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Natural History Museum Of The University Of Pisa
The Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa is a natural history museum in the city of Pisa in Tuscany, Italy. It houses one of the largest collection of cetaceans skeletons in Europe. The museum's oldest collections are seashells collected by the Italian invertebrate scientist, Niccolò Gualtieri. There is also an assembly of five thousand zoological specimens collected by the Italian geologist and ornithologist, Paolo Savi. Grand Duke Ferdinand I of Tuscany established the museum in 1596 by moving specimens from the Florentine palaces of the Medici. In 1981, the museum was moved to the Pisa Charterhouse. Organization The museum is organized into two sectors. One sector includes the * Aquarium * Temporary Exhibitions * Prehistory of Monte Pisano The other sector includes the permanent exhibitions of * Historical Gallery * Garden * Amphibians and Reptiles gallery * Mammals gallery * Hall of Archaeocetes * Cetacean gallery * Hall of the evolution of man * Mine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Calci
Calci is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa. Government ; ''Frazioni'' The main settlement is the municipal seat of La Pieve; the rest of the population is distributed between the other hamlets – ''frazioni'' – of Castelmaggiore, Crespignano, Gabella, Il Colle-Villa, La Corte-San Piero, Pontegrande-Sant'Andrea, Montemagno, Rezzano-Nicosia and Tre Colli. Main sights Its main attraction is Pisa Charterhouse, also known as Calci Charterhouse (''Certosa di Pisa'' or ''di Calci''), which houses a natural history museum of the University of Pisa The University of Pisa ( it, Università di Pisa, UniPi), officially founded in 1343, is one of the oldest universities in Europe. History The Origins The University of Pisa was officially founded in 1343, although various scholars place .... External links Official website Cities and towns in Tuscany { ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dipnoi
Lungfish are freshwater vertebrates belonging to the order Dipnoi. Lungfish are best known for retaining ancestral characteristics within the Osteichthyes, including the ability to breathe air, and ancestral structures within Sarcopterygii, including the presence of lobed fins with a well-developed internal skeleton. Lungfish represent the closest living relatives of the tetrapods. Today there are only six known species of lungfish, living in Africa, South America, and Australia. The fossil record shows that lungfish were abundant since the Triassic. While vicariance would suggest this represents an ancient distribution limited to the Mesozoic supercontinent Gondwana, the fossil record suggests advanced lungfish had a widespread freshwater distribution and the current distribution of modern lungfish species reflects extinction of many lineages subsequent to the breakup of Pangaea, Gondwana and Laurasia. Lungfish have historically been referred to as salamanderfish, but th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hippopotamus Antiquus
''Hippopotamus antiquus'', sometimes called the European hippopotamus, is an extinct species of ''Hippopotamus'' that ranged across Europe during the Early and Middle Pleistocene. Chronology In Italy, the first appearance of the taxon is during the late Early Pleistocene, around 1.2 Ma, remains from Coste San Giacomo, suggested to date to around 2 Ma, have an uncertain stratigraphic context. ''H. antiquus'' first became widespread north of the Alps around 1.1 to 1 million years ago. The youngest confirmed remains of the taxon date to MIS 15, (621–563,000 years ago), but there are possibly later records dating to MIS 11 (424,000 to 374,000 years ago). Later records of ''Hippopotamus'' in continental Europe beginning in MIS 13 (~524,000-474,000 years ago), are believed to belong to the modern hippopotamus (''Hippopotamus amphibius''). Biology ''H. antiquus'' ranged from the Iberian Peninsula to the British Isles to the Rhine River to Greece."150 Years of Neanderthal Discover ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Père David's Deer
The Père David's deer (''Elaphurus davidianus''), also known as the ''milu'' () or elaphure, is a species of deer native to the subtropical river valleys of China. It grazes mainly on grass and aquatic plants. It is the only extant member of the genus ''Elaphurus''. Some experts suggest demoting ''Elaphurus'' to a subgenus of ''Cervus''. Based on genetic comparisons, Père David's deer is closely related to Eld's deer. Père David's deer were hunted almost to extinction in their native China by the late 19th century, but a number were taken to zoos in France and Germany and the deer was bred successfully in captivity. In the early 20th century, the British nobleman and politician Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford, acquired a few Père David's deer from the Berlin Zoo and built up a large herd on his estate at Woburn Abbey. In the 1980s, the duke's great-grandson Robin Russell, 14th Duke of Bedford, donated several dozen deer to the Chinese government for reintroducing t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monte Pisano
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which would be segmented ''Apenn-inus'', often used with nouns such as ("mountain") or Greek (), but ''Apenninus'' is just as often used alone as a noun. The ancient Greeks and Romans typically but not always used "mountain" in the singular to mean one or a range; thus, "the Apennine mountain" refers to the entire chain and is translated "the Apennine mountains". The ending can vary also by gender depending on the noun modified. The Italian singular refers to one of the constituent chains rather than to a single mountain, and the Italian plural refers to multiple chains rather than to multiple mountains. it, Appennini ) are a mountain range consisting of parallel smaller chains extending along the length of peninsular Italy. In the northwest the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blaschka 1
Leopold Blaschka (27 May 1822 – 3 July 1895) and his son Rudolf Blaschka (17 June 1857 – 1 May 1939) were glass artists from Dresden, Germany, native to the Bohemian (Czech)–German borderland, and known for the production of biological models such as the glass sea creatures and Harvard University's Glass Flowers. Family background The Blaschka family traces its roots to Josefův Důl (Josefsthal) in the Jizera Mountains, Bohemia, a region known for processing glass, metals, and gems. Members of the Blacschka family had worked in Venice, Bohemia, and Germany. Leopold referred to this history in an 1889 letter to Mary Lee Ware: Born in Český Dub, Bohemia, and one of Joseph Blaschke's three sons, Leopold was apprenticed to a goldsmith and gemcutter in Turnov, a town in the Liberec Region of today's Czech Republic. He then joined the family business, which produced glass ornaments and glass eyes. It was there that Leopold developed a technique which he termed "glass-spi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leopold And Rudolf Blaschka
Leopold Blaschka (27 May 1822 – 3 July 1895) and his son Rudolf Blaschka (17 June 1857 – 1 May 1939) were glass artists from Dresden, Germany, native to the Bohemian (Czech)–German borderland, and known for the production of biological models such as the glass sea creatures and Harvard University's Glass Flowers. Family background The Blaschka family traces its roots to Josefův Důl (Josefsthal) in the Jizera Mountains, Bohemia, a region known for processing glass, metals, and gems. Members of the Blacschka family had worked in Venice, Bohemia, and Germany. Leopold referred to this history in an 1889 letter to Mary Lee Ware: Born in Český Dub, Bohemia, and one of Joseph Blaschke's three sons, Leopold was apprenticed to a goldsmith and gemcutter in Turnov, a town in the Liberec Region of today's Czech Republic. He then joined the family business, which produced glass ornaments and glass eyes. It was there that Leopold developed a technique which he termed "glass-spi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agnano
Agnano is a suburb of Napoli, Italy, situated southwest of the city in the Campi Flegrei region. It was popular among both ancient Greeks and Romans and was famed for its hot sulphurous springs. History Lake Agnano formed in the Middle Ages in the volcanic crater but was drained in 1870 to increase arable land and reduce the habitat of the ''Anopheles'' mosquito, which carries the malaria parasite. The crater is now home to the Agnano hippodrome and the town. After World War II, Agnano was home to the U.S. Naval Support Activity consisting of the U.S. Naval Hospital, administrative offices, barracks, and two Department of Defense Education Activity schools: Naples Elementary School and Naples American High School. Sights The ruins of ancient thermal baths originally from the Greek period are visible although the existing structures date mainly from the Roman period of the 1st-2nd century AD. Magnificent mosaics and sculptures were discovered here. The remains are located in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alligator Pipefish
The alligator pipefish or double-ended pipefish (''Syngnathoides biaculeatus'') is a species of fish in the family Syngnathidae and is the only species in the monotypic genus '' Syngnathoides''. It is found in shallow water in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific, its range extending from East Africa to northern Australia. This fish lives in habitats of seagrass and seaweed, and hides by positioning itself vertically with its head down amidst the similar-coloured fronds of vegetation. The elongated, well-camouflaged body can reach in length. It feeds by sucking up its prey. Description The alligator pipefish can grow to a length of about though a more typical length is . The narrow head has the snout tipped by a pair of short tentacles and the body is elongated and tetrahedral. The dorsal fin has 38 to 48 soft rays and the anal fins have 4 soft rays. The tail is long and tapering. It is prehensile and lacks a tail fin, being used to anchor the fish to vegetation. The colour ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oscar (fish)
The oscar (''Astronotus ocellatus'') is a species of fish from the cichlid family known under a variety of common names, including tiger oscar, velvet cichlid, and marble cichlid. In tropical South America, where the species naturally resides, ''A. ocellatus'' specimens are often found for sale as a food fish in the local markets. The fish has been introduced to other areas, including India, China, Australia, and the United States. It is considered a popular aquarium fish in Europe and the U.S. Taxonomy The species was originally described by Louis Agassiz in 1831 as '' Lobotes ocellatus'', as he mistakenly believed the species was marine; later work assigned the species to the genus ''Astronotus''. The species also has a number of junior synonyms: ''Acara compressus'', ''Acara hyposticta'', ''Astronotus ocellatus zebra'', and ''Astronotus orbiculatus''. Description ''A. ocellatus'' examples have been reported to grow to about in length and in weight. The wild-caught forms ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gourami
Gouramis, or gouramies , are a group of freshwater anabantiform fishes that comprise the family Osphronemidae. The fish are native to Asia—from the Indian Subcontinent to Southeast Asia and northeasterly towards Korea. The name "gourami", of Indonesian origin, is also used for fish of the families Helostomatidae and Anabantidae. Many gouramis have an elongated, feeler-like ray at the front of each of their pelvic fins. All living species show parental care until fry are free swimming: some are mouthbrooders, like the Krabi mouth-brooding betta (''Betta Simplex''), and others, like the Siamese fighting fish (''Betta splendens''), build bubble nests. Currently, about 133 species are recognised, placed in four subfamilies and about 15 genera. The name Polyacanthidae has also been used for this family. Some fish now classified as gouramis were previously placed in family Anabantidae. The subfamily Belontiinae was recently demoted from the family Belontiidae. As labyrinth fishe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mata Mata
Matamata () is a town in Waikato, New Zealand. It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District, which takes in the surrounding rural areas, as well as Morrinsville and Te Aroha. State Highway 27 and the Kinleith Branch railway run through the town. The town has a population of as of A nearby farm was the location for the Hobbiton Movie Set in Peter Jackson's ''The Lord of the Rings''. The New Zealand government decided to leave the Hobbit holes built on location as tourist attractions. During the period between the filming of '' The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' and '' The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'' they had no furniture or props, but could be entered with vistas of the farm viewed from inside them. A "Welcome to Hobbiton" sign has been placed on the main road. In 2011, parts of Hobbiton began to close in preparation for th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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