Tomato Frog

The common name "Tomato Frog" can refer to all three species that are found within the genus Dyscophus. Each species does have its own common name, but they aren't especially helpful since it appears that both Dyscophus antongilii and Dyscophus insularis are given the official "Tomato Frog" moniker, and calling a species the Madagascar Tomato Frog seems kind of redundant, as all three species are native to the rainforests Madagascar. But whatever. I'm talking about all three collectively.

Image from Charles Paddock Zoo

If you couldn't guess from the name, Tomato Frogs are usually red, though the color span, depending on the specific species and the individual frog, ranges from yellow to red to brown. Interestingly it is the females that are the most vibrantly colored. They are also larger than their male counterparts, growning up to 10.5cm in length, while the males hit up to only 6.5cm.

Tomato Frogs use their coloring as a warning to predators. When threatened, they puff up in size.If that scare tactic doesn't work, and the frog ends up in some animals mouth, they will secrete a mucus that irritates the eyes of their attackers. While the predator is trying to clear their eyes, the Tomato Frog escapes.

Female Tomato Frogs are capable of laying up to 15,000 eggs at a time. They will hatch in the pools they were laid in and go through metamorphosis after an additional 45 days. One of the species, D. antongilii, is listed as Near Threatened, due to collection for the pet trade and loss of habitat. A consortium of Zoos in the United States, led by the Baltimore Zoo, is working to increase their numbers. The other two species are listed as being of Least Concern.

Woah! I just realized this was animal #75! 

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Polish Tatra Sheepdog

Image from PTSCA

The Polish Tatra Sheepdog is a very old, and very large breed of livestock guarding dog. They are also quite rare outside of Poland. In the United States there are between 200-300 total dogs. The breed is also known as Owczarek Podhalanski, Polish Mountain Sheepdog, Tatrahund, and Polish Shepherd. It is recognized by the UKC and FCI, but not the AKC.

The Polish Tatra Sheepdog is a large, white breed with a thick double coat. Males stand up to 28" tall, with the females growing slightly smaller. They can weigh up to 130lbs. Polish Tatra Sheepdogs are intelligent, independent, and territorial. For hundreds of years it has been their job to guard over their flocks and families. They are mostly likely related to the Kuvasz, a similarly large, white, Hungarian livestock guarding breed.

Image from PTCSA

Like the Kuvasz and several other large, European breeds, the Polish Tatra Sheepdog can trace its origin to both the Mollaser dogs of the Balkins, as well as from Central Asian Mastiffs. The Tatra Mountains were first colonized in the 14th century, and the dogs used by the farmers then, and for centuries after, would be the ancestors of the modern breed. The breed nearly became extinct after World War II, when the numbers of herdsman and flocks declined. In the 1960s, efforts were taken to save and revitalize the breed. There are now about 3,000 individuals worldwide, and they are still being used in their original livestock guarding roles.

Thanks Michelle for the suggestion!

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Water Chevrotain

Are you ready for some tiny, tiny deer? I hope so, because after a few days of not-so-cuddly looking critters, I think I cute little mouse-deer is much needed. And when I say little, I mean little. Water Chevrotains are not the smallest ruminants in the world, but they are definitely up (or down?) there.. though they are the largest of the Chevrotain species.. Adults stand between 30 and 40cm at the shoulder, and top out near 26lbs. Females are about 20% larger than males.

Image from Blue Forest Safaris

Water Chevrotains are so named because they live near water. One of their methods of fleeing a threat is to dive into the water, where they are capable of hiding while completely submerged. (Watch the video!) They are hunted by most of the carnivores that overlap their tropical central African habitats. Chevrotains themselves eat a variety of fruits and flowers, but they have also been known to consume insects and other scavenged meat. They are nocturnal.

They have a pretty interesting body shape. Their back legs are up higher than their front, and they typically walk with their heads pointing downwards. This gives them a bit of a cone shape overall. Water Chevrotains stand, and run, in that way because it helps to get them through thickets and other thick areas. Their feet look a bit like pigs' feet, and the males of the species have canine teeth that stick out, giving them little tusks. They are solitary creatures for most of the year, and come together to breed.

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Northern Pike

I'm from the Midwest. As a child, I spent a great deal of time in various woodland areas, and have swam in my fair share of Northern Wisconsin and Michigan lakes, and well, two fish in particular always freaked me out from those lakes, the Muskellunge, and the Northern Pike. Northern Pikes live throughout most of the Northern United States, Canada, and most of Northern Europe. They are one of the most widely distributed freshwater fish in the entire world. The European specimens tend to be slightly larger, and overall, Northern Pike can easily reach over 2 feet in length and weigh over 20lbs.They are also capable of living 25 years, with the largest fish obviously being the oldest.

The Face of Terror!
(Image from SACO)

Northern Pike are absolutely voracious eaters, and will attack and consume things that are up to four times their own size. They are aggressive and territorial, and are apparently quite interesting to fish for because they'll try and eat just about anything. This includes human feet, so watch out swimmers! (The bitten toes of a fellow camper when I was 8 or 9 began my dread of these pointy teethed fish) People-feet aside, they normally eat other fish, but ducks, shorebirds, rodents as large as muskrats, and insects are also tasty snacks for the Northern Pike. Heck, they'll even eat other pike. They have sharp, backwards slanting teeth that they continuously replace over their lifetimes.

I haven't done a scientific name derail in a while, but I find the entymology of Esox lucius to be rather fascinating. Esox comes from Greek and Celtic words that essentially mean Salmon, while lucis most likely comes from a Greek word for wolf. Yes. Wolf Salmon. Eater of everything. In fact, besides eating themselves, their only other major predators as adults are human beings. Eggs and young fish are often consumed by other fish, birds and mammals, though obviously a few of those half million eggs laid by each female are able to survive to adulthood.

Thanks again to Jon for the suggestion!

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Hercules Moth

Image from Rob & Stephanie Levy

The Hercules Moth is one of the largest moths in the entire world, with a wingspan of up to 27cm! While they Atlas Moth of South East Asia has then just slightly beat in the wingspan category, the Hercules does take the size award in its native tropical habitats in New Guinea and Northern Australia. The largest Hercules Moth ever found was 36cm (14.17in) across! Males are slightly smaller than the females, but their tails tend to be longer and their coloration is more vibrant.

Hercules Moth caterpillars can grow quite large as well, with some measuring 12cm in length. They are bluish green in color, and have false else that are intended to distract and confuse predators. Caterpillars are hearty eaters, with one of their favorite plants being the bleeding heart tree. They only actually consume 6-8 species of plant, despite living in dense and varied rainforest habitats.

Image from Animals Picture Archive

As adults, Hercules moths live short lives. Females emerge from the chrysalis without mouths, so they cannot feed. They only live as long as their food reserves allow, typically 4-5 days. In this time she finds a mate using pheromones, locates a good food source to lay her 80-100 eggs upon, and then dies. Tragic! Males don't do much better. They too are unable to feed, and the goal of their short life is to find a lady moth, mate, and then die.

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Dragon Moray Eel

Enchelycore pardalis  is a rather attractive, yet aggressive little fellow found throughout the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. They are also known as Leopard Moray Eels and Japanese Dragon Eels, and are members of the 200+ species family Muraenidae. They live in caves and coral reef areas where the can remain hidden while hunting. Dragon Morays can grow almost a meter in length, which is pretty small when compared to the largest of the Morays, the Giant Moray, which can reach lengths of 2.5meters.

Dragon Moray Eels have (in my opinion) some lovely coloration.Their bodies are covered in patterns orange, yellow, white, and black. They even have horns! Though they aren't really horns. They are actually nostrils! Dragon Morays use their sense of smell to hunt, and they snack on crustaceans, fish, and even octopuses! Basically, if they can fit it in their mouths, they'll eat it. They also have teeth that act like traps, due to their backwards positioning. This makes it extremely difficult for the prey to wiggle free. All food gets repositioned so that it can go down the throat head first. After swallowing, the eels practice a behavior called knotting, which means that the Eel makes a loop out of its own body, knotting itself up. This helps to smash around the meals that are moving through their digestive system.

One interesting tidbit about the Dragon Moray Eel is that they are protogynous hermaphrodites. (Gotta remember to add that one to the glossary) This means that they have reproductive organs of both sexes, and that eels that start off as female have the ability to change sexes if there are two few males in the local population.

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Northern Saw-Whet Owl

Also known as the Acadian Owl, Blind Owl, Sparrow Owl and about a dozen other names, the Northern Saw-Whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a relatively tiny little guy who measures only 8.5in in length and possesses a 20in wingspan. They are native to North America, and some, but not all, are migratory.

Image from Idaho Birding Trail

Northern Saw-Whet Owls are identified by their already mentioned small bodies, their lack of ear tufts, and their proportionally large heads. They are chestnut brown with various white markings, including a Y that forms over their eyes. Their large eyes are yellow, and the beaks are black. Northern Saw-Whet Owls are so named because one of their calls is said to resemble the sound of whetting a saw. They are quite vocal during the breeding season, but remain silent during the rest of the year.

As far as diet is concerned, the Northern Saw-Whet Owl really loves its rodents. Typically 70% to 80% of their diet consists of mice and voles, with the rest being filled in my insects, spiders, other birds, and even marine crustaceans. Larger prey, including mice, is consumed in two different meals, as it is possible for the owls to choke while attempting to consume their prey whole. Hunting takes place at night with help from night vision and superb hearing. They stake out their prey from low perches (6-12 feet above the ground) before silently swooping in.

Northern Saw-Whet Owls are monogamous, but not for life. Males attract females with their lovely singing voices, and will take them to the nest sites they have selected before doing a little head bobbing dance. Nests are built in tree cavities, and the female watches over the eggs while the male performs all of the hunting. Eggs hatch after 3-4 weeks, and fledging takes place 4-5 weeks after that. Captive individuals have lived 8 years, but the life expectancy in the wild is unknown. They are preyed upon by larger owls, other birds of prey, and larger (to them anyway) mammals.

Thanks to John for the suggestion!

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