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Nyulnyulan Language
The Nyulnyulan languages are a small family of closely related Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Western Australia. Most languages in this family are extinct, with only three extant languages, all of which are almost extinct. Internal classification The languages form two branches established on the basis of lexical and morphological innovation. * Western or Nyulnyulic: :: Nyulnyul † :: Bardi :: Jawi :: Djabirr-Djabirr † ::Nimanburru † * Eastern or Dyukun: ::Yawuru :: Dyugun † ::Warrwa † :: Nyigina :: Ngumbarl † Vocabulary Capell (1940) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Nyulnyulan languages:Capell, Arthur. 1940The Classification of Languages in North and North-West Australia ''Oceania'' 10(3): 241-272, 404-433. : Lexical isoglosses Some lexical isoglosses between Proto-Western Nyulnyulan and Proto-Eastern Nyulnyulan: : Proto-languages Proto-Nyulnyulan The following reconstruction of Proto-Nyulnyulan is from Stokes and McGrego ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fitzroy River (Western Australia)
The Fitzroy River is located in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia. It has 20 tributaries and its catchment occupies an area of , within the Canning Basin and the Timor Sea drainage division. It often floods extensively during the wet season, and is known as the major remaining habitat for the critically endangered sawfish. History Pre-colonisation The first people to live along the river were the traditional owners of the areas around the river, including the Bunuba and Nyikina people to the west, and the Walmajarri and Gooniyandi people to the east, who have lived in the area for at least 40,000 years. The Nyikina and Bunuba people know the river as ''Mardoowarra'' and Bandaral Ngarri respectively; the river and its vast floodplains are of great spiritual, cultural, medicinal and ecological significance. The Nyikina word ''Raparapa'', translates as "alongside the river". 19th to 21st centuries The first European to visit the Fitzroy River was George Grey in 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isogloss
An isogloss, also called a heterogloss (see Etymology below), is the geographic boundary of a certain linguistic feature, such as the pronunciation of a vowel, the meaning of a word, or the use of some morphological or syntactic feature. Major dialects are typically demarcated by ''bundles'' of isoglosses, such as the Benrath line that distinguishes High German from the other West Germanic languages and the La Spezia–Rimini Line that divides the Northern Italian languages and Romance languages west of Italy from Central Italian dialects and Romance languages east of Italy. However, an ''individual'' isogloss may or may not have any coterminus with a language border. For example, the front-rounding of /y/ cuts across France and Germany, while the /y/ is absent from Italian and Spanish words that are cognates with the /y/-containing French words. One of the best-known isoglosses is the centum-satem isogloss. Similar to an isogloss, an isograph is a distinguishing feature of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scrub Turkey
The Australian brushturkey or Australian brush-turkey or gweela (''Alectura lathami''), also frequently called the scrub turkey or bush turkey, is a common, widespread species of mound-building bird from the family Megapodiidae found in eastern Australia from Far North Queensland to Eurobodalla on the South Coast of New South Wales. The Australian brushturkey has also been introduced to Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It is the largest extant representative of the family Megapodiidae, and is one of three species to inhabit Australia. Despite its name and their superficial similarities, the bird is not closely related to American turkeys, nor to the Australian bustard, which is also known as the bush turkey. Its closest relatives are the wattled brushturkey, Waigeo brushturkey, and malleefowl. Biology Description It is a large bird with black feathers and a red head. Its total length is about and a wingspan of about . The subspecies ''A. l. purpureicollis'' from the north ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bustard
Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large, terrestrial birds living mainly in dry grassland areas and on the steppes of the Old World. They range in length from . They make up the family Otididae (, formerly known as Otidae). Bustards are omnivorous and opportunistic, eating leaves, buds, seeds, fruit, small vertebrates, and invertebrates.del Hoyo, J. Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. (editors). (1996) ''Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 3: Hoatzin to Auks''. Lynx Edicions. There are 26 species currently recognised. Description Bustards are all fairly large with the two largest species, the kori bustard (''Ardeotis kori'') and the great bustard (''Otis tarda''), being frequently cited as the world's heaviest flying birds. In both the largest species, large males exceed a weight of , weigh around on average and can attain a total length of . The smallest species is the little brown bustard (''Eupodotis humilis''), which is around long and weighs around on average. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blue-tongue Lizard
Blue-tongued skinks comprise the Australasian genus ''Tiliqua'', which contains some of the largest members of the skink family (Scincidae). They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues or blueys in Australia. As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be bared as bluff-warning to potential enemies. The type of predator/threat that is near will determine the intensity of colour present in the tongue. In addition, their blue tongue will produce a response in the prey which will in turn diminish the attack. The tongue can also deform itself and produce a thick mucus in order to catch prey. They are relatively shy in comparison with other lizards, and also significantly slower due to their shorter legs. Systematics and distribution Blue-tongued skinks are closely related to the genera ''Cyclodomorphus'' and '' Hemisphaeriodon''. All species are found on mainland Australia with the exception ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saltwater Crocodile
The saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') is a crocodilian native to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India's east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 1996. It was hunted for its skin throughout its range up to the 1970s, and is threatened by illegal killing and habitat loss. It is regarded as dangerous to humans. The saltwater crocodile is considered to be the largest living reptile. Males can grow up to a length of , rarely exceeding , and a weight of . Females are much smaller and rarely surpass . It is also called the estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile, and informally as the saltie. A large and opportunistic hypercarnivorous apex predator, they ambush most of their prey and then drown or swallow it whole. They are capable of prevailing over almost any animal that enters their territory, including ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dingo
The dingo (''Canis familiaris'', ''Canis familiaris dingo'', ''Canis dingo'', or ''Canis lupus dingo'') is an ancient (Basal (phylogenetics), basal) lineage of dog found in Australia (continent), Australia. Its taxonomic classification is debated as indicated by the variety of scientific names presently applied in different publications. It is variously considered a form of domestic dog not warranting recognition as a subspecies, a subspecies of dog or wolf, or a full species in its own right. The dingo is a medium-sized Canis, canine that possesses a lean, hardy body adapted for speed, agility, and stamina. The dingo's three main coat colourations are light ginger or tan, black and tan, or creamy white. The skull is wedge-shaped and appears large in proportion to the body. The dingo is closely related to the New Guinea singing dog: their lineage split early from the lineage that led to today's domestic dogs, and can be traced back through the Maritime Southeast Asia to Asia. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frill-necked Lizard
The frilled lizard (''Chlamydosaurus kingii''), also known as the frill-necked lizard or frilled dragon, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. It is native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea. This species is the only member of the genus ''Chlamydosaurus''. Its common names come from the large frill around its neck, which usually stays folded against the lizard's body. It reaches from head to tail and can weigh . Males are larger and more robust than females. The frilled lizard is largely arboreal, spending most of its time in the trees. Its diet consists mainly of insects and other invertebrates. It is more active during the wet season, which is when it breeds and spends more time near or on the ground. It is less observed during the dry season, during which it seeks shade in the branches of the upper canopy. The lizard uses its frill to scare off predators and display to other individuals. The species' distinctive appearance has been used in films and TV. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brolga
The brolga (''Antigone rubicunda''), formerly known as the native companion, is a bird in the crane family. It has also been given the name Australian crane, a term coined in 1865 by well-known ornithologist John Gould in his ''Birds of Australia''. The brolga is a common, gregarious wetland bird species of tropical and south-eastern Australia and New Guinea. It is a tall, upright bird with a small head, long beak, slender neck, and long legs. Its plumage is mainly grey, with black wing tips, and it has an orange-red band on its head. The brolga's courting dance is similar to that of other cranes. The nest is built of wetland vegetation, either on an elevated piece of land or floating on shallow water in marshland, and usually two eggs are laid. Incubation takes 32 days, and the newly hatched young are precocial. The adult diet is omnivorous and includes plant matter, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. Although the bird is not considered endangered over the majority of its r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clapstick
Clapsticks, also spelt clap sticks and also known as bilma, bimli, clappers, musicstick or just stick, are a traditional Australian Aboriginal instrument. They serve to maintain rhythm in voice chants, often as part of an Aboriginal ceremony. They are a type of drumstick, percussion mallet or claves that belongs to the idiophone category. Unlike drumsticks, which are generally used to strike a drum, clapsticks are intended for striking one stick on another. Origin and nomenclature In northern Australia, clapsticks would traditionally accompany the didgeridoo, and are called bimli or bilma by the Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. Boomerang clapsticks Boomerang clapsticks are similar to regular clapsticks but they can be shaken for a rattling sound or be clapped together. Technique The usual technique employed when using clapsticks is to clap the sticks together to create a rhythm that goes along with the song. See also * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wallaby
A wallaby () is a small or middle-sized Macropodidae, macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. They belong to the same Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic family as kangaroos and sometimes the same genus, but kangaroos are specifically categorised into the four largest species of the family. The term "wallaby" is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or a wallaroo that has not been designated otherwise. There are nine species (eight extant and one Extinction, extinct) of the brush wallaby (genus ''Notamacropus''). Their head and body length is and the tail is long. The 19 known species of Rock-wallaby, rock-wallabies (genus ''Petrogale'') live among rocks, usually near water; two species in this genus are endangered. The two living species of hare-wallabies (genus ''Lagorchestes''; two other species in this genus are extinct) are sma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Goanna
A goanna is any one of several species of lizards of the genus '' Varanus'' found in Australia and Southeast Asia. Around 70 species of ''Varanus'' are known, 25 of which are found in Australia. This varied group of carnivorous reptiles ranges greatly in size and fills several ecological niches. The goanna features prominently in Aboriginal mythology and Australian folklore. Being predatory lizards, goannas are often quite large, or at least bulky, with sharp teeth and claws. The largest is the perentie (''V. giganteus''), which can grow over in length. Not all goannas are so large; pygmy goannas may be smaller than the arm of an adult human. The smallest of these, the short-tailed monitor (''V. brevicauda''), reaches only in length. They survive on smaller prey, such as insects and mice. Goannas combine predatory and scavenging behaviours. They prey on any animal they can catch that is small enough to eat whole. They have been blamed by farmers for the death of sheep, tho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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