Hello! Cerioth/Ceri here! :) they/them, nonbinary, trans, ace, demiromantic. This is my tumblr blog for GW2 content (especially charr), dragons, zoology and more!
Welcome one and all to the Elder Dragon Google Drive. Artist? Writer? Just someone who wants to ogle at dragons? Here's your one-stop shop for everything elder dragons! We have screenshots, model renders, in-game clips, concept art, everything you'll ever need to know about these dragons.
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Also included are sources; though that's a work in progress.
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the fact that generative A.I. has created a completely new fundamental doubt in reality (checking to see if an artwork we see is manmade or not) and doubt in the instinct of enjoying art is unforgivable. its sickeningly tragic, and i mean it. NOTHING is worth this price and i hope that everyone will one day realize this.
Anatomy: cephalothorax with a carapace; two eyes on the top of the cephalothorax, usually two to five pairs of eyes along the front corners of the cephalothorax; chelicerae (mouthparts) are pincer-like and have three segments and "teeth"; pedipalps are adapted into pinching chelae; five segmented âtailâ, or metasoma, with a telson that contains a symmetrical pair of venom glands and bears a curved stinger, equipped with sensory hairs
Diet: mainly insects and other invertebrates; some larger species may also take small vertebrates
Habitat: all continents except Antarctica; mainly live in deserts but some have adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions
Evolved in: Early Silurian
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While unable to form sharp images, the central eyes of scorpions are amongst the most light sensitive in the animal kingdom, especially in dim light, which makes it possible for nocturnal species to use starlight to navigate at night.
Scorpions can also detect light through sensors in their tail.
Scorpion claws and tails are reinforced with iron and nickel.
Scorpion courtship involves a âdanceâ where the male and female grasp each otherâs chelae (âpinchersâ). This is called promenade Ă deux (French for "a walk for two"). In this dance, the male and female move around while facing each other, as the male searches for a suitable place to deposit his spermatophore. The courtship ritual can involve several other behaviors such as a cheliceral kiss, in which the male and female grasp each other's mouthparts, arbre droit ("upright tree") where the partners elevate their posteriors and rub their tails together, and sexual stinging, in which the male stings the female to calm her. The dance may take minutes to hours long. When the male has located a suitably stable surface, he deposits the spermatophore and guides the female over it. This allows the spermatophore to enter the female's genital opercula, which triggers release of the sperm, thus fertilizing the female.
All known species of scorpion give live birth, a rare trait among arachnids, and the female cares for the young as their exoskeletons harden, transporting them on her back for safety.
Like many other arachnids, scorpion exoskeletons contains fluorescent chemicals that glow under ultraviolet light, but scorpions are known for being especially vibrant (see gif above)
Hadrurus species dig burrows over 2Â m (6Â ft 7Â in) deep.
While most scorpions are solitary, only coming together to mate, some species are more social. Species of the family Buthidae are often found in the same shelter and Bark Scorpions (genus Centruroides) may gather in groups of up to 30 individuals. In some species, families of females and her young sometimes live together even after the young have âweanedâ.
Though scorpions prefer areas where the temperature remains in the range of 11â40 °C (52â104 °F), they may survive temperatures from well below freezing to desert heat. The Deathstalker (Leiurus quinquestriatus), Large-clawed Scorpion (Scorpio maurus), and Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis) can live in temperatures of 45 â 50 °C (113 â 122 °F) if they are sufficiently hydrated. Desert species must deal with the extreme changes in temperature from sunrise to sunset or between seasons: Pectinibuthus birulai lives in a temperature range of â30 â 50 °C (â22 â 122 °F).
Scorpions have immunity to ionizing radiation and have survived nuclear tests in Algeria and Nevada.
The immune system of scorpions is strong enough to resist several types of bacterial infections.
The vast majority of scorpion species are not a threat to humans, and healthy adults usually do not need medical treatment after a sting. People with allergies are especially at risk, but otherwise symptoms typically last no more than two days for non-deadly species. About 25 species (fewer than 1%) have venom capable of killing a human. Unfortunately, these species live where access to medical treatment is unlikely.
Venom takes a lot of energy to make, and is necessary for hunting, so scorpions will usually use it as a last resort defense. When threatened, they will raise their claws and tail in a defensive posture first. Some species stridulate to warn off predators by rubbing certain hairs, their stinger, or the pectines. Some species prefer to use their pinchers as their next line of defense before resorting to their sting, depending on the size of the appendages.
Scorpion venom is a mixture of neurotoxins. Many of them interfere with membrane channels that transport sodium, potassium, calcium, or chloride ions. These channels are essential for nerve conduction, muscle contraction and many other biological processes. Some of these molecules may be useful in medical research and might lead to the development of new disease treatments. Among their potential therapeutic uses are as analgesic, anti-cancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic, bradykinin-potentiating, and immunosuppressive drugs. As of 2020, no scorpion toxin-based drug is for sale, though chlorotoxin is being trialled for use against glioma, a brain cancer.
The pet trade has threatened wild populations of some scorpion species, particularly the Yellow Fat-tailed Scorpion (Androctonus australis) and the Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator).
The scorpion is a significant animal in many cultures. One of the earliest occurrences of the scorpion in culture is its inclusion as Scorpio in the 12 signs of the Zodiac by Babylonian astronomers during the Chaldean period. In ancient Egypt, the goddess Serket, who protected the Pharaoh, was often depicted as a scorpion. In Greek mythology, Artemis or Gaia sent a giant scorpion named Scorpius to kill the hunter Orion, who had said he would kill all the world's animals. Orion and the scorpion both became constellations: as enemies they were placed on opposite sides of the world, so when one rises in the sky, the other sets.
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Anatomy: generally elongate, narrow bodies; most have small, tubular mouths; some are âteardrop-shapedâ with goby-like mouths; many utilize camouflage via cryptic coloration and/or overall shape; in many species the males house fertilized eggs in an osmo-regulated brood pouch, or adhere them to their tail
Diet: small invertebrates, small fish
Habitat: oceans worldwide, usually close to the sea floor or camouflaged in seaweed or coral; a few species live in freshwater
Evolved in: Late Cretaceous
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This order contains many of the most beautiful marine fish in the world.
Seamoths (family Pegasidae) and Flying Gurnards (family Dactylopteridae) (image 3) have large, wing-like, pectoral fins, as well as modified pelvic fins that allow them to "walk" across the sea bottom.
The Ornate Ghost Pipefish (Solenostomus paradoxus) (image 1) has a large range of colors and appearances, allowing them to camouflage against their chosen host. They will choose a gorgonian, coral, crinoid, hydroid, algae, floating weeds, or seagrass bed that complements their coloration, and live most of their life hiding next to it. Ornate Ghost Pipefish can be yellow, orange, pink, white, red, deep brown, crimson, yellow, black, or any combination of these pigments.
The Broadnosed Pipefish (Syngnathus typhle) has quite complex mating rituals. Females compete over males. Both sexes actively court one another for mating, and will seek out larger mates, but courting is more frequent in females. The prospective pipefish will perform a ritualized dance for their chosen mate, involving conspicuous wriggling and shaking motions. If the other is receptive, the two align and continue the dance together until the female delivers her eggs into the male's brood pouch via an ovipositor. Broadnosed Pipefish are polygynandrous, and both males and females will mate with multiple partners during a breeding season. One to six females can contribute to each brood clutch, which is the highest rate of multiple maternity in all of the pipefish species.
Leafy Seadragons (Phycodurus eques) are the marine emblem of the state of South Australia and a focus for local marine conservation.
The Ruby Seadragon (Phyllopteryx dewysea) is a little-known cousin of the Weedy Seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), and was first described in 2015, making it only the third known species of seadragon, and the first to be discovered in 150 years. It is assumed that the Ruby Seadragon normally lives at depths beyond normal scuba range and diving limits, which may explain why it went undiscovered for so long. Itâs red coloration likely allows it to camouflage in deeper waters, where red hues are absorbed more efficiently. It also has a prehensile tail, while other species of seadragon do not. It is unknown if Ruby Seadragons developed this trait or if the other species lost it over time.
Seahorses (genus Hippocampus) (see gif above) and Pipefish (subfamily Syngnathinae) have a unique feeding mechanism, known as elastic recoil feeding. Although the mechanism is not well understood, seahorses and pipefish appear to have the ability to store energy from contraction of their epaxial muscles (used in upward head rotation), which they then release, resulting in extremely fast head rotation to accelerate their mouths towards unsuspecting prey.
Seahorses have very simple digestive systems that lack a stomach, so they must eat constantly to stay alive. They ambush prey (mysid shrimp, copepods, and other small crustaceans) that floats within striking range, while wrapped around seaweed or coral with their prehensile tails.
Seahorses do not have scales, but rather thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates, which are arranged in rings throughout their bodies. The armor of the bony plates protects them against predators, and because of this outer skeleton, they no longer have ribs.
Seahorses swim upright, propelling themselves using their dorsal fin. Seahorses and Razorfish (Aeoliscus strigatus) are the only fish that are known to swim vertically.
Bycatch causes high cumulative effects on seahorses, with an estimated 37 million individual seahorses being killed annually over 21 countries. Seahorse habitat, such as coral reefs and seagrass beds, are also deteriorating due to human activity impacts, such as bottom trawling. They are also caught for the aquarium trade, sold dried in tourist giftshops, and caught for use in traditional Chinese medicine, primarily in connection with impotence, wheezing, nocturnal enuresis, pain, and labor induction. Import and export of seahorses has been controlled under CITES since May 2004, however, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, and South Korea have chosen to opt out of the trade rules set by CITES.
The Dwarf Seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae) is the slowest-moving Actinopterygiian, with a top speed of about 5 feet (1.5Â m) per hour.
The Atlantic Trumpetfish (Aulostomus strigosus) is considered a "follower" fish in that it will swim with schools of other species of fish, especially large, herbivorous fishes, for both protection and to exploit foraging opportunities. Parrotfish are a common herbivore Atlantic Trumpetfish will align their bodies against.
Snipefish (family Macroramphosidae) have a unique elastic recoil-powered feeding mechanism, similar to that of seahorses and pipefish. This mechanism enables them to rotate their heads rapidly to capture prey in as little as 2 milliseconds. High-speed video and dynamic data indicate that the power required for head rotation in snipefish exceeds known vertebrate muscle capacity, suggesting that the movement is not solely muscle-driven.
Goatfish (family Mullidae) (image 2) are characterized by two chin barbels (or goatee), which contain chemosensory organs and are used to probe the sand or holes in the reef for food
Goatfish have the ability to rapidly change color, and many species adopt a pale coloration when resting on the sand to blend with the background and become less visible to predators. These changes can happen within seconds, many times during the lifespan of an individual.
The Mandarinfish, or Mandarin Dragonet, (Synchiropus splendidus) (image 4) and the Picturesque Dragonet (Synchiropus picturatus) are the only two vertebrate species known to have true blue colouring because of cellular pigment. The blue coloration on other âblueâ vertebrates is structural, as it is produced from thin-film interference from piles of flat, thin and reflecting purine crystals. The bright coloring of these fish is aposematic, warning predators of their smelly and bitter slime coat. Why these fish needed to have their own true blue pigment to do so is unknown. Theyâre just extra like that.
Anatomy: toad-like appearance; usually scaleless; large head; eyes set high on head; large mouth; often decorated with barbels and skin flaps for camouflage; sharp spines in first dorsal fin, which are venomous in some species
Diet: molluscs, crustaceans, worms, smaller fish
Habitat: oceans worldwide; some are found in brackish water and one subfamily is found exclusively in freshwater habitats in South America; they are bottom-dwellers, ranging from near-shore areas to deep waters
Evolved in: Late Cretaceous
(source)
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Male toadfishes are some of the best fathers in Actinopterygii. Males make nests and, like their amphibious namesakes, attract females by "singing". This is achieved by contracting muscles on their swim bladders to release air, making hums, whistles, grunts, croaks, and âboatwhistleâ sounds that can be loud enough to be clearly audible from the surface. (Listen to them here) Each male attracts numerous females to his nest, so his eggs come from multiple mothers. The male guards the nest against predators and cleans the eggs, and he will not leave his nest to hunt, so he must survive on a limited supply of food. Once hatched, the larvae will cluster around and hide behind the male until they are large enough to fend for themselves.
Toadfish can survive out of water for as long as 24 hours, and some can move across exposed mudflats at low tide using their fins
The Oyster Toadfish (Opsanus tau) (image 2) has a variety of common names, including Oyster Toad, Ugly Toad, Oyster Cracker, Oyster Catcher, and Bar Dog. In 1998, NASA sent an Oyster Toadfish (which can survive in poor conditions with little food) into space to investigate the effects of microgravity on the development of otolithic organs. The study found little difference between terrestrial development and those in space.
The endangered Splendid Toadfish (Sanopus splendidus) (image 4) is unique amongst toadfish for its vibrant colors.
The Grunting Toadfish (Allenbatrachus grunniens) (image 1) is sometimes kept in freshwater aquariums and it can survive in them, however, it is a brackish fish and a salty environment is more ideal.
The Three-spined Frogfish (Batrachomoeus trispinosus) is said to be the only fish known to âcry like a babyâ and produces complex, non-linear calls. Other fish can only make simple linear sounds, while human babies (and other mammals) use non-linear sounds in their calls, which other animals tend to associate with a sense of emotional urgency.
The endangered Two-faced Toadfish (Bifax lacinia) is known only from the coast of Oman. Its population continues to decline due to threats from habitat destruction, oil spills, pollution from runoff, bycatch, and more.
Midshipman Fish (genus Porichthys) are unique for their rows of button-like, bioluminescent spots (image 3), which supposedly resemble the buttons on the uniforms of young naval officers.
Midshipman Fish have three sexes: the largest are the females, the second largest are the Type I males which also have large vocal organs, while the small Type II males make up for their stature by having reproductive organs which are seven times larger in size than those of Type I males. Type I males will attract females to their nests with their beautiful voices, coax them to lay eggs, and guard them. In contrast, the Type II males do not build nests or attract females on their own. Instead, they are âsneaker malesâ. They let Type 1 males do the work of attracting females, sneak up to their nests, and deposit their own sperm on the eggs there.
Midshipman Fish can decrease their own hearing sensitivity by stiffening their inner ear hair cells while they are vibrating their calling muscles. This behavior is also found in bats, and is being researched to see if we can find a similar mechanism for humans to turn down their ear sensitivity in order to retain their hearing longer.
The Plainfin Midshipman (Porichthys notatus) is known for waking up houseboat residents along the California coast, and is the namesake of The Sausalito Humming Toadfish Festival. The yearly festival had a marching kazoo band, âtoadfish-flavoredâ ice cream, and a marine biologist as Grand Marshal. The festival ended in 1990 due to the Plainfin Midshipman slowly disappearing from Sausalito, but there are hopes the festival may return.
On August 9, 1974, composer Charlie Morrow performed a âconcert for fishâ, on a boat in the middle of Little Neck Bay in Queens, NY, using what he understood to be decoded toadfish language. New York Times music critic, John Rockwell, wrote a review of the unique art piece, but unfortunately I donât think the concert was ever recorded.
Anatomy: greatly elongated body; no pelvic fins, many species also lack pectoral fins; the dorsal and anal fins are fused with the caudal fin, forming a single ribbon running along the length of the animal; leptocephalic (flat and transparent) larvae which metamorphose into âglass eelsâ, and then âelversâ, before finally seeking out their juvenile and adult habitats
Diet: fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, frogs, etc.; larvae are detritivores
Habitat/Range: in oceans worldwide, burrowed into sand, mud, or amongst rocks; most are marine, but some spend part or all of their lives in freshwater
Evolved in: Late Cretaceous
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The term "eel" is also used for some other eel-shaped fish, such as Electric Eels (genus Electrophorus), Swamp Eels (order Synbranchiformes), and Deep-sea Spiny Eels (family Notacanthidae) as well as some nematodes like Vinegar Eels (Turbatrix aceti). However, these other clades (with the exception of Deep-sea Spiny Eels which are related to true eels), evolved their eel-like shapes independently from the true eels. The electric mechanism of the Electric Eel is sometimes attributed to true eels, but true eels can not make an electric current.
Eels swim by generating waves that travel the length of their bodies. They can even swim backward by reversing the direction of the wave.
The heaviest true eel is the European Conger (Conger conger). The maximum size of this species has been reported as reaching a length of 3Â m (10Â ft) and a weight of 110Â kg (240Â lb).
The longest true eel is the Slender Giant Moray (Strophidon sathete), whose record length is 3.94 metres (12Â feet 11Â inches).
Most eels begin their lives in freshwater before making their way into the ocean to live their adult lives. Often, elvers are forced to climb up obstructions, such as weirs, dam walls, and natural waterfalls. The presence of man-made dams has made completing this life cycle harder. Journalist Gertrude Elizabeth Blood found that eel fisheries at Ballisodare were greatly improved by the hanging of loosely plaited grass ladders over barriers, enabling elvers to climb more easily.
A famous attraction on the French Polynesian island of Huahine (part of the Society Islands) is the bridge across a stream hosting 0.9-to-1.8Â m (3-to-6Â ft) long, freshwater Giant Mottled Eels (Anguilla marmorata), deemed sacred by Polynesian culture. According to tradition, the demigod Maui introduced the eels to the island, both as a valuable food source and as keepers of the islandâs natural riches. While viewing the animals, tourists can buy a can of mackerel to feed the habituated eels.
Eel blood is toxic to humans and other mammals, but both cooking and the digestive process destroy the toxic protein. Freshwater eels (unagi) and marine eels (Conger Eel, anago) are commonly used in Japanese cuisine, and foods such as unadon and unajĹŤ are popular, but expensive. Eels are also very popular in Chinese cuisine, and are prepared in many different ways. Hong Kong eel prices have often reached 1000 HKD (128.86 US Dollars) per kg, and once exceeded 5000 HKD per kg. In India, eels are popularly eaten in the Northeast. Freshwater Eels, known as Kusia in Assamese, are eaten with curry, often with herbs. The critically endangered European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) (image 3) and other freshwater eels are mostly eaten in Europe and the United States. Elvers, often fried, were once a cheap dish in the United Kingdom. During the 1990s, their numbers collapsed across Europe, leading to them becoming a delicacy, and the UK's most expensive seafood. Some species are now farm-raised, but can not actually be bred in captivity. In 2010, Greenpeace International added the endangered European Eel, Japanese Eel (Anguilla japonica), and American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) to its seafood red list, a catalogue of seafood which should not be eaten as consumption of it harms the environment. As governments and restaurants typically ignore the endangered species status of seafood (âtheyâre just fishâ), it is often left up to consumers to check the sustainability of their meals.
Families: 2 - Acipenseridae (âsturgeonsâ) and Polyodontidae (âpaddlefishâ)
Anatomy: weakly ossified skeletons with the majority of bone being replaced by cartilage, larvae have teeth while adults are toothless or nearly toothless, retain the ability to sense electric fields using ampullae, barbels around mouth for tactile sensing, paddlefish is smooth-skinned with a paddle-shaped rostrum, sturgeons protected by rows of scutes
Diet: mollusks, crustaceans, and small fish (sturgeons), zooplankton (paddlefish)
Habitat/Range: subtropical to subarctic waters in North America and Eurasia
Evolved in: Early Jurassic
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Several species of sturgeon are harvested for their roe (eggs), which is processed into the luxury food caviar. This has led to serious overexploitation, which combined with other conservation threats, has brought most of the sturgeon species to critically endangered status, at the edge of extinction.
Many sturgeons leap completely out of the water, usually making a loud splash which can be heard half a mile away on the surface and probably farther under water. Why they do this is not known, but suggested functions include group communication to maintain group cohesion, catching airborne prey, courtship display, to help shed eggs during spawning, escape from predators, shed parasites, or to gulp or expel air. Another explanation is that it "simply feels good".
The critically endangered Beluga Sturgeon (Huso huso) (image 1) is the largest Acipenseriform, the largest freshwater fish, and the 3rd largest species of Actinopterygiian. The largest accepted record is of a female taken in 1827, at 1,571 kg (3,463 lb) and 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in) long. Claims of greater length (up to 12 m [39 ft 4 in]); and weight (up to 3,000 kg [6,600 lb]) are disputed and unconfirmed, but not impossible. Beluga of such great sizes are very old and have become increasingly rare in recent decades because of heavy fishing of the species. Today, mature Belugas that are caught are generally 142â328 cm (4 ft 8 in â 10 ft 9 in) long and weigh 19â264 kg (42â582 lb).
The Chinese Paddlefish (Psephurus gladius) was last seen alive in 2003, and is considered to have quietly gone extinct between 2005 and 2010. At over 3 metres (10 feet), possibly up to 7Â m (23Â ft) in length, it was one of the largest species of freshwater fish. The Chinese Paddlefish spent part of its adult life at sea, migrating up the Yangtze River to spawn. The construction of the Gezhouba and Three Gorges Dams blocked this migration route, and this, combined with overfishing, caused the Chinese Paddlefish to go extinct. The American Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) (image 2), native to the Mississippi River basin, is now the last living remnant of this 300-million-year-old family.
A study published in 2020 reported a successful hybridization between a Russian Sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) (image 4) and an American Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula), indicating that the two species could breed with one another despite their lineages having been separated for hundreds of millions of years. This has marked the first successful hybridization between members of Acipenseridae and Polyodontidae, and along with some Passeriform hybridizations, is one of the only known instances of animals from two separate families breeding successfully. Accidentally created by Hungarian scientists, the hybrids were dubbed "sturddlefish."
Anatomy: elongated, cylindrical body; series of dorsal finlets which vary in number from 7 to 18, instead of a single dorsal fin; body is covered in thick, bonelike, rhombic scales; jaw structure resembles that of tetrapods; fleshy pectoral fins; a pair of slit-like spiracles on the top of their heads are used to breathe air, rather than gills; smooth, paired ventral lungs
Diet: small vertebrates, crustaceans, and insects
Habitat/Range: freshwater habitats in tropical Africa and the Nile River system; mainly swampy, shallow floodplains and estuaries
Evolved in: Late Cretaceous; a closely related group, the Scanilepiformes, are known from the later Permian to the Triassic, and are likely ancestral to polypterids
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Body elongation in fishes, such as eels, usually happens through the addition of caudal (tail) vertebrae, but in bichirs (genus Polypterus) it has happened through the addition of precaudal vertebrae. Reedfish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus) (image 2) have evolved a more snakelike body by having twice as many precaudal vertebrae as bichirs, despite having the same number of tail vertebrae.
Reedfish are known to explore land both in the wild and in captivity if given the opportunity, slithering like a snake and also taking food items on land. Prey captured on land is brought back to the water to be eaten.
The Reedfish is considered near threatened, due to habitat loss from palm oil plantations, other agriculture, deforestation, and urban development.
Bichirs are the only known vertebrates to have lungs but no trachea. In shallow water, they inhale primarily through a spiracle (blowhole). Exhalation is powered by muscles in the torso.
Polypterids are popular animals for both public and home aquariums. Bichirs are sometimes called âdragon bichirâ or âdragon finsâ in pet shops as a more appealing name. Though predatory, they are otherwise peaceful, preferring to lie on the bottom (but will swim more when there are large plants present). They make good tankmates with other species large enough to not be prey but small enough to not be predators. Polypterids in captivity have life expectancies of 10â30+ years. They do well in heavily planted tanks that mimic their natural habitat.
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Families: 9 - Cryptobranchidae (âgiant salamandersâ), Hynobiidae (âAsiatic salamandersâ), Ambystomatidae (âmole salamandersâ and âPacific giant salamandersâ), Amphiumidae (âamphiumasâ), Plethodontidae (âlungless salamandersâ), Proteidae (âmudpuppiesâ and âOlmâ), Rhyacotritonidae (âtorrent salamandersâ), Salamandridae (âtrue salamandersâ and ânewtsâ), and Sirenidae (âsirensâ).
Anatomy: larval stage with gills, some aquatic species retain the gills as adults; basal tetrapod body form with a cylindrical trunk, four limbs, and a long tail; some aquatic species have reduced or absent hind limbs (image 3); moist smooth, velvety, or âwartyâ skin which is permeable to water and used in respiration; no claws; no ears or eardrums, but have an opercularis system allowing them to detect airborne sound
Diet: invertebrates and small vertebrates
Habitat/Range: only in the Holarctic and Neotropical regions; 1/3 of the known salamander species are found in North America, with the highest concentration found in the Appalachian Mountains region
Evolved in: Middle Jurassic; the oldest known stem-salamander (part of the clade Caudata) is Triassurus from the Triassic of Kyrgyzstan
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Propaganda under the cut:
Salamanders are capable of regenerating lost limbs as well as other damaged parts of their bodies, including vital organs such as their heart, jaw, and parts of the spinal cord.
Due to their popularity in the pet trade, the Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is perhaps the most famous salamander. They are paedomorphic, maturing without undergoing metamorphosis into a terrestrial adult form, instead remaining fully aquatic with obvious external gills. They resemble larvae of the occasionally paedomorphic Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum). Critically endangered in the wild, they originally inhabited a large lake in the Mexican highlands known as Lake Texcoco, along with a number of smaller, interconnected lakes such as Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco, and were abundant enough to form a staple in the Aztec diet. These lakes were mostly drained by Spanish colonists after the conquest of the Aztec Empire, leading to the destruction of most of the Axolotl's natural habitat, which is now largely occupied by Mexico City. Due to continued urbanization in Mexico City, which causes water pollution in the remaining waterways, as well as the introduction of invasive species such as tilapia and perch, the Axolotl is nearly extinct. Six adult Axolotls (including a leucistic specimen) were shipped from Mexico City to Paris in 1863, where French scientists began studying them. They were found to be able to regenerate body parts, could be artificially induced to metamorphosize, and were hybridized with Tiger Salamanders. Their success in scientific research has also led to them being prolific in the pet trade, and one restaurant in Japan even sells fried Axolotls as a menu item. Despite their large population in captivity, these Axolotls are inbred and often contain Tiger Salamander genes, and can not contribute to the tiny population of pure wild Axolotls. Lake Texcoco and Lake Chalco no longer exist, so they are native only to the freshwater lake Xochimilco, which remains a remnant of its former self, existing mainly as canals. Only 2 wild Axolotls were spotted in 2013, after months of searching. Currently, the Lake Texcoco Ecological Park is being established to restore natural spaces to Mexico City, and hopefully provide a home for the Axolotl and other Mexican biodiversity.
The similarly critically endangered Anderson's Salamander (Ambystoma andersoni), from Zacapu Lagoon in the Mexican state of MichoacĂĄn, is one of the few species of living amphibians to occur in brackish or salt water.
Salamanders of the family Plethontidae have tongues that reach up to 80% of their body length, are attached to their skeleton, and fire ballistically at prey in less than 20 milliseconds.
Slimy Salamanders (Plethodon glutinosis) do not lay their eggs in water, so they stay near them to keep them from drying out, as well as to defend them from predators.
The largest living lissamphibian is the South China Giant Salamander (Andrias sligoi) (image 2), with the largest known individual having been 1.8Â m (5.9Â ft) long. It is critically endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, and overcollection, and its use in traditional medicine and status as a delicacy has led to it being farmed for meat. It is hoped that this will take the heat off the wild salamanders, though wild salamanders are still often caught to bolster breeding populations in meat farms. It is unknown if any South China Giant Salamanders still exist in the wild, and those on farms are likely hybridized, as Andrias species are often caught indiscriminately and are able to interbreed. Of the known individuals that survive in zoos, all are males, and are nearing the end of their natural lifespans.
The Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) is perhaps best known for its striking, land-dwelling juvenile stage which is colloquially called a Red Eft. Eastern Newts have three stages of life: the aquatic larva/tadpole, the terrestrial Red Eft, and the aquatic adult. Having a terrestrial juvenile stage allows young Eastern Newts to disperse to new ponds. They will spend 2-3 years in the Red Eft stage before choosing a pond and transforming into an adult.
The Olm, or Proteus (Proteus anguinus) (see gif above), is an paedomorphic cave-dwelling salamander, and the only exclusively cave-dwelling chordate found in Europe. It is entirely aquatic, eating, sleeping, and breeding underwater, as well as adapted for life underground in complete darkness. The Olm's eyes are undeveloped, leaving it blind, while its other senses, particularly those of smell and hearing, are more acutely developed. They can also sense both electric and magnetic fields. They have unpigmented skin, but will develop color if exposed to weak light for a few hours a day. They can live to be 100 years old, and go for years without food. This slow metabolism allowed one tracked Olm to stay in same spot for over 7 years! In the 1600s, Olms washed up from the underground waters were believed by local people to be the offspring of a cave dragon. The Olm is a symbol of Slovenian natural heritage, and was depicted on the Slovenian tolar coin, as well as being the namesake of the oldest Slovenian popular science magazine, Proteus, first published in 1933.
Having observed voter turn-out for this round, I am placing the cut-off point at 900. Meaning that any order which earned (or earns) over 900 points will be moving on to Round 4!
We still have a ways for go til the end of Round 3, but hereâs how everyone stacks up so far:
1. Passeriformes (âpasserinesâ) ~ 3035
2. Accipitriformes (âhawksâ, âeaglesâ, âvulturesâ, and kin) ~ 2884
7. Limnognathia maerski ~ 124 (Note: a new species has since been described in this phylum but as Round 1 happened before the paper it wasnât included in Round 1)
Extra Stats:
âď¸ Most Votes so far âŹď¸
Reptilian Order Accipitriformes (âhawksâ, âeaglesâ, âvulturesâ, and kin) ~ 797
Reptilian Order Passeriformes (âpasserinesâ) ~ 755
Mammalian Order Rodentia (rodents) ~ 492
Mammalian Order Artiodactyla (âeven-toed ungulatesâ) ~ 376
Mammalian Order Carnivora (feliforms and caniforms) ~ 368
âď¸Least Votes so far âŹď¸
Chondrichthyan Order Torpediniformes (âelectric raysâ) ~ 140
Chondrichthyan Order Pristiophoriformes (âsaw sharksâ) ~ 163
Mammalian Order Notoryctemorphia (âmarsupial molesâ) ~ 169
Reptilian Order Musophagiformes (âturacosâ) ~ 171
Reptilian Order Otidiformes (âbustardsâ) ~ 173
𼰠Most Favorites so far âŹď¸
Reptilian Order Passeriformes (âpasserinesâ) ~ 452
Reptilian Order Accipitriformes (âhawksâ, âeaglesâ, âvulturesâ, and kin) ~ 321
Mammalian Order Carnivora (feliforms and caniforms) ~ 301
Mammalian Order Rodentia (rodents) ~ 183
Mammalian Order Artiodactyla (âeven-toed ungulatesâ) ~ 165
đ Least Favorites so far âŹď¸
Mammalian Order Notoryctemorphia (âmarsupial molesâ) ~ 5
Mammalian Order Paucituberculata (âshrew opossumsâ) ~ 6
Chondrichthyan Order Torpediniformes (âelectric raysâ) ~ 7
Reptilian Order Leptosomiformes (âCuckoo-rollerâ) ~ 8
Mammalian Order Hyracoidea (âhyraxesâ) ~ 9
Reptilian Order Otidiformes (âbustardsâ) ~ 9
â¤ď¸ Most Loves so far âŹď¸
Reptilian Order Accipitriformes (âhawksâ, âeaglesâ, âvulturesâ, and kin) ~ 403
Reptilian Order Passeriformes (âpasserinesâ) ~ 243
Mammalian Order Rodentia (rodents) ~ 233
Reptilian Order Cuculiformes (âcuckoosâ) ~ 182
Reptilian Order Crocodylia (âcrocodiliansâ) ~ 166
đ Least Loves so far âŹď¸
Mammalian Order Notoryctemorphia (âmarsupial molesâ) ~ 37
Mammalian Order Paucituberculata (âshrew opossumsâ) ~ 46
Mammalian Order Scandentia (âtreeshrewsâ) ~ 46
Mammalian Order Hyracoidea (âhyraxesâ) ~ 53
Mammalian Order Microbiotheria (âMonito del Monteâ) ~ 54
đ Most Likes so far âŹď¸
Reptilian Order Leptosomiformes (âCuckoo-rollerâ) ~ 116
Reptilian Order Struthioniformes (âostrichesâ) ~ 109
Reptilian Order Rheiformes (ârheasâ) ~ 96
Mammalian Order Microbiotheria (âMonito del Monteâ) ~ 92
Reptilian Order Tinamiformes (âtinamousâ) ~ 92
â Least Likes so far âŹď¸
Mammalian Order Carnivora (feliforms and caniforms) ~ 7
Reptilian Order Apodiformes (âhummingbirdsâ and âswiftsâ) ~ 25
Reptilian Order Strigiformes (âowlsâ) ~ 27
Reptilian Order Caprimulgiformes (ânightjarsâ) ~ 32
Mammalian Order Chiroptera (âbatsâ) ~ 34
đ Most Neutral votes so far âŹď¸
Mammalian Order Notoryctemorphia (âmarsupial molesâ) ~ 51
Mammalian Order Paucituberculata (âshrew opossumsâ) ~ 50
Mammalian Order Scandentia (âtreeshrewsâ) ~ 37
Mammalian Order Hyracoidea (âhyraxesâ) ~ 33
Mammalian Order Primates ~ 29
đŽ Least Neutral votes so far âŹď¸
Reptilian Order Galliformes (âlandfowlâ) ~ 0
Reptilian Order Strigiformes (âowlsâ) ~ 0
Reptilian Order Charadriiformes (âshorebirdsâ) ~ 1
Reptilian Order Apodiformes (âhummingbirdsâ and âswiftsâ) ~ 1
Reptilian Order Accipitriformes (âhawksâ, âeaglesâ, âvulturesâ, and kin) ~ 1
đ Most Dislikes so far âŹď¸
Mammalian Order Primates ~ 12
Reptilian Order Nyctibiiformes (âpotoosâ) ~ 6
Mammalian Order Hyracoidea (âhyraxesâ) ~ 3
Reptilian Order Passeriformes (âpasserinesâ) ~ 3
đŞ Most Reblogs so far âŹď¸
Reptilian Order Passeriformes (âpasserinesâ) ~ 131
Reptilian Order Accipitriformes (âhawksâ, âeaglesâ, âvulturesâ, and kin) ~ 126
Reptilian Order Cuculiformes (âcuckoosâ) ~ 88
Mammalian Order Rodentia (rodents) ~ 82
Reptilian Order Columbiformes (âpigeonsâ and âdovesâ) ~ 77
đŞ Least Reblogs so far âŹď¸
Reptilian Order Tinamiformes (âtinamousâ) ~ 13
Reptilian Order Cariamiformes (âseriemasâ) ~ 13
Mammalian Order Notoryctemorphia (âmarsupial molesâ) ~ 15
Chondrichthyan Order Pristiophoriformes (âsaw sharksâ) ~ 16
Reptilian Order Rheiformes (ârheasâ) ~ 16
đ Most Notes so far âŹď¸
Reptilian Order Accipitriformes (âhawksâ, âeaglesâ, âvulturesâ, and kin) ~ 344
Reptilian Order Passeriformes (âpasserinesâ) ~ 317
Reptilian Order Cuculiformes (âcuckoosâ) ~ 197
Mammalian Order Rodentia (rodents) ~ 180
Reptilian Order Charadriiformes (âshorebirdsâ) ~ 180
đ Least Notes so far âŹď¸
Reptilian Order Tinamiformes (âtinamousâ) ~ 39
Reptilian Order Rheiformes (ârheasâ) ~ 39
Mammalian Order Scandentia (âtreeshrewsâ) ~ 42
Chondrichthyan Order Pristiophoriformes (âsaw sharksâ) ~ 43
Reptilian Order Otidiformes (âbustardsâ) ~ 43
Tomorrow we begin with Round 2âs fourth most popular Class: Cephalopoda, the only mollusc class to make it to Round 3. Can any of them make it to Round 4? Letâs find out!
Since Cephalopoda is relatively small of a class, and Lissamphibia has even less orders, it will be immediately followed by Lissamphibia with no break in between. Two slimy classes, back to back!