Common Tapeworm

And now for something kind of gross... The Common Tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) is a parasite found in intestinal tracts around the world. It most commonly affects dogs and cats, though humans can also prey host to these creatures. Common Tapeworms require fleas in order to reproduce, and so must be in an environment that supports them as well. They can reach up to 20in (51cm) in length.

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Tapeworm biology and reproduction is actually pretty fascinating. They attach to their host with a scolex, a hook like structure on their heads. Common Tapeworms are also hermaphroditic, and continuously grow new body segments during their lifetime. Each one of these segments contains an independent digestive and reproductive tract. New segments grow closer to the head, pushing the older ones farther and farther back until they drop off as an egg sac. These sacs eventually leave their host via feces.

And it just gets weirder. These eggs will hatch into larvae, but the larvae do not infect our pets or us. Instead, the larvae depends on the young of another parasitic species to spread. Young Fleas are voracious eaters, and consume the tiny Tapeworms. If a flea gets ingested (by a pet licking itself, for example), they pass the Tapeworms along, who them latch on and begin feeding and growing.

How does one get rid of a Common Tapeworm? Well luckily, we have pills and injections for these things now, but since they are spread by fleas, its also very important to rid your environment of those as well, in order to prevent re-infection. Humans affected by the Common Tapeworm often experience no symptoms, but abdominal pain and diarrhea can occur.

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Pygmy Shrew

If you couldn't tell from the name, the Pygmy Shrew is a tiny little guy, typically measuring less than 2in (52mm). They also weigh next to nothing, at a whopping .14oz (4g)! They are found across Europe and Asia and are one of the world's smallest mammals.

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Pygmy Shrews are so tiny that they aren't even able to hibernate; they have nowhere to store any fat reserves. They also have ridiculously fast metabolisms which force them to consume 125% of their own body weight every single day. Pygmy Shrews eat invertebrates like spiders, grasshoppers, and beetles.

Females give birth to multiple litters each year, each containing 4-7 young. They age quickly, and only live about a  year and a half at the maximum.

Pygmy Shrews are listed as being of least concern. Their population is stable, but their small size does make them susceptible to environmental changes.

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Common Kingsnake

California Kingsnake 
(Lampropeltis getula californiae)

Common Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula) are native to the United States and Mexico, living in a wide variety of terrestrial habitats including forests, fields, scrublands, and near bodies of water. There are eight named subspecies. Common Kingsnakes measure 30-85in (76-216cm) and are identified by their shiny scales and dark and light banded pattern. Their coloration can vary depending on subspecies population and location, but they are most commonly either brown or black with white bands.

Desert Kingsnake
(Lampropeltis getula splendida)

One really interesting fact about he Common Kingsnake is that it is immune to the venom of rattlesnakes and several other venomous snake species. Because of this, the Kingsnakes are actually able to kill and consume these snakes, though they also feed on birds, rodents, amphibians, other reptiles, and eggs. Essentially, they will kill and consume whatever they can overpower. They are non-venomous and kill their prey through constriction.

Common Kingsnakes are oviparous, meaning that they lay eggs. Females lay them between May and August and they hatch between about 50 and 80 days. Hatchlings measure up to 1ft (30cm) at birth.

Common Kingsnakes are popular in the pet trade, and their population is not currently at risk.

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Olm

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Olms are absolutely fascinating creatures with some amazing adaptations for the environment that they live in. You see, they are the only cave dwelling vertebrates found exclusively in Europe, and are found in parts of Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Olms are members of a very ancient line of amphibians that diverged from its nearest living relatives during the Jurassic period over 190 million years ago! There are currently six living species in this line, including Mudpuppies.

As mentioned, Olms live in caves, exclusively underwater. Because they live in light-less environments, they lack most pigmentation in their skin, and they have essentially lost their sense of sight (their eyes are actually covered with skin and serve only as basic light sensors). To make up for the darkness, Olms have developed their other senses to an amazing degree. They are able to sense other organisms in the water using a chemical receptor in their taste buds. They are also able to detect different vibrations and sound waves, and even have a sensory organ that lets them register weak electric fields.

Olms have a few more relatively unique characteristics. One is that they remain suspended in a larval state for their entire lives. They retain large gills and a tail fin. The Olm also has a remarkably long lifespan for an amphibian. They might not reach sexual maturity until the age of 15, and individuals have reached 70 or older. They also reproduce externally, and the mother guards her eggs until hatching. The eggs are extremely dependent on the water temperature, and there is one hypothesis that females will hatch their eggs internally if the water is too cold.

Olms are extremely vulnerable to climate change, as their watery underground habitats are directly affected by what is going on on the surface. They are listed by IUCN as endangered.

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Asian Palm Civet

The Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) is a viverrid found in tropical forests throughout Asia, though they are mostly concentrated in the South and South East areas. They have a rather interesting look to them, almost like a cat crossed with a weasel. They have body lengths of up to 21in (53cm) with a tail of about the same length. They weigh 4-10lbs (2-5kg). Asian Palm Civets are also known as Toddy Cats and Common Palm Civets.

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Asian Palm Civets are nocturnal and terrestrial. They come out at night to feed without as much risk from predation, and their diet consists of small mammals and insects, as well as fruits and other native vegetation. They are solitary animals, and really only come together during the brief breeding season. Liters range from 2-5 young.

One interesting fact about the Asian Palm Civet is that they eat whole coffee beans. These beans pass through their digestive system whole and are then harvested from their feces by humans. This coffee, known as Kopi Luwak, is the most expensive coffee in the world, and sells for upwards of $200 per pound.

Asian Palm Civets are currently listed as being of Least Concern, though habitat loss could affect their population in the future.

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Beluga Whale

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Belugas Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) are very iconic whales with their all white adult bodies, short beaks, absent dorsal fins, and large "melon" foreheads. They are found in the waters of the Arctic, and migrate to sub-artic waters to stay away from freezing ice. Belugas can grow to sizes of up to 20ft (6.1m).

Did you know that Beluga Whales are not always white? As calves they are a darker gray color, which gradually lightens as they age. They will reach their full white color by around age 5. Females gestate for 14 months, and a newborn calf can measure 4-6ft (1.4m) long. Calves remain with their mothers for up to two years, and feed off of milk that is 28% fat in order to grow and maintain warmth in the cold waters.

Beluga Pod

Belugas are extremely social creatures. They live in pods that communicate through a variety of whistles, mimics, and clicks. They are also rather unique among Cetaceans in that they have non-fused neck vertebrae, which allows them to turn their heads and even make facial expressions!

Beluga Whales hunt using echolocation, a process that involves sending out clicks that then bounce off potential prey and echo back to the whale. The Beluga's large forehead contains a melon, which helps to amplify and focus these clicks. They feed on fish, worms and crustaceans, and consume 50-60lbs (22.6-27kg) a day.

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Giant Freshwater Stingray

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The Giant Freshwater Stingray (Himantura chaophraya) is a massive, massive fish found in the tropical river waters of South East Asia and Australia. They can grow to sizes of over 94in across (about 240cm) and the largest specimen caught weighed 1,322lbs (600kg). Even their young are huge! They are an ovoviviparous species whose offspring can measure 13in (34cm) at birth!

Giant Freshwater Stringrays are in fact dangerous to humans, but not because they eat them. These creatures actually feed on small fish and invertebrates. However, as their name might suggest, they have stinging barbs on their tails. These venomous, mucus covered barbs can grow to 15in (38cm) long, and with their whip-like tails, these Stingrays can pierce bone.

These enormous creatures are currently very vulnerable, and all populations are listed as at least that by the IUCN. The Thailand sub-population is Critically Endangered. They faces issues with habitat destruction, fishing, mine-caused silt deposits, and population fragmentation.

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