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Sirenoidea
Sirenidae, the sirens, are a family of neotenic aquatic salamanders. Family members have very small fore limbs and lack hind limbs altogether. In one species, the skeleton in their fore limbs is made of only cartilage. In contrast to most other salamanders, they have external gills bunched together on the neck in both larval and adult states. Sirens are found only in the Southeastern United States and northern Mexico. Although they are primarily carnivorous, they are the only salamanders observed eating plant material.Hill, R. L., Mendelson, J. R. & Stabile, J. L. 2015. Direct observation and review of herbivory in Sirenidae (Amphibia: Caudata). Southeastern Naturalist 14, N5-N9. Description Sirens are quite distinct from other salamanders, and in some classifications they form their own suborder, Sirenoidea, or as a completely distinct order (Meantes or Trachystomata). Genetic analysis variously places them as the sister to other Salamandroidea or as sister to all other salama ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Salamander
Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All ten extant salamander families are grouped together under the order Urodela. Salamander diversity is highest in eastern North America, especially in the Appalachian Mountains; most species are found in the Holarctic realm, with some species present in the Neotropical realm. Salamanders rarely have more than four toes on their front legs and five on their rear legs, but some species have fewer digits and others lack hind limbs. Their permeable skin usually makes them reliant on habitats in or near water or other cool, damp places. Some salamander species are fully aquatic throughout their lives, some take to the water intermittently, and others are entirely terrestrial as adults. This group of amphibians is capable of regenerating lost lim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lesser Siren
The lesser siren (''Siren intermedia'') is a species of aquatic salamander native to the eastern United States and northern Mexico. They are referred to by numerous common names, including two-legged eel, dwarf siren, and mud eel. The specific epithet ''intermedia'' denotes their intermediate size, between the greater siren, ''Siren lacertina'', and the dwarf sirens, ''Pseudobranchus'' species. Description Lesser sirens have elongated bodies possessing only two limbs, a pair of four-toed legs located behind the base of the head, and range in length from 7 to 27 inches (17 – 69 cm). Unlike greater sirens, lesser sirens have less than 35 costal grooves. Juvenile specimens have red to yellow banding on their heads and stripes running along the main length of the body, although these stripes are absent in ''Siren intermedia''. Adults have plainer coloration; the dorsal side is typically olive green to blue-gray or black, while the ventral is usually light grey. Spotted patter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Habrosaurus
''Habrosaurus'' (, meaning "graceful lizard") is an extinct genus of prehistoric salamanders, and the oldest known member of the family Sirenidae. Two species are known, ''H. prodilatus'' from the middle Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, and ''H. dilatus'' from the late Maastrichtian and Paleocene of western North America. It is relatively common in the Lance Formation of Wyoming, and less common in the Hell Creek Formation of Montana. Description ''Habrosaurus'' was one of the largest lissamphibians of all time, comparable in length to modern giant salamanders at about 1.6 meters, as estimated from its trunk vertebrae length (up to 2 cm long). ''H. prodilatus'' possessed chisel-like teeth, while ''H. dilatus'' had bulkier crowns. The teeth of ''H. dilatus'' also exhibited heavy wear facets while those of ''H. prodilatus'' had only mild wear, suggesting that ''H. dilatus'' was more adapted for durophagy than ''H. prodilatus''. ''H. dilatus'' may have preyed upon a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dwarf Siren
Dwarf sirens are eel-like salamanders of the genus ''Pseudobranchus''. Dwarf sirens possess external gills throughout adulthood and lack hind legs. Dwarf sirens can be distinguished from members of the genus ''Siren'' in that dwarf sirens have three toes on each foot rather than four. Like sirens, dwarf sirens are restricted to the Southeastern United States. Species The genus ''Pseudobranchus'' consists of the following extant species: * Southern dwarf siren (''P. axanthus'') **Narrow-striped dwarf siren (''P. a. axanthus'') **Everglades dwarf siren (''P. a. belli'') * Northern dwarf siren (''P. striatus'') **Broad-striped dwarf siren (''P. s. striatus'') **Gulf Hammock dwarf siren (''P. s. lustricolus'') **Slender dwarf siren (''P. s. spheniscus'') There are also two extinct species known from fossil evidence: * †''Pseudobranchus vetustus'' (Miocene to Pliocene of Florida) * †''Pseudobranchus robustus'' (Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Siren (genus)
''Siren'' is a genus of aquatic salamanders of the family Sirenidae. The genus consists of three living species, along with one extinct species from the Eocene Epoch and three from the Miocene. The living species have elongated, eel-like bodies, with two small vestigial fore legs. Species Extant (living) species include: *''Siren intermedia'' Barnes, 1826 – lesser siren *''Siren lacertina'' Linnaeus, 1766 – greater siren *''Siren reticulata'' Graham, Kline, Steen & Kelehear, 2018 – reticulated siren or leopard eel Extinct species: *†''Siren dunni'' Goin & Auffenberg, 1957 *†''Siren hesterna'' Herre, 1955 *†''Siren miotexana'' Holman, 1977 *†''Siren simpsoni'' Herre, 1955 Siren intermedia nettingi UMFS 2015 1.JPG, ''Siren intermedia nettingi'',western lesser siren Siren_Lacertina_Skeleton_(2).jpg, '' Siren lacertina'', greater siren, skeleton See also *''Pseudobranchus'', dwarf siren Dwarf sirens are eel-like salamanders of the genus ''Pseudobranchus' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Late Cretaceous
The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', the Latin word for the white limestone known as chalk. The chalk of northern France and the white cliffs of south-eastern England date from the Cretaceous Period. Climate During the Late Cretaceous, the climate was warmer than present, although throughout the period a cooling trend is evident. The tropics became restricted to equatorial regions and northern latitudes experienced markedly more seasonal climatic conditions. Geography Due to plate tectonics, the Americas were gradually moving westward, causing the Atlantic Ocean to expand. The Western Interior Seaway divided North America into eastern and western halves; Appalachia and Laramidia. India maintained a northward course towards Asia. In the Southern Hemisphere, Australia and Ant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shrimp
Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are referred to as "shrimp". More narrow definitions may be restricted to Caridea, to smaller species of either group or to only the marine species. Under a broader definition, ''shrimp'' may be synonymous with prawn, covering stalk-eyed swimming crustaceans with long, narrow muscular tails (abdomens), long whiskers ( antennae), and slender legs. Any small crustacean which resembles a shrimp tends to be called one. They swim forward by paddling with swimmerets on the underside of their abdomens, although their escape response is typically repeated flicks with the tail driving them backwards very quickly. Crabs and lobsters have strong walking legs, whereas shrimp have thin, fragile legs which they use primarily for perching.Rudloe & Rudloe (2009 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Splenial
The splenial is a small bone in the lower jaw of reptiles, amphibians and birds, usually located on the lingual side (closest to the tongue) between the angular and surangular The suprangular or surangular is a jaw bone found in most land vertebrates, except mammals. Usually in the back of the jaw, on the upper edge, it is connected to all other jaw bones: dentary, angular, splenial and articular The articular bone i ....Watson, D. M. S. (1912). LXVII.—On some reptilian lower jaws. Journal of Natural History, 10(60), 573-587. References Vertebrate anatomy {{Vertebrate anatomy-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Omnivorous
An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nutrients and energy of the sources absorbed. Often, they have the ability to incorporate food sources such as algae, fungi, and bacteria into their diet. Omnivores come from diverse backgrounds that often independently evolved sophisticated consumption capabilities. For instance, dogs evolved from primarily carnivorous organisms (Carnivora) while pigs evolved from primarily herbivorous organisms (Artiodactyla). Despite this, physical characteristics such as tooth morphology may be reliable indicators of diet in mammals, with such morphological adaptation having been observed in bears. The variety of different animals that are classified as omnivores can be placed into further sub-categories depending on their feeding behaviors. Frugivores ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Worm
Worms are many different distantly related bilateral animals that typically have a long cylindrical tube-like body, no limbs, and no eyes (though not always). Worms vary in size from microscopic to over in length for marine polychaete worms (bristle worms); for the African giant earthworm, ''Microchaetus rappi''; and for the marine nemertean worm (bootlace worm), ''Lineus longissimus''. Various types of worm occupy a small variety of parasitic niches, living inside the bodies of other animals. Free-living worm species do not live on land but instead live in marine or freshwater environments or underground by burrowing. In biology, "worm" refers to an obsolete taxon, ''vermes'', used by Carolus Linnaeus and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck for all non-arthropod invertebrate animals, now seen to be paraphyletic. The name stems from the Old English word ''wyrm''. Most animals called "worms" are invertebrates, but the term is also used for the amphibian caecilians and the slowworm '' A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Snail
A snail is, in loose terms, a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have a coiled shell that is large enough for the animal to retract completely into. When the word "snail" is used in this most general sense, it includes not just land snails but also numerous species of sea snails and freshwater snails. Gastropods that naturally lack a shell, or have only an internal shell, are mostly called '' slugs'', and land snails that have only a very small shell (that they cannot retract into) are often called ''semi-slugs''. Snails have considerable human relevance, including as food items, as pests, and as vectors of disease, and their shells are used as decorative objects and are incorporated into jewelry. The snail has also had some cultural significance, tending to be associated with lethargy. The sn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pond
A pond is an area filled with water, either natural or artificial, that is smaller than a lake. Defining them to be less than in area, less than deep, and with less than 30% emergent vegetation helps in distinguishing their ecology from that of lakes and wetlands.Clegg, J. (1986). Observer's Book of Pond Life. Frederick Warne, London Ponds can be created by a wide variety of natural processes (e.g. on floodplains as cutoff river channels, by glacial processes, by peatland formation, in coastal dune systems, by beavers), or they can simply be isolated depressions (such as a kettle hole, vernal pool, prairie pothole, or simply natural undulations in undrained land) filled by runoff, groundwater, or precipitation, or all three of these. They can be further divided into four zones: vegetation zone, open water, bottom mud and surface film. The size and depth of ponds often varies greatly with the time of year; many ponds are produced by spring flooding from rivers. Ponds may be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
