Dolichotis patagona
Also known as the Patagonian cavy, this large rodent is one of the world’s few monogamous mammals. Its head and body length is up to 75 cm, and it weighs between nine and 16 kg. Continue Reading »
Any of several species of toothless insectivorous mammals, covered with horny overlapping plates, that live in Asia and Africa. Continue Reading »
Conidae
“For centuries members of the Conidae family have been collected for their unique and intricately designed shells. Only during the last few decades have cone shells become an exciting area for scientific research.” Continue Reading »
Found only on the islands of Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii, the happy face spider, such as this one guarding its eggs on a leaf in Maui, is known for the unique patterns that decorate its pale abdomen. Continue Reading »
The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is a huge filter feeding shark which grows to be up to about 33 feet (10 m) long. It is the second-largest shark (after the whale shark). The basking shark is also called the sunfish, the bone shark, the elephant shark, the sailfish shark, and the big mouth shark. Continue Reading »
A marine biologist has discovered a startling new crab species that resembles a large strawberry.
The unusual crustacean was found off the coast of southern Taiwan. It has a dramatic bright red shell covered with small white bumps. Continue Reading »
It’s not so much eternal life, more a case of instant death. Parasitic beetles that dare to invade the hive of certain stingless bees end up entombed forever in resin. “They’re stopped in their tracks and they dehydrate and shrivel up like a mummy,” says Mark Greco, an entomologist at the Swiss Bee Research Centre in Bern who discovered the practice in a species of Australian stingless bees, Trigona carbonaria, living in the wild. Continue Reading »
Tapiridae
Tapirs look something like pigs with trunks, but they are actually related to horses and rhinoceroses. This eclectic lineage is an ancient one—and so is the tapir itself. Scientists believe that these animals have changed little over tens of millions of years. Continue Reading »
A group of glowing worms has been found dwelling in the deep ocean, some of which release body parts as tiny “bombs” to ward off predators. Continue Reading »
Dobsonflies are species of medium- to large-sized insects in the order Neuroptera, family Corydalidae.
The life cycle of dobsonflies is characterized by a complete metamorphosis, with four developmental stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Adult dobsonflies are usually found near freshwater, especially streams, either resting on vegetation or engaged in an awkward, fluttering flight. Sometimes adult dobsonflies can be abundant at night around lights, even far from water. The immature stages of dobsonflies are aquatic and are usually found beneath stones or other debris in swiftly flowing streams. Continue Reading »