Mythical Creatures Week, Part II

So we've finally hit 1,000 animals. Wow! 1,000! So to celebrate we have yet another theme week-- this time a visit to a familiar theme from the past. Mythical Creatures Weeks, Part II!

Sit sit back, relax, and enjoy some crazy and sometimes confusing animals from legends and lore.

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Iberian Lynx

Lynx pardinus

It is estimated that there are less than 150 adult Iberian Lynxes left in the wild, making it one of the most endangered cats on the planet. In fact, were they to go extinct, they would be the very first cat to do so since prehistoric times.

Iberian Lynxes are found only in a few isolated pockets in southern Spain. They were once found in Portugal too but it is unknown whether any still remain there. There only two main breeding grounds, one with a few dozen, and the other with perhaps a hundred... though the two groups are divided by enough distance that they do not intermingle. This of course makes the species even more vulnerable.

As with most endangered species, habitat loss has played a major role in the decline of the Iberian Lynx. However, there is another cause that is even more devastating. The primary prey of this cat is the European Rabbit. 80-100% of their diet is made up of these lagomorphs. Because rabbit populations are in decline (due to hunting and a disease called Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease) the Lynx have little to eat. Some attempt to hunt other prey, but that puts them in competition with other carnivores. The result is that the Lynx populations declines right along with that of the rabbit.

There is some hope though. The two main areas where the Lynx live are now being carefully managed, and there are efforts being made to revitalize the rabbit populations there. Furthermore, captive breeding is making some strides, and these new kittens are being used to boost the wild populations. There is hope that additional populations will be reintroduced to areas that the cats once lived it.

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered
Location : Spain and Portugal
Size : Length around 40in (1m), Weight around 30lbs (13.6kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Felidae -- Genus : Lynx -- Species : L. pardinus

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Spaghetti Worm

Eupolymnia crassicornis

The Spaghetti Worm is an annelid that lives underwater in the tropical oceans near Bermuda and Puerto Rico. They live on the sea floor, burying themselves in the rocks and sand and growing long tentacles outward. These tentacles can measure up to 1m in length and give the species it's common name.

Spaghetti Worms feed by using their tentacles to grab floating detritus. Once snatched, the food moves down the tentacle towards the mouth at the base. They feed almost exclusively during nighttime hours.

When it comes time to reproduce the Spaghetti worms release sperm and eggs externally. Interestingly, the worms will release their gametes even when members of the opposite sex are nowhere around. The reason for this behavior is unknown.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Tropical Atlantic
Size : Length up to 1m

Classification : Phylum : Annelida -- Class : Polychaeta -- Order : Terebellida
Family : Terebellidae -- Genus : Eupolymnia -- Species : E. crassicornis

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Scarlet Lobsterette

Nephropsis atlantica

The Scarlet Lobsterette is a small little Lobster (though still of a decent size when you compare them to all Crustaceans.) They measure it at only 4in long, which makes the diminutive name appropriate. They have bright red bodies, and are covered in small bristles.

You'll find these little guys in the East Atlantic, where they dwell in water as deep as 1,800m... though a "shallower" 1,400m range is more common. Due to their deep sea living they have unpigmented eyes, and they are not often photographed (hence the illustration).

They are interestingly the only Lobsters in their region that are not commercially fished, in part because of their depth range, but also because of their small size. They belong to a genus that contains a handful of other deep-sea dwelling Lobsters.

Scarlet Lobsterettes feed on a variety of different materials, both plant and animal. They also scavenge for their food.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Eastern Atlantic
Size : Length up to 4in (10cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Subphylum : Crustacea -- Class : Malacostraca -- Order : Decapoda -- Family : Nephropidae -- Genus : Nephropsis -- Species : N. atlantica 

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Heck Cattle

Heck Cattle

Way back we talked about the Aurochs, a now-extinct species of Cattle that once lived throughout Europe.  The Heck Cattle are an attempt to recreate the massive Aurochs by back breeding the animals until they resemble their ancestral form.

This project isn't recent... it actually started back in the 1920s in Germany. Two brothers, Heinz and Lutz Heck, developed programs in Munich and Berlin respectively. Interestingly, these programs were, in part, supported by Nazi leader Hermann Göring.

The two brothers used different breeds in their methodology-- Heniz used Friseians, Hungarian Greys, Scottish Highlands, and a handful of other breeds, while Lutz focused more on French and Spanish Fighting Cattle. The results were actually very similar, producing calves in only a few generations that looked like the images of Aurochs from old cave paintings and representations. However, after WWII the Berlin line was lost.

There has always been controversy over the Heck Cattle project, and not only because of its benefactor. Other scientists have criticized the brothers' messy methodology, and their quick proclamation of results. There is also the fact that many other cattle breeds resemble the Aurochs even better than the Heck Cattle do. There is even a newer project, the TaurOs Programme, which is worker to create a better Aurochs.

There are still Heck Cattle today, though most remain in Europe. Of the estimated 2,000 of them, many live in nature preserves. This is because of the Heck's claims that these animals were resurrected wild animal, and thus should be left in nature as the Aurochs were.

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Status : Domesticated
Location : Originated in Germany
Size : Height up to 4.5ft (1.4m), Weight up to 1,300lbs (600kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Bos -- Species : B. primigenius

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Emperor Gum Moth

Opodiphthera eucalypti

Emperor Gum Moths are large Moths found in Australia, as well as in New Zealand where they have been introduced. They have a wingspan of around 6in (15cm), and furry, reddish-brown wings with eye spots.

As Caterpillars they are born very dark, and actually turn a striking green color before spinning a cocoon  The Caterpillar stage can last weeks and even months, and during that time they feed on as many leaves as possible, as this stage is the only time that these insects actually eat.

After emerging from their cocoons, the adult moths are unable to feed, and have to rely on all that stored up energy from their Caterpillar meals. They seek out a mate, lay their eggs, and die. This stage lasts only a few weeks, maximum.

The Emperor Gum Moth is a scientifically significant insect, as it is the very first insect that science was able to develop continuous cell cultures from. The process used to do this, back in 1962, is still being used (in a modified form) today.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Australia
Size : Wingspan up to 15cm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Saturniidae -- Genus : Opodiphthera -- Species : O. eucalypti

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Chihuahua

Smooth-coated Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is the smallest breed of dog in the world, and it also has some roots that date back over a millennium. It is believed that this modern breed descended from the Techichi, a dog favored by the Toltecs. Images of these dogs appear around 800CE, with additional possible representations going back a thousand years earlier.

The modern breed comes from the state of Chihuahua, with the progenitor being found near the ruins of Casas Grandes in 1850. Over the next fifty years the breed would be developed, and by 1904 it was recognized by the AKC.

The modern standards describe a dog that stands between 6 and 10in tall, and weighs up to 6.6lbs (3kg). Despite what you may see from some breeders, "Teacup" and "Miniature" are not standard designations-- they are terms often used as marketing gimmicks by those trying to sell puppies.

Long-coated Chihuahua

Chichuahuas come with two different coat lengths-- long-haired and short-haired, and can have just about any color combination you can think of. Many breed clubs do not allow merle dogs, as that gene is linked to a number of health conditions.

Chihuahua temperament varies with the dog. On the whole they tend to be very brave and loyal to their owner, but some can take that protective nature and turn it into aggression if not properly trained. They are also not recommended for people with small children, as their size can put them at risk from rough play, and these interactions can make them nippy and high-strung. However, good training and socialization can lead to a very well-adjusted little dog, and they continue to be one of the most popular breeds in the world.

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Status : Domesticated
Location : Mexico
Size : Height up to 10in (30cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Canidae -- Genus : Canis -- Species : C. lupus -- Subspecies : C. l. familiaris

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