Insects of the family Notonectidae are often known as Backswimmers because of the fact that they swim upside down, both on the surface, and under the water. There are eight total genera, with species commonly found ponds, lakes, and rivers across Europe and North America.
Backswimmers range in size between .5 to 1.5 cm. They have large eyes, back legs with log hairs that help them to swim, and a convex dorsum (back). Backswimmers also have wings that allow them to get up and find a new body of water to hunt in. Because it is difficult for them to actually distinguish between types of water, they are often seen in swimming pools.
Backswimmers prey on other insects and sometimes even small vertebrates, like tadpoles. As nymphs, they will consume each other. They are actually a quite beneficial group of insects because they consume mosquito larvae. So if you find one in your swimming pool, scoop it up and let it go!
Stephanoeatus coronatus is the second largest Eagle in Africa, behind the slightly larger Martial Eagle. They are also sometimes referred to as the Crowned Hawk-Eagle. Their common name comes from a crest of feathers on their heads, and they have dark bodies with mottled undersides. They have short but powerful wings that are excellent for flying in wooded areas. Their distribution is patchy, but covers areas in Sub-Saharan and East Africa.
Crowned Eagles primarily hunt mammals, including monkeys, feral cats, and small antelope. They are able to take down animals that weigh up to 44lbs, using their long, powerful hind talons to break spines. The downside to larger prey is that they can't carry it with them, and so they will rip the meal up in chunks and carry it back to be stored in trees and consumed later. Mated pairs will sometimes hunt cooperatively.
Courtship for the Crowned Eagles involves a quite amazing display. The male will perform a series of ascents and dives, waiting at the top of each dive and calling out for the female. If she decides to join him, they lock talons and fall together, coming apart just before the ground. Nests can become massive structures that span over six feet in diameter, and the pair will use it year after year. Sadly, if two eggs are laid and hatched, the stronger (and usually older) chick will almost always kill its weaker sibling. Chicks grow their crests after two months, and fledge between three and four, but can remain dependent on its parents for over a year.
Crowned Eagles are listed as being of Least Concern by the IUCN.
There are around 500 species of Cone Snail, marine gastropods that belong to the genus Conus. They live in tropical and subtropical waters around the world and vary in size depending on the species, with the largest measuring over 20cm in length. Cone Snails also look quite pretty. They have long, attractive shells that tend to have nice little patterns and designs on them, no wonder they are popularly used as jewelry!
But beware! Cone Snails have a extremely potent toxin (called Conotoxin), and they have to. They are tiny little guys who don't move very fast. Their toxin needs to paralyze their prey quickly, otherwise it'll get away. The toxin in these Snails has the ability to kill a human being, and there is no known antivenom. They attack via a barb that shoots out from their shell, and the type of paralysis is dependent on the species. When their prey is immobilized, they draw it back in to their shell, still attached to the barb. Cone Snails are carnivorous and predatory, and feed off of fish, worms, and other mollusks, depending on the specific species.
Interestingly, when some of the components of the toxins are isolated, they make an extremely potent painkiller. The drug Prialt is made from the toxin of Conus magnus, and new uses for the toxins are still being researched.
They may look like abnormally cute ferrets, and whileVormela peregusna are Mustelids, and members of the same subfamily as Weasels, Martens, and Badgers, but they belong to a genus all their own. They are one of the rarer Mustelids of the world, though their range covers large parts of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Marbled Polecats can be found in open habitats like grasslands, and steppes.
The Marbled Polecat gets its name from the interesting pattern that shows up on its back. Their face is black and white, but their body is a rich marbled combination of yellows, browns, whites, and reds. They have short muzzles, long tails, and powerful front claws that help them to dig and burrow. When threatened, Marbled Polecats hiss and fluff up their hair, making their bodies appear much larger. They also have some exceptionally stinky glands under their tail that release foul odors.
Normally solitary creatures, Marbled Polecats come together to breed during spring and early summer. At this time the coloration on males is more vivid. Marbled Polecats are one of the species that practices delayed implantation (embryonic dispause). They typically do not give birth for 8-11 months after mating, despite only have a 40ish day gestation period. Up to eight young are born at once, and they grow fast! Females are already at sexual maturity when they are three months old (males take long at about a year.)
Marbled Polecats feed on various rodents, insects, reptiles, and birds. Unfortunately their numbers have been on the decline due to the reduction of their prey, and due to habitat loss.
It's not the longest snake, or the heaviest, but the Puff Adder is one of the most feared. Why? Because they kill more people on their home continent of Africa than any other species of snake. Though numbers are hard to track down, something around 60% of all bites come from Bitis arietans.
Puff Adders only measure about three feet in length, and have very wide, sluggish bodies that rely on camouflage for hunting. However, don't let their girth fool you, they can strike extremely fast, and their venom can cause shock, unconsciousness, skin necrosis, and hemorrhages. They have long fangs and can inject the venom deep into their target, easily causing death if not treated. Though the threat to humans is there, Puff Adders normally go after and feed upon small rodents, reptiles, and birds. Human attacks typically occur when the snake is startled and confronted.
Puff Adders are (my favorite word!) ovoviviparous, and can give birth to several dozen live young at once. These young are independent from birth. They are a common species, and have not been evaluated by the IUCN. In the wild, Puff Adders actually have several enemies, including badgers, raptors, warthogs, and other snakes.
National Geographic has been playing their Great Migrations series the past few weeks, and during one of last night's episodes they talked about the Pronghorn, and how it is a species with no close living relatives. This caught my interest, so here we go, Pronghorns!
Pronghorns are members of the order Artiodactyla- even-toed ungulates. From there, they also belong to the Infraorder Pecora, which they share with antelope, cattle, goats, giraffes, etc. But that's were any taxonomic similarities to other living species ends. Pronghorns are the only extant species in the family Antilocapridae. There are nearly two dozen completely extinct genera in the family, and only Antilocapra remains.
Antilocapra americana has a number of different subspecies, all of which live in the Western United States and Canada. They stand about three feet at the shoulder, and both males and females have those characteristic backwards facing horns. Pronghorns are the fastest land animals in North America, and can sprint at speed of nearly 60mph. Even more awesome is the fact that they are also build for long distance running, though the speed are not nearly as high. Pronghorns communicate by sight. They have excellent vision, and when danger is spotted, they signal by raising white hairs on their rump.
Pronghorns also hold the second place title for longest migration of any North American land animal. Some herds (not all, some have enough food to stay in place year round) move 300 miles round trip between Wyoming's Green River Basin and Grand Teton National Park. This move now places the Pronghorn under multiple man-made threats, including cars and fences. The National Wildlife Federation is working to create Corridors to help these migrations.
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