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Astacoides
''Astacoides'' is a genus of freshwater crayfish endemic to Madagascar. The first specimens were brought to Europe in 1839, and seven species are now recognised, most of which are considered as threatened on the IUCN Red List. They are large and slow-growing, and are threatened by habitat loss, overexploitation by local people and by spread of introduced non-indigenous marbled crayfish (''Procambarus virginalis''). They are only found in a relatively small part of the island, mostly in undisturbed upland areas. They belong to the Gondwana-distributed family Parastacidae, but their nearest relatives live in Australasia, there being no native crayfish in mainland Africa or India. Description ''Astacoides'' species are large for freshwater crayfish, reaching a carapace length of up to in the case of ''A. betsileoensis''. Males and females are similar, except for the organs directly involved in reproduction. Thomas Henry Huxley, in his book ''The Crayfish'', noted that ''Astacoides'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parastacidae
The Parastacidae are the family of freshwater crayfish found in the Southern Hemisphere. The family is a classic Gondwana-distributed taxon, with extant members in South America, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea, and extinct taxa also in Antarctica. Distribution Three genera are found in Chile, ''Virilastacus'', '' Samastacus'' and '' Parastacus'', the last of which also occurs disjunctly in southern Brazil and Uruguay. There are no crayfish native to continental Africa, but seven species on Madagascar, all of the genus '' Astacoides''. Australasia is particularly rich in crayfish. The small genus ''Paranephrops'' is endemic to New Zealand. The genera ''Astacopsis'' is endemic to Tasmania, while a further two are found on either side of the Bass Strait – '' Geocharax'' and ''Engaeus''. The greatest diversity, however, is found on the Australian mainland. Three genera are endemic and have restricted distributions (''Engaewa'', '' Gramastacus'' and ''Tenuib ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Félix Édouard Guérin-Méneville
Félix Édouard Guérin-Méneville, also known as F. E. Guerin, (12 October 1799, in Toulon – 26 January 1874, in Paris) was a French entomologist. Life and work Guérin-Méneville changed his surname from Guérin in 1836. He was the author of the illustrated work ''Iconographie du Règne Animal de G. Cuvier 1829–1844'', a complement to the work of the zoologists Georges Cuvier and Pierre André Latreille, ''Le Règne Animal'', which illustrated only a selection of the animals covered. Cuvier was delighted with the work, saying that it would be very useful to readers, and that the illustrations were "as accurate as they were elegant". He also introduced silkworms to France, so they could be bred for the production of silk. Guérin-Méneville founded several journals: ''Magasin de zoologie, d’anatomie comparée et de paléontologie'' (1830), ''Revue zoologique par la Société cuviérienne'' (1838), ''Revue et Magasin de zoologie pure et appliquée'' (1849), and ''Revue de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gill
A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist. The microscopic structure of a gill presents a large surface area to the external environment. Branchia (pl. branchiae) is the zoologists' name for gills (from Ancient Greek ). With the exception of some aquatic insects, the filaments and lamellae (folds) contain blood or coelomic fluid, from which gases are exchanged through the thin walls. The blood carries oxygen to other parts of the body. Carbon dioxide passes from the blood through the thin gill tissue into the water. Gills or gill-like organs, located in different parts of the body, are found in various groups of aquatic animals, including mollusks, crustaceans, insects, fish, and amphibians. Semiterrestrial marine animals such as crabs and mudskippers have gill cham ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fianarantsoa Province
Fianarantsoa Province is a former province of Madagascar. It has an area of 103,272 km2 and population of 3,366,291 (July 2001 estimate). Its capital was Fianarantsoa. The province along with the 5 other was abolished in 2007 in favour of creation of smaller regions to facilitate administration. Apart from the capital the major towns were Andohapatsakana, Alakamisy, Fianarantsoa and Fanjakana. The province was home to four major national parks: Ranomafana National Park, Midongy Du Sud, Isalo National Park, and Andringitra. It was frequently referred by its abbreviated form of "Fianar". Fianarantsoa means "Good education". Geography and demographics Fianarantsoa Province bordered the Toamasina Province in the north, Antananarivo Province in the northwest, Toliara Province in the west and Indian Ocean in the east. 60,000 people spoke the southern Malagasy Betsimisaraka language. In spite of presence of rice producing areas a very high majority of the population lived i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antananarivo Province
Antananarivo Province is a former province of Madagascar with an area of . It had a population of 5,370,900 in 2004. Its capital was Antananarivo, which is also the capital of the country. Established in 1965, it was the most important province of Madagascar in terms of industrial production. It was one of the most literate provinces and was dominated by the Merina people. Along with the other five provinces, it was abolished in 2007 after a referendum in favour of creation of smaller regions to help in development was approved. It was badly affected by plagues in the 20th century. In 2002 a state of emergency was proclaimed by the then president Didier Ratsiraka. The events that followed led to the other five provinces announcing the creation of a new republic that would have excluded Antananarivo Province. Peace was restored only when Marc Ravalomanana was installed as the country's president. History and location The province was administered by a provincial council whose memb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toamasina Province
The Toamasina Province is a former province of Madagascar with an area of 71,911 km². It had a population of 2,855,600 (2004). Its capital was Toamasina, the most important seaport of the country. The province was also known as Tamatave Province. Except for Toliara, Toamasina Province bordered all of the country's other provinces; Antsiranana in the north, Mahajanga in the northwest, Antananarivo in the southwest and Fianarantsoa in the south. Northern Betsimisaraka Malagasy and Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy languages were widely spoken. Despite the production of exportable crops the people inhabiting the rural regions of the province were mostly poor. In terms of rural poverty the province was only better than the Toliara province. In urban areas the condition was comparatively better and the percentage of people living below the poverty line was the least in the whole of Madagascar. The country's largest harbour–Toamasina Harbour was located in the province. Vanilla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Landscape Madagascar 01
A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the physical elements of geophysically defined landforms such as (ice-capped) mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of land use, buildings, and structures, and transitory elements such as lighting and weather conditions. Combining both their physical origins and the cultural overlay of human presence, often created over millennia, landscapes reflect a living synthesis of people and place that is vital to local and national identity. The character of a landscape helps define the self-image of the people who inhabit it and a sense of place that differentiates one region from other regions. It is the dynamic b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ranomafana National Park
Ranomafana National Park is in the southeastern part of Madagascar in Haute Matsiatra and Vatovavy. With more than 41,600 hectares (161 square miles) of tropical rainforest, it is home to several rare species of flora and fauna including the golden bamboo lemur, the greater bamboo lemur, black and white ruffed lemur and Milne-Edwards sifaka, and over 130 species of frogs. Bird species including ground rollers, blue vangas, short-legged ground rollers and brown mesites can be seen. The park was established in 1991 with the purpose of conserving the unique biodiversity of the local ecosystem and reducing the human pressures on the protected area. It is part of the World Heritage Site Rainforests of the Atsinanana. Adjacent to the park is the Centre ValBio research station, established in 2003 and managed by Stony Brook University with a focus on biodiversity research, community health and education, environmental arts and reforestation. The place name comes from the Malagasy w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Habitat Destruction
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby reducing biodiversity and species abundance. Habitat destruction is the leading cause of biodiversity loss. Fragmentation and loss of habitat have become one of the most important topics of research in ecology as they are major threats to the survival of endangered species. Activities such as harvesting natural resources, industrial production and urbanization are human contributions to habitat destruction. Pressure from agriculture is the principal human cause. Some others include mining, logging, trawling, and urban sprawl. Habitat destruction is currently considered the primary cause of species extinction worldwide. Environmental factors can contribute to habitat destruction more indirectly. Geological processes, climate change, introdu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Invasive Species
An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native species that become harmful to their native environment after human alterations to its food webfor example the purple sea urchin (''Strongylocentrotus purpuratus'') which has decimated kelp forests along the northern California coast due to overharvesting of its natural predator, the California sea otter (''Enhydra lutris''). Since the 20th century, invasive species have become a serious economic, social, and environmental threat. Invasion of long-established ecosystems by organisms is a natural phenomenon, but human-facilitated introductions have greatly increased the rate, scale, and geographic range of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Channa Maculata
The blotched snakehead (''Channa maculata'') is a species of snakehead. It is one of four species of the genus ''Channa'' native to China. It is also to native northern Vietnam and Taiwan, but has been widely introduced to other countries, where it is an invasive species. This predatory species typically grows to a length of ,SeriouslyFish: Channa maculata.' Retrieved 27 June 2014. but it has been confirmed at and some suggest it may reach a far larger size. References Blotched snakehead The blotched snakehead (''Channa maculata'') is a species of Channidae, snakehead. It is one of four species of the genus ''Channa'' native to China. It is also to native northern Vietnam and Taiwan, but has been widely introduced to other countr ... Fish of East Asia Fish described in 1801 {{anabantiformes-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Juvenile (organism)
A juvenile is an individual organism that has not yet reached its adult form, sexual maturity or size. Juveniles can look very different from the adult form, particularly in colour, and may not fill the same niche as the adult form. In many organisms the juvenile has a different name from the adult (see List of animal names). Some organisms reach sexual maturity in a short metamorphosis, such as eclosion in many insects. For others, the transition from juvenile to fully mature is a more prolonged process—puberty in humans and other species, for example. In such cases, juveniles during this transformation are sometimes called subadults. Many invertebrates, on reaching the adult stage, are fully mature and their development and growth stops. Their juveniles are larvae or nymphs. In vertebrates and some invertebrates (e.g. spiders), larval forms (e.g. tadpoles) are usually considered a development stage of their own, and "juvenile" refers to a post-larval stage that is not full ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
