#european leaf-tailed geckos

[antiqueanimals]

European leaf-toed gecko (Euleptes europaea) ; Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) ; Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica)

Reptiles and Amphibians of the World. Written by Hans Hvass. Illustrated by Wilhelm Eigener. Originally published in 1958.

Internet Archive

[southdevonshireholidays]

@dartmoorzoo has over 70 different animal species, including some endangered and critically endangered species. The zoo has a breeding programme with common marmosets, tapir, slender-tailed meerkats, Kafue lechwe, and wallaby. They also have Mammals Amur tiger, African lion, Jaguar, Carpathian lynx, Red-handed tamarin, Gelada, Iberian wolves, Asian short-clawed otters, Raccoon, Vervet monkeys, Common marmosets, Ring-tailed coati, Slender-tailed meerkats, tapir, capybara, Kafue lechwe, Grant's zebra, sugar gliders, lesser hedgehog tenrec, Parma wallabies, Bennett's wallabies, Reeves's muntjac, Fallow deer, domestic rabbits, raccoon dogs, reindeer, Azara's agouti, African pygmy goats and Cloud rat. Birds Ostrich, greater rhea, white-cheeked turaco, avocets, Indian runner ducks, Helmeted guinea fowl, white-naped crane, great horned owl, great grey owl, burrowing owl, European eagle owl, striated caracara, Himalayan Monal, and golden pheasant. Reptiles Red-tailed boa constrictor, royal python, corn snake, milk snake, Western hognose snake, blue spiky lizard, blue-tongued skink, bearded dragon, crested gecko, American alligators, electric blue gecko and yellow-headed day gecko. Amphibians African bullfrog, poison dart frog, golden Mantella frog, axolotl. Invertebrates Sun beetle, leaf insects, Mcklay's spectre, giant thorny stick insect, orange-headed cockroaches, Indian ornamental tarantula, Brazilian black tarantula, Chilean rose tarantula, tailless whip scorpion, and tiger land snails. https://www.dartmoorzoo.org.uk/ (at Dartmoor Zoological Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp-9fbvrHJ0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[cyanocoraxx]

blue reptiles

electric blue geckos are critically endangered and native to tanzania. they are bold, active, and social. males are territorial, and do not generally tolerate the presence of other males. social gestures include lateral flattening, puffing out of the throat patch, head shaking and head bobbing, and tail-wagging. these geckos live exclusively on screwpine where they drink water from leaves. unfortunately, collectors cut down screwpine trees to capture the geckos living in leaf crests. the forest is further threatened by clearing for farmland, illegal logging, fires and mining of rubies, rhodolite and gold. the biggest threat to the species is the pet trade, where even wild caught geckos are said to be often labelled as captive bred. fortunately, in zoos the gecko is soon to be managed under a european studbook programme and there are around 250 of these geckos in zoos worldwide.

blue-spotted tree monitors are found on the island of batanta in indonesia. their diet has not been studied in depth yet, but it’s likely that it is primarily made up of (in order) stick insects, orthopterans (grasshoppers, katydids and crickets), moths, beetles, smaller lizards, small eggs, and the occasional berry. their tails are fully prehensile and they are specially adapted for climbing trees. unusually, blue spotted tree monitors actually behave much like squirrels by fleeing up trees and keeping the tree trunk between themselves and an intruder when threatened. like the other reptiles on this list, these monitors are endangered and are currently being bred in at least 2 zoos.

the blue anole is a small, highly threatened species of polychrotid lizard. it is found only on the island of gorgona in the colombian pacific. both sexes of this species are blue, a rare trait in reptiles. due to the elusive nature of the species researchers are unable to estimate the wild population but local herpetologists agree that it must be endangered. there are currently no special conservation efforts in place, but captive breeding programs have been proposed.

rainbow whiptails are native to central america and northern south america. they are found in a variety of habitats including savannah, beaches, urban/industrial areas and agricultural fields. as presently defined, this species contains both normally reproducing bisexual and parthenogenetically reproducing unisexual populations.

blue iguanas are native to the small island of grand cayman and prefer rocky, sunlit, open areas in dry forests or near the shore. they possess a blue-grey complexion when resting but this changes to a vibrant azure blue when excited and during the breeding season. this iguana is one of the most endangered species on earth with only 5-15 individuals in the wild population as of 2003. fortunately, some free-roaming subpopulations have now been established in reserves. as of 2007 there were 299 in the wild after a large-scale release. as of 2012 the blue iguana recovery program estimated that the population had risen to 750 individuals. this lifted the critically endangered status to an endangered status. information on the program can be found here: http://www.blueiguana.ky/

white-lipped island pitvipers are found on the lesser sunda islands of indonesia. they come in three colour morphs depending on their locality: in komodo they come in a turquoise morph, green in timor, and bright yellow in wetar. it is likely to be found in dry monsoon forests. its meals consist of birds, small frogs, and small mammals. this snake doesn’t strike and release its prey; like many arboreal snakes, it strikes and holds on to the prey item until it dies. thankfully this snake’s status is “least concern” despite being collected for the pet trade and persecution by island inhabitants.

[muxdmatauranga]

Quick facts

Flax is unique to New Zealand and is one of our most ancient plant species.

Flax bushes will often support a large community of animals, providing shelter and an abundant food resource.

Tui, bellbirds/ korimako, saddlebacks/tīeke, short tailed bats/pekapeka, geckos and several types of insects enjoy nectar from the flax flower.

Flax snails, a rare land snail living only in the Far North, often shelter under flax bushes. These snails don’t eat any part of the flax, but rather they munch on fallen leaves from native broadleaved trees.

Harakeke was the name given to this plant by Māori.

The first European traders called it ‘flax’ because its fibres were similar to that of true flax found in other parts of the world.

Although we still call it flax today, harakeke is really a lily.

Uses of flax

Flax was a valuable resource to Europeans during the nineteenth century because of its strength. It was New Zealand’s biggest export by far until wool and frozen mutton took over later in the century.

Today, flax is used in soaps, hand creams, shampoos and a range of other cosmetics. Flaxseed oil can also be found for sale. There have even been experiments to make flax into wine!

Flax was the most important fibre plant to Māori in New Zealand. Each pā or marae typically had a ‘pā harakeke’, or flax plantation. Different varieties were specially grown for their strength, softness, colour and fibre content.

The uses of the flax fibre were numerous and varied. Clothing, mats, plates, baskets, ropes, bird snares, lashings, fishing lines and nets were all made from flax leaves. Floats or rafts were made out of bundles of dried flower stalks. The abundant nectar from flax flowers was used to sweeten food and beverages.

Flax also had many medicinal uses. The sticky sap or gum that flax produces was applied to boils and wounds and used for toothache. Flax leaves were used in binding broken bones and matted leaves were used as dressings. Flax root juice was routinely applied to wounds as a disinfectant.

https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-plants/harakeke-flax/

Overview

Harakeke (New Zealand flax, or Phormium tenax) is the plant at the heart of Māori weaving. Read an overview of its cultivation, symbolism, and harvesting.

Cultivating harakeke

Māori cherished harakeke and cultivated plants in special plantations, called pā harakeke.

They grew many varieties for specific purposes – to produce clothing, fishing nets, bindings, baskets, and mats, and also to use in medicine.

To make kākaku (cloaks), weavers extracted and processed the inner fibre of harakeke, called muka. They used this to weave the base. They also used strips of the whole leaf – to create the thatch-like protective surface of pākē (rain capes) and to adorn other styles of cloak.

Symbolism – the harakeke family

For Māori, the fan-shaped harakeke plant represents a whānau (family). This symbolism reflects the importance of the plant in Māori life.

The rito, or inner shoot, is likened to a child and is never removed. A family must protect its offspring if it is to survive.

The awhi rito, or protectors of the rito, stand on each side. They are seen as mātua (parents). Like the rito, they are never harvested.

Only the outer leaves, likened to extended family members, are harvested.

Harvesting harakeke

Māori maintained many tikanga (protocols) to nurture harakeke. The protocols differed by iwi (tribe), but some, like those below, were commonly followed.

Weavers say a karakia (prayer) before cutting the first blade of harakeke.

They always cut on the diagonal, away from the plant’s heart and from top to bottom. This helps rainwater drain away and prevents the heart from being flooded and dying.

Harvesting is not permitted at night or in rain.

No food can be taken into the pā harakeke.

Customarily, pregnant or menstruating women do not harvest or weave, as they are in a tapu (sacred) state.

Flax trade

Māori not only used harakeke themselves, they also traded it with early European explorers, who valued it for making ship rigging in particular. The Europeans named the plant flax because they thought it resembled the Linum plant. But harakeke is actually a type of lily, from the Hemerocallis family.

From the 1820s and into the 1900s, European settlers exported large amounts to rope-makers overseas.

https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/topic/3623

Whāriki (Mats) 

Many of these objects were produced by a plaiting technique called whāriki. Unlike weaving, in which the warp and weft threads cross at right angles, in whāriki and related techniques the strands cross diagonally.

Types of whāriki

The term ‘whāriki’ refers both to the plaiting technique and the mats made from it. Floor mats were of great importance before European arrival, when even the largest and most distinguished carved houses had dirt floors. Several types of whāriki were made, each with a special purpose. Coarse mats called whāriki and tūwhara were the basic floor covering. Finer sleeping mats called takapau and tīenga were spread over these. A particularly fine takapau might be woven for a high-born woman to give birth on. Coarse tāpaki mats were placed over food in a hāngi (earth oven), then covered with earth to retain the steam and heat. The same mat-weaving technique was once used to make the sails of seagoing canoes, but these, and the art of making them, disappeared once ocean transport ended several centuries ago.

Whāriki are still produced in the 2000s, especially for use in wharenui (meeting houses). They are frequently placed beneath a coffin during a tangihanga (funeral) as a mark of respect to the deceased.

[bllueh]

What is your definition of “natural”? According to biology, the definition is existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind. 

Nature doesn’t follow your heteronormative definition. An example, whip tail lizards (C. inornatus, C. neomexicanus and C. tigris), are a female-only species that reproduces by producing an egg through parthenogenesis. Despite reproducing asexually, and being an all-female species, the whiptail still engages in mating behavior with other females of its own species. You want to know some more mammals that have been known to exhibit homosexual behavior? The Bison, Brown bear, Brown rat, Chimpanzee, Common dolphin, Common marmoset, Elephant, Fox, Giraffe, Goat, Koala, Lion, Orca, Panda, and Raccoon. How about some birds? Here we have Barn owl, Chicken, Common gull, Emu, House sparrow, Kestrel, King penguin, Mallard, Ostrich, Raven, Rock dove, Seagull, Swan, Turkey, and Vulture. Is that not enough? How about some fish? We’ve got the Amazon molly, Blackstripe topminnow, Bluegill sunfish, Char, Grayling, European bitterling, Green swordtail, Guiana leaffish, Houting whitefish, Jewel fish, Least darter (Microperca punctulata), Mouthbreeding fish, Southern platyfish, Ten-spined stickleback, Three-spined stickleback. But wait! I haven’t even talked about my personal favorite (y’know, working towards herpetology and all), the reptiles! There is the Anole, Bearded dragon, Blue-tailed day gecko (Phelsuma cepediana), Broad-headed skink, Checkered whiptail lizard, Chihuahuan spotted whiptail lizard, Common ameiva, Common garter snake, Cuban green anole, Desert grassland whiptail lizard, Desert tortoise, Fence lizard, Five-lined skink, Gold dust day gecko (Phelsuma laticauda), Gopher (pine) snake, Inagua curlytail lizard, Jamaican giant anole, Laredo striped whiptail lizard, Largehead anole, Mourning gecko, Plateau striped whiptail lizard, Red diamond rattlesnake, Red-tailed skink, Seychelles giant tortoise, Side-blotched lizard, Speckled rattlesnake, Water moccasin, Western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis), Western banded gecko, and Wood turtle. But wait, there’s more! The insects and amphibians! Alfalfa weevil, Australian parasitic wasp, Bean weevil, Bedbug, Blister beetle, Blowfly, Broadwinged damselfly, Cabbage (small) white (butterfly), Checkerspot butterfly, Club-tailed dragonfly, Cockroach, Common skimmer dragonfly, Creeping water bug, Cutworm, Digger bee, Dragonfly, Eastern giant ichneumon wasp, Eucalyptus longhorned borer, Field cricket, Flour beetle, Fruit fly, Glasswing butterfly, Hypoponera opacior ant, Grape berry moth, Grape borer, Green lacewing, Hen flea, House fly, Ichneumon wasp, Japanese scarab beetle, Larch bud moth, Large milkweed bug, Large white, Long-legged fly, Mazarine blue, Mexican white (butterfly), Midge, Migratory locust, Monarch butterfly, Narrow-winged damselfly, Parsnip leaf miner, Pomace fly, Queen butterfly, Red ant, Red flour beetle, Reindeer warble fly (Hypoderma tarandi), Rose chafer(Macrodactylus subspinosus), Rove beetle, Scarab beetle, Screwworm fly, Silkworm moth, Southeastern blueberry bee, Southern green stink bug, Southern masked chafer, Southern one-year canegrub, Spreadwinged damselfly, Spruce budworm moth, Stable fly, Stag beetle, Tsetse fly, Water boatman bug, Water strider, Appalachian woodland salamander, Black-spotted frog, Mountain dusky salamander, and the Tengger desert toad.

I have more too, if you’re actually interested in animals exhibiting homosexual behavior, y’know, because it’s natural and present in nature and animal behavior. 

But Nature doesn’t agree, so stop trying to use biology as an excuse to be homophobic. What was it that you said? “It’s simply stating the cold, hard facts”? 

Same sex marriage support in the United States.

[thegrandbestiary]

Protecting the Brilliant Psychedelic Rock Gecko

It’s got orange feet and an orange tail; a blue-grey body; and a lime green head. The psychedelic rock gecko (Cnemaspis psychedelica) , a small reptile native to only one island smalls off the coast of southern Vietnam, is endangered.

It was only described for the first time in scientific literature in 2010, but it has already made a splash in the pet trade. Online offers of live psychedelic rock geckoes and their eggs have driven these animals close to extinction. From 2013 to 2015, there were at least 21 different online ads for the colorful creature—mostly from Russia, but also a few from Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, and the United States, according to a study earlier this year by Mark Auliya at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Germany. Auliya says he’s also seen young geckos being offered for sale as captive-bred, even though there are no known captive breeding facilities of these geckos.

To make matters worse, psychedelic rock geckos are really picky about where they live. They prefer granite outcrops surrounded by dense forest and a leaf-covered floor. But many of these granite formations are now being literally blasted away to make room for the construction of roads. Plus, they’re really slow to reproduce. All these factors combine to make them extra-sensitive to overcollection.

“The bright colors and endemicity of this species trigger international demand,” Auyliya says. “Any collecting must be considered detrimental to the long-term survival of the species.”

There are only about 500 to 700 left.

Today at the CITES conference, the geckos got some much needed help. It was added to CITES Appendix I, meaning that all international, commercial trade in the species is banned. The European Union and Vietnam put forward the proposal, which says, “ the discovery and description of the species could lead to its extinction due to potential over-collection for the international pet trade.” The proposal passed by a two-thirds majority and was approved by the plenary on Tuesday.