mhosey

[mhosey]

Tropical Organisms #4

This week’s organism is the Colobus monkey.  Unlike most primates, the colobus monkey has no opposable thumb.  They are generally black-and-white and sometimes just black, and weigh up to 30 pounds.  They mainly stay in the trees and eat arboreal foliage and can easily digest toxic plants as well. The monkeys live in troops of about 5 to 10 animals—a dominant male, several females, and their young. Each troop has a well-defined territory, which is defended from other groups.  A female will give birth once every 20 months, on average. The newborn colobus monkey has a pink face and is covered with white fur. At about 1 month, it begins to change color, gaining the black-and-white adult coloration at about 3 months. The infant monkey is carried on the mother's abdomen, where it clings to her fur. As it matures, it spends a lot of time playing with its mother and other adults. In the first month, it may be handled 3 to 5 times an hour in resting groups.

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Mammalia  Order: Primates  Family: Cercopithidae    Genus: Colobus  Species: Colobus santanas

[mhosey]

Tropical Organisms #3

This week’s organism is the Amazon river dolphin.  While there are other species of river dolphins, the Amazon sub-species is the largest, between 7.6 feet and 340 pounds. Social bonds typically occur between mother and offspring. The largest congregations are seen in areas with abundant food, and at the mouths of rivers. There is significant segregation during the rainy season, with males occupying the river channels, while females and their offspring are located in flooded areas. It is very curious and has a remarkable lack of fear of foreign objects. However, dolphins in captivity may not show the same behavior that they do in their natural environment, where they have been reported to hold the oars of the fishermen, rub against the boat, pluck underwater plants, and play with sticks, logs, clay, turtles, snakes, and fish. Breeding is seasonal, and births occur between May and June. The period of birthing coincides with the flood season, and this may provide an advantage because the females and their offspring remain in flooded areas longer than males. Young dolphins are thought to become independent within two to three years.

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Mammalia  Order: Artiodactlya  Family: Inlidae  Genus: Inia

[mhosey]

Tropical Organisms #2

This week’s organism is the Gorilla, which includes both the eastern and western species.  Gorillas are the third closest living relative to modern humans, after chimps and bonobos. They inhabit the tropical and subtropical forests of Central Africa, though their range has decreased because of deforestation. They move by walking on their knuckles, occasionally becoming bipedal for fighting and intimidation tactics. Males can weigh up to 200-400 lbs., with females weighing about half of that. They mainly eat foliage, nuts, and roots, and the eastern gorillas will eat seasonal fruits, along with termites and ants.  Gorillas, especially males, are highly territorial, living in groups called troops, consisting of one alpha male and multiple mates. The troop is headed by the silverback, named for the grayish hairs on a mature male gorilla.  He is in charge of migration habits, mating, and protecting the troop from potential challenges.  After mating, a female gorilla will give birth after about nine months.  The baby is protected by a strong maternal bond and will stay with its mother for about six years, and only then can the mother become pregnant again. Fun Fact: Gorillas are highly intelligent, using tools and able to form strong emotional bonds.  One famous gorilla, Koko, was taught sign language. She was depressed so her owners hired Robin Williams to make her happy.  When told of his death, Koko signed the word ‘cry’.

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Mammalia  Order: Primates  Family: Hominidae  Genus: Gorilla Species: Gorilla  gorilla 

[mhosey]

Tropical Organisms #1

This widely iconic bird is the Scarlett macaw. Found in the rainforests of Central and South America, they are often sold as pets, and do quite well in captivity. Parrot breeding occurred very early, dating back to the 11th century in Southwest New Mexico.   They feed on the abundant seeds and fruits of the rainforest. When the mating season comes, they are highly selective of their mates, because macaws keep the same mate for life. Chicks fledge and leave their parents about a year later and reach sexual maturity after five years.

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves  Order: Psittaciformes  Family: Psittacidae  Genus: Ara Species: Ara macao

[mhosey]

New OOW Topic!

[mhosey]

Extinct Animal #7

This week’s extinct animal is the American camel.  The American camel appeared about 44 million years ago and was the ancestor for Old World and Bactrian camels still alive today.  The American camel went extinct around the same time as native horses and mastodons(11,000ya), either due to climate change or hunting pressures from arriving Clovis peoples. The camels were herbivores, the same as modern camels, and inhabited the western parts of North America.  It is speculated that their ability to store water in humps was an adaptation developed after migrating into Asia and Africa. 

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Mammalia  Order: Artiodactyla  Family: Camelidae  Genus: Camelops

[mhosey]

Extinct Animal #6

This prehistoric predator is the cave lion, or Panthera leo spelaea.  The cave lion gets its name from its choice of dwelling, a cave. Cave lions, being closer in relation to tigers, were a great deal larger than most modern lions. They preyed on bison, elk, reindeer, and even young mammoths.  They were widespread across Eurasia, but they expanded over the Bering Strait land-bridge and into Alaska and the Yukon region.  The cave lion went extinct 12,400 years ago, when glaciers began to recede and sea levels began to rise, likely to loss of prey and increasing competition.

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Mammalia  Order: Carnivora  Family: Felidae  Genus: Panthera 

[mhosey]

Extinct Animal #5

Mammuthus primigenius, characterized by long, strongly curved tusks, a dense coat of hair, and hind legs much shorter than the forelegs, giving a slope to the back. It is also known as the tundra mammoth. Fossils of the woolly mammoth trace from about 250,000 years ago to 4,000 years ago. This animal is known from bones and frozen carcasses from northern North America and northern Eurasia, with the best preserved specimens in Siberia. The assembling of a complete mitochondrial DNA of the mammoth allowed researchers to trace the close evolutionary relationship between mammoths and the Asian elephant, and to ascertain that African elephants branched away from the woolly mammoth around six million years ago, a moment in time close to that of the similar split between chimps and humans. Many researchers expect that the first fully sequenced nuclear genome of an extinct species will be that of the mammoth.

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Mammalia  Order: Proboscidae   Family: Elephantidae  Genus: Mammuthus  

[mhosey]

Extinct Animals #4

This prehistoric monster is the Megalodon.  About 2.6 million years ago, Megalodon was once the largest and most powerful vertebrate predator in history.  The shark was so large as to make a modern day Great White look like a guppy, with teeth over 7 inches and weighing anywhere from 50-70 tons.  While sharks are usually opportunistic predators, Megalodon was practically unmatched in its killing abilities.  Although an effective killer, there was some competition from other large super predators.  Megalodon was so ruthless, there is evidence that some ate each other, particularly the young.  Reasons why the Megalodon shark went extinct include cooling sea temperatures, decline in food supply, and competitive pressures.

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Chondrichthyes  Superorder: Selachimorpha  Order: Lamniformes  Family: Lamnidae  Genus Carcharodon

[mhosey]

Extinct Animals #3

This extinct majestic animal is the dire wolf, or Canis dirus.  The dire wolves were the largest canines to ever exist, several times bigger than the biggest dogs today.  Dire wolves lived during the late Pleistocene epoch to about 10,000 years ago.  They hunted in packs like their descendants, the gray wolf, and hunted large megafauna.  Their main competitors for prey were saber-toothed cats.  Dire wolves ranged from Europe to North America, crossing the Bering Strait on the land-bridge.  The best preserved specimens have been found in the La Brea Ranch tar pits, where prey often became mired in the tar and predators in pursuit got trapped too.  Though they are long gone, the dire wolf lives through pop culture, making special appearances in the popular TV show, Game of Thrones.

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Mammalia  Order: Carnivora  Family: Canidae  Genus: Canis

[mhosey]

Extinct Animal #2

This famous extinct mammal is Smilodon, a geuns of the extinct saber-toothed cats.  Smilodon lived in North and South America during the Pleistocene epoch( 2.5 mya-10,000ya).  It hunted large herbivores, such as bison and camels. Smilodon died out around the same time megafauna did, losing its main prey and food source.  It was about the size of big cats today, but more robustly built, with a short tail and broad limbs.  As an apex predator, the Smilodon likely competed with dire wolves and American lions for food and territory.  Based on the many fossils excavated of Smilodon, its large canines were fully developed at three years of age.  The most popular place for Smilodon fossil excavation is the La Brea Tar pits of California, where many prehistoric creatures were trapped. 

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Mammalia  Order: Carnivora  Family: Felidae  Tribe: Smilodontini  Genus: Smilodon

[mhosey]

Extinct Animal #1

One of the more recently extinct mammals is the Bos primigenius, known as the aurochs.  The aurochs were wild cattle and were the ancestors of domestic cattle herded today. The aurochs inhabited Europe, Asia, and North Africa during its span on Earth.  Aurochs were the largest bovine animals in Europe, similar in appearance to wild zebu, or water buffalo.   They were herbivores like domestic cattle today and roamed about in herds.  The aurochs was an important game animal in Paleolithic Europe and Mesopotamia. 

Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata   Class: Mammalia   Order: Artiodactyla   Family: Bovidae  Sub-family: Bovinae   Genus: Bos

Sources: itsnature.org; Britannica.com

[mhosey]

New Theme!

The new theme for the next following weeks is EXTINCT ORGANISMS.

[mhosey]

Medicinal Organism #8

This plant of the week is the burdock, of the Arctium genus. Arctium species generally flower from July through to October. Burdock flowers provide essential pollen and nectar for honeybees around August. The taproot of young burdock plants can be harvested and eaten as a root vegetable. Dandelion and burdock is today a soft drink that has long been popular in the United Kingdom, which has its origins in hedgerow mead commonly drunk in the medieval period. Burdock is a traditional medicinal herb used for many ailments. Burdock root oil extract, also called Bur oil, is used in Europe as a scalp treatment. Modern studies indicate that burdock root oil extract is rich in phytosterols and essential fatty acids. 

Kingdom: Plantae  Clade: Angiosperms   Clade: Eudicots   Clade: Asterids  Order: Asterales   Family: Asteraceae   Tribe: Cynareae  Genus:  Arctium 

[mhosey]

Medicinal Organism #7

This plant is the root of the licorice plant, also known as the Glycrryhiza glabra. The plant is wide distributed in the Middle East, China, and India.  While the plant has known medicinal qualities, U.S grade cigarettes utilize the sweet element as a flavoring agent in chewing tobacco and snuff as well.  Licorice is also popular as flavoring for candies and confections.  While popular in the U.S, consumers favoring licorices are from the EU.  In Spain and Italy, it is even chewed raw as a breath freshener.  The root has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as laxative properties.  It is renowned for helping ease respiratory issues and sore throat and can build immune system strength. 

Kingdom: Plantae   Clade: Angiosperms  Clade:Eudicots  Clade: Rosids  Order: Fabales   Family: Fabaceae     Genus: Glycrryhiza. 

Sources: herbmedicine.com

[mhosey]

Medicinal Organism #6

This medicinal plant is the elderberry, or Sambucus nigra.  This species of the Sambucus genus is native to the forests of Europe and North America.  The flower itself blooms in the late spring and early summer. It is a shrub or a small tree and the berry of the flowers are deep blue/purple. The berries are edible only when ripe, and are used to make jams and jellies.  In Europe, the berries are made into syrups, to treat respiratory infections and fever.  The elderberry was also used for wines and as a tea and cordial for treating colds and sore throats. 

Kingdom: Plantae  Clade: Angiosperms   Clade: Eudicots  Clade: Asterids   Order: Dipsacales  Family: Adoxaceae   Genus: Sambucus 

Sources: herbwisdom.com

[mhosey]

Medicinal Organism #5

This week’s plant is the yarrow, or Achillea millefolium. This plant is native to Eurasia, but can be found in  North America in both native and introduced forms.  The yarrow’s flowers bloom between May and June and are commonly found in wild grasslands and forests.  The yarrow has been known to be used as food in the 17th century, used as a leaf vegetable in soups and teas.  In the Middle Ages, it was used in the flavoring of beer before the use of hops. Yarrow was used as traditional Native American medicine across all the nations and tribes. The Navajo considered it to be a "life medicine", chewed it for toothaches, and poured an infusion into ears for earaches. The Miwok in California used the plant as an analgesic and head cold remedy. The Pawnee used the stalk for pain relief. The Chippewa used the leaves for headaches by inhaling it in a steam. They also chewed the roots and applied the saliva to their appendages as a stimulant. The Cherokee drank a tea of common yarrow to reduce fever and aid in restful sleep.  

Kingdom: Plantae  Clade: Angiosperms  Clade: Eudicots   Clade: Asterids   Order: Asterales  Family: Asteraceae   Genus: Achillea