|
Hodotermes
''Hodotermes'' (from Greek ὁδός (hodós), travelling; Latin '' termes'', woodworm) is a genus of African harvester termites in the Hodotermitidae. They range from Palaearctic North Africa, through the East African savannas to the karroid regions of southern Africa. As with harvester termites in general, they have serrated inner edges to their mandibles, and all castes have functional compound eyes. They forage for grass at night and during the day, and their pigmented workers are often observed outside the nest. Nests They nest by excavating in the soil, and the diffuse subterranean system of ''H. mossambicus'' may contain several spherical hives which may be 60 cm in diameter. They are interconnected by galleries and are located from near the surface to more than 6 m deep. Loose particles of excavated soil are brought to the surface and dumped at various points around the nest. Diet The diet of ''H. mossambicus'' consists primarily of living and/or dead grass, t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Termite
Termites are a group of detritivore, detritophagous Eusociality, eusocial cockroaches which consume a variety of Detritus, decaying plant material, generally in the form of wood, Plant litter, leaf litter, and Humus, soil humus. They are distinguished by their moniliform antennae and the soft-bodied, unpigmented worker caste for which they have been commonly termed "white ants"; however, they are not ants but highly Apomorphy and synapomorphy, derived cockroaches. About 2,997 extant species are currently described, 2,125 of which are members of the family Termitidae. Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the Taxonomic rank#All ranks, epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blattodea (the cockroaches). Termites were once classified in a separate Order (biology), order from cockroaches, but recent phylogenetic studies indicate that they evolved from cockroaches, as they are deeply nested within the group, and the sister group to wood-eating cockroaches of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pasture
Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Types of pasture Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep, or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs (non-grass herbaceous plants). Pasture is typically grazed throughout the summer, in contrast to meadow which is ungrazed or used for grazing only after being mown to make hay for animal fodder. Pasture in a wider sense additionally includes rangelands, other unenclosed pastoral systems, and land types used by wild animals for grazing or browsing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are distinguished from rangelands by being managed through more intensive agricultural practices of seeding, irrigation, and the use of fertilizers, while rangelands grow primarily native vegetation, managed with e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vitellogenesis
Vitellogenesis is the process of yolk protein formation in the oocytes during sexual maturation. The term ''vitellogenesis'' comes from the Latin language, Latin ''vitellus'' ("egg yolk"). Yolk proteins, such as lipovitellin and phosvitin, provides maturing oocytes with the metabolic energy required for development. Vitellogenins are the precursor proteins that lead to yolk protein accumulation in the oocyte. In vertebrates, estrogen and vitellogenin production have a positive correlation. When estrogen production in the ovary is increased via the activation of the Hypothalamo-pituitary portal system, hypothalmo-pituitary axis it leads to heightened vitellogenin production in the liver. Vitellogenin production in the liver is the first step of vitellogenesis. Once Vitellogenins are released into the blood stream where they are then transported to the growing oocyte where they lead to yolk protein production. The transport of vitellogenins into the maturing oocyte is done via endocy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gekkonidae
Gekkonidae (the common geckos) is the largest family of geckos, containing over 950 described species in 62 genera. The Gekkonidae contain many of the most widespread gecko species, including house geckos (''Hemidactylus''), the tokay gecko (''Gekko''), day geckos (''Phelsuma''), the mourning gecko (''Lepidodactylus''), and dtellas (''Gehyra''). Gekkonid geckos occur globally and are particularly diverse in tropical areas. Many species of these geckos exhibit an adhering ability to surfaces through Van der Waals forces utilizing intermolecular forces between molecules of their setae (foot hair) and molecules of the surface they are on. The genus ''Hemidactylus'' is one of the most species-rich and widely distributed of all reptile genera.Carranza, S., and E. Arnold. "Systematics, Biogeography, and Evolution of Hemidactylus Geckos (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) Elucidated Using Mitochondrial DNA Sequences." Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, vol. 38, no. 2, Elsevier Inc, 2006, pp. 531 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ptenopus
''Ptenopus'' is a small genus of lizards, known Common name, commonly as barking geckos, in the Family (biology), family Gekkonidae. The genus is Endemism, endemic to southern Africa. There are only three described species in this genus. Species and subspecies The following species and subspecies are recognized as being valid. *''Ptenopus carpi'' – Carp's barking gecko, Namib chirping gecko *''Ptenopus garrulus'' – common barking gecko, whistling gecko **''Ptenopus garrulus garrulus'' **''Ptenopus garrulus maculatus'' *''Ptenopus kochi'' – interdune barking gecko, Koch's barking gecko, Koch's chirping gecko ''Nota bene'': A Binomial nomenclature, binomial authority or a trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Ptenopus''.species:Graham J. Alexander, Alexander, Graham; species:Johan Marais, Marais, Johan (2007). ''A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa''. Random House / Struik Natu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachydactylus
''Pachydactylus'' is a genus of insectivorous geckos, lizards in the family Gekkonidae. The genus is endemic to Africa, and member species are commonly known as thick-toed geckos. The genus also displays rich speciation, having 58 distinct species identified when compared to other closely related gecko genera like '' Rhoptropus,'' most of which have emerged since 35 Ma. It has been suggested that the reason for this rich speciation not from adaptive radiation nor nonadaptive radiation, but that the genus represents a clade somewhere between the two drivers of speciation. ''P. bibronii'' geckos have been used by NASA as animal models for experimentation. Description of the ''Pachydactylus'' genus The genus ''Pachydactylus'' is characterized by dilated toe tips, usually with undivided scansors. Body scales are small, granular and non-overlapping, with scattered, large keeled tubercles. Coloration of Pachydactylus species varies, but is generally drab in color. Presence of ad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chondrodactylus
''Chondrodactylus'' is genus of geckos, lizards in the Family (biology), family Gekkonidae. The genus is commonly known as thick-toed geckos. Little is known of their biology. Species and subspecies The following species and subspecies are recognized as being valid. *''Chondrodactylus angulifer'' – common giant ground gecko **''Chondrodactylus angulifer angulifer'' **''Chondrodactylus angulifer namibensis'' *''Chondrodactylus bibronii'' – Gabriel Bibron, Bibron's thick-toed gecko www.reptile-database.org. *''Chondrodactylus fitzsimonsi'' – Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons, Fitzsimons's thick-toed gecko *''Chondrodactylus laevigatus'' – Fischer's thick-toed gecko *''Chondrodactylus pulitzerae'' – Pulitzer's thick-toed gecko *''Chondrodactylus turneri'' – James Aspinall Turner, Turner's thick-toed gecko ''Nota bene'': A Binomial nomenclature, binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Chond ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trinervitermes
''Trinervitermes'' is a termite genus belonging to family Termitidae. Members are native to the Old World. They inhabit grasslands and store grass in their nests or mounds, just below the ground surface. Their grass-collecting activities are mainly nocturnal. The soldier caste has atrophied mandibles and a fontanelle squirt gun on the frons. Diterpenes and monoterpenes are released to deter ants and smaller predators, but these are not effective against larger mammalian predators. Due to the snout A snout is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw. In many animals, the structure is called a muzzle, Rostrum (anatomy), rostrum, beak or proboscis. The wet furless surface around the nostrils of the n ... on the head of soldiers and their grass-collecting habits, they are known as snouted harvester termites. Species Species include: * '' Trinervitermes biformis'' (Wasmann, 1902) – India and Sri Lanka * '' Trinervitermes dispar'' (Sjöst ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aardwolf
The aardwolf (''Proteles cristatus'') is an insectivorous hyaenid species, native to East and Southern Africa. Its name means "earth-wolf" in Afrikaans and Dutch. It is also called the maanhaar-jackal (Afrikaans for "mane-jackal"), termite-eating hyena and civet hyena, based on its habit of secreting substances from its anal gland, a characteristic shared with the African civet. Unlike many of its relatives in the order Carnivora, the aardwolf does not hunt large animals. It eats insects and their larvae, mainly termites; one aardwolf can lap up as many as 300,000 termites during a single night using its long, sticky tongue. The aardwolf's tongue has adapted to be tough enough to withstand the strong bite of termites. The aardwolf lives in the shrublands of eastern and southern Africa – open lands covered with stunted trees and shrubs. It is nocturnal, resting in burrows during the day and emerging at night to seek food. Taxonomy The aardwolf is generally classified as pa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bat-eared Fox
The bat-eared fox (''Otocyon megalotis'') is a species of fox found on the African savanna. It is the only extant species of the genus ''Otocyon'' and a Basal (phylogenetics), basal species of Canidae, canid. Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during the Chibanian, middle Pleistocene. There are two separate populations of the bat-eared fox, each of which makes up a subspecies. The bat referred to in its colloquial name is possibly the Egyptian slit-faced bat (''Nycteris thebaica''), which is abundant in the region and has very large ears. Other vernacular names include big-eared fox, black-eared fox, long-eared fox, Delalande's fox, cape fox, and motlosi. It is named for its large ears, which have a role in thermoregulation. It is a small canid, being of comparable size to the closely related cape fox and common raccoon dog. Its fur varies in color depending on the subspecies, but is generally tan-colored and has guard hairs of a grey agouti (coloration), agouti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alate
Alate (Latin ''ālātus'', from ''āla'' (“wing”)) is an adjective and noun used in entomology and botany to refer to something that has wings or winglike structures. In entomology In entomology, "alate" usually refers to the winged form of a social insect, especially ants or termites, though it can also be applied to aphids and some thrips. Alate females are referred to as gyne The gyne (, from Greek γυνή, "woman") is the primary reproductive female caste of social insects (especially ants, wasps, and bees of order Hymenoptera, as well as termites). Gynes are those destined to become queens, whereas female workers ...s, and are typically those destined to become queens. A " dealate" is an adult insect that shed or lost its wings ("dealation"). In botany In botany, "alate" refers to wing-like structures on some seeds that use wind dispersal. It is also used to describe flattened ridges which run longitudinally on stems. References External links * Insect ec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
