Texas tortoise

The Texas tortoise ("Gopherus berlandieri" ), is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species "G. berlandieri" is one of six species of tortoises that are native to North America.
Geographic range.
"G. berlandieri" is found from southern Texas southward into the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas.
Etymology.
The specific epithet, "berlandieri", is in honor of naturalist Jean Louis Berlandier, who worked for the Mexican government on one of the first biological surveys of Texas. As such, some sources refer to it as Berlandier's tortoise.
Biology.
The Texas tortoise, unlike other species of gopher tortoise, is not an adept burrower. Its preferred habitat is dry scrub and grasslands. Succulent plants, a preferred food of the Texas tortoise, are common in these areas. It especially likes the fruit of cacti such as the prickly pear.
Conservation status.
Though considered an animal of low concern by the IUCN Red List, the Texas tortoise is listed as a threatened species in the state of Texas, and thus protected by state law. It is illegal to collect or possess them. The Mexican federal government list "Gopherus berlandieri" as A (= Threatened) in Mexico. Likewise, using Environmental Vulnerability Scores, "Gopherus berlandieri" scored 18, a high vulnerability species on a scale of 0-20, in evaluations of both Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon herpetofauna. In 2018, the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group recommended a re-assessment and re-classification of all six "Gopherus" species This reclassification would move "G. berlandieri" from Near Endangered (NE) to Near Threatened (NT).


Boana latistriata

Boana latistriata is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Brazil and only known from its type locality, Itatiaia National Park, and from Marmelópolis, both in the state of Minas Gerais. The specific name "latistriata" refers to the wide stripes on the back of this frog.
Description.
Adult males measure and adult females in snout–vent length. The tympanum is distinct. Finger and toe tips bear adhesive discs; fingers have traces of webbing while the toes are moderately webbed. The dorsum has a characteristic pattern consisting of four wide, light brown longitudinal stripes interspersed by three narrow brown stripes. The flanks have a dark brown lateral stripe delimited by a white line above and by a narrow white stripe below. Males have a subgular vocal sac.
Tadpoles of Gosner stage 25 measure about in total length, including the body. The tadpoles reach a total length of at Gosner stage 39, including the body. The tail fin is higher than the body.
Reproduction.
Males call from dusk to late at night (at least to 2 am), perched on shrubs and grass, near or above the water. They have two types of advertisement calls: a short, single-note call with a lower pulse period, and a long call with higher pulse period. Calling males may engage in fights.
Habitat and conservation.
"Boana latistriata" occurs in montane Atlantic forest and highland grasslands at elevations of above sea level. The tadpoles develop in rivulets and are benthic, probably feeding on organic matter.
This species is threatened by deforestation and fragmentation of the Atlantic forest habitat. It is present in the Itatiaia National Park.


Cinnamon-bellied flowerpiercer

The cinnamon-bellied flowerpiercer ("Diglossa baritula") is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest. It is a species known to be a nectar robber, apparently taking nectar while not pollinating the plant.


Sicilian wall lizard

The Sicilian wall lizard ("Podarcis waglerianus") is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. Endemic to Italy, it occurs in Sicily and the Aegadian Islands. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, temperate grassland, arable land, pastureland, and rural gardens. The IUCN does not consider it to be a threatened species. Three subspecies are recognized: "P. w. antoninoi", "P. w. marettimensis", and "P. w. waglerianus".
Etymology.
The specific name, "waglerianus", is in honor of German herpetologist Johann Georg Wagler.
Description.
The Sicilian wall lizard grows to a length around , with males being slightly larger than females. The dorsal surface is usually green, but some females may be olive or brownish. Usually, it has a well-defined white or yellow dorsolateral stripe and often a brown stripe, or series of dots, running along the spine. Other dark spots occur in rows on the back and flanks of males, but females are often a more uniform colour. The underparts are white, with a spotted throat, but may be suffused with orange, pink, or red in breeding males. The Sicilian wall lizard differs from island populations of the Italian wall lizard in having a deeper head, more slender form, more speckled (rather than reticulated) markings, and the brighter colour of the underparts.
Distribution and habitat.
The species is endemic to Sicily and the Aegadian Islands. It frequents areas with lush vegetation on the edges of woodland, bushy slopes, pasture, and cultivated land. It is often present in gardens, especially irrigated ones. In contrast to the Italian wall lizard, it does not climb much and occupies more densely vegetated areas. It is the more common wall lizard inland, while the Italian wall lizard is the more common near the coast.
Biology.
The female lays a clutch of four to six oval eggs, usually concealed at the base of a plant. They hatch after about 8 weeks, and the newly hatched juveniles are about long.
Status.
"P. waglerianus" is widespread in Sicily, is tolerant of a range of habitats, and is assumed to have a large total population. Its populations are in general stable, though it may be declining in number on some islands. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being of "least concern".


Hermeuptychia fallax

Hermeuptychia fallax is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It was described by Baron Cajetan von Felder and his son Rudolf Felder in 1862. It is found in Peru and Brazil.


Agapanthia hirsuticornis

Agapanthia hirsuticornis is a species of longhorn beetle in the subfamily Lamiinae found only in Iran.


Sinployea

Sinployea is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.
Species.
Species in the genus "Sinployea" include:


Antillattus

Antillattus is a genus of Caribbean jumping spiders that was first described by E. B. Bryant in 1943. The name is a combination of "Antilles" and the common ending for salticid genera "-attus".
Species.
 it contains thirteen species, found only in Cuba and on the Greater Antilles:


Mali firefinch

The Mali firefinch ("Lagonosticta virata") is a species of estrildid finch found in Western Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 120,000 km2. It is found in Mali and Senegal. The IUCN has classified the species as being of least concern. It is also the mascot of Mali.


Mouse-colored tyrannulet

The mouse-colored tyrannulet ("Phaeomyias murina") is a species of bird in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. It occurs in a wide range of scrubby and wooded habitats in tropical and subtropical South America, being absent from the southernmost part of the continent, the high Andes and dense rainforest. It also occurs in Panama and Costa Rica. It is generally common, but its small size and dull plumage results in it often being overlooked – or at least not identified, as it resembles several other tyrant flycatchers.
Four subspecies are recognised:
The mouse-colored tyrannulet was formerly considered conspecific with the Tumbesian tyrannulet ("Phaeomyias tumbezana") that occurs west of the Andes in southwest Ecuador and northwest Peru. The two species are visually very similar, but vocally distinct.


Chaerilus ceylonensis

Chaerilus ceylonensis is a species of scorpion in Chaerilidae family. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.


South China tiger

The South China tiger is a tiger from a specific population of the "Panthera tigris tigris" subspecies that is native to southern China. The population mainly inhabited the Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1996 and is possibly extinct in the wild since no wild individual has been recorded since the late 1980s. In the late 1990s, continued survival was considered unlikely because of low prey density, widespread habitat degradation and fragmentation, and other human pressures. In the fur trade, it used to be called Amoy tiger.
Taxonomy.
Analysis of South China tiger skulls showed that they differ in shape from tiger skulls of other regions. Because of this phenomenon the South China tiger is considered a relict population of the "stem" tiger. Results of a phylogeographic study indicate that southern China or northern Indochina was likely the center of Pleistocene tiger radiation.
In 2017, the Cat Classification Taskforce of the Cat Specialist Group subsumed all mainland Asian tiger populations to "P. t. tigris". However, a genetic study published in 2018 supported six monophyletic clades, with the South Chinese tiger being distinct from other mainland Asian populations, thus supporting the traditional concept of six subspecies.
Characteristics.
In 1905, the German zoologist Max Hilzheimer first described the South China tiger as similar in height to the Bengal tiger but differing in skull and coat characteristics. Their carnassials and molars are shorter than in the Bengal tiger samples; the cranial region is shorter with orbits set closer together, postorbital processes are larger. Their coat is lighter and more yellowish and the paws, face, and stomach appear more white; the stripes are narrower, more numerous and more sharp-edged.
The South China tiger is the smallest tiger subspecies from mainland Asia but bigger than the subspecies known from the Sunda Islands such as the Sumatran tiger. Males measure from , and weigh . Females are smaller and measure , and weigh . The length of the tail does not usually exceed one half of the head-and-body length. Hair length varies geographically. Greatest documented length of skull in males is and in females .
A sighting in around 1910 of an unusual blue-coloured or "Maltese" tiger outside Fuzhou in the Fujian Province was reported by Harry Caldwell and Roy Chapman Andrews.
Distribution.
The skulls described by Hilzheimer originated in Hankou.
The historical range of the South China tiger stretched over a vast landscape of from east to west and from north to south in China. From the east it ranged from Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces at about 120°E westward through Guizhou and Sichuan provinces at about 100°E. The most northerly extension was in the Qinling Mountain and Yellow River area at approximately 35°N to its southern extension in Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces at 21°N.
The South China tiger population was likely connected to the Siberian tiger population through corridors in the Yellow River basin throughout the late Pleistocene and Holocene, before humans interrupted gene flow.
Population decline.
In the early 1950s, the South China tiger population was reported to number more than 4,000 individuals in the wild when it became the target of large-scale government ‘anti-pest’ campaigns promulgated by Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward. The effects of uncontrolled hunting were compounded by extensive deforestation and probable reduction in available prey, large-scale relocations of urban populations to rural locations leading to fragmentation of tiger populations and increased vulnerability to local extinction from stochastic events. By 1982, an estimated 150–200 South China tigers remained in the wild.
By 1987, the remnant South China tiger population was estimated at 30–40 individuals in the wild, so that danger of extinction was imminent. During a survey in 1990, South China tiger signs were found in 11 reserves in the mountains of Sichuan, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, but these data were insufficient to estimate population size. No tigers were directly observed; evidence was limited to sightings of tracks, scrapings and reported sightings by local people.
In 2001, field studies were carried out in eight protected areas encompassing in five provinces of south-central China using camera traps, GPS technology and extensive sign surveys. But no evidence of tigers was found. No scats observed by the field team could be positively verified as being from tigers. Evidence for possible tiger prey species was found in five locations.
At the turn of the 21st century, there may still have been some South China tigers in the wild; local people had reported tracks and sightings in Qizimei Mountains Nature Reserve in Hubei province and in Yihuang County of Jiangxi Province. In May 2007, the government of China reported to the CITES secretariat that there is no confirmed presence and declared the goal to reintroduce South China tigers to the wild. In September 2007, a body of an Asian black bear was found in Zhenping County that had possibly been killed and eaten by a South China tiger. In October 2007, a supposed South China tiger attacked a cow in the same county.
Ecology and behavior.
The tiger is an obligate carnivore. It prefers hunting large ungulates, frequently kills wild boar, and occasionally hog deer, muntjac and gray langur. Small prey species such as porcupines, hares and peafowl form a very small part in its diet. Domestic livestock is preyed upon in areas of human encroachment. In the former range of the South China tiger additional tiger prey species may have included serow, tufted deer and sambar. In most cases, tigers approach prey from the side or behind from as close a distance as possible and grasp the prey's throat to kill it. Then they drag the carcass into cover, occasionally over several hundred meters, to consume it. The nature of the tiger's hunting method and prey availability results in a "feast or famine" feeding style: they often consume of meat at one time.
Tigers mate at any time of the year but breeding is most common from the end of November to the first half of April. Males are ready to begin mating at 5 years old and females at 4 years old. Offspring is born 103 days after mating. Three to six young are born in a den. They are born blind and weigh between . They are suckled at least for the first 8 weeks. The mother teaches them to hunt when they are 6 months old. At the age of 1 1/2 to 2 years the cubs separate from their mother.
Man-eating tiger attacks on humans in South China increased dramatically in the Ming and Qing dynasties with vast human population growth and the consequent encroachment into tiger habitats. About 500 attacks took place during this period, with the average frequency being nearly once per year. According to historical records, all these attacks resulted in deaths numbering from several to over 1,000.
In 1957, a tiger allegedly attacked and killed 32 people in Hunan province.
Conservation.
In 1973, the South China tiger was classified as "protected by controlled hunting". In 1977, it was classified as "protected", and hunting was prohibited. All tiger subspecies are included on CITES Appendix I, banning international trade. All tiger range states and countries with consumer markets have banned domestic trade as well. At the 14th Conference of the Parties to CITES in 2007, an end to tiger farming and stopping domestic trade in farmed tiger products in China were called for.
The non-governmental organisation "Save China's Tigers", with support of China’s "State Forestry Administration" has developed a plan to reintroduce captive-born South China tigers into large enclosures in southern China. The main concerns regarding the reintroduction are the availability of suitable habitat and adequate prey, and the fitness of the captive population. Landscape-level conservation of wilderness habitat and recovery of wild herbivore populations as prey base for the tiger will be required. A suggested eventual goal was to establish at least three populations, with each population consisting of a minimum of about 15–20 tigers living in a minimum of of natural habitat. Cooperative field surveys and workshops have been carried out to identify suitable recovery areas.
In captivity.
As of March 1986, 17 Chinese zoos kept 40 pure-bred South China tigers in their collections, including 23 males and 14 females, none of which were wild-born. All were third or fourth generation descendants of one wild tigress from Fujian and five tigers from Guizhou. Notable problems included uneven sex ratio and improper pairing. In 2005, the captive population of South China tigers consisted of 57 individuals that showed signs of inbreeding, including reduced genetic diversity and a low rate of successful breeding. In 2007, the global captive population consisted of 72 individuals; there are few captive South China tigers outside China. Few seem to be "pure" South China tigers as there is genetic evidence of cross-breeding with other subspecies. In 2019 there were an estimated 150 South China tigers in captivity within China. 144 of these were part of the breeding and management program maintained by the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens since 1994, five were in Guizhou province, and one was in Fujian province.
One cub was born in a private reserve known as Laohu Valley Reserve in South Africa in November 2007, the first to be born outside China. Since then, a number of cubs have been produced. , the Laohu Valley Reserve had 19 individuals.
China's captive South China tigers have been entered onto a centrally registered studbook. Before the studbook was established it was thought that this captive population was too small and lacking in genetic diversity for any re-population program to be successful, but since the start of the central register more and more South China tigers have been identified in zoos across China.
Rewilding.
Origin.
The word "rewilding" was coined by conservationist and ex-carnivore manager of Pilanesberg National Park, Gus Van Dyk in 2003. Van Dyk, who in an effort to find the most appropriate translation of the Chinese term "Yě-huà" (), chose to adopt the term "rewilding" to describe "Save China's Tigers" rewilding project of the South China tiger. Since then, the term "rewilding" has been widely used by wildlife organisations worldwide.
Rewilding project in South Africa.
The organisation Save China's Tigers, working with the Wildlife Research Center of the State Forestry Administration of China and the Chinese Tigers South Africa Trust, secured an agreement on the reintroduction of Chinese tigers into the wild. The agreement, which was signed in Beijing on 26 November 2002, calls for the establishment of a Chinese tiger conservation model through the creation of a pilot reserve in China where indigenous wildlife, including the South China tiger, will be reintroduced. Save China's Tigers aims to rewild the critically endangered South China tiger by bringing a few captive-bred individuals to a private reserve in the Free State province of South Africa for rehabilitation training for them to regain their hunting instincts. At the same time, a pilot reserve in China is being set up and the tigers will be relocated and release back in China when the reserve in China is ready. The offspring of the trained tigers will be released into the pilot reserves in China, while the original animals will stay in South Africa to continue breeding.
The reason South Africa was chosen is because it is able to provide expertise and resources, land and prey for the South China tigers. The South China tigers of the project have since been successfully rewilded and are fully capable of hunting and surviving on their own. This project has also been very successful in the breeding of these rewilded South China tigers and 14 cubs have been born in the project, of which 11 survived. These second generation cubs would be able to learn their survival skills from their successfully rewilded mothers directly. It was hoped that in 2012 the second-generation tigers born at Laohu Valley Reserve could be released into the wild.
Reaction to the project.
Mainstream conservationists have expressed reservations about the project. The WWF says that the money is being spent in the wrong place, and that the Siberian tiger has a better chance of survival. Scientists confirmed the role of rewilding captive populations to save the South China tiger. A workshop was conducted in October 2010 in Laohu Valley Reserve in South Africa to assess the progress of the rewilding and reintroduction program of "Save China's Tigers". The experts present included Dr. Peter Crawshaw of "Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservacão de Mamiferos Carnivoros, Cenap/ICMBIO", Dr. Gary Koehler, Dr. Laurie Marker of the "Cheetah Conservation Fund", Dr. Jim Sanderson of "Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation", Dr. Nobuyuki Yamaguchi of Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences of Qatar University, and Dr. David Smith of Minnesota University, Chinese government scientists as well as representatives of "Save China's Tigers".
The tigers in question were born in captive conditions, in concrete cages, and their parents are all captive animals who are unable to sustain themselves naturally in the wild. The cubs were sent to South Africa as part of the "Save China's Tigers" project for rewilding and to ensure that they would regain the necessary skills needed for a predator to survive in the wild. Results of the workshop confirmed the important role of the "South China Tiger Rewilding Project" in tiger conservation. "Having seen the tigers hunting in an open environment at Laohu Valley Reserve, I believe that these rewilded tigers have the skill to hunt in any environment," Dr. David Smith remarked. Furthermore, "Save China's Tigers" recovered natural habitat both in China and in South Africa during their attempt to reintroduce South China tigers into the wild. The goal of preparing captive born tigers for introduction into wild habitat in the former range seems to be possible in the near future.
Claims of photographs.
In 2007, a villager from China's Shaanxi province claimed to have risked his life by taking more than 30 digital photographs of a tiger. The Shaanxi Provincial Forestry Bureau backed up this claim in a press conference.
The photographs aroused suspicion, with many expressing doubts about their authenticity. In November 2007, the Shaanxi Province Forestry Bureau still "firmly believed" that wild South China tigers exist in the province. However, in February 2008, the Shaanxi Province Forestry Bureau released an apology, qualifying their earlier statements but without repudiating the pictures' authenticity, writing "We curtly released the discovery of the South China tiger without substantial proof, which reflects our blundering manner and lax discipline."
In June 2008, the authorities announced that all pictures published were proven to be forged, related officers have been punished and the alleged photographer has been arrested for suspicion of fraud. This officially ended the scandal.


List of mammals of Monaco

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Monaco. There are ten mammal species in Monaco, none of which are threatened.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:
Order: Rodentia (rodents).
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to .
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures).
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons).
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Order: Cetacea (whales).
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans).
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates).
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.


List of birds of Finland

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Finland. The avifauna of Finland included a total of 483 confirmed species as of March 2020, according to BirdLife Suomi. Of them, 188 are rare or accidental, six have been introduced by humans, and six have not been reported in Finland since 1950.
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (English and scientific names) are those of "The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World", 2019 edition. The Finnish names in parentheses are from the BirdLife Suomi list.
The following tags have been used to highlight some categories of occurrence:
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl.
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.
Pheasants, grouse, and allies.
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
These are terrestrial species of gamebirds, feeding and nesting on the ground. They are variable in size but generally plump, with broad and relatively short wings.
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.
Pigeons and doves.
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
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.
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.
Cuckoos.
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.
Nightjars and allies.
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.
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.
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".
Thick-knees.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The thick-knees are a group of waders 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.
Stilts and avocets.
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.
Oystercatchers.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
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.
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.
Skuas and jaegers.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large sea 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.
Auks, murres, and puffins.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Alcidae are a family of seabirds which are superficially similar to penguins with their black-and-white colours, their upright posture, and some of their habits, but which are able to fly.
Gulls, terns, and skimmers.
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes 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.
Loons.
Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Loons 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 in shape when swimming, but to which they are completely unrelated. In particular, loons' legs are set very far back which assists swimming underwater but makes walking on land extremely difficult.
Northern storm-petrels.
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae
Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family.
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.
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.
Gannets.
Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Cormorants and shags.
Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorants and shags are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of coloured skin on the face. The bill is long, thin and sharply hooked. Their feet are four-toed and webbed.
Pelicans.
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae
Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes.
Herons, egrets, and bitterns.
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. 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
The family Threskiornithidae includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings. Their bodies tend to be elongated, the neck more so, with rather long legs. The bill is also long, decurved in the case of the ibises, straight and distinctively flattened in the spoonbills.
Osprey.
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae
Pandionidae is a family of fish-eating birds of prey, possessing a very large, powerful hooked beak for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. The family is monotypic.
Hawks, eagles, and kites.
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight.
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.
Owls.
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae
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.
Hoopoes.
Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Upupidae
Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.
Kingfishers.
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.
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.
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.
Woodpeckers.
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.
Falcons and caracaras.
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.
Old World orioles.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Oriolidae
The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.
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 shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey.
Crows, jays, 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.
Tits, 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.
Penduline-tits.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Remizidae
The penduline-tits are a group of small passerine birds related to the true tits. They are insectivores.
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.
Bearded reedling.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Panuridae
This species, the only one in its family, is found in reed beds throughout temperate Europe and Asia.
Reed warblers and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acrocephalidae
The members of this family are usually rather large for "warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa.
Grassbirds and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Locustellidae
Locustellidae are a family of small insectivorous songbirds found mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are smallish birds with tails that are usually long and pointed, and tend to be drab brownish or buffy all over.
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.
Leaf warblers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Phylloscopidae
Leaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into Wallacea and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colours.
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.
Sylviid warblers, parrotbills, and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sylviidae
The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous birds. They mainly occur as breeding species, as another common name (Old World warblers) implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.
Kinglets.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Regulidae
The kinglets and "crests" are a small family of birds which resemble some warblers. They are very small insectivorous birds in the single genus "Regulus". The adults have coloured crowns, giving rise to their name.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. Their plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.
Thrushes and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Turdidae
The thrushes are a family of 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.
Old World flycatchers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Muscicapidae
Old World flycatchers are a large group of birds which are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.
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.
Accentors.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Prunellidae
The accentors are the only bird family which is endemic to the Palearctic. They are small, fairly drab species superficially similar to sparrows.
Old World sparrows.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae
In general, Old World 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.
Wagtails and pipits.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Motacillidae
Motacillidae is a family of small birds with medium to long tails which includes the wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are slender ground-feeding insectivores of open country.
Finches, euphonias, and allies.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Fringillidae
Finches are seed-eating 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.
Longspurs and snow buntings.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Calcariidae
The Calcariidae are a family of birds that had been traditionally grouped with the New World sparrows, but differ in a number of respects and are usually found in open grassy areas.
Old World buntings.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Emberizidae
Emberizidae is a family of passerine birds containing a single genus. Until 2017, the New World sparrows (Passerellidae) were also considered part of this family.
New World sparrows.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passerellidae
Until 2017, these species were considered part of the family Emberizidae. Most of the species are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many of these have distinctive head patterns.
New World warblers.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Parulidae
Parulidae are a group of small, often colourful birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal and insectivorous.


Bachia scolecoides

Bachia scolecoides, Vanzolini's bachia, is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. It is endemic to Brazil.


Chelemys macronyx

Chelemys macronyx, also known as the Andean long-clawed mouse or Andean long-clawed akodont, is a species of rodent in the genus "Chelemys" of family Cricetidae. It is native to Argentina and Chile, where it is found in Patagonian "Nothofagus" forest and adjacent grasslands.


Longnose eagle ray

The longnose eagle ray or snouted eagle ray ("Myliobatis longirostris") is a species of fish in the family Myliobatidae. It is found in the East Pacific Ocean from Baja California and the Gulf of California to Sechura, Peru, ranging from shallow water to a depth of . This species was first described in 1964 by the American ichthyologist Shelton Pleasants Applegate, who was an expert on fossil and living sharks, and by American marine biologist John Edgar Fitch.
Distribution and habitat.
The longnose eagle ray is native to tropical and warm temperate waters in the east central Pacific Ocean. Its ranges from Mexico to Peru. It occurs on the continental shelf from the surface down to depths of about .
Biology.
Very little is known about this fish, its behaviour and ecology. They reach sexual maturity at a disc diameter of about for females and for males. Their maximum diameter is about . Like other members of the genus they are ovoviviparous, the young developing in the uterus and receiving nourishment from a yolk or uterine secretions.
Status.
Living in shallow water above the continental shelf and being a schooling fish, the longnose eagle ray is vulnerable to fishing activities; it is not a target species but is sometimes landed as bycatch by trawling, gillnets and longline fisheries, with the areas where it lives being subject to intensive fishing pressure. Off the coast of Mexico it is often caught while trawling for shrimps; most of the fish caught in this way are discarded, but some are sold locally as fresh meat, or the flesh is dried or salted. Because of this vulnerability to fishing, and because these eagle rays have a low fecundity, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed their conservation status as being "vulnerable".


Pristimantis petrobardus

Pristimantis petrobardus is a species of frog in the family Craugastoridae.
It is endemic to Peru.
Its natural habitats are tropical moist montane forests and tropical high-altitude shrubland.


Eryx jayakari

Eryx jayakari, known commonly as the Arabian sand boa or Jayakar's sand boa, is a species of snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula and Iran where it spends the day buried in the sand.
Etymology.
Both the specific name, "jayakari", and one of the common names, Jayakar's sand boa, are in honor of Atmaram S. G. Jayakar (1844–1911), an Indian surgeon and naturalist.
Description.
The Arabian sand boa is a small snake growing to a total length (including tail) of about . The eyes are very small and are located on the top of the head, which has a blunt snout and is wedge-shaped. This snake's colour is yellowish-grey or sandy-brown speckled with white flecks and transversely banded with dark marks.
Geographic range.
The Arabian sand boa is native to the Arabian peninsula. Its geographic range includes Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, and southern Iran, where a small number of specimens have been found in Khuzestan Province, Bushehr Province and Kerman Province.
Habitat.
"Eryx jayakari" is a desert species of snake, living semi-underground in sand or soft soil.
Behaviour.
The Arabian sand boa is largely nocturnal and is tolerant of a wide range of temperatures. During the day it buries itself deep in the sand but moves towards the surface at dusk. Here it remains slightly below the surface with just its eyes projecting, ready to pounce with a sideways flick of its head, on any small creature that happens to pass. Its prey includes short-fingered geckos ("Stenodactylus" spp.), the Baluch rock gecko ("Bunopus tuberculatus"), and worm lizards.
The female lays a small clutch of eggs which hatch in about 66 days at a temperature of .
Conservation status.
The Arabian sand boa is listed by the IUCN as being of "Least Concern". This is because it has a very wide range, is common in at least parts of that range, and no particular threats have been identified.


Cratera viridimaculata

Cratera viridimaculata is a species of land planarian from Argentina.
Description.
"Cratera viridimaculata" is a medium-sized land planarian with a lanceolate body, reaching about in length. The color of the dorsum is light olive green covered with dark gray fine spots. The ventral side is whitish and the margins on both dorsal and ventral sides are gray.
The several eyes of "C. viridimaculata" are distributed marginally in the first millimeters of the body and posteriorly become dorsal, occupying around 30% of the body width just before the region of the pharynx.
Etymology.
The specific epithet "viridimaculata" comes from Latin "viridis", green + "maculata", spotted, and refers to the dorsal pigmentation of the body.
Distribution.
"Cratera viridimaculata" is found in the Interior Atlantic Forest, Misiones province, Argentina, an area covered by subtropical forests. It occurs in two natural reserves, the Esmeralda Provincial Park and the San Antonio Strict Nature Reserve.


Limnonectes khasianus

Limnonectes khasianus, commonly known as the corrugated frog, rivulet frog, or sometimes (ambiguously) called "flat-headed frog", is a species of frog in the family Dicroglossidae.
It is found in Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and possibly Bangladesh and Bhutan. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, rivers, intermittent rivers, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes. It is not considered threatened by the IUCN.


Ruby-cheeked sunbird

The ruby-cheeked sunbird ("Chalcoparia singalensis") is a species of sunbird in the family Nectariniidae.
Distribution and habitat.
It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
Taxonomy.
A number of subspecies are recognized:


Ctenus kandyensis

Ctenus kandyensis is a species of spiders of the genus "Ctenus". It is endemic to Sri Lanka.


Greater thornbird

The greater thornbird ("Phacellodomus ruber") is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland and heavily degraded former forest.
Description.
The greater thornbird grows to a length of about . The sexes are similar, the upper parts being brown, with a rather more rufous colour on the crown, wings and tail. The underparts are whitish, the neck sometimes being scaled with a darker colour. The iris is yellow and any superciliary streak is inconspicuous. This thornbird is the largest member of the genus; the freckle-breasted thornbird ("Phacellodomus striaticollis"), though smaller, can look very similar, but is usually a more even shade of brown above with less rufous colouring. The song is a series of loud "chip" notes that gradually become faster but quieter.
Distribution and habitat.
The species is native to tropical South America. Its range extends from northern Bolivia and central Brazil southwards to Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina. It typically inhabits areas of undergrowth in lowland gallery woodland, shrubs and scrub, seldom being found far from water. In Bolivia it is found at altitudes of up to .
Ecology.
This thornbird tends to skulk in the undergrowth and usually occurs in pairs. However it does utter its song frequently, emerging to perch in a more open position to do this. The pair sometimes sing in duet. It feeds mainly on insects such as beetles and ants. The nest is a cone-shaped structure up to tall and in diameter, made of twigs and branches. It is often built in a position overhanging water, or is sometimes attached to a telegraph pole or other man-made object.
Breeding takes place between October and January.
Status.
The greater thornbird is a common species with a very wide range. No particular threats have been recognised and the population is thought to be stable, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".


Ceramida longitarsis

Ceramida longitarsis is a species of beetle in the Melolonthinae subfamily. It was described by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger in 1803 and is endemic to Portugal.


Tytthoscincus perhentianensis

Tytthoscincus perhentianensis, the Perhentian Island forest skink, is a species of skink. It is endemic to Perhentian Islands in Malaysia.


Hesperocharis nera

Hesperocharis nera, the Nera white, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is found in Trinidad, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Suriname, the Guianas, Brazil and Bolivia.


Scotinotylus clavatus

Scotinotylus clavatus is a species of sheet weaver found in Austria and Switzerland. It was described by Schenkel in 1927.


Hylorina sylvatica

Hylorina sylvatica (also known as the Emerald forest frog, or in Spanish, sapo arboreo) is a species of frog in the family Batrachylidae. It is monotypic within the genus Hylorina. It is found in Argentina and Chile. This species is endemic to the austral "Nothofagus" forests of Chile and Argentina with a narrow distribution along the eastern slopes of the Andes.
Description.
Male "Hylorina sylvatica" grow to snout-vent length of and females to . They are emerald-green during the day while they turn dark green at night. Adults can be found in permanent and temporary pools, swamps, and marshes. Larvae are aquatic and found in pools and ponds.
Conservation status.
While "Hylorina sylvatica" is uncommon and threatened by habitat loss (due to, e.g., logging), IUCN classifies it as of "Least Concern" in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and slow rate of decline.


Pseudocalotes microlepis

Pseudocalotes microlepis, also known as Burmese false bloodsucker or small-scaled forest agamid, is a species of agamid lizard in the genus "Pseudocalotes" found in southern China (Hainan, Guizhou), Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.


Heterobathmia pseuderiocrania

Heterobathmia pseuderiocrania, the southern beech moth, is a species of moth belonging to the family Heterobathmiidae. It was first described by Niels Peder Kristensen and Ebbe Nielsen in 1979. It is found in temperate South America, including Argentina.
The mouthparts are primitive and well adapted for collecting and grinding pollen of "Nothofagus" species. The five piece maxillary palps display specialized structures which enable the collection of pollen.


Rock-pool blenny

The rock-pool blenny ("Parablennius parvicornis") is a species of combtooth blenny found in the eastern central Atlantic Ocean. This species reaches a length of SL.
The fish is found in tidal hollows, rock pools, hence its English name. They are found in areas open to sunlight, between stones and thickets of seaweed. They mostly eat algae. It is found in the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores and along the coast of West Africa.


Sibynophis subpunctatus

Sibynophis subpunctatus, commonly known as Duméril's black-headed snake or Jerdon's many-toothed snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to Bangladesh, India , Sri Lanka and Nepal
Behavior.
"Sibynophis subpunctatus" is active by day as well as at night. It lives in leaf litter, preying on geckos, skinks, and smaller snakes.
Description.
Maximum size is 18 inches (46 cm).
Rostral scale nearly twice as broad as deep; suture between the internasals a little shorter than that between the prefrontals; frontal longer than its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the parietals or a little shorter; loreal longer than deep; one preocular; two postoculars, both in contact with the parietal; temporals 1 (or 2) + 2; 9 or 10 upper labials, fifth and sixth, or fourth, fifth, and sixth, entering the eye; eighth upper labial usually excluded from the labial margin, simulating a lower anterior temporal; 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin shields, the first lower labial usually separated from its fellow by the mental; posterior chin shields a little longer than the anterior chin shields.
Dorsal scales in 17 rows. Ventrals 151-220 (240 according to Blanford); anal divided; subcaudals 47-76.
Pale brown above, with a vertebral series of small round black spots; usually a more or less distinct dark lateral line or series of dots; head and nape dark brown or black; lips, "canthus rostralis", a transverse line between the eyes, and two broad cross-bands, one in front and one behind the nape, all yellow; the dark colour often extending along the median line, bisecting the yellow collar; lower surfaces yellow, each shield with a black dot near its outer border.
Sri Lankan specimens have 157 to 176 ventrals and 52-64 subcaudals.
Geographic range.
"Sibynophis subpunctatus" occurs in Bangladesh, through most of India including the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and pockets of Central India as well as in Sri Lanka. Specimens from the Northeast of India are probably those of "Sibynophis sagittarius".
In Sri Lanka it is found mostly towards the west coast from Puttalam to Kalutara.
Also seen in Palghar district village kelve road.
Cited references.
 5. http://www.snakebd.com/snakeProfile.php


Drymobius margaritiferus

Drymobius margaritiferus, commonly known as the speckled racer, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake native to the Americas. The specific name, "margaritiferus", means "pearl-bearing" in Latin, referring to the pearl-like spots on the dorsal scales.
Geographic range and habitat.
This species ranges throughout Central America from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and Yucatán Peninsula southward to Panama and adjacent areas of northwest Colombia, occurring at elevations from sea level up to 4,750 feet (1,453 m.). Northward it is found in the coastal lowlands and lower exterior slopes of the Sierra Madres of Mexico, up the west coast to Sonora, and up the east coast to northern Tamaulipas. The northern limit of its distribution ranges into extreme south Texas, USA where it is uncommon to rare in a few of the southernmost counties of the state.
It occurs in a wide verity of habitats, including forest, forest edges and clearings, secondary growth, riparian zones, savannahs, marshlands, pastures, and roadsides. It is often said to favor humid and wet areas with permanent water sources however, these snakes have been found in areas where no water was apparent and habitats include tropical dry forest and tropical arid forest, In Costa Rica it is described as " ubiquitous in "all but" the most humid lowland and pre-montane zones" including dry lowland forest.
Description.
The speckled racer is typically black in color with distinctive yellow and blue spotting, one light-colored spot on each scale, which gives the snake an overall greenish hue. The labials are yellow, with black sutures. The underside is typically yellow to green. They average 30–40 in. (76–102 cm) in length, record 50 in. (127 cm).
The dorsal scales, which are feebly keeled middorsally, but smooth on the flanks, are arranged in 17 rows. The ventrals number 142-168; the subcaudals, 85-126.
Natural history.
As the name "racer" implies, it is a fast, agile, and predominantly a diurnal species. It has been described as a nervous species and will not hesitate to bite in self defensive when restrained or handled.
Death feigning behavior, or thanatosis, was reported for two out of seven (28.5%) specimens that were caught and handled during field surveys conducted in Tamaulipas, Mexico.
They will consume a wide variety of prey, but primarily feed on frogs and toads. One study of 36 Guatemalan and Mexican specimens with food items in their stomachs found 86% had anurans (perdonintly "Eleutherodactylus"), 8% lizards, 4% reptiles eggs, and 2% small mammals. Juveniles are known to eat insects.
They are oviparous typically laying eggs in the spring, although in southern areas it is known to deposit eggs as early as February and March. Clutch size range from two to eight eggs that are usually 1.5 inches (3.8 cm.) in length. Incubation is typically eight to nine weeks with hatchling measuring six to ten and a half inches (15.2-27.6 cm.) long.
Subspecies.
There are four recognized subspecies of "D. margaritiferus":
Conservation status.
The speckled racer is a threatened species in the state of Texas, USA where it is uncommon to rare. In some regions of Mexico and Central America it is a common species.


Meso-American slider

The Meso-American slider ("Trachemys venusta") is a species of turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. The species is distributed from Mexico to Colombia.
Geographic range.
The species "Trachemys venusta" is found from southeastern Mexico to northwestern Colombia.
The following three new subspecies were described in 2010.
Subspecies.
"Nota bene": A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than "Trachemys".
Etymology.
The subspecific name, "grayi", is in honor of British herpetologist John Edward Gray.


Gloydius ussuriensis

Gloydius ussuriensis is a venomous pitviper species endemic to far east Russia, northeastern China and the Korean Peninsula. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Description.
 Adult males are 37–63 cm (14.6-24.8 inches) in total length, while adult females are 41-64.7 cm (16.1-25.5 inches). However, this information, provided by Emelianov (1929), included two males of 37 cm (14.6 in) each which may have been subadults; the next largest male was 41.8 cm (16.5 in). Based on these same data, tail length in males was 12-17% of total length, while that in females was 12-15% of total length.
The scalation usually includes 21 rows of dorsal scales at midbody, all of which are keeled (although the keels on the first scale rows are faint), 146-157 ventral scales, and 39-54 subcaudal scales. There are 7 supralabial scales, with the second being the smallest and the fourth usually the largest.
The color pattern consists of a light brownish gray to blackish ground color overlaid with a series of 24-33 relatively large and usually elliptical dorsolateral blotches. These blotches, which may oppose or alternate on either side of the middorsal line, are usually closed and have a pale interior with a dark smudge in the center that makes them look like a row of bull's-eyes on either side of the body. The bloches are separated laterally by one scale row, extend down to the first scale row, and may merge with blotches across the middorsal line. A dark postocular stripe is present that is bordered above by a narrow yellow or white line.
Geographic range.
Found in far east Russia (Primorskiy Kray), northeastern China, North Korea and South Korea, as well as on Quelpart Island. Chernov proposed that the type locality be restricted to "Suchan River (in Primorskiy Kray)."
Taxonomy.
This species has long been confused with "G. saxatilis" in Korea and "G. brevicaudus" in eastern parts of Liaoning in China, where it is sympatric with these forms. Its variable color pattern has not helped matters either.


Exalcidion carenatum

Exalcidion carenatum is a species of longhorn beetles of the subfamily Lamiinae. It was described by Monné in 1990, and is known from Colombia.


Xerocrassa subrogata

Xerocrassa subrogata is a species of air-breathing land snail, a pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae, the hairy snails and their allies. This species is endemic to Spain, where it is widely distributed in the eastern provinces of the country.


Cyrtonus elegans

Cyrtonus elegans is a species of leaf beetles in the subfamily Chrysomelinae found in Portugal.


Aulacopone

Aulacopone is a genus of ant in the subfamily Heteroponerinae containing the single species Aulacopone relicta. The genus was described by Arnoldi (1930) from a unique dealate female collected at Ələzəpin (Alazapin), near Lankaran, in Azerbaijan S.S.R., Soviet Union (now Azerbaijan), near its border with Iran. The specimen was taken in galleries of the formicine ant "Lasius emarginatus", under the bark of an oak stump, in mid-montane forest.


Nesioneta elegans

Nesioneta elegans is a species of sheet weaver spiders (family Linyphiidae). It is found on the Caroline Islands and on Fiji.


Alcimosphenus

Alcimosphenus is a monotypic genus of Caribbean long-jawed orb-weavers containing the single species, Alcimosphenus licinus. It was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1895, and is found in the Caribbean. It was transferred to the Araneidae in 1951, but was returned here in 2005.


Harpagoxenus zaisanicus

Harpagoxenus zaisanicus is a species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is endemic to Mongolia.


Celastrina lavendularis

Celastrina lavendularis, the plain hedge blue, is a small butterfly found in Sri Lanka, India, and Indomalayan realm that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Taxonomy.
The butterfly was earlier known as "Lycaenopsis lavendularis" Moore.
Range.
It is found in Sri Lanka, India and Yunnan.


Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin

The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin ("Sousa chinensis"; ) is a species of humpback dolphin inhabiting coastal waters of the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans. This species is often referred to as the Chinese white dolphin in mainland China, Macao, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore as a common name. Some biologists regard the Indo-Pacific dolphin as a subspecies of the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin ("S. plumbea") which ranges from East Africa to India. However, DNA testing studies have shown that the two are distinct species. Additionally, a new species (the Australian humpback dolphin ("S. sahulensis")) has just recently been split off from "S. chinensis" and recognized as a distinct species. Nevertheless, there are still several unresolved issues in differentiation of the Indian Ocean-type and Indo-Pacific-type humpback dolphins.
Description.
An adult Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is grey, white or pink and may appear as an albino dolphin to some. Uniquely, the population along the Chinese coast has pink skin, and the pink colour originates not from a pigment, but from blood vessels which were overdeveloped for thermoregulation. The body length is for adults for infants. An adult weighs . Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins live up to 40 years, as determined by the analysis of their teeth.
At birth, the dolphins are black. They change to grey, then pinkish with spots when young. Adults are grey, white or pink.
Behaviour.
Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins come to the water surface to breathe for 20 to 30 seconds before diving deep again, for two to eight minutes. Dolphin calves, with smaller lung capacities, surface twice as often as adults, staying underwater for one to three minutes. Adult dolphins rarely stay under water for more than four minutes.
They sometimes leap completely out of the water. They may also rise up vertically from the water, exposing the dorsal half of their bodies. A pair of protruding eyes allows them to see clearly in both air and water.
Reproductive cycle.
Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins are sociable creatures and live in groups of three to four. Female dolphins become mature at ten years old, while the males become mature at 13 years old. They usually mate from the end of summer to autumn. Infant dolphins are usually born eleven months after the mating. Mature females can give birth every three years, and parental care lasts until their offspring can find food themselves.
Toxic water threat.
The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is threatened by both habitat loss and pollution. Conservationists warn that Hong Kong may lose its rare Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, also known as pink dolphins for their unique colour, unless China takes urgent action against pollution and other threats. Their numbers in Hong Kong waters have fallen from an estimated 158 in 2003 to just 78 in 2011, with a further decline expected by the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society. A tour guide from Hong Kong Dolphinwatch spotted a group of pink dolphins helping a mother support the body of her dead calf above the water in an attempt to revive it. The scene, captured on video and widely shared on Facebook, has raised fresh concerns about the dwindling population in a city where dolphin watching is a tourist attraction. "We’re 99 percent certain the calf died from toxins in the mother’s milk, accumulated from polluted seawater," said Hong Kong Dolphinwatch spokeswoman Janet Walker, who added it was the third such incident reported in April alone. Fewer than 2,500 of the mammals survive in the Pearl River Delta, the body of water between Macau and Hong Kong, with the majority found in Chinese waters and the rest in Hong Kong.
Plastic pollution impact.
The subject of plastic pollution is a global phenomenon that has no end in sight. Plastic pollution is widespread across all oceans due to their buoyant and durable properties that allow for sorption of toxicants to plastic while traveling through the environment. This lead researchers to the conclusion that synthetic polymers are hazardous to marine life and should be declared as a hazardous waste type. There are many transit paths that allow for plastics and pollutions to enter oceans. Freshwater waste can enter oceans by rivers; delta or estuary (where rivers meet the ocean). Human populations discarding their waste directly into marine waters. Through photo-degradation and other forms of weathering processes that aid in plastics fragmentation and dispersal. Mass quantities of fragmented plastics - along with pollution are aggregated in subtropical gyres; ocean gyres. Plastic accumulation is not limited to ocean gyres; closed bays, gulfs and seas surrounded by densely populated coastlines and watersheds are all susceptible."The Pearl River Delta is an estuary within the proximity of one of the many ocean gyres that the Humpback dolphin inhabits. A tour guide from Hong Kong Dolphinwatch spotted a group of pink dolphins helping a mother support the body of her dead calf above the water in an attempt to revive it. The scene, captured on video and widely shared on Facebook, has raised fresh concerns about the dwindling population in a city where dolphin watching is a tourist attraction. "We’re 99 percent certain the calf died from toxins in the mother’s milk, accumulated from polluted seawater," said Hong Kong Dolphinwatch spokeswoman Janet Walker, who added it was the third such incident reported in April alone. Fewer than 2,500 of the mammals survive in the Pearl River Delta, the body of water between Macau and Hong Kong, with the majority found in Chinese waters and the rest in Hong Kong." (Refer to: Humans and the environment subsection above)
Plastic pollution can severely affect all forms of marine life; Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins are specifically affected in an array of means. Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins ("Sousa chinensis") are chronically exposed to organic pollutants since they inhabit shallow coastal waters that are often impacted by anthropogenic activities. Anthropogenic pollutants pose a risk to marine mammals that reside in coastal waters. Discharge of organic pollutants into marine environments has been shown to decrease water quality resulting in loss of habitats and a significant reduction in the species richness (Johnston and Roberts, 2009). The loss of key pods have caused specie fragmentation, "also due to habitat loss", which inclines specie isolation; decrease connectivity resulting in population decline. This loss in population is what lead this species to be labeled as near threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The consumption of plastics have adverse effects in marine mammals such as disease susceptibility, reproductive and developmental toxicity. Constant absorption of organic pollutants like plastic can be transferred into the dolphin's tissues and organs through an ingestion pathway that is impacting megafauna, lower trophic levels and predators (not limited to Indo-Pacific) Organ toxicity can lead to organ failure, loss of offsprings and milk toxicity. If the dolphin is not consuming plastic directly then it can have plastic pollutants ingested though biomagnification and bioaccumulation. Bioaccumulation is defined as the uptake of chemicals from the environment through dietary intake, dermal absorption or respiratory transport in air or water. This is a huge factor is plastic toxicity consumption in this species due to them having long lifespans which makes them susceptible to chronic exposure. Also, they contain a large quantity of blubber, "lipids", which can result in an excess of toxicity storage in their tissues.
Echolocation is a main sense that all dolphins use to navigate and pinpoint prey and predators. Dolphins and whales use echolocation by bouncing high-pitched clicking sounds off underwater objects, similar to shouting and listening for echoes. The sounds are made by squeezing air through nasal passages near the blowhole. These sound-waves then pass into the forehead, where a big blob of fat called the melon focuses them into a beam. This process can be interrupted by large composites of waste that can range from oil, plastics and noise. The large blockage can refract sound-waves that give the dolphin a false inclination that there is possible prey, kin or a predator in the area. This can become confusing and frustrating which can lead to extreme stress and potential health issues. Despite echolocation being mostly affected by noise pollution it can altered by pollutants in marine water.
Noise pollution can also be caused by large clusters of plastic debris; ocean gyre. The constant movement of ocean currents will cause the plastic debris, along with general-waste to clash together which entails a production of sound. Sound waves from the debris will travel through marine waters which can become an excess of sound waves traveling can render their use of echolocation. This can inherently leave this species blind since this is their primary sense.
Distributions and watching.
In Hong Kong, boat trips to visit the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins have been running since the 1990s. The dolphins mainly live in the waters of Lantau North, Southeast Lantau, the Soko Islands and Peng Chau. A code of conduct regulates dolphin-watching activity in Hong Kong waters.
There have been some reports of dolphin watching practices that have further endangered the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, such as in Sanniang Bay dolphin sanctuary in Qinzhou and off Xiamen. However, these generally are small, locally organised one-off tours or private pleasure boats that do not adhere to the Hong Kong Agricultural and Fisheries Department's voluntary code of conduct.
Nánpēng Islands Marine Sanctuary in Nan'ao County is also home to local pods. The population in Leizhou Bay, Leizhou Peninsula, comprising nearly 1,000 animals and the second largest population in the nation, may also be targeted for future tourism. Hepu National Sanctuary of Dugongs, and waters around Sanya Bay and other coasts adjacent on Hainan Island are home to some dolphins. As the environment and local ecosystems recovery, dolphins' presences in nearby waters have been increasing such as vicinity to the nature sanctuary of Weizhou and Xieyang Islands. Gulf of Tonkin waters in Vietnam may have unstudied populations that may appear elsewhere such as along Xuân Thủy National Park and Hòn Dáu Island in Hải Phòng.
Cantonese slang.
The Cantonese language has a slang expression "wu gei bak gei" (often written as 烏忌白忌, "black taboo white taboo") which means someone or something is a bad omen or a nuisance. The phrase originates from the Cantonese fisher people, because they claim the dolphins eat the fish in their nets. However, in formal Chinese, it should be written as 烏鱀白鱀, with the "gei" originally in olden Chinese, meaning dolphins. The "wu" refers to the finless porpoises, which are black, and the "bak", white, referring to Chinese river dolphins. These two species often interrupt and ruin the fishermen's catch. As years passed, because "dolphin" sounds the same as "bad luck", the meaning of the phrase changed.
However, in Cantonese, "wu" refers to the calves of Chinese white dolphin and "bak" refers to the adults. Nowadays, dolphins are not called "gei" anymore, but 海豚 ("hai tun"), literally meaning "sea pig", with none of the negative connotations for pig found in English.
Eastern Taiwan Strait population.
The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins were first discovered along the west coast of Taiwan in 2002. Based on a survey done in 2002 and 2003, they are often found in waters <5m deep, and no evidence shows that they appear in water deeper than 15m. A study in 2008 found that the population of humpback dolphins, which occupies a linear range of about 500 km^2 along the central west coast of Taiwan, is genetically distinct from all populations living in other areas. And this population is called Eastern Taiwan Strait (ETS) population.
Taiwan is a densely populated island and highly developed area, which has many industrial development projects, especially along the west coast, where the ETS populations of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins live. Based on data collected between 2002 and 2005, the ETS population of humpback dolphins was less than 100 individuals. Unfortunately, the newest data released in 2012 shows that only 62 individuals are left. It means during those 7 years, population of humpback dolphins is being destroyed constantly and severely. A preliminary examination revealed that the ETS humpback dolphin population meets the IUCN Red List criteria for "Critically endangered". Without further protection and regulation, this population will go extinct quickly. The ETS is listed as Endangered species Under the Endangered Species Act by NOAA Fisheries since 2018.
There are several facts that result in the decreasing number of ETS population of humpback dolphins. First, large-scale modification of the shoreline by industrial development including hydraulic filling for creating industrial or science parks, seawall construction and sand mining cause habitat fragmentation and diminish dolphin's habitats. In addition, exploitation of shoreline also contributes to toxic contamination flows into dolphin's habitats. The chemical pollution from industrial or agricultural and municipal discharge results in impaired health of dolphins, for instance, reproductive disorders, and compromised immune system.
Second, fishing activities along the west coast of Taiwan are thriving, and cause many impacts on dolphins. Widespread and intensive use of gillnets and vessel strikes are potential threats for dolphins. Over exploitation of fish by fisheries' is another threat for the dolphin population. It has led to disturbance of marine food web or trophic level and reduces marine biodiversity. Therefore, dolphins have not enough prey to live on.
Still another problem is reduced amount of freshwater flows into estuaries from rivers. Since ETS population of humpback dolphins is closely associated with estuaries habitat, the elimination of freshwater discharge from rivers significantly decreases the amount of suitable habitats for dolphins.
Hydroacoustic disturbance is another critical issue for dolphins. Sources of noise can come from dredging, pile driving, increased vessel traffic, seawall construction, and soil improvement. For all cetaceans, sound is vital for providing information about their environment, communicating with other individuals, and foraging; also, they are very vulnerable and sensitive to the effects of noise. Elevated anthropogenic sound level causes many dysfunctions of their behaviors, and even leads to death.
In addition to threats from anthropogenic activities, dolphins are potentially at the risk due to the small population size, which may result in inbreeding and decreased genetic and demographic variability. Finally, climate change causes more typhoons to hit the west coast of Taiwan and cause great disturbance to dolphins' habitats.
Conservation.
The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is listed on Appendix II of the convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). It is listed on Appendix II as it has an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation organised by tailored agreements. In the interim of 2003–2013, the number of these dolphins in the bay around Hong Kong has dwindled from a population of 159 to just 61 individuals, a population decline of 60% in the last decade. The population continues to be further threatened by pollution, vessel collision, overfishing, and underwater noise pollution.
In addition to their natural susceptibility to anthropogenic disturbances, the Chinese white dolphin's late sexual maturity, reduced fecundity, reduced calf survival, and long calving intervals heavily curtails their ability to naturally cope with elevated rates of mortality.
In recent years, Taiwan launched the largest Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin sanctuary on the Taiwanese coast, stretching from Miaoli County to Chiayi County. The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is also covered by the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific Cetaceans MoU).


Pristimantis ceuthospilus

Pristimantis ceuthospilus is a species of frogs in the family Craugastoridae. It is endemic to northern Peru and occurs in the western slopes of the Cordillera de Huancabamba and the Pacific slope of the Cordillera Occidental. There are also as yet unconfirmed records from southern Ecuador. The specific name "ceuthospilus", from Greek "keuthos" ("hidden") and "spilos" ("spot"), refers to the yellow spots in the groin and thighs that remain hidden when the frog is sitting. Common name Wild's robber frog has been coined for it.
Description.
Adult males measure and adult females in snout–vent length. The snout is acutely rounded. The tympanum is round and distinct but obscured posterodorsally by the weak supratympanic fold. The fingers and the toes have elliptical discs and lateral keels but no webbing. Dorsal skin is shagreened with minute, low, round tubercles; ventral skin is granular. The coloration is variable. The dorsum can be brown medially, turning pale tan laterally onto flanks and to tip of snout, or gray to tan or medium brown with faint darker markings, or uniformly yellowish olive. The inguinal region and the posterior surfaces of the thighs have bright yellow to orange spots that are hidden when the animal is sitting. The venter is transparent yellow to yellowish white. The large subgular vocal sac in males is bright yellow.
Habitat and conservation.
"Pristimantis ceuthospilus" occurs in tropical low montane and montane forests at elevations of above sea level. Calling male have been found on leaves and stems of herbaceous vegetation slightly above the ground along a road cut in cloud forest. Both males and females have been found in bromeliads by day. Development is direct (i.e., there is no free-living larval stage).
It is threatened by habitat loss caused by agriculture, livestock ranching, and selective logging. It probably occurs in the .


Noblella lynchi

Noblella lynchi is a species of frog in the family Craugastoridae. It is endemic to Peru and only known from its type locality on the east slope of Abra Chanchillo, near Balsas, Amazonas Region.
"Noblella lynchi" is known from disturbed cloud forest. It is a rare species: a search effort of 30 person days uncovered only four individuals.


Rhadinella xerophila

Rhadinella xerophila is a very rare snake endemic to the seasonally dry forests and thornscrub of the Middle Motagua Valley in Guatemala. This snake is characterized by its orange auburn head and its small size. This species is related to the group of Rhadinella that have dark dorsal coloration, which mostly or completely obscures a pattern of longitudinal striping characteristic of the majority of species of Rhadinella. This species has dark gray, almost black, dorsal coloration with barely discernible slightly darker striping. Top of the head is mostly blackish with irregular auburn-orange markings on the internasals, prefrontals, frontal, parietals, loreals, postoculars, temporals, and two ultimate supralabials. Most conspicuous features are an orange-auburn Y-shaped marking along frontal-parietal and interparietal sutures, followed by an orange nuchal collar. The closest relative of the new species, based on morphological similarities, appears to be Rhadinella pilonaorum, which occurs in a relatively mesic habitat of pine-oak forest located about 90 km southwest from the type-locality of the new species. It has been recorded only at Heloderma Natural Reserve, El Arenal, Zacapa, Guatemala.


Tytthoscincus keciktuek

Tytthoscincus keciktuek, the Sungai Peres forest skink, is a species of skink. It is endemic to Malaysia.


Orange-bellied leafbird

The orange-bellied leafbird ("Chloropsis hardwickii") is a bird native to the central and eastern Himalayas, Yunnan and northern parts of Southeast Asia. The scientific name commemorates the English naturalist Thomas Hardwicke.
Description.
It is brightly coloured with an orange belly, a green back, a blue tail and flight feathers, and a black and blue patch over its throat and chest. It has a long, curved beak. It feeds on insects, spiders and nectar. Orange-bellied leafbirds make their nests from roots and fibers which are suspended from the edges of twigs at the end of a tree branch. They do not migrate.


Agile gracile opossum

The agile gracile opossum ("Gracilinanus agilis"), is an opossum species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
It is nocturnal, arboreal and frequents the forest understory, where they use slender branches and vines. Found in evergreen and gallery forests. It is a characteristic inhabitant of the gallery forest of southern South America but has broad habitat tolerance. It has been caught under fallen trunks, in tree holes, and in moist woodland. It is reported to be an adept climber, and nests made of vegetation have been found 1.6 m off the ground. One such nest contained seven individuals. In eastern Paraguay it has usually been captured in vegetation but sometimes has been caught on the ground. This marsupial is found throughout the Brazilian cerrado, usually associated with mesic areas such as gallery forests. This mouse opossum is reported to have up to twelve young. Females lack a true pouch, and the teats remain hidden when the female is not lactating. "Gracilinanus agilis" has a semelparous life cycle.


Gonatodes

Gonatodes is a genus of New World dwarf geckos of the family Sphaerodactylidae.
Description.
The majority of the species in the genus "Gonatodes" are diurnally active, scansorial, and sexually dichromatic, with adult body size (snout-vent length) ranging from for known species.
Diet.
The diets of the various species of "Gonatodes" are composed mainly of very small arthropods.
Reproduction.
Clutch size is one, with most species producing several clutches per year, and some utilizing communal egg-laying sites.
Habitat.
Most species are humid tropical forest dwelling (some in warm lowlands, and others in somewhat cooler montane regions), with relatively fewer species utilizing more open, drier habitats at forest edge, tropical dry seasonal forest and scrub forest. Some species (usually those that use drier natural habitats) are able to utilize even more open human modified environments; in some cases including highly urbanized areas. "Gonatodes" usually spend most of their active hours perched anywhere from ground level to about 0.6 metres (2 feet) above ground, sometimes up to 2 or 3 metres (6.6 or 9.8 feet), on vertical or near vertical surfaces of tree trunks, tree stumps, logs and sometimes rocks (as well as on walls and house-posts for those that are able to use human altered environments). They seldom sit exposed to direct strong sunlight (they do not appear to bask), and most seem to prefer shade or less exposure to direct sun light.
Geographic range.
Species of "Gonatodes" are found in Central America including southern Mexico, a few Caribbean Islands (including Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and Union Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and the northern part of South America, including Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, parts of Brazil, Venezuela, the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and some of the small islands just off the cost of northern South America.
Introduced species.
Human mediated introductions have occurred with "Gonatodes caudiscutatus" in the Galapagos Islands and "G. albogularis" in Florida. In addition, some species have been transplanted by human activity to various regions within the general range of the genus where the particular species did not previously exist.
Species.
The following 33 species are recognized as being valid. Some subspecies are also listed.
"Nota bene": A binomial authority or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than "Gonatodes".