Squid Worm

Image by Laurence Madin
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Two miles deep, down in the waters between Indonesia and the Philippines, there lives and animal so unusual that on first glance, no one knew what it was. Was it a squid? Was it a worm? What is this thing? After a few years of study, we now know. It is, in fact, a Squid Worm, a member of the earthworm and tube worm filled Annelid phylum.

Squid Worms (Teuthidodrilus samae) are interesting because they are remarkably abundant, and are relatively large for a deep sea creature. They measure about four inches in length. The name comes from the ten tentacles that protrude outward from the head. The Squid Worm also has iridescent bristles that run down the length of their body, aiding in movement. They feed off of plankton and small floating debris.

Another notable fact about the Squid Worm is that it might be a transitional species; and animal that stradles the line between species that reside on the sea floor, and those that swim openly. Such transitional species are important in understanding evolutionary history.

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South American Bushmaster

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Lachesis muta is the largest viper in the world, and the longest venomous snake in the Western Hemisphere. They can reach lengths of over nine feet, with large specimens growing several more feet on top of that. The South American Bushmaster can be found in tropical forests in the north and central parts of the continent, including the countries of Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, and Bolivia. They are also found on the island of Trinidad and in some areas of Central America. Overall, they are a very widespread species.

The South American Bushmaster is venomous, and its bite can kill a human. They have long fangs that sink deep into their target, injecting the venom far in. The venom is not as strong as that of other snakes, but it is hemotoxic; causing organ degeneration and loss of red blood cells. Luckily, they are nocturnal snakes and do not frequently come into contact with humans, so the total number of bites is relatively low. There is an anti venom available, but it must be administered quickly.

South American Bushmasters feed primarily on rodents, amphibians, and small reptiles, which they detect with powerful heat sensors. These sensors are where pit vipers get their names from. They are small "pits" located between the eyes and nose.

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Takahe

Like the Kakapo, the Takahe is a colorful, flightless bird endemic to New Zealand. Also like the Kakapo, Takahe are on the brink of extinction, with less than 200 birds remaining. They were even believed to be extinct previous to 1948, as no one had seen them in decades. The population is now divided between a handful of protected, predator-free areas.

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Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) are the largest members of the family Rallidae, measuring up to two feet in length and weighing 5-9lbs. As mentioned, they are flightless, and have small wings that are used for displays of both aggression and courtship. They are primarily blue in color, with green on the back and bright pink beaks and legs. Young birds are born almost completely black, including on the beak. They can their color as they age, and reach sexual maturity around three years old. Both parents care for their chicks for the 30 day incubation and three months of feeding, though usually only one of the 1-3 chicks that hatch will survive their first winter. Takahe can live up to twenty years.

Why are Takahe so threatened? They evolved to be flightless in an environment that had few ground predators or large competitors for food. Introduction of deer, dogs, and other non-native animals had detrimental effect on the population. Habitat loss and hunting have also played a part, and because Takahe reproduce slowly, bringing back their numbers can take a very long time. Breeding itself is even difficult because loss of genetic diversity has created infertile birds.

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Maned Wolf

Maned Wolves are the largest Canids in South America, standing nearly three feet tall on extremely long legs. It is the lone member of genus Chrysocyon, and their common named comes from a strip of hair that runs down the back of their heads and shoulders. The Maned Wolf is not especially close with Wolves or Foxes (despite looking quite fox like.) Their closest relatives are Bush Dogs.

C. brachyurus is an omnivorous species. They feed off of birds and rodents, and sometimes get in to trouble with farmers for eating domestic chickens. Maned Wolves also have a fondness for lobeira, a tomato-like fruit. They are nocturnal and do all of their hunting at night.

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Maned Wolves are solitary, unlike true wolves which live in packs. A pair mates for life, but they are only actually around each other during the breeding season. Other times, they share an overlapping territory that they both defend. It was long believed that only the female cares for the pups, but in captivity males have been observed grooming, feeding, and defending pups, so old beliefs may need to be reevaluated.

Maned Wolves are dwindling in number due to habitat loss and hunting. Many peoples believe that the Wolves have mystical properties, and they are killed for their magical body parts. Maned Wolves are listed as near threatened, with around 20,000 remaining.

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Black Mamba

We got Turkey for Thanksgiving, and now a deadly, venomous snake for Black Friday. Though did you know that the Black Mamba isn't really black? Their bodies are actually grayish-brown; the name comes from the color of their mouths, which they open and display when threatened.

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Black Mambas can be found in Southern and Eastern Africa. They live in a variety of habitats, but are most common in grass and scrubland areas. They are the longest venomous snakes on the continent, with average lengths of over nine feet, and some individuals reaching up to fourteen. Because of their long size, they can strike from four to six feet away, and they tend to strike multiple times.

Before their was an anti-venom, Mamba bites were 100% fatal. There is now an anti-venom, but because it kills so quickly there are still human deaths in many remote areas. Black Mambas are slowly loosing their habitat to farmland, which puts them in close proximity to humans. Their nervous demeanor allows them to get easily scared and defensive, especially when surprised or cornered. When threatened, they open their black mouths and spread a cobra-like hood on the sides of their neck.

Black Mambas feed off of rodents and birds, though they are capable of devouring prey much larger due to their flexible jaws. Aside from habitat loss, the only real threat to the Black Mamba is the Mongoose, though due to the snake's size the Mongoose preys only on eggs and young.

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Wild Turkey

Come on, how could I write about anything else on (American) Thanksgiving? Turkeys are absolutely central to the holiday, as both the main meal and as an icon for the season. But rather than talk about the domestic bird that gets eaten, we're going to talk about their wild cousin, the feathered friend that Benjamin Franklin described as "a... respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America." Due to reintroduction and transplanting of wild populations, Wild Turkeys are now found in every U.S. state except for Alaska.

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Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are natively found throughout North America in six different subspecies. Turkeys were domesticated by the Aztecs, and by other native groups around the same time, and are one of only two bird species to be domesticated in North America (the other being the Muscovy Duck). It was once believed that the South Mexican subspecies was the wild ancestor to the domestic birds, but that has now been ruled out. The true identity of the original birds is still unknown.

Wild Turkeys are smaller than their domesticated brethren, and exhibit sexual dimorphism. Females reach weights of around 12lbs, while males around are 25. They are a polygynous species, with males mating with more than one female during each breeding season. The "Gobble" that is most associated with Turkeys is actually a mating call to attract females. After breeding, males take no part in the care of the chicks. Chicks follow their mother, and quickly learn how to feed themselves. In the wild, turkeys have a very short life expectancy of around two years, though captive birds have lived well over ten.

Did you know that Wild Turkeys are omnivores? They feed mostly on seeds, leaves, and nuts, but they do also eat insects and small vertebrates like lizards. Young Turkeys and Eggs have numerous predators, including Raccoons, Birds, and Skunks, while adults are preyed upon by larger predators such as Coyotes and Bobcats.

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American Coot

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I injured my back a few days ago and spent a lot of time on the sofa watching nature documentaries. I finished up Great Migrations and in the process noticed a neat looking little bird that apparently lives (for at least part of the year anyway) right in my proverbial back yard, though I've never seen one. I really feel like I need to take up bird watching. Hmm.

Anyway, the species in question is the American Coot (Fulica americana), a gregarious waterbird of the Rallidae family that can be found in just about every part of North America during some part of the year. Birds that reside in the Western United States and Mexico are residential, while other populations are migratory, heading up to Eastern Canada, the Midwest, and the American Northeast in order to breed.

American Coots spend their lives on or near water, though interestingly, they do not have webbed feet like ducks do. They swim and dive for their food, and they are very opportunistic feeders. American Coots eat both plant material, as well as other animals such as snails, tadpoles, and fish.

Young Coots are precocial, which means that they are able to swim and feed themselves very quickly after hatching. Parents build nests that float on the water, and females lay 6-11 eggs that are incubated by both the mother and father. They may build multiple nests, which are then used by the family to roost.

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