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Frontal Shield
A frontal shield, also known as a facial shield or frontal plate, is a feature of the anatomy of several bird species. Located just above the upper mandible, and protruding along the forehead, it is composed of two main parts: a hard, proteinaceous callus and a soft, fleshy corium. It is thought to play roles in protection, mate identification, sexual selection, and territorial defense. Composition The callus is a hard, keratinous section of the frontal plate located highest on the forehead. It is generally more pigmented than the surrounding corium. Underneath the callus is a Malpighian layer of tissue that connects the structure to the maxilla. This layer is supplied with blood via vessel-containing dermal papillae. It has been observed to resemble the texture of calloused human skin. The corium is a thick, dense mass of connective tissue fibers that makes up the largest portion of the frontal plate. It contains layers of cells that aide in enlarging or flattening the structur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flickr - Dario Sanches - FRANGO-D'ÁGUA-COMUM (Gallinula Galeata) (3)
Flickr ( ) is an image and video hosting service, as well as an online community, founded in Canada and headquartered in the United States. It was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and was previously a common way for amateur and professional photographers to host high-resolution photos. It has changed ownership several times and has been owned by SmugMug since April 20, 2018. Flickr had a total of 112 million registered members and more than 3.5 million new images uploaded daily. On August 5, 2011, the site reported that it was hosting more than 6 billion images. In 2024, it was reported as having shared 10 billion photos and accepting 25 million per day. Photos and videos can be accessed from Flickr without the need to register an account, but an account must be made to upload content to the site. Registering an account also allows users to create a profile page containing photos and videos that the user has uploaded and also grants the ability to add another Flickr user as a conta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Choiseul Pigeon
The Choiseul pigeon (''Microgoura meeki'') is an extinct species of bird in the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. It was endemic to the island of Choiseul in the Solomon Islands, although there are unsubstantiated reports that it may once have lived on several nearby islands. The last confirmed sighting was in 1904. Other common names were Solomons crested pigeon, Solomon Islands crowned-pigeon and Kuvojo. The Choiseul pigeon was monotypic within the genus ''Microgoura '' and had no known subspecies. Its closest living relative is believed to be the thick-billed ground pigeon, and some authors have suggested that the Choiseul pigeon may be a link between that species and the crowned pigeons. The adult pigeon was largely blue-grey, with a buffy orange belly and a distinctive slaty-blue crest. It is unknown how this crest was held by the bird in life. The bird's head sported a blue frontal shield surrounded by black feathers and a bicoloured beak. The wings were brown and the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wattle (anatomy)
A wattle is a fleshy Caruncle (bird anatomy), caruncle hanging from various parts of the head or neck in several groups of birds and mammals. Caruncles in birds include those found on the face, wattles, dewlaps, Snood (anatomy), snoods, and earlobes. Wattles are generally paired structures but may occur as a single structure when it is sometimes known as a dewlap. Wattles are frequently organs of sexual dimorphism. In some birds, caruncles are erectile tissue and may or may not have a feather covering. Wattles are often such a striking Morphology (biology), morphological characteristic of animals that they feature in their common name. For example, the southern and northern cassowaries are known as the double-wattled and single-wattled cassowary, respectively, and a breed of domestic pig is known as the red wattle hog, Red Wattle. Birds Function In birds, wattles are often an ornament for courting Sexual selection, potential mates. Large wattles are correlated with high testos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frontal Scale
Frontal scale refers to the scale of a reptile which lies on the top of the head in the region between the eyes. This is analogous to the frontal bone of a human which corresponds to the forehead. Snake scales adjacent to the frontal and to its anterior are called prefrontals. See also * Frontal bone * Frontal shield * Snake scales * Anatomical terms of location Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pr ... References Snake scales {{Snake-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fecal Shield
The fecal shield is a structure formed by the larvae of many species of beetles in the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae.Nogueira-de-Sá, F. and J. R. Trigo. (2002)Do fecal shields provide physical protection to larvae of the tortoise beetles ''Plagiometriona flavescens'' and ''Stolas chalybea'' against natural enemies?''Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata'' 104(1) 203-06. Chaboo, CS, Adam S, Nishida K, Schletzbaum L. 2023. Architecture, construction, retention, and repair of fecal shields in three tribes of tortoise beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae Cassidinae: Cassidini, Mesomphaliini, Spilophorini). ZooKeys Special Issue, Research on Chrysomelidae 9. ZooKeys 1177: 87–146. It is composed of the frass of the insect and often its exuviae, or bits of shed exoskeleton. The beetle may carry the shield on its back or wield it upon its posterior end. The main function of the fecal shield is defense against predators.Bacher, S. and S. Luder. (2005)Picky predators and the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crest (feathers)
The crest is a prominent feature exhibited by several bird species on their heads. It is distinct from features such as casques and cockscombs - sometimes erroneously referred to as "crests", which are bony and fleshy structures respectively. The crest is made up of semiplume feathers: a long rachis with barbs on either side. These are plumulaceous feathers, meaning that they are soft and bendable. In birds, these semiplumes are common along the head, neck, and upper back, and may be used for buoyancy and sensing vibrations. Crests on birds are generally used for display purposes. Cockatoos (a family that also includes corellas and the cockatiel) are part of the parrot family Cacatuidae found in Australia, the Bismarck Archipelago and the Philippines, and are probably the most recognizable birds to feature crests. Cockatoos and cockatiels possess crests which may be raised or lowered at will. Their crests are used to communicate with fellow members of their species, or as a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comb (anatomy)
A comb is a fleshy growth or crest on the top of the head of some Galliformes, gallinaceous birds, such as domestic chickens. The alternative name cockscomb (with several #Spelling variations, spelling variations) reflects the fact that combs are generally larger on cock birds than on hens. The comb is one of several fleshy protuberances on the heads of chickens, the others being the Wattle (anatomy), wattles and earlobes, which collectively are called Caruncle (bird anatomy), caruncles. In turkeys, the caruncles are the fleshy nodules on the head and throat. Chicken combs are most commonly red, but may also be black or dark purple in breeds such as the Silkie or the Sebright. In other species the color may vary from light grey to deep blue or red. The comb may be a reliable indicator of health or vigor and is used for mate-assessment in some poultry species. Types of chicken comb Comb shape varies considerably depending on the breed or species of bird. Of the many types and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Casque (anatomy)
A casque is an anatomical feature found in some species of birds, reptiles, and amphibians. In birds, it is an enlargement of the bones of the upper mandible or the skull, either on the front of the face, the top of the head, or both. The casque has been hypothesized to serve as a visual cue to a bird's sex, state of maturity, or social status; as reinforcement to the beak's structure; or as a resonance chamber, enhancing calls. In addition, they may be used in combat with other members of the same species, in the gathering of food, or in thermoregulation. Birds Structure Casques are found in a number of species, including most hornbills, all cassowaries, the maleo, the horned guan, the helmeted guineafowl and several species of curassow. In most of these species, the casque is a bony extension of the or skull that is covered with a cornified layer of skin. However, in cassowaries, a foamy, elastic layer of collagen sits between the bone and the skin. Hornbill casques grow ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Australasian Swamphen
The Australasian swamphen (''Porphyrio melanotus''), commonly known as the pūkeko in New Zealand, is a striking and socially complex bird found in Oceania, including eastern Indonesia (the Moluccas, Aru Islands, Aru and Kai Islands), Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia. A member of the Rail (bird), rail family, it is part of the diverse order Gruiformes, which includes species with similar characteristics such as Cranes of Great Britain, cranes and other rail species. Within the Australasian swamphen species, five recognised subspecies exist, with ''P. p. melanotus'' being the most common and widely distributed in New Zealand. They display phenotypic characteristics typical of rails: relatively short wings and strong, elongated bills, adapted to its semi-aquatic lifestyle in wetlands. The swamphen is renowned for its distinctive blue-purple plumage, striking red frontal shield, and strong red legs. It is often found in Swamp, swamps, Marsh, marshes, and other wet lowland ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wattled Jacana
The wattled jacana (''Jacana jacana'') is a wader in the family Jacanidae found throughout much of South America east of the Andes Mountains, Andes, as well as western Panama and Trinidad. It is the only species in the Jacanidae family with such a large distribution. Wattled jacanas have long toes and claws which help them walk through aquatic vegetation. Like the majority of species of jacanas, the female is larger than the male, and forms harems of up to 4 or 5 males at any given time. There is also a major difference in proportional development or ornamentation (facial crest and wing size) and defense (length of wing spur) relative to body size when compared to males. Etymology "Jacana" comes from the Tupi language, Tupi word ''ñaha'nã'' which means "very loud bird".FERREIRA, A. B. H. ''Novo Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa''. Segunda edição. Rio de Janeiro: Nova Fronteira, 1986. p.978 Breeding The wattled jacana lays four black-marked brown eggs in a floating nest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dusky Moorhen
The dusky moorhen (''Gallinula tenebrosa'') is a bird species in the rail family and is one of the eight extant species in the moorhen genus. It occurs in India, Australia, New Guinea, Borneo and Indonesia. It is often confused with the purple swamphen and the Eurasian coot due to similar appearance and overlapping distributions. They often live alongside birds in the same genus, such as the Tasmanian nativehen and the common moorhen. Taxonomy John Gould described the dusky moorhen in 1846 from a skin collected along the Murray River in South Australia. Its species name is derived from the Latin ''tenebrosa'' "dark". Charles Lucien Bonaparte described ''Gallinula haematopus'' in 1856, but this is now a ''nomen nudum''. Gregory Mathews described two subspecies that have been synonymized—''magnirostris'' from Western Australia and ''subfrontata'' from New South Wales. Three subspecies are recognised: subspecies ''frontata'' from southeastern Borneo, the Sunda Islands, Timor a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eurasian Coot
The Eurasian coot (''Fulica atra''), also known as the common coot, or Australian coot, is a member of the rail and crake bird family, the Rallidae. It is found in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and parts of North Africa. It has a slaty-black body, a glossy black head and a white bill with a white frontal shield. The sexes are similar. Similar looking coot species are found throughout the world, with the largest variety of coot species living in South America. Taxonomy The Eurasian coot was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under its current binomial name ''Fulica atra''. Linnaeus specified the locality as Europe but this is now restricted to Sweden. The binomial name is from Latin: ''Fulica'' means 'coot', and ''atra'' means 'black'. Four subspecies are recognised: * ''F. a. atra'' Linnaeus, 1758 – Europe and north Africa to Japan, India, southeast Asia, Philippines and Borneo * ''F. a. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
