Mexican Burrowing Toad

Rhinophrynus dorsalis

Mexican Burrowing Toads are the most evolutionarily distinct amphibians in the entire world. They are the only members of their genus, and of their entire family, and are separated from their nearest relatives by 190 million years of independent evolution!  That means that the last time they diverged from another modern family was at the beginning of the Jurassic Period!

Though many evolutionarily distinct animals are rare and endangered, the Mexican Burrowing Toad is actually pretty common in its current range in Mexico and Central America. And before they died out millions of years ago, other members of this distinct family spanned across North America!

Mexican Burrowing Toads are named for the burrows that they spend a great deal of time in. They remain in them during winter and times of drought. And they aren't often seen outside during the other times of year unless heavy rains force them above ground or they wish to mate.

They can mate during all months of the year, and lay their eggs in water above ground. Mexican Burrowing Toads make very loud, low-pitched calls, both to attract mates and to cry out in alarm. When alarmed, these Toads also puff up and resemble flattened balloons!

The Mexican Burrowing Toad population is now stable, and they really don't face any major threats as far as the IUCN is concerned. They are protected under Mexican law, and live in protected zones of other countries as well.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Mexico, Central America

Size : Length up to 3in (7.5cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Anura
Family : Rhinophrynidae -- Genus : Rhinophrynus -- Species : R. dorsalis

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Japanese Eel

Anguilla japonica

Japanese Eels, sometimes referred to as Unagi, are creatures that live in both fresh and salt water. They can grow to lengths of around 5ft (1.5m), and have quite a remarkable life story! 

As adults, they live in the freshwater rivers of East Asia. But when the times comes to spawn, the eels travel thousands of miles to a spawning ground near the Mariana Islands. They nearly starve in order to make the trip! After the spawning takes place, the eggs are carried off by currents into the open ocean, where the Japanese Eels hatch and grow through their larval phase. As they get larger and larger the ocean current brings them closer to the continent, where they swim upriver just as their parents did and begin the process anew. 

Unfortunately, Japanese Eel populations have been hit hard in recent years. This is because of their high demand within the food industry and because of changes in the ocean environment. These Eels are placed on the Greenpeace Seafood Red List and are listed as “to avoid” on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. Overfishing, destructive fishing techniques, and damaging capture levels for the captive industry make Japanese Eels (and their culinary name, Unagi) a meal to avoid. 

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : East Asia, Pacific Ocean

Size : Length up to 5ft (1.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Anguilliformes
Family : Anguillidae -- Genus : Anguilla-- Species : A. japonica

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Calliope Hummingbird

Stellula calliope

The Calliope Hummingbird is the smallest bird in North America, and is also the smallest long-distance migrating bird in the entire world!  Weighing only .1oz (3g), it is astonishing to think that these little guys are able to fly all the way from the Pacific Northwest down to their wintering ground in Mexico! 

Calliope Hummingbirds are named after the Greek Muse of Epic Poetry. Like many birds, the males of the species are more brilliantly colored, with metallic green backs, stark white undersides, and pinkish-purple streaks on the neck. Females are green on the back, but have a more tan underside and no bright  neck coloration. 

Calliope Hummingbirds often  live near bodies of water, and build their nests in forests near lakes and streams. They are also typically found at higher elevations; Calliope Hummingbirds have been seen as far up at 11,000 ft! 

Calliope Hummingbird perching

When Winter comes, the Calliope Hummingbirds head south to Mexico. However, unlike many other migrating birds, these little guys make the trip solo. They make short stopovers to “refuel” and eventually end up over 2,700 miles (4,500km) away. While in Mexico they remain at higher elevations but are not necessarily found near bodies of water. In fact, some even spend their yearly “holiday” in desert-like areas!

Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot else specifically known about Calliope Hummingbirds, as they haven’t been extensively studied. However, we do know that through nectar consumption they serve as pollinators within their home environments, helping to fill an important role within their ecosystem.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Western North America

Size : Length 3.5in (9cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Trochiliformes
Family: Trochilidae -- Genus:  Stellula-- Species : S. calliope

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Fjord Horse

Fjord Horse

I found a really old copy of one of those CD-ROM encyclopedias the other day, and while browsing around in its 13 year old database I stumbled upon the Norwegian Fjord Horse. I remembered the breed as a model in the Breyer Horse catalogs that I had drooled over as a child and decided to do some long overdue reading on the breed. (Upon further research that Breyer model, “Henry” was retired 6 years ago…)

Fjord Horses with Foals

Fjord Horses are one of the oldest domesticated breeds around, and have retained many of the same characteristics held by the Horses that roamed about Scandinavia after the last Ice Age. The dun coloration and primitive markings like stripes on the legs, down the back, and (rarely) on the withers cause them to resemble the earliest modern horses, including the rare, wild Przewalski’s Horse.

Horses were domesticated in Norway over 4,000 years ago, and archaeological evidence shows that Fjord Horses specifically have been selectively bred for two millennia! They are a very interesting breed appearance wise. They have powerful arched necks, stocky but strong bodies, and thick manes that are kept cropped. They come in only one color type- Dun, which has six recognized shades. Dun horses have lighter colored bodies with darker manes and tails, as well as dark points, typically on the faces and hooves. 

Fjord Horses have a mild temperment and have variety of uses. Their strong size allows them to do pulling work, and they can be used to pull plows and carts. However, they are also small and agile enough to be used for riding, and are surefooted enough to use in mountainous areas.

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Status : Domesticated

Location : Originated Norway

Size : Height 13-14.3 Hands (52-59in or 1.3-1.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Perissodactyla
Family : Equidae -- Genus : Equus-- Species : E. ferus-- Subspecies : E. f. caballus

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Indian Runner Duck

I did my yearly venture to the Wisconsin State Fair this past weekend, and through the masses of Beef Cattle, Dairy Goats, and Pigs, I stumbled upon an unusual breed of Duck that I hadn’t encountered before- Indian Runner Ducks! (Unfortunately they were roped off while I was there and could not get any good pictures. Alas.)

Indian Runner Ducks

These strange looking birds resemble bowling pins more than regular ducks. They stand upright, like Penguins do, and they conveniently were once referred to as “Penguin Ducks!” They are a hardy, but high-strung breed, and are excellent foragers.

The name “Indian Runner Duck” is a bit confusing, as there is no evidence that these birds actually came from India itself. Rather, it is believed that they originated in the East Indies, on the islands of Bali, Java, and Lombok. “Penguin Ducks” were brought to England by the 1830’s, and may have been in the Netherlands even earlier, due to the trade conducted by the Dutch East India Company.

The first standards for the breed were developed at the turn of the 20^th century, and have been changed and added to over the years. There are now nearly a dozen recognized color varieties, including Silver, Trout, Fawn & White, and Apricot. They are notable not only for their uprights posture and running movement style, but also because they are amazing egg layers. A single Duck can lay 200 eggs per year!

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Status : Domesticated

Location : Originated in the East Indies

Size : Diameter up to 20in (50cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class: Aves -- Order : Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae -- Genus: Anas -- Species: A. platyrhynchos -- Subspecies: A. p. domestica

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Whales : Giants of the Deep

Chicago’s Field Museum has been on quite a roll regarding animal-related special exhibitions. Last year they presented an exhibit on Mammoths and Mastodons, this spring was a feature on Horses, and now we have Whales!

Running until January 16, 2012, Whales: Giants of the Deep is a travelling exhibit initially developed by the Museum of New Zealand. Because of this, a nice chunk of its features relate to Whales in New Zealand and their relationship with Maori culture.

Unfortunately, no photography was allowed in the exhibit, so I don’t have anything for you to gawk at other than some stock photos. However, I can point out a few of the highlights, and some of my favorite features.

For one, they had a section devoted to whale evolution, including skeletons and information plaques about the various proto-whales that swam the prehistoric seas.

They had numerous models and skeletons of modern whales as well, from massive Sperm Whales all the way down to the bathtub-sized Hector’s Dolphins. Different models and features relating to anatomy were also set up, including a crawl-through Blue Whale heart, an echolocation chamber, and a sound room that let you experience the wide range of Whale and Dolphin sounds and frequencies.

The human relationship with Whales is also explored. A gallery introduces visitors to the link between Whales and New Zealand’s Maori culture, while an additional section deals with the history of Whale hunts.  A further area discusses the phenomenon of Whale Strandings, including their causes and the efforts taken to either save the whales, or to humanly euthanize them when no other options are available.

The exhibit really covered all its bases. Visitors will learn about Whale origins, biology, behaviors, and relationships with humans. An excellent presentation overall, and one I would highly recommend.

 Whales : Giants of the Deep will be at the Chicago Field Museum until January 16, 2012.

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Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Acanthaster planci

The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish is a very large sea star, sporting diameters of up to 20 inches across. They are actually the second largest of all the Sea Stars, beaten only by the massive, nearly meter wide Sunflower Starfish. Crown-of-Thorns Starfish can be found in the Indian and Pacific oceans, as well as in the Red Sea. They are solitary creatures, and live on Coral Reefs.

 Crown-of-Thorns Starfish get their name from the massive spines that grow out of their body. These spines are capable of piercing diving suits, and are full of a neurotoxin that can cause severe pain and swelling in humans. Coral plays a huge part in this Starfish’s life. They are predators that feed off of the Coral Polyps, and their choice of meal can cause huge amounts of damage to the reefs. They pose one of the greatest natural threats to the Great Barrier Reef, for example, because they can feed on Coral faster than the Coral can grow back.

Outbreaks of the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish happen in part because they don’t have too many natural predators, and many of those creatures that do feed on them are overfished. Another reason for the infestations deals with the health of the reefs themselves. Erosion and agricultural runoff has caused reefs to decline in health, which means they aren’t able to consume the Starfish are quickly when they are in their larval phase.

 Efforts have been made to remove and kill Crown-of-Thorns Starfish, but they are tricky to get rid of, since they can regenerate from severed limbs! One method that has had some effectiveness is injecting the Starfish with sodium bisulfate, which is lethal to them but causes no damage to the surrounding reef. Physical removal is also sometimes carried out, but it is more difficult to manage as the Starfish are able to poke through the divers’ wetsuits.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Indian and Pacific Oceans

Size : Diameter up to 20in (50cm)

Classification : Phylum : Echinodermata -- Class : Asteroidea -- Order : Valvatida
Family : Acanthasteridae -- Genus : Acanthaster -- Species : A. planci

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