Fly me!
Snails Survive Being Eaten and Excreted by Birds
by Wynne Parry
Tiny snails can actually benefit from being eaten by birds, according to a new study that found about 15 percent of the snails eaten by two species of bird survived their journey through the birds’ guts and out the other end. The birds appear to spread the snails they have eaten via excrement, allowing the mollusks to travel much greater distances than they could crawling on their own, according to the researchers led by Shinichiro Wada of Tohoku University in Japan.
The researchers tested out their hypothesis by feeding 174 snails, a species called Tornatellides boeningi, to four omnivorous birds —three Japanese white-eyes and one brown-eared bulbul —that also prey upon them in the wild on the Japanese Ogasawara Islands. It took 30 to 40 minutes for the snails, all adults with shells about 0.1 inches (2.5 millimeters) high, to pass completely through the birds’ digestive systems…
(read more: Live Science) (photo: Shinichiro Wada)
This minuscule water boatman might be smaller than a drawing pin, but it’s also the loudest animal on the planet. Well, relative to its body size, at least.
The male lesser water boatman, aka Micronecta scholtzi, can create mating calls as loud as 99.2 decibels, which is the equivalent of sitting in the front row of a loud, full-blown orchestra, or standing 15 meters away from a hurtling freight train.
Man, this is one nasty, scary looking fish. Don’t swim in the Congo!
GOLIATH TIGERFISH
Hydrocynus goliath
©monzi73Tigerfish is the common name for a variety of species from several different families of fish, usually on account of their colouration or otherwise fearsome appearance and teeth. The Goliath Tigerfish is Hydrocynus goliath, the largest species.
Hydrocynus goliath, also known as the goliath tigerfish, giant tigerfish or mbenga, is a very large African fish from the Congo River Basin, Lualaba River, Lake Upemba, and Lake Tanganyika. This large-toothed, highly predatory fish grows to a length of 1.5-metre (4.9 ft) and a weight of 50 kilograms (110 lb).
A number of incidents have been reported in the Congo of this fish attacking humans. This reputation combined with its strength has earned it an almost mythical status among anglers, and it has been called the “greatest freshwater gamefish in the world.”
Fact Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocynus_goliath
Other photos you may like:
References for Nancy Esposito — who asked for references on the Goliath Tigerfish
- Discovery Television did a series called River Monsters, one episode focuses solely on the Goliath Tigerfish. There are many video segments on their site (here) and the series was (and may still be) available on Netflix:
- ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2011). “Hydrocynus goliath” in FishBase. May 2011 version.
- ^ Paul Harvey Skelton (2001). A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa. Struik. ISBN 1868726436. http://books.google.com/books?id=bURse4a-2m8C&pg=PA205.
- ^ a b Bill Hansford-Steele (2002). African Fly-Fishing Handbook. Struik. p. 212. ISBN 186872882X. http://books.google.com/books?id=XwPJJO4vOJkC&pg=PA212.
- http://www.eversostrange.com/2011/01/27/goliath-tigerfish/
- http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/explorer/3826/Overview
- Phillipson, David W. 1985. Mosi-oa-Tunya A Handbook to the Victoria Falls Region Long man Zimbabwe ISBN 0-0546-8657
- “Mystical goliath tiger fish caught on camera”. 21 October 2010.
OH YEAH! That feels so good! A little more to the right, thank you…
(Source: acecalhoun)
This is from NPR’s health blog: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/07/07/137674792/in-a-fish-eat-fish-world-order-asian-carp-and-lionfish-to-save-the-rest.
Eating fish is good for you. Invasive fishes are bad for the environment. Therefore, eat invasive fishes.
Don’t piss off crows!
http://news.discovery.com/animals/angry-crows-memory-life-threatening-behavior-110628.html
THE GIST THE ARTICLE
And they will remember you for over 5 years.
Nothing unusual about the plants and animals on this post, except that they are being grown on a roof top in Brooklyn (where else), New York.
despite the ongoing battle with pests, the life on the roof is pretty much thriving. my biggest lesson so far is that the plants are quite able to recuperate from the pest attack as long as they receive plenty of water. we have to start watering more now that is seems that we’ll be getting a lot more sun and less rain.
(Source: tumblr.com, via yummybyyemi)
OK, tell me you don’t think Ewok when you see this picture. If your diabetic, the cuteness factor can probably put you into shock.
BROWN THROATED (3-TOED) SLOTH & Energy Conservation
Bradypus variegatus
© julieru / Julie RuFound in the forests of South and Central America, Sloth are experts in energy conservation, they move only to find food and or as needed for other natural bodily functions. This is necessary because their diet and digestion does not provide them with much energy.
They spend 15 to 18 hours every day sleeping, and are active for only a few brief periods, which may be during either the day or night. Although they can move along the ground, and even swim, they spend most of their lives in the high branches of trees, descending about once a week to defecate in the soil. Adult animals are solitary, except when raising young, and males have been observed to fight one another using their foreclaws.
The climbing speed of the average sloth when not threatened is about 6 feet per minute. They sleep the majority of any 24 hour period. Sometimes an individual will die hanging upside down from a tree limb and remain so after death, until they decompose or are forcibly removed. They do not romp around through the rainforest looking for fun, they are perfectly content to hang upside down and munch away on leaves. They do not have any front teeth, only molars and really rough lips to tear leaves off the trees.
Even labor and delivery is uneventful for this creature. Delivery takes about 15-30 minutes, birthing occurs in the upside down position and mom just reaches out and catches the baby. The baby will stay with mom for a total of 9 months but only the first month is spent nursing. They begin eating moms favorite leaves after the first month. They are born with the molars in place.
Fact Source:
http://www.factzoo.com/mammals/sloths.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown-throated_Three-toed_SlothOther photos you may like:
Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth
By Request, also this sloth has the most beatific and peaceful face :)
ORNATE GHOST PIPEFISH
Solenostomus paradoxus
©Giambattista IsabellaThe ornate ghost pipefish or harlequin ghost pipefish, Solenostomus paradoxus, is a pipefish of the family Solenostomidae found in the Western Pacific and the Indian ocean along reef edges prone to strong currents. They reach a maximum length of 12 cm. They vary in color from red, yellow to black and are almost transparent. They feed mostly on mysids and benthic shrimp. Females carry the eggs in their pelvic fins that are modified to form a brood pouch.
Fact Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ornate_ghost_pipefish
Other photos you may like:
