Four-clawed Gecko

The Four-clawed Gecko is a creature of many names. Gehyra mutilata also goes by the Stump-toed Gecko, the Pacific Gecko, and the Sugar Lizard. It has several monikers because it lives in several different countries-- its range extends across Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

The "Four-clawed" and "Stump-toed" names refer to the feet on these small Reptiles. They have stubby toes, four on each foot. As for the rest of their anatomy, they have a body length of up to 5in, with a tail that grows another 3-4. Their skin tends to be a brownish-greyish-reddish color, and typically covered with darker spots.

Four-clawed Geckos are very adaptable creatures, and are found in a variety of habitats-- including human dwellings. They are even considered invasive in some places due to how well they get by.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands
Size : Body Length up to 5in (12cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Gekkonidae -- Genus : Gehyra -- Species : G. mutilata
Image : Ecology Asia

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Bulwer's Petrel

Bulweria bulwerii

For a Petrel, the Bulwer's Petrel is relatively small. Its entire body length does not normally get larger than 10in (compared to some of their cousins that can be more than double or triple that!).

Just like those cousins, the Bulwer's Petrel is a seabird that spends huge portions of its time living flying across the open sea. They have large wingspans compared to their body length (up to 3ft!) that allow them to soar long distances without using large amounts of energy. They feed on very small creatures that live at the ocean's surface, snatching them while in flight.

The Bulwer's Petrels do come ashore in order to breed, and their nesting sites are typically in the small islands chains of the Atlantic Ocean, though some populations make it to the Pacific as well. They breed in large colonies before dispersing again to fly across the oceans.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Atlantic Islands
Size : Length up to 10ft (25cm), Wingspan up to 3ft (.9m)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Procellariiformes
Family : Procellariidae -- Genus : Bulweria-- Species : B. bulwerii
Image : Peiwen Chang

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Raso Lark

Today's animal is named for the tiny island that it lives on-- Raso Islet in the Cape Verde chain. When I say tiny, I really mean tiny-- it is only 7 square kilometers!

No humans live on Raso, which is good for the few animals that reside there, as most are very, very endangered. Raso is the only home of the Raso Lark, which is itself critically endangered.

The Raso Lark has not been studied extensively-- there are very few of them and they live in a rather remote area. It is estimated that the population numbers around 150 individuals, but that the male to female ratio is quite off (about 2 males for every female). Reproduction is especially tough due to some of the Lark's neighbors. The island is home to the also-rare Cape Verde Giant Gecko, which loves to feed on eggs.

Raso Larks have irregular breeding seasons which are tied to the availability of food and water. Raso Islet is a volcanic island that is very dry and has little vegetation. Food and water can quickly become scarce. When food is to be found, it usually comes in the form of plant bulbs.

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered
Location : Cape Verde
Size : Length up to 3ft (.9m), Weight up to 130lbs (65kg)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Alaudidae -- Genus : Alauda-- Species : A. razae
Image : Winkel

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Bonobo

Pan paniscus

Human readers, meet one of your closest biological relatives-- the Bonobo! Bonobos and Chimpanzees share more than 98% of their DNA with humans. In fact-- we are so closely related to them that there are some who argue that Bonobos and Chimpanzees should belong to the Homo genus, rather than Pan.

Bonobos are smaller than Chimpanzees, but otherwise look very similar. They are even sometimes referred to as Pygmy Chimpanzees, and weren't considered separate species until 1929. Physically, Bonobos are lean and have dark black hair. Males are larger than the females-- sometimes weighing twice as much!

The wild range of the Bonobo is quite small-- they live only in the Democratic Republic of Congo which is one of the reasons why they are so Endangered. Not only is their range small, but they live in an area of civil unrest, where government protections for the species are nearly impossible to uphold, and where there are few regulations concerning habitat protection. The wild population has been on the decline for decades, and it will have difficulty rebounding because of the long reproductive cycle of the Primate. Unlike many mammals that reproduce yearly, a female Bonobo will produce offspring only once every 4-5 years.

Bonobo social groups are actually led by the females, and mother-child bonds are very important to the group. In fact, they are the only primate groups to be female-led. A male's standing is influenced by who his mother is. These communities can number over 100 members, but they tend to break up into smaller sections while foraging. Bonobos primarily eat fruit, but they will also consume leaves, insects, and small vertebrates. They have been known to eat other, smaller Primates as well.

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IUCN Status : Endangered
Location : Africa
Size : Length up to 3ft (.9m), Weight up to 130lbs (65kg)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Primates
Family : Hominidae -- Genus : Pan -- Species : P. paniscus
Image : USAID, Pierre Fidenci

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Puijila darwini

Though it may not look like it, the animal in that picture-reconstruction is an ancestral Seal! Yes, Seal! The finned, sleek bodied ocean mammals! In fact, it is the most ancient Seal ever found.

Puijila darwini was only discovered in 2007, so it is a pretty recent find. Amazingly, only one fossil has been uncovered so far-- but the skeleton was almost totally complete! It was found in Nunavut, Canada.

Puijila lived a semi-aquatic carnivorous lifestyle. It had webbing on all four feet, and swam by paddling through the water. It is an interesting fossils not just because it is the most primitive Seal known, but also because it is an example of a transitional species. All land animals evolved from sea-dwelling creatures, and Seals and Whales are examples of mammals that returned to the sea. Puijila was a step between fully land-dwelling Carnivore and the eventual ocean-dwelling Pinnepeds.

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Status : Extinct, lived 21-24 million years ago
Location : Canada
Size : Length up to 3.3ft (1m)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Suborder : Pinnipedimorpha -- Genus : Puijila -- Species : P. darwini
Image : Smokeybjb

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Affenpinscher

The Affenpinscher is a breed of dag that dates back more than 400 years. It's name comes from the German word for "monkey," probably because they have very primate-like faces.

Like many breeds, modern Affenpinschers look different now when compared to their ancestors. They are smaller now, and generally come only in black (some other colors are also recognized, but they are rare to see). The Affenpinschers of centuries past came in many other colors more commonly, and even had white feet and chests.

When it comes to temperament, Affenpinschers are very adventurous and playful. They tend to get along well with other dogs (and other pets in general) and are very active.

Affenpinschers tend to be one of the lesser-known breeds. But last year they got a spot in the limelight when one received the Best in Show award at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

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Status : Domesticated
Location : Germany
Size : Height up to 12in (30cm), Weight up to 13lbs (6kg)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Canidae -- Genus : Canis -- Species : C. lupus -- Subspecies : C. l. familiaris
Image : Kennel Imrun

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Ocellated Dragonet

The Ocellated Dragonet is also called the Scooter Blenny, even though it is not actually a member of the Blenny family. Weird huh?

In the wild, these fish are found in the western Pacific Ocean, where they live on the seafloor of shallow coral reef areas. You will often see several of them living in a loosely-affiliated group, though they don't form actual schools. They feed on very tiny Zooplankton.

Speaking of size, Ocellated Dragonets are small, only about 3in long, and have brown bodies that are covered with stripe and spot patterns. You can tell the difference between males and females based on the dorsal fin. The fin is larger for males, and it has bright orange coloration at the base.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Southwest Pacific Ocean
Size : Length up to 3in (9cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Callionymidae -- Genus : Synchiropus-- Species : S. ocellatus
Image : GraouQuarium

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