Yellow Bittern

Ixobrychus sinensis

The Yellow Bittern is a small species of Heron that lives in southern and eastern Asia. They only grow to sizes of around 15in (about a quarter of the size of the largest Heron-- the Goliath Heron!) The name comes from the coloration of the male, who is a dull yellow-brown with lighter undersides. Females are streaked brown. They are difficult to spot while not in flight, as their colors camouflage them in the reeds and other aquatic plants.

Yellow Bitterns are, on the whole, resident birds, though some that live further north will seasonally migrate small distances. They live in freshwater wetland areas like marshes and ponds, and even near man-made canals and reservoirs. There they feed on fishes, amphibians, and insects.

In places closer to the equator, where the temperatures remain more consistent, the Yellow Bitterns breed year round (elsewhere they have more defined seasons). Males attract females by hunching up their necks, puffing out their chests, and performing a series of calls (their bills also take on a reddish color at the base). The parents will construct a nest together, built near water using reeds and other plants. 3-5 eggs are laid at a time, and incubation duties are shared by both the mother and father.

Yellow Bitterns have a very large range and a large population size, so they are currently listed as being of Least Concern.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Asia
Size : Length up to 15in (38cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Pelecaniformes
Family : Ardeidae -- Genus : Ixobrychus -- Species : I. sinensis

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Chambered Nautilus

Nautilus pompilius

The Nautilida Order contains six extant species and a handful of extinct ones, some of which date all the way back around 550 million years. They are primitive Cephalopods that often are given the "living fossil" moniker-- they have changed very little over the past several million years.

The Chambered Nautilus is perhaps the best known of the bunch. They are large in size (one subspecies reaches just under a foot in shell diameter) and have a very widespread distribution across the Pacific.

The shell of the Chambered Nautilus is covered in dark and light stripes-- a coloration pattern that camouflages them. The shell serves as protection, and also helps with buoyancy  as the Nautilus can fill and empty out different pockets with gas. As they grow, the shell gains new chambers, and full grown adults will have around 30 different compartments.

Aside from the shell, the Chambered Nautilus displays several other interesting traits. For one, they have no lenses or corneas in their eyes. Secondly, they have around 90 tentacles, none of which have suckers (something most other Cephalopods have).

The Chambered Nautilus is a very slow growing creatures. They are between 15 and 20 years old before they reach sexual maturity. Reproduction takes place internally, with four of the males' tentacles forming a part called the spandix. They use this to transfer a spermatophore mass to the female. The mass attaches to the female's mantle and releases the sperm. Newly hatched babies have shells that measure about 1in in diameter.

Back during the Renaissance, Chambered Nautilus shells were very popular with artists and collectors. They would attach the shells to metal stems, forming decorative cups. Some got exceptionally elaborate-- like this piece using guilt silver that looks like an Ostrich!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Pacific Ocean
Size : Shell Diameter up to 10in (25cm)

Classification : Phylum : Mollusca -- Class : Cephalopoda -- Order : Nautilida
Family : Nautilidae -- Genus : Nautilus -- Species : N. pompilius

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Costa's Hummingbird

Calypte costae (male)

The Costa's Hummingbird makes its home in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. They live in arid scrub areas, and feed on plant nectar and small insects. The body size of this species is quite small, measuring only about 3in.

Male Costa's Hummingbirds are brilliantly colored little guys, sporting green backs, black wings, and a vibrant purple head and throat. (Females are less colorful, with green backs and paler underparts). They use their flashy colors in order to attract females. Males perform elaborate zig-zagging passes and dives for viewing females, using the light from the sun to reflect off of the violet head feathers.

After mating, the pair separates, and the female will construct a small cup-shaped nest up in a tree. She lays two eggs which take 15-18 days to hatch. The young Hummingbirds are fully fledged after 23 days.

One especially amazing thing that I learned about these birds is that while awake, their heart can beat between 500 and 900 times per minute. And that isn't even while they are being especially active! They also have the ability to enter a torpor state (during cold nights). During that time the resting rate slows to a mere 50 times per minute-- what a huge difference!

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : United States and Mexico
Size : Length up to 3.5in (9cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Trochiliformes
Family : Trochilidae -- Genus : Calypte -- Species : C. costae

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Guanaco

Lama guanicoe

The wild Guanaco is a close, genus sharing relative of the domesticated Llama. In fact, it is believed that Llamas actually came from Guanacos around 6,000 years ago. These elegant, slender Camelids live in the arid, mountainous regions of South America. About 90% of the wild Guanacos now live in Argentina.

Guanacos are one of the largest wild herbivores in South America. Though they look slim and lanky, they can actually weigh more than 250lbs. Guanacos both graze and browse, and have a split upper lip that allows them to grasp at vegetation better. They eat many different kinds of plants, and rarely need to drink water since they derive it from their food.

Guanacos typically live in small herds that consist of a dominant male, several females, and their offspring. Young males are eventually kicked out of these herds, and will sometimes form small bachelor herds. These groups are important for the development of the young males, as they learn how to fight and maintain dominance. After 3-4 years in one of these herds, the males will embark and try to challenge older males for their females and territory.

Young Guanaco

Unlike Llamas and Alpacas, which come in a whole mess of colors, Guanacos are almost always light brown with even lighter undersides and a greyish face. They are, in fact, used for skins and wool like their relatives, and the fiber is very soft and warm. Unfortunately, excess hunting (along with other threats) has led to a sharp decline in the population. When Europeans first arrived in South America there were around 50 million of these guys, and the number is now around 600,000. Habitat loss and competition from livestock are other causes for the drop.

Luckily, the population is currently stable, thanks to habitat protection and regulated trade. While poaching does continue, the animals have a large enough range and population size to be listed at Least Concern.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : South America
Size : Shoulder height up to 4ft (1.2m), Weight up to 264lbs (120kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Camelidae -- Genus : Lama -- Species : L. guanicoe

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Archey’s Frog

Leiopelma archeyi

The Archey's Frog is a very primitive looking species, in that it looks very much like 150 million year old fossils. It also has some anatomical features that are rather uncommon, including tail wagging muscles (but no tail), no external eardrums, an extra back vertebrae, and no true vocal chords. Some females also have a special extra W-Chromosome, which determines sex.

There are four species within the Leiopelmatidae family, a group that diverged from all other frogs around 200 million years ago. This fact isn't surprising when you learn that they hail from New Zealand, a location whose eventual split off and isolation led it to evolve all sorts of creatures found no where else in the world (Tuatara and Kakapo anyone?)

The Archey's Frog (named for former Director of the Auckland Institute and Museum, Sir Gilbert Archey) is the smallest member of its family. The females can reach sizes of about 37mm, while males are a bit smaller at 31mm. They are terrestrial and nocturnal, and they even lay their eggs on land (in damp soil and leaf litter).

Because of their terrestrial lifestyle, the Archey's Frogs do not metamorphose from tadpole to adult. They actually hatch as tiny little froglets. The males will guard over their eggs, and then the froglets, even letting their offspring ride around on their backs.

Archey's Frogs are listed as Critically Endangered, and the population has been on the decline since at least 1996 (when a study specifically targeting decline was done). Climate change, habitat loss, and the introduction of predators and competing animals are all factors that have affected the species. Archey's Frogs are protected by the New Zealand Department of Conservation, and their population continues to be monitored.

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered

Location : New Zealand
Size : Length up to 35mm

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Anura
Family : Leiopelmatidae -- Genus : Leiopelma -- Species : L. archeyi

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Akohekohe

Palmeria dolei

The Akohekohe is an extremely rare, critically endangered bird found only on the island of Maui, one of the Hawaiian Islands. They were once found on Molokai as well, but have been extinct there since the early 20th century.

Also known as the Crested Honeycreeper, the Akohekohe is found only in a small, 50 square kilometer area near the Haleakala Volcano. They are large for a Honeycreeper, and are very distinctive in their plumage. The bodies are predominantly black with silver flecks. Orange feathers sprout out from the nape of the neck, and they have large white crests that come out from the bill.

The Hawaiian name probably derives from one of calls that the birds make-- "Ah-kohay-kohay". They also make a variety of other noises, including "wolf whistles." The Akohekohe feeds primarily on the nectar of Ohia-Lehua blossoms, though they will take other plants and insects as well.

A number of things have contributed to this birds' population decline. Introduced plants and animals have been a factor. Pigs especially have been dangerous, as they destroy the undergrowth and damage the plants the that Akohekohe feeds on. Rats and mosquitos have also caused many problems, including the introduction of diseases. Deforestation has played a part as well. The birds and their habitat have been protected since 1967, but it is estimated that only 3,700 remain.

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered

Location : Hawaii
Size : Length up to 7in (18cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Fringillidae -- Genus : Palmeria-- Species : P. dolei

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Daring Jumping Spider

Phidippus audax

Daring Jumping Spiders are common jumpers in North America. They are large for their family, and are predominantly black with some spots or stripes on the legs and abdomen. They also have incredibly shiny, metallic blue-green mouth parts (called Chelicerae).

Compared to body size, humans can't jump very far. Even the very best long jumpers only make it to distances of 3-4 times their height. The Daring Jumping Spider has us beat for sure! These little 2cm Spiders can leap between 10 and 50 times their own size!

So why do they need to make such gigantic jumps? Well, unlike many other Spiders, the Daring Jumpers do not build webs to hunt. They actively stalk their prey, using their amazing vision (their family has the sharpest eyesight among all Spiders). When they spot a meal, they leap after it from afar.

The spiders also use their great legs and eyes in courtship rituals. They are able to perform different dances, and can be seen from far away. Daring Jumping Spiders do actually build webs, but only for egg laying or shelter purposes.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : North America
Size : Length up to 20mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Araneae
Family : Salticidae -- Genus : Phidippus -- Species : P. audax

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