Anas Zoology

What are Sponges ? Simple, mostly marine animals, adult sponges live permanently attached to rocks, corals, and shipwrecks. A few species live in freshwater. Sponges belong to phylum Porifera. The Porifera vary in size and shape, from thin sheets to huge barrels, but all have the same basic structure: different types of specialist cells, but no organs. A system of water canal branches through the sponge, and water is drawn into them through tiny pores in the sponges surface. Special chambers or cells lining the water canals trap and engulf bacteria from plankton for food, and waste water exits through large openings called oscula.  Many sponges are classically "spongy", others are rock hard, soft, or even slimy depending on the supporting skeleton, which is made of tiny spicules of silica or calcium carbonate. Spicules vary in shape and number between species and can be used in identification. Calcareous Sponges: Lemon sponge is a calcareous sponge. The skeleton of Calcarea i...

  Life restoration of Melanorosaurus Melanorosaurus: A genus of dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period. It is a herbivore dinosaur from South Africa. It had a large body and sturdy limbs. Walked on all four limbs. Melanorosaurus was around 8 meters(26 ft) long.  It was named in 1924 by Sidney Henry Haughton.  References:  Image (Life restoration of  Melanorosaurus :    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Melanorosaurus_readi_steveoc.jpg

(Image Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peafowl ) First let us understand the terms peacock, peahen and peafowl. Peacock and Peahen are collectively known as peafowl. This means peafowl can be used to address either a male or a female.  Peacock is the male peafowl. Peahen is the female peafowl. There are 3 types of Peafowls in the world and they are: Indian Peafowl Green Peafowl  Congo Peafowl (Image Source:  https://www.animalspot.net/peafowl ) 1) Indian Peafowl: It is a peafowl species native to the Indian Subcontinent. Sexual dimorphism is seen. Peacocks are brightly colored while peahens have a dull color. Peacocks are iridescent bluish-green in color while peahens are dull brownish-green in color. The most remarkable difference between the two is the tail feathers. Peacocks have long tail feathers while tail feathers of peahens are short.  Indian Peacock (Image Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_peafowl#/media/File:Peacock,_East_Park,_...

  Common Sandpiper ( Actitis hypoleucos ) Distribution: The common sandpiper breeds across most of temperate and subtropical Europe and Asia, and migrated to Africa, Southern Asia and Australia in winter. Identification: It has greyish-brown upperparts, white underparts, short dark yellowish legs and feet and a bill with a pale base and a dark tip. The adult is 18-25 cm long with a 32-35 cm wingspan.  Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC) Related Posts: White-Eared Bulbul:  https://anaszoology.blogspot.com/2022/08/white-eared-bulbul-blogpost-3.html Scarlet Skimmer:  https://anaszoology.blogspot.com/2022/08/scarlet-skimmer-blogpost-2.html

White-Eared Bulbul ( Pycnonotus leucotis ) The White-Eared Bulbul is a member of Pycnonotidae family. Distribution: It is found in south-western Asia from India to the Arabian Peninsula. Identification: It has a brownish-grey body. The tail is relatively long, starting off black and ending in white tips. The head is black, but the area around its cheeks is white. The vent is bright yellow. Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC) White-Eared Bulbul Realted Posts: Scarlet Skimmer:  https://anaszoology.blogspot.com/2022/08/scarlet-skimmer-blogpost-2.html

  Scarlet Skimmer ( Crocothemis servilia ) ( Female ) Clicked at Elephanta Caves. Scarlet Skimmer also known as Ruddy Marsh Skimmer is a species of dragonfly which belongs to the family Libellulidae. Distribution: It is native to east and southeast Asia. Identification: It is a medium sized blood-red dragonfly with a thin black line along the mid-dorsal abdomen. Its eyes are blood-red above and purple laterally. Abdomen with a narrow black mid-dorsal carina. Female have oblivaceous-brown thorax and abdomen. The black mid-dorsal carina is broad in female. It breeds in ponds, ditches, marshes and open swamps. Scarlet Skimmer Clicked at Elephanta Caves Previous post of Wildlife Series: Tricolour Pied Flat:  https://anaszoology.blogspot.com/2022/08/trocolour-pied-flat.html

Tricolour Pied Flat ( Coladenia indrani ) Clicked at Nagla Block, Mumbai. The Tricolour Pied Flat is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae.  Distribution: Found in Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar. Identification: The upperside of the butterfly is bright golden-yellow forewing with a discal series of four semi-transparent white black-bordered spots, the first small and above the extremity of the cell, the second large quadrate and within the cell, the third elongate and beneath the latter, the fourth exterior to their juncture Underside blackish-brown suffused with golden-yellow, brightest on the hindwing: markings as above but more clearly defined. Importance of Butterflies: Butterflies act as pollinators. When they feed on nectar of the flowers their bodies collect the pollens from these flowers. These pollens are then carried to other plants which helps to produce new seeds. Majority of the plants in nature needs pollinators like butterflies to reproduce. Butterflies helps t...