Malayan weasel

The Malayan weasel ("Mustela nudipes") or Malay weasel is a weasel species native to the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Description.
The Malayan weasel is reddish-brown to grayish-white. Its head is lighter in colour than the rest of the body. The distal half of the tail is pale orange to white. The soles of the feet are naked.
It has a body length of with a long tail.
Distribution and habitat.
The Malayan weasel is native to the Malay Peninsula from southern Thailand to peninsula Malaysia, and Sumatra and Borneo. It is generally associated with tropical lowland forest, but has been recorded in habitats ranging from swamp and montane forests to plantations and high elevation montane scrub up to . A better understanding of habitat preferences would require surveys specifically aimed at the Malayan weasel because it is rarely detected by general camera trap, road mortality, and visual surveys.
In Borneo, it was photographed in primary dipterocarp and logged forest at elevations of .
Ecology and behavior.
The Malayan weasel is very poorly known, but assumed to occur at low densities and behave elusively based on low detection rates. It is a ground-living species and its morphology not suited to climbing. Their diet is unknown but assumed to be similar to other small weasels: mostly carnivorous, including small rodents, birds, eggs, and small reptiles. Most records of the species occurred during the day, but more research is needed to determine whether Malayan weasels are also active nocturnally. The majority of sightings have been of single animals, suggesting a solitary nature as seen in most weasel species of genus "Mustela". Not much is known about its breeding habits, but a litter of four has been recorded.
Taxonomy.
There are two subspecies of the Malayan weasel:
Relationship with humans.
Records of Malayan weasels in highly degraded forests, plantations, and even suburban areas suggest that the species is tolerant of humans. Malayan weasels are sometimes killed by villagers for medicinal use, food, trophy, fur, for killing chickens, and incidental by-catch in snares. Regardless, in some areas they are seen positively and allowed in villages as a predator of crop-raiding rats. The wide range of the species across various habitats and tolerance of humans suggests resilience to local habitat conversion. Though overall numbers are stable, Malayan weasels are protected in peninsular Malaysia and Thailand due to local declines.


Mechanitis polymnia

Mechanitis polymnia, the orange-spotted tiger clearwing or disturbed tigerwing, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found from Mexico to the Amazon rainforest. The wingspan is . The larvae feed on "Solanum" species.


List of mammals of the Czech Republic

There are 71 mammal species in the Czech Republic, of which one is endangered, six are vulnerable, and four are near threatened.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
Order: Rodentia (rodents).
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing.
Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs).
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures).
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons).
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Order: Chiroptera (bats).
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans).
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates).
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.


Dismorphia melia

Dismorphia melia is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Brazil, including Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina and Rio de Janeiro.


Abrothrix hershkovitzi

Abrothrix hershkovitzi, also known as Hershkovitz's grass mouse or Hershkovitz's akodont, is a species of rodent in the genus "Abrothrix" of family Cricetidae. It is found only on some remote islands in southern Chile. It is named after American zoologist Philip Hershkovitz.


Phaeacius wanlessi

Phaeacius wanlessi is a species of spider of the genus "Phaeacius". It is native to Nepal and Sri Lanka.


Black-footed gray langur

The black-footed gray langur ("Semnopithecus hypoleucos") is an Old World monkey, one of the species of langurs. This, like other gray langurs, is a leaf-eating monkey found in south India.
Taxonomy.
The black-footed gray langur was previously considered to be a subspecies of "Semnopithecus entellus". Research done in 2003 by Brandon-Jones may indicate that it is a subspecies of "Semnopithecus dussumieri". Some experts believe that the species may be a naturally occurring hybrid of "Semnopithecus johnii" and "Semnopithecus dussumieri". Currently "S. dussumieri" is considered a junior synonym of the black-footed gray langur.
Distribution.
This black-footed gray langur is distributed throughout south-western India (Goa, Karnataka and Kerala), but is centred on the Western Ghats. Its total range is around 35,000 km2, with the species living inside and outside of protected areas.


Psychrophrynella wettsteini

Psychrophrynella wettsteini is a species of frog in the family Craugastoridae. It is endemic to Bolivia and only known from the region of Unduavi in the Unduavi Valley, Sud Yungas Province, La Paz Department. Common name Wettstein's Andes frog has been coined for it. It is named for Otto von Wettstein, Austrian zoologist.
Description.
"Psychrophrynella wettsteini" is a comparatively large species (maximum snout–vent length ) and has a robust body and long limbs. The snout is rounded. The tympanic membrane is absent, whereas the tympanic annulus is visible through the skin. Tips of the digits are only slightly swollen. The toes have neither webbing nor lateral fringes. Skin is finely granular on the back and flanks and granular ventrally. The dorsum is gray or reddish-brown and may have pale spots. The venter is cream and has a variable pattern of reddish-brown spots or reticulations.
Average fecundity is 13 eggs. Egg diameter is .
Habitat and conservation.
"Psychrophrynella wettsteini" occurs in upper cloud forest and humid páramo grassland at elevations of above sea level. Individuals have been found under stones. They can be active by day and night, including calling activity by males. The diet consists of insects.
"Psychrophrynella wettsteini" is an abundant species without known major threats.


Leptorchestes algerinus

Leptorchestes algerinus is a jumping spider species of the genus "Leptorchestes" that lives in Algeria. The male was first described in 2001.


White-bellied cuckooshrike

The white-bellied cuckooshrike ("Coracina papuensis") is a species of bird in the family Campephagidae. It is found in Australia, the Moluccas, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
Taxonomy.
The subspecies "C. p. ingens" is now usually considered a full species, the Manus cuckooshrike ("Coracina ingens").


Graceful leaf-toed gecko

The graceful lead-toed gecko ("Hemidactylus gracilis") is a species of small-sized gecko found in India. The holotype was described in British India in Berar (what is now Amravati).
Description.
The head is narrow and elongated, with the snout a little longer than the distance between the eye and the ear-opening. The forehead is not concave, the ear-opening is small and roundish. The body and limbs are slender.
The snout has polygonal rugose scales, the back of the head has small granules.
The body is covered above with coarse granules intermixed with oval, subtrihedral, strongly keeled tubercles arranged in about twelve irregular longitudinal series. Abdominal scales are large.
The tail is round, but slightly depressed at the base and not at all further back, tapering, without any enlarged or spinose tubercles whatever. Grey above, with subquadrangular black spots arranged in longitudinal series. There is a black streak white-edged above on the side of the head, passing through the eye; whitish beneath, with or without longitudinal grey lines.
Type locality: southeastern Berar and Reipur, Central Provinces.


Arboreal splayfoot salamander

The arboreal splayfoot salamander or arboreal flat-footed salamander (Chiropterotriton arboreus) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Mexico where it is only found near its type locality near Tianguistengo in the Hidalgo state. Its natural habitats are humid pine-oak and cloud forests at elevations of above sea level. It lives in bromeliads. It is threatened by habitat loss (deforestation and fragmentation).


Pikumche pericote

The Pikumche pericote ("Loxodontomys pikumche") is a species of rodents in the family Cricetidae. It is known only from central Chile, where its range includes xeric shrublands (the matorral).


White-lined broad-nosed bat

The white-lined broad-nosed bat ("Platyrrhinus lineatus") is a bat species from South America. It is found in southern and eastern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, French Guiana and Suriname.


Cerebavis

Cerebavis is a genus of bird that lived during the Middle Cenomanian (late Cretaceous) period, 99.6 - 93.5 Ma ago, and is known from a single brain mold found in Volgograd Region in Russia. Once considered most likely a member of the Enantiornithes, it is notable for its unusual brain, which displays some unusual features, including a well-developed olfactory system and large cerebrum, suggesting it had a well-developed sense of smell. Although fossils seldom preserve deep-brain soft anatomy, the brain of "Cerebavis cenomanica" may show a relatively large parietal eye and pineal gland. In 2015, a reappraisal of the specimen concluded that it belonged to an ornithurine instead of an enantiornithean.


Chinese shrew

The Chinese shrew or dusky shrew ("Sorex sinalis") is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is endemic to China, where it occurs in Gansu, Sichuan (including Jiuzhaigou), and Shaanxi. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Cordillera Talamanca salamander

The Cordillera Talamanca salamander ("Bolitoglossa sooyorum") is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae.
It is found in Costa Rica and possibly Panama.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
It is threatened by habitat loss.


Atractus albuquerquei

Atractus albuquerquei, commonly known as the Albuquerque ground snake, is a species of small burrowing snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to South America.
Etymology.
The specific name, "albuquerquei", is in honor of Brazilian entomologist Dalcy de Oliveira Albuquerque (1902–1982).
Habitat.
"A. albuquerquei" prefers forested areas and "Cerrado" habitats, at altitudes from sea level to .
Geographic range.
"A. albuquerque" is found in the Brazilian states of Acre, Goias, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, and Rondônia, and in Bolivia.
Description.
"A. albuquerquei" is dark gray dorsally, and yellow ventrally. It has smooth dorsal scales and an iridescent sheen.
Reproduction.
"A. albuquerquei" is oviparous.


Australasian gannet

The Australasian gannet ("Morus serrator"), also known as the Australian gannet or tākapu, is a large seabird of the booby and gannet family, Sulidae. Adults are mostly white, with black flight feathers at the wingtips and lining the trailing edge of the wing. The central tail feathers are also black. The head is tinged buff-yellow, with a pale blue-grey bill edged in black, and blue-rimmed eyes. Young birds have mottled plumage in their first year, dark above and light below. The head is an intermediate mottled grey, with a dark bill. The birds gradually acquire more white in subsequent seasons until they reach maturity after five years.
The species range over water above the continental shelf along the southern and eastern Australian coastline, from Steep Point in Western Australia to Rockhampton, Queensland, as well as the North and South Islands of New Zealand, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands. Nesting takes place in colonies along the coastlines of New Zealand, Victoria and Tasmania—mostly on offshore islands, although there are several mainland colonies in both countries. Highly territorial when breeding, the Australasian gannet performs agonistic displays to defend its nest. Potential and mated pairs engage in courtship and greeting displays. The nest is a cup-shaped mound composed of seaweed, earth, and other debris, built by the female from material mainly gathered by the male. A single pale blue egg is laid yearly, though lost eggs may be replaced. The chick is born featherless but is soon covered in white down. Fed regurgitated fish by its parents, it grows rapidly and outweighs the average adult when it fledges.
These birds are plunge divers and spectacular fishers, plunging into the ocean at high speed. They eat mainly squid and forage fish that school near the surface. The species faces few natural or man-made threats, and since its population is growing it is considered to be a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Taxonomy.
Sir Joseph Banks shot three Australasian gannets in New Zealand waters on 24 December 1769 off Three Kings Islands. The birds were cooked in a goose pie, which was enjoyed by the sailors, for Christmas the next day. Daniel Solander wrote a formal description, noting its differences from the familiar northern gannet, initially giving it the name "Pelecanus chrysocephalus" before crossing it out and changing it to "Pelecanus sectator". Sydney Parkinson illustrated the bird as "P. sectator", which was misread as "P. serrator" by later authorities. The species name has been translated as "sawyer", from "serra" "saw", and linked to the serrated bill.
John Gould described specimens from the Derwent River and Actaeon Island in Tasmania as "Sula australis" in 1841. The binomial name "Sula australis" had already been used by J. F. Stephens for the red-footed booby. English zoologist George Robert Gray wrote of the species in 1843, initially using Gould's name but soon switching to "Sula serrator", based on Parkinson's drawing. Although Gould stuck with "S. australis", "S. serrator" became the preferred term over time.
"Australasian gannet" has been designated as the official common name for the species by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC). It is also known as Pacific gannet and, in Australia, as Australian gannet, diver (from its plunge-diving), booby, or solan goose. In New Zealand it is also known by the Māori name "tākapu" or "tākupu", a word of wider Polynesian origin for a gannet or booby.
The Sulidae, the gannets and boobies, appeared about 30 million years ago. Early Sulidae fossils most resembled the boobies, although they were more aquatic, the gannets splitting off later, about 16 million years ago. The gannets evolved in the northern hemisphere, later colonising the southern oceans. The most ancient extant species may be the Abbott's booby, possibly the sole survivor of an otherwise extinct separate lineage. A 2011 genetic study of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA suggests that the ancestor of the gannets arose around 2.5 million years ago before splitting into northern and southern lineages. The latter then split into the Cape and Australasian gannets around 0.5 million years ago. The three gannets are generally considered to be separate species forming a superspecies, though they have also formerly been classified as subspecies of the northern gannet ("Sula bassanus").
Description.
An adult Australasian gannet is long, weighs , and has a wingspan. The two sexes are generally of a similar size and appearance, though a 2015 field study at Pope's Eye and Point Danger colonies found females to be 3.1% and 7.3% heavier respectively. Females also had a slightly larger ulna and smaller bill. The plumage is white with black flight feathers on the wings, and central rectrices of the tail. Some individuals have more extensive black plumage of their tail feathers. There is a sharp demarcation between light and dark plumage. Black primary feathers are more resilient to wear, which may explain the dark plumage of the wings. The head and hindneck are tinged buff-yellow. The colour is more pronounced on the head and during breeding season. The eyes have a light grey iris surrounded by a pale blue eye ring, and bare black skin on the face which merges into the bill. In adults, the bill is pearly grey with dark grey or black edges, and a black groove running down the length of the upper mandible. The four-toed feet are dark grey and joined by a membrane of similar colour. There are light green lines running along the ridges of the toes that continue along up the front of the legs.
Fledglings are brownish-grey speckled with white overall. They have dark brown bills, bare facial skin and eyes, and dark grey legs and feet. Australasian gannets take 2–5 years to gain adult plumage. Over this period, the upperparts and underparts gradually whiten and the crown and nape become buff-coloured, but there is great variation in the age that mature plumage is seen.
This species is distinctive and only likely to be confused with species that do not generally share its range. The Cape gannet is a rare vagrant to Australasian waters and has an all-black tail, while the masked and red-footed boobies are generally restricted to tropical waters. Although both have mostly white plumage, they lack the buff colouring of the head and have white tails. The masked booby has a blue-black face and less black on the wing, while the red-footed booby has red feet.
Call.
The Australasian gannet is generally silent at sea and loud and vocal at the colony in the day and at times overnight during the breeding season. Its typical call is a harsh "arrah-arrah" or "urrah-urrah", which is emitted upon approaching or arriving at the colony or as a threat. The calls can vary between individuals, and the female's call is lower pitched than the male's.
Distribution and habitat.
The Australasian gannet is found from Steep Point in Western Australia, along the southern and eastern Australian coastline to the vicinity of Rockhampton in Queensland, as well as the North and South Islands of New Zealand, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands. At sea, it is generally restricted to waters over the continental shelf, and may enter harbours, bays and estuaries, particularly in stormy weather. Over May and June, young gannets from New Zealand colonies disperse to the north and west, mainly flying north around the North Island and (to a lesser extent) via the Cook Strait. They generally reach as far as southeastern Queensland and Rottnest Island in Western Australia. Far-wandering gannets are occasional visitors to Marion Island and the Crozet Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, and have even reached South Africa where they have interbred with Cape gannets. Some immature gannets spend 3 to 4 years in Australian waters before returning to New Zealand, while others remain in New Zealand waters.
Breeding colonies.
Breeding colonies are mostly on offshore islands, though several mainland colonies exist in Australia and New Zealand. Numbers of Australasian gannet have been increasing since 1950, although some colonies have disappeared and others have decreased in size. Between 1980 and 2000, the population in Australian waters increased from approximately 6,600 to 20,000 breeding pairs. The most recent comprehensive New Zealand census was in 1981, yielding an estimate of 46,600 pairs, estimated to have increased to around 55,000 pairs in 2006. Colony location is related to sea temperature, which in turn dictates the presence of fish. Many colonies have limited space and birds seek new locations once the nest sites in a colony are full, at this point often spilling over onto the mainland.
In Victoria, there are colonies at Lawrence Rocks near Portland, and Pope's Eye and Wedge Light in Port Phillip near Melbourne. The colony on Lawrence Rocks increased from 200 pairs in 1873 to around 3,100 pairs in 1996–97, by which time all available space on the island had been filled. Gannets began roosting at Point Danger—the closest point on the mainland itself—in 1995, and began nesting the following year after a fox-proof fence was erected around the site. The only nesting locale on mainland Australia itself, the Point Danger colony, has increased steadily, reaching 660 pairs in 1999–2000. Located northeast of Portsea, Pope's Eye is a low artificial semicircular stone breakwater. Gannets began breeding on manmade structures in Port Phillip in 1966, with three pairs at Wedge Light. By the 1999–2000 season, there were 507 pairs there, and on seven other artificial structures around the bay.
In Tasmania, there are colonies at Eddystone Rock and Pedra Branca off the south coast, and in Bass Strait at Cat Island off Flinders Island, and Black Pyramid Rock off the northwest coast. The colony on Black Pyramid grew from 500 pairs in 1961 to 12,300 pairs in 1998. Eddystone Rock increased from 20 pairs in 1947 to 189 pairs in 1998, and Pedra Branca grew from 1000 pairs in 1939 to 3,300 pairs by 1995, but both these sites have little or no room for expansion. Conversely, the colony at Cat Island fell from an estimated 5–10,000 pairs in 1908 to negligible numbers by the turn of the millennium due to predation.
In New Zealand, almost all breeding colonies are on or around the North Island. Gannet Island, offshore from Kawhia, was named by Captain James Cook in January 1770 for the gannets seen there and 8,003 pairs were counted in a 1981 census. Three Kings Islands, north-west of Cape Reinga, contained New Zealand's largest offshore gannet colonies, with 9,855 pairs across five smaller colonies in 1981; an aerial survey in 2014–15 found that it had shrunk to 6,402 pairs. Whakaari / White Island, offshore in the Bay of Plenty and comprising five smaller colonies, also saw a reduction in numbers, from 6,662 pairs in 1980–81 to 5,306 pairs in 2014–15. The colony at Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay is thought to have been settled around 1850, with 100 pairs reported in 1885. It had 5,186 pairs counted in a 1981 census. Muriwai, near Auckland, comprises a mainland colony on Okatamiro Point, estimated at 1,385 pairs in 2016, while nearby Motutara (Pillar Rock) had 187 pairs. Gannets established a colony on Tikitiki Rock (Nine Pin Rock) in the outer Bay of Islands in 2007, which had around 70 pairs by 2017. A small colony was established at Young Nick's Head in 2008.
On the South Island, gannets began breeding at the end of Farewell Spit in 1983, in an area known as Shellbanks—a 2 m (7 ft) high area of shells and driftwood interspersed with low vegetation: marram ("Ammophila arenaria"), sea rocket ("Cakile edentula"), velvety nightshade ("Solanum chenopodioides") and sowthistle ("Sonchus oleraceus"). Strong winds allow gannets to take off vertically most of the time, and the decline in commercial fishing in nearby Golden and Tasman Bays is thought to have increased food supply. The breeding area is cut off from the mainland by high tides, but can be badly impacted by storms. It grew by around 11% per year, reaching an estimated 3,900 pairs in 2011.
Little Solander Island in Foveaux Strait hosts the southernmost gannet colony, around 20 pairs recorded on most visits between 1948 and 1986, with one count of 62 pairs in 1984 possibly anomalous.
Behaviour.
The Australasian gannet is generally solitary when out at sea, though once a bird has found fish to hunt, other gannets may notice and join it. It is gregarious on land, nesting in colonies. Non-breeding gannets often form groups on the outskirts of the colony. Small numbers of gannets may remain around the colony site outside of the breeding season, using it as a roosting site.
Breeding and courtship.
Gannet pairs form monogamous and long term bonds, and pairs may remain together over several seasons until one member dies, although they have been known to separate. The Australasian gannet is highly territorial when nesting, engaging in agonistic displays to mark their ground against neighbours and interlopers. In the bowing display, the male's head and beak point down, and its wings are held up and away from the body, yet folded backwards. He moves his head from side to side before bowing forwards. The male may escalate by lunging at an interloper, either with a closed or open bill, or proceed to locking bills and wrestling for an extended period. Fights can be fatal on occasion. A bird may engage in an appeasement display to calm an attacker by lowering its head and tucking its bill in its chest.
Mated pairs engage in a fencing display when the male arrives back at the nest. The two birds stand breast to breast with wings spread and bills extended vertically. They fence and scissor with their bills rapidly, calling loudly at the same time. Fencing is interspersed with bill bowing. The birds generally follow this exchange with allopreening. Mated pairs also engage in "sky-pointing", where a bird paces slowly with its neck and bill vertical and its wings partly raised. Copulation takes place after allopreening, the female shaking her head vigorously and the male biting her neck and climbing on her back and waving his wings before joining their cloacae. Afterwards the female preens the male, who slides off his partner and reciprocates preening.
The breeding season is generally from July to February, with marked differences between locations. On Motukaramarama Island, the gannets return in mid-June, laying eggs between 20 July and 7 August. The chicks hatch from 10 October to 2 November and fledge from late December. At Cape Kidnappers, the gannets return in late July, laying eggs from early September to the end of October. The chicks fledge from early February. At Pope's Eye, gannets lay eggs between early August and December, the median and mean being laid in September. Younger parents tend to lay eggs later in the year than older parents. Within colonies, there is a wider variation in breeding dates compared to the northern gannet, thought to be due to the absence of a tight breeding 'window' from strongly seasonal weather.
The preferred nesting sites are on flat or gently sloping ground or broad, flat ledges, on offshore islands, stacks or elevated areas on the mainland such as cliff-tops, generally between above sea level. The ground may be bare or bear low shrubs such as "Coprosma", "Mesembryanthemum", "Bulbine" or grasses. The nests themselves are cup-shaped mounds high with a deep basin, made from seaweed, plants, earth and debris from the sea. The males usually collect the materials and give them to the females, who construct the nests. One egg is laid that can weigh anywhere from , with an average of . Matt pale blue and with an elongated egg shape, it measures long by wide. The egg surface fades to a white when dry and it has a chalky coating. Generally, only one brood takes place each season, though eggs and chicks up to eight days old will be replaced if lost. Incubation takes 37–50 days and is done mainly by the female, keeping the eggs warm on top of its webbed feet.
Newly hatched chicks are featherless and have black skin, their eyes opening at 2–3 days of age. They are covered with white down by two weeks old. The first proper feathers to appear are flight feathers, which appear between days 43 and 47. The chick becomes half-covered by feathers by 9 weeks of age. Young chicks are fed regurgitated semi-digested fish by their parents, who open their mouths wide for their young to fetch the food from the back of their throats.
The young birds fledge 95–109 days after hatching, heading to a nearby clifftop and remaining there for anywhere from 6 hours to 3 days before flying. Weighing on average when born, they reach —exceeding that of adult birds—by day 50 and by day 90. Unlike young northern gannets, juvenile Australasian gannets are able to fly by the time they fledge and have fully grown primary flight feathers. They have smaller fat reserves, which may reflect a poorer food supply.
Young individuals return to the colonies when they are three years old, and begin breeding between four and seven years of age. The typical lifespan is estimated to be around 20 years. The maximum age recorded from banding has been 30 years 8.2 months; a bird tagged at Cape Kidnappers in January 1955 was found dead some away at Tangalooma in Moreton Bay, Queensland in September 1985. The longest distance travelled is ; a bird tagged at Lawrence Rocks was found washed ashore dead on the southeast coast of Mauritius.
Feeding.
These birds are plunge divers and spectacular fishers, plunging from heights of up to 20 m (65 ft) into the ocean at high speed. They may dive from as low as 1–2 m (3–7 ft) above the surface at an angle to forage in water less than 3 m (10 ft) deep or in rough weather. They mainly eat forage fish which school near the surface, as well as cephalopods. Some local differences have been recorded: Australasian gannets at Farewell Spit mainly forage on coastal fish in water depths of less than , while those at Cape Kidnappers hunt more oceanic fish at water depths exceeding that. Birds also follow fishing vessels and trawlers to pick up discarded fish. Its bulk prevents it from hovering for a sustained period, but it can pause to examine the sea surface for fish.
The pilchard ("Sardinops sagax") is a preferred prey item as it is an energy-rich source of food; after pilchard mass mortality events, Australasian gannets were able to adjust by switching to anchovy ("Engraulis australis") at Farewell Spit in 1996 and barracouta ("Thyrsites atun") in Port Phillip Bay in 1998. They also consumed correspondingly larger numbers of anchovies to maintain their caloric intake as this species has fewer calories than the pilchard. The increased expenditure for poorer return could feasibly impact on breeding success. In 1995, patrollers recovered 648 dead gannets along beaches in Auckland West and Northland West. The cause was unknown, but the 1995 pilchard mortality event and unusually strong westerly and southwesterly winds in July and August 1995 were implicated.
Other fish species reported eaten include kahawai ("Arripis trutta"), yellow-eye mullet ("Aldrichetta forsteri"), western Australian salmon ("Arripis truttaceus"), cape bonnetmouth ("Emmelichthys nitidus"), greenback horse mackerel ("Trachurus declivis"), yellowtail horse mackerel ("Trachurus novaezelandiae"), striped trumpeter ("Latris lineata"), New Zealand blueback sprat ("Sprattus antipodum") and flyingfish of the genera "Cheilopogon" and "Hirundichthys". Squid of the genus "Nototodarus" are among cephalopods eaten.
Predators and parasites.
The southern giant petrel ("Macronectes giganteus") has been recorded preying on an adult Australasian gannet by holding it underwater and drowning it. Eggs and chicks can fall victim to the kelp gull ("Larus dominicanus") and Pacific gull ("Larus pacificus"), particularly if parent birds have been disturbed.
External parasites include the feather mite species "Morinyssus simplex"—collected from a museum skin of Australasian gannet—the bird louse species "Pectinopygus bassani", and the tick species "Ixodes eudyptidis", the widespread "Ixodes uriae" and "Carios capensis".
Conservation status.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Australasian gannet as a species of least concern, as the population is large and appears to be growing. There are possible impacts from commercial fishing, though this is probably low compared with other seabirds. Survival rates each breeding season can vary dramatically, most likely due to food availability and weather. More frequent El Niño–Southern Oscillation events lead to warmer water in Bass Strait, which gives rise to more fish and hence accounting for the increase in Australian waters.
Gannets established a mainland colony on Young Nick's Head near Gisborne, after decoys of nesting birds and pre-recorded calls were broadcast to passing gannets in September 2008. Successful breeding was recorded at the site from the 2010–11 breeding season onwards. A similar effort to establish a colony on Mana Island led to the arrival of a single gannet, dubbed Nigel "no mates", who lived alone among the 80 decoys for several years until he was found dead in February 2018; in summer 2018, three more gannets arrived at the site. Gannets have been enticed to established breeding colonies by decoys at reserves on Motuora Island.
Relationship with humans.
The Māori were reported to have harvested young gannets for food, visiting Gannet Island in March. The white feathers of adult gannets were used to adorn canoes, and were worn by important members of the community. The bones were made into tools to apply facial moko (tattoos).
Some mainland colonies have become tourist attractions, such as those at Cape Kidnappers, and Muriwai in New Zealand, and Point Danger in Australia. The gannets of Cape Kidnappers have featured on New Zealand stamps issued in 1958 and 2009.


Humphead wrasse

The humphead wrasse ("Cheilinus undulatus") is a large species of wrasse mainly found on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. It is also known as the Māori wrasse, Napoleon wrasse, Napoleon fish, Napoleonfish, "so mei" 蘇眉 (Cantonese), "mameng" (Filipino), and "merer" in the Pohnpeian language of the Caroline Islands.
Description.
The humphead wrasse is the largest living member of the family Labridae. Males, typically larger than females, are capable of reaching up to 2 meters and weighing up to 180 kg, but the average length is a little less than 1 meter. Females rarely grow larger than one meter. This species can be easily identified by its large size, thick lips, two black lines behind its eyes, and the hump on the foreheads of larger adults. Its color can vary between dull blue-green to more vibrant shades of green and purplish-blue. Adults are usually observed living singly, but are also seen in male/female pairs and in small groups.
Habitat.
The humphead wrasses can be found on the east coast of Africa around the mouth of the Red Sea, and in some areas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Juveniles are usually found in shallow, sandy ranges bordering coral reef waters, while adults are found mostly in offshore and deeper areas of coral reefs, typically in outer-reef slopes and channels, but also in lagoons.
Reproduction.
The humphead wrasse is long-lived, but has a very slow breeding rate. Individuals become sexually mature at five to seven years, and are known to live for around 30 years. They are protogynous hermaphrodites, with some becoming male at about 9 years old. The factors controlling the timing of sex change are not yet known. At certain times of year, adults move to the down-current end of the reef and form local spawning aggregations (groups). They likely do not travel very far for their spawning aggregations.
The pelagic eggs and larvae ultimately settle on or near coral reef habitats. Eggs are 0.65 mm in diameter and spherical, with no pigment.
Ecology.
Very opportunistic predators, "C. undulatus" preys primarily on invertebrates such as mollusks (particularly gastropods, as well as pelecypods, echinoids, crustaceans, and annelids) and fish. Because half of echinoids and most pelecypods hide under the sand, wrasses may rely on fish excavators like stingrays, or they themselves may excavate by ejecting water to displace sand and nosing around for prey. Like many other Red Sea wrasses, humphead wrasses often crack sea urchins (echinoids) by carrying them to a rock in their mouths and striking them against the rock with brisk, sideways head movements.
They sometimes engage in cooperative hunting with the roving coral grouper.
Adults are commonly found on steep coral reef slopes, channel slopes, and lagoon reefs in water deep.
The species actively selects branching hard and soft corals and seagrasses at settlement. Juveniles tend to prefer a more cryptic existence in areas of dense branching corals, bushy macroalgae or seagrasses, while larger individuals and adults prefer limited home ranges in more open habitat on the edges of reefs, channels and reef passes.
Conservation.
The humphead wrasse is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red list and in Appendix II of CITES. Its numbers have declined due to multiple threats, including:
Unsustainable and severe overfishing within the live reef food fish trade is the primary threat. Sabah, on Borneo Island, is a major source of humphead wrasses. The fishing industry is vital to this state because of its severe poverty. The export of humphead wrasses out of Sabah has led to a roughly 99% decline in the area's population. In an effort to protect it, export of the humphead wrasse out of Sabah has been banned; however, it has not prevented illegal, unreported and unregulated activities. Protection by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is managed in this area by the federal Department of Fisheries Malaysia, , which issues permits to regulate fishing activity. Two pieces of legislation have also been implemented to protect the species: The Fisheries Act 1985 controls the transport of live fish and prohibits destructive fishing techniques; and the Trade of Endangered Species Act 2008 supports Malaysia's adoption of CITES.
The humphead wrasse is considered an umbrella species, which means many other species are sympatric with it and have much smaller ranges—thus the conservation of the humphead wrasse's habitat would benefit these other species as well. Understading the concept of an umbrella species can lead to a better understanding of endangered species protection.
The humphead wrasse has historically been fished commercially in northern Australia, but has been protected in Queensland since 2003 and in Western Australia since 1998.
In Guangdong Province, southern mainland China, permits are required for the sale of the species. Indonesia allows fishing only for research, mariculture and licensed artisanal fishing. The Maldives instituted an export ban in 1995; Papua New Guinea prohibits export of fish over ; and Niue has banned all fishing for this species.
The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has classified the humphead wrasse as a species of concern—one about which it has concerns, but for which it lacks insufficient information to list it under the Endangered Species Act.
In Taiwan it is a protected species with fines of between NT$300,000 and $1.5 million and jail sentences of between 6 months and 5 years under the Wildlife Conservation act for hunting or killing of the species having been added to the protection list in 2014.
Population conservation by genetics.
In 1996, following a decade of rapid population decline, the humphead wrasse was placed on the IUCN Red List of endangered species. The wrasse's genomes must be analyzed to help keep the species alive.
Since so little was known about the wrasse's genetic relationships at a geographical scale, researchers utilized a test using microsatellite loci to facilitate population genetic studies. (DNA markers could not be used for testing, as the humphead wrasse lack such markers.) Of the 15 microsatellite loci used in the test, only four seemed to have different outcomes than the other 11. These loci were all prone to null alleles. However, with the presence of these null alleles, the results may have been slightly biased, or they may be related to a particularity of the "C. undulatus", which are highly restricted to coral reef habitats.
Illegal, unregulated and unreported activities.
The Philippines, Indonesia and Sabah Malaysia are the three largest exporters of the humphead wrasse. It has one of the highest retail values in Asia, especially when caught alive, and it is considered a delicacy in places like Malaysia. Illegal, unregulated and unreported activities have been identified as the major factor for the failure of conservation efforts. Although the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has banned its export, the fish are still smuggled across the Malaysia–Philippines border.
Four main factors have allowed illegal, unregulated and unreported activities to persist:
Most exports of the humphead wrasse in Malaysia occur in Sandakan, Papar and Tawau, where the fish could recently be purchased for between US$45.30 and $69.43, with its retail price ranging from $60.38 to $120.36.


Haetera piera

Haetera piera, the amber phantom, is a butterfly species from the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. This species can be found in the Guianas, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela.


Palestine sunbird

The Palestine sunbird ("Cinnyris osea") is a small passerine bird of the sunbird family which is found in parts of the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also known as orange-tufted sunbird, a name which is also used for the similar orange-tufted sunbird ("Cinnyris bouvieri"), found further south in Africa. In 2015, it was declared the national bird by the Palestinian Authority.
Description.
The Palestine sunbird is 8 to 12 cm long with a wingspan of 14 to 16 cm. Males have an average weight of 7.6 g and females weigh around 6.8 g. The bill is fairly long, black and curves downwards. The plumage of breeding males is mostly dark but appears glossy blue or green in the light. There are orange tufts at the sides of the breast which are hard to see except at close range. Females and juveniles are grey-brown above with pale underparts. Non-breeding males are similar but may retain some dark feathers.
It has a high, fast, jingling song and various calls including a harsh alarm call.
Habitat and range.
It occurs in areas with high temperatures and dry climate from sea level up to an altitude of 3200 m. It inhabits dry woodland, scrub, wadis, savannas, orchards and gardens. It is common in towns in some areas, and is a familiar sight in Tel Aviv.
The Middle Eastern subspecies "C. o. osea" breeds from Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan in the north, down through western Saudi Arabia to Yemen and Oman in the south. In recent decades it has colonized the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It has been observed breeding in Lebanon and regularly winters in both Lebanon and Syria.
The African subspecies "C. o. decorsei" is found very locally in parts of Sudan, north-west Uganda, the Central African Republic, north-east Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Cameroon.
Feeding.
The diet consists mainly of insects and nectar. The tongue is long and brush-tipped to extract nectar from flowers.
Reproduction.
The purse-like nest hangs from a branch in a tree or bush. It is 18 cm long and 8 cm wide at the base. It is made of leaves, grass and other plant material which is bound together with hair and spider webs and lined with wool and feathers. One to three smooth, glossy eggs are laid. These are somewhat variable in colour; often white or grey with faint markings at the broader end. They are incubated for 13 to 14 days. The young are downy with an orange-red mouth and fledge after 14 to 21 days.


Adenomus kandianus

Adenomus kandianus (Kandyan dwarf toad) is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae endemic to Sri Lanka. It is a high-altitude species known only from few localities. The specific name "kandianus" means "from Kandy" and seems to suggest that the type material came from near the city of Kandy.
Rediscovery.
As there had been no record of the species since 1872, it was listed as extinct by the IUCN in 2004. However, in June 2012 it was announced that almost three years earlier, in October 2009, the species was rediscovered in the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary in Sri Lanka. In light of the discovery, the species was reclassified in 2012 as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Another extant population was reported in 2014 from Pidurutalagala Forest Reserve.
Description.
Adult males measure and adult females in snout–vent length. The parotoid glands are relatively long, which is the single morphological trait that separates "Adenomus kandianus" from "Adenomus kelaartii" with shorter parotoid glands. The tympanum is submerged and poorly visible. The toes are partially to fully webbed; the partially webbed morphs were described as a separate species, "Adenomus dasi", but because the morphs show negligible genetic differences, "A. dasi" is not longer recognized as distinct. The fingers have no webbing.
The dorsum is yellowish brown; the head is more reddish compared to the body. A tiny gold-coloured vertebral stripe is present. The parotoid glands are chocolate or dark brown. The lips have black and gold dots. The venter is gold. An hourglass-shaped pattern of tubercles on the dorsum may be present.
The tadpole has relatively long body (39% of total length). The body is flattened and wide anteriorly, accommodating a ventral sucker disc that covers more than half of the body. The eyes are bulbous. Gosner stage 36 specimen measures in total length.
Habitat.
"Adenomus kandianus" is known from montane cloud forests and tropical moist forests in and near hill streams at elevations of above sea level. The tadpoles develop in the streams.


Flat-billed kingfisher

The flat-billed kingfisher ("Todiramphus recurvirostris") is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to Samoa.


Dodia verticalis

Dodia verticalis is a moth of the family Erebidae. It was described by J. Donald Lafontaine and James T. Troubridge in 2000. It is found in Canada (Yukon). The habitat consists of dry, rocky tundra.
The forewings have dark transverse bands meeting at the posterior margin at right angles.


Synaphe rungsi

Synaphe rungsi is a species of moth of the family Pyralidae. It was described by Daniel Lucas in 1937. It is found in Morocco.


Agdistis bifurcatus

Agdistis bifurcatus is a moth in the family Pterophoridae. It is known from Cape Verde, the Canary Islands, Morocco, Tunisia, the Selvagens Islands, Spain and Portugal.
The larvae feed on "Limonium" species, including "Limonium ferulaceum".


Fauna of New Zealand

The animals of New Zealand, part of its biota, have a particularly interesting history because, before the arrival of humans, less than 900 years ago, the country was mostly free of mammals, except those that could swim there (seals, sea lions, and, off-shore, whales) or fly there (bats), though as recently as the Miocene there was the terrestrial Saint Bathans Mammal, implying that mammals were present since the island broke away from other landmasses. This meant that all the ecological niches occupied by mammals elsewhere were occupied by either insects or birds, leading to an unusually large number of flightless birds, including the kiwi, the weka, the moa (now extinct), the takahē, and the kakapo.
Because of the lack of predators even the bats spend most of their time on the ground. There are also about 60 species of lizard (30 each of gecko and skink), four species of frog (all rare and endangered) and the tuatara (reptiles resembling lizards but with a distinct lineage).
Some butterflies of New Zealand are endemic, while many species have been introduced and some species of butterflies periodically migrate to New Zealand. The Australian painted lady has been known to migrate from Australia to New Zealand in times of strong migration in Australia.
Invasive species.
Humans first arrived via the Pacific islands, in several waves at some time before 1300 AD, bringing with them the Polynesian rat ("kiore") and the domesticated dog. Europeans later brought pigs, ferrets, stoats, mice, rats, dogs, cats, sheep, cattle, and many other mammals. Of these, the rats, ferrets, cats, stoats and dogs have all seriously impacted the New Zealand fauna, driving many species to extinction. Brushtail possums were introduced from Australia for a fur industry, and deer from Europe as game animals, both seriously damaging the forest habitat of many birds.
In recent years, successful efforts have been made to remove possums, rats, ferrets, and other mammals from many large and small offshore islands in an effort to return these places to something more closely resembling their original state. An estimated 30 tons of dead possums were removed from Kapiti Island, for example. Similarly, efforts are being made to control such species in selected locations on the mainland. In a further step, in certain mainland reserves mammals are being completely eliminated within predator-proof fences creating ecological islands. Examples are Zealandia in Wellington city, from which about a ton of dead possums was removed after the installation of a mammal-proof fence, and the Maungatautari Restoration Project.


Acompsia syriella

Acompsia syriella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae which is endemic to Syria.
Description.
The wingspan is about for males. The forewings are straw yellow, mottled with black scales. The hindwings are grey.
Distribution.
Adults have been recorded in mid May.
Etymology.
The species is named after the type region.


Brown-banded water snake

The brown-banded water snake ("Helicops angulatus") is a species of aquatic snake found in tropical South America and Trinidad and Tobago.
Description.
The brown-banded water snake grows to a maximum total length (including tail) of 78 cm (31 inches). Dorsally, it is olive or gray-brown, with dark brown, black-edged crossbands, which narrow at the sides, and are usually confluent with the black crossbands of the belly. There is a large dark rhomboid on the nape. Ventrally, it is yellowish (in alcohol) with black crossbands or black spots.
The dorsal scales are strongly keeled, even on the occiput and nape, and are arranged in 19 rows. Ventrals are 102–130 in number, the anal scale is divided, and the 61-94 subcaudals are paired and keeled.
Habitat and diet.
"H. angulatus" lives in fresh and brackish water, where it feeds on fish and possibly also freshwater eels and frogs.
Reproduction.
"H. angulatus" has been reported to be "facultatively ovoviviparous".
Venom.
H. angulatus is a venomous snake, its venom causes rapid death in mice with an injection of 0.4 mg/kg (intraperitoneally).


Violet-crowned hummingbird

The violet-crowned hummingbird ("Leucolia violiceps") is a medium-sized hummingbird. It is 10 cm long and weighs approximately 5 g.
The bird is best distinguished by its violet-colored cap, from where it gets its name. Adults are colored predominantly a dark olive green for their upperparts and tail. The underparts are predominantly white. The bill of the male is straight and very slender. It is red in coloration, and shows a black tip. The female is less colorful than the male.
The breeding habitat is in arid scrub of southeastern Arizona in the United States to southwestern Mexico, (the Madrean Sky Islands), and it is typically a mountain species. Outside its breeding range, it will occasionally stray from southernmost California to southwest Texas. The female builds a nest in a protected location in a shrub or tree. Females lay two white eggs. This hummingbird is partially migratory, retreating from northernmost areas during the winter.
These birds feed on nectar from flowers and flowering trees using a long extendable tongue or catch insects on the wing.
This species was formerly placed in the genus "Amazilia". A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014 found that "Amazilia" was polyphyletic. In the revised classification to create monophyletic genera, the violet-crowned hummingbird was one of three species to be placed in the resurrected genus "Leucolia".


Diasporus anthrax

Diasporus anthrax is a species of frogs in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It is endemic to Colombia where it is found along the eastern base of the Cordillera Central and the western slope of the Cordillera Oriental. The specific name "anthrax" is Greek for Greek, meaning a carbuncle, a red gemstone. It refers to the red patches on the hidden surfaces of the limbs.
Description.
"Diasporus anthrax" are small frogs, with a body size of . It is easily distinguished from related species by its white belly with dark spots and red spots on the hidden surface of the extremities.
The male advertisement call is distinctive and consists of a single note about 0.06 seconds in duration. Its dominant frequency is about 4400 Hz, higher than advertisement calls of other "Diasporus" species.
Habitat.
It inhabits humid tropical and sub-Andean forest at elevations of above sea level. They seem to occur near water bodies and human settlements. Specimens have been found on a tree branch, on a trail, in a trashcan, and inside of a petiole of "Xanthosoma sagittifolium". Although these frogs appear rare based on museum collections and sightings during field expeditions, acoustic surveys suggest that they can be fairly abundant inside forest patches.


Cordilleran canastero

The cordilleran canastero ("Asthenes modesta") is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Its natural habitats are temperate grassland and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.
Seven subspecies are recognized:


Cream-coloured giant squirrel

The cream-coloured giant squirrel or pale giant squirrel ("Ratufa affinis") is a large tree squirrel in the genus "Ratufa" found in forests in the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra (Indonesia), Borneo (Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia) and nearby small islands. The species is near threatened and vulnerable to habitat degradation, and it has probably been extirpated in Singapore where the last sighting was in 1995. Reported sightings in Vietnam in 1984 are considered to be dubious.
Description.
The cream-coloured giant squirrel is one of the largest squirrels. It has a head–and–body length of , a tail length of and weighs . On average, adults of both sexes have a head–and–body length of about and tail length of , while females weight about and males .
As suggested by its name, the cream-coloured giant squirrel is typically overall cream to very light orangish-brown, while the underparts are whitish-cream. In Borneo and nearby small islands where it is the only "Ratufa" giant squirrel, some populations resemble cream-coloured giant squirrels from elsewhere, but most have upperparts that are medium-dark grey, sometimes almost black (contrasting strongly with the whitish-cream underparts), the flanks and thighs can have a reddish-buff tinge and the cheeks are orangish.
Habitat.
The cream-coloured giant squirrel makes its home in lower montane and secondary forests, frequenting dipterocarp trees. It rarely enters plantations or settlements, preferring the forest. Although this squirrel primarily inhabits the upper canopy of the forest, it will at times come to ground in order to hunt smaller species of squirrels, or to cross gaps in the trees.
Behaviour.
This species is diurnal, active from morning to evening. They live either in pairs or alone. When it is angry or shocked, it will give a loud sound that can be heard from afar.
Although this squirrel often will make holes in trees for shelter, during the breeding season it constructs a large globular drey (or nest) in tree branches, roughly the size of an eagle’s aerie. The young are born and raised in this nest.
The main dietary habits of "Ratufa affinis" are seeds, which it supplements with leaves, fruits, nuts, bark, insects, and eggs. The squirrel has a very short thumb that it uses to hold and control its food while feeding.
Unlike other tree squirrels, the cream-coloured giant squirrel does not sit upright with its tail arched over its back while feeding; instead, it balances itself with its hind feet on a branch so that its hands are free to control its food. In this position the axis of the squirrels body is held at right angles to the support, with its head and forequarters on one side of the branch, and the tail as a counterweight on the other side.
Taxonomy.
The table below lists the nine recognized subspecies of "Ratufa affinis", along with any synonyms associated with each subspecies:


Caligo brasiliensis

Caligo brasiliensis, the Brazilian owl, sulanus owl, or almond-eyed owl, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. The species can be found in most of South America as various subspecies, including Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Its range extends through Trinidad, Honduras, Guatemala and Panama north to Mexico.
The larvae of the nominate subspecies have been recorded on "Euterpe edulis", "Musa" species, and "Hedychium coronarium". The larvae of subspecies "sulanus" have been recorded on "Heliconia", "Calathea", and "Musa" species.


Yunnan lake newt

The Yunnan lake newt (Cynops wolterstorffi) is an extinct species of newt in the family Salamandridae, and was also known as Wolterstorff's newt. It was only found near the Kunming Lake in Yunnan, China. It was found in shallow lake waters and adjacent freshwater habitats. Despite extensive surveys, it has not been seen since 1979, and is therefore considered extinct. The reasons for its extinction are believed to be habitat loss, pollution, and introduced species.
Etymology.
The specific name "wolterstorffi" honours Willy Wolterstorff, German geologist and herpetologist.


Giant hummingbird

The giant hummingbird ("Patagona gigas") is the only member of the genus "Patagona" and the largest member of the hummingbird family, weighing and having a wingspan of approximately and length of . This is approximately the same length as a European starling or a northern cardinal, though the giant hummingbird is considerably lighter because it has a slender build and long bill, making the body a smaller proportion of the total length. This weight is almost twice that of the next heaviest hummingbird species and ten times that of the smallest, the bee hummingbird.
Description.
In Bolivia, the giant hummingbird is known in Quechua as "burro q'enti", the Spanish word "burro" referring to its dull plumage.
Members of "P. gigas" can be identified by their large size and characteristics such as the presence of an eye-ring, straight bill longer than the head, dull colouration, very long wings (approaching the tail tip when stowed), long and moderately forked tail, tarsi feathered to the toes and large, sturdy feet. There is no difference between the sexes. Juveniles have small corrugations on the lateral beak culmen.
The subspecies are visually distinguishable. "P. g. peruviana" is yellowish brown overall and has white on the chin and throat, where "P. g. gigas" is more olive green to brown and lacks white on the chin and throat.
The giant hummingbird occasionally glides in flight, a behavior very rare among hummingbirds. Its elongated wings allow more efficient glides than do those of other hummingbirds. The giant hummingbird's voice is a distinctive loud, sharp and whistling "chip".
Taxonomy.
Belonging to the family Trochilidae (hummingbirds), "P. gigas" is one of approximately 331 described species in this family, making it the second largest group of new world birds. Trochilids are further divided into about 104 genera. It is thought that the species is comparatively old and, for the most part, a failed evolutionary experiment in enlarging hummingbird size given it has not diverged and proliferated.
Traditional morphologic taxonomic inquiries show "P. gigas" to be substantially different from the other taxa of hummingbirds. A 2008 phylogenetic review found a 97.5% likelihood that "P. gigas" has diverged substantially enough from the proposed the closest phylogenetic clades to be considered belonging to a single-species clade named Patagonini. This is in accord with International Ornithological Union’s taxonomic classification of "P. gigas" in a genus of its own.
Two subspecies, "P. gigas gigas" and "P. gigas peruviana", are recognised. These subspecies are thought to have emerged as a result of partial geographical separation of populations by volcanic activity in the Andes predating the Miocene; however, there remain areas of contact between the species, hence the lack of full speciation. The proposed phylogenetic system for hummingbirds suggested by McGuire "et al." (2009) accommodates the possible elevation of these subspecies to species rank.
Distribution and habitat.
The giant hummingbird is widely distributed throughout the length of the Andes on both the east and west sides. "P. gigas" typically inhabit the higher altitude scrubland and forests that line the slopes of the Andes during the summer and then retreat to similar, lower altitude habitats in winter months. The species persists through a large altitude range, with specimens retrieved from sea level up to 4600 m. They have shown to be fairly resilient to urbanisation and agricultural activities; however, the removal of vegetation limits their distribution in dense city areas and industrial zones.
"P. g. peruviana" occurs from Ecuador to the southeastern mountains of Peru and "P. g. gigas" from northern Bolivia and Chile to Argentina. Contact between subspecies is most likely to occur around the eastern slopes of the north Peruvian Andes.
Global range and population.
The range of Patagona gigas is sizable, and its global extent of occurrence is estimated at 1,200,000 km2. Its global population is believed to be not less than 10,000 adults.
Behaviour.
Hummingbirds are extremely agile and acrobatic flyers, regularly partaking in sustained hovering flight, often used not only to feed on the wing but to protect their territory and court mates. "P. gigas" is typical in that it will brazenly defend its precious energy-rich flower territory from other species and other giant hummingbirds. These birds are typically seen alone, in pairs or small family groups.
Flight, anatomy and physiology.
"P. gigas" hovers at an average of 15 wing beats per second, very slow for a hummingbird. Its resting heart rate is 300 per minute, with a peak rate of 1020 per minute. Energy requirements for hummingbirds do not scale evenly with size increases, meaning a larger bird such as "P. gigas" requires more energy per gram to hover than a smaller bird. "P. gigas" requires an estimated 4.3 calories per hour to sustain its flight. This huge requirement, along with the low oxygen availability and thin air (generating little lift) at the high altitudes at which the giant hummingbird usually lives, suggests that P. gigas is likely to be very close to the viable maximum size for a hummingbird.
Diet.
"P. gigas" is feeds mainly on nectar, visiting a range of flowers. The female giant hummingbird has been observed ingesting sources of calcium (sand, soil, slaked lime and wood ash) after the reproductive season to replenish the calcium used in egg production; the low calcium content of nectar necessitates these extra source. Similarly, a nectar-based diet is low in proteins and various minerals, and this is countered by consuming insects on occasion.
"P. gigas" regularly feeds from the flowers of the genus "Puya" in Chile, with which it enjoys a symbiotic relationship, trading pollination for food. As a large hovering bird, particularly at high altitudes, "P. gigas" has extremely high metabolic requirements. It is known to feed from columnar cacti, including "Oreocereus celsianus" and "Echinopsis atacamensis ssp. pasacana", and "Salvia haenkei". We do not know the exact scope of its diet, but inferring from the large amount of nectar required to be routinely ingested by such a large hummingbird, it is safe to say it is a generalist out of necessity: the more different flowers it will feed from, the more efficiently it can collect energy.
Considering the energy-rich nature of nectar as a food source, it attracts a large range of visitors apart from the hummingbird, which has often coevolved with a plant to be the flower's most efficient pollinator. These other visitors, because they are not designed to access the well-hidden bounty of nectar, often damage the flowers (for example, piercing them at the base) and prevent further nectar production. "P. gigas", because of its high energy requirements, is known to alter its foraging behaviour as a direct response to nectar robbing from other birds and animals, and this reduces the viability of the hummingbird in an area with many nectar robbers, as well as indirectly affecting the plants by reducing pollination. If alien species are introduced that become nectar thieves, it is reasonable to predict that their activities will significantly impact the local ecosystem. This could prove to be a future risk for "P. gigas" populations because they sit close to the physical limit in their metabolic demands.
Reproduction.
There is little known of "P. gigas’s" reproduction, leaving us to draw on educated generalisations from other hummingbird species. Hummingbird males tend to have polygynous, occasionally promiscuous, behaviours and no involvement after copulation. The female builds the nest and lays a clutch of two eggs during the summer. A "P. gigas" nest is small considering the size of the bird, typically made near water sources and perched on a branch of a tree or shrub parallel to the ground.
Migration.
"P. gigas" migrates in summer to the temperate areas of South America, reaching as low as 44° S. Correspondingly, it migrates north to more tropical climates in winter (March–August), though not usually venturing higher than 28° S.
Cultural significance.
"P. gigas" holds significant value for some of the aboriginal inhabitants of the Andes. The people of Chiloé Island believe that if a woman captures a hummingbird then they will gain great fertility from it. This is also the species that inspired the people of the Nazca culture to create the Nazca hummingbird geoglyph.


Borneo elephant

The Borneo elephant, also called the Borneo pygmy elephant, is a subspecies of Asian elephant "(Elephas maximus)" that inhabits northeastern Borneo, in Indonesia and Malaysia. Its origin remains the subject of debate. A definitive subspecific classification as "Elephas maximus borneensis" awaits a detailed range-wide morphometric and genetic study. Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years. It is pre-eminently threatened by loss, degradation and fragmentation of habitat.
The Sultan of Sulu was thought to have introduced captive elephants to Borneo in the 18th century, which were released into the jungle. Comparison of the Borneo elephant population to putative source populations in DNA analysis indicates that the Borneo elephants more likely derived from Sundaic stock and are indigenous to Borneo, rather than having been introduced by humans. The genetic divergence of Borneo elephants warrants their recognition as a separate evolutionarily significant unit.
Characteristics.
In general, Asian elephants are smaller than African elephants and have the highest body point on the head. The tip of their trunk has one finger-like process. Their back is convex or level.
It has become commonplace to refer to the Borneo elephant as a ‘pygmy’ subspecies, although adult elephants of Sabah of both genders are similar in height to their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia. Five measurements of the skull of a fully adult female elephant from Gomantong Forest Reserve were slightly smaller (72–90%) than comparable dimensions averaged for two Sumatran skulls. Few available measurements show that they are of similar size to other populations of the Sunda subregion.
Morphological measurements of fifteen captive elephants from Peninsular Malaysia and of six elephants from Sabah were taken between April 2005 and January 2006, and repeated three times for each elephant and averaged. There was no significant difference in any of the characters between the two captive populations.
They are also remarkably tame and passive, another reason some scientists think they descended from a domestic collection.
Distribution and habitat.
Elephants are confined to the northern and northeastern parts of Borneo. In the 1980s, there were two distinct populations in Sabah ranging over the Tabin Wildlife Reserve and adjacent mostly logged dipterocarp forest on steep terrain; and in the hilly interior at about altitude in dipterocarp forest, which was largely undisturbed at the time, and only logged at the periphery. In Kalimantan, their range is restricted to a small contiguous area of the upper Sembakung River in the east.
The range of wild elephants in Sabah and Kalimantan seems to have expanded very little in the past 100 years despite access to suitable habitat elsewhere on Borneo. Borneo's soil tends to be young, leached, and infertile, and there is speculation that the distribution of wild elephants on the island may be limited by the occurrence of natural mineral sources.
In 1992, the estimated elephant population size in Sabah ranged from 500-2,000 individuals, based on survey work conducted in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, in Lower Kinabatangan District and in the Deramakot Forest Reserve. An elephant population census was conducted in Sabah between July 2007 and December 2008, counting dung piles along 216 line transects in five main elephant managed ranges, covering a total distance of . Results of this survey suggest an elephant population of 1,184–3,652 individuals inhabiting the ranges of Tabin, Lower Kinabatangan, North Kinabatangan, Ulu Kalumpang Forest Reserve and the central forest of Sabah. The elephant density and population size varied throughout the five key ranges affected by (i) conversion of lowland forest, (ii) fragmentation of habitat, and (iii) existing land use activities such as logging. The upper catchment of Ulu Segama Forest Reserve had the highest density of elephants with 3.69 elephants per . Only the unprotected central forest area supported an elephant population of more than 1,000 individuals.
In 2005, five female elephants were fitted with tracking devices to study their home range and movement patterns in Sabah. Results suggest that elephant herds occupied a minimum home range from in non-fragmented forest, while in fragmented forest habitat, the annual home range for elephants is estimated to be around .
Threats.
The pre-eminent threats to the Asian elephant today are habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, which are driven by an expanding human population, and lead in turn to increasing conflicts between humans and elephants when elephants eat or trample crops. Hundreds of people and elephants are killed annually as a result of such conflicts.
Expanding human development disrupts their migration routes, depletes their food sources, and destroys their habitat.
The population of elephants in Kalimantan continues to dwindle as a result of damage to protected forests. As of April 2012 an estimated 20–80 elephants range near 22 villages in the Sebuku subdistrict of Nunukan district in North Kalimantan.
Conservation.
"Elephas maximus" is listed on CITES Appendix I. The genetic distinctiveness of Borneo elephants makes them one of the highest priority populations for Asian elephant conservation.
In Malaysia, the Borneo elephants are protected under schedule II of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment. Any person found guilty of hunting elephants is liable on conviction to a fine of $RM 50,000 or five years imprisonment or both.
The Oregon Zoo in Portland has the only Borneo elephant in the United States, a rescued female by the name of Chendra, who was found orphaned, alone, hungry, and injured in the wild after her herd was crop-raided in a palm oil plantation.
Taxonomic history.
It has not been resolved whether Borneo elephants are indigenous or have descended from captive elephants presented to the Sultan of Sulu in 1750 by the East India Company and later set free in northern Borneo.
In the 19th century, a zoological exploration established that wild elephants occurred naturally in a restricted region of northeastern Borneo. The status and taxonomic distinctiveness of the Borneo elephants has been controversial since then. In 1940, Frederick Nutter Chasen considered Bornean elephants as descendants of an introduced stock, and placed them in the subspecies "Elephas maximus indicus". Reginald Innes Pocock having studied specimens in the British Museum of Natural History disagreed in 1943, and placed all Sundaic elephants in the subspecies "Elephas maximus sumatrensis". In 1950, Paules Edward Pieris Deraniyagala described a subspecies "Elephas maximus borneensis", taking as his type an illustration in the National Geographical Magazine.
In 2003, the debate was re-opened by a suggestion that the introduced Sulu elephants and the northeastern Borneo population might have descended from the now-extinct Javan elephant, which was named "Elephas maximus sondaicus" by Deraniyagala. This hypothesis is based on missing archaeological evidence of long-term elephant habitation in Borneo, a corroboration in folklore and that elephants have not colonized the entire island of Borneo.
In 2003, Mitochondrial DNA analysis and microsatellite data indicated that the extant population is derived from Sundaic stock, but has undergone independent local evolution for some 300,000 years since a postulated Pleistocene colonization, and possibly became isolated from other Asian elephant populations when land bridges that linked Borneo with the other Sunda Islands and the Asian mainland disappeared after the Last Glacial Maximum 18,000 years ago.
History.
Elephants were appropriate gifts from one ruler to another, or to a person of high standing, and it was customary to transport them by sea. In about 1395, the Raja of Java gave two elephants to the ruler Raja Baginda of Sulu. These animals were reputedly the founders of a feral population at the western end of Borneo. When in 1521 the remnants of Ferdinand Magellan’s circumnavigation of the Earth reached Brunei, the chronicler of the voyage recounted that the delegation from the flagship "Victoria" was conveyed to and from the ruler's palace on elephants caparisoned in silk. This custom had been discontinued by the time later visitors arrived in Brunei in the 1770s, who reported wild-living elephant herds that were hunted by local people after harvest. Despite the early records of royal elephants in Brunei and Banjarmasin, there was no tradition of capturing and taming local wild elephants in Borneo.
The arrival of elephants in the northern Kalimantan region of Borneo coincides with the rule of the Sultans of Sulu over Sabah. The Sultanate of Sulu enjoyed peaceful ties with the Hindu Sultanate of Java. As a token of appreciation, the rulers of Java sent their elephants to Sulu, much as they had sent Javan elephants to the Sultanate of Maguindanao, which also partly gives the reason why skeletal remains of small elephants are found in Mindanao, south Philippines. The Sultan of Sulu and his family shipped some of their prized Javan elephants to northeast Borneo due to lack of land and for the elephants to help in hauling logs out of the forest to create fast and long ship vessels. When this lease was signed, most of these timid and largely domesticated small elephants under the employ of Sulu's shipbuilders and traders were released into the forests so they could live deep inside the jungle away from any feuding sultan who might use them for war. This single act of releasing the pachyderms to the wild made the Bolkiah family of Sulu and their allies the savior of what remaining elephants are left, old locals attest.


El Cusuco salamander

The El Cusuco salamander ("Bolitoglossa diaphora") is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae.
It is endemic to Honduras, and more specifically only to El Cusuco National Park.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
It is threatened by habitat loss.


Calinaga

Calinaga is the sole genus of the monotypic nymphalid butterfly subfamily Calinaginae. Its species occur in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The evolutionary history of Calinaga remains a mystery until today. Recent research indicated that the common ancestor of Calinaga first split in the Eocene in southern China. This was most likely due to a consequence of geological and environmental impacts of the collision of the Indian and Asian subcontinents.


Black musk deer

The black musk deer or dusky musk deer ("Moschus fuscus") is a species of even-toed ungulate in the family Moschidae. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.
Physical description.
"M. fuscus" is, in appearance, a small deer with long, thick hind legs in comparison to the front legs, and no antlers. The dusky musk deer has large and well developed ears and eyes. Males and females are similarly sized, between 70 and 100 cm in length and 10 and 15 kg in weight, and generally have thick brown hair. There is variation in color and vibrancy, which is evident in spotting. Upper canine teeth in males form sabers that can extend past the jaw, but not in females. Unlike most cervids, this creature possesses a gallbladder and does not have the same facial glands. Mature males have a musk gland between the navel and genitalia, and females have two mammae.
Mating.
Black musk deer have mating periods beginning in late November into December, lasting roughly one month. They have a polygynous mating system, mating with more than one female at a time. Breeding typically occurs in November and December. During mating season, a male excretes scents from scent glands to indicate his territory (
Gestation/early life.
Gestation lasts roughly six months, ending in parturition, which normally occurs during June or July. Typically, females give birth to one or two young. The newborns weigh about 500 g, and have spots. The young are cared for by their mother after birth for several months, until weaning occurs. This process generally takes between three and four months. At six months, the young have typically reached full adult size. Sexual maturity, however, does not occur until roughly 18 months.
Parental care.
Not much is known about black musk deer parental care. Females are generally the main caretakers, as they watch their young for roughly 3 to 4 months. Typically, the young travel with their mothers throughout this period, during which the mother defends and grooms her young. The role of the father in parental care is currently unknown.
Ecosystem.
All animals have a certain position on the food web. Even the black musk deer, although only endangered, its lack of species numbers has a detrimental effect on the environment in which it lives and the food web in which it participates. They are believed to affect the vegetation because they consume mostly grass and other plants. Because they are hunted by humans and other animals such as the wolverine, lynx, and yellow-throated marten, their numbers have been greatly reduced, so they are now on the endangered species list. With fewer black musk deer around, it has become more difficult for these predators to find food, greatly affecting the food web.
Economy.
The musk glands of the full-grown males have been collected for use in soaps and perfumes. The deer are hunted by people and companies looking to make money. At one point in the 1980s, the musk of the adult male deer was worth four times its weight in gold. Because of its high demand in the soap and perfume market, the price of the musk was very high. Another reason the deer are hunted is due to the belief that the musk of the deer has medicinal purposes. By tradition, they use it as a sedative and a stimulant.
Status.
Due to excessive hunting, it has been since placed on the endangered list. Another issue associated with the loss of the deer is habitat loss from deforestation. Not much is being done to save the deer from possible extinction.
Behavior.
The black musk deer is nocturnal, and most of their activities take place at night, dawn and dusk. This species is highly solitary. An individual of this species is not likely to live with any other deer, although they have been known to let other females “babysit” their young. Territoriality is also another salient feature, especially for males.
Living in the mountainous areas that have gorges and forests, these agile deer possess the ability to climb trees and move freely even at the dangerous edge of a cliff or in the very thick bushes.
They are more ferocious than other members in the family Moschidae, especially in the case of males fighting for mates. In addition to low growls, these deers may attack their opponents with their tusks and strong fore hooves. Black musk deer are also considerably vigilant. They do not return to the site where they are frightened or attacked before, even it is in a previously established “safe” territory.
Predation.
The black musk deer has a number of predators. Some studies show that up to 43% of the diet of some lynx may consist of black musk deer. Humans prey on the deer more than all of their natural predators combined. They are caught and killed mainly for their musk glands, which are used as a base for perfumes. Ethical concerns have led to the use of synthetic musk, but this has not prevented the black musk deer from being included on the endangered list.


Phrynopus horstpauli

Phrynopus horstpauli is a species of frog in the family Craugastoridae.
It is endemic to Peru.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, pastureland, and rural gardens.
It is threatened by habitat loss.


Daceton boltoni

Daceton boltoni is a Neotropical species of arboreal ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. The species occurs in Peru and Brazil and is similar to its sister species, "D. armigerum".
Distribution.
It seems to be exclusively canopy-dwelling and is known to occur in Iquitos, Peru, and Manaus and Cotriguaçu, Brazil. "D. boltoni" is sympatric with "D. armigerum". Although its known distribution is currently only two locations in the Amazonian forest, it is possible and indeed likely that "D. boltoni" shares a broadly overlapping distribution with "D. armigerum".
Description.
The worker caste of "D. boltoni" shares many important character states with that of its sister species "D. armigerum", including the heart-shaped head, the large eyes located on a low cuticular prominence, the number of apical mandibular teeth, and general habitus. "Daceton boltoni" differs from "D. armigerum" by the absence of a specialized row of thick setae on the inner (masticatory) margin of the mandibles; by mandibles that are slightly shorter and more stout, which could indicate differences in prey preferences between the two species; by a broad gap, when seen in profile, between the bases of the fully closed mandibles and the margins of the head capsule; by shallow depressions adjacent to and ventral to the mandibular insertions; by long and simple lateral pronotal spines; by a weakly impressed metanotal groove; and by subdecumbent to decumbent hairs on the tergite of abdominal segment IV.
Behaviorally, "D. boltoni" appears to be very similar to "D. armigerum". However, drop tests conducted at the type locality indicate that "D. boltoni" individuals exhibit weak and inconsistent aerial gliding behavior relative to those of "D. armigerum".
Gynes and males are unknown.
Worker variation.
Among the specimens studied in the original description, Azorsa & Sosa-Calvo (2008) documented some morphological variation, including:


Hellinsia cervicalis

Hellinsia cervicalis is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is found in Bolivia.
The wingspan is 17 mm. The forewings are ochreous‑brown and the markings are brown. The hindwings are dark brown and the fringes are greyish‑brown.


Lake minnow

The lake minnow or swamp minnow ("Rhynchocypris percnurus") is a Eurasian species of small freshwater cyprinid fish. It has a wide but disjunct distribution including parts of Europe (Belarus, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine) and Asia (northern China, Japan, Korea, and Siberia).


Telmatobius huayra

Telmatobius huayra is a species of frog in the family Telmatobiidae.
It is endemic to Bolivia.
Its natural habitats are rivers, swampland, and geothermal wetlands.


Paramesotriton guangxiensis

Paramesotriton guangxiensis, the Guangxi warty newt, is a species of salamander in the family Salamandridae. It is found only in China: it is only known from Paiyangshan, Ningming County, in Guangxi Province. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Female Guangxi warty newts reach a total length of , males are slightly longer.


Vipos tuco-tuco

The Vipos tuco-tuco ("Ctenomys viperinus") is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to northern Tucumán Province in northern Argentina. The common name is a reference to the city of Vipos in the area.


Narrowmouthed catshark

The narrowmouthed catshark ("Schroederichthys bivius") is a catshark of the family Scyliorhinidae, found from central Chile around the Straits of Magellan, to Argentina between latitudes 23° S and 56° S, at depths down to about in the Atlantic Ocean and about in the Pacific. It can grow to a length of up to . The reproduction of this catshark is oviparous.
Description.
As a juvenile, the narrowmouthed catshark is elongated and very slender, but as it grows its proportions change and it becomes rather more thickset. Its adult length can reach or more. The snout is rounded and slender and the front nasal flaps are narrow and lobed. This fish displays heterodont dentition; the mouth is long in both sexes, but is longer and narrower in males, with teeth that are twice the height of those of females. The general colour of the dorsal surface of both sexes is greyish-brown, with seven or eight dark brown saddles. Some large dark spots are scattered along the body but do not occur on the saddles. There are also many small white spots on the upper half of the body.
Distribution.
The narrowmouthed catshark is endemic to the coasts of South America, between latitudes 23° S and 56° S. In the southwestern Atlantic Ocean its range extends from southern Brazil, southwards to the Beagle Channel and in the southeasterly Pacific Ocean, southwards from northern Chile. Its depth range is from the surface down to about in the Atlantic Ocean and about in the Pacific.
Ecology.
The narrowmouthed catshark is a demersal fish, feeding mostly on crustaceans and some fish. In the Beagle Channel in the summer it has been found to feed almost exclusively on the squat lobster "Munida gregaria", but in other places its diet is more varied. The females are oviparous, the eggs being laid in egg cases which are attached to the seabed in estuaries and sheltered waters by tendrils. The newly hatched juvenile fish use these sheltered areas as nurseries.
Status.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed this species as "least concern".


Zodarion maculatum

Zodarion maculatum is a spider species found in Portugal, Spain, Sicily and Morocco.


Pieris canidia

Pieris canidia, the Indian cabbage white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae found in India, Nepal and Indochina. "Pieris rapae" is one of the most closely related species in the Pieridae.
Description.
The male is white to pale cream on its upperside. The base of the forewing, the basal portion of the costa, and the base and upper margin of the cell have a scattering of black scales. It is black from the apex to about the middle of the terminal margin. On the latter the black extends for a very short distance triangularly along the veins. There is a round black spot in interspace 3. The hindwing has a subcostal black spot as in "Pieris rapae" but is generally larger and more conspicuous, and a series of four or five terminal black spots that vary in size at the apices of the veins.
Underside: the forewing is white; cell and costa are lightly irrorated (speckled) with black scales; apex is somewhat broadly tinged with ochraceous yellow. Interspaces 1, 3 and 5 have conspicuous subquadrate black spots; the spot in interspace 1 sometimes extends out of interspace 1. That in interspace 5 is ill-defined. Hindwing: from pale, almost white, to dark ochraceous, thickly irrorated all over (with the exception of a longitudinal streak in the cell, and in the darker specimens similar longitudinal streaks in the interspaces) with black scales; costa above vein 8 are chrome yellow. Antennae are black with minute white specks; the long hairs on the head and thorax are greenish grey; the abdomen is black. Beneath, the head, thorax and abdomen are white.
The female is similar to the male on the underside, but the scattering of black scales is more prominent; the black on the apex and termen of the forewing and the black spots on the termen of the hindwing are broader and more extended inwards; on the forewing there is an additional spot in interspace 1, and both this and the spot in interspace 3 in many specimens are connected by a line of black scales along the veins to the outer black border; also the spot in interspace 1 often extends across vein 1 into the interspace below.
It has a wingspan of 42–60 mm.
Distribution.
It lives in sub-Himalayan India and Pakistan from Chitral, Kashmir to Sikkim and Bhutan, from elevation; the hills of southern India; Assam; Upper Myanmar: the Shan States; extending to China.


Pristobaeus taveuniensis

Pristobaeus taveuniensis is a jumping spider species in the genus "Pristobaeus". The male was first identified in 2008 by Barbara Maria Patoleta. The species was initially placed in the genus "Palpelius" but was renamed "Pristobaeus taveuniensis" when "Palpelius" was accepted as the junior synonym for "Pristobaeus".
Description.
The species is small and brown, with a cephalothorax typically measuring long.
Distribution.
"Pristobaeus taveuniensis" is found in Fiji. The holotype was discovered on the island of Taveuni, after which the species is named.


Apennine yellow-bellied toad

The Apennine yellow-bellied toad ("Bombina pachypus") is a species of toad in the family Bombinatoridae endemic to Italy. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate grassland, swamps, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, pastureland, ponds, open excavations, irrigated land, and seasonally flooded agricultural land. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Description.
This species was once thought to be a subspecies of the yellow-bellied toad "B. variegata". It has a compact body and a rounded snout and the skin of the back is covered with tubercles. The pupil of the eye is triangular. The dorsal surface is dark tan or dark greyish-brown, often with washed-out, bright spots. The underparts, including the inner sides of the limbs, the fingers and toes, is greyish-blue to black-blue with striking, bright yellow to orange spots or patches, usually covering more than half of the underside.
Distribution and habitat.
The Apennine yellow-bellied toad is endemic to Italy, where it is found south of the Valley of the River Po, throughout the Apennine Hills and southwards to the tip of the Italian mainland. Its range varies from above sea level. It is found in ponds and ditches in forests and open areas. It breeds in ponds, wetlands, ditches, ruts, pools, and drinking troughs.
Behaviour.
The Apennine yellow-bellied toad is a diurnal species, and hibernates from about November to April. Breeding activity starts soon after the toads leave hibernation, and females lay multiple clutches of a few eggs in temporary water bodies.
This species produces a toxic secretion from its skin. If attacked by a predator, it arches its back to expose its brilliantly coloured aposematic underparts which give warning of its toxicity.
Status.
This toad seems to be declining in numbers, although it is not clear why. Changes in agricultural practices may partly be to blame or the fungal disease chytridiomycosis may be the cause. The IUCN has listed it as "Endangered", and believes further investigation should be undertaken into its decline.


Painted keelback

The painted keelback ("Xenochrophis cerasogaster") is a species of colubrid snake found in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and India (Assam, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal:- Kolkata). This snake is also called the dark-bellied marsh snake.
Description.
In this species, the head is narrow and elongated, with an angular canthus rostralis and slightly concave lores; the eyes are moderate or rather small. The rostral is 1.5 to 3.0 times as broad as it is long; the suture between the internasals is nearly as long as that between the prefrontals; the frontal is much longer than its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the parietals; the lorealae are as long as deep or a little longer, It has one preocular, two or three postoculars, and one or two suboculars; the temporals number 2+2 or 2+3. It has 9 upper labials, with the fourth (rarely fifth) entering the eye; the five or six lower labials are in contact with the anterior chin shields, which are about as long as the posterior. Its scales are strongly keeled, in 19 rows, with 140-151 ventral scales; the anal scale is divided; the subcaudals are 60–70 in number.
This snake is brown above, with or without darker spots and with a more or less distinct paler dorsolateral band. The lower parts are cherry-red to purplish-black, with a yellow band on each side extending from the lips to the end of the tail. Total length is two feet, and the tail is 5.5 inches.


Euspondylus nellycarrillae

Euspondylus nellycarrillae is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. It is endemic to Peru.


Aplastodiscus cavicola

Aplastodiscus cavicola is a species of frog in the family Hylidae.
It is endemic to Brazil.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers.
It is threatened by habitat loss.


Rossia megaptera

Rossia megaptera, also known as the big-fin bobtail squid, is a species of bobtail squid native to the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, specifically Davis Strait, western Greenland, and off New York, in Hudson Canyon. It lives at depths from 179 to 1,536 m. It can grow up to 41 mm in mantle length.
This type specimen was collected in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean and is deposited at the Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven, Connecticut.


Leptodactylus chaquensis

Leptodactylus chaquensis is a species of frogs in the family Leptodactylidae. It is found in northern Argentina and adjacent eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Uruguay, and southern and western Brazil. The specific name "chaquensis" refers to the area of Gran Chaco in Argentina. Common name Cei's white-lipped frog has been coined for it, although this particular species lacks the light upper lip stripe common in the genus.
Description.
Adult males measure and adult females in snout–vent length. No light upper lip stripe is present. The dorsum and the flanks have several well-developed pairs of skin folds. Toes have lateral fringes.
Sexually active males have a pair of keratinized thumb spines. They have three distinct advertisement calls: growls, grunts, and trills, of which the first one is the most frequent.
Tadpoles of Gosner stage 36 measure in total length.
Habitat and conservation.
"Leptodactylus chaquensis" is a ground-dwelling species occurring near ponds and flooded areas at elevations below . The eggs are deposited in large foam nests over puddles and flooded areas in shallow water (<15 cm deep). Males call from the water's edge or from within the water.
This species is common and adapts well to anthropogenic disturbance. It is consumed as food in Argentina, which can lead to local declines. It occurs in several protected areas.


Asterope batesii

Asterope batesii, the Bates' asterope, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in inland Brazil, including Ayeyros, along the Tapajós and in Tefé on the Upper Amazon.
The larvae feed on "Paullinia" species.


Nebria snowi

Nebria snowi is a species of ground beetle from the Nebriinae subfamily that is endemic to Kuril Islands, Russia.


Cercosaura steyeri

Cercosaura steyeri is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The species is endemic to Argentina.
Etymology.
The specific name, "steyeri", is in honor of Brazilian herpetologist Ligia Steyer Krause.
Geographic range.
"C. steyeri" is found in Mercedes Department, Corrientes Province, Argentina.
Habitat.
The preferred habitat of "C. steyeri" is savanna, at altitudes of
Reproduction.
"C. steyeri" is oviparous.


Pantoporia karwara

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


Telmatobius simonsi

Telmatobius simonsi is a species of frog in the family Telmatobiidae.
It is endemic to Bolivia.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, rivers, freshwater marshes, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, heavily degraded former forest, ponds, and canals and ditches.
It is threatened by habitat loss. It was named for American scientific collector Perry O. Simons.


Okenia aspersa

Okenia aspersa is a species of sea slug, a Dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae".
Distribution.
This species was first described from Cullercoats, North Sea. It has subsequently been reported widely in Britain and Ireland and north to Norway and south to Arcachon Bay, France.
Description.
This goniodorid nudibranch is translucent white in colour, with spots and blotches of red-brown and cream It shows marbling over the body, on the pallial tentacles, rhinophores and gills.
Ecology.
"Okenia aspersa" feeds on the tunicate "Molgula occulta", family Molgulidae which lives buried in muddy sand seabeds.