#wildlife: central america

[snototter]

A tiger bromeliad spider (Cupiennius salei)

by Thomas Piepe

[spinus-pinus]

Scarlet Macaw Ara macao

7/29/2023 Guanacaste, Costa Rica

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

The Princely Tiger Moth: these strikingly colorful moths can be found in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras

The princely tiger moth (Chrysocale principalis) has a unique, almost rainbow-like appearance, with iridescent/metallic scales that produce a broad range of colors across the wings, thorax, and abdomen. These colors can include shades of pink, gold, green, blue, and purple.

This species is particularly colorful, but aposomatic coloration in general is a trait that occurs in many different species of tiger moth; the moths often store toxic and/or unpalatable compounds within their own bodies as a way to discourage predators from eating them, and their brightly-colored markings then warn the predators to stay away.

Moths are often viewed as the boring, more plainly-colored version of butterflies, but they are much more diverse, more interesting, and more colorful than people generally realize -- as the princely tiger moth (and many other species) clearly demonstrates.

Chrysocale regalis: this species belongs to the same genus, and has a similarly colorful appearance

Chrysocale ignita: also known as the ignita wasp moth

Sources & More Info:

The Lives of Moths: Page 73

Texas Entomology: The Princely Tiger Moth

The Macrolepidoptera of the World: Chrysocale principalis

iNaturalist: photos of C. principalis, C. regalis, and C. ignita

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

This animal was requested!

[illustratus]

Sailing in the Tropics by Norton Bush

[wildlifetracker]

Panamanian Golden Frog, Atelopus zeteki

Endemic to Panama. Extinct in the wild.

[blackleopards-whitelions]

65th post.

[fenrislorsrai]

A face only a mother could love by Andrew Snyder Via Flickr: Wrinkle-faced bat (Centurio senex) from Cusuco National Park, Honduras, Central America. June 2010.

[cogumellow]

great mayan mesoamerican barrier reef // caye caulker, belize // 2016 // ©

[nickysfacts]

If you wish to help save the real Mudkip, then please visit Axol and Friends, they sell adorable axolotl plushies and donate the profits to conservation efforts!

💙🇲🇽🧡

[snototter]

A brown throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus) hangs from the canopy in Panama

by Roger Wasley

[spinus-pinus]

Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris

7/27/2023 Guanacaste, Costa Rica

[travelbinge]

By Davidmrule

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

[agnel]

The jaguarundi

via Luiz Mosca on Flickr

[arborophila]

This is the Agami Heron, a beautiful bird found in central and south America, sticking to forest habitats. Despite their showy looks, they are shy and can be hard to spot.

Listed as Vulnerable to extinction on the IUCN redlist due to current and projected future habitat loss within the next 20 years. They're the only species in their genus, meaning there's no other species like them.