recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
American Crocodile

The **American crocodile** (*Crocodylus acutus*) is a species of crocodilian found in the Neotropics. It is the most widespread of the four extant species of crocodiles from the Americas. Populations occur from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico to South America as far as Peru and Venezuela. It also lives on many of the Caribbean islands such as Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola and Grand Cayman.

## Description

Within the United States, the American crocodile's distribution is limited to the southern tip of Florida, though at least two have been found as far north as the Tampa Bay area. The current US population, estimated at 2,000, represents a significant recovery from a few hundred in the 1970s.

The habitat of the American crocodile consists largely of coastal areas. It is also found in river systems, but has a tendency to prefer, not merely to tolerate, some level of salinity, resulting in the species congregating in brackish lakes, mangrove swamps, lagoons, cays, and small islands. Other crocodiles also have tolerance to salt water due to salt glands underneath the tongue, but the American crocodile is the only species other than the saltwater crocodile (*C. porosus*) to commonly live and thrive in salt water. They can be found on beaches and small island formations without any freshwater source, such as some of the many cays and islets across the Bahamas and the Caribbean. They are also found in hypersaline lakes; one of the largest known populations inhabits the Lago Enriquillo.

The American is one of the larger crocodile species. Males can reach lengths of 6.1 m (20 ft), weighing up to 907 kg (2,000 lb). On average, mature males are more in the range of 4.1 m (13 ft) to 4.8 m (16 ft) in length weighing about 400 kg (880 lb). As with other crocodile species, females are smaller; rarely exceeding 3.8 m (12 ft) in length.

This species has a more V-shaped snout, compared to other large crocodiles, which usually have a slightly wider snout. Adults have a uniform grayish-green coloration with white or yellow undersides, while juveniles have dark cross-banding on the tail and back. Despite their large size, American crocodiles do not regularly attack large animals, as most large crocodilians do. Fish, reptiles, birds and small mammals make up the majority of their diet. On occasion, large mammals such as deer and cattleare taken. Their dietary habits in coastal regions are not well studied. Like any other large crocodilian, the American crocodile is potentially dangerous to humans, though it tends not to be as aggressive as some other species.

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Aedes luteocephalus

***Aedes luteocephalus*** is an African species that is a demonstrated or suspected vector of several important arboviral diseases of humans. First described in 1907 as *Stegomyia luteocephala*, the species is currently classified in the genus *Aedes*, subgenus *Stegomyia*.

## Description

The immature stages of *Aedes luteocephalus* develop preferentially in tree holes and rot holes, with bamboo stems and artificial containers also being utilized for egg-laying and larval and pupal development.

The species' distribution includes Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

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American Cockroach

The **American cockroach** (*Periplaneta americana*), also colloquially known as the **waterbug**, but not a true waterbug since it is not aquatic, or misidentified as the **palmetto bug** (see Florida woods cockroach for the differences), is the largest species of common cockroach, and often considered a pest. It is also known as the **ship cockroach**, **kakerlac**, and **Bombay canary**.

## Description

Of all common cockroach species, the American cockroach has the largest body size; molts 6–14 times before metamorphosis; and has the longest lifecycle, up to approximately 700 days.

It has an average length of around 4 cm (1.6 in) and about 7 mm (0.28 in) tall. They are reddish brown and have a yellowish margin on the pronotum, the body region behind the head. Immature cockroaches resemble adults except they are wingless.

The cockroach is divided in three sections; the body is flattened and broadly oval, with a shield-like pronotum covering its head. A pronotum is a plate-like structure that covers all or part of the dorsal surface of the thorax of certain insects. They also have chewing mouth parts, long, segmented antennae, and leathery fore wings with delicate hind wings. The third section of the cockroach is the abdomen.

The insect can travel quickly, often darting out of sight when someone enters a room, and can fit into small cracks and under doors despite its fairly large size. It is considered one of the fastest running insects.[11]

In an experiment, a *P. americana* registered a record speed of 5.4 km/h (3.4 mph), about 50 body lengths per second, which would be comparable to a human running at 330 km/h (210 mph).

It has a pair of large compound eyes, each having over 2000 individual lenses, and is a very active night insect that shuns light.

American cockroach nymphs are capable of limb regeneration.

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Androctonus australis

***Androctonus australis*** is a hardy desert scorpion from North Africa, Somalia, the Middle East, Pakistan and India. *A. australis*, along with *A. amoreuxi* and *Pandinus imperator*, is the most commonly available scorpions found in the exotic animal trade.

## Description

*Androctonus australis* is a medium-sized scorpion which can grow up to 10 centimeters in length. It has a very thick and powerful tail, and stripes on the sides of its dome for better vision while attacking another animal or for the use of self-defense.

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Dasyuridae (Dasyurids)

The **Dasyuridae** are a family of marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, including 75 living species divided into 21 genera. Many are small and mouse-like, giving them the misnomer **marsupial mice**, but the group also includes the cat-sized quolls, as well as the Tasmanian devil. They are found in a wide range of habitats, including grassland, forests, and mountains, and some species are arboreal or semiaquatic.

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## Genus and Species

* Sarcophilus
	+ S. harrisii (Tasmanian Devil)
Accipitriformes

The **Accipitriformes** are an order that includes most of the diurnal birds of prey: hawks, eagles, vultures, and many others, about 225 species in all. For a long time, the majority view has been to include them with the falcons in the Falconiformes, but many authorities have recognized a separate Accipitriformes. As of 2008, a recent DNA study indicated that falcons are not closely related to the Accipitriformes, being instead more closely related to parrots and passerines.

Since then, the split and the placement of the falcons next to the parrots in taxonomic order has been adopted by the American Ornithological Society's South American Classification Committee (SACC), its North American Classification Committee (NACC), and the International Ornithological Congress (IOC). The British Ornithologists' Union already recognized the Accipitriformes, and has adopted the move of Falconiformes. The DNA-based proposal and the NACC and IOC classifications include the New World vultures in the Accipitriformes, while the SACC classifies the New World vultures as a separate order, the Cathartiformes. The latter view has been adopted here.

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## Families

* Accipitridae
* Cathartidae
Bearded Vulture

The **bearded vulture** (*Gypaetus barbatus*), also known as the **lammergeier** or **ossifrage**, is a bird of prey and the only member of the genus *Gypaetus*. Traditionally considered an Old World vulture, it actually forms a minor lineage of Accipitridae together with the Egyptian vulture (*Neophron percnopterus*), its closest living relative. It is not much more closely related to the Old World vultures proper than to, for example, hawks, and differs from the former by its feathered neck. Although dissimilar, the Egyptian and bearded vulture each have a lozenge-shaped tail — unusual among birds of prey. In July 2014, the IUCN Red List has reassessed this species to be near threatened. Before July 2014, it was actually classed as Least Concern. Their population trend is decreasing.

The bearded vulture is the only known animal whose diet is almost exclusively bone (70-90%). It lives and breeds on crags in high mountains in southern Europe, the Caucasus, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Tibet, laying one or two eggs in mid-winter that hatch at the beginning of spring. Populations are resident.

## Description

This bird is 94–125 cm (37–49 in) long with a wingspan of 2.31–2.83 m (7.6–9.3 ft). It weighs 4.5–7.8 kg (9.9–17.2 lb), with the nominate race averaging 6.21 kg (13.7 lb) and *G. b. meridionalis* of Africa averaging 5.7 kg (13 lb). In Eurasia, vultures found around the Himalayas tend to be slightly larger than those from other mountain ranges. Females are slightly larger than males. It is essentially unmistakable with other vultures or indeed other birds in flight due to its long, narrow wings, with the wing chord measuring 71.5–91 cm (28.1–35.8 in), and long, wedge-shaped tail, which measures 42.7–52 cm (16.8–20.5 in) in length. The tarsus is relatively small for the bird's size, at 8.8–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in). The proportions of the species have been compared to a falcon, scaled to an enormous size.

Unlike most vultures, the bearded vulture does not have a bald head. This species is relatively small headed, although its neck is powerful and thick. It has a generally elongated, slender shape, sometimes appearing bulkier due to the often hunched back of these birds. The gait on the ground is waddling and the feet are large and powerful. The adult is mostly dark gray, rusty and whitish in color. It is grey-blue to grey-black above. The creamy-coloured forehead contrasts against a black band across the eyes and lores and bristles under the chin, which form a black beard that give the species its English name. Bearded vultures are variably orange or rust of plumage on their head, breast and leg feathers but this is actually cosmetic. This colouration may come from dust-bathing, rubbing mud on its body or from drinking in mineral-rich waters. The tail feathers and wings are gray. The juvenile bird is dark black-brown over most of the body, with a buff-brown breast and takes five years to reach full maturity. The bearded vulture is silent, apart from shrill whistles in their breeding displays and a falcon-like *cheek-acheek* call made around the nest.

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Chromodoris willani

***Chromodoris willani*** is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae. The species is named for the renowned nudibranch taxonomist Dr. Richard C. Willan.

## Description

*Chromodoris willani* is similar in appearance to *Chromodoris lochi*, *Chromodoris boucheti* and *Chromodoris dianae*. This species can be distinguished by the very prominent white specks found on the gills and rhinophores.

Individuals in this species can range in color from dark blue to a translucent white. All have black stripes with the center-most stripe typically being non-continuous.

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Amphibia (Amphibians)

**Amphibians** are ectothermic, tetrapod vertebrates of the class **Amphibia**. Modern amphibians are all Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal or freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Thus amphibians typically start out as larvae living in water, but some species have developed behavioural adaptations to bypass this. The young generally undergo metamorphosis from larva with gills to an adult air-breathing form with lungs. Amphibians use their skin as a secondary respiratory surface and some small terrestrial salamanders and frogs lack lungs and rely entirely on their skin. They are superficially similar to lizards but, along with mammals and birds, reptiles are amniotes and do not require water bodies in which to breed. With their complex reproductive needs and permeable skins, amphibians are often ecological indicators; in recent decades there has been a dramatic decline in amphibian populations for many species around the globe.

The earliest amphibians evolved in the Devonian period from sarcopterygian fish with lungs and bony-limbed fins, features that were helpful in adapting to dry land. They diversified and became dominant during the Carboniferous and Permian periods, but were later displaced by reptiles and other vertebrates. Over time, amphibians shrank in size and decreased in diversity, leaving only the modern subclass Lissamphibia.

The three modern orders of amphibians are Anura (the frogs and toads), Urodela (the salamanders), and Apoda (the caecilians). The number of known amphibian species is approximately 7,000, of which nearly 90% are frogs. The smallest amphibian (and vertebrate) in the world is a frog from New Guinea (*Paedophryne amauensis*) with a length of just 7.7 mm (0.30 in). The largest living amphibian is the 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) Chinese giant salamander (*Andrias davidianus*), but this is dwarfed by the extinct 9 m (30 ft) *Prionosuchus* from the middle Permian of Brazil. The study of amphibians is called batrachology, while the study of both reptiles and amphibians is called herpetology.

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## Orders

* Anura
* Urodela
Aedes cordellieri

***Aedes cordellieri*** is a sub-Saharan African species of mosquito suspected of being a vector of yellow fever. The species name honors Dr. Roger Cordellier, a former medical entomologist with Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-Mer (ORSTOM) in Ivory Coast, in recognition of his contributions to the knowledge of the mosquito fauna of Africa.

## Description

A. cordellieri is found in West Africa (Ivory Coast), East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) and South Africa.

The eggs of the type species were obtained from a female collected while biting a human 20 meters above ground level, in the evening, in a forest area at Dézidougou, M'Bahiakro, Centre Departement, Ivory Coast. In nature, immature stages of A. cordellieri have been collected from tree holes. Aedes cordellieri feeds readily on monkeys and humans through the summer until the onset of winter.

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Chirodropida

**Chirodropida** is an order of box jellyfishes. They can be distinguished from other box jellyfish by the presence of branched muscular bases at the corners of their cubic umbrella, and of small saccules associated with the gastric cavity. They typically have multiple tentacles at each corner.

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Charadriiformes

**Charadriiformes** is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic (seabirds), some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick forest.

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## Families

* Laridae
* Stercorariidae
Gaboon Viper

***Bitis gabonica***, most commonly known as the **Gaboon viper**, is a viper species found in the rainforests and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. Like all vipers, it is venomous. It is the largest member of the genus *Bitis*, and it has the longest fangs – up to 2 inches in length (5 cm) – and the highest venom yield of any snake. Two subspecies are currently recognized, B. g. gabonica and B. g. rhinoceros.

## Description

Adults average 125–155 cm (4 to 5 feet) in total length (body + tail) with a maximum total length of 205 cm (81 in) for a specimen collected in Sierra Leone. The sexes may be distinguished by the length of the teeth in relation to the total length of the body: approximately 12% for males and 6% for females. Adults, especially females, are very heavy and stout.

In their description of *B. gabonica*, Spawls *et al.*. (2004) give an average total length of 80–130 cm (32 to 51.5 in), with a maximum total length of 175 cm (69.3 in), saying the species may possibly grow larger still. They acknowledge reports of specimens over 1.8 m (6 ft), or even over 2 m (6.5 ft) in total length, but claim there is no evidence to support this. A large specimen of exactly 1.8 m (5.9 ft) total length, caught in 1973, was found to have weighed 11.3 kg (25 lb) with an empty stomach.

The head is large and triangular, while the neck is greatly narrowed: almost one-third the width of the head. A pair of "horns" is present between the raised nostrils — tiny in *B. g. gabonica*, but much larger in *B. g. rhinoceros*. The eyes are large and moveable, set well forward, and surrounded by 15–21 circumorbital scales. There are 12–16 interocular scales across the top of the head. Four or five scale rows separate the suboculars and the supralabials. There are 13–18 supralabials and 16–22 sublabials. The fangs may reach a length of 55 millimetres (2.2 in): the longest of any venomous snake.

Midbody, there are 28–46 dorsal scale rows, all of which are strongly keeled except for the outer rows on each side. The lateral scales are slightly oblique. The ventral scales number 124–140: rarely more than 132 in males, rarely less than 132 in females. There are 17–33 paired subcaudal scales: males have no fewer than 25, females no more than 23. The anal scale is single.

The color pattern consists of a series of pale, subrectangular blotches running down the center of the back, interspaced with dark, yellow-edged hourglass markings. The flanks have a series of fawn or brown rhomboidal shapes, with light vertical central bars. The belly is pale with irregular brown or black blotches. The head is white or cream with a fine, dark central line, black spots on the rear corners, and a dark blue-black triangle behind and below each eye. The iris colour is cream, yellow-white, orange or silvery.

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Beaked Sea Snake

***Enhydrina schistosa***, commonly known as the **beaked sea snake**, **hook-nosed sea snake**, **common sea snake**, or the **Valakadyn sea snake**, is a highly venomous species of sea snake common throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. This species is implicated in more than 50% of all bites caused by sea snakes, as well as the majority of envenomings and fatalities.

## Description

The rostral scale is longer than broad, and is in contact with four shields; frontal more long than broad, shorter than the parietals; nasals in contact with the two anterior labials; sometimes partially divided; one pre- and one or two postoculars; temporals l–3; seven or eight upper labials, fourth or third and fourth entering the eye, the last sometimes divided; anterior chin-shields rather indistinct, separated. Scales with a tubercle or keel, in 50–70 rows; ventrals 230–314, slightly enlarged. The snake is usually uniformly dark grey above; sides and lower parts whitish. Young specimens olive or grey with black transverse bands, broadest in the middle. Length of head and body 1110 mm; tail 190 mm.

The name *valakadyn* is from the Malayalam and Tamil word *Vala kadiyan* meaning net biter.

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Anguilliformes (Eels)

An **eel** is any fish belonging to the order **Anguilliformes** (/æŋˌɡwɪlɪˈfɔːrmiːz/), which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and about 800 species. Most eels are predators. The term "eel" (originally referring to the European eel) is also used for some other similarly shaped fish, such as electric eels and spiny eels, but these are not members of the Anguilliformes order.

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Elapidae

The **Elapidae** (Ancient Greek: ἔλλοψ *éllops*, "sea-fish") are a family of venomous snakes found in the tropics and subtropics around the world, with terrestrial forms in Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, and South America as well as marine forms in the Pacific and Indian oceans.

Elapid snakes exhibit a wide range of sizes, from 18-centimetre (7.1 in) species of *Drysdalia* to the 5.6-metre (18 ft) king cobra. All elapids are characterized by hollow, fixed fangs through which they inject venom. Currently, 325 species in 61 genera are recognized; The Old World has 251 species in 58 genera, while the New World has a lesser diversity of 74 species in three genera.

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## Genus and Species

* Acanthophis
	+ A. antarcticus (Common Death Adder)
* Aipysurus
	+ A. laevis (Olive Sea Snake)
* Astrotia
	+ A. stokesii (Stokes' Sea Snake)
* Bungarus
	+ B. caeruleus (Common Krait)
* Dendroaspis
	+ D. polylepis (Black Mamba)
* Enhydrina
	+ E. schistosa (Beaked Sea Snake)
* Hydrophis
	+ H. platura (Yellow-bellied Sea Snake)
* Laticauda
	+ L. colubrina (Yellow-lipped Sea Krait)
* Micrurus
	+ M. fulvius (Eastern Coral Snake)
* Naja
	+ N. ashei (Giant Spitting Cobra)
	+ N. melanoleuca (Forest Cobra)
	+ N. naja (Indian Cobra)
	+ N. philippinensis (Philippine Cobra)
* Ophiophagus
	+ O. hannah (King Cobra)
* Oxyuranus
	+ O. microlepidotus (Inland Taipan)
Dorylus gribodoi

***Dorylus gribodoi*** is a West African species of army ants in the genus *Dorylus*.

## Description

The diagnostic features of the *D. gribodoi* male are its mandible shape (the anterior quarter notably flexed inward) and the nearly flat posterior head margin. In the original description Emery compared *D. gribodoi* with *D. atratus* and stated that *D. atratus* was darker than *D. gribodoi* and that its scape was longer than half the length of the funiculus. Both Smith (1859) in the original description and later Santschi (1914) mentioned that the posterior head margin of the *D. atratus* male was convex. While the colouration of *D. gribodoi* is variable, it is not uniformly black in any of the specimens examined by us and the head shape is nearly rectangular with a flat posterior margin. Workers of *D. gribodoi* are unique (and easily identifiable) among all *Dorylus* species in having a nearly round petiole in dorsal view and a distinct ridge on the posterior head margin that is laterally developed into tiny horns in larger specimens. *D. gribodoi* workers of the same size class can be separated from workers of the *D. kohli* / *D. congolensis* complex also by the posterior margin of the head being angular in lateral view and not smoothly rounded.

Larger *D. emeryi* workers can be separated from *D. gribodoi* workers of the same size class by the following features: posterior angles of head drawn out backwards and ventrally, petiole in dorsal view angled at widest point, petiole has several conspicuous erect setae on dorsal surface (which are lacking in *D. gribodoi*), largest workers have massive heads with width ≤ 3.92 mm. The unique petiole shape of *D. gribodoi* was recognized by Emery in his original description of *D. gerstaeckeri* (Emery 1895) and also by Bernard (1952) who described *D. lamottei* based on workers collected at Mount Nimba in Guinea but failed to realize that these specimens were in fact conspecific with Emery’s *D. gerstaeckeri*. Bernard (1953) also identified males taken from the same location as *D. gribodoi*, but the association between these males and his *D. lamottei* workers necessarily remained unknown to him.

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Ctenidae (Wandering Spiders)

The **wandering spiders** are the members of the spider family **Ctenidae**. Some mistakenly misinterpret the name to only mean the genus *Phoneutria*, which are often called **Brazilian wandering spiders** (despite several species with ranges outside Brazil), but **wandering spiders** better refers to the entire family Ctenidae. Some members of the genus *Phoneutria* are highly aggressive and venomous nocturnal hunters, and are the only wandering spiders known to pose potential danger to humans. However, the venoms of many other members of this family are very poorly known, meaning that all larger ctenids should be treated with caution. Some ctenids have marks and patterns that are attractive. Ctenids have a distinctive longitudinal groove on the top-rear of their oval carapace (some other spiders have a similar groove; e.g., Amaurobiidae).

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## Genus and Species

* Phoneutria (**8 species**)
	+ Phoneutria bahiensis
	+ Phoneutria boliviensis
	+ Phoneutria eickstedtae
	+ Phoneutria fera (Brazilian Wandering Spider)
	+ Phoneutria keyserlingi
	+ Phoneutria nigriventer
	+ Phoneutria pertyi
	+ Phoneutria reidyi
Anthia venator

***Anthia venator*** is a beetle of the Family Carabidae.

## Description

*Anthia venator* can reach a length of 40–47 millimetres (1.6–1.9 in). These beetles are the biggest carabids of North Africa. They spend daylight hours hidden in burrows at the base of the bushes. Usually they hant various insects at sunset.

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Crocodilia (Crocodilians)

**Crocodilia** (or **Crocodylia**) is an order of mostly large, predatory, semiaquatic reptiles, known as **crocodilians**. They first appeared 83.5 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period (Campanian stage) and are the closest living relatives of birds, as the two groups are the only known survivors of the Archosauria. Members of the order's total group, the clade Pseudosuchia, appeared about 250 million years ago in the Early Triassic period, and diversified during the Mesozoic era. The order Crocodilia includes the true crocodiles (family Crocodylidae), the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae), and the gharial and false gharial (family Gavialidae). Although the term 'crocodiles' is sometimes used to refer to all of these, crocodilians is a less ambiguous vernacular term for members of this group.

Large, solidly built, lizard-like reptiles, crocodilians have long flattened snouts, laterally compressed tails, and eyes, ears, and nostrils at the top of the head. They swim well and can move on land in a "high walk" and a "low walk", while smaller species are even capable of galloping. Their skin is thick and covered in non-overlapping scales. They have conical, peg-like teeth and a powerful bite. They have a four-chambered heart and, somewhat like birds, a unidirectional looping system of airflow within the lungs, but like other non-avian reptiles they are ectotherms.

Crocodilians are found mainly in lowlands in the tropics, but alligators also live in the southeastern United States and the Yangtze River in China. They are largely carnivorous, the various species feeding on animals such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs, birds, and mammals; some species like the Indian gharial are specialised feeders, while others like the saltwater crocodile have generalised diets. Crocodilians are typically solitary and territorial, though cooperative feeding does occur. During breeding, dominant males try to monopolise available females. Females lay eggs in holes or in mounds and, unlike most other reptiles, care for their hatched young.

Eight species of crocodilians are known to have attacked humans. The largest number of attacks comes from the Nile crocodile. Humans are the greatest threat to crocodilian populations through activities that include hunting and habitat destruction, but farming of crocodilians has greatly reduced unlawful trading in wild skins. Artistic and literary representations of crocodilians have appeared in human cultures around the world since at least Ancient Egypt. The earliest known mention of the story that crocodiles weep for their victims was in the 9th century; it was later spread by Sir John Mandeville in 1400 and then by William Shakespeare in the late 16th century and early 17th century.

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## Families

* Alligatoridae
* Crocodylidae
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)

The **New World vulture** or **condor** family **Cathartidae** contains seven species in five genera, all but one of which are monotypic. It includes five vultures and two condors found in warm and temperate areas of the Americas. The "New World" vultures were widespread in both the Old World and North America during the Neogene.

Old World vultures and New World vultures do not form a single clade, but the two groups appear similar because of convergent evolution.

Vultures are scavenging birds, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals without apparent ill effects. Bacteria in the food source, pathogenic to other vertebrates, dominate the vulture's gut flora, and vultures benefit from the bacterial breakdown of carrion tissue. New World vultures have a good sense of smell, whereas Old World vultures find carcasses exclusively by sight. A particular characteristic of many vultures is a bald head, devoid of feathers.

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## Genus and Species

* Cathartes
	+ C. aura (Turkey Vulture)
* Coragyps
	+ C. atratus (Black Vulture)
* Vultur
	+ V. gryphus (Andean Condor)
Cyriopagopus hainanus

***Cyriopagopus hainanus*** is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in China. It is one of a number of species from China and Vietnam known as "Chinese bird spider". It produces a venom containing numerous compounds capable of blocking neurotransmitters, including neurotoxic peptides called hainantoxins.

## Description

*Cyriopagopus hainanus* resembles *C. schmidti*, but can be distinguished by its dark black-brown body and the longer "thorns" on the forward-facing (prolateral) side of the maxillae. The carapace (upper surface of the cephalothorax is black-brown, the sternum (under surface of the cephalothorax) is red-brown; and the abdomen is dark brown, with six black stripes running across it and a black stripe down the centre of the upper surface.

The female is about 60 mm long (body plus chelicerae). The first leg is longest, at about 67 mm, the third being the shortest, at about 51 mm. The spermatheca is M-shaped. The male is smaller, about 34 mm long (body plus chelicerae). The fourth leg is the longest, at about 61 mm, the third being the shortest, at about 47 mm. Thus, although the body is significantly smaller than that of the female, the male's legs are of a similar length. The tibiae of the first legs have a spur on the forward-facing side. The palpal bulb is pear-shaped, with a wide, curved embolus.

*C. hainanus* makes underground burrows, lined with silk, and often with silk alarm lines radiating from the mouth. The spider remains in its burrow during the day, emerging only at night to catch prey, mainly large insects.

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Brown Widow

***Latrodectus geometricus***, commonly known as the **brown widow**, **brown button spider**, **grey widow**, **brown black widow**, **house button spider** or **geometric button spider**, is one of the widow spiders in the genus *Latrodectus*. As such, it is a 'cousin' to the more infamous *Latrodectus mactans* (black widow).

## Description

*L. geometricus* is slightly smaller and generally lighter in color than the black widow species; the color can range from tan to dark brown to black, with shades of grey also possible. Like the black widow species in the United States, *L. geometricus* has a prominent hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of the abdomen; the brown widow's hourglass, however, is usually a vivid orange or a yellowish color. Unlike the black widow, *L. geometricus* has a black-and-white geometric pattern on the dorsal side of its abdomen. Although the Latin name comes from this pattern, a spider's coloring can and does darken over time and the pattern may become obscured. Also, they have stripes on their legs. Brown widows are often preyed on by mud daubers and sometimes by digger wasps.

Brown widows can be located by finding their egg sacs, which are easily identifiable. They resemble a sandspur, having pointed projections all over, and they are sometimes described as "tufted", "fluffy", or "spiky" in appearance. Eggs hatch in approximately 20 days. Female brown widows "lay about 120-150 eggs per sac and can make 20 egg sacs over a lifetime."

Similar widows include the *L. rhodesiensis*, a brown-colored relative of *L. geometricus* which is native to Zimbabwe. Both species are collectively known as brown button spiders throughout southern Africa. Brown button spiders are known to have a lifespan of about two years.

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Common Bottlenose Dolphin

The **common bottlenose dolphin** (*Tursiops truncatus*), or **Atlantic bottlenose dolphin**, is the most well-known species from the family Delphinidae.

Common bottlenose dolphins are the most familiar dolphins due to the wide exposure they receive in captivity in marine parks and dolphinaria, and in movies and television programs. The common bottlenose dolphin is the largest species of the beaked dolphins. They inhabit temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world, and are absent only from polar waters. Until recently, all bottlenose dolphins were considered as a single species, but now the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin and Burrunan dolphin have been split from the common bottlenose dolphin. While formerly named simply as the **bottlenose dolphin**, this term is now applied to the genus as a whole. The dolphins inhabit warm and temperate seas worldwide. As considerable genetic variation has been described among members of this species, even between neighboring populations, many experts consider that additional species may be recognized.

## Description

The common bottlenose dolphin is grey in color and may be between 2 and 4 m (6.6 and 13.1 ft) long, and weighs between 150 and 650 kg (330 and 1,430 lb). Males are generally larger and heavier than females. In most parts of the world, the adult's length is between 2.5 and 3.5 m (8.2 and 11.5 ft) with weight ranging between 200 and 500 kg (440 and 1,100 lb). Newborn calves are between 0.8 and 1.4 m (2 ft 7 in and 4 ft 7 in) long and weigh between 15 and 30 kg (33 and 66 lb). They can live as long as 40–50 years. Sexual maturity varies by population, and ranges from 5–14 years of age. Dolphins have a short and well-defined snout that looks like an old-fashioned gin bottle, which is the source for their common name. Like all whales and dolphins, though, the snout is not a functional nose; the nose has instead evolved into the blowhole on the top of their heads. Their necks are more flexible than other dolphins' due to five of their seven vertebrae not being fused together as is seen in other dolphin species.

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Aedes malayensis

***Aedes malayensis*** was first described in 1963 by Australian entomologist Donald Henry Colless as a subspecies of *Aedes scutellaris* from males collected at Pulau Hantu, Keppel Harbor, Singapore. In 1972 the subspecies was elevated to species status by Yiau-Min Huang, although the move was disputed by the original describer on biological as opposed to morphological principles.

## Description

The immature stages of *Aedes malayensis* are found mainly in tree holes, bamboo stumps, coconut shells and artificial containers. The species' distribution includes Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

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Devil Catfish

***Bagarius bagarius***, also known as the **devil catfish**, **dwarf goonch** or **goonch** (Bengali: বাঘাইর), is a species of catfish in the genus *Bagarius*. It is generally reported as being found in large and medium rivers in South and Southeast Asia, but considerable taxonomic confusion surrounds this species and *B. yarrelli*.

## Description

At present the standard is to recognise two species of *Bagarius* from the Indian Subcontinent: First *B. bagarius*, supposedly a small species (up to 20 cm or 7.9 in) first described in 1822 by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton based on a specimen from the Ganges River. The second is *B. yarrelli*, supposedly a very large species (up to 2 m or 6.6 ft) first described in 1839 by William Henry Sykes based on a specimen from the Mula-Mutha River. Recent studies have not been able to document that more than one species exists in the Indian subcontinent, which, if confirmed, would mean that the name *B. bagarius* is a senior synonym of *B. yarrelli*. In contrast, Southeast Asian populations typically included in *B. bagarius* likely represents a separate species.

The larger type has been accused of several fatal attacks on humans in the Mahakali River that is Nepal's western border with India.

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Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)

**Actinopterygii** /ˌæktɪnˌɒptəˈrɪdʒi.aɪ/, or the **ray-finned fishes**, constitute a class or subclass of the bony fishes.

The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or horny spines ("rays"), as opposed to the fleshy, lobed fins that characterize the class Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish). These actinopterygian fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements, the radials, which represent the link or connection between these fins and the internal skeleton (e.g., pelvic and pectoral girdles).

Numerically, actinopterygians are the dominant class of vertebrates, comprising nearly 99% of the over 30,000 species of fish. They are ubiquitous throughout freshwater and marine environments from the deep sea to the highest mountain streams. Extant species can range in size from *Paedocypris*, at 8 mm (0.3 in), to the massive ocean sunfish, at 2,300 kg (5,070 lb), and the long-bodied oarfish, at 11 m (36 ft).

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## Orders

* Anguilliformes
* Beloniformes
* Characiformes
* Gymnotiformes
* Istiophoriformes
* Perciformes
* Scorpaeniformes
* Siluriformes
* Tetraodontiformes
Caribbean Treehole Mosquito

***Aedes mediovittatus***, the "Caribbean treehole mosquito," was first described in 1906 as *Stegomyia mediovittata* by Daniel W. Coquillett.

## Description

*Aedes mediovittatus* is found throughout the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean where it often shares larval habitats with *Aedes aegypti*, the primary vector of the dengue virus, in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

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Cyclophyllidea (Cyclophyllid Cestodes)

Tapeworms of the order **Cyclophyllidea** (the **cyclophyllid cestodes**) are the most important cestode parasites of humans and domesticated animals. All have multiple proglottid "segments", and all have four suckers on their scolices (heads), though some may have other structures, as well. Proglottids of this order have genital openings on one side (except in the Dilepididae, which have genital openings on both sides), and a compact yolk gland or vitellarium posterior to the ovary.

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Pheropsophus africanus

***Pheropsophus africanus*** is a species of ground beetles belonging to the family Carabidae.

## Description

*Pheropsophus africanus* can reach a length of 13–16 millimetres (0.51–0.63 in). These beetles show bright reddish head, pronotum and legs and two yellow/orange spots and a slight yellow/orange band on the edge of dark brown elytra.

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Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fishes)

**Chondrichthyes** (/kɒnˈdrɪkθɪ.iːz/; from Greek χονδρ- *chondr-* 'cartilage', ἰχθύς *ichthys* 'fish') is a class that contains the **cartilaginous fishes**: they are jawed vertebrates with paired fins, paired nares, scales, a heart with its chambers in series, and skeletons made of cartilage rather than bone. The class is divided into two subclasses: Elasmobranchii (sharks, rays, skates, and sawfish) and Holocephali (chimaeras, sometimes called ghost sharks, which are sometimes separated into their own class).

Within the infraphylum Gnathostomata, cartilaginous fishes are distinct from all other jawed vertebrates.

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## Orders

* Carcharhiniformes
* Lamniformes
* Myliobatiformes
* Rhinopristiformes
* Torpediniformes
Anatidae

The **Anatidae** are the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents. These birds are adapted for swimming, floating on the water surface, and in some cases diving in at least shallow water. The family contains around 146 species in 43 genera. (The magpie goose is no longer considered to be part of the Anatidae, but is placed in its own family Anseranatidae.)

They are generally herbivorous, and are monogamous breeders. A number of species undertake annual migrations. A few species have been domesticated for agriculture, and many others are hunted for food and recreation. Five species have become extinct since 1600, and many more are threatened with extinction.

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## Genus and Species

* Branta
	+ B. canadensis (Canada Goose)
* Cygnus
	+ C. olor (Mute Swan)
Boidae (Boas)

The **Boidae** (Common names: **boas**, **boids**, **boioids**) are a family of nonvenomous snakes primarily found in the Americas, although also existing in Africa, Madagascar, Europe, Asia, and some Pacific Islands. Relatively primitive snakes, adults are medium to large in size, with females usually larger than the males. Five subfamilies, comprising 12 genera and 49 species, are currently recognized.

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## Genus and Species

* Boa
	+ B. constrictor (Boa Constrictor)
* Eunectes
	+ E. murinus (Green Anaconda)
Giant Honey Bee

***Apis dorsata***, the **giant honey bee**, is a honey bee of South and Southeast Asia, found mainly in forested areas such as the Terai of Nepal and even in Malaysia, Singapore and India. They are typically around 17–20 mm (0.7–0.8 in) long. Nests are mainly built in exposed places far off the ground, like on tree limbs, under cliff overhangs, and sometimes on buildings. These social bees are known for their aggressive defense strategies and vicious behavior when disturbed. Indigenous peoples have traditionally used this species as a source of honey and beeswax, a practice known as honey hunting.

## Description

*Apis dorsata* belongs to the family Apidae, which is in the class Insecta. This honeybee is most closely related to *Apis mellifera*, (the Western honey bee) *Apis cerana*, and *Apis florea*. *Apis dorsata* belongs to the subgenus *Megapis*. There are a few hypotheses as to when *Apis dorsata* diverged from both *Apis florea* and *Apis cerana,* as it is unclear which divergence occurred first. Currently, the consensus hypothesis provides a family tree that claims that *Apis dorsata* diverged from both *Apis cerana* and *Apis florea* at the same time.

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Carnivora

**Carnivora** (/kɑːrˈnɪvərə/; from Latin *carō* (stem *carn-*) "flesh" and *vorāre* "to devour") is a diverse scrotiferan order that includes over 280 species of placentalmammals. Its members are formally referred to as **carnivorans**, whereas the word "carnivore" (often popularly applied to members of this group) can refer to any meat-eating organism. Carnivorans are the most diverse in size of any mammalian order, ranging from the least weasel (*Mustela nivalis*), at as little as 25 g (0.88 oz) and 11 cm (4.3 in), to the polar bear (*Ursus maritimus*), which can weigh up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), to the southern elephant seal (*Mirounga leonina*), whose adult males weigh up to 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) and measure up to 6.9 m (23 ft) in length.

Carnivorans have teeth and claws adapted for catching and eating other animals. Many hunt in packs and are social animals, giving them an advantage over larger prey. Some carnivorans, such as cats and pinnipeds, depend entirely on meat for their nutrition. Others, such as raccoons and bears, are more omnivorous, depending on the habitat. The giant panda is largely a herbivore, but feeds on fish, eggs and insects. The polar bear subsists mainly on seals.

Carnivorans are split into two suborders: feliforms ("cat-like") and caniforms ("dog-like").

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## Families

* Canidae
* Felidae
* Hyaenidae
* Mephitidae
* Mustelidae
* Odobenidae
* Otariidae
* Phocidae
* Ursidae
Black Caiman

The **black caiman** (*Melanosuchus niger*) is a large crocodilian and, along with the American alligator, is one of the biggest extant members of the family Alligatoridaeand order Crocodilia. It is a carnivorous reptile that lives along slow-moving rivers, lakes, seasonally flooded savannas of the Amazon basin, and in other freshwater habitats of South America. It is a quite large species, growing to sizes of at least 5 m (16 ft) and possibly up to 6 m (20 ft) in length, which make it the second largest reptile in the Neotropical ecozone, next to the critically endangered Orinoco crocodile.

## Description

As their name implies, the black caiman has a dark coloration, as an adult. In some individuals, the dark coloration can appear almost black. However, they have grey to brown banding on the lower jaw. Juveniles have a more vibrant coloration compared to adults with prominent white to pale yellow banding on the flanks that remains present well into adulthood, at least more when compared to other species. The morphology is quite different from other caimans but the bony ridge that occurs in other caimans is present. The head is large and heavy, an advantage in catching larger prey.

The black caiman is the largest predator in the Amazon ecosystem, preying on a variety of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. They are generalists and apex predators, potentially capable of taking any animal within its range, including other predators. Few ecological studies have been carried out on the species but the black caiman has its own ecological niche that enables coexistence without too much competition. As the largest predator in the ecosystem, it may also be a keystone species, playing an important role of maintaining the structure of the ecosystem. Reproduction takes place in the dry season. Females build a nest mound with an egg chamber, protecting the eggs from predators. Hatchlings form groups called pods, guarded by the presence of the female. These pods may contain individuals from other nests. Once common, it was hunted to near extinction primarily for its commercially valuable hide. It is now making a comeback, listed as Conservation Dependent. Overall a little-known species, it was not researched in any detail until the 1980s, when the leather-trade had already taken its toll. It is a dangerous species to humans and attacks have occurred in the past.

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Chinese Red Head

***Scolopendra subspinipes*** is a species of centipede. The native range is uncertain. The certain natural range is Meganesia and Indomalaya. The species is also found on virtually all land areas around and within the Indian Ocean, all of Tropical and Subtropical Asia (including Russia), South and Central America, and the Caribbean. However, how much of this range is natural and how much due to human introduction is unclear.

With such a wide geographic range, the species is known by a great many common names including **Chinese Red Head**, **Giant Centipede**, **Jungle Centipede**, **Orange Legged Centipede**, **Red Headed Centipede** and **Vietnamese Centipede**.

It is among the largest centipedes with a maximum length of 20 cm. This centipede is an active, aggressive predator that preys on any animal it can overwhelm.

## Description

This is a large species which can grow up to 20 cm in length. It has color variations. Its body is usually red or reddish brown with yellow or yellow-orange legs. In common with other members of genus *Scolopendra*, it has 21 body segments with each segment having one pair of legs attached. A pair of modified legs known as forcipules can be found on its head, which is covered by a flat shield and bears a pair of antennae. The forcipules are the major tools used by the centipede to kill its prey or for defense, as they have sharp claws that connect to venom glands. Centipedes breathe through the openings located along sides of their bodies. These openings are either round-shaped or S-shaped. They have simple eyes with poor vision, so they rely much on touch and their chemoreceptors.

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