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Hector's Dolphin
Hector's dolphin (''Cephalorhynchus hectori'') is one of four dolphin species belonging to the genus '' Cephalorhynchus''. Hector's dolphin is the only cetacean endemic to New Zealand, and comprises two subspecies: ''C. h. hectori'', the more numerous subspecies, also referred to as South Island Hector's dolphin; and the critically endangered Māui dolphin (''C. h. maui''), found off the West Coast of the North Island. Etymology Hector's dolphin was named after Sir James Hector (1834–1907), who was the curator of the Colonial Museum in Wellington (now the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa). He examined the first specimen of the dolphin found by cephologists. The species was scientifically described by Belgian zoologist Pierre-Joseph van Beneden in 1881. Māori names for Hector's and Māui dolphin include ''tutumairekurai, tupoupou'' and ''popoto''. Description Hector's dolphin is the smallest dolphin species. Mature adults have a total length of and weigh .Slooten, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pierre-Joseph Van Beneden
Pierre-Joseph van Beneden FRS FRSE FGS FZS (19 December 1809 – 8 January 1894) was a Belgian zoologist and paleontologist. Life Born in Mechelen, Belgium, he studied medicine at the State University of Leuven, and studied zoology in Paris under Georges Cuvier (1769–1832). In 1831 he became curator at the natural history museum in Leuven, and from 1836 until 1894 was a professor of zoology at the Catholic University of Leuven. In 1842 he became a member of the ''Académie des sciences de Belgique'', becoming its President in 1881. In 1875 became a foreign member of the Royal Society of London and in 1884 an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 1843 he established one of the world's first marine laboratories and aquariums. He was the father of biologist Edouard van Beneden (1846–1910). Pierre-Joseph van Beneden died in Leuven, Belgium. Scientific work Van Beneden was a specialist in the field of parasitology, being known for his comprehensive studie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Benthic
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "the depths." Organisms living in this zone are called benthos and include microorganisms (e.g., bacteria and fungi) as well as larger invertebrates, such as crustaceans and polychaetes. Organisms here generally live in close relationship with the substrate and many are permanently attached to the bottom. The benthic boundary layer, which includes the bottom layer of water and the uppermost layer of sediment directly influenced by the overlying water, is an integral part of the benthic zone, as it greatly influences the biological activity that takes place there. Examples of contact soil layers include sand bottoms, rocky outcrops, coral, and bay mud. Description Oceans The benthic region of the ocean begins at the shore line ( intert ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hourglass Dolphin
The hourglass dolphin (''Lagenorhynchus cruciger'') is a small dolphin in the family Delphinidae that inhabits offshore Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters. It is commonly seen from ships crossing the Drake Passage, but has a circumpolar distribution. The species was identified as a new species by Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard in 1824 from a drawing made in the South Pacific in 1820. It is the only cetacean to have been widely accepted as a species solely on witness accounts. Description The hourglass dolphin is colored black on top and white on the belly, with white patches on the sides and sometimes variations of dark grey. For this reason, it was colloquially known by whalers as a "sea cow" (although it does not belong to the taxonomic order Sirenia) or "sea skunk". Each flank has a white patch at the front, above the beak, eye and flipper, and a second patch at the rear. These two patches are connected by a thin white strip, creating, loosely speak ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bronze Whaler
The copper shark (''Carcharhinus brachyurus''), bronze whaler, or narrowtooth shark, is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae, and the only member of its genus found mostly at temperate latitudes. It is distributed in a number of separate populations in the northeastern and southwestern Atlantic, off southern Africa, in the northwestern and eastern Pacific, and around Australia and New Zealand, with scattered reports from equatorial regions. This species can be found from brackish rivers and estuaries, to shallow bays and harbors, to offshore waters deep or more. Females are found apart from males for most of the year, and conduct seasonal migrations. A large species reaching long, the copper shark is difficult to distinguish from other large requiem sharks. It is characterized by its narrow, hook-shaped upper teeth, lack of a prominent ridge between the dorsal fins, and plain bronze coloration. Feeding mainly on cephalopods, bony fishes, and other cartilaginou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mako Shark
''Isurus'' is a genus of mackerel sharks in the family Lamnidae, commonly known as the mako sharks. Description The two living species are the common shortfin mako shark (''I. oxyrinchus'') and the rare longfin mako shark (''I. paucus''). They range in length from , and have an approximate maximum weight of . They both have a distinctive blue-gray color scheme common among mackerel sharks. Several extinct species are known from fossils found in sediments from the Cretaceous to the Quaternary (age range: 99.7 to 0.781 million years ago). The family Lamnidae also includes the great white shark and the porbeagle. Mako sharks are capable of swimming at speeds up to . The great white shark is also closely related to an ancient mako shark species, ''Isurus hastalis''. However, fossil evidence suggests ''I. hastalis'', like the great white shark, also belonged to the genus ''Carcharodon''. Species The genus contains these species: * '' Isurus oxyrinchus'' (Rafinesque, 1810) (short ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Killer Whale
The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white patterned body. A cosmopolitan species, orcas can be found in all of the world's oceans in a variety of marine environments, from Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas. Orcas have a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt marine mammals such as seals and other species of dolphin. They have been known to attack baleen whale calves, and even adult whales. Orcas are apex predators, as they have no natural predators. They are highly social; some populations are composed of very stable matrilineal family groups (pods) which are the most stable of any animal species. Their sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviours, which a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blue Shark
The blue shark (''Prionace glauca''), also known as the great blue shark, is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, which inhabits deep waters in the world's temperate and tropical oceans. Averaging around and preferring cooler waters, the blue shark migrates long distances, such as from New England to South America. It is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Although generally lethargic, they can move very quickly. Blue sharks are viviparous and are noted for large litters of 25 to over 100 pups. They feed primarily on small fish and squid, although they can take larger prey. Maximum lifespan is still unknown, but it is believed that they can live up to 20 years. Anatomy and appearance Blue sharks are light-bodied with long pectoral fins. Like many other sharks, blue sharks are countershaded: the top of the body is deep blue, lighter on the sides, and the underside is white. The male blue shark commonly grows to at maturity, whereas the larger fema ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great White Shark
The great white shark (''Carcharodon carcharias''), also known as the white shark, white pointer, or simply great white, is a species of large Lamniformes, mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. It is notable for its size, with larger female individuals growing to in length and in weight at maturity. However, most are smaller; males measure , and females measure on average. According to a 2014 study, the lifespan of great white sharks is estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, well above previous estimates, making it one of the longest lived Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous fishes currently known. According to the same study, male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, while the females take 33 years to be ready to produce offspring. Great white sharks can swim at speeds of 25 km/h (16 mph) for short bursts and to depths of . The great white shark is an apex predator, as it has no known natura ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Broadnose Sevengill Shark
The broadnose sevengill shark (''Notorynchus cepedianus'') is the only extant member of the genus ''Notorynchus'', in the family Hexanchidae. It is recognizable because of its seven gill slits, while most shark species have five gill slits, with the exception of the members of the order Hexanchiformes and the sixgill sawshark. This shark has a large, thick body, with a broad head and blunt snout. The top jaw has jagged, cusped teeth and the bottom jaw has comb-shaped teeth. Its single dorsal fin is set far back along the spine towards the caudal fin, and is behind the pelvic fins. In this shark the upper caudal fin is much longer than the lower, and is slightly notched near the tip. Like many sharks, this sevengill is counter-shaded. Its dorsal surface is silver-gray to brown in order to blend with the dark water and substrate when viewed from above. In counter to this, its ventral surface is very pale, blending with the sunlit water when viewed from below. The body and fins are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Giant Stargazer
The giant stargazer (''Kathetostoma giganteum'') is a stargazer of the family Uranoscopidae, found on the continental shelf around New Zealand and endemic to that area. It is commonly called monkfish, but this should not be confused with the Northern Hemisphere monkfish which is an entirely different genus of fish, ''Lophius'', in another order, Lophiiformes The anglerfish are fish of the teleost order Lophiiformes (). They are bony fish named for their characteristic mode of predation, in which a modified luminescent fin ray (the esca or illicium) acts as a lure for other fish. The luminescence co .... References * * Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, ''Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand'', (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) {{Taxonbar, from=Q929404 Uranoscopidae Endemic marine fish of New Zealand Fish described in 1873 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nototodarus
''Nototodarus'' is a genus of squid. Example species in this genus include '' Nototodarus sloanii'', a species sought for human food; in the process of harvesting ''N. sloanii'' Australian sea lions are frequently killed, since that marine mammal preys upon this squid species. Furthermore, New Zealand arrow squid, ''N. sloanii'', is an important food source for the endangered yellow-eyed penguin, ''Megadyptes antipodes''.C. Michael Hogan. 2009''Yellow-eyed Penguin: Megadypes antipodes'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg Species *''Nototodarus gouldi'' *''Nototodarus hawaiiensis ''Nototodarus hawaiiensis'', the Hawaiian flying squid, is a species of squid. It mainly lives at depths of about 400 - 570 m. It lives in the Pacific Ocean from Hawaiian Islands to Midway Island Midway Atoll (colloquial: Midway Islands; ...'' *'' Nototodarus sloanii'' References Molluscs of New Zealand {{Squid-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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