Spanish Shawl
Flabellina iodinea
🔔 This nudibranch feeds on a species of hydroid (Eudendrium ramosum), which possesses a pigment called astaxanthin. This pigment gives the Spanish shawl its brilliant color, it shows up in 3 different states, creating the purple, orange and red colors found on this species.
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Fangtooth Moray
Enchelycore anatina
🔔 It is distinctive for its bright yellow head with elongated jaws, which are filled with a large number of long "glasslike" teeth. The body is moderate to dark brown in color with pale spots on the body and fins. It can reach up to 120 cm in length. It is a demersal species, inhabiting rocky bottoms rich in crevices.
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Pygmy Slow Loris
Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus
🔔 It was originally classified within the Nycticebus genus until it was transferred to the genus Xanthonycticebus in 2022. The secretion from the brachial glands on their forearms is similar to the allergen in cat dander, hence the secretions may merely elicit an allergic reaction, not toxicosis. They lick the glands mixing the secretion with saliva which gives them venomous bite.
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Saltwater Crocodile
Crocodylus porosus
🔔 The primary behavior to distinguish the saltwater crocodile from other crocodiles is its tendency to occupy salt water. Though other crocodiles also have salt glands that enable them to survive in saltwater, a trait that alligators do not possess, most other species do not venture out to sea except during extreme conditions.
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Yellow Kneed Sea Spider
Pallenella harrisi
🔔 They do not require a traditional respiratory system. Respiration occurs through direct diffusion. Oxygen is absorbed by the legs and is transported via the hemolymph to the rest of the body.
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Budgerigar
Melopsittacus undulatus
🔔 They are found in open habitats, primarily in scrublands, open woodlands, and grasslands of Australia. The birds are normally found in small flocks, but can form very large flocks under favourable conditions. The nomadic movement of the flocks is tied to the availability of food and water.
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Firework Jellyfish
Halitrephes maasi
🔔 The most recent account of the jellyfish has been found in 2018 at a depth of 1,200 – 1,500 m near the Revillagigedo Archipelago off Baja California Peninsula, Mexico.
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Pizzly Bear
Ursus maritimus X Ursus arctos horribilis
🔔 In 2006, the occurrence of this hybrid in nature was confirmed by testing the DNA of a unique-looking bear that had been shot near Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories on Banks Island in the Canadian Arctic. The number of confirmed hybrids has since risen to 8, all of them descending from the same female polar bear.
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Dhole
Cuon alpinus
🔔 It is a highly social animal, living in large clans without rigid dominance hierarchy. Clans usually consist of about 12 individuals, but groups of over 40 are known. It is a diurnal pack hunter which preferentially targets medium and large sized ungulates. In tropical forests, the dhole competes with the tiger (Panthera tigris) and the leopard (Panthera pardus), targeting somewhat different prey species, but still with substantial dietary overlap.
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Giant Panda
Ailuropoda melanoleuca
🔔 Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the giant panda is a folivore, with bamboo shoots and leaves making up more than 99% of its diet. Giant pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents, or carrion.
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Queretaran Dusky Rattlesnake
Crotalus aquilus
Countries:
Mexico
Interesting facts:
🔔 The specific name, aquilus, is Latin for "eagle" and refers to the high altitude at which this species is found.
🔔 The species is threatened by habitat loss, generally through a clearing of land with fire for conversion to agricultural use. It is also directly killed by people when it is encountered.
🔔 It is a heavy-bodied snake but is rather short in length, most adults are less than 50 cm (20 in) long.
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Totonacan Rattlesnake
Crotalus totonacus
Countries:
Mexico
Interesting facts:
🔔 Adults frequently grow to more than 150 cm (4.9 ft) in length.
🔔 If alarmed, they coil, raise their heads and body almost one-third of the ground.
🔔 This species was previously considered a subspecies of Crotalus durissus.
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Twin-spotted Rattlesnake
Crotalus pricei
Countries:
Arizona, Mexico
Interesting facts:
🔔 It is protected in the state of Arizona. It is against Arizona State law to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect this animal or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.
🔔 It is a small species of a rattlesnake, about 50 to 60 cm (20 to 24 in) in total length (including tail).
🔔 Adults have fangs 2.0-3.3 mm in length. The venom is apparently quite toxic, but venom yield is low. Human envenomations resulted in more serious systematic symptoms than was expected from such a small snake.
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Golden Lancehead
Bothrops insularis
🔔 It is a highly venomous pit viper species endemic to Ilha da Queimada Grande, also known as Snake Island, off the coast of Brazil. The species is named for the light yellowish-brown color of its underside and for its head shape that is characteristic of the genus Bothrops.
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Red Velvet Ant
Dasymutilla occidentalis
🔔 The other common name for the velvet ant is “cow killer.” Some say that the sting of a velvet ant is strong enough to kill a cow. While this surely never happened, people stung by the velvet ant report that it was very painful.
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Mexican West Coast Rattlesnake
Crotalus basiliscus
Countries:
Mexico
Interesting facts:
🔔 The specific name, basiliscus, is derived from the Greek word for king, βασιλισκος (basiliskos), and alludes to this snake's large size and potent venom.
🔔 It is one of the largest rattlesnake species with the length exceeding 150 cm (4.9 ft), the maximum size reported is 204.5 cm (6.71 ft).
🔔 This snake often occurs in the same areas as Crotalus molossus, where the two appear to hybridize freely. While these two species are easily distinguished, identifying the hybrid specimens is problematic.
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Mojave Rattlesnake
Crotalus scutulatus
Countries:
Arizona, California, Mexico, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah
Interesting facts:
🔔 It is most active from April to September and brumates alone or in small groups during the winter.
🔔 Ambush predators, they eat mostly small rodents and lizards.
🔔 This rattlesnake is capable of delivering large amounts of potent venom. In some parts of the state, its venom contains dangerous neurotoxins. If encountered it should be left alone. A large percentage of envenomations occur when a snake is handled or abused.
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