or Xylocopa (Koptortosoma) aestuans, is a species of carpenter bee. It is widely distributed in Southeast Asia.
It is a large bee, measuring more than 20mm in length. Historically, "Xylocopa pubescens" has sometimes been treated as a subspecies of "aestuans". The two taxa have different distributions, with "X. aestuans" restricted to Southeast Asia, while "X. pubescens" occurs throughout most of Africa and eastward as far as the entire region of South Asia. There are also very clear, but subtle differences in the morphology of females and males.


Xanthochorus buxeus

Xanthochorus buxeus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. It is a predator.


List of birds of Nauru

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Nauru. The avifauna of Nauru include a total of twenty-seven species, of which one is endemic.
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of "The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World", 6th edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account.
The following tag has been used to highlight endemic species. The commonly occurring native species are untagged.
Pheasants, grouse, and allies.
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls, grouse, ptarmigan, and junglefowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Shearwaters and petrels.
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.
Tropicbirds.
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.
Boobies and gannets.
Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Frigatebirds.
Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae
Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.
Herons, egrets, and bitterns.
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons, and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.
Plovers and lapwings.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Sandpipers and allies.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
Gulls, terns, and skimmers.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.
Pigeons and doves.
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Cuckoos and anis.
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
Kingfishers.
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.
Acrocephalid warblers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acrocephalidae
The family Acrocephalidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.


Triplophysa dorsalis

Triplophysa dorsalis is a species of stone loach in the genus "Triplophysa" that lives in freshwater. It is found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Xinjiang (westernmost China).
The species is usually found in water with slow currents, river coves and lakes. It prefers the quiet water to live in. Its maximum length is TL and the common length is SL. Lives at range of temperature of 18 °C-22 °C.


Cobitis narentana

Cobitis narentana is a species of ray-finned fish in the true loach family (Cobitidae). It is found in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. This fish was long believed to be part of the widespread Spined Loach ("C. taenia").
Cladistic analysis of DNA sequence data (nDNA RAG-1 and S7 ribosomal protein intron 1, and mtDNA cytochrome "b") confirms that it is properly treated as full species. It belongs to a group including "C. bilineata", "C. dalmatina" and an undescribed species from the Bosnian-Croatian border region. The Adriatic endemics separated from the ancestors of "C. bilineata", today widespread immediately south of the Alps, around 6–5.5 million years ago. This was during the Messinian salinity crisis, when drainage basins throughout the Mediterranean region changed their course. "C. dalmatina" appears to be quite similar to "C. narentana" as regards the mitochondrial DNA sequence, but the nuclear DNA sequences differ far more. This typically occurs in cases of hybridization between distinct but related species. In the present case, "C. narentana" would have mated with "C. dalmatina" males, perhaps during some Pliocene glacial.
Its natural habitats are rivers, freshwater lakes and freshwater marshes of the Neretva River basin. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Lesser black krait

The lesser black krait ("Bungarus lividus") is a species of venomous elapid snake found in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.


Crested tit-warbler

The crested tit-warbler ("Leptopoecile elegans") is a species of bird in the family Aegithalidae. It is found in China and possibly India. Its natural habitat is boreal forest. It generally has a red hint to it and a bit of blue on, or near, its wings. The tail is of an emerald green colour.


Heiyantuduwa Raja (elephant)

Heiyantuduwa Raja (Sinhala:හෙයියන්තුඩුවේ රාජා)(1924-November 6 2002) was a Sri Lankan elephant, which carried the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha casket in the Dalada Perahera for 11 years after the demise of Maligawa Raja. Heiyantuduwa Raja's tusks were each in length when he was living and it was considered as one of the longest-tusked elephants in the country.
Owner.
He was captured from the Kattakaduwana jungle in Hambantota District. On 8 March 1945, the tusker had been public auctioned by then British Ceylon government at Hambantota Kachcheri and then William Gunasekara (also known as 'Heiyantuduwa Ralahami') of Heiyantuduwa in Biyagama had bought him for 10,500 Rupees . Gunasekara was a wealthy landed proprietor and owned fourteen elephants at that era. Later Heiyantuduwa Raja was owned by his youngest son Henry Gunasekara of Kandy.
Historic Elephant.
Heiyantuduwe Raja participated at the Esala Perahera in Kandy for several years. After the demise of Maligawa Raja he also carried the casket of tooth relic for 11 years from 1989 to 2000 with permission from Neranjan Wijeyeratne, then Diyawadana Nilame of Sri Dalada Maligawa. To carry the casket of tooth relic was an opportunity bestowed upon only a few elephants in Sri Lanka. Heiyantuduwe Raja had also carried the main casket of Buddha's relics at the Kelaniya Duruthu Perahera, Bellanwila Perahera and Gangaramaya Navam Perahera in addition to the Sri Dalada casket.
National Heritage.
Heiyantuduwa Raja died on 6 November 2002; he was about 78 years old at the time of his death. Despite an offer of 120,000 U.S. Dollars by a Japanese company, Henry Gunasekara gave his skeleton to the Sri Lankan government in recognition of his part in the nation's heritage. Heiyantuduwa Raja's skeleton has been on display to the public at the National Museum of Colombo since 29 January 2013


Hemorrhois ravergieri

Hemorrhois ravergieri, commonly called the spotted whip snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Western Asia, Central Asia, and South-Central Asia.
Etymology.
The specific name, "ravergieri", is in honor of a certain Mr. Ravergier who was an attaché at the French embassy in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Geographic range.
"H. ravergieri" is found in the following localities.
The former Soviet republics of the Caucasus and Central Asia, the latter from the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea east to E Kazakhstan:
Description.
Dorsally, "H. ravergieri" is tan or grayish, with a series of dark rhomboidal spots or crossbars, alternating with smaller spots on the sides. The spots usually become confluent posteriorly, and appear as dark stripes on the tail. There is a diagonal dark streak below the eye, and a similar subparallel streak from the back of the eye to the corner of the mouth. Ventrally, it is whitish or covered with blackish dots.
The weakly keeled dorsal scales are arranged in 21 rows. The ventrals, which are obtusely angulate laterally, number 190-222; the anal is divided; and the subcaudals, which are paired, are 75-101.
Adults may attain in total length, with a tail long.


Sphaerodactylus exsul

Sphaerodactylus exsul is a species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae. It is endemic to the Swan Islands in Honduras.


Orculella diensis

Orculella diensis is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Orculidae.
Geographic distribution.
"O. diensis" is endemic to Greece, where it is restricted to the eastern part of the island of Dia, north of Crete.


Mephritus apicatus

Mephritus apicatus is a species of longhorn beetle in the Elaphidiini subfamily. It is endemic to La Chorrera, Panama where it was described by Linsley in 1935


Bullis buto

Bullis buto, the baby royal, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Southeast Asia (Assam, Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaya).


Atelopus sernai

Atelopus sernai is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae.
It is endemic to the northern Andes of Colombia.
Its natural habitats include subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, and rivers.
It is threatened by habitat loss.


Calathus baeticus

Calathus baeticus is a species of ground beetle from the Platyninae subfamily that is endemic to Spain.


Lasiommata schakra

Lasiommata schakra, the common wall, is a species of satyrine butterfly found in South Asia.
Description.
Shows slight sexual dimorphism. Male upperside ground colour silky brown; cilia of both wings whitish. Forewing has a transverse row of four large orange spots, the apical one the largest, bearing a black, white-centred eyespot; beyond the row of orange spots a subterminal dark brown line. Hindwing uniform, but bearing a postdiscal row of from three to six black, white-centred, orange-ringed eyespots. Underside very pale greyish white; forewing: disc orange, outwardly defined by a dark line, two lines across the discoidal cell, and a sinuous discal oblique line beyond its apex not extending to the tornus, orange-brown; subterminal and terminal dark lines; a subapical eyespot, as on the upperside, but with the outer ring paler, and a much smaller ocellus beyond it towards apex of wing. Hindwing has the basal half crossed by two sinuous curved slender lines, a shorter line crossing the cell only, and another short line defining the discocellular veins, orange brown; the curved row of ocelli as on the upperside, but each ocellus with rings of pale ochraceous and of brown, alternately two of each; lastly, a subterminal and a terminal brown line. Antennae brown; head and thorax studded with long dark grey pubescence; abdomen pale brown. Sex-mark present.
Female is similar but on the upperside, the orange spot bearing the ocellus on the forewing inwardly bordered by a broad, pale, short line; the raised band of specialized scales absent.
Wingspan of 56–58 mm.
Distribution.
The Himalayas eastwards to Sikkim.


Emerald toucanet

The emerald toucanet or northern emerald toucanet ("Aulacorhynchus prasinus") is a species of near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae occurring in mountainous regions of Mexico and Central America. Several taxa formerly included within this species have now been re-classified into separate species of their own ("see Taxonomy").
Taxonomy and systematics.
The emerald toucanet was originally described in the genus "Pteroglossus". An alternate name is the Mexican emerald toucanet.
Subspecies.
Four subspecies are recognized:
Several former subspecies of the emerald toucanet are now classified as separate species, or were reassigned to other species by the IOC; Wagler's toucanet, blue-throated toucanet, violet-throated toucanet, white-throated toucanet and the black-throated toucanet.
Description.
Like other toucans, the emerald toucanet is brightly marked and has a large bill. The adult is long and weight can range from . The sexes are alike in appearance, although the female generally is smaller and slightly shorter-billed. It is, as other members of the genus "Aulacorhynchus", mainly green. The vent and tail-tip are rufous. The bill is black with yellow to the upper mandible (amount depends on the exact subspecies) and, in all except the nominate ("prasinus") and "wagleri" groups ("see Taxonomy"), a white band at the base of the bill. The members of the "caeruleogularis" group have a rufous patch near the base of the upper mandible, while some members of the "albivitta" group have a rufous patch near the base of the lower mandible. The throat is white in the nominate and the "wagleri" group, blue in the "caeruleogularis" and "cognatus" group, pale grey-blue in the "lautus" group, blue or black in the "atrogularis" group, and white or grey-blue in the "albivitta" group. The eye-ring ranges from blue to red, in some subspecies very dark, almost appearing blackish from a distance. The legs are dull greyish and the iris is dark.
Juveniles are duller, including the throat, and, depending on subspecies, the black areas of the bill are replaced with dusky or the bill is entirely yellowish.
The calls of the emerald toucanet are a loud dry "rrip rrip rrip rrip rrip" and a "graval graval graval". It has been suggested that the two different calls are given by the two sexes. There are also croaking alarm and aggression calls.
Distribution and habitat.
The emerald toucanet is a generally common in humid forest and woodland, mainly at higher elevations.
Behaviour and ecology.
Small flocks, usually consisting of 5–10 birds, move through the forest in "follow-my-leader" style with a direct and rapid flight.
Breeding.
The 3–4 white eggs are laid in an unlined hole in a tree, usually an old woodpecker nest, but sometimes a natural cavity. Both sexes incubate the eggs for 14–15 days, and the chicks remain in the nest after hatching. They are blind and naked at birth, and have short bills and specialised pads on their heels to protect them from the rough floor of the nest. They are fed by both parents and fledge after about 6 weeks. They are fed for several weeks after leaving the nest.
Food and feeding.
This species is primarily an arboreal fruit-eater, but will also take insects, lizards, and eggs.
Relationship to humans.
Aviculture.
The emerald toucanet is a popular pet toucan. It is affectionate when hand-fed and loves to play and interact with its owner. Emerald toucanets are as quick to learn tricks as cockatoos. They are active and need a large cage for their size, including perches that they can hop back and forth on. They also require a high-fruit diet, without which they are susceptible to a disease of excessive iron storage that is similar to hemochromatosis in humans.


Stefania woodleyi

Stefania woodleyi (Woodley's frog or Woodley's stefania) is a species of frog in the family Hemiphractidae. It is endemic to the eastern part of the Pakaraima Mountains in Guyana, including Mount Wokomung and Mount Ayanganna.
Description.
Males measure and females in snout–vent length. The skin on the dorsum is shagreened to granular and medium brown in colour with irregular ochre spots or reticulations.
The female carries eggs on her back where the juveniles complete their development.
Habitat and conservation.
Natural habitat of "Stefania woodleyi" is primary lowland forest at elevations of asl. It is an uncommon species usually found near streams on rocks or branches. It can co-occur with "Stefania evansi".
No threats to this species have been identified; it occurs in relatively isolated and undisturbed habitats. Its range includes Kaieteur National Park.


Coleophora acanthabortiva

Coleophora acanthabortiva is a moth of the family Coleophoridae. It is endemic to Mongolia.


Hermit warbler

The hermit warbler ("Setophaga occidentalis") is a small perching bird. It is a species of New World warbler.
Measurements:
Hermit warblers are dark gray in coloration on top, and white below, and their flanks are streaked with black. The wings have two diagonal white wing bars. The majority of the hermit warbler's head is yellow, and males have a dark black throat, while females have much less black on their throat bib and immature birds have no black throat.
Hermit warblers are common, but incredibly shy, birds that dwell in open coniferous forests. Their summer breeding range is the majority of the west coast of the United States up to Washington. They will sometimes winter in south-west California, but they are migratory and will winter in Central America as far south as Panama.
Nests are neat and cup-shaped, constructed from stems, grass, twigs, and pine needles positioned near the tip of a branch high in a conifer tree. The female will lay between 3 and 5 eggs, which are white in color and heavily spotted with brown and lilac speckles. Other incubation and nesting habits are mostly unknown.
Like most warblers the hermit warbler eats a strict diet of insects and spiders, and can often be found hanging upside-down from the ends of conifer branches, like a chickadee, probing for food.


Gypsochares kukti

Gypsochares kukti is a moth of the family Pterophoridae that is found in India (Himalayas).
The wingspan is about . The ground colour of all wings is coffee brown.


Kamchatka shrew

The Kamchatka shrew ("Sorex camtschatica") is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is endemic to Russia.
Classification.
The species was first described in 1972. Before that it was considered a subspecies of cinereus shrew ("Sorex cinereus").
Range.
Kamchatka shrew inhabits riparian scrubs in North-Eastern Siberia, in the upper reaches of the river Omolon (its tributary Kegan), and in Kamchatka (Kambalny Bay, Lake Azhabachye, neighborhood of Milkovo).
Appearance.
The body length reaches , with an average of . The tail is about 79% of the body length and can be long. The average weight of an adult is . The back is ashy-gray, sides are lighter, with brown tones. The belly is light gray. This species is characterized by the highly elongated rear feet with well-defined bristle brush hair.
Life events.
Biology of the species is poorly understood. The breeding season lasts from April to September. Females annually produce up to three litters with 5.1 cubs per liter on average.


Tedania aurantiaca

Tedania aurantiaca is a species of sea sponge first found on the coast of South Georgia island, in the south west Southern Ocean.


Crimson-breasted woodpecker

The crimson-breasted woodpecker or scarlet-breasted woodpecker ("Dryobates cathpharius") is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Some taxonomic authorities continue to place this species in the genus "Dendrocopos". The scarlet-breasted woodpecker ("Dryobates cathpharius pernii"), is considered to be distinct by some authorities, but others consider it to be conspecific.
Taxonomy.
The taxonomy of this species is somewhat confused. "D. cathpharius" is sometimes included with
"Dendrocopos pernyii" as a single species, but the two have various amounts of red on head and breast and other distinguishing features, including size. In their "Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive", "del Hoyo, J. et al." recognises them as separate species. Molecular analysis puts both close to "D. minor" and "D. pubescens". There are three subspecies; "D. c. cathpharius" from western and central Nepal to Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India; "D. c. ludlowi" from southeastern Tibet; and "D. c. pyrrhothorax" from Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and western Myanmar.
Description.
The mantle, back and wings are black, with some white spotting and light barring on the wings and one larger white patch. The upper side of the tail is black with white barring on the outer feathers, and the underside is barred in black and white. The chin and throat are white, the central breast is red and the rest of the breast and belly are white or buff streaked with black, with a varying amount of red or pink near the vent. The forehead is white and the crown black, and the male has a red patch on the nape. A black streak extends from the malar region to the nape before continuing to the sides of the chest.