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Damaraland Mole-rat
The Damaraland mole-rat (''Fukomys damarensis''), Damara mole rat or Damaraland blesmol, is a burrowing rodent found in southern Africa. Along with the smaller, less hairy, naked mole rat, it is a species of eusocial mammal. Description Like other blesmols, the Damaraland mole-rat has a cylindrical body with short, stout limbs, large feet, and a conical head. It is also similar in size to most other African mole-rats, having a head-body length of , with a short, , tail, and weighing between . There are no external ears, and the blue-coloured eyes are tiny with thick eyelids. The incisor teeth are large and prominent, with flaps of skin behind them to prevent soil from falling into the throat while the animal is using them to dig. The fur is short and thick, and varies from fawn to almost black, with shades of brown being most common. There is always a white patch on the top of the head, although its exact shape varies, and there may also be additional blotches of white fur else ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Ogilby
William Ogilby (1805–1873) was an Irish-born zoologist who was at the forefront of classification and naming of animal species in the 1830s and served as Secretary of the Zoological Society of London from 1839 to 1847. He removed to Ireland during the Great Famine and later built the grand but architecturally dismal Altinaghree Castle. Mount Ogilby in Queensland was named for him in 1846. Birth, family background and education Probably born in County Londonderry in 1805, William Ogilby was an illegitimate son of Leslie Ogilby (c1764-1845) who owned a bleaching green at Lackagh in the parish of Dungiven. The Ogilbys had been active in the linen trade since the mid-eighteenth century, and William's uncle Robert Ogilby (c1761-1839), having amassed a fortune as a linen factor in Dublin, bought the lease of the 22,000-acre Dungiven Castle estate and was reckoned "the wealthiest commoner in the North of Ireland, possessing it is said between ten and twenty thousand pounds a ye ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Storage Organ
A storage organ is a part of a plant specifically modified for storage of energy (generally in the form of carbohydrates) or water. Storage organs often grow underground, where they are better protected from attack by herbivores. Plants that have an underground storage organ are called geophytes in the Raunkiær plant life-form classification system.; reprinted (1977) in ''History of ecology'' series, New York: Arno Press, Storage organs often, but not always, act as perennating organs which enable plants to survive adverse conditions (such as cold, excessive heat, lack of light or drought). Relationship to perennating organ Storage organs may act as perennating organs ('perennating' as in perennial, meaning "through the year", used in the sense of continuing beyond the year and in due course lasting for multiple years). These are used by plants to survive adverse periods in the plant's life-cycle (e.g. caused by cold, excessive heat, lack of light or drought). During these pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melatonin
Melatonin is a natural product found in plants and animals. It is primarily known in animals as a hormone released by the pineal gland in the brain at night, and has long been associated with control of the sleep–wake cycle. In vertebrates, melatonin is involved in synchronizing circadian rhythms, including sleep–wake timing and blood pressure regulation, and in control of seasonal rhythmicity including reproduction, fattening, moulting and hibernation. Many of its effects are through activation of the melatonin receptors, while others are due to its role as an antioxidant. In plants, it functions to defend against oxidative stress. It is also present in various foods. Melatonin was discovered in 1958. In addition to its role as a natural hormone, melatonin is used as a dietary supplement and medication in the treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia and circadian rhythm sleep disorders; for information on melatonin as a supplement and medication, see the melatoni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Circadian Rhythm
A circadian rhythm (), or circadian cycle, is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep–wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours. It can refer to any process that originates within an organism (i.e., Endogeny (biology), endogenous) and responds to the environment (Entrainment (chronobiology), entrained by the environment). These 24-hour rhythms are driven by a circadian clock, and they have been widely observed in animals, plants, fungi and cyanobacteria. The term ''circadian'' comes from the Latin ''wikt:circa#Latin, circa'', meaning "approximately", and ''dies'', meaning "day". Processes with 24-hour cycles are more generally called diurnal rhythms; diurnal rhythms should not be called circadian rhythms unless they can be confirmed as endogenous, and not environmental. Although circadian rhythms are endogenous, they are adjusted to the local environment by external cues called zeitgebers (German for "time givers"), which include light, temperature and redox cy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basal Metabolic Rate
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the rate of food energy, energy expenditure per unit time by endotherm, endothermic animals at rest. It is reported in energy units per unit time ranging from watt (joule/second) to ml O2/min or joule per hour per kg body mass J/(h·kg). Proper measurement requires a strict set of criteria to be met. These criteria include being in a physically and psychologically undisturbed state and being in a Thermal neutral zone, thermally neutral environment while in the post-absorptive state (i.e., not actively digesting food). In Bradymetabolism, bradymetabolic animals, such as fish and reptiles, the equivalent term standard metabolic rate (SMR) applies. It follows the same criteria as BMR, but requires the documentation of the temperature at which the metabolic rate was measured. This makes BMR a variant of standard metabolic rate measurement that excludes the temperature data, a practice that has led to problems in defining "standard" rates of metabolism for ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, and many other biological effects. In humans, the most important compounds in this group are vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). The major natural source of the vitamin is synthesis of cholecalciferol in the lower layers of epidermis of the skin through a chemical reaction that is dependent on sun exposure (specifically UVB radiation). Cholecalciferol and ergocalciferol can be ingested from the diet and supplements. Only a few foods, such as the flesh of fatty fish, naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D. In the U.S. and other countries, cow's milk and plant-derived milk substitutes are fortified with vitamin D, as are many breakfast cereals. Mushrooms exposed to ultraviolet light contribute useful amounts of vitamin D2. Dietary recommendations typically assume that all of a person's vitamin D is taken ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naja
''Naja'' is a genus of venomous elapid snakes commonly known as cobras (or "true cobras"). Members of the genus ''Naja'' are the most widespread and the most widely recognized as "true" cobras. Various species occur in regions throughout Africa, Southwest Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Several other elapid species are also called "cobras", such as the king cobra (''Ophiophagus hannah'') and the rinkhals (''Hemachatus haemachatus''), but neither are true cobras, in that they do not belong to the genus ''Naja'', but instead each belong to monotypic genera ''Hemachatus'' (the rinkhals) and ''Ophiophagus'' (the king cobra/hamadryad). Until recently, the genus ''Naja'' had 20 to 22 species, but it has undergone several taxonomic revisions in recent years, so sources vary greatly. Wide support exists, though, for a 2009 revision that synonymised the genera ''Boulengerina'' and '' Paranaja'' with ''Naja''. According to that revision, the genus ''Naja'' now includes 38 species. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mole Snake
The mole snake (''Pseudaspis cana'') is a species of snake. It has been placed in the family Lamprophiidae, and more recently in the family Pseudaspididae, along with the genus ''Pythonodipsas''. It is native to much of southern Africa, and is the only member of the genus ''Pseudaspis''. A study showed that ''P. cana'' is caught and consumed by the honey badger, among other species. Remains of the mole snake were found in the faeces, and suggest the consumed individuals were larger specimens. Taxonomy ''P. cana'' was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. Its original binomial name was ''Coluber cana''. Since then, it has also been called ''Coronella cana'' by André Marie Constant Duméril, Gabriel Bibron and Auguste Duméril in 1854, before being reclassified as ''Pseudaspis cana'' by Edward Drinker Cope in 1864. ''P. cana'' is the only species in genus ''Pseudaspis''. The genus has been placed in the family Lamprophii ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Talinum
''Talinum'' is a genus of herbaceous succulent plants in the family Talinaceae (formerly in the family Portulacaceae) whose common names include flameflower. Several species bear edible leaves, and ''Talinum fruticosum'' is widely grown in tropical regions as a leaf vegetable. ''Talinum paniculatum'' is grown as an ornamental plant. Selected species * ''Talinum aurantiacum'' Engelm. * ''Talinum caffrum'' (Thunb.) Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Talinum fruticosum'' ( L.) Juss. * ''Talinum paniculatum'' ( Jacq.) Gaertn. Formerly placed here * ''Calandrinia ciliata'' ( Ruiz & Pav.) DC. (as ''T. ciliatum'' Ruiz & Pav) * ''Phemeranthus calcaricus'' (S. Ware) * ''Phemeranthus mengesii'' (W.Wolf) Kiger (as ''T. mengesii'' W.Wolf) * '' Phemeranthus parviflorus'' (Nutt.) Kiger (as ''T. parviflorum'' Nutt.) * '' Lewisia pygmaea'' (A.Gray Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 – January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His '' Darwiniana'' was considered ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ledebouria
''Ledebouria'' is a genus of African bulbous perennial herbs in the Asparagus family, Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Most members were previously part of the genus ''Scilla''. A number of species are grown by cacti and succulent enthusiasts for their patterned leaves. Most of the species are native to Madagascar and Africa (except North Africa), but a few are from India, Sri Lanka or the Arabian Peninsula. The genus name of ''Ledebouria'' is in honour of Carl Friedrich von Ledebour (1786–1851), a German- Estonian botanist. It was first described and published in Nov. Pl. Sp. on page 194 in 1821. Species #''Ledebouria apertiflora'' (Baker) Jessop #'' Ledebouria asperifolia'' (van der Merwe) S.Venter # '' Ledebouria atrobrunnea'' S.Venter # '' Ledebouria caesiomontana'' Hankey & Hahn # '' Ledebouria camerooniana'' (Baker) Speta # '' Ledebouria concolor'' (Baker) Jessop #'' Ledebouria confusa'' S.Venter # '' Ledebouria cooperi'' (Hook. f.) Jessop # '' Ledebouria cordifo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ornithogalum
''Ornithogalum'' is a genus of perennial plants mostly native to southern Europe and southern Africa belonging to the family Asparagaceae. Some species are native to other areas such as the Caucasus. Growing from a bulb, species have linear basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 30 cm tall, bearing clusters of typically white star-shaped flowers, often striped with green. The common name of the genus, star-of-Bethlehem, is based on its star-shaped flowers, after the Star of Bethlehem that appears in the biblical account of the birth of Jesus. The number of species has varied considerably, depending on authority, from 50 to 300. Description ''Ornithogalum'' species are perennial bulbous geophytes with basal leaves. ''Sensu lato'', the genus has the characteristics of the tribe Ornithogaleae as a whole, since the tribe is monotypic in that sense. ''Sensu stricto'', the genus is characterised by long linear to oblong-lanceolate (lance-shaped) leaves, sometimes with a white ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Acanthosicyos
''Acanthosicyos'' is a genus of thorny shrubs of the botanical family Cucurbitaceae, subfamily Cucurbitoideae. The genus name derives from the Greek words "''akantha''" for thorn and "''sykios''" for cucumber or gourd. Species Endemic to the Namib Desert in Africa, this genus is represented by two known species including ''Acanthosicyos horridus'', the nara melon, an important food plant in its native range. Both species are dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio .... Both the Nara and the Gemsbok Cucumber are edible; however, eating unripe fruit is highly inadvisable due to the presence of chemicals which "burn" the throat and esophagus. The bushmen of the Kalahari eat the Gemsbok Cucumber after it has been roasted in a fire for a couple of hours. This co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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