Southern Ghats slender gecko

The Southern Ghats slender gecko ("Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus") is a species of gecko with a restricted distribution in the hills of southern India.
Description.
Head oviform, longer than broad; snout rounded, very convex, slightly shorter than, distance between eye and ear-opening, l.3 times the diameter of orbit; ear-opening very small, round. Body elongate, more so in females than in males; limbs short, fore limb measuring half the distance between axilla and groin, or rather less. Digits short, free, inner very small, rudimentary; only two large chevron-shaped divided lamellae under the distal part of the digits, followed by transverse undivided lamellae, decreasing in width. Head covered with very minute granules; rostral and mental very small, former four-sided, latter pentagonal or triangular; nostril pierced between rostral, first labial, and several granules; labials very small, 9 or 10 upper and as many lower, no chin-shields. Back covered with very small granular scales, abdominal scales a little larger, flat, imbricate. Male with an angular series of 7 to 9 preanal pores. Tail cylindrical, tapering, covered with small imbricated smooth scales, larger below. Grey-brown above, with, along the head and back, dark-brown undulating lines, which may be broken up into spots; a dark brown streak from the tip of the snout to the fore limb, passing through the eye; whitish dots scattered on the head and back; tail with darker spots or annuli and two large whitish black-edged spots at the base, frequently and two large whitish black-edged spots at the base, frequently confluent mesially. Lower surfaces whitish, more or less speckled with brownish.
From snout to vent ; tail .
Distribution.
S India (Anamallays = Anailmalais, Western Ghats, Bangalore, Kolli Hills)
Type locality: "Shevaroys, under stones about Yercaud and elsewhere, at an elevation of 4,000 feet".


Craugastor guerreroensis

Craugastor guerreroensis, also known as the Guerreran robber frog, is a species of frog in the family Craugastoridae. It is endemic to Mexico and only known from its type locality near Agua del Obispo, in the municipality of Chilpancingo de los Bravo, Guerrero.
Description.
"Craugastor guerreroensis" was described based a type series consisting of three adult males measuring in snout–vent length. The head is as wide as the body and broader than long; the snout is subacuminate. The canthus rostralis is moderately sharp. The tympanum is visible and large. The fingers are long and thin with wide finger pads. The innermost toes have slight webbing; the toe tips are enlarged. The coloration is gray with some greenish tinge. There is some darker brown dorsal blotching. The venter is cream yellow.
Habitat and conservation.
The species' natural habitat is pine-oak forest at elevations of above sea level. It is a rare frog that appears to have declined as it has not been seen after 1984, despite surveys to locate it; it might be extinct. is threatened by habitat loss caused by logging and conversion of forest to agricultural land. However, it has also disappeared from suitable habitat, suggesting that chytridiomycosis might have been at play.


Orvilleus

Orvilleus is a monotypic genus of Panamanian jumping spiders containing the single species, Orvilleus crassus. It was first described by Arthur Merton Chickering in 1946, and is only found in Panama.


Bothriechis schlegelii

Bothriechis schlegelii, known commonly as the eyelash viper, is a species of venomous pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is native to Central and South America. Small and arboreal, this species is characterized by a wide array of color variations, as well as the superciliary scales above the eyes. It is the most common of the green palm-pitvipers (genus "Bothriechis"), and is often present in zoological exhibits. The specific name "schlegelii" honors Hermann Schlegel, who was a German ornithologist and herpetologist. For other common names see below. No subspecies are currently recognized as being valid.
Description.
The eyelash viper is a relatively small species of pitviper, with adults ranging from long, and females being longer and more variable in size than males, which can grow to long. It has a wide, triangular-shaped head, and eyes with vertical pupils. Like all pit vipers, it is solenoglyphous, having large, hypodermic needle-like fangs in the front of the upper jaw that fold back when not in use, and has heat sensitive organs, or pits, located on either side of the head between the eye and nostril.
Its most distinguishing feature, and origin of its common name, is the set of modified scales above the eyes that look much like eyelashes. The eyelashes are thought to aid in camouflage, breaking up the snake's outline among the foliage where it hides. The
eyelash viper occurs in a wide range of colors, including red, yellow, brown, green, even pink, as well as various combinations thereof. It often has black or brown speckling on the base color. No external features distinguish the two sexes.
Common names.
Common names of "B. schlegelii" include the eyelash viper, eyelash pit viper, eyelash palm viper, eyelash palm-pitviper, Schlegel's viper, Schlegel's pit viper, Schlegel's palm viper, eyelash snake, eyelash lancehead, eyelash mountain viper, and horned palm viper. In Spanish, the primary language of countries comprising its distribution, common names include "bocaracá", "oropel" (golden morph), "víbora bocaracá", "toboba pestanas", "víbora de pestañas" (eyelash viper), and "serpiente loro" (parrot snake).
Geographic range.
The geographic range of "B. schlegelii" extends from southern Mexico (northern Chiapas), southeastward on the Atlantic plains and lowlands through Central America to northern South America in Colombia and Venezuela. It is also found on the Pacific versant and lowlands in parts of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It occurs in mesic forest at elevations almost from sea level to altitude. The type locality is “Popayan” (Popayán, Colombia).
Habitat.
"B. schlegelii" prefers lower altitude, humid, tropical areas with dense foliage, generally not far from a permanent water source. One study noted the preference of "B. schlegelii" for deep, shady ravines.
Behavior.
Like other "Bothriechis" members, "B. schlegelii" is arboreal and has a strong prehensile tail. It is largely nocturnal, consuming small rodents, frogs, lizards and small birds. It is not known to be an aggressive snake, but will not hesitate to strike if harassed.
A typical ambush predator, it waits patiently for unsuspecting prey to wander by. Sometimes, it is known to select a specific ambush site and return to it every year in time for the spring migration of birds. Studies have indicated that "B. schlegeli" learns to improve strike accuracy over time. Sometimes "B. schlegelii" (especially juveniles) will employ what is known as “caudal luring”, wiggling the tail in worm-like motions to encourage potential prey to move within striking range.
There is a myth among villagers in some small areas of South America that the eyelash viper will wink, flashing its "eyelashes" at its victim, following a venomous strike. Snakes are not physiologically capable of such behavior, as they have no eyelids and can not close their eyes.
Reproduction.
The eyelash viper reaches sexual maturity at around two years of age, and the ovoviviparous species reproduces throughout the year in warm environments. Females carry eggs for around six months before they hatch internally, where the young complete their development. Pregnant females have enlarged lower abdomens, and may stop eating in later stages of pregnancy. In a typical brood they give birth to 2–20 live young, which are in length and appear physically similar to adults.
Males engage in a sometimes hours-long courtship ritual called a "dance of the adders", in which two males posture and intimidate one another in an upright, "cobra-like" stance until one is pushed away or falls to the ground. They are polygynous, and usually mate at night.
Captivity.
Despite the inherent danger of its venom, "B. schlegelii" is frequently available in the exotic animal trade, and is well represented in zoos worldwide. It is frequently captive bred for color and pattern. Exporting from the wild is not as common as it once was, but is not unknown. In general they make hardy captives, readily feeding on provided mice.
Taxonomy.
Some authorities also recognize a montane form that is treated either as a subspecies ("B. s. supraciliaris") or as a species ("B. supraciliaris"). Found in the province of San José in Costa Rica, it was sometimes referred to as the "eyelash mountain viper", while more recent publications recognizing the species designation refer to it as the blotched palm-pitviper.
Conservation.
Eyelash vipers have not been evaluated by the IUCN Red List, and were removed from CITES Appendix III in 2002. While not listed as threatened, they could be at risk of habitat loss from increased deforestation for timber, agriculture, and urbanization.


Chinchippus

Chinchippus is a genus of solifugid in the Ammotrechidae family with two described species, C. peruvianus and C. viejaensis. Both species are only known from the coastal desert and guano islands of the Ica Region of central Peru.


Craugastor taylori

Craugastor taylori is a species of frog in the family Craugastoridae. It is endemic to Mexico and only known from its type locality near Rayón Mescalapa, Chiapas, in Southeast Mexico. Its common name is Taylor's robber frog. It is named in honour of Edward Harrison Taylor.
Description.
"Craugastor taylori" resembles "Craugastor megalotympanum", which may be its closest relative. The holotype of "Craugastor taylori", a male, measures in snout–vent length. Dorsum is smooth and pale cream in colour. Skin has some faint markings; limbs are banded. Tympanum is distinct and relatively large, ¾ of the eye diameter. Head is broader than long and snout is long.
Habitat and conservation.
Its natural habitat is presumably montane forest. The original description does not mention the specific habitat but refers to collections in cloud forests. It is a protected species in Mexico.


Pampas pipit

The Pampas pipit ("Anthus chacoensis"), also known as the Chaco pipit or Campo pipit, is a species of bird in the family Motacillidae. It is found in Argentina and Paraguay. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland.


Chinese kukri snake

The Chinese kukri snake ("Oligodon chinensis") is a species of snake of the family Colubridae.
Geographic range.
The snake is found in China and Vietnam.


Brown-throated fulvetta

The brown-throated fulvetta or Ludlow's fulvetta ("Fulvetta ludlowi") is a species of bird in the family Sylviidae.
It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.


Pantoporia paraka

Pantoporia paraka, the Perak lascar, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in tropical and subtropical Asia.


Cordulegaster helladica

Cordulegaster helladica is a species of dragonfly in the family Cordulegastridae. It is endemic to Greece. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, rivers, and freshwater springs. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Cybaeus angustiarum

Cybaeus angustiarum is a spider species found in Europe to Azerbaijan.


Cuban pewee

The Cuban pewee or crescent-eyed pewee ("Contopus caribaeus") is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae. It is found in Cuba and the northern Bahamas. It was formerly lumped with the Hispaniolan pewee ("C. hispaniolensis") and Jamaican pewee ("C. pallidus") as a single species, the Greater Antillean pewee.
This small flycatcher measures . It is dark olive-grey above and dark grey to buff below. In place of an eyering, it has a white crescent-shaped marking directly behind the eye. The broad, flat bill is bicolored, with a yellow lower mandible.
Its distinctive call is a long, descending whistle.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and heavily degraded former forest.
The nest is small and cup-shaped. Up to 4 eggs are laid between March and June. The eggs are white with heavy dark spotting at the large end.


Brachytarsophrys feae

Brachytarsophrys feae (common names: Fea's horned frog, Fea's short-legged toad, Kakhien Hills spadefoot toad, and others) is a species of amphibian in the family Megophryidae. It is found in southern China (Guangxi and Yunnan) and northern Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam; it is likely to occur in Laos. The specific name "feae" honors Leonardo Fea, an Italian explorer, zoologist, and naturalist.
Description.
"Brachytarsophrys feae" are large frogs: males grow to about and females to about in snout-vent length. Tadpoles are small in comparison, about in length.
Behaviour.
Male "Brachytarsophrys feae" appear to be territorial. Their advertisement call is loud and can be likened to barking. Limited data suggest that chorusing occurs only in rainy nights; otherwise males remain hidden in their stream-side burrows.
Habitat and conservation.
Its natural habitats are evergreen broadleaf forest and streams; it breeds in streams. It is threatened by habitat loss caused by dams and power plants, and it is also collected for consumption.


Maiestas bilineata

Maiestas bilineata is a species of bug from the Cicadellidae family that is endemic to India. It was formerly placed within "Recilia", but a 2009 revision moved it to "Maiestas".


Tyrrhenian painted frog

The Tyrrhenian painted frog ("Discoglossus sardus") is a species of frog in the family Alytidae (formerly Discoglossidae). It is found in Sardinia, Corsica and the Tuscan Archipelago.
Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Description.
The Tyrrhenian painted frog is very similar in appearance to the Corsican painted frog ("Discoglossus montalentii") but has a noticeably less rounded snout and a more rounded back. The fourth finger of its front foot is spatulate rather than tapering and its hind legs are shorter. It grows to about long. The colour varies and is either plain brown, grey or reddish brown, or one of these colours with dark brown spots that do not have pale edges. The underside is pale.
Distribution and habitat.
The Tyrrhenian painted frog is found in most parts of the islands of Corsica and Sardinia but it is not present in the central highlands. It is also present on several small islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea such as Iles d'Hyères, Giglio, Montecristo, and the Monte Argentario peninsula in Tuscany. Its habitats include coastal plains, forest streams, maquis shrubland and upland coniferous forests. Slow streams and pools are used for breeding and this frog can tolerate brackish water.
Biology.
Like other members of its family, the Corsican painted frog eats small invertebrates. It is unclear whether observations of this frog in the past were of "D. sardus" or "D. montalentii". This is because they are so similar in appearance and were only recognised as different species in the late 20th century. Consequently, its reproductive habits are uncertain but it is believed to lay its eggs in small groups or singly on the bottom of watercourses. They are brownish-black and in diameter with a thick, gelatinous casing.
Status.
The IUCN has listed this frog as being of "Least Concern". The populations in Corsica and Sardinia seem stable but mainland populations are decreasing and populations on smaller islands may suffer from lack of genetic diversity. The main threats faced by this frog are degradation of its woodland and aquatic habitats, however it seems adaptable and able to tolerate some disturbance to its habitat.


List of birds of Slovakia

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Slovakia. The avifauna of Slovakia include a total of 371 species, of which 3 have been introduced by humans. 21 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", 2019 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 Slovakia.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories.
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
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, 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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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 in shape when swimming, but to which they are completely unrelated.
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.
Cormorants and shags.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
New World and African parrots.
Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittacidae
New World and African parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and they have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two to the back.
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 typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a 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 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.
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.
Wallcreeper.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Tichodromidae
The wallcreeper is a small bird related to the nuthatch family, which has stunning crimson, grey and black plumage.
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. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.
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.
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.
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 in the only bird family, Prunellidae, which is completely endemic to the Palearctic. They are small, fairly drab species superficially similar to sparrows.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.


Leptolalax khasiorum

Leptolalax khasiorum is a species of frogs belonging to the genus "Leptolalax". It is so far reported only from the type locality, from the subtropical wet forests of Mawphlang in Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India. It is a small amphibian; the male measuring 25.6 mm, and female 32.5 mm. The species is diagnosed with unique features such as eyelids with tubercles, distinct tympanum and supratympanic folds, undilated toe tips with dermal fringes, dorsum with dark blotches, flanks with large dark blotches, dark tympanic mask, limbs with dark cross-bars, and distinct color patches.


Black-capped donacobius

The black-capped donacobius ("Donacobius atricapilla") is a conspicuous, vocal South American bird. It is found in tropical swamps and wetlands in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela; also Panama of Central America.
Taxonomy.
In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the black-capped donacobius in his "Ornithologie" based on a specimen that he mistakenly believed had been collected from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. He used the French name "Le merle a test noire de Cap de Bonne Espérance" and the Latin "Merula Atricapilla Capitis Bonae Spei". Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his "Systema Naturae" for the twelfth edition, he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson. One of these was the black-capped donacobius. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name "Turdus atricapilla" and cited Brisson's work. The type location was subsequently corrected to eastern Brazil. The specific name "atricapilla" is Latin for "black-haired" from "ater" "black" and "capillus" "hair of the head". This species is now placed in the genus "Donacobius" that was introduced by the English naturalist William John Swainson in 1831. The name of the genus is from Ancient Greek "donakos" "reed" and "bios" "mode of life".
The black-capped donacobius is the only member of the genus "Donacobius", but its familial placement has gone through several changes. In the 19th century, it was placed in the Turdidae, and in the 20th century, moved to the Mimidae. It had various English names, including the "black-capped mockingthrush". In the 1980s and 1990s, suggestions that it was a type of wren (Troglodytidae) were accepted by the South American Classification Committee (SACC), the American Ornithological Society (AOS) and most other authorities. Since at least 2018, the major taxonomic schemes place it in its own family, Donacobidae, and list it following the reed warblers of the family Acrocephalidae.
Habitat.
Black-capped donacobiuses are common in a wide range of Amazonian wetlands, including oxbow lakes, riparian zones, and other areas with tall dense aquatic or semi-aquatic vegetation. A third of the species range is outside the Amazon Basin, from Panama, northern Colombia, and western Venezuela, the Orinoco River system of Venezuela, to southeast coastal and inland Brazil, and neighboring countries southward, Paraguay, and extreme northern Argentina.
Behavior.
Mating for life, pairs of black-capped donacobiuses can be seen frequently and throughout the day atop thickets of dense lakeside or streamside vegetation. They often will engage in antiphonic dueting. Adult offspring will remain with their parents and help raise siblings from subsequent nesting periods in a system of cooperative breeding.


Calotes medogensis

Calotes medogensis, the Medog bloodsucker, is a species of agamid lizard. It is endemic to Tibet (China).


Amata ragazzii

Amata ragazzii is a species of moth of the family Erebidae first described by Emilio Turati in 1917. It is found in Italy.
Adults have been recorded on wing in June and July.
The larvae feed on various low-growing plants, including "Plantago", "Rumex", "Galium" and "Taraxacum" species.


Scorpaena scrofa

Scorpaena scrofa, common name the red scorpionfish, bigscale scorpionfish, large-scaled scorpion fish, or rascasse is a venomous marine species of fish in the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfish.
Description.
"Scorpaena scrofa" is the largest eastern Atlantic scorpion fish. Its colouration ranges from brick red to a light pink, and it has dark-coloured blotches on its body. It has venomous spines, and can achieve a maximum weight around . It can grow to a maximum length of , but is commonly around .
It has 12 dorsal spines, 9 dorsal soft rays, three anal spines, and five soft rays. It often has a dark spot on its spinous dorsal spines between the 6th and 11th. It has long supraorbital tentacles.
Distribution.
This species is found in the Mediterranean Sea. It is also found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean around the British Isles, where it is rare, south to Senegal, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde.
Habitat.
"S. scrofa" is demersal and lives in marine and brackish environments with rocky, sandy, or muddy bottoms at depths of . By day, it lives in burrows and caves. At night it comes out to hunt.
Behaviour.
This species is a sedentary, solitary, and nonmigratory fish. It is predatory, feeding on other fish, as well as crustaceans and molluscs. This is one of the fish used by the marine leech "Pontobdella muricata" as a host.
As food.
"S. scrofa" is a traditional ingredient in Marseille "bouillabaisse". It is also widely used in Japanese cuisine.


Belisarius xambeui

Belisarius xambeui is a species of scorpion in the family Troglotayosicidae, endemic to the eastern Pyrenees.


Eutropis allapallensis

The Allapalli grass skink or Schmidt's mabuya ("Eutropis allapallensis") is a species of skink found in India.
Distribution.
India (Kerala, Gujarat)
Type locality: Allapalli Forest, nr. Chanda, Central Provinces.


Poropuntius angustus

Poropuntius angustus is a species of cyprinid fish. It is endemic to the Mekong Basin and is currently only known from a few tributaries of Mekong in Laos (Nam Ou, Nam Tha and Nam Youan). It grows to SL. It lives mainly in small forest streams.


Hemicycla saulcyi

Hemicycla saulcyi is a species of gastropod in the family Helicidae. It is endemic to Spain.


Lagocheirus giesberti

Lagocheirus giesberti is a species of longhorn beetles of the subfamily Lamiinae. It was described by Hovore in 1998, and is known from Costa Rica.


Tachina turanica

Tachina turanica is a species of fly in the genus "Tachina" of the family Tachinidae that is endemic to Russia.


Lachesis melanocephala

Lachesis melanocephala is a venomous pit viper species found in Costa Rica. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Description.
Adults frequently grow to in total length. The largest reported specimens were by Solórzano (2004), and by Ripa (2001).
The top of the head is uniform black in color, to which the specific name, "melanocephala", refers.
Geographic range.
Found in Costa Rica on the Pacific versant of southeastern Puntarenas province from near sea level to about 1500 m (about 4,900 feet). The type locality given is "tropical rainforest 9 km northern of Ciudad Neily in southeastern Provincia de Puntarenas, Costa Rica."
Campbell and Lamar (2004) describe its range as southwestern Costa Rica and possibly extreme western Panama, but state that almost all locality records are from Puntarenas province.


Leptobrachella baluensis

Leptobrachella baluensis (Kamborangah Borneo frog or Kinabalu dwarf litter frog) is a species of amphibian in the family Megophryidae. It is endemic to montane northern Borneo in Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysia) and northern Kalimantan (Indonesia). It has been in synonymy with "Leptobrachella mjobergi", but is now treated as a valid species.
Description.
Both males and females grow to about in snout–vent length. They are grey above with dark markings with light-colored borders. Supratympanic fold is black, forming a sharp border towards the dorsum. There is no webbing in the feet. Males have a very loud, high-pitched buzzing call.
Tadpoles are very slender with long tails and move in a characteristic, undulating fashion.
Habitat and conservation.
Its natural habitats are sub-montane forests (oak-chestnut and mossy forests) at elevations of asl (range 900–2200 m is given for Sabah and Sarawak). Tadpoles develop in streams with coarse gravel beds, hiding in the interstitial space.
"Leptobrachella baluensis" is threatened by habitat loss, but it occurs in several protected areas.


Lycodon aulicus

Lycodon aulicus, commonly known as the Indian wolf snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake found in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Early naturalists have suggested its resemblance to the venomous common krait as an instance of Batesian mimicry.
Description.
The colouration of this snake is variable.
This snake is often confused with the common krait. The presence of a loreal shield can be used to distinguish it from kraits.
The following is a description of various forms from Albert Günther's Reptiles of British India (1864).
Snout broad, much depressed, long, spatulate, with the upper lip swollen, and without "canthus rostralis". Rostral shield very low, broad, slightly bent backwards on the upper surface of the snout; anterior frontals [= internasals] very small; posterior frontals [= prefrontals] longer than broad, much more so in adult specimens than in young ones; there is a lateral notch between the anterior and posterior frontals, in which the inner anterior angle of the loreal is received; the posterior frontals have an obtuse lateral angle corresponding to the suture between loreal and praeocular; occipitals elongate. Nostril small, directed upwards, between two nasals, the anterior of which is situated on the foremost part of the snout. Loreal single, large, nearly twice as long as broad. Praeocular single, in contact with the vertical [= frontal] and with the third labial; specimens in which it does not reach the vertical are very scarce. Two postoculars; supraciliary rather small. Nine upper labials, the third, fourth, and fifth of which enter the orbit. Temporals numerous, scale-like. Scales smooth, with a minute apical groove, in seventeen rows. Abdomen and tail with an angular ridge on each side. Ventrals 183-209; anal bifid, in a few specimens entire; subcaudals 57-77. Each maxillary is armed with two fangs in front, placed in a transverse line, the outer being much larger than the inner; the lateral longitudinal series of teeth commences at some distance from the fangs; they are small, from four to twelve in number, the last being considerably larger than the others; pterygoido-palatine teeth small, of equal size;
mandible with two or three fangs on each side and with a series of small teeth.
Coloration variable.
The following description is from Boulenger's Fauna of British India, Reptilia and Batrachia volume (1890):
Snout much depressed, with swollen lips, spatulate in the adult; eye rather small. Rostral much broader than long, just visible from above: internasals much shorter than the prefrontals; frontal usually shorter than its distance from the end of the snout or than the parietals ; loreal elongate, not entering the eye; one praeocular, usually in contact with the frontal; two postoculars; temporals small, scale-like, 2+3 or 3+3; 9 upper labials, third, fourth, and fifth entering the eye; 4 or 5 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are longer than the posterior. Scales smooth, in 17 rows. Ventrals 183-209, obtusely angulate laterally; anal divided; subcaudals 57-77, in two rows. Coloration variable; uniform brown above, or with white transverse bands, or with white reticulation; upper lip uniform white, or with brown spots; lower parts uniform white.
Total length 71 cm (28 inches); tail 11 cm (4¼ inches).
Habitat: India and Ceylon, Himalayas, Burma, Siam, Malay Peninsula, Java, Philippines, Timor. A common snake in India.
Scalation.
The rostral touches six shields. The frontal touches the parietals, supraoculars, prefrontals and preoculars. The supraoculars are small. The parietals are one and a half times the size of the frontal. The preoculars are entire, while the postoculars and temporals are divided into two shields. There are nine supralabials, with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th touching the eye. The ventrals are 170 to 224 in number. The anal shield is divided. The subcaudals are 56 to 80 and are divided.
Distribution.
"Lycodon aulicus" is found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India (north to Himalayas and Assam; Maharashtra), Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar (= Burma), Thailand (incl. Phuket), W Malaysia, Indonesia (southward as far as Timor), Philippines, Seychelles, The Maldives (accidental introduction), Mascarenes, Mauritius (introduced), S China (from Fujian and Guangdong westward to Yunnan, incl. Hong Kong). It is one of the most common snakes of India and Ceylon, but becomes scarcer on the coasts of the southeastern parts of India. It occurs on only a few of the islands in the Philippines.
Behaviour.
The Indian wolf snake is nocturnal and is inactive in the day. It is of fierce habits and defends itself vigorously, however it is nonvenomous. It is known to defend itself when barred of escape, and can cause severe lacerations with its fine sharp "fangs". It may also feign death to lure in potential prey and to avoid being chased by predators.
Diet.
"Lycodon aulicus" feeds on lizards and frogs. According to Günther (1864) it is one of the most formidable enemies of the skinks, which form almost its sole food, the "fangs" in the front of its jaws being adapted for piercing and making good its hold on the hard smooth scales with which those lizards are coated.
Reproduction.
Females may be larger than males. They breed prior to the monsoons and lay 4-11 eggs.
The eggs hatch in September or October, and the hatchlings are 14–19 cm (5½-7⅜ inches) long.


Chilobrachys fimbriatus

Chilobrachys fimbriatus, commonly known as the Indian violet, is a species of spider of the genus "Chilobrachys". It is endemic to India.


Cicadetta cantilatrix

Cicadetta cantilatrix is a cicada found in France, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. The calling song from this species consists of two phrases with different echemes.


Iberochondrostoma olisiponensis

Iberochondrostoma olisiponensis, the Lisbon arched-mouth nase, is a freshwater fish discovered in 2007 in the lower Rio Tejo basin, Portugal.
Identification.
The Lisbon arched-mouth nase is a small cyprinid. Adults range from 5 to 11 cm, though there are records of specimens reaching "ca." 18 cm. It can be distinguished from the other Iberian nase species by the lack of horny blade on the lower jaw, the absence of intense reddish coloration at the base of the fins and by its pronouncedly arched mouth. It has elongated pelvic fins that reach the anus and often pass the anal-fin insertion in males, and dorsal, pelvic and anal fins usually have 8 branched rays. This species has 36 to 43 scales in the lateral line, 7.0 to 8.5 scales above the lateral line, 13 to 16 circumpeduncular scales, denticulated (vs. smooth) grinding teeth surfaces, 6-5/5 pharyngeal teeth and 15 to 19 gill rakers. It is further distinguished from "Iberochondrostoma lusitanicum", a phylogenetically close species that lives in the same area, by having a higher body, a relatively longer head, and a larger eye. The origins of anal and pelvic fins are displaced anteriorly, while the origin of pectoral fins is displaced posteriorly. Pelvic and pectoral fins and last anal-fin ray are longer in the new species. Unlike the other phylogenetically related species, the Lisbon's arched-mouth nase shows external sexual dimorphism, with males having longer pelvic fins whose extremities pass the anus and often overlap with the anal fin.
Origin.
It was estimated from a molecular clock that the species had split 7•9-12•5 million years ago (middle–upper Miocene) from its most recent ancestor. This period coincides with a phase of endorheism in the Iberian Peninsula.
Distribution.
This species is endemic to the lower Rio Tejo basin. It was only found in three tributaries of the Tejo River, namely, Trancão, Maior, and Muge.
Conservation.
The Lisbon's arched-mouth nase was found to be locally rare. Additionally, its distribution is limited to an area of high human impact on water resources, through water extraction for agriculture, introduction of exotic species, water pollution and land reclamation, which pose serious risks to its survival.
The species has been placed in the category Critically Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) according to IUCN criteria.
References.
Gante, H. F., Santos, C. D., Alves, M. J. (2010) Phylogenetic relationships of the newly described species "Chondrostoma olisiponensis" (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Journal of Fish Biology. 76, 4, 965-974.
Gante, H. F., Santos, C. D., Alves, M. J. (2007) A new species of "Chondrostoma" Agassiz, 1832 (Cypriniformes : Cyprinidae) with sexual dimorphism from the lower Rio Tejo Basin, Portugal. Zootaxa. 1616, 23-35.
Gante, H., Santos, C. D., Alves, M. J., Rodrigues, J. (2012) Iberochondrostoma olisiponensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 2 June 2013.


Crested hornero

The crested hornero ("Furnarius cristatus") is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.


Striated bulbul

The striated bulbul ("Alcurus striatus") is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae.
It is found from the eastern Himalayas to northern Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Taxonomy and systematics.
The striated bulbul was originally described in the genus "Tricophorus" (a synonym for "Criniger") and it was later transferred to "Pycnonotus", before its latest reassignment. Alternate names for the striated bulbul include the striated green bulbul and striped bulbul.
Subspecies.
Three subspecies are recognized:


Song parrot

The song parrot or singing parrot ("Geoffroyus heteroclitus") is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae.
It is found in the Bismarck Archipelago and on Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea, and in the Solomon Islands except Rennel. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.


Beijing mouse-eared bat

The Beijing mouse-eared bat, or Peking myotis ("Myotis pequinius") is a species of vesper bat. It is found only in China.
Taxonomy.
It was described as a new species in 1908 by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas.
The holotype had been collected by Malcolm Playfair Anderson in 1907.
Anderson encountered the species in a cave west of Beijing.
Description.
It is a relatively large mouse-eared bat with a forearm length of .
Its fur is short and velvety, with the fur on its back a gray, reddish-brown.
In contrast, its belly fur is off-white.
Biology and ecology.
It is insectivorous, consuming mostly beetles.
During the day, individuals roost in caves, though they may also roost in human structures.
Range and habitat.
The Beijing mouse-eared bat is endemic to China, where it is found in the provinces of Anhui, Beijing, Henan, Jiangsu, Shanxi, and Sichuan.
Conservation.
As of 2019, it is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN.
It meets the criteria for this classification because its extent of occurrence exceeds ; its population is presumably large; and it is unlikely to be experiencing rapid population decline.


Eupsophus emiliopugini

Eupsophus emiliopugini is a species of frog in the family Alsodidae. It is found in the temperate "Nothofagus" forests of Chile between 40°50'S and 45°20'S, and in the Lago Puelo National Park, Chubut Province, Argentina. The specific name "emiliopugini" honors Professor Emilio Pugín, for "his contribution to knowledge of the reproductive biology and development of the Chilean frogs". Common name Emilio's ground frog has been coined for the species.
Description.
Adult males measure and females in snout–vent length. Newly metamorphosed froglets measure .
The head is wider than it is long. The tympanum is distinct, and there is a well-developed supra-tympanic fold. The limbs are slender. Webbing is absent. Skin is smooth. The dorsal ground color is grayish brown to leaden. There is a lemon-yellow vertebral line and an olive-green band between the eyes. Sometimes there are bright yellowish reticulations on the thighs. The belly is whitish; mature males have bright orange gular area.
Habitat and conservation.
Its natural habitats are humid forests near cold streams from near sea level to above sea level. Adults can be found under logs or in small holes at the edges of streams. Males call from small holes at day. Females lay their eggs inside the holes; the free-swimming tadpoles develop in these water-filled cavities on the ground.
It is threatened by habitat loss caused by fires and plantation of exotic trees for forestry. It occurs in the Lago Puelo National Park in Argentina.


Carabus parreyssi plassensis

Carabus parreyssi plassensis is a subspecies of beetle in the family Carabidae that can is endemic to Bosnia and Herzegovina.


Claret-breasted fruit dove

The claret-breasted fruit dove ("Ptilinopus viridis Ali") is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in the Moluccas, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands archipelago. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Taxonomy.
In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the claret-breasted fruit dove in his six volume "Ornithologie" based on a specimen collected on Ambon Island, one of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. He used the French name "La tourterelle verte d'Amboine" and the Latin "Turtur viridis amboinensis". Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his "Systema Naturae" for the twelfth edition, he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson. One of these was the claret-breasted fruit dove which he placed with all the other pigeons in the genus "Columba". Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name "Columba viridis" and cited Brisson's work. The specific name "viridis" is the Latin word for "green". This fruit dove is now placed in the genus "Ptilinopus" that was introduced in 1825 by the English naturalist William John Swainson.
Six subspecies are recognised:
Description.
The claret-breasted fruit dove is in length. The plumage is mainly green apart from a well-defined patch of dark red-brown feathers on the throat and upper breast. The face and forecrown are bluish grey and shoulder has a bluish grey patch.


Greenlandic sheep

The Greenlandic sheep ( or "sava", ) is a breed of domestic sheep. The Greenlandic breed is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep, which exhibit a fluke-shaped, naturally short tail. The Greenlandic is a mid-sized breed, generally short-legged and stocky, with face and legs free of wool. The fleece of the Greenlandic sheep is dual-coated and comes in white as well as a variety of other colors, including a range of browns, grays, and blacks. They exist in both horned and polled strains. Generally left unshorn for the winter, the breed is very cold-hardy. Multiple births are very common in Greenlandic ewes, with a lambing percentage of 150% - 190%.
They are seasonal breeders and come into estrus around October. The breeding season can last up to four months. Rams become mature early and can start breeding as early as five months.
The present Greenlandic sheep is hardy and thrifty. It descends from Faroe and Icelandic sheep, the Spælsau and the Scottish Blackface, brought to Greenland by Greenladic farmers, Greenlandic sheep have been bred since 1906 in a very harsh environment. Consequently, they are quite efficient herbivores. The breed descends from the same stock as the Norwegian Spelsau.
Color genetics.
The colors of Greenlandic sheep are inherited in a similar way to those of other sheep, but they display more variety in color and pattern than most other breeds, and there are some variations not seen in other sheep. Each sheep carries three genes that affect the color of the sheep, and for each gene, there are dominant and recessive alleles. Each lamb will receive one allele from each parent of each of the genes shown below.
Color.
The base color of all Icelandic sheep is either black, white or "moorit" (brown), each coming in a variety of shades and tones. Black is the dominant allele. The appearance of these colors can be altered by patterns and spotting.
Pattern.
There are six patterns alleles in the breed. The most dominant pattern of these is white, which will conceal any other pattern, color or spotting that may be present, producing a solid white sheep.
There are several other patterns which will change the appearance of the color the animal shows. One of these is gray, which, together with the base color gene, will give rise to either gray black or gray moorit. Another is "badgerface", which shows as lighter coloration on the back, sides, neck, ears and face, with a darker color on the underbelly, under the tail, parts of the neck and around the eyes. Once again, this pattern will show as either grey badgerface or moorit badgerface. A further pattern is "mouflon". These sheep will be light-colored where badgerface sheep are dark, and dark where badgerface sheep are light.
The gray, badgerface, and mouflon patterns are equally dominant. A sheep can display any of these patterns individually, or they can display two of them at the same time. Sheep carrying both badgerface and mouflon show as plain-coloured sheep with slightly darker markings where the two patterns meet.
The least dominant pattern is solid, which is essentially no pattern at all. Solid-patterned animals will simply show their base color all over. To be solid, a sheep must inherit the solid pattern from both parents – the parents could be solid themselves, or they could carry a solid allele hidden by another other pattern allele.
White sheep can also carry any one of the five other patterns, but it will be hidden by the dominant white color (note that white in sheep is genetically a pattern, not a color).
Spotting.
This gene gives rise to white markings on the feet, face, head or over large parts of the body. The unspotted areas may be any of the patterns and colors described above.
There are two alleles for spotting: spotted, and unspotted; unspotted is dominant. Only when bearing two spotting alleles will the sheep display spotting.
Meat production.
In Greenland, this breed is almost exclusively bred for meat. Lambs are not fed grain or given hormones. The meat has a fine grain and distinct, delicate flavor. The meat of the Greenlandic sheep is quite special and considered by many experts to be among the best in the world and considered a gourmet style of meat. The taste and quality are closely linked to the animals’ life conditions.
Fiber.
Greenlandic fleece is dual-coated. When the long and finer coat is separated, the outer and inner coats are used for different woolen products. Though the transport cost has up to now stopped all industrial use of the Greenlandic wool.
Milk.
Sheep are not milked in Greenland, and instead the lamb is allowed to continue suckling.


Cobitis arachthosensis

Cobitis arachthosensis is a species of ray-finned fish in the true loach family (Cobitidae). It is endemic to Greece.
It belongs to the subgenus "Bicanestrinia", together with "C. hellenica", "C. meridionalis", and "C. trichonica". According to cladistic analysis of DNA sequence data (nDNA RAG-1 and S7 ribosomal protein intron 1, and mtDNA cytochrome "b"), the first of these is an extremely close relative and the present species might arguably be included in it. "C. hellenica" occurs in the Louros and Thiamis River basins, parapatric to the range of "C. arachthosensis".
Its natural habitats is the Arachthos River basin. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Liurana

Liurana is a genus of frogs in the family Ceratobatrachidae. It is the only genus in the subfamily Liuraninae.
Species.
The following species are recognised in the genus "Liurana:"


Caecilia occidentalis

Caecilia occidentalis is a species of ceacilian in the family Caeciliidae. It is endemic to the Northwestern Andean montane forests (C.Michael Hogan. 2012) within Colombia. Its habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, plantation, rural gardens, urban area, and degraded former forest.


Phyllonorycter cytisus

Phyllonorycter cytisus is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from Sardinia.
The larvae feed on "Cytisus villosus". They mine the leaves of their host plant.


Ultramarine flycatcher

The ultramarine flycatcher or the white-browed blue flycatcher ("Ficedula superciliaris") is a small arboreal Old World flycatcher in the ficedula family that breeds in the foothills of the Himalayas and winters in southern India.
Description.
Somewhat smaller in size than a sparrow (ca. 10 cm) and with a stocky build. The male is deep blue above, sides of head and neck are deep blue, and a prominent white patch runs from centre of throat, through breast to belly.
The amount of white on the brow and tail show clinal variation from West to East along the Himalayan foothills, which is sometimes taken to distinguish three subspecies:
Usually singly, though sometimes in mixed hunting parties in the winter. Keeps largely to the low trees and bushes, feeding among the foliage canopy, not venturing much into the open. Constantly jerks up its tail, often accompanied by fluffing of head feathers and "" note, especially in proximity of nest. Diet is mainly insects.
Distribution.
Summer: Common breeding visitor to the western Himalayas, from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to Uttarakhand (western race), and intergrading within Nepal with the eastern race "Ficedula superciliaris aestigma" which continues in the eastern Himalayas through Bhutan to Arunachal Pradesh. Breeding between 2000–2700 m, occasionally as low as 1800 and as high as 3200 m.
Also in the lower hills of Meghalaya and Nagaland, Khasi and Cachar hills, sometimes considered a third race; winter movements of this population is not known.
Habitat: Open, mixed forests of oak, rhododendron, pine, fir, etc., occasionally orchards.
Winter: Central India from Delhi south to northern Maharashtra, Goa, northern Maharashtra, and eastward to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Wintering populations in the eastern states, possibly from Nepal/Sikkim, are mixed: a good part of this population also have white supercilium and basal tail patches (see description below). Also sometimes found as a vagrant in the northern part of Bangladesh.
Foraging Behavior.
Typically they respond to indirect cues more than direct cues in relation to risk management when foraging for food.


Loxocemus

Loxocemus bicolor, sole member of the monotypic family Loxocemidae, is a species of python-like snake found in Mexico and Central America. No subspecies are currently recognized. Analyses of DNA show that "Loxocemus" is most closely related to the true pythons and the sunbeam snakes.
Description.
Adults grow to a maximum of in length. On average this snake grows to roughly . The body is stout and very muscular. The snout is shovel-shaped, with a narrow head and small eyes to facilitate burrowing. The species is described as terrestrial and semi-fossorial, which makes them hard to observe and study. The color pattern is usually dark with patches of white scales, although occasionally after shedding all pigment will disappear, resulting in a white snake with only a small dark patch on its head.
Distribution and habitat.
It is found along the Mexican Pacific versant at low to moderate elevations in the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, Morelos, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. From there, its range extends south through Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. The type locality given is "La Unión, San Salvador" (in El Salvador).
Lifecycle.
They are found in a variety of habitats, including tropical, moist, and dry forests. In Honduras and Guatemala, they also occur in dry inland valleys that drain into the Caribbean. Their diet is believed to consist of rodents and lizards. They have also been observed eating iguana eggs. They are oviparous, laying small clutches of two to four eggs.


List of birds of Estonia

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Estonia. The avifauna of Estonia include a total of 397 species.
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", 2019 edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Accidental species are included in the total species count for Estonia.
The following tag has been used to highlight accidentals. The commonly occurring native species are untagged.
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
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, 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 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.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
Northern storm-petrels.
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae
The northern storm-petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.
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.
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 and shags.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a 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 grayish-green to grayish-brown colors.
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 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.
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.
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. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.
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.
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.
Waxwings.
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Bombycillidae
The waxwings are a group of passerine 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 in the only bird family, Prunellidae, which is completely endemic to the Palearctic. They are small, fairly drab species superficially similar to sparrows.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.


Brown tube-nosed bat

The brown tube-nosed bat ("Murina suilla") is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It can be found in the following countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.


Hellinsia hololeucos

Hellinsia hololeucos is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is found in Chile.
The wingspan is 15‑19 mm. The forewings are silvery white, mixed with sparse scales with an ochreous gloss. The hindwings and fringes are silvery‑white. Adults are on wing in February and from October to December.
The hostplant is unknown, but adults have been recorded flying around "Salvia" species.


Banded bay cuckoo

The banded bay cuckoo or bay-banded cuckoo ("Cacomantis sonneratii") is a species of small cuckoo found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Like others in the genus they have a round nostril. They are usually founded in well wooded areas mainly in the lower hills. Males sing from exposed branches during the breeding season, which can vary with region. They are distinctive both in their calls as well as plumage with a white eyebrowed appearance and the rufous upperparts with regular dark bands and the whitish underside with fine striations.
Description.
The adults are bright rufous or bay on the head and back and are broadly barred with dark brown. The bill is long and slightly curved. A whitish supercilium is distinctive above a dark eye-line. The wing is darker and tail is graduated with a dark brown centre. The tail has a subterminal black band and white tips to the feathers. The sexes are alike. The iris is yellow and the bill is black while the base of the lower mandible is greenish grey. The tarsi are grey. The juvenile is similar but has a pale lower mandible and white fringes to the feathers of the upper body.
The overall length is about 22 cm making it about the same size as the syntopic "Cacomantis merulinus" and "Cacomantis variolosus". The hepatic forms of those can be similar but supercilium, long beak and barred tail distinguish this species.
Taxonomy and systematics.
The species was originally classed in the genus "Cuculus" by John Latham. The type specimen came from Northeastern India. The species epithet is after the French naturalist and explorer Pierre Sonnerat.
Four subspecies are generally recognized:
Some sources also recognize "malayanus" (Chasen & Kloss, 1931) from Peninsular Malaysia and "schlegeli" (Junge, 1948) from Sumatra, Borneo and Palawan (SW Philippines).
Ecology and behaviour.
Like many other cuckoos, they are brood-parasitic and hosts recorded include the common iora, red-whiskered bulbul, white-bellied erpornis, scarlet minivet, bulbuls and small babblers ("Stachyris" spp.). The eggs resemble those of the hosts. The incubation and nesting are not well documented. Fledglings of the host are evicted.
Populations are often migratory or partially migratory. In India, they are found mainly during the monsoons.
They are found in well-wooded forests, mainly in hill areas. Insects are their primary diet. They capture insects by gleaning as well as by aerial sallying.
The breeding season varies widely from region to region. Near Bombay they are known to lay eggs from February to August, Assam from April to August while they seem to sing through much of the year in the Eastern Ghats. In Sri Lanka, young have been seen in June and October while adults sing from January to May in the Malay Peninsula.
The call of this species is distinctive. It is high-pitched four note whistle that has been transcribed as "wee-ti wee-tee" or "smoke-yer-pepper". The frequency starts at 2.4 kHz and each note falls in pitch with the strophe lasting a second.


Dendrelaphis wickrorum

Dendrelaphis wickrorum, commonly known as Wickramasinghes' bronze-back, is a species of arboreal snake endemic to Sri Lanka.
Etymology.
The specific name "wickrorum" is in honor of prominent herpetologist L. J. Mendis Wickramasinghe and his wife Nethu Wickramasinghe for their remarkable contributions to the field of herpetology in Sri Lanka. It was formerly considered to be "Dendrelaphis bifrenalis."
Taxonomy.
The species is sympatric with other bronzeback species: "D. sinharajensis", "D. schokari" and "D. caudolineolatus" in the wet zone. It was formerly confused with "Dendrelaphis bifrenalis," but the dry-zone populations of "Dendrelaphis bifrenalis" are the real ones, and the wet-zone populations are "Dendrelaphis wickrorum".
Description.
The largest specimen in the type series is a female measuring in total length, whereas the males are shorter, up to . Eyes are slightly larger than more common bronzeback species, "Dendrelaphis bifrenalis". A temporal stripe stopping just beyond the neck and a ventrolateral stripe continuing up to the tail. It has a divided nasal. Dorsally olive green and ventrally brownish yellow snake. There is a yellow colour longitudinal ventro-lateral line starts from anterior body continues until tail. Head dark olive green dorsally. A black stripe runs from posterior nasal across eye until the neck.
Distribution.
The snake is found from forest areas of Pundaluoya, Kuda-Waskaduwa, Pinwatta-Panadura and Labugama.
Ecology.
Diurnal and predominantly arboreal that hunts in sub-canopy and the understory.


Scutiger ghunsa

Scutiger ghunsa is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to eastern Nepal and only known from its eponymous type locality, Ghunsa, in the Taplejung District. This species is also known as Ghunsa alpine toad and Ghunsa high altitude toad. Its closest relatives are "Scutiger nepalensis" and "Scutiger sikimmensis".
Description.
Males measure and females in snout–vent length. The head is wider than it is long. The snout is short and rounded. The parotoid glands are large. The canthus rostralis is distinct. No tympanum is visible. The forelimbs are short and robust, while the hindlimbs are long and powerful. The finger and toe tips are rounded. The fingers have no webbing while the toes are weakly webbed. male shave nuptial spines on the dorsal surface of first three fingers. Dorsal skin in males is rough with scattered warts bearing black spines. The flanks bear larger, white warts or granules. Females have smoot skin. The upper parts are light brown. There is an olive brown triangular spot on the snout and interorbital region. The flanks are light brown, ventrally fading into creamy yellow. The ventral surfaces are creamy white with irregular, light gray-brown lines.
A male found guarding eggs under a rock suggests a degree of parental care, a behavior previously unknown for this genus. Tadpoles of Gosner stage 27 measure in total length, of which the tail makes two thirds. The body is oval. The upper tail fin is higher than the lower one; both converge at the pointed tail tip.
Habitat.
"Scutiger ghunsa" is known from an elevation of about above sea level. The locality is characterized by a mixed rhododendron forest with low canopy cover and a slow-running stream with stagnant pools.
Conservation.
As of late 2020, this species had not yet been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, but the original describers suggested that it should be considered "data deficient". The known population is within the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area. The species was named after its type locality in hope that this would raise awareness and further help to conserve the flora and fauna in the area.


Maipomyia

Maipomyia is a genus of flies in the family Dolichopodidae from Chile. The genus is named after the Maipo River.


Gonatotrichus minutus

Gonatotrichus minutus is a species of millipede in the family Siphonophoridae, described in 1922 by the Swiss zoologist Johann Carl. The species is endemic to Malaysia. Individuals are very small, around long and, 0.7 mm wide, with around 40 body segments. The color is brownish-yellow, with lighter-colored legs. It differs from other Malaysian siphonophorids by its small size, the aspect ratio of its beak and antennae and the shape of the front gonopods.


Indian bush rat

The Indian bush rat ("Golunda ellioti") is a rodent species in the family Muridae. It is the only member of the genus Golunda.
The species is widely distributed in the Indian Subcontinent west to Kohat and east to the Bhutan Dooars. It also occurs in Sri Lanka. As many as 11 subspecies are recognized.
The genus name is derived from the Kannada name of "Gulandi" while the specific name is after Sir Walter Elliot. The nominate form is from southern India. Other forms include "limitaris" (northwestern limits), "paupera" (Punjab), "watsoni" (Sind), "gujerati" (Gujarat), "bombax" (Bombay), "coraginis" (Coorg), "coffaeus" (Sri Lanka), "newera" (Sri Lanka), "myiothrix" (Nepal) and "coenosa" (Bhutan Duars, Hasimara).
Description.
Head and body length is 12–14 cm. Tail is 9-11. Yellowish brown upperparts are speckled with black and reddish yellow. Ventral surface grayish with a yellowish speckle. Orange-yellow incisor teeth. Tail, dark above and yellowish below. Body fur spiny. Rounded head with a blunt nose, with small eyes mark. Relatively short bill.


Epermenia orientalis

Epermenia orientalis is a moth in the family Epermeniidae. It was described by Reinhard Gaedike in 1966. It is found in Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.


Pleurodema bufoninum

Pleurodema bufoninum, the large four-eyed frog or sapo de cuatro ojos grandes, is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae. It is found in Argentina and Chile. Its natural habitats are subantarctic forests, temperate forests, subantarctic shrubland, temperate shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subantarctic grassland, temperate grassland, intermittent rivers, swamps, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, rural gardens, ponds, and open excavations.
The common name "four-eyed frog" refers to two inguinal poison glands that resemble eyes. When threatened, the frog lowers its head and raises its rear. When the frog adopts this posture, the poison glands are also raised toward the predator. The predator may also confuse the frog's raised posterior for the head of a larger animal.