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Murray Hill, Christmas Island
Murray Hill is the highest point of Christmas Island, at above sea level. It was first scaled in 1857 even though the island had been located in 1615. The plateau around the summit is dense and evergreen, although the biodiversity of trees is limited compared to similar areas of continental rainforest. Murray Hill is an integral part of the Christmas Island National Park covering an area of of the island's southwest corner; the island's total area is approximately . History Christmas Island was first discovered on in 1615 by Captain John Milward of the East India Company ship, and it was named Christmas Island on 25 December 1643. However, it was only 272 years later, in 1887, that detailed exploration of the topographical features and geological formations of the island was performed. This was an effort by a small group of people from HMS Egeria, HMS ''Egeria''. They were the first to scale the highest mountain of the island, which is named as Murray Hill, though in earlier cen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christmas Island
Christmas Island, officially the Territory of Christmas Island, is an Australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. It is located in the Indian Ocean, around south of Java and Sumatra and around north-west of the closest point on the Australian mainland. It lies northwest of Perth and south of Singapore. It has an area of . Christmas Island had a population of 1,692 residents , the majority living in settlements on the northern edge of the island. The main settlement is Flying Fish Cove. Historically, Asian Australians of Chinese, Malay, and Indian descent formed the majority of the population. Today, around two-thirds of the island's population is estimated to have Straits Chinese origin (though just 22.2% of the population declared a Chinese ancestry in 2021), with significant numbers of Malays and European Australians and smaller numbers of Straits Indians and Eurasians. Several languages are in use, including English, Malay, and various ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lithothamnion
''Lithothamnion'' is a genus of thalloid red alga comprising 103 species. Its members are known by a number of common names.Recorded common names are griuán, maërl, punalevä-suku, stenhinna and maerl. The monomerous, crustose thalli are composed of a single system of filaments which grow close to the underlying surface. ''Lithothamnion'' reproduces by means of multiporate conceptacles. Species The valid species currently considered to belong to this genus are: *''L. album'' *''L. antarcticum'' *''L. apiculatum'' *''L. asperulatum'' *''L. aucklandicum'' *''L. australe'' *''L. brasiliense'' *''L. breviaxe'' *''L. calcareum'' *''L. californicum'' *''L. capense'' *''L. carolii'' *''L. chathamense'' *''L. circumscriptum'' *''L. colliculosum'' *''L. corallioides'' *''L. coralloides'' *''L. cottonii'' *''L. coulmanicum'' *''L. crispatum'' *''L. dehiscens'' *''L. diguetii' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geograpsus Grayi
''Geograpsus'' is a genus of crabs in the family Grapsidae The Grapsidae are a family of crabs known variously as marsh crabs, shore crabs, or talon crabs. The family has not been confirmed to form a monophyletic group and some taxa may belong in other families. They are found along the shore among rocks ..., containing four extant species, and one extinct species: *'' Geograpsus crinipes'' (Dana, 1851) *'' Geograpsus grayi'' (H. Milne-Edwards, 1853) *'' Geograpsus lividus'' (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837) *'' Geograpsus stormi'' De Man, 1895 *† '' Geograpsus severnsi'' Paulay & Starmer, 2011 References Grapsidae {{crab-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robber Crab
The coconut crab (''Birgus latro'') is a species of terrestrial hermit crab, also known as the robber crab or palm thief. It is the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world, with a weight of up to . It can grow to up to in width from the tip of one leg to the tip of another. It is found on islands across the Indian Ocean, and parts of the Pacific Ocean as far east as the Gambier Islands, Pitcairn Islands and Caroline Island, similar to the distribution of the coconut palm; it has been Local extinction, extirpated from most areas with a significant human population, including mainland Australia and Madagascar. Coconut crabs also live off the coast of Africa near Zanzibar. The coconut crab is the monotypic, only species of the genus ''Birgus'', and is related to the other terrestrial hermit crabs of the genus ''Coenobita''. It shows a number of adaptations to life on land. Juvenile coconut crabs use empty gastropod shells for protection like other hermit crabs, but the adults de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emoia Nativitatis
The Christmas Island forest skink (''Emoia nativitatis''), also known as the Christmas Island whiptail skink, is a species of skink formerly endemic to Australia's Christmas Island. As of 2017, it is listed as extinct on the IUCN Red List. The last known forest skink, a captive individual named Gump, died on 31 May 2014. Description The ''Emoia'' skinks are a large group with marked radiation on islands in the Pacific. The forest skink is about 20 cm long, thickset, ground-dwelling, and active during the day. Its body is a chocolate-brown colour and unpatterned. The species was found in forest clearings, usually in leaf litter. Discovery The Christmas Island forest skink was described by George Albert Boulenger in 1887 based on a single tailless specimen. Subsequently, eight specimens were collected by naturalist Joseph Jackson Lister. Decline and extinction The Christmas Island forest skink was common and widespread on Christmas Island during most of the twentieth ce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cryptoblepharus Egeriae
''Cryptoblepharus egeriae'', also known commonly as the blue-tailed shinning-skink, the Christmas Island blue-tailed shinning-skink, and the Christmas Island blue-tailed skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae that was once endemic to Christmas Island. The Christmas Island blue-tailed skink was discovered in 1888. (''Ablepharus egeriae'', new species, pp. 535–536). It was formerly the most abundant reptile on the island, and occurred in high numbers particularly near the human settlement. However, the Christmas Island blue-tailed skink began to decline sharply outwardly from the human settlement by the early 1990s, which coincided with the introduction of a predatory snake and the introduction of the yellow crazy ant (''Anoplolepis gracilipes'') in the mid-1980s. By 2006, the Christmas Island blue-tailed skink was on the endangered animals list, and by 2010 the Christmas Island blue-tailed skink was extinct in the wild. From 2009-2010, parks Australia and Tarong ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Skinks
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Skinks are characterized by their smaller legs in comparison to typical lizards and are found in different habitats except arctic and subarctic regions. Description Skinks look like lizards of the family Lacertidae (sometimes called ''true lizards''), but most species of skinks have no pronounced neck and relatively small legs. Several genera (e.g., ''Typhlosaurus'') have no limbs at all. This is not true for all skinks, however, as some species such as the red-eyed crocodile skink have a head that is very distinguished from the body. These lizards also have legs that are relatively small proportional to their body size. Skinks' skulls are covered by substantial bony scales, usually matching up in shape and size, while overlapping. Other gen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lepidodactylus Listeri
''Lepidodactylus listeri'', also known commonly as Lister's gecko or the Christmas Island chained gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae, endemic to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. It is currently extinct in the wild. Geographic range ''L. listeri'' is endemic to Christmas Island. Etymology Both the specific name, ''listeri'', and one of the common names, Lister's gecko, are in honour of British naturalist Joseph Jackson Lister.xiii + 296 pp. Description Lister's gecko is a brown lizard growing to a snout-vent length (SVL) of . It has a broad, pale fawn/grey vertebral stripe which expands to cover the top of the head and matches the colour and pattern of the tail. It has a whitish belly. The body is covered with small, smooth scales. ''L. listeri'' was most abundant in primary rainforest on the plateau, but also occurs in disturbed secondary forest growth. It was absent from mined areas on the island.Cogger HG, Sadlier RA (1999). ''The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyrtodactylus
''Cyrtodactylus'' (Greek κυρτος ''kurtos'' "curved", from κυπτω ''kuptō'' "to stoop"; δακτυλος ''daktulos'' "finger, toe") is a diverse genus of Asian geckos, commonly known as bent-toed geckos, bow-fingered geckos, and forest geckos. The genus has about 300 described species as of 2020, which makes it the largest of all gecko genera. Description Instead of possessing dilated digits like other geckos, members of ''Cyrtodactylus'' have slender, curved toes to which the common names for the genus can be attributed. Taxonomy The phylogenetic relationships with this genus and the genus ''Geckoella'' has not been resolved to date. Based on morphology, suggested that it was a subgenus of ''Cyrtodactylus'' but a phylogenetic study by , though with inadequate sampling of taxa, restored it to generic status once again. All species of ''Geckoella'' have been placed here pending a more definitive study. Phylogeny The following phylogeny is from Pyron, et al. (2013), ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gecarcoidea Natalis
The Christmas Island red crab (''Gecarcoidea natalis'') is a species of land crab that is endemic to Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. Although restricted to a relatively small area, an estimated 43.7 million adult red crabs once lived on Christmas Island alone, but the accidental introduction of the yellow crazy ant is believed to have killed about 10–15 million of these in recent years. Christmas Island red crabs make an annual mass migration to the sea to lay their eggs in the ocean. Although its population is under great assault by the ants, as of 2020 the red crab had not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and it was not listed on their Red List. The crab's annual mass migration to the sea for spawning is described as an "epic" event. Millions emerge at the same time, halting road traffic and covering the ground in a thick carpet of crabs. Description Christmas Island red crabs are large crabs with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weathering
Weathering is the deterioration of rocks, soils and minerals as well as wood and artificial materials through contact with water, atmospheric gases, and biological organisms. Weathering occurs ''in situ'' (on site, with little or no movement), and so is distinct from erosion, which involves the transport of rocks and minerals by agents such as water, ice, snow, wind, waves and gravity. Weathering processes are divided into ''physical'' and ''chemical weathering''. Physical weathering involves the breakdown of rocks and soils through the mechanical effects of heat, water, ice, or other agents. Chemical weathering involves the chemical reaction of water, atmospheric gases, and biologically produced chemicals with rocks and soils. Water is the principal agent behind both physical and chemical weathering, though atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide and the activities of biological organisms are also important. Chemical weathering by biological action is also known as biological wea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Outcrop
An outcrop or rocky outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. Features Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by soil and vegetation and cannot be seen or examined closely. However, in places where the overlying cover is removed through erosion or tectonic uplift, the rock may be exposed, or ''crop out''. Such exposure will happen most frequently in areas where erosion is rapid and exceeds the weathering rate such as on steep hillsides, mountain ridges and tops, river banks, and tectonically active areas. In Finland, glacial erosion during the last glacial maximum (ca. 11000 BC), followed by scouring by sea waves, followed by isostatic uplift has produced many smooth coastal and littoral outcrops. Bedrock and superficial deposits may also be exposed at the Earth's surface due to human excavations such as quarrying and build ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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