recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Cerambycidae (Longhorn Beetles)

The **longhorn beetles** (**Cerambycidae**; also known as **long-horned** or **longhorn beetles** or **longicorns**) are a cosmopolitan family of beetles, typically characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body. In various members of the family, however, the antennae are quite short (e.g., *Neandra brunnea*) and such species can be difficult to distinguish from related beetle families such as the Chrysomelidae. The family is large, with over 26,000 species described, slightly more than half from the Eastern Hemisphere. Several are serious pests. The larvae, called **roundheaded borer**s, bore into wood, where they can cause extensive damage to either living trees or untreated lumber (or, occasionally, to wood in buildings; the old-house borer, *Hylotrupes bajulus*, is a particular problem indoors). A number of species mimic ants, bees, and wasps, though a majority of species are cryptically colored. The rare titan beetle (*Titanus giganteus*) from northeastern South America is often considered the largest (though not the heaviest, and not the longest including legs) insect, with a maximum known body length of just over 16.7 cm (6.6 in). The scientific name of this beetle family goes back to a figure from Greek mythology: after an argument with nymphs, the shepherd Cerambus was transformed into a large beetle with horns.

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## Genus and Species

* Titanus (**1 species**)
	+ Titanus giganteus (Titan Beetle)
Balaenidae

**Balaenidae** /bəˈliːnɪdiː/ is a family of whales of the parvorder Mysticeti that contains two living genera. Historically, it is known as the right whale family, as it was thought to contain only species of right whales. Through most of the 20th Century, however, that became a much-debated (and unresolved) topic amongst the scientific community. Finally, in the early 2000s, science reached a definitive conclusion: the bowhead whale, once commonly known as the Greenland right whale, was not in fact a right whale. The family of Balaenids, therefore, comprises the right whales (genus *Eubalaena*), and in a genus all to its own, the very closely related bowhead whale (genus *Balaena*).

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## Genus and Species

* Eubalaena
	+ E. australis (Southern Right Whale)
Bald-faced Hornet

***Dolichovespula maculata*** is a eusocial wasp of the cosmopolitan family Vespidae. Its colloquial names include the **bald-faced hornet**, **bald hornet**, **white-faced hornet**, **white-tailed hornet**, **spruce wasp**, **blackjacket**, and **bull wasp**. This species is a yellowjacket wasp, not a true hornet (genus *Vespa*). Colonies contain 400 to 700 workers, the largest recorded colony size in its genus, *Dolichovespula*. It builds a characteristic large hanging paper nest up to 58 centimetres (23 in) in length. Workers aggressively defend their nest by repeatedly stinging invaders.

*Dolichovespula maculata* is distributed throughout the United States and southern Canada, but is most common in the southeastern United States. Males in this species are haploid and females are diploid. Worker females can therefore lay eggs which develop into males. Matricide might occur after sufficient workers have been raised and queen-destined eggs have been laid, in order to give workers a reproductive advantage.

## Description

Baldfaced hornets are distinguished from other yellowjackets by their white and black coloring. It has a white or "baldfaced" head, which is the source of its colloquial namesake. These wasps also have three white stripes at the end of their bodies. They are notably larger than other species of *Dolichovespula*, as adults average about 19 millimetres (0.75 in) in length. Queen and worker wasps have similar morphologies. However, workers are covered by small hairs while the queen remains hairless. Queens are always larger than workers in their colonies, though size distributions can vary in different nests and workers in one colony might be as large as a queen in a different one.

*D. maculata* create egg-shaped, paper nests up to 360 millimetres (14 in) in diameter and 580 millimetres (23 in) in length. Nests are layered hexagonal combs covered by a mottled gray paper envelope. Bald-faced Hornets create this paper envelope by collecting and chewing naturally occurring fibers. The wood fiber mixes with their saliva to become a pulpy substance that they can then form into place.

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Forest Cobra

The **forest cobra** (*Naja melanoleuca*), also commonly called the **black cobra** and the **black and white-lipped cobra**, is a species of venomous snake in the familyElapidae. The species is native to Africa, mostly the central and western parts of the continent. It is the largest true cobra species with a total length (including tail) of up to 3.1 meters (10 feet). Although it prefers lowland forest and moist savanna habitats, this cobra is highly adaptable and can be found in drier climates within its geographical range. It is a very capable swimmer and is often considered to be semi-aquatic. The forest cobra is a generalist in its feeding habits, having a highly varied diet: anything from large insects to small mammals and other reptiles. This species is alert, nervous and is considered to be a very dangerous snake. When cornered or molested, it will assume the typical cobra warning posture by raising its fore body off the ground, spreading a narrow hood, and hissing loudly. Bites to humans are less common than from other African cobras due to various factors, though a bite from this species is a life-threatening emergency.

## Description

The forest cobra is Africa's largest cobra of the genus *Naja* and possibly the largest of all the true cobra (*Naja*) species in the world. The length of an average adult is 1.4 to 2.2 m (4.6 to 7.2 ft), but they may attain lengths of 2.7 metres (8.9 feet), and lengths up to 3.1 metres (10 feet) are also possible in rare cases. Males and females grow to be similar in length, as there is no sexual dimorphism within this species. The head of this snake is large, broad, flattened and is slightly distinct from the neck. It is a slightly depressed, tapered and moderately thick bodied snake with a slender tail that is medium in length. The body is compressed dorsoventrally (where the dorsal upper scales and the ventral lower scales meet at either side of the body) and sub-cylindrical posteriorly (the tail end of the body). The forest cobra has long cervical ribs capable of expansion to form a long, wedge shaped hood when threatened. The angle between the crown of the head and the side of the head between the eye, also known as the canthus is distinct, while the snout is rounded. Its eyes are large with round pupils.

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Eastern Honey Bee

***Apis cerana***, or the **eastern honey bee** (and the **Asiatic honey bee**), is a species of honey bee found in southern and southeastern Asia, including China, Pakistan, India, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Australia. This species is the sister species of *Apis koschevnikovi*, and both are in the same subgenus as the western (European) honey bee, *Apis mellifera*. *A. cerana* is known to live sympatrically along with *Apis koschevnikovi*within the same geographic location. *Apis cerana* colonies are known for building nests consisting of multiple combs in cavities containing a small entrance, presumably for defense against invasion by individuals of another nest. The diet of this honey bee species consists mostly of pollen and nectar, or honey. Moreover, *Apis cerana* is known for its highly social behavior, reflective of its classification as a type of honey bee.

## Description

The physical characteristics of individuals of the *Apis cerana* species are very similar to those of other species in the *Apis* genus. The individuals in this genus are defined by long, erect hairs that cover the compound eyes and assist in pollen collection, strongly convex scutellum, and a jugal lobe in the hindwing. Adult *Apis cerana* are black in color, with four yellow abdominal stripes. There are also distinctions between worker bees, queens, and drones. Worker bees are characterized by a pollen press on the hind leg to transport pollen, as well as a stinger in the place of an organ for laying eggs. Queens, which are the reproductive females, are typically larger than worker bees due to their enlarged reproductive organs. Drones, which are the males of the species, are defined by larger eyes, lack of a stinger, and a blunter abdominal shape.

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Monarch Butterfly

The **monarch butterfly** or simply **monarch** (*Danaus plexippus*) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names depending on region include **milkweed**, **common tiger**, **wanderer**, and **black veined brown**. It may be the most familiar North American butterfly, and is considered an iconic pollinator species. Its wings feature an easily recognizable black, orange, and white pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (​3 1⁄2–4 in) The viceroy butterfly is similar in color and pattern, but is markedly smaller and has an extra black stripe across each hindwing.

The eastern North American monarch population is notable for its annual southward late-summer/autumn migration from the northern and central United States and southern Canada to Florida and Mexico. During the fall migration, monarchs cover thousands of miles, with a corresponding multi-generational return north. The western North American population of monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains often migrates to sites in southern California but has been found in overwintering Mexican sites as well. Monarchs were transported to the International Space Station and were bred there.

## Description

Commonly and easily mistaken for the similar viceroy butterfly, the monarch's wingspan ranges from 8.9 to 10.2 centimetres (3.5–4.0 in). The uppersides of the wings are tawny orange, the veins and margins are black, and there are two series of small white spots in the margins. Monarch forewings also have a few orange spots near their tips. Wing undersides are similar, but the tips of forewings and hindwings are yellow brown instead of tawny orange and the white spots are larger. The shape and color of the wings change at the beginning of the migration and appear redder and more elongated than later migrants. Wings size and shape differ between migratory and non-migratory monarchs. Monarchs from eastern North America have larger and more angular forewings than those in the western population.

Monarch flight has been described as "slow and sailing". Monarch flight speed has been estimated by a number of researchers. One scientist examined all prior estimates and concluded their flight speed is approximately 9 km/hr or 5.5 mph. For comparison, the average human jogs at a rate of 6–8 mph.

Adults exhibit sexual dimorphism. Males are slightly larger than females and have a black patch or spot of androconial scales on each hindwing (in some butterflies, these patches disperse pheromones, but are not known to do so in monarchs). The male's black wing veins are lighter and narrower than those of females.

One variation, the "white monarch", observed in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and the United States, is called *nivosus* by lepidopterists. It is grayish white in all areas of its wings that are normally orange and is only about 1% or less of all monarchs, but populations as high as 10% exist on Oahu in Hawaii.

The monarch has six legs like all insects, but uses only its middle legs and hindlegs as the forelegs are vestigial, as in all other Nymphalidae, and held against its body.

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Aedes koreicus

***Aedes koreicus*** is a mosquito species originally described from Korea that has been shown to be enzootic to Japan, northeastern China, the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and parts of Russia, but recently found in Belgium and Italy. Adult *Aedes koreicus* are relatively large, with areas of white scales on black background, strongly resembling *Aedes japonicus*, which has also become established outside its native range.

## Description

*Aedes koreicus* larvae have been found breeding in artificial water collection sites such as garden ponds, water drums, manholes, buckets, flower pots, discarded tires, and other water-containing vessels, as well as in natural collection sites such as tree holes, stone cavities, road tracks, and ditches, in either clear or organics-rich water. These characteristics adapt it to surviving transport over long distances and exploiting urban as well as periurban habitats.

The first documentation of *Aedes koreicus* becoming established outside its native range was in Belgium in 2008, marking it as an invasive species capable of being globally transported. In 2011 it was discovered to be established in the Province of Belluno, Veneto region, Italy and in 2013 in the Swiss-Italian border region. Given its demonstrated ability to survive northern European winters and benefit from human-aided transport, the species may be introduced and become established in other temperate countries with similar climates to those where it has already become established.

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Brown Recluse Spider

The **brown recluse**, ***Loxosceles reclusa***, Sicariidae (formerly placed in a family "Loxoscelidae") is a recluse spider with a necrotic venom. Similar to other recluse spider bites, their bite sometimes requires medical attention. The brown recluse is one of three spiders (the others being black widow and *Loxosceles laeta*, the Chilean recluse) with medically significant venom in North America.

Brown recluse spiders are usually between 6 and 20 millimetres (0.24 and 0.79 in), but may grow larger. While typically light to medium brown, they range in color from whitish to dark brown or blackish gray. The cephalothorax and abdomen are not necessarily the same color. These spiders usually have markings on the dorsal side of their cephalothorax, with a black line coming from it that looks like a violin with the neck of the violin pointing to the rear of the spider, resulting in the nicknames **fiddleback spider**, **brown fiddler**, or **violin spider**.

## Description

The violin pattern is not diagnostic, as other spiders can have similar markings (e.g. cellar spiders and pirate spiders). For definitive identification it is imperative to examine the eyes. While most spiders have eight eyes, recluse spiders have six eyes arranged in pairs (dyads) with one medial pair and two lateral pairs. Only a few other spiders have three pairs of eyes arranged in this way (e.g., scytodids). Recluses have no obvious coloration patterns on the abdomen or legs, and the legs lack spines. The abdomen is covered with fine short hairs that, when viewed without magnification, give the appearance of soft fur. The leg joints may appear to be a slightly lighter color.

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Short-finned Pilot Whale

The **short-finned pilot whale** (*Globicephala macrorhynchus*) is one of the two species of cetaceans in the genus *Globicephala*. It is part of the oceanic dolphin family(Delphinidae), though its behaviour is closer to that of the larger whales.

Short-finned pilot whales can be confused with their relatives the long-finned pilot whales, but there are various differences. As their names indicate, their flippers are shorter than those of the long-finned pilot whale, with a gentler curve on the edge. They have fewer teeth than the long-finned pilot whale, with 14 to 18 on each jaw. Short-finned pilot whales are black or dark grey with a grey or white cape. They have grey or almost white patches on their bellies and throats and a grey or white stripe which goes diagonally upwards from behind each eye.

Adult males may have a number of scars on their bodies. Their heads are bulbous and this can become more defined in older males. Their dorsal fins vary in shape depending on how old the whale is and whether it is male or female. They have flukes with sharply pointed tips, a distinct notch in the middle and concave edges. They tend to be quite slender when they are young, becoming more stocky as they get older.

## Description

The short-finned whale has a stocky body, a bulbous forehead, no prominent beak, long flippers sharply pointed at the tip, black or dark grey color, and the dorsal fin set forward on body. The flukes are raised before a deep dive; they may float motionless at the surface, frequently are seen in very large groups, prefer deep water, and may be approached. Their diets are composed of fish, squid, and octopus.

Adults males are about 5.5 meters (18 ft) in length, whereas adult females only reach about 3.7 meters (12 ft) in length. Adults can weigh from 1,000 to 3,000 kg (2200-6600 lbs) (1,000-3,000 kg). When they are born, short-finned pilot whales are about 1.4–1.9 m (4 ft 7 in–6 ft 3 in) long and weigh about 60 kg (130 lb). Males live nearly 45 years, whereas females can live up to 60 years and go through menopause.

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Spirostreptidae

**Spirostreptidae** is a family of millipedes in the order Spirostreptida. It contains around 100 genera distributed in North and South America, the eastern Mediterranean, continental Africa, Madagascar, and Seychelles.

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## Genus and Species

* Archispirostreptus (**27 species**)
	+ Archispirostreptus arabs
	+ Archispirostreptus beccarii
	+ Archispirostreptus boettegi
	+ Archispirostreptus camerani
	+ Archispirostreptus cayennophilus
	+ Archispirostreptus cechii
	+ Archispirostreptus compressicauda
	+ Archispirostreptus conatus
	+ Archispirostreptus curiosum
	+ Archispirostreptus curiosus
	+ Archispirostreptus divergens
	+ Archispirostreptus dodsoni
	+ Archispirostreptus gigas (Giant African Millipede)
	+ Archispirostreptus guayrensis
	+ Archispirostreptus guineensis
	+ Archispirostreptus ibanda
	+ Archispirostreptus lobatus
	+ Archispirostreptus lobulatus
	+ Archispirostreptus lugubris
	+ Archispirostreptus phillipsii
	+ Archispirostreptus punctiporus
	+ Archispirostreptus sanctus
	+ Archispirostreptus smithii
	+ Archispirostreptus sumptuosus
	+ Archispirostreptus transmarinus
	+ Archispirostreptus virgator
	+ Archispirostreptus xanthoproctus
Semaeostomeae

**Semaeostomeae** (literally "flag mouths") is an order of large jellyfish characterized by four long, frilly oral arms flanking their quadrate mouths. The umbrella is domed with scalloped margins, and the gastrovascular system consists of four unbranched pouches radiating outwards from the central stomach; no ring canal is present. They usually possess eight tentacles; four are per-radical and four are inter-radical.

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Bombinatoridae (Fire-bellied Toads)

The **Bombinatoridae** are often referred to as **fire-bellied toads** because of their brightly colored ventral sides, which show they are highly toxic. This family includes two genera, *Barbourula* and *Bombina*, both of which have flattened bodies.

*Bombina* species are warty, aquatic toads about 7 cm (2.8 in) in length, and most noted for their bright bellies. They often display the unken reflex when disturbed; the animal will arch its back and limbs to expose the bright belly, and may turn over on its back. This acts as a warning to predators. The vocal behavior of some *Bombina*sp. is unusual in that the call is produced during inhalation rather than exhalation as in other frogs. They lay pigmented eggs in ponds.

*Barbourula* species occur in the Philippine Islands and Borneo, while *Bombina* species are found throughout Eurasia. They are slightly less colored than *Bombina*, and possess webbed fingers in addition to webbed toes. Characteristics of tadpoles of *Barbourula* are unknown.

*Barbourula* was considered to be situated intermediate between *Discoglossus* and *Bombina*, but closer to the latter, so was added to the Bombinatoridae when that family was split from the Discoglossidae.

Fossil *Bombina* specimens are known from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene; no fossils of *Barbourula* are known.

The earliest fossil specimens are *Eobarbourula* from the Eocene of India, and *Hatzegobatrachus* from Late Cretaceous of Hateg island, Romania

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## Genus and Species

* Bombina
	+ B. bombina (European Fire-bellied Toad)
Acanthuridae (Surgeonfish)

**Acanthuridae** is the family of **surgeonfishes**, **tangs**, and **unicornfishes**. The family includes about 86 extant species. The family is composed of marine fish living in tropical seas, usually around coral reefs. Many of the species are brightly colored and popular for aquaria.

The distinctive characteristic of the family is the scalpel-like spines, one or more on either side of the tail ("thorn tails"), which are dangerously sharp. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are large, extending for most of the length of the body. The small mouths have a single row of teeth used for grazing on algae.

Surgeonfishes sometimes feed as solitary individuals, but they also often travel and feed in schools. Feeding in schools may be a mechanism for overwhelming the highly aggressive defense responses of small territorial damselfishes that vigorously guard small patches of algae on coral reefs.

Most species are relatively small and have a maximum length of 15–40 cm (6–15.5 in), but some members of the genus *Acanthurus*, some members of the genus *Prionurus*, and most members of the genus *Naso* can grow larger, with the whitemargin unicornfish (*N. annulatus*), the largest species in the family, reaching a length of up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in). These fishes can grow quickly in aquaria, so average growth size and suitability should be checked before adding them to a marine aquarium.

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## Genus and Species

* Acanthurus
	+ A. lineatus (Lined Surgeonfish)
Six-spot Ground Beetle

***Anthia sexguttata***, or the **six-spot ground beetle**, is a beetle of the Family Carabidae.

## Description

Adults measure approximately 4 cm (1.5 inches), are black with six relatively large, white, dorsal spots (four over the elytra and two on the thorax). Other patterns are possible although the pattern is always symmetrical.

The larva has a flattened form, a large head capsule, and prominent mandibles.

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Gasterophilus pecorum

***Gasterophilus pecorum*** is a species of the genus *Gasterophilus* that parasitises horses and other equids.

*G. pecorum* is a significant threat to equids in the desert steppe of Xinjiang, China, where it is the dominant botfly species. In the Kalamaili Nature Reserve, China, *G. pecorum* is a major problem for the health of Przewalski's horse, which has been reintroduced in the area.

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Red Lionfish

The **red lionfish** (*Pterois volitans*) is a venomous coral reef fish in the family Scorpaenidae, order Scorpaeniformes. *P. volitans* is natively found in the Indo-Pacificregion, but has become an invasive problem in the Caribbean Sea, as well as along the East Coast of the United States. This and a similar species, *Pterois miles*, have both been deemed as invasive species. Red lionfish are clad in white stripes alternated with red/maroon/brown stripes. Adults in this species can grow as large as 47 cm (18.5 in) in length, making it one of the largest species of lionfish in the ocean, while juveniles are typically shorter than 1 inch (2.5 cm). The average red lionfish lives around 10 years. As with many species within the family Scopaenidae, it has large, venomous spines that protrude from the body, similar to a mane, giving it the common name lionfish. The venomous spines make the fish inedible or deter most potential predators. Lionfish reproduce monthly and are able to quickly disperse during their larval stage for expansion of their invasive region. No definitive predators of the lionfish are known, and many organizations are promoting the harvest and consumption of lionfish in efforts to prevent further increases in the already high population densities.

## Description

*P. volitans* is native to the Indo-Pacific region, including the western and central Pacific and off the coast of western Australia. However, the species has been accidentally introduced into the Western Atlantic, becoming an invasive species there and in the northern Gulf of Mexico as well.

Although little is known about the larval stage of the lionfish, some traits of the larvae include a large head, a long, triangular snout, long, serrated head spines, a large pelvic spine, and coloration only in the pelvic fins. Larvae hatch 36 hours after fertilization. They are good swimmers and can eat small ciliates just four days after conception. The larval stage is the shortest stage of the lionfish’s life, with a duration of about one month.

Lionfish venomous dorsal spines are used purely for defense. When threatened, the fish often faces its attacker in an upside-down posture which brings its spines to bear. However, its sting is usually not fatal to humans. Envenomed humans will experience extreme pain, and possibly headaches, vomiting, and breathing difficulties. A common treatment is soaking the afflicted area in hot water, as very few hospitals carry specific treatments. However, immediate emergency medical attention is strongly recommended, as some people are more prone to the venom than others.

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Lethocerus patruelis

***Lethocerus patruelis*** is a giant water bug in the family Belostomatidae. It is native to southeastern Europe, through Southwest Asia, to Pakistan, India and Burma. It is the largest European true bug and aquatic insect.

## Description

Adult females are typically 7–8 cm (2.8–3.1 in) long, while the adult males are 6–7 cm (2.4–2.8 in).

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Nose Botfly

***Gasterophilus haemorrhoidalis*** (also called **nose botfly**) is a species of the genus *Gasterophilus* that lays eggs on the lips and around the mouth of horses, mules and donkeys, but also reindeer.

In Equidae, third-stage larvae attach to the stomach, but also to the rectum, sometimes in great numbers. Heavy infestation can cause anal prolapse in foals and mules.

In reindeer, the larvae grow in the sinuses and throat of the host animal and are sneezed out in the spring.

They do not parasitise humans.

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Istiophoriformes (Billfish)

The term **billfish** refers to a group of predatory fish characterised by prominent bills, or rostra, and by their large size; some are longer than 4 m (13 ft). Billfish include sailfish and marlin, which make up the family Istiophoridae, and swordfish, sole member of the family Xiphiidae. They are apex predators which feed on a wide variety of smaller fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. These two families belong to the order **Istiophoriformes** and the group had originated in the Late Cretaceous around 71 million years ago with the two families diverging from one and another in the Late Miocene around 15 million years ago.

Billfish are pelagic and highly migratory. They are found in all oceans, although they usually inhabit tropical and subtropical waters; swordfish are found in temperate waters, as well. Billfish use their long spears or sword-like upper beaks to slash at and stun prey during feeding. Their bills can also be used to spear prey, and have been known to spear boats (probably accidentally), but they are not normally used in that way. They are highly valued as gamefish by sports fishermen.

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## Families

* Istiophoridae
* Xiphiidae
Spirurida

**Spirurida** is an order of spirurian nematodes. Like all nematodes, they have neither a circulatory nor a respiratory system.

Some Spirurida, like the genus *Gongylonema*, can cause disease in humans. One such disease is a skin infection with Spirurida larvae, called "creeping disease".

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Ixodes hexagonus

***Ixodes hexagonus*** is a tick species in the genus *Ixodes*. It is a parasite of the European hedgehog.

It occurs throughout the United Kingdom, sparsely in the North West, increasing in density to the South East. Although it does not usually occur on rodents or birds, and is "described as a nest-dwelling hedgehog specialist. It is also found on foxes, mustelids (including badgers), dogs and cats."

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Peruvian Giant Yellow-leg Centipede

***Scolopendra gigantea***, also known as the **Peruvian giant yellow-leg centipede** or **Amazonian giant centipede**, is one of the largest centipedes of the genus *Scolopendra* with a length up to 30 centimetres (12 in). This species is found in various places in South America and the Caribbean, where it preys on a great variety, including other sizable arthropods, amphibians, mammals and reptiles.

## Description

It is naturally found in northern South America. Countries from which verified museum specimens have been collected include Aruba, Curaçao, Colombia, Venezuela(including Margarita Island) and Trinidad. Records from Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Honduras are assumed to be accidental introductions or labeling errors.

*Scolopendra gigantea* can be found in tropical or sub-tropical rainforest and tropical dry forest.

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Arabian Fat-tailed Scorpion

The **Arabian fat-tailed scorpion** (*Androctonus crassicauda*) is a species of dangerous scorpion usually found in North Africa and the Middle East.

## Description

*A. crassicauda* is a generalist desert species, an Old World scorpion. Adults can vary in colour from a light brown to reddish to blackish-brown, to black. They can grow to over 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length.

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Colubridae

The **Colubridae** (from Latin *coluber*, snake) are a family of snakes. With 304 genera and 1,938 species, they are the largest snake family, and include about two-thirds of all known living snake species. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid species are found on every continent except Antarctica.

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## Genus and Species

* Boiga
	+ B. irregularis (Brown Tree Snake)
* Dispholidus
	+ D. typus (Boomslang)
* Rhabdophis
	+ R. tigrinus (Tiger Keelback)
* Thelotornis
	+ T. capensis (Savanna Vine Snake)
	+ T. kirtlandii (Forest Vine Snake)
	+ T. mossambicanus (Eastern Vine Snake)
Texas Horned Lizard

The **Texas horned lizard** (*Phrynosoma cornutum*) is one of about 14 North American species of spikey-bodied reptiles called horned lizards. *P. cornutum* ranges from Colorado and Kansas to northern Mexico (in the Sonoran desert), and from southeastern Arizona to Texas. Also, isolated, introduced populations are found in the Carolinas, Georgia, and northern Florida. Texas horned lizards may also be native to Louisiana and Arkansas.

## Description

The Texas horned lizard is the largest-bodied and most widely distributed of the roughly 14 species of horned lizards in the western United States and Mexico. The average Texas horned lizard is 69 mm (2.7 in) in snout-vent length, but the upper boundary for males is 94 mm (3.7 in) and for females it is 114 mm (4.5 in).
Maned Wolf

The **maned wolf** (*Chrysocyon brachyurus*) is the largest canid of South America. Its markings resemble those of foxes, but it is not a fox, nor is it a wolf, as it is not closely related to other canids. It is the only species in the genus ***Chrysocyon*** (meaning "*golden dog*").

This mammal is found in open and semi-open habitats, especially grasslands with scattered bushes and trees, in south, central-west, and southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, northern Argentina, Bolivia east and north of the Andes, and far southeastern Peru (Pampas del Heath only). It is very rare in Uruguay, possibly being displaced completely through loss of habitat. IUCN lists it as near threatened, while it is considered a vulnerable species by the Brazilian government (IBAMA).

It is known locally as *aguará guazú* (meaning "large fox" in the Guarani language), or "kalak" by the Toba, *lobo de crin*, *lobo de los esteros*, or *lobo colorado*, and as *lobo-guará* in Brazil. It also is called *borochi* in Bolivia.

## Description

The maned wolf bears minor similarities to the red fox, although it belongs to a different genus. The average adult weighs 23 kg (51 lb) and stands 90 cm (35 in) tall at the shoulder, has a head-body length of 100 cm (39 in) with the tail adding another 45 cm (18 in). Its ears are large and long (7 inches).

The maned wolf is the tallest of the wild canids; its long legs are likely an adaptation to the tall grasslands of its native habitat. Fur of the maned wolf may be reddish brown to golden orange on the sides with long, black legs, and a distinctive black mane. The coat is marked further with a whitish tuft at the tip of the tail and a white "bib" beneath the throat. The mane is erectile, and typically, is used to enlarge the wolf's profile when threatened or when displaying aggression. Melanistic maned wolves do exist, but are rare. The first photograph of a black adult maned wolf was taken by a camera trap in northern Minas Gerais in Brazil in 2013.

The maned wolf also is known for the distinctive odor of its territory markings, which has earned it the nickname "skunk wolf."

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Laridae

**Laridae** is a family of seabirds in the order Charadriiformes that includes the gulls, terns and skimmers. It includes around 100 species arranged into 22 genera. They are an adaptable group of mostly aerial birds found worldwide.

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## Genus and Species

* Larus
	+ L. smithsonianus (American Herring Gull)
Seabird Tick

***Ixodes uriae***, also known as the **seabird tick**, is a species of parasitic tick known to infect marine birds. It is native to many high latitude areas in the northern and southern hemispheres including Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Greenland, England, Scotland, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula, Russia, Patagonia, South Africa and Australia.

## Description

A study examined the life cycle of the tick in colonies of king penguin and macaroni penguin. It was found that on the king penguin, the cycle took three years and the period for engorgement was limited to 3.5–4.5 months each year even though penguins occupied the site throughout the year. The ticks nearly all overwintered in the unengorged state. In contrast, the cycle took two years in the macaroni penguin in consequence of the rather different timetable of occupation of the colony for breeding and moulting in this species.

A study in an Adelie penguin colony found that the tick had alternate periods of feeding and off-host aggregation under rocks. The engorged ticks found an aggregation site with the help of a pheromone released by other ticks. Guanine, the major excretory product of ticks, encouraged assembly. Non-fed stages responded positively to guano and uric acid, excretory products of the penguins, suggesting that these act as a kairomone to help them locate their host. After feeding, the immature ticks’ response to both the assembly and kairomones ceased for a few days until after they had moulted.

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Pulicidae

The **Pulicidae** are a flea family in the order Siphonaptera. Currently, this family has 181 species in 27 genera. Of these, 16 are known from North America.

Like all 2,500 Siphonoptera, the Pulicidae are ectoparasites. These fleas are wingless, laterally flattened, and great jumpers. They must be able to jump quickly and at great relative heights in order to latch onto their host for feeding and for rapid escape from their host. They make incredible jumps using the protein, resilin. It charges the energy in their body, allowing more forceful and frequent jumps than would be possible relying on only their muscles. This also means that they can to jump frequently without exhausting their muscles. They mainly feed on mammal blood, and many Siphonoptera families, including Pulicidae, transmit disease.

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## Genus and Species

* Ctenocephalides
	+ C. felis (Cat Flea)
Phantasmal Poison Frog

The **phantasmal poison frog** or **phantasmal poison-arrow frog** (*Epipedobates tricolor*) is a species of poison dart frog. It is endemic to Ecuador and known from the Andean slopes of the central Ecuador in Bolívar Province. They have radiant colors. This species is endangered, and there are only a few locations in the wild where they are known to live.

## Description

The phantasmal poison frog has a snout-to-vent length of about 22.6 mm (0.9 in). It has a wide head and truncated snout and the skin is smooth. The first finger is longer than the second, and all the digits are partially webbed. The dorsal surface is usually green or yellow and there are longitudinal stripes.

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Habu-kurage

***Chironex yamaguchii***, commonly known as **habu-kurage** in Japanese, is a species of box jellyfish found in coastal waters around Japan, on Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands, and in the Philippines. It is highly venomous.

## Description

The medusa is box-shaped and has a maximum height of about 110 millimetres (4.3 in) which is only about one half to one third the size of *Chironex fleckeri*. On average, however, the animals are much smaller, being more typically 60 millimetres (2.4 in) in height. The maximum inter-radial diameter is 95 millimetres (3.7 in). The outer surface of the bell is smooth in adults, however the bells of juvenile jellyfish are warty. There are four short stalks known as pedalia which carry up to nine tentacles, but on average each bears only seven tentacles (compared with up to fifteen tentacles in *Chironex fleckeri*). The nematocyst threads are lavender.

The manubrium is cross-shaped with lancet-shaped lips. It measures only about three quarters of the bell height. Each of the four rhopalia has six eyes, two with lenses, and two each of slot and pit pigment eyes. The statolith is oval and is located at the base of each rhopalium. There are eight different types of stinging cells.

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Dwarf Honey Bee

The **dwarf honey bee** (or **red dwarf honey bee**), ***Apis florea***, is one of two species of small, wild honey bees of southern and southeastern Asia. It has a much wider distribution than its sister species, *Apis andreniformis*. First identified in the late 18th century, *Apis florea* is unique for its morphology, foraging behavior and defensive mechanisms like making a piping noise. *Apis florea* have open nests and small colonies, which makes them more susceptible to predation than cavity nesters with large numbers of defensive workers. These honey bees are important pollinators and therefore commodified in countries like Cambodia.

## Description

*A. florea* is called the dwarf honey bee due to its small size compared to other honeybees. A worker is typically 7–10 mm in body length and its overall coloration is red-brown. A colony builds a single, exposed comb usually on tree branches or shrubs. *A. florea* produce honey that is harvested and eaten in Thailand and Cambodia. They are excellent pollinators, which gives them an important ecological role in the places they inhabit. Drones carry a thumb-like bifurcation called the basitarsus, which is located two-thirds along the length of the tibia. The fimbriate lobe of *A. florea* has three protrusions and they sting using two stylet barbs.

*Apis florea* and its sister species together comprise the subgenus *Micrapis*, and are the most primitive of the living species of *Apis*, reflected in their small colony size, and simple nest construction. The exposed single combs are built on branches of shrubs and small trees. The forager bees do not perform a gravity-oriented waggle dance on the vertical face of the comb to recruit nestmates as in the domesticated *Apis mellifera* and other species. Instead, they perform the dance on the horizontal upper surface where the comb wraps around the supporting branch. The dance is a straight run pointing directly to the source of pollen or nectar the forager has been visiting. The distinctiveness of the two species *A. florea* and *A. andreniformis* was established unequivocally in the 1990s. *A. florea* is redder and old workers always have a red first abdomen (younger workers are paler in colour, as is the case in giant honey bees); *A. andreniformis* is generally darker and the first abdomen segment is completely black in old bees.

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Great Barracuda

The **great barracuda** (*Sphyraena barracuda*) also known as the **giant barracuda**, is a common species of barracuda found in subtropical oceans around the world. It is a type of ray-finned fish.

## Description

Great barracudas are large fish. Mature specimens are usually around 60–100 cm (24–39 in) in length and weigh 2.5–9.0 kg (5.5–19.8 lb). Exceptionally large specimens can exceed 1.5 m (4.9 ft) and weigh over 23 kg (51 lb). The record-sized specimen caught on rod-and-reel weighed 46.72 kg (103.0 lb) and measured 1.7 m (5.6 ft), while an even bigger specimen measured 2 m (6.6 ft) .

Great barracuda's coloration is blue-gray above, fading to silvery and chalky-white below. Sometimes, a row of darker cross-bars occurs on its upper side, with black blotches on each lower side. The second dorsal fin and the anal and caudal fins range from dark violet to black with white tips.

In general, barracudas are elongated fish with powerful jaws. The lower jaw of the large mouth juts out beyond the upper. Barracudas possess strong, fang-like teeth that are unequal in size and set in sockets in the jaws and on the roof of the mouth. The head is quite large and is pointed and pike-like in appearance. The gill covers do not have spines and are covered with small scales. The two dorsal fins are widely separated, with the first having five spines and the second having one spine and 9 soft rays. The second dorsal fin equals the anal fin in size and is situated more or less above it. The lateral line is prominent and extends straight from head to tail. The spinous dorsal fin is situated above the pelvis. The hind end of the caudal fin is forked or concave, and it is set at the end of a stout peduncle. The pectoral fins are placed low down on the sides. The barracuda has a large swim bladder.

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Lined Surgeonfish

***Acanthurus lineatus***, the **lined surgeonfish**, is a member of the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes. Other common names include **blue banded surgeonfish**, **blue-lined surgeonfish**, **clown surgeonfish**, **pyjama tang**, **striped surgeonfish**, and **zebra surgeonfish**.

## Description

This species reaches about 38 centimeters in length. Much of the body has black-edged blue and yellow stripes, and the top of the head is striped with yellow. The belly is grayish. The pectoral fins have darkened rays and the pelvic fins are yellow-brown with black margins. Individuals from around the Philippines vary in coloration. The sharp, forward-pointing spines on the caudal peduncle are venomous.

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Scolopendra viridicornis

***Scolopendra viridicornis*** is a species of centipede in the family Scolopendridae which can be found within the Amazon Rainforest, the type locality being in Brazil. Due to the geographic distribution of this species it is known as the Amazonian giant centipede. This species is presumably a large aggressive predatory species like all other known Scolopendra species.

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Indian Honey Bee

**This article is about a Subspecies of the genus Apis.**

***Apis cerana indica***, the **Indian honey bee**, is a subspecies of Asiatic honey bee. It is one of the predominant bees found and domesticated in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Burma, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand and mainland Asia. Relatively non-aggressive and rarely exhibiting swarming behavior, it is ideal for beekeeping.

It is similar to the European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*), which tends to be slightly larger and can be readily distinguished.

They usually build multiple combed nest in tree hollows and man-made structures. These bees can adapt to living in purpose-made hives and cavities. Their nesting habit means that they can potentially colonize temperate or mountain areas with prolonged winters or cold temperatures.

It is one of the important pollinators for coconut palms; the other species are *Apis florea*, *Apis dorsata* and *Apis mellifera* (the European bee).

Fine examples of Apis Cerana Indica can be found at The Benedictine Monastery at Kappadu in Kerala.

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Master Blister Beetle

***Lytta magister*** (also known as the **desert blister beetle** or **master blister beetle**) is a species of blister beetle found in southwestern North America.

## Description

Typically 16 to 33 mm (0.6 to 1.3 in) in length, *L. magister* has a striking red head, legs and prothorax, with black elytra. They can be found in great numbers in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts in spring, and are often seen in swarms. Females lay eggs in holes in the desert soil. The larvae are insectivorous, mainly attacking beenests. They consume the immature host along with its provisions, and can often survive on the provisions alone, thus they are not obligatory parasitoids but rather food parasites that are facultatively parasitoid, or simply predatory. Adults feed on flowers and leaves of brittlebush.

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Taeniidae

The **Taeniidae** /tɪˈnaɪ.ɪdiː/ are a family of tapeworms. It is the largest family representing the order Cyclophyllidea. It includes many species of medical and veterinary importance, as *Taenia solium* (pork tapeworm), *Taenia saginata* (beef tapeworm), and *Echinococcus granulosus*. The Taeniidae are parasites of mammals and many are infectious to humans.

Taeniidae parasites are distinguished by their terrestrial lifecycles, which include a dormant stage called a metacestode. These develop in the intermediate host's tissue when eggs are consumed. The eggs hatch into an oncosphere, which passes through the intestinal wall and forms the metacestode. An example is either cysticercoid, cysticercus, or a hydatid cyst. The definitive host is infected when the metacestode is consumed.

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## Genus and Species

* Taenia
	+ T. solium (Pork Tapeworm)
Southern Black Widow Spider

***Latrodectus mactans***, known as **southern black widow** or simply **black widow**, and the **shoe-button spider**, is a venomous species of spider in the genus *Latrodectus*. The females are well known for their distinctive black and red coloring and for the fact that they will occasionally eat their mate after reproduction. The species is native to North America. The venom is seldom fatal to healthy humans.

## Description

The body length (excluding legs) of the mature female is 8–13 mm (0.31–0.51 in), 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) for males. Legs are long in proportion to body. Females are shiny and black in color, with a red marking in the shape of an hourglass on the ventral (under) side of her very rounded abdomen. There is much variation in female size, particularly in egg-carrying (gravid) females. The abdomen of a gravid female can be more than 1.25 cm (0.5 in) in diameter. Many female widows also have an orange or red patch just above the spinnerets on the top of the abdomen. Juveniles have a distinctly different appearance from the adults; the abdomen is grayish to black with white stripes running across it and is spotted with yellow and orange. Males are either purple, or closer to the appearance of the juveniles in color.

The web of the black widow spider is a three-dimensional tangled cobweb of exceptionally strong silk.

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