Some cool animal behavior images:
DSC03254
Image by BethanyWeeks
Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
The Komodo dragon, Varanus komodoensis, also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family (Varanidae), it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum of length 3 metres (9.8 ft) in rare cases and weighing up to around 70 kilograms (150 lb). Their unusual size has been attributed to island gigantism, since there are no other carnivorous animals to fill the niche on the islands where they live.
As a result of their size, these lizards dominate the ecosystems in which they live. Komodo dragons hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals. Their group behaviour in hunting is exceptional in the reptile world. The diet of big Komodo dragons mainly consists of deer, though they also eat considerable amounts of carrion. - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon
Woodland Park Zoo
August 24, 2011
PhotonQ-Blue Shark
Image by PhOtOnQuAnTiQuE
Six things that make sharks cool (and I learned in Long Beach =)
Deep Throat: "Mulder...if a shark stops swimming, it will die. Don't stop swimming."
(The X Files- E.B.E)
Shark are amazing animals. Used to love diving with them when living on the Great Barrier reef, in Australia. Curious, beautiful swimmer and perfect predator.
1-Amazing shark senses.
Sharks generally rely on their superior sense of smell to find prey, but at closer range they also use the lateral lines running along their sides to sense movement in the water, and employ special sensory spores on their heads ( Ampullae of Lorenzini) to detect electrical fields created by prey and the ambient electric fields of the ocean.
The Ampullae of Lorenzini are the electro receptor organs of the shark, and they vary in number from a couple of hundred to thousands in an individual. The shark has the greatest electrical sensitivity known in all animals. This sense is used to find prey hidden in sand by detecting the electric fields inadvertently produced by all fish.
2- A skeleton made of cartilage.
Unlike bony fish, shark have skeletons made from cartilage. Cartilage is a flexible, lightweight, and dense connective tissue. Specially reinforced tissue creates the rigid structure of the shark 's jaws.
Many people believe that shark cartilage taken as a dietary supplement will help prevent cancer, treat arthritis, and act as an aid in boosting the immune system. None of these claims have been scientifically proven, yet the demand for theses supplements creates a market for sharks. The believe in the medicinal power of shark cartilage us due in large part to the incorrect notion that shark do not get cancer.
Shark cartilage has been used successfully in the development of a synthetic temporary skin for burn victims, and shark corneas have been transplanted into human eyes.
3-Customized tail.
Shark tails are adapted to the behaviour and lifestyle of the shark, and tail shapes vary considerable among species. The main use for the tail is to provide thrust- but some species, the thresher shark for example, can actually use their tail to strike and stun prey items such as fish or squid. The cookie cutter shark has broad upper and lower luminescent lobes, which may act as a lure to draw prey items to the shark. It is also believed that shark use the upper lobe if their tails to counteract the lift generated by their pectoral fins.
4-An endless supply of teeth.
Sharks are unique in that they produce teeth continuously. Their teeth are not set in sockets like those of other vertebrates but rather loosely and flexibly attached by tendons to their jaws. If they didn' t replace teeth continuously - up to 50.000 in a lifetime - their teeth would fall out. That is why shark teeth are the most abundant vertebrate fossil material on the Earth and in the sea.
5-Dermal denticles
Shark 's scales differ from those of other fishes. When viewed under a microscope, the scales actually look like miniature versions of their teeth. Called "dermal denticles", these structures are arranged in sawtooth patterns to enable water to flow smoothly over the animal 's outer surface. They cause the skin to feel rough.In some species the denticles overlap and the degree of roughness varies from species to species. Each denticle has tiny raised ridges, or riblets, believed to dampen turbulence in the layer of water immediately next to the skin.
Scientists have discovered that dermal denticles improve water flow over the shark 's body making them more efficient swimmers. The concept has been applied to the latest generation of competition swimsuits.
6-Streamlined Bodyshape.
The sharks we see today - from dwarf lantern shark to white shark to whale shark- are the fine tuned result of about 400 millions years of evolutionary tinkering. Over a time span of three times as long as the reign of the dinosaurs, sharks made astonishing changes in forms and life styles. While sharks are undeniably ancient, there is nothing "primitive" about their modern descendants. (Long Beach Aquarium)
