Life Sucks: 10 Amazing Animal Vampires
October 5, 2010 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steve in Animals & Habitats, History & Trivia, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
“I vant to suck your blood!” Take a number, Dracula. In fact, the toast of Transylvania is a latecomer to the party – animals have been deriving nourishment from blood long before Bram Stoker, Bela Lugosi or Twilight made the scene. These 10 amazing bloodsucking animal vampires have made sanguinary slurping their cocktail of choice… and hold the vodka, salt and tomato juice!
Mosquitoes
(images via: Magna Mosquito, Famous Monsters and Roadside Attractions)
The most common bloodsucking animal, mosquitoes can be found almost anywhere in the world where standing water and blood-bearing animals co-exist. Not every one of the estimated 3,500 species of mosquito feed on human beings but those who do often spread chronic, deadly diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and West Nile virus, just to name a few.
(image via: National Geographic)
Popular wisdom states that male mosquitoes drink plant juices while only the females seek out and drink blood. Actually, female mosquitoes also derive sugars and other nutrients from plants, but they require a meal of blood before they can produce and lay their eggs. Nature, you scary!
(images via: Australian Museum, Graeme’s Insects of Townsville and Mosquitoes of Pennsylvania)
Biologists caution that eliminating all mosquitoes from the environment would cause a disastrous disruption of the food chain – below humans, that is. There is hope, however, in the form of Toxorhynchites. Also known as Mosquito Hawks or Mosquito Eaters, Toxorhynchites are the largest known species of mosquito and, thankfully, they don’t suck blood. Instead, their larvae prey on other mosquito larva thus reducing the number of blood-sucking adults in any common area. Some disease researchers have suggested we roll out the red carpet, er, welcome mat for Toxorhynchites. Then again, messing with nature gave us Killer Bees.
Bedbugs
(images via: Mississauga Pest Control and Pest Command)
“Sleep tight, and don’t let the bedbugs bite!” Once the subject of an arcane and archaic folk saying, bedbugs have returned with a vengeance. Hitching rides with air travelers and setting up shop in hotels, taxicabs and even waiting room sofas, bedbugs have exploded into an unexpected and unappealing global scourge. Active by night and utilizing a natural anesthetic in their saliva, bedbugs themselves are rarely seen. Instead, they leave their victims with telltale bite marks and often a profound sense of mental anguish and unease. Bring back DDT? In the case of bedbugs it just might be worth it.
(images via: Popcrunch, KTVU and Boston Herald)
Even Howard Stern has been affected by the bedbug blow-up – the germaphobic radio shock jock had to evacuate his broadcast studios and even his limousine so they could be fumigated following the discovery of bedbugs. (Word to Dave Letterman, better get that comfy guest chair checked out STAT!). One hopes the verminous varmints didn’t do any damage to Stern’s, ahem, Private Parts.
Ticks
(images via: Popbitch, Pest Control RX and The Tick)
Blood-sucking spiders?? Good thing there aren’t… oh wait, Ticks are classified as arachnids so let the screaming begin! Ticks are believed to have originated in the Cretaceous period alongside the last dinosaurs, eventually specializing into distinct variants known today as Deer Ticks, Dog Ticks and Sheep Ticks among others. Ticks are rather revolting on a number of levels, with the exception of The Tick, starring Patrick Warburton (Seinfeld’s Puddy)… he’s kinda cool, for a tick.
(images via: It’s Just SPEAZ, I Write Alot and John Nelson (Just Back))
Ticks in their newborn, six-legged stage are known as Seed Ticks but don’t let their youth deceive you: up to 30,000 Seed Ticks can infest domestic dogs or cats in sudden, mass attacks that can leave their victims at risk of death from rapid blood loss. Sort of like the Spider Scene in the Forbidden Forest from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, domestic pet version.
(image via: Horse Whispers)
Though ticks can spread a host of unpleasant illnesses including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease and the frighteningly named Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, unlucky Australians have to deal with the Paralysis Tick (Ixodes holocyclus), shown above before and after feeding – yikes!! Bites from this particular tick have been known to cause extreme allergic reactions, “Tick Typhus” and whole-body paralysis. And here you thought the most dangerous thing to come from Australia was Mel Gibson.
Kissing Bugs
(images via: Healthline and Scienceblogs)
Kissing Bugs isn’t the prelude to inter-species insect sex, but a blood-sucking group of Triatomine insects also known as Conenose Bugs or Assassin Bugs. They derive their “friendly” name from their decidedly unfriendly modus of operations: biting people on thin-skinned parts of the face such as the lips and eyelids. The bites are painless, even though the bugs are rather large and can drink a copious amount of blood at a single feeding. Kissing Bugs give as well as receive: they can spread debilitating illnesses such as Chagas Disease with their bites.
(images via: Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm and BBC)
Charles Darwin was one of the first to describe the feeding habits of Kissing Bugs, having become a victim in 1835 while traveling through Argentina. To quote from “The Voyage of the Beagle”, Darwin’s journal of discoveries made in South America and the Galapagos Islands, “At night I experienced an attack (for it deserves no less a name) of the Benchuca, a species of Reduvius, the great black bug of the Pampas. It is most disgusting to feel soft wingless insects, about an inch long, crawling over one’s body.” On the bright side, an ingenious pilot project at the London Zoo employs Kissing Bugs to take blood samples from zoo animals. The natural anesthetic in the Kissing Bug’s saliva ensures the sampling is virtually stress-free for the animals (though likely not, later, for the Kissing Bugs).
Vampire Moths
(images via: Treehugger, Bestof.com, It’s Nature and Junius)
Mothra lives! Moths of the genus Calyptra have evolved the ability to not only drink the blood of vertebrates, but to actively acquire it by biting their victims. It is thought that originally the ancestors of these moths drank fruit juices by piercing the skin of fruit with a straw-like, pointed proboscis. From there it was but a small step to biting mammals, thereby tapping a much more potent source of nutrients. Vampire Moths appear to be expanding their range into more northerly areas due to the ongoing gradual moderation of average temperatures – in other words, Global Warming. Bet you’ll take those shrill enviro-loonies a bit more seriously now, amiright?
(images via: TYWKIWDBI and SciFi Musings)
Unlike mosquitoes, in Vampire Moths it’s the males that do the blood-sucking while the females stick to plant juices and nectar. By the way, if the idea of a blood-sucking moth isn’t off-putting enough, consider that a related species of Calyptra moths drink the tears from the eyes of birds, cattle, buffalo, and sometimes people as a method of acquiring salt… cue the Salt Monster from Star Trek in 3… 2… 1…
Leeches
(images via: The Best Who!, Marine Biology Blog and Benzomatic Photo)
Leeches have come a long way from being the preferred tool of medieval blood-letters to the horror lurking in local streams and ponds… and back to being the preferred tool of modern blood-letters (and the occasional jackass). Yes, leeches are our friends: so-called Leech Therapy utilizes leeches and their blood-thinning enzyme Hirudin to treat a number of illnesses ranging from post-reattachment trauma to treating infertility. Biologists are working on artificial Hirudin dispensers, “mechanical leeches” as it were, to take the place of actual living medicinal leeches (and help find Sarah Connor).
(images via: Stand By Me, MSNBC, Jeremy Silman and Reel Movie News)
“What Jaws did for sharks, Stand By Me did for leeches.” Indeed, though the 1986 film (and the original Stephen King novel) was packed with powerful, gut-wrenching scenes, not much can top poor Gordie discovering that “the grandfather of all leeches” had put the bite on the family jewels. As for Attack of the Giant Leeches, let’s just say it sucks – big time. Bing!
Lamprey Eels
(images via: CNSweb, Scienceblogs, Katu.com and Duke U Biology)
Lampreys are marine creatures that have evolved to resemble blood-sucking buzz saws… and you don’t want to be a tree! Scientists classify lampreys as jawless fishes but don’t be fooled: they might be jawless but they make up for it by having a wide, circular mouth lined with rows of wickedly sharp teeth. Lampreys can grow up to 40 inches (100cm) in length, often longer than their prey. When a lamprey locks onto a fish with its oral disk and begins gnawing through living flesh in search of blood, the victim is advised to give up finding Nemo and start finding religion.
(images via: MTU.edu and Quigley’s Cabinet)
Not all lampreys are carnivorous, and attacks on humans are rare. Speaking of “rare”, lampreys are considered to be a delicacy in parts of Europe where they have been described as being more “meaty” in consistency compared to other fish. No less than Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is said to have enjoyed a Coronation Pie made with lampreys. One imagines she felt eel-ated.
Candiru (Vampire Catfish)
(images via: Jorymon and Oceana)
The Candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa), sometimes called the Vampire Catfish, is a type of parasitic freshwater fish found only in the Amazon River. Candiru are hard to detect in their natural habitat, being semi-translucent and small in size. Candiru are endowed with finely tuned sensors that pick up traces of ammonia in water, typically emitted from the gills of passing fish. The Candiru follows the ammonia trail and uses barbed spines on its gill covers to lodge itself in its victim’s gills, drawing blood whenever it feels hungry.
(images via: Candiru/Carnero Catfish and Observations of a Nerd)
Not all ammonia trails lead back to fish gills, unfortunately, and this should be noted by those who would attempt to answer nature’s call while immersed waist-deep in the Amazon. Though anecdotal tales of Candiru lodging themselves in human urinary tracts go back centuries, there is only one documented case in modern times (1997). Silvio Barbossa (above), the male victim, survived 2 hours of surgery required to remove the 13.4cm (5.5 inch!) long Candiru from its final resting place in his scrotum. The Candiru (shown above, after removal) was not so “lucky”.
Vampire Finches
(images via: Ashleyjuhl, The Fat Finch and The Ever So Strange Animal Almanac)
Vampires and Boobies? It’s more likely than you think. Charles Darwin used the dozen or so different species of Finch found on the Galapagos Islands to illustrate his newly formulated theory of evolution in his ground-breaking book The Origin Of Species, but even ol’ Chuckie D had to be thrown for a loop by the Vampire Finch (Geospiza difficilis septentrionalis), however. It’s thought that this finch first evolved a symbiotic relationship with the islands’ seabirds, grooming them of parasites and eating what they found. Eventually though, the sharp-beaked critters drew blood in the course of their diligent probing and decided that blood tasted better than bugs. Kinda makes sense, no?
Check out this video to see the Vampire Finch doing what, for literary and movie vampires, comes supernaturally:
Vampires and Boobies, via NationalGeographic
Vampire Bats
(images via: National Geographic, Scienceblogs, IMP Awards and Mockingwords)
Three different species of Vampire Bat are exclusively hematophagous, meaning they feed only on blood: Common Vampire Bats (Desmodus rotundus), Hairy-legged Vampire Bats (Diphylla ecaudata) and White-winged Vampire Bats (Diaemus youngi). They are proficient li’l devils: in one year, a 100-strong Vampire Bat colony can drink the blood of 25 cows (or 2.5 Rosie O’Donnells). Moo-ving on, Vampire Bats can be found from Mexico south to Argentina and Brazil in South America, though who in their right mind would want to look for them – especially on a dark, moonlit night near the end of October. Those who do should keep these words in mind: Hokus Cadabra! Or is it Abra Capokus? Heck, try ‘em both, what could happen?
(images via: Slashfood, Ed, Ken and assorted Riff Raff and Sodahead)
Bram Stoker, the author who originated the character of Count Dracula in his 1897 novel of the same name, was likely inspired in part by stories of Vampire Bats and descriptions of the twin puncture marks left by their canine teeth – or if you prefer, fangs (you’re welcome).
(images via: Jogos Para Celulares, Vampire Legends and PCMM)
As for Vampire Bats themselves, they share an interesting connection with Stoker by way of their feeding style. Vampire bats do not actually “suck” the blood of their victims, instead simply lapping up the blood that oozes from their bites. Normally such blood would rapidly clot when exposed to air but Vampire Bats employ an enzyme in their saliva that keeps fresh blood from clotting. The substance, named by a somewhat over-enthusiastic researcher, is called… Draculin.
(image via: The Stranger)
Count Dracula may have exercised a form of animal magnetism on his (mainly female) victims but the attraction of blood as a source of nourishment makes practical sense from the point of view of certain creatures. Irregardless of what Jeff Probst says at Tribal Council, blood gives life and so-called “animal vampires” merely ask that you share a little. So have a heart… and be thankful they don’t ask for THAT.
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Jaws 7: Amazing New Shark Tales and Discoveries
June 6, 2010 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: Scrape TV, Flickr, Discovery, Reef Ed, Big Blue Tech, Pagog, Mom and Pop’s Internet Shop)
During a recent bout of insomnia, the classic movie “Jaws” was on television, a flick that is the reason I have and will never set a foot in the ocean. In honor of that amazing Steven Spielberg feature and its all-at-once intimidating yet intriguing star, here are seven cool (and even surprising) recent discoveries about sharks, including everything from camouflage sharks and sharks with ESP to shark attack probabilities and peaceful interactions with smaller fish.
Camouflage Sharks: Sounds Scary Enough to be True
(Images via: Observations of a Nerd, University of Tampa Shark Lab, Wikipedia)
Did you know that approximately 50 species of sharks, that is 10 percent of all sharks, are able to emit light that allows them to disappear from both predators and prey? That’s right, according to a recent study in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. Specifically studying a luminous shark known as the velvet belly lantern shark, researchers discovered that this type of shark can produce and emit light from underneath its body, essentially allowing the shark to mimic environmental light and thus camouflage itself from other unsuspecting fish. Fortunately, the velvet belly lantern shark does not feast on humans, who could find themselves in quite a pickle if this camouflaged creature were to pass by.
The Spidey Senses of Sharks
(Images via: Elasmo Diver, Flickr, Geekologie, Wikimedia)
While some sharks are blessed with the ability to disguise themselves via self-emitted light, all sharks are blessed with super senses similar to humans and advantageous in the deep sea. Take for instance the fact that sharks have ESP – electric sense perception – thanks to electroreceptors that are extremely sensitive to picking up the electric signals of wounded or trapped fish. Or that sharks have eyes like us (with the exception of lenses) that allow them to control light and see well in dark conditions underwater. Or that sharks have perceptive noses that allow them to pick up chemicals in the water. Or that they rely on an incredible sense of touch – both when hearing (through small hairs in the ear that allow them to feel water changes) and tasting (by first biting their prey to determine whether it is a worthy meal). Or that sharks have a lateral line that allows them to detect the movement and sense the direction of any solid body that moves through water, a sense that is not comparable to humans. When you package all of these shark senses together, it’s no wonder this creature rules the seas.
Remembering Not to Forget: Shark Long-Term Memories
(Images via: Liverpool Daily Post, Crusader Travel, Discovery, AIMS, Shark Information, Swim at Your Own Risk)
Geez, given all of these super senses, it wouldn’t seem that sharks need any more advantages. Well, that’s not the case for tiger sharks, which apparently have incredible memories, specifically when it comes to remembering hot spots for good meals. According to a study to be published in the journal Marine Biology, tiger sharks will memorize previous locations that offered good meals and will repeatedly return to those areas even if thousands of miles away (quite possibly by using internal clocks that guide their movements back to these bountiful feeding locales). In a similar light, Galapagos sharks also remember filling locations, though they do not stray as far from these spots as the tiger sharks.
Shark Gumption for the Sake of More Consumption
(Images via: Brine Queen, Arkive, Glaucus, Bootleg)
Judging by the incredible senses, memories and other capabilities of sharks, it’s hardly surprising that these animals would be a little full of themselves and feel as if they’re untouchable. Well, a recent study pulled out some surprises in terms of the confidence and risk-taking abilities of some gill sharks, which entered waters more than 900 feet below sea level to feast on pig carcasses dropped in by researchers. These sharks were willing to enter these dead zones – where oxygen is extremely low and suffocation is a very real possibility – all for the sake of the meal. Guess some sharks just love the thrill and spoils of the hunt, although the study did find that some depths were just too deep for even these cocky sharks to venture.
Reversed Waters: Lifting Great White Sharks Out of the Sea
(Images via: National Geographic, Surfer’s Village)
Apparently, some researchers want to know what it’s like to be God, that is via the use of a hydraulic lift that is able to carry SUV-sized great white sharks out of the water, all for the sake of research purposes. As to be depicted on the new television series Expedition Great White, researchers began lifting great white sharks out of the water in 2007, first beginning with smaller great whites and then advancing to larger great whites. After catching a great white with tuna, the researchers would lift the mammoth creature out of the water for no more than 15 minutes, using this time to take blood samples, make measurements and attach tracking devices on the shark’s dorsal fin to study movement, feeding and reproduction patterns. While the great white sharks were probably a bit surprised and certainly not too happy about getting pulled out of the water, the researchers were considerate of their feelings, using a hydration hose to pump seawater into the sharks and thus avoid suffocation. While certainly a frightening proposition, the shark elevator has apparently allowed researchers to examine great whites in ways that were previously only possible with dead specimens, especially when considering the dangers of being in the water with live great whites.
You Might Be a Shark Attack Victim If…
(Images via: Surfer’s Village, Shark Attack Photos, Extreme Survive, Panoramio)
Speaking of recent shark discoveries, a new study recently found that 21 percent of the global number of shark attacks that occurred between 1999 and 2008 took place on 47-mile strip of Florida’s coastline. Luckily, most of these attacks were by smaller sharks that were confused by humans, and no worse than a dog bite (I’ll have to take the study on its word regarding this last point). Especially interesting, the study was able to determine that people were more likely to be bitten by sharks on a Sunday (when more people were in the water), when wearing black and white shorts (due to the visual adeptness of sharks at picking up contrasts), when swimming during a new moon or full moon (when the tides are highest) and when swimming in less than 6 feet of ocean water. Last but not least, shark attacks in this area were more likely to happen to men than women since men tend to spend more time in the water.
The Softer Side of Sharks: Going to the Fish Car Wash
(Image via: Ningaloo Kayak Adventures)
While these previous discoveries may have hardly changed your opinions or fears about sharks, it should be known that some sharks pay respect to smaller fish. In the Osprey Reef, more than 1100 sharks were observed gathering in fish cleaning stations where the sharks would take a vertical pose, signifying to smaller fish that they were there to be cleaned. In none of these cases did researchers ever see the sharks eating the smaller fish; rather it appeared that the sharks were respecting the process, which benefitted them by removing mucus, algae and dead tissues and also aided the smaller fish by providing them with essential nutrients. Maybe sharks aren’t as bad as they’re cracked up to be, that is when there is something to benefit them in the long run.
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Human-Like: 5 Animal Behaviors That Parallel People
May 23, 2010 by admin · View Comments
[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: Melbourne Diary Star, Daily Mail, University of Illinois Extension, Anthropology Works, PETA, Wired)
When it comes to intelligence, memory, discipline, pain and grieving, animals such as guinea pigs, horses, bonobos, mice and chimpanzees are more like humans than we sometimes realize.
Rodent Smarts – Why It Pays to Live with Humans
(Images via: Genome, Cavies Galore, Isara Obba)
While the idea of rodents living in a house may cause many people to feel a bit uneasy, apparently this relationship serves these little fellows quite well, specifically in the formation of greater intelligence. According to a recent study in the journal Frontiers in Zoology, pet rodents are smarter than their wild counterparts, likely due to living with humans. In the study, domesticated and wild guinea pigs were placed in a water maze, with the domesticated animals ultimately performing better and showing superior problem-solving abilities, likely as a result of having to make previous adaptations to man-made environments. This finding is especially surprising when considering previous research noting that domestication reduced rather than increased the brain sizes of domesticated guinea pigs and other rodents.
Horse Memories: Maybe Mr. Ed Was Onto Something?
(Images via: Lucy Gabrielle, Dipity, No Rush Farm)
Just as some rodents have surprising intelligence, the same can be said about horses, which display amazing long-term memory skills and incredible loyalties. A recent study in the journal Animal Behavior found that horses which had pleasurable experiences (specifically those marked by positive reinforcement) with familiar humans such as their trainers were more likely to remember and display greater affection towards those people after months of separation. Furthermore, such horses were more likely to warm up to and be affectionate with (i.e. sniff and lick) unfamiliar people. According to the study’s researchers, such behavior reveals that horses are able to develop positive memories of humans and hints at the wonderful intelligence of these majestic creatures.
The Bonobo Head Shake: When No Means No
(Images via: Psychology Today, The Primate Diaries, National Geographic, Range Voting)
While animals can be extremely friendly and loyal like humans, they can also lay down the law when necessary. Take bonobos as a great example. According to recent research in the journal Primates, adult bonobos were observed for the first time shaking their heads in disapproval of certain behavior by younger bonobos. For example, after a mother bonobo removed a piece of leek from a youngster who was playing with rather than eating the food, the mother began to shake her head at the infant when it went back after the leak, as if she was saying “no” to the behavior. Previously bonobos had only been observed shaking their heads while playing. Now researchers suggest that the bonobo head shake could be a “primitive precursor” to the human head shake expressing negativity.
Mouse Grimaces: Facial Expressions of Pain
(Images via: L.A. Times Blogs, The Times Microbial, Impact Lab, Mus-Musculus)
Could pain, like the negative headshake, be evolutionary? According to recent research in the journal Nature Methods, this is certainly a possibility, specifically when considering how mice exhibit pain with different facial expressions. In the study, researchers recorded the facial movements of mice after they were injected with a substance causing inflammation. Like humans, the mice showed discomfort through facial expressions, with narrowing eyes, bulging cheeks, moving ears, and bunched-up or flattened-out whiskers indicative of more intense pain. It is important to note that the mice expressions returned to normal following the administration of a pain reliever. From these experiments, the researchers were able to create a sliding mouse grimace scale that will be used in the future to reduce the suffering of mice and other animals during medical research.
Chimpanzee Grieving: Similar Reactions to Death
(Images via: Cookla)
While it is seemingly certain that animals understand the realities of death, recent research on grieving chimpanzees reveals far more awareness than what had been previously recognized. As detailed in the journal Current Biology, a study examined the reactions of three adult chimpanzees as an elderly chimp was passing away. Sensing the inevitable, the three chimpanzees displayed many different types of grieving behavior: they stayed close to the dying female, gently stroking her hair as if providing comfort; they tossed and turned while sleeping at night, suggesting that they were disturbed by the impending death; they apparently attempted resuscitation to see if the sick chimp was still alive; they slowly moved away from the body when the chimp had died; they later returned to the body for apparently either one last attempt at resuscitation or a final confirmation of death; and they cared for the dead chimp’s body, gently grooming and removing straw from her face. Based on these findings, researchers suggest that it may be more beneficial for the grieving and farewell process to let chimpanzees die in their natural group settings rather than in isolation.
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Signs of Life: 7 New Animals to Emerge This Spring
April 18, 2010 by admin · View Comments
[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: Of Interest, Reptilix, Webspinners, Fried Mush, BBC, Neat-O-Rama, Flickr)
As the weather changes from cold to pleasantly warm, familiar animals reemerge from their winter retreats while new species are uncovered worldwide. From color-changing frogs and amphibious insects to big-toothed leeches and strangely endowed lizards, a week’s worth of new animals has been discovered in recent months, leading to much intrigue.
“Leeches!” of the Big-Toothed Variety
(Images via: Wired, Tree Hugger, National Geographic, PLos One)
Thank goodness the “Stand By Me” kids weren’t searching for a dead body in the Peruvian Amazon, where a new species of big-toothed leeches was recently discovered, specifically in the nose of a young girl. While only reaching 3 inches in length, Tyrannobdella rex (i.e. the “tyrant leech king”) is referred to as the T-rex of leeches because of its surprisingly large teeth, which are used to suck blood from the noses, eyes, urethras, rectums and other orifices of mammals. As detailed in a new study in the April 14th version of PLos One, researchers were surprised by not only Tyrannobdella rex’s teeth but the leech’s genitalia, which are relatively small when compared to other leech species that rapidly reproduce. In good news, the T. Rex leeches and their big teeth may be used for future medical purposes, specifically to develop anticoagulants that stop blood clotting.
Giant Monitor Lizards: Like and Unlike Komodo Dragons
(Image via: Joseph Brown on National Geographic)
Speaking of a recently discovered species with strange genitalia, there’s the Northern Sierra Madre Forest Monitor Lizard or Varanus bitatawa. As detailed in the journal Biology Letters, this giant, secretive lizard was captured in the Philippines, where it’s been hiding high up in the trees for years. Weighing as much as 22 pounds and matching many humans in length at 6 feet, the monitor lizard is also a vegetarian – but that’s not the biggest surprise at all. Apparently Varanus bitatawa has a split, doubled-edged penis, which is certainly unique to this form of lizard species. According to researchers, this giant lizard is closely related to the Komodo dragon, that is besides its genitalia and eating habits.
Blind Worm Snakes: Rich History, New Family
(Images via: Reptile Forums UK, Flickr, Field Photography, Utah Herps)
The giant monitor lizard is not the only new reptile to be recently discovered and examined in Biology Letters; scientists have recognized a new family of wormlike, blind snakes that have likely been around since the formation of the island of Madagascar, which occurred roughly 94 million years ago. Through analysis of different blind snake genes, scientists were able to determine that the “new” family of blind snakes arose shortly after Madagascar broke from what is now India. Amazingly, blind snakes exist on every continent except Antarctica, thanks to continental drifting. Reaching up to one foot in length, blind snakes look and act like worms. While both burrow under the surface, blind snakes are different from worms in that they have backbones and scales, and send more chills down the spine.
Giant Isopod: A Rarely Seen Deep-Sea Monster
(Images via: Driftline, Zoology FNS Uniba)
(Images via: Calle, Flickr, Flickr)
Speaking of terrifying, a rarely seen giant isopod called Bathynomus giganteus was recently pulled to shore during a deep-sea submarine expedition. Related to shrimps and crabs, this freakish-looking crustacean looks like it could have been cast as the oversized villain in a low-budget, horror movie from the fifties. Actually found in the deep, cold waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Bathynomus giganteus is known for scavenging the carcasses of dead whales, fish and squid. According to some researchers, these strange isopods may get their massive figures from colder water temperatures that promote larger cell sizes. Whatever the cause, keep this creature out of sight, that is unless it is on a dinner plate.
Oxygen-Free Animals: Similar to the Jellyfish
(Images via: Roberto Danovero on National Geographic)
What Bathynomus giganteus is to the deep waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, complex organisms that resemble tiny jellyfish and live without oxygen are to the Mediterranean Sea. Researchers recently discovered three new species of multicellular organisms that are less than a millimeter wide, microscopic and capable of surviving long-term without oxygen. As detailed in the journal BMC Biology, these animals apparently have modified mitochondria that allow it to convert nutrients into energy without the need of oxygen. Prior to this discovery, scientists previously thought that only viruses and single-cell microbes could live without oxygen. They now stand corrected.
Amphibious Caterpillars: Versatile on Land and Underwater
(Images via: Jet Lib, Science Mag, LA Times)
Just as the aforementioned multicellular organisms amaze with their abilities to live underwater without oxygen, so do 14 new caterpillar species. Distinct to the fast-moving streams of Hawaii, these caterpillars from the Hyposmocoma species are truly the first amphibious insects. Capable of living on both land and underwater, these amphibious caterpillars spend most of their time in cocoon-like, hardened silk cases that were originally believed to act like underwater oxygen tanks but actually do not serve in this manner. Some researchers propose that these amphibious caterpillars are able to breathe through their skin, which could explain why they are only found in fast-moving streams. Anyways, these caterpillars will seal themselves in their cases prior to becoming moths, and emerge as their new beings when their homes float to the top of the water.
Color-Changing Frogs: From Dangerous to Delicious?
(Images via: Maxi Sciences, Mongabay)
Speaking of amphibians, a new frog species called Oreophryne ezra has stunned researchers with its ability to change from a black and yellow polka-dotted youngster to a bright orange adult. Found in southeastern Papua New Guinea, this color-changing frog has researchers wondering why it would look like a poison-dart frog in its youth but lose this potential advantage against predators in adulthood. Apparently, there is much more to learn about frogs besides these compounding color changes. Researchers have recorded Argentine horned frog tadpoles screaming when in distress, marking what is believed to be the first instance of vertebrate larvae using sound to communicate underwater. It turns out that not all frogs are as simple as Kermit.
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Animal Native Tongues: Decoding 5 Cool Languages
April 4, 2010 by admin · View Comments
[ By Chris in Animals & Habitats, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
(Images via: Doctor Spiller, Travel Blog, Science Junkies, Powerful and Awesome, Ugly Overload, Rhoney Pots, Aintree Hospitals)
Just because animals are unable to talk like you and me doesn’t mean that they are unable to communicate with each other. In the case of giggling hyenas, growling dogs, squeaking catfish, singing woolly bats and beeping honeybees, certain sounds and actions are rich in meaning and symbolic of complex animal communication systems.
Giggling Hyenas: Laughing With You, Not At You
(Images via: MSU, Daily Mail, How Stuff Works, Flickr)
If you ever see a hyena laughing at you, don’t take personal offense. According to recent research in the journal BMC Ecology, the giggling that comes from spotted hyenas is used to convey information about age, dominance and identity. More specifically, the pitch of hyena giggles details age while note variations describe dominance and subordination. Such hyena giggles are typically heard during contests for food and are a good way for these animals to establish some sort of order rather than a free-for-all, feed-all.
More to a Dog Growl Than What Meets the Ear
(Images via: Hub Pages, Ask Dryin’, Flickr, Pet Partners Dog Training, K9 Corner)
According to a recent study, specific meanings are embedded in different types of dog growls, which are used by canines to convey important cues to each other. After recording three types of dog growls (one from a friendly dog looking to play tug-of-war, another from a concerned dog threatened by a stranger, and yet another from a protective dog guarding food) and then playing these sounds from a hidden speaker, researchers were surprised by the reactions of a dog approaching a bone. When hearing the friendly and threatened dog growls, the inquisitive dog stopped for a bit to listen to the growls and then continued in the pursuit of the bone. However, when hearing the protective growl, the dog jumped back from the bone, apparently getting the message to leave the food alone and suggesting a hidden meaning behind dog growls. Two things that especially surprised the researchers were how similar the threatened and protective dog growls were in sound but how different the approaching dog’s reaction was to these two types of growls.
The Squeaking Catfish Says: Give Me That Filet-O-Fish
(Images via: Daily Mail, Info Wave Media, Madgeburger Joe, Aces)
If you find yourself fishing this spring and pulling a squeaking catfish out of the water, chances are the fish may feel threatened (and rightfully so with a hook in its lip). According to a recent study in the journal BMC Biology, catfish communicate to each other by rubbing the spines of their pectoral fins into shoulder grooves, thus making a squeaking sound. Typically, the catfish squeaking sounds are used to warn other catfish of potential predatory threats in their areas and to communicate when competing, presumably for food or a mate. What especially surprised the researchers is that both young and old catfish squeak to communicate, with the squeaking sounds growing in intensity and length as the catfish age. Based on this finding, researchers have determined that catfish squeaking is a much more complex communication system than what it’s been credited for in the past.
Clear-Winged Woolly Bat Signals
(Images via: Budak, Ecology Asia, Flickr, Animal Pictures Archive)
A recent study in the Royal Society Biology Letters declared that the highest pitched calls in nature come from the clear-winged woolly bat, which can reach initial frequency ranges of 235-250 kilohertz (approximately 120 times higher than those of human female singers) and move from higher to lower notes at a frequency range of up to 170 kilohertz (compared to less than 2 kilohertz for a human singer). While the audio abilities of the clear-winged woolly bat are certainly impressive, what do they mean? Apparently, these bats emit a series of echoing calls that help relay information about the size and location of prey to other bats. Amazingly, the bats increase the frequency of their calls as they got closer to the prey, with the researchers suggesting that there are different bat calls to distinguish from insects, spiders, leaves, twigs and other potential sources of food.
Honeybee Stop Signs: The Headbutt and Beep Beeps
(Image via: Neurophilosophy)
Honeybees are known for doing a waggle dance (see above image) to communicate with each other about fruitful feeding sites near their hives. However, when trouble is looming at a feeding site, the bees will alter their communication by headbutting and beeping at each other, according to a recent study in the journal Current Biology. In the past researchers thought that bees could only deliver excited messages; however, this viewpoint changed during a study in which the bees reacted to simulated attacks by predatory crab spiders. By apparently butting heads and beeping, the bees were able to warn each other to avoid the dangerous feeding site, with these bee signals essentially acting as a stop sign and demonstrating the first ever inhibitory or negative message from bees.
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