recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Nephropidae (Lobsters)

**Lobsters** comprise a family (**Nephropidae**, sometimes also **Homaridae**) of large marine crustaceans.

Lobsters have long bodies with muscular tails, and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, which are usually much larger than the others. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate. Commercially important species include two species of *Homarus* (which looks more like the stereotypical lobster) from the northern Atlantic Ocean, and scampi (which looks more like a shrimp, or a "mini lobster") – the Northern Hemisphere genus *Nephrops* and the Southern Hemisphere genus *Metanephrops*. Although several other groups of crustaceans have the word "lobster" in their names, the unqualified term "lobster" generally refers to the clawed lobsters of the family Nephropidae. Clawed lobsters are not closely related to spiny lobsters or slipper lobsters, which have no claws (chelae), or to squat lobsters. The closest living relatives of clawed lobsters are the reef lobsters and the three families of freshwater crayfish.

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## Genus and Species

* Homarus
	+ H. americanus (American Lobster)
Oak Processionary

The **oak processionary** *(Thaumetopoea processionea)* is a moth whose caterpillars can be found in oak forests. They may pose a human irritant because of their poisonous setae (hairs), which may cause skin irritation and asthma.

## Description

The wingspan of adult stage moths is between 25 and 35 millimetres (0.98 and 1.38 in). Their pattern of tan, brown and white make the adults difficult to see against oak bark. Adults fly during July and August. The larvae construct communal nests of white silk from which they crawl at night in single file, head to tail in large processions to feed on foliage in the crowns of trees, returning in the same manner.

Oak is its preferred food source, but the moth also eats the leaves of hazel, hornbeam, sweet chestnut, birch and beech.

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Kissing Bug

***Triatoma infestans***, commonly called **winchuka** *(vinchuca)* in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, **barbeiro** in Brazil and also known as "**kissing bug**" or "**barber bug**" in English, is a blood-sucking bug (like all the members of its subfamily Triatominae) and the most important vector of *Trypanosoma cruzi* which can lead to Chagas disease. It is widespread in the Southern Cone countries of South America; that is, in Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Ecuador, Brazil and Peru. In all these countries *T. infestans* is almost an exclusively domestic species, except in Bolivia where sylvatic forms have been recorded in rock piles in association with wild guinea pigs. This region has joined the control intervention called *Southern Cone Initiative* managed by the PAHO.

During the *Beagle* survey voyage, Charles Darwin noted in his journal for 26 March 1835 having "experienced an attack, & it deserves no less a name, of the *Benchuca*, the great black bug of the Pampas. It is most disgusting to feel soft wingless insects, about an inch long, crawling over ones body; before sucking they are quite thin, but afterwards round & bloated with blood, & in this state they are easily squashed." Richard Keynes describes this *Benchuca* as being *Triatoma infestans*.

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Ixodida (Ticks)

**Ticks** are small arachnids, part of the order Parasitiformes. Along with mites, they constitute the subclass Acari. Ticks are ectoparasites (external parasites), living by feeding on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians. Ticks had evolved by the Cretaceous period, the most common form of fossilisation being immersed in amber. Ticks are widely distributed around the world, especially in warm, humid climates.

Almost all ticks belong to one of two major families, the Ixodidae or hard ticks, which are difficult to crush, and the Argasidae or soft ticks. Adults have ovoid or pear-shaped bodies which become engorged with blood when they feed, and eight legs. As well as having a hard shield on their dorsal surfaces, hard ticks have a beak-like structure at the front containing the mouthparts whereas soft ticks have their mouthparts on the underside of the body. Both families locate a potential host by odour or from changes in the environment.

Ticks have four stages to their lifecycle, namely egg, larva, nymph, and adult. Ixodid ticks have three hosts, taking at least a year to complete their lifecycle. Argasid ticks have up to seven nymphal stages (instars), each one requiring a blood meal. Because of their habit of ingesting blood, ticks are vectors of at least twelve diseases that affect humans and other animals.

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Theraphosidae (Tarantulas)

**Tarantulas** comprise a group of large and often hairy arachnids belonging to the **Theraphosidae** family of spiders, of which about 900 species have been identified. This article only describes members of the Theraphosidae, although some other members of the same infraorder (Mygalomorphae) are commonly referred to as "tarantulas". Some species have become popular in the exotic pet trade. New World species kept as pets have urticating hairs that can cause irritation to the skin and, in extreme cases, damage to eyes.

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## Genus and Species

* Cyriopagopus (**12 species**)
	+ Cyriopagopus albostriatus (Thai Zebra Spider)
	+ Cyriopagopus doriae
	+ Cyriopagopus dromeus
	+ Cyriopagopus hainanus
	+ Cyriopagopus lividus (Cobalt Blue Tarantula)
	+ Cyriopagopus longipes
	+ Cyriopagopus minax
	+ Cyriopagopus paganus
	+ Cyriopagopus robustus
	+ Cyriopagopus salangense
	+ Cyriopagopus schmidti
	+ Cyriopagopus vonwirthi
Western Honey Bee

The **western honey bee** or **European honey bee** (*Apis mellifera*) is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bee worldwide. The genus name *Apis* is Latinfor "bee", and *mellifera* is the Latin for "honey-bearing", referring to the species' production of honey for the winter.

Like all honey bees, the western honey bee is eusocial, creating colonies with a single fertile female (or "queen"), many sterile females or "workers," and small proportion of fertile males or "drones." Individual colonies can house tens of thousands of bees. Colony activities are organized by complex communication between individuals, through both pheromones and the dance language.

The western honey bee was one of the first domesticated insects, and it is the primary species maintained by beekeepers to this day for both its honey production and pollination activities. With human assistance, the western honey bee now occupies every continent except Antarctica. Because of its wide cultivation, this species is the single most important pollinator for agriculture globally. Honey bees are threatened by pests and diseases, especially the varroa mite and colony collapse disorder.

Western honey bees are an important model organism in scientific studies, particularly in the fields of social evolution, learning, and memory; they are also used in studies of pesticide toxicity, to assess non-target impacts of commercial pesticides.

## Description

The western honey bee can be found on every continent except Antarctica. The species is believed to have originated in Africa or Asia, from where it spread throughout Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Humans are responsible for its considerable additional range, introducing European subspecies into North America (early 1600s), South America, Australia, New Zealand, and East Asia.

Western honey bees adapted to the local environments as they spread geographically. These adaptations include synchronizing colony cycles to the timing of local flower resources, forming a winter cluster in colder climates, migratory swarming in Africa, and enhanced foraging behavior in desert areas. All together, these variations resulted in 28 recognized subspecies, all of which are cross-fertile. The subspecies are divided into four major branches, based on work by Ruttner and confirmed by mitochondrial DNA analysis. African subspecies belong to branch A, northwestern European subspecies branch M, southwestern European subspecies branch C and Middle-Eastern subspecies branch O.

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Tropical Carpenter Bee

***Xylocopa latipes***, the **tropical carpenter bee**, is a species of carpenter bee widely dispersed throughout Southeast Asia. As its name suggests, this bee inhabits forests in warm tropical climates and constructs nests by burrowing into wood. It often makes long deep tunnels in wooden rafters, fallen trees, telephone poles and the like, but is not found in living trees.

It was first scientifically described by the English entomologist, Dru Drury in 1773, and is a member of the group of solitary bees (Family Apidae).

The tropical carpenter bee is a very large, robust, solitary bee. It is shiny, fully black in colour with fuscous metallic blue-green or purple wings in sunlight. The tropical carpenter bee is probably the largest *Xylocopa* known and among the largest bees of the world (though it is not the world's largest, that title belongs to another Southeast Asian bee, the Indonesian *Megachile pluto*). It has a loud and distinctive, low-pitched buzzing that can be heard as it flies between flowers or perches. In Urban areas, these bees can become attached to certain perches, returning to them day after day, even after several generations.

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Western Bumblebee

***Bombus occidentalis***, the **western bumblebee**, is one of around 30 bumblebee species present in the western United States and western Canada. A recent review of all of its close relatives worldwide appears to have confirmed its status as a separate species.

## Description

Western bumblebee workers have three main color variations. The first color variation is found from northern California, north to British Columbia, and east to southwest Saskatchewan and Montana. *B. occidentalis* in these areas have yellow hair on front part of thorax. They are also marked by black hair segments on the basal section of the fourth abdominal segments have black hair and whitish lower edge of the fourth and fifth abdominal segments. In addition, they also have sparse whitish hairs that may appear black on the sixth abdominal segment, and an entirely black head.

The second color variation is found along the central coast in California. It has yellow hair on the sides of the second abdominal segment and all of the third abdominal segment and a reddish-brown hair on fifth abdominal segment.

The third color variation is found from the Rocky Mountains to Alaska. It has yellow hair on the thorax behind the wings and on the rear of the second and all of the third abdominal segments.

All insects have three main body parts; the head, thorax, and abdomen. Bumblebee species identification tends to refer to colorations on the abdominal segments. The abdominal segments are numbered from T1 to T6 (T7 if male) starting from the abdominal segment closest to the thorax and then working ventrally.

A few ways are used to determine the sex of the western bumblebee. The males (drones) have seven abdominal segments, while the females (queens and workers) have only six. The drones' antennae have 13 segments, while the females have only 12. Drones have no stingers. Additionally, the hind legs of the females tend to be wider and fatter with a pollen basket often visible. Drones have thinner hind legs that do not have pollen baskets. Another clue to sexual identity among *B. occidentalis* species is when they are being observed. Queens are the first to appear in the spring and then the workers appear after. All females can then be seen throughout the summer and into early fall. The drones only appear in the late summer and early fall.

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Triatoma brasiliensis

***Triatoma brasiliensis*** Neiva, 1911 is now considered the most important Chagas disease vector in the semiarid areas of northeastern Brazil. *T. brasiliensis* occurs in 12 Brazilian states, including Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, and Paraíba. *T. brasiliensis* is native to this part of Brazil, and thus persists in the natural environment. This species of Kissing Bug has the greatest potential to spread Chaga's disease due to its distribution over large areas where numerous people reside. *Triatoma* species are commonly called Kissing Bugs because they bite around the mouth where skin is thinner. *T. brasiliensis* also has the greatest potential to colonize new areas and spread throughout northeastern parts of Brazil. This makes control problematic.

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Trombicula alfreddugesi

***Trombicula alfreddugesi***, also called *Eutrombicula alfreddugesi*, is a species in the genus *Trombicula*. (*Eutrombicula* is a subgenus of mites in *Trombicula* of the family Trombiculidae.)

It is the common chigger species of the United States, also sometimes called the harvest mite. Chiggers are the parasitic larval stages of these free-living mites. It is rarely seen in the dry Western states because the species prefers humid climates. They are commonly found in undergrowth and grassy brush areas; the larvae host on animals (e.g. reptiles, birds, and wild and domestic mammals), causing welts that can turn into dermatitis.

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Twin-lobed Deerfly

The adult **twin-lobed deerfly**, ***Chrysops relictus***, is a largish European fly of about 8–10.5 millimetres (0.31–0.41 in) length, The larvae feed upon organic matter in damp soils, and are termed hydrobionts in that they inhabit areas of high water content.

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Triatoma nigromaculata

***Triatoma nigromaculata*** is a sylvatic species of insect usually found in hollow trees, in vertebrate nests on trees and occasionally in human dwellings. It usually lives in relatively humid forests at high altitudes on mountain regions and foot hills (300 to 1700 m above sea level). As all members of the subfamily Triatominae, *T. nigromaculata* is a blood-sucking bug and a potential vector of Chagas disease. This species is distributed mainly in Venezuela (Aragua, Barinas, Bolívar, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Distrito Capital, Lara, Mérida, Monagas,Portuguesa, Sucre and Yaracuy), but some specimens have also been found in Perú and Colombia (Cauca).

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Western Bloodsucking Conenose

***Triatoma protracta*** is a species of bugs in the family Reduviidae. It is known commonly as the **western bloodsucking conenose**. It is distributed in the western United States and Mexico.

This species and other "kissing bugs" are vectors of *Trypanosoma cruzi*, the protozoan that causes Chagas disease.

This species is between 0.5 and 0.75 inches long. It is dark brown to black in color with a lighter margin along the abdomen. The wings lie flat across the back. The "beak" has three segments and curls beneath the head. The nymph is similar in appearance but it is smaller and lacks wings.

This insect and others of its genus live in the nests of animals such as pack rats (genus *Neotoma*). They become pests when they invade houses. They bite humans, producing irritation to the skin and sometimes severe allergic reactions.

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White-tailed Bumblebee

***Bombus lucorum***, the **white-tailed bumblebee**, is a species of bumblebee, widespread and common throughout Europe. This name has been widely used for a range of nearly identical-looking or cryptic species of bumblebees. In 1983, Scholl and Obrecht even coined the term *Bombus lucorum* complex to explain the three taxa (*B. lucorum, Bombus magnus*, and *Bombus cryptarum*) that cannot be easily differentiated from one another by their appearances. A recent review of all of these species worldwide has helped to clarify its distribution in Europe and northern Asia, almost to the Pacific. *B. lucorum* reaches the Barents Sea in the North. However, in southern Europe, it is an upland species with its distribution never quite reaching the Mediterranean.

Compared to other bumblebee species, the individuals of *B. lucorum* have shorter tongues, and this characteristic enable them to rob nectar. The worker bee uses the horny sheath around its tongue to make a hole through the flower, reaching the nectar without entering the flower. Therefore, the worker bee does not come in contact with the pollen while getting the nectar.

## Description

*Bombus lucorum* is a large bumblebee, with the queen having a length of 18–22 mm (0.71–0.87 in), a wingspan of around 36 mm (1.4 in), and a weight of 0.46-0.70 g. The workers are smaller than the queens, with a length of 12–18 mm and weight of 0.04-0.32 g. The males are 16-18mm in size and differ more in their appearance from the queens with their yellow noses and larger amounts of yellow hairs. The species has a short proboscis. The predominant color is black, with a pale yellow collar, a yellow band on the second tergite (abdominal segment), and a white tail. Both darker and paler forms exist. The males vary in color more than the females. The darker males are mostly found in northernmost Fennoscandia, southwestern Norway, and on the island of Gotland in the Baltic.

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White Widow Spider

***Latrodectus pallidus*** is a species of spider commonly found throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia. A common name in English is the **white widow spider**, and it is known in Russian as **белый каракурт**, or **white steppe spider**. It is a member of the genus *Latrodectus*, which includes species known as widow spiders, which is placed in the Theridiidae family. It occurs both in the steppes of southern Russia, Kazakhstan, and other southwest Asian countries, as well as in the desert regions of the Middle East. Compared to other widow spiders in the region, the white widow spider is comparatively rare.

## Description

Unlike most species of widow spider, which are dark in colouration; the white widow spider is light-coloured, with colouration ranging from beige to white, though with darker legs. The spider lacks the bright red markings found on other widow spiders such as the black widow, the redback spider, or *L. tredecimguttatus*. Other than colouration, the white widow is similar in appearance to other spiders of the genus.

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Yellow Fever Mosquito

***Aedes aegypti***, the **yellow fever mosquito**, is a mosquito that can spread dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika fever, Mayaro and yellow fever viruses, and other disease agents. The mosquito can be recognized by white markings on its legs and a marking in the form of a lyre on the upper surface of its thorax. This mosquito originated in Africa, but is now found in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world.

## Description

The yellow fever mosquito's distribution has increased in the past two to three decades worldwide, and it is considered to be among the most widespread mosquito species. Signs of Zika virus-capable mosquito populations have been found adapting for persistence in warm temperate climates. Such a population has been identified to exist in parts of Washington, DC, and genetic evidence suggests they survived at least the last four winters in the region. One of the study researchers noted, " ...some mosquito species are finding ways to survive in normally restrictive environments by taking advantage of underground refugia".

New research has attempted to estimate the basic reproduction number, or R0 value, for Zika virus in several locations. Research looking at the Yap Island epidemic estimated an R0 of 4.3–5.8. R0 value estimates for the Colombia epidemic ranged from 3.0–6.6. Values for both locations were seen to be similar to those found for dengue and Chikungunya virus. Determining these values could help determine transmissibility, as well as how large an area would need to be vaccinated if/when a vaccine is developed, to acquire herd immunity.

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Thaumetopoeidae

**Thaumetopoeidae** is a small family of moths in the order Lepidoptera. The genera in this family have been historically treated as a subfamily within Notodontidae(Thaumetopoeinae), and this subfamily has been raised to the family status.

The etymology of the family name derives from the two ancient ancient greek words θαυματόεις (*thaumatóeis*), *marvelous*, and ποιέω (*poiéō*), *to do*, and literally means *showing beautiful things*. This explains why the name is sometimes spelled Thaumatopoeidae, incorrectly from the taxonomic standpoint, but in accordance with etymology.

The larval stage of some Thaumetopoeidae are known as **processionary caterpillars**, so named because they move in columns in search of food, resembling a procession. Some of the species, like the pine and oak processionaries, can constitute a health hazard.

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## Genus and Species

* Thaumetopoea
	+ T. processionea (Oak Processionary)
Triatoma dimidiata

***Triatoma dimidiata*** is a blood-sucking insect whose range extends from northern South America (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru), throughout all the countries of Central America and into Southern Mexico. It is among the most important carriers of *Trypanosoma cruzi*, the flagellate protozoa that causes Chagas disease. *Dimidiata* has been found in rock piles, caves occupied by bats, hollow trees occupied by mammals or birds, and other diverse ecotopes. However, their presence in human abodes is usually happenstance; people tend to bring them indoors with their firewood. When in the nymph form they may camouflage themselves from predators by scraping dust over their dorsal abdomen, a behavior also observed in *T. phyllosoma*, *T. nigromaculata*, *Panstrongylus geniculatus*, *P. megistus* and *P. herreri* nymphs.

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Tiger Keelback

***Common names:** tiger keelback., yamakagashi (Japan), Floral snake (Korea)*
***Rhabdophis tigrinus*** is a venomous colubrid snake found in East and Southeast Asia. Many sources, though not ITIS, recognize one subspecies, *Rhabdophis tigrinus formosanus* of Taiwan.

## Description

The dorsal color pattern is olive-drab green with black and bright orange crossbars or spots from the neck down the first third of the body. The belly is whitish. The average length is usually 60–100 cm (24-39 inches).

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Nudibranchia (Nudibranchs)

**Nudibranchs** (/ˈnjuːdɪbræŋk/) are a group of soft-bodied, marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given colourful nicknames to match, such as "Clown", "Marigold", "Splendid", "Dancer" and "Dragon". Currently, about 2,300 valid species of nudibranchs are known.

The word "nudibranch" comes from the Latin *nudus*, naked, and the Greek βραγχια, *brankhia*, gills.

Nudibranchs are often casually called sea slugs, as they are a family of opistobranchs (sea slugs), with the phylum Mollusca (molluscs), but many sea slugs belong to several taxonomic groups which are not closely related to nudibranchs. A number of these other sea slugs, such as the photosynthetic Sacoglossa and the colourful Aglajidae, are often confused with nudibranchs.

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Torpedinidae (Torpedoes)

The family **Torpedinidae** contains 22 species of **electric rays** or **torpedoes**, flat cartilaginous fishes that produce electricity as a defense and feeding mechanism. They are slow-moving bottom-dwellers.

The largest species is the Atlantic torpedo, *Tetronarce nobiliana*, which can grow to a weight of 90 kg (200 lb) and deliver a 220-volt electric shock. Electric rays have patches of modified muscle cells called electroplaques that make up an electric organ. These generate an electric gradient, similar to the normal electric potential across most cell membranes, but amplified greatly by its concentration into a very small area. The electricity can be stored in the tissues, which act as a battery. The shock can be discharged in pulses. A ray can emit a shock into the body of a prey animal to stun it and make it easier to capture and eat, or into the body of a predator. Tissue from electric rays is often used in neurobiological research because of its unique properties.

Torpedo rays are flat like other rays, disc-shaped, with caudal fins that vary in length. Their mouths and gill slits are located on their undersides. Males have claspersnear the base of the tail. Females are ovoviviparous, meaning they form eggs but do not lay them. The young emerge from the eggs within the body of the female, and she gives live birth. The young are called *pups*.

The naval weapon known as the torpedo was named after this genus, whose own name has the same Latin origin as the English word *torpid,* meaning "sluggish" or "lethargic," presumably the sensations one would feel after experiencing the ray's electric shock.

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## Genus and Species

* Tetronarce
	+ T. nobiliana (Atlantic Torpedo)
Triatoma indictiva

***Triatoma indictiva*** is an arthropod in the assassin bug family of Reduviidae, and is an important vector of *Trypanosoma cruzi*. *T. cruzi* is the protozoan that causes Chagas Disease, which affects approximately eight million people a year in the western hemisphere alone. *Triatoma indictiva* is found in Mexico and throughout the southern United States, including Arizona and Texas.

## Description

*Triatoma indictiva* is between 20 and 30 millimetres (0.79 and 1.18 in) long when fully developed and can be identified taxonomically by their pear shape, tapered beak, observing the length of the scape and the red vestiges on its side. *T. inductiva* are paurometabolous and undergo 3 life stages including: egg, nymph and adult. The head and thorax of *T. inductiva* are black except for the red markings of its side and the slightly lighter colored third section of the leg. *T. indictiva* has a narrow head and tri-segmented antennae, with black forewings that cover the abdomen.

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Линия 3

Линия3 — третья линия метрополитена Элизабет Сити. Обозначается желтым цветом и числом .

Станции G, H и I изначально должны были стать частью Линии 10, но для упрощения и удешевления строительства, новая линия была отменена, а часть запланированных станций передали Линии 3.

## Перспективы

Дальнейшее развитие линии не предусмотрено.
Vespidae

The **Vespidae** are a large (nearly 5000 species), diverse, cosmopolitan family of wasps, including nearly all the known eusocial wasps (such as *Polistes fuscatus*, *Vespa orientalis*, and *Vespula germanica*) and many solitary wasps. Each social wasp colony includes a queen and a number of female workers with varying degrees of sterility relative to the queen. In temperate social species, colonies usually only last one year, dying at the onset of winter. New queens and males (drones) are produced towards the end of the summer, and after mating, the queens hibernate over winter in cracks or other sheltered locations. The nests of most species are constructed out of mud, but polistines and vespines use plant fibers, chewed to form a sort of paper (also true of some stenogastrines). Many species are pollen vectors contributing to the pollination of several plants, being potential or even effective pollinators, while others are notable predators of pest insect species.

The subfamilies Polistinae and Vespinae are composed solely of eusocial species, while the Eumeninae, Euparagiinae, and Masarinae are all solitary; the Stenogastrinae subfamily contains a variety of forms from solitary to social.

In the Polistinae and Vespinae, rather than consuming prey directly, prey are masticated and fed to the larvae, which in return, produce a clear liquid (with high amino acid content) for the adults to consume; the exact amino acid composition varies considerably among species, but it is considered to contribute substantially to adult nutrition.

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## Genus and Species

* Dolichovespula
	+ D. maculata (Bald-faced Hornet)
* Vespa
	+ V. mandarinia (Asian Giant Hornet)
* Vespula
	+ V. vulgaris (Common Wasp)
Tree Anemone

***Actinodendron arboreum***, common name the **tree anemone** and **hell's fire anemone**, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actinodendronidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific where it grows at depths of down to 28 metres (92 ft). Most sea anemone species are harmless to humans, but *A. arboreum* is highly venomous and its sting can cause severe skin ulcers (as also suggested by its alternative name, hell's fire anemone).

## Description

The oral disc of *Actinodendron arboreum* has stripes that radiate from the mouth, and can reach a diameter of 10 to 20 centimetres. The column is elongated when expanded; it has a fairly small pedal disc and is thicker at the distal (upper) end. The tentacles are colourless, around 10 to 20 centimetres long and ramify fractally, being subdivided into branches and branchlets which makes the whole head of tentacles resemble a broccoli. The tentacles grow in whorls as the animal enlarges; the first whorl is six tentacles followed by further whorls of six, twelve and twenty-four tentacles. The first and third whorls of tentacles are endocoelic (set between the mesenteries in the column interior) and the second and fourth are attached marginally. The sea anemone is well-armed with cnidocytes which are of varying lengths, the ones in the central region of the tentacles being least variable.

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Swordfish

**Swordfish** (*Xiphias gladius*), also known as **broadbills** in some countries, are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood. These fish are found widely in tropical and temperate parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and can typically be found from near the surface to a depth of 550 m (1,800 ft). They commonly reach 3 m (9.8 ft) in length, and the maximum reported is 4.55 m (14.9 ft) in length and 650 kg (1,430 lb) in weight.

They are the sole member of their family, **Xiphiidae**.

## Description

They commonly reach 3 m (9.8 ft) in length, and the maximum reported is 4.55 m (14.9 ft) in length and 650 kg (1,430 lb) in weight. The International Game Fish Association's all-tackle angling record for a swordfish was a 536 kg (1,182 lb) specimen taken off Chile in 1953. Females are larger than males, and Pacific swordfish reach a greater size than northwest Atlantic and Mediterranean swordfish. They reach maturity at 4–5 years of age and the maximum age is believed to be at least 9 years. The oldest swordfish found in a recent study were a 16-year-old female and 12-year-old male. Swordfish ages are derived, with difficulty, from annual rings on fin rays rather than otoliths, since their otoliths are small in size.

Swordfish are ectothermic animals; however, along with some species of sharks, they have special organs next to their eyes to heat their eyes and brains. Temperatures of 10 to 15 °C (18 to 27 °F) above the surrounding water temperature have been measured. The heating of the eyes greatly improves their vision, and consequently improves their ability to catch prey. Of the 25,000+ fish species, only 22 are known to have a mechanism to conserve heat. These include the swordfish, marlin, tuna, and some sharks.

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Woodland Pool Mosquito

***Aedes canadensis***, the **woodland pool mosquito**, is an aggressive, day biting mosquito that can be a vector of a number of diseases which is found mainly in eastern North America.

## Description

Aedes canadensis often occurs with congeneric species and to be sure of identification of either adults or larvae a, Identification key and microsocope are required. In general the adults of this species havee dark, the females often reddish, bodies which have contrasting white banded tarsi with the bands at each end of the segments.

Female Aedes canadensis gain blood meals from a wide range of large and small animals, birds and reptiles. It is particularly associated with turtles and clouds of this species are frequently observed surrounding turtles crossing roads to lay their eggs during May. Animals fed on by the femmales includes large and small mammals, birds reptiles and amphibians, there is a record of the females feeding on a leopard frog.

The larvae of A. canadensis grow in temporary or semipermanent woodland pools which contain fallen leaves and which tend to be shaded, they are less frequently found in pools in small stream beds or in standing water next to wooded areas. They can also bee found in swamps and marshes with emergent vegetation such as reeds and cattails, muskeg pools and peat bogs, and in some areas have been found in open prairie pools with little shade. They overwinter as eggs, in late winter and spring large numbers of larvae hatch. The females are seldom troublesome to humans in eastern North America, even when recelntly emerged females are extremely abundant, however, in the western part of its range they readily and persistently bite people, especially in areas of shade and throughout most of the day. The presence of larvae in the breeding pools after the Spring suggests that these mosquitoes are either laying non diapausing eggs or that the hatching of the eggs is staggered. The males have been recorded swarming in the early evening and have been recorded as obtaining nectar on orchids.

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Varanidae

**Varanidae** is a family of lizards in the superfamily Varanoidea. The family, a group of carnivorous and frugivorous lizards, includes the extinct *Megalania* (the largest known lizard), the Komodo dragon (the largest living lizard), and the crocodile monitor. Varanidae also contains the living genus *Varanus* and a number of extinct taxa. Their closest living relatives are the anguid and helodermatid lizards.

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## Genus and Species

* Varanus
	+ V. Komodoensis (Komodo Dragon)
	+ V. niloticus (Nile Monitor)
Lamnidae

The **Lamnidae** are the family of **mackerel** or **white sharks.** They are large, fast-swimming sharks, found in oceans worldwide. The name of the family is formed from the Greek word, *lamna*, which means fish of prey, and was derived from the Greek legendary creature, the Lamia.

These sharks have pointed snouts, spindle-shaped bodies, and large gill openings. The first dorsal fin is large, high, stiff, and angular or somewhat rounded. The second dorsal and anal fins are minute. The caudal peduncle has a couple of less distinct keels. The teeth are gigantic. The fifth gill opening is in front of the pectoral fin and spiracles are sometimes absent. They are heavily built sharks, sometimes weighing nearly twice as much as sharks of comparable length from other families. Many sharks in the family are among the fastest-swimming fish, although the massive great white shark is slower due to its great size.

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## Genus and Species

* Carcharodon
	+ C. carcharias (Great White Shark)
* Isurus
	+ I. oxyrinchus (Shortfin Mako Shark)
Xiphiidae (Swordfish)

**Swordfish** (*Xiphias gladius*), also known as **broadbills** in some countries, are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood. These fish are found widely in tropical and temperate parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and can typically be found from near the surface to a depth of 550 m (1,800 ft). They commonly reach 3 m (9.8 ft) in length, and the maximum reported is 4.55 m (14.9 ft) in length and 650 kg (1,430 lb) in weight.

They are the sole member of their family, **Xiphiidae**.

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## Genus and Species

* Xiphias
	+ X. gladius (Swordfish)
Triatoma juazeirensis

***Triatoma juazeirensis*** is an assassin bug, a newly described Chagas disease vector which occurs in the State of Bahia, Brazil. It is found in natural and artificial environments infesting mainly the peridomiciliary areas but it may also colonize the intradomicile. *T. juazeirensis* can be distinguished from the other members of the brasiliensis complex by its entire dark pronotum and legs.

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White-spotted Puffer

The **white-spotted puffer** (*Arothron hispidus*) is a medium to large-sized puffer fish, it can reach 50 cm length.[3] It is light grey in color, or greyish or yellowish, and clearly covered with more or less regular white points, that become concentric contrasting white and dark grey lines that radiate around the eyes and pectoral fins. The ventral part is white. The "shoulder" (around the pectoral fins) is dark. It also has concentric contrasting white and dark grey lines that radiate around the eyes and pectoral fins.

## Description

Its distribution extends through the Indo-Pacific area, Red Sea included, to the eastern Pacific Ocean. It can be found at depths of three to 35 metres. Its habitat types include reefs, lagoons, estuaries, and tidepools. Its diet includes calcareous or coralline algae, molluscs, tunicates, sponges, corals, zoanthids, crabs, polychaetes, starfish, urchins, krill, and silversides.

The adult is nocturnal and solitary. It is territorial, becoming somewhat aggressive.

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Ursidae (Bears)

**Bears** are carnivoran mammals of the family **Ursidae**. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere and partially in the Southern Hemisphere. Bears are found on the continents of North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Common characteristics of modern bears include large bodies with stocky legs, long snouts, small rounded ears, shaggy hair, plantigrade paws with five nonretractile claws, and short tails.

While the polar bear is mostly carnivorous, and the giant panda feeds almost entirely on bamboo, the remaining six species are omnivorous with varied diets. With the exception of courting individuals and mothers with their young, bears are typically solitary animals. They may be diurnal or nocturnal and have an excellent sense of smell. Despite their heavy build and awkward gait, they are adept runners, climbers, and swimmers. Bears use shelters, such as caves and logs, as their dens; most species occupy their dens during the winter for a long period of hibernation, up to 100 days.

Bears have been hunted since prehistoric times for their meat and fur; they have been used for bear-baiting and other forms of entertainment, such as being made to dance. With their powerful physical presence, they play a prominent role in the arts, mythology, and other cultural aspects of various human societies. In modern times, bears have come under pressure through encroachment on their habitats and illegal trade in bear parts, including the Asian bile bear market. The IUCN lists six bear species as vulnerable or endangered, and even least concern species, such as the brown bear, are at risk of extirpation in certain countries. The poaching and international trade of these most threatened populations are prohibited, but still ongoing.

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## Genus and Species

* Melursus
	+ M. ursinus (Sloth Bear)
* Ursus
	+ U. americanus (American Black Bear)
	+ U. arctos (Brown Bear)
	+ U. maritimus (Polar Bear)
	+ U. thibetanus (Asian Black Bear)
Thelyphonidae

**Thelyphonidae** is a family of arachnids.

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## Genus and Species

* Mastigoproctus (**14 species**)
	+ Mastigoproctus abeli
	+ Mastigoproctus ayalai
	+ Mastigoproctus baracoensis
	+ Mastigoproctus brasilianus
	+ Mastigoproctus butleri
	+ Mastigoproctus colombianus
	+ Mastigoproctus formidabilis
	+ Mastigoproctus giganteus (Giant Whip Scorpion)
	+ Mastigoproctus maximus
	+ Mastigoproctus minensis
	+ Mastigoproctus pelegrini
	+ Mastigoproctus perditus
	+ Mastigoproctus proscorpio
	+ Mastigoproctus transoceanicus
Tiger Leech

***Haemadipsa picta*** (common names: **tiger leech**, or less commonly, **stinging land leech**) is a large (up to 33 mm long) terrestrial leech found in Borneo, Indochina, and Taiwan. It was described by John Percy Moore based on specimens collected from Sarawak, Borneo. It preys primarily on medium- to large-sized mammals, including humans.

## Description

*Haemadipsa picta* measure 13–33 mm (0.51–1.30 in) in length. The anterior sucker diameter is 1.3–2.5 mm (0.051–0.098 in) and the posterior one 2.5–3.7 mm (0.098–0.146 in). It is easily recognized by its longitudinally striped reddish brown dorsum: there is a broad, bluish-gray, yellow-greenish, or multicolored median-paramedian field that contains three to five black or dark brown broken stripes inside. There is also a white or pale yellowish longitudinal marginal stripe with dark-spotted borders. The venter is uniformly yellowish brown.

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Thelyphonida

**Thelyphonida** is an arachnid order comprising invertebrates commonly known as **whip scorpions** or **vinegaroons** (also spelled **vinegarroons** and **vinegarones**). They are often called **uropygids** in the scientific community based on an alternative name for the order, **Uropygi** (which may then also include the order Schizomida). The name "whip scorpion" refers to their resemblance to true scorpions and possession of a whiplike tail. "Vinegaroon" is based on their ability when attacked to discharge an offensive liquid which contains acetic acid, producing a vinegar-like smell.

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Trematoda (Flukes)

**Trematoda** is a class within the phylum Platyhelminthes. It includes two groups of parasitic flatworms, known as **flukes**.

They are internal parasites of molluscs and vertebrates. Most trematodes have a complex life cycle with at least two hosts. The primary host, where the flukes sexually reproduce, is a vertebrate. The intermediate host, in which asexual reproduction occurs, is usually a snail.

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Wedge-tailed Eagle

The **wedge-tailed eagle** or **bunjil** (*Aquila audax*) is the largest bird of prey in Australia, and is also found in southern New Guinea, part of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. It has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs, and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail.

The wedge-tailed eagle is one of 12 species of large, predominantly dark-coloured booted eagle in the genus *Aquila* found worldwide. A large brown bird of prey, it has a wingspan up to 2.84 m (9 ft 4 in) and a length up to 1.06 m (3 ft 6 in).

## Description

The female wedge-tailed eagle weighs between 3 and 5.77 kg (6.6 and 12.7 lb), while the smaller males weigh 2 to 4 kg (4.4 to 8.8 lb). Length varies between 81 and 106 cm (32 and 42 in) and the wingspan typically is between 182 and 232 cm (6 ft 0 in and 7 ft 7 in). In 1930, the average weight and wingspans of 43 birds was 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) and 204.3 cm (6 ft 8 in). The same average figures for a survey of 126 eagles in 1932 were 3.63 kg (8.0 lb) and 226 cm (7 ft 5 in), respectively. The largest wingspan ever verified for an eagle was for this species. A female killed in Tasmania in 1931 had a wingspan of 284 cm (9 ft 4 in), another female measured barely smaller at 279 cm (9 ft 2 in). Similar claims, however, have been made for the Steller's sea eagle, which has also been said to reach or exceed 2.74 m (9 ft) in wingspan. Reported claims of eagles spanning 312 cm (10 ft 3 in) and 340 cm (11 ft 2 in) were deemed to be unreliable. This eagle's great length and wingspan place it among the largest eagles in the world, but its wings, at more than 65 cm (26 in), and tail, at 45 cm (18 in), are both unusually elongated for its body weight, and eight or nine other eagle species regularly outweigh it.

Young eagles are a mid-brown colour with slightly lighter and reddish-brown wings and head. As they grow older, their colour becomes darker, reaching a dark blackish-brown shade after about 10 years (birds in Tasmania are usually darker than those on the mainland). Adult females tend to be slightly paler than males. Although it rarely needs to be distinguished from other *Aquila* eagles, its long, wedge-shaped tail is unique to this species.

Its range and habitat sometimes overlap with the white-bellied sea eagle, which is similar in size and shape, and also has a somewhat wedge-shaped tail, although rather smaller and less distinctive. In silhouette and poor light, the two can look somewhat similar. Closer examination reveals the belly colour or tail size to distinguish the two.

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Oestridae (Botflies)

The **botflies**, also known as **warble flies**, **heel flies** and **gadflies**, are a family of flies technically known as **Oestridae**. Their larvae are internal parasites of mammals, some species growing in the host's flesh and others within the gut. The human botfly, *Dermatobia hominis*, is the only species of botfly known to parasitize humans routinely, though other species of flies do cause myiasis in humans.

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## Genus and Species

* Gasterophilus (**6 species**)
	+ Gasterophilus haemorrhoidalis (Nose Botfly)
	+ Gasterophilus inermis
	+ Gasterophilus intestinalis (Horse Botfly)
	+ Gasterophilus nasalis
	+ Gasterophilus nigricornis
	+ Gasterophilus pecorum
Yellow-lipped Sea Krait

The **yellow-lipped sea krait** (*Laticauda colubrina*), also known as the **banded sea krait**, **colubrine sea krait**, is a species of venomous sea snake found in tropical Indo-Pacific oceanic waters. The snake has distinctive black stripes and a yellow snout, with a paddle-like tail for use in swimming.

It spends much of its time underwater in order to hunt, but returns to land to digest, rest, and reproduce. It has very potent neurotoxic venom which it uses to prey on eels and small fish. Because of their affinity to land, banded sea kraits often encounter humans, but the snakes are not aggressive and only attack in self-defense.

## Description

The head of a banded sea krait is black, with lateral nostrils and an undivided rostral scale. The upper lip and snout are characteristically colored yellow, and the yellow color extends backward on each side of the head above the eye to the temporal scales.

The body of the snake is subcylindrical, and is taller than it is wide. It has an upper surface that is typically a shade of blueish gray, while the belly is yellowish, with wide ventral scales that stretch from a third to more than half of the width of the body. Black rings of about uniform width are present throughout the length of the snake, but the rings narrow or are interrupted at the belly. The midbody is covered with 21 to 25 longitudinal rows of imbricate (overlapping) dorsal scales. The tail of the snake is paddle-shaped and adapted to swimming.

On average, the total length of a male is 875 mm (34.4 in) long, with a 130 mm (5.1 in) long tail. Females are significantly larger, with an average total length of 1,420 mm (56 in) and a tail length of 145 mm (5.7 in).

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