Shadow Void

Scientific Names??

Yupe, sorry this is going to end up being nature weekday.

Scientific Names

Consider the following, there are 13 to 14 million species on the earth today. However about 1.8 billion have actually received a scientific name. So what does that mean for you and me? Not a whole lot, but to scientist, it means get busy. It also means that there could be a huge problem, that problem in two words, language barrier. Here is an example take the word lion, here are just a few examples of how the word lion is spelled in a few other languages; leon in Spanish, лев in Ukrainian, and leeuw in Dutch. It doesn't take long to see that there would be a huge problem if an English speaking zoologist went to a Dutch speaking zoologist and asked about lions. If the Dutch zoologist didn't speak English, that English speaking zoologist would be lost. Instead that English speaking zoologist could instead say Panthera leo and our Dutch would know that he was talking about an African Lion. Why give things names?

It all comes down to classifying things. In order to name an organism, it has to be put into a group. Once again let's look at the lion and break it down. So we are first off start off with kingdom. What's a kingdom? Well kingdom is the overall classification group. There are five such kingdoms which cover all the species on the earth. They are Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. Monera includes bacteria. Protista are the one celled organisms. Fungi are our mushrooms, yeasts , and mildews. Plantae are plants. Animalia are the animals. Now that, we know the kingoms, we can look at the next group. This group is the next step down from Animalia. It's the Phylum. There are at least 21 different phylums with in the Animal kingdom. The majority of these phylum's are composed of animals who lack a backbone in other words invertebrates. Our friend the lion is in the phylum Chordata. Basically, an animal is put into Chordata if they have a single dorsal tubular nerve cord aka spinal cord. This group can be divided into three different subphylums . For our purposes though we are only interested in the last one, Vertebrata. An animal gets placed into this group because it has spinal column which covers that nerve cord mentioned above. Now we jump from subphylum to Class, the lion belongs to the class, Mammalia. Now most of us know what a mammal is, but let's review it anyway. There are a few criteria for being included in this group. First one being that the females give milk to their young. Second, they have hair. Dolphins and whales are born with it and then lose it. Third our lower jaw is a single bone on either side . The middle ear contains three bones. We have a four chambered heart. So where do we go from here? We go to the order. In this case, the order is Carnivora. Now almost all the animals in this group our meat-eaters. This group includes weasels, seals, cats, dogs, bears, and raccoons as well as other animals. From here we get a little bit more fine tuned. We come to the family; Felidae. You guessed it this means the cats. Now from there we come to the genus. Here is where it gets interesting. Felidae is broken down into two groups or genera; Pantherinae and Felinae. The Pantherinae group includes the big four main cats ie the tiger, lion, jaguar, and the leopard, while the Felinae group includes cougars, cheetahs and just about every other cat out there. So the lion belongs to the first Pantherinae genus. Finally it's species name is leo. If this had been the Asiatic lion, the species name would be Panthera Leo Persica

So now that I've taken you on that little trip we need to do another trip. A guy by name of Karl von Linne is the man who is responsible for the current system of classification used today by scientist all over the planet. He laid out this system in 1735 under the name Carolus Linnaeus which is his name Latinized. It was widely accepted by the 19^th century and like I said earlier it is still being used today. His method of scientific names is called binomial nomenclature. It utilizes two names, the genus and the species. You may notice that when I give a scientific name in the Nature weekend posts, that I do my scientific names in this fashion, Panthera leo persica . In almost every book, paper, or website that you will see scientific names in, the genus is always captilized while the species is always in lower caps. It's the way it should be done. Another feature of scientific names is the use of latin. Many names come from latin though this is not always case. An example of this can be found in the scientific name for one of the most famous dinosaurs of all time, Tyrannosaurus rex. The tyrannosaurus is Greek and actually comes from two words, a word meaning tyrant and another word meaning lizard, while word "rex" comes from latin and means king. From time to time, you may see come across an animal whose genus has changed. In fact, you might have noticed that this week's organism, the Spotted Cuscus, had two scientific names, Phalanger maculatus and Spilocuscus malculatus. As research is done on various animals, they discover new ways to classify them rather it be physical evidence or genetic evidence, when this happens they don't totally rename the animal. Instead, the genus will be changed and the species gets left alone. So yeah that is my little article on scientific names. Hope you enjoye

Nature Weekends; The Edible Oytster

The Edible Oyster - Ostraea edulis

So I wasn't able to get much information on this group of oysters, but I'll give you what I got. The oyster that I mentioned above comes from the eastern United States. It can grow to be 4 inches in length. It can be found in the river estuaries. There is another oyster that you sometimes see and that the Giant Pacific Oyster, Crassostorea gigas. It has an elongated shell and can grow up to 12 inches. It is found from the western shores of Canada to California. It's important to know that edible oysters do not produce commercially valuable pearls. Though, I'm sure they still produce oysters. You just won't get rich off of them. This animal has been a valued food source dating back to prehistory.

One of the amazing things about living a life attached to a rock is that you quickly become a little mini ecosystem. Your shell quickly becomes covered in algae, worms, or other marine life. Animals that live their life attached to the objects underwater or at the tidal zone are dependent on food particles, microscopic animals, or plants that thrive in the water. Many mollusks feed by taking in water and then extracting the edible particles from the water and then expelling the water. This form of feeding could potentially cause poisoning in humans. All it takes is for one of these mollusks to ingest something that is poisonous and you have a big time problem. This happens from time to time depending on what is going on in the environment. That's it for me until next time!

The Gray Wolf Exempt from Protection

Dear Charles: 

Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to H.R. 509, a measure regarding gray wolves. I appreciate hearing from you.

 

Introduced by Rep. Rehberg, H.R. 509 would exempt the treatment gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act of 1973.  H.R. 509 was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources, where it is currently pending consideration.  The measure has 15 cosponsors and a companion measure has not been introduced in the Senate.

 

Thank you again for contacting me.  Be assured that I will continue to monitor H.R. 509 with your views in mind.  Do not hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

 

Sincerely,

Peter J. Visclosky
Member of Congress

 

From The Office of Evan Bayh

As you may know, I have always been dedicated to the preservation and conservation of our fragile environment.  I believe that maintaining the integrity of our environment helps to improve our quality of life, protect rare and endangered species, and preserve natural links to our common heritage.  

 

               You may be interested to know, Senator Richard Lugar and I have secured over $5 million for the Hoosier National Forest and $2 million for the Patoka refuge over the past four years.  This funding will help acquire additional lands from willing sellers, provide a habitat for wildlife, improve water quality in southwest Indiana and allow for outdoor recreation and environmental education.  Also, I have consistently opposed efforts to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling, voted to protect federal lands, fought for the preservation and conservation of endangered and domestic species, and supported adequate funding to ensure that our natural resources are preserved and protected.

 

I remain vigilant in my efforts to protect public lands and conserve natural resources, promote a cleaner, safer environment and accelerate investments in technology that reduce the environmental impact of energy consumption. Please rest assured, should legislation regarding these important issues come before the full Senate, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

 

Nature Weekend; A Mantis In The Ocean

Mantis Shrimp – Squilla empusa

Humans sometimes come across something new, and find out that it resembles something we already know about or maybe it has similar behaviors. Well, I think that to be the case for the animal in today's post. This crustacean is found in the Atlantic Ocean and in the Caribbean sea. It can be found on coral reefs and in shallow waters preferring to stay on the bottom. Mantis shrimp are armed with front legs that work like the insect of the same name. It comes complete with six sharp spines. Like a mantis, their strike is very, very quick. They eat worms, fish, and a mix of other animals. Now, unlike the mantises that live around me, this animal can inflict damage on humans. A large specimen can literally stab a through a human's finger.

 

 

 

 

Nature Weekend; The Fish That Spits

Archerfish – Toxotes chatereus

The archerfish is native to South-East Asia. It lives in mangrove swamps. It feeds on insects. It has a unique way of reaching the insects that are just out of reach. It literally spits at them. The insect can be sitting on vegetation along the water's edge or hovering above the water. It takes aim shoots a blast of water at the insect. The insect lands in the water and the fish eats it. By the way, the Archerfish's spit can reach 5 feet away. The Archerfish reaches 16 inches in length and can weigh up to 2 ¼ lbs. It's also known to leap out of the water to grab a meal.

 

The archerfish is just one example of how amazing the animal kingdom is as far as adaptions go. From fish to insects, from mammals to invertebrates, the world around us is full for surprising characters. You can't learn about them just sitting around your house. Okay maybe you can if you curl up on the couch and watch some good nature shows or if look at an animal book, and there is nothing wrong with that. Better yet read up on an animal found in your area and then make it point to discover that animal outside in its natural habitat. You might just be surprised at what you find. Yeah, I make it a point to really push this point of view, because I really believe in it. Any way, I am out for now.

 

You can learn more about the Archerfish by visiting:

http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/verts/archer_fish.htm

NATURE WEEKEND; A PUPPY IN THE MUD

Mudpuppy – Necturus maculosus

Today our journey into the world of nature takes us to the waters of North America. We are as the title suggests going to look at the mudpuppy. There are several species of salamander who retain their gills into adult and the mud puppy is one such salamander. Their gills help the mudpuppy remove oxygen directly from the water. Since it does take oxygen from the water like many other animals it doesn't hold up to pollution. Mud Puppies are generally nocturnal, however in water that is muddy or in water that over grown with aquatic plants, the mud puppy can also be found active during the day. This salamander breeds in the spring. The female guards and aerates the eggs. These eggs hatch out 2 months after being layed. The mudpuppy feeds on small fish, amphibians, invertebrates, snails, and fish eggs.

What did I get??

I got my first shipment of nature artifacts today. I bought a blown out ostrich egg, some trilobite fossils, a fossilized sea urchin test ( body ), a spinosaurus (sp?) tooth, a stingray barb, and a replica saber tooth cat saber. I'll have more stuff tomorrow. I'll do a video tomorrow showing off the goodies.

Nature Weekend; The Honey Locust

This tree is related to the pea and while it is a legume it doesn't fix nitrogen into the soil. It's a native tree which can grow to heights of 70 to 80 ft. it can reach a diameter of 2 to 3 ft. It has even been known 6 ft in diameter. I have learned to be careful around this tree has it has some pretty wicked thorns on it. The thorns can reach 3 inches in length. These long spines have been used for pins, spear points, and for animal traps. It's wood has been used for railroad ties, and fence posts. A tea made from the pod has been used to treat indigestion and the measles. A tear made from the inner bark has been used for sore throats. Juice extracted from the pod is has antiseptic properties. All parts of this plant may contain potentially toxic compounds. The pod and only the pod can be nibbled but you should only eat the thin pulp of the unripe pods.

 

** Remember these plant articles are only for educational purposes only. I do not suggest that you go out and try any of the medical uses. You should not attempt to eat this species without contacting an expert in your area.

http://www.permies.com/permaculture-images/1664_291/thorn_honeylocust.jpg

 

 

Death In Black and Red; Nature Weekend

Black Widow – Latrodectus mactans

This spider has one of the most toxic venoms in the animal kingdom*. In fact, it's venom is fifteen times more potent than rattlesnake venom. Like many animals, the black widow would much rather run then bite, this being said we shouldn't go out of way to get bite. Apart from running, the black widow is also known to play dead to avoid being eaten or messed with. Another trick up the spider's sleeve is the clear wearing on her belly. She bears the mark the of the widow, that red hourglass. There are three species of black widow in the United States, Latrodectus mactans ( Southern Black Widow ) , Latrodectus Hesperus ( western Black widow ), and Latrodectus texanus. The black widow has a legspan of 1.5 inches. Black widows get their name from the fact that the male often becomes a meal for the his mate. Be forewarned, the female black widow becomes aggressive when she has an egg sac in her web. She may have up to 1,000 eggs in her sac.

 

I may have featured this spider before in my nature posts before. I decided to post it again simply because I think there is an important lesson to be learned here. What is the lesson to be learned here? Well, go back to where I mention the symbol on her belly, the playing dead, and it running away. Why would an animal who could kill with one bite need these surivial tricks. Perhaps, I've already answered this already in my posts. It boils down to survival. The spider has to manufacture it's venom. Most venom's serve the some digestive purpose or is intended to slow down the prey so the predator can successfully eat it without injury to itself. Wonton use of venom is a waste. We need to realize that for the most part, when an animal defends itself using venom, that it's simply trying to protect itself. It is still a good idea to be careful around these animals. Time for me to go!