La Palma Giant Lizard
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La Palma Giant Lizard
The La Palma giant lizard (''Gallotia auaritae'') is a giant lacertid historically living on the island of La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain); its habitat ranged from sea level up to altitudes of 800 m. It probably lives in xerophytic vegetation and is presumably an egg-laying species. Generally considered extinct in historic times, there were sightings (including photographic evidence) of a large lacertid in 2007 which may possibly correspond to this species, although these sightings have been assessed as doubtful. Taxonomy Working on fossil and subfossil evidence, this giant lizard was originally described as a subspecies of the El Hierro giant lizard (Mateo ''et al.'' 2001). Later, it was elevated to full species rank (Afonso & Mateo 2003). Specimen remains from La Palma assigned to '' G. goliath'' seem to belong to this taxon instead; if this is correct, they indicate that the average size of this species had been decreasing over the last millennia, possibly due to humans pr ...
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Lacertid
The Lacertidae are the family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. It is a diverse family with at least 300 species in 39 genera. They represent the dominant group of reptiles found in Europe. The group includes the genus ''Lacerta'', which contains some of the most commonly seen lizard (thus "true" lizard) species in Europe. Habitat The European and Mediterranean species of lacertids live mainly in forest and scrub habitats. ''Eremias'' and ''Ophisops'' species replace these in the grassland and desert habitats of Asia. African species usually live in rocky, arid areas. ''Holaspis'' species are among the few arboreal lacertids, and its two species, ''Holaspis guentheri'' and ''Holaspis laevis'', are gliders (although apparently poor ones), using their broad tail and flattened body as an aerofoil. Description Lacertids are small or medium-sized lizards. Most species are less than 9 cm long, excluding the tail, a ...
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Guanches
The Guanches were the indigenous inhabitants of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean some west of Africa. It is believed that they may have arrived on the archipelago some time in the first millennium BCE. The Guanches were the only native people known to have lived in the Macaronesian archipelago region before the arrival of Europeans, as there is no accepted evidence that the other Macaronesian archipelagos (the Cape Verde Islands, Madeira and the Azores) were inhabited. After the Spanish conquest of the Canaries starting in the early 15th century, many natives were wiped out by the Spanish settlers while others interbred with the settler population, although elements of their culture survive within Canarian customs and traditions, such as Silbo (the whistled language of La Gomera Island). In 2017, the first genome-wide data from the Guanches confirmed a North African origin and that they were genetically most similar to ancient North African Berber peoples of the ...
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Gallotia
The genus ''Gallotia'' are the lacertids (wall lizards) of the Canary Islands. This genus consists of a group that has been evolving there ever since the first islands emerged from the sea over 20 million years ago. The endemic species and subspecies of this group have a number of characteristics that make them quite special within their family (Lacertidae); their only close relatives are the sandrunner lizards (''Psammodromus'') of the western Mediterranean region. ''Gallotia'' are characteristic for eating significant quantities of plants, and several lineages are often presented as classic examples for insular gigantism. However, a find of an even larger ''Gallotia'' species from the early Miocene of mainland Europe casts doubt on this assumption. Instead the ancestor of all modern ''Gallotia'' species of the Canary islands was probably already very large but carnivorous (Černaňský et al., 2016). Systematics and biogeography This genus can be broadly divided into two group ...
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Biological Journal Of The Linnean Society
The ''Biological Journal of the Linnean Society'' is a direct descendant of the oldest biological journal in the world, the ''Transactions of the Linnean Society''. It succeeded the earlier title in 1969. The journal specializes in evolution, and encompasses work across all taxonomic groups in all five kingdoms of living organisms. It includes all methods, whole-organism or molecular, practical or theoretical. The journal is published by the Linnean Society of London The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature colle .... References External links * Linnean Society of London Biology journals English-language journals Publications with year of establishment missing {{biology-journal-stub ...
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Oryx
''Oryx'' is a genus consisting of four large antelope species called oryxes. Their pelage is pale with contrasting dark markings in the face and on the legs, and their long horns are almost straight. The exception is the scimitar oryx, which lacks dark markings on the legs, only has faint dark markings on the head, has an ochre neck, and has horns that are clearly decurved. The Arabian oryx was only saved from extinction through a captive-breeding program and reintroduction to the wild. The scimitar oryx, which is now listed as extinct in the wild, also relies on a captive-breeding program for its survival.Database entry includes justification for why this species is listed as extinct in the wild. Etymology The term "oryx" comes from the Greek word ὄρυξ, ''óryx'', for a type of antelope. The Greek plural form is ''óryges'', although "oryxes" has been established in English. Herodotus mentions a type of gazelle in Libya called ὄρυς, ''orus'', probably related to ...
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Journal Of Zoology
The ''Journal of Zoology'' is a scientific journal concerning zoology, the study of animals. It was founded in 1830 by the Zoological Society of London and is published by Wiley-Blackwell. It carries original research papers, which are targeted towards general readers. Some of the articles are available via open access, depending on the author's wishes. According to the ''Journal Citation Reports'', the journal has a 2020 impact factor of 2.322, ranking it 36th out of 175 journals in the category "Zoology". From around 1833, it was known as the ''Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London'' (). From 1965 to 1984, it was known as the ''Journal of Zoology: Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London'' (). See also * List of zoology journals This is a list of scientific journals which cover the field of zoology. A * '' Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae'' * '' Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae'' * '' Acta Zoologica Bulgarica'' * ''Acta Zoologica Mex ...
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List Of Extinct Animals Of Europe
This list of European animals extinct in the Holocene features animals known to have become extinct in the last 12,000 years on the European continent and its surrounding islands. Dependent territories of European countries in other continents, like Greenland, are not included, as they should be found in their pertaining list. The Açores are included but not other Macaronesian islands, which are in the List of African animals extinct in the Holocene. Likewise, all large islands in the Mediterranean Sea are included except for Cyprus, which is in the List of Asian animals extinct in the Holocene. Many extinction dates are unknown due to a lack of relevant information. Mammals Undated Prehistoric Recent Local Birds Reptiles Fish Insects Sea anemones Molluscs See also * Limousin horse, extinct * List of extinct animals of Catalonia * List of extinct animals of Caucasus * List of extinct animals of the British Isles * Li ...
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Tenerife Speckled Lizard
The Tenerife speckled lizard (''Gallotia intermedia'') is a recently discovered lacertid (wall lizard) endemic to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It is the smallest member of the clade containing the western islands' giant species. It was discovered in 1996 by biologist Efraín Hernández in the Macizo de Teno in the extreme northwest of Tenerife. Although it is believed that the species was once widespread throughout much of the island, nowadays it is only known from a small area of coastline in the extreme west of the island, and also from Montana de Guaza in the extreme south. The total number of animals in the northwestern distribution area is 500 (estimated in 2008), in 40 isolated populations along altogether 9 km of coastline. In the south, there are about 100 animals. The main threat to this lizard is predation by feral cats and, to a lesser degree, by rats. The lizards are increasing in number since the turn of the century as a result of control of introduced mam ...
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La Gomera Giant Lizard
The La Gomera giant lizard (''Gallotia bravoana'') is a lacertid (wall lizard) species that can be found on the island of La Gomera, one of the Canary Islands. It is easily distinguishable from any other member of ''Gallotia'' by the intense white colour that covers its neck, chest and area around the mouth, in spectacular contrast to its dark brown back. This lizard is generally diurnal and mostly herbivorous, and grows up to half a metre long (head and body long). The females lay a single clutch annually of three to seven eggs on average. Its population trend has actually been increasing since 2001. Status and conservation Apparent La Gomera giant lizards are listed in reports on La Gomera up to the 19th century, but not thereafter. The species was originally described from subfossil remains in 1985, presumably having gone extinct by then. Spanish biologists led by Juan Carlos Rando rediscovered this species in 1999. The biologists found only six living individuals. Th ...
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El Hierro Giant Lizard
The El Hierro giant lizard (''Gallotia simonyi machadoi'') is a subspecies of lacertid (wall lizard) that can be found on the island of El Hierro, one of the Canary Islands. It is considered to be a subspecies of ''Gallotia simonyi'', Simony's lizard. The subspecies was once present throughout much of the island and on the small offshore , but is now confined to a few small areas of cliff with sparse vegetation. It is currently restricted to the southern end of the Risco de Tibataje in , located between Guinea and the so-called Paso del Pino (an area of about four hectares). The species was also successfully reintroduced to the Roque Chico de Salmor in 1999, and subsequent reintroductions have taken place at Julan and at la Dehesa.(Miras & Pérez-Mellado 2005b) About long, the Hierro giant lizard is a thickset reptile with a broad head. Adults are dark grey to brown in colour, with two rows of pale orange patches running along its sides. Its belly is mostly brown, but has an ...
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Agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to live in cities. The history of agriculture began thousands of years ago. After gathering wild grains beginning at least 105,000 years ago, nascent farmers began to plant them around 11,500 years ago. Sheep, goats, pigs and cattle were domesticated over 10,000 years ago. Plants were independently cultivated in at least 11 regions of the world. Industrial agriculture based on large-scale monoculture in the twentieth century came to dominate agricultural output, though about 2 billion people still depended on subsistence agriculture. The major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, and raw materials (such as rubber). Food classes include cereals (grains), vegetables, fruits, cooking oils, meat, milk, ...
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Habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ecological niche. Thus "habitat" is a species-specific term, fundamentally different from concepts such as environment or vegetation assemblages, for which the term "habitat-type" is more appropriate. The physical factors may include (for example): soil, moisture, range of temperature, and light intensity. Biotic factors will include the availability of food and the presence or absence of predators. Every species has particular habitat requirements, with habitat generalist species able to thrive in a wide array of environmental conditions while habitat specialist species requiring a very limited set of factors to survive. The habitat of a species is not necessarily found in a geographical area, it can be the interior ...
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