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Conglobation
Volvation (from Latin ''volvere'' "roll", and the suffix ''-(a)tion''; sometimes called enrollment or conglobation), is a defensive behavior in certain animals, in which the animal rolls its own body into a ball, presenting only the hardest parts of its integument (the animal's "armor"), or its spines to predators. Among armadillos, only species in the genus Tolypeutes (South American three-banded armadillos) are able to roll into a defensive ball; the nine-banded armadillo and other species have too many plates.. Volvation is used by earthworms during periods of extreme heat or drought. Among pill millipedes, volvation is both a protection against external threats and against dehydration. Pillbugs curl themselves into "pills" not only for defense, but also to conserve moisture while resting or sleeping, because they must keep their pseudotrachaea ("gills") wet. Volvation is particularly well evolved in subterranean isopods, but only '' Caecosphaeroma burgundum'' is able to r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Armadillidiidae
Armadillidiidae is a family of woodlice, a terrestrial crustacean group in the order Isopoda. Unlike members of some other woodlice families, members of this family can roll into a ball, an ability they share with the outwardly similar but unrelated pill millipedes and other animals. This ability gives woodlice in this family their common names of pill bugs or roly polies. Other common names include slaters, potato bugs, doodle bugs and cheeselogs. Most species are native to the Mediterranean Basin, while a few species have wider European distributions. The best-known species, ''Armadillidium vulgare'', was introduced to New England in the early 19th century and has become widespread throughout North America. Ecology and behavior Pill bugs in the family Armadillidiidae are able to form their bodies into a ball shape, in a process known as '' conglobation''. This behaviour is shared with pill millipedes (which are often confused with pill bugs), armadillos, and cuckoo wasps. I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caecosphaeroma En Boule
''Caecosphaeroma'' is a troglodytic isopod genus in the family Sphaeromatidae found in caves of NE and SW France. The genus was split off from Monolistra by Adrien Dollfus in 1896; in both genera, the female carries about 10 fertilized eggs in its external marsupium (brood pouch); they are white in ''Monolistra'' but bluish-green in ''Caecosphaeroma''. ''C. burgundum'' is the most studied species. Description They measure from 2–20 mm long. As cave dwellers, they have lost their vision, but remain sensitive to light, which they shun. They are capable of volvation (rolling themselves into a ball) to protect themselves, rest, or sleep. During copulation the male and female embrace takes the form of two concentric spheres. Development Larva remain in the marsupium about 12 months, and the animals continue growing for several years, reaching a final length of 10–20 mm. Evolution The marine ancestors of ''Caecosphaeroma'' are believed to have migrated up the course ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
European Hedgehog
The European hedgehog (''Erinaceus europaeus''), also known as the West European hedgehog or common hedgehog, is a hedgehog species native to Europe from Iberia and Italy northwards into Scandinavia and westwards into the British Isles.Harris, S. & Yalden, D.W. (2008). ''Mammals of the British Isles: Handbook, 4th Edition.'' The Mammal Society, Southampton. It is a generally common and widely distributed species that can survive across a wide range of habitat types. It is a well-known species, and a favourite in European gardens, both for its endearing appearance and its preference for eating a range of garden pests. While populations are currently stable across much of its range, it is declining severely in Great Britain where it is now Red Listed (classified as near to extinction). Outside its native range, the species was introduced to New Zealand during the late-19th and early-20th centuries. Description The European hedgehog has a generalised body structure with unspeciali ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Millipede
Millipedes are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name derived from this feature. Each double-legged segment is a result of two single segments fused together. Most millipedes have very elongated cylindrical or flattened bodies with more than 20 segments, while pill millipedes are shorter and can roll into a tight ball. Although the name "millipede" derives from the Latin for "thousand feet", no species was known to have 1,000 or more until the discovery of ''Eumillipes persephone'', which can have over 1,300 legs. There are approximately 12,000 named species classified into 16 orders and around 140 families, making Diplopoda the largest class of myriapods, an arthropod group which also includes centipedes and other multi-legged creatures. Most millipedes are slow-moving detritivores, eating decaying leaves and other dead plant matter. Some eat fungi or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tachypodoiulus Niger
''Tachypodoiulus niger'', known variously as the white-legged snake millipede or the black millipede, is a European species of millipede. It is very similar to other species such as ''Cylindroiulus londinensis'', from which it can be reliably distinguished only by studying the shape of the telson. It occurs in Ireland, Great Britain, Britain, Spain, France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic, and is especially common on chalky and limestone soils. ''T. niger'' has a roughly Cylinder (geometry), cylindrical shiny black body, with around 100 pairs of contrasting white arthropod leg, legs on its 41–56 body segments. It lives in leaf litter, under Bark (botany), bark or in moss, and feeds on encrusting algae, detritus and sometimes fruit such as raspberry, raspberries. Predators of ''T. niger'' include the centipedes ''Lithobius variegatus'' and ''Lithobius forficatus'' and West European Hedgehog, hedgehogs. ''T. niger'' is most active from one hour aft ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Devonian
The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, where rocks from this period were first studied. The first significant adaptive radiation of life on dry land occurred during the Devonian. Free-sporing vascular plants began to spread across dry land, forming extensive forests which covered the continents. By the middle of the Devonian, several groups of plants had evolved leaves and true roots, and by the end of the period the first seed-bearing plants appeared. The arthropod groups of myriapods, arachnids and hexapods also became well-established early in this period, after starting their expansion to land at least from the Ordovician period. Fish reached substantial diversity during this time, leading the Devonian to often be dubbed the Age of Fishes. The placoderms began dominating ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trilobite
Trilobites (; meaning "three lobes") are extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. Trilobites form one of the earliest-known groups of arthropods. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the Atdabanian stage of the Early Cambrian period () and they flourished throughout the lower Paleozoic before slipping into a long decline, when, during the Devonian, all trilobite orders except the Proetida died out. The last extant trilobites finally disappeared in the mass extinction at the end of the Permian about 252 million years ago. Trilobites were among the most successful of all early animals, existing in oceans for almost 270 million years, with over 22,000 species having been described. By the time trilobites first appeared in the fossil record, they were already highly diversified and geographically dispersed. Because trilobites had wide diversity and an easily fossilized exoskeleton, they left an extensive fossil record. The stu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phacops Rana
''Eldredgeops rana'' (formerly ''Phacops rana'') is a species of trilobite from the middle Devonian period. Their fossils are found chiefly in the northeastern United States, and southwestern Ontario. Because of its abundance and popularity with collectors, ''Eldredgeops rana'' was designated the Pennsylvania state fossil by the state's General Assembly on December 5, 1988. Description ''Eldredgeops rana'' can be recognized by its large eyes (which remind some observers of a frog's eyes—the specific name ''rana'' is a reference to a common frog), its fairly large size (up to 6 inches long), and its habit of rolling up into a ball like a pill bug (" volvation"). In order to protect themselves from predators, ''Eldredgeops rana'' would roll into a ball with its hard exoskeleton on the outside as protection. Many other trilobites possessed the same ability, but ''Eldredgeops rana'' nearly perfected it. The slightest amount of sediment would trigger their senses, and ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Armadillidium Vulgare
''Armadillidium vulgare'', the common pill-bug, potato bug, common pill woodlouse, roly-poly, slater, doodle bug, or carpenter, is a widespread European species of woodlouse. It is the most extensively investigated terrestrial isopod species. Description ''Armadillidium vulgare'' may reach a length of , and is capable of rolling into a ball when disturbed; this ability, along with its general appearance, gives it the name ''pill-bug'' and also creates the potential for confusion with pill millipedes such as ''Glomeris marginata''. It can be distinguished from ''Armadillidium nasatum'' and '' Armadillidium depressum'' by the gap that ''A. nasatum'' and ''A. depressum'' leave when rolling into a ball; ''A. vulgare'' does not leave such a gap. Ecology ''Armadillidium vulgare'' is able to withstand drier conditions than many other woodlouse species, and is restricted to calcareous soils or coastal areas. It feeds chiefly on decaying plant matter, but also grazes lichens and algae ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Armadillo Girdled Lizard
The armadillo girdled lizard (''Ouroborus cataphractus''), www.reptile-database.org. also commonly known as the armadillo lizard, the armadillo spiny-tailed lizard, and the golden-armadillo lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to desert areas along the western coast of South Africa. In 2011, it was moved to its own genus based on molecular phylogeny, but formerly it was included in the genus ''Cordylus''. Description The armadillo girdled lizard can be a light brown to dark brown in coloration. The underbelly is yellow with a blackish pattern, especially under the chin. Its size can range from in snout-vent length (SVL). It may grow to a maximum size of SVL."''Cordylus cataphractus'' "Arkive Distribution and habitat ''O. cataphractus'' is endemic to the Succulent Karoo biome in the Northern and the Western Cape provinces of South Africa, where it occurs from the southern Richtersveld to the Piketberg Mountains and the southern Ta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ball Python
The ball python (''Python regius''), also called the royal python, is a python species native to West and Central Africa, where it lives in grasslands, shrublands and open forests. This nonvenomous constrictor is the smallest of the African pythons, growing to a maximum length of . The name "ball python" refers to its tendency to curl into a ball when stressed or frightened. Taxonomy ''Boa regia'' was the scientific name proposed by George Shaw in 1802 for a pale variegated python from an indistinct place in Africa. The generic name ''Python'' was proposed by François Marie Daudin in 1803 for non-venomous flecked snakes. Between 1830 and 1849, several generic names were proposed for the same zoological specimen described by Shaw, including ''Enygrus'' by Johann Georg Wagler, ''Cenchris'' and ''Hertulia'' by John Edward Gray. Gray also described four specimens that were collected in Gambia and were preserved in spirits and fluid. Description The ball python is black, or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Short-beaked Echidna
The short-beaked echidna (''Tachyglossus aculeatus''), also called the short-nosed echidna, is one of four living species of echidna and the only member of the genus ''Tachyglossus''. It is covered in fur and spines and has a distinctive snout and a specialized tongue, which it uses to catch its insect prey at a great speed. Like the other extant monotremes, the short-beaked echidna lays eggs; the monotremes are the only living group of mammals to do so. The short-beaked echidna has extremely strong front limbs and claws, which allow it to burrow quickly with great power. As it needs to be able to survive underground, it has a significant tolerance to high levels of carbon dioxide and low levels of oxygen. It has no weapons or fighting ability but repels predators by curling into a ball and deterring them with its spines. It lacks the ability to sweat and cannot deal with heat well, so it tends to avoid daytime activity in hot weather. It can swim if needed. The snout has m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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