In my first blog entry I talked about the different kinds of snake that exist based on their dentition. In this entry, I’ll explain what species of ophidian we can find in the Iberian Peninsula, which species are venomous and which aren’t, and how we can identify the different species we can find when we are … Continua llegint Iberian ophidians: nice snakes and venomous vipers
This week’s entry focuses on snakes, creatures that have caused an intense hate from human beings since ancient times. One of the main reasons why snakes are so deeply rooted in the human mind is the posed by the fact that some species are venomous, possessing venomous glands which open through ducts into grooved or … Continua llegint Snakes: Show me your teeth and I’ll tell you who you are
Among the numerous exotic invasive organisms that have reached Europe and America, Asian wasps and hornets are some of the most commented on mass media, social networks and naturalistic forums. The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) got Europe and, posteriorly, the Iberian Peninsula, becoming one of the greatest headaches for beekeepers and administrations as it is … Continua llegint The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia): What do we know about it?
We all like to travel and many times we seek contact with nature. This happens especially when we travel to exotic countries and seek contact with wild animals. Travelling and respect for nature are two concepts that should go hand in hand. It is nothing other than responsible tourism. Discover what you can do to … Continua llegint Responsible tourism: travelling respecting the animals
Tall and stylish, at first sight the secretarybird reminds us of a stork or a crane: black and white plumage, long legs… but the beak and claws betray it. Beyond that they are all birds, they have little in common. Find out more about this especial bird of prey! BIRDS OF PREY Curved and powerful … Continua llegint Is it a stork? Is it an eagle? It is… the secretarybird!
After the first post on the genitals of birds and fish, we close chapter on the curiosities of the penises, vaginas and other reproductive organs of amphibians, reptiles and mammals. GENITALS IN AMPHIBIANS As we saw in a previous post, the cloaca is the hole where the digestive, reproductive and excretory systems converge. All amphibians … Continua llegint Animal genitalia: amphibians, reptiles and mammals
Fishes, like other vertebrates and many invertebrates, have developed mechanisms to perceive light, which quickly disappears with depth. Let’s see vision in fishes. VISION IN FISH: THE WORLD FROM THE EYES OF A FISH Vision consist on the perception of the light in the environment around us. Because of fishes live in the aquatic environment, … Continua llegint Vision in fish: the world from the eyes of a fish
Many people consider chameleons to be the masters of camouflage. Their ability to change colour leads us to believe that these animals have evolved to blend in with their surroundings and to trick their predators. But, what would you think if I told you that camouflage isn’t the main reason for colour shifts in chameleons? In … Continua llegint Colour change in chamaleons: an emotional rainbow
When we think about dinosaurs, we probably imagine them walking through a dense, tropical jungle or wandering in a warm, foggy swamp. But as a matter of fact, some dinosaur species lived in very high latitudes, as the ones found in the Prince Creek formation. This Alaskan geologic formation is one of the most important … Continua llegint Dinosaurs from the North Pole: Live at Prince Creek
Turtles are charming animals yet, while they look cute to most people, they’ve been racking the brains of palaeontologists for decades. The combination of apparently primitive features and an extremely specialized anatomy, has made the reconstruction of the origin and evolution of these reptiles a nearly impossible task. In this entry we’ll try to get … Continua llegint Shell evolution with just four fossil turtles
