The Gray Wolf (Canis lupus; other forms: "Timber Wolf", "Wolf") is a mammal of the Canidae family. The wolf shares a common ancestry with the domestic dog (Canis familiaris), and, according to most experts, is likely the progenitor of all dogs as they exist today (in which case, the domestic dog would more accurately be classified as Canis lupus familiaris). Gray wolves were once abundant and distributed over much of North America, Eurasia, and the Middle East. Today, for a variety of human-caused reasons involving widespread habitat destruction and excessive hunting, wolves inhab ...

Including:

• Gray Wolf - Anatomy & Physiology
• Gray Wolf - Social structure
• Gray Wolf - Packs
• Gray Wolf - Rank order
• Gray Wolf - Body language
• Gray Wolf - Howling
• Gray Wolf - Hunting
• Gray Wolf - Reproduction and mortality
• Gray Wolf - Past human perceptions of wolves
• Gray Wolf - Changing attitudes
• Gray Wolf - Reintroduction
• Gray Wolf - Wolves in religion and folklore
• Gray Wolf - Wolf hunting
• Gray Wolf - Livestock predation
• Gray Wolf - Trapping and breeding for fur
• Gray Wolf - Taxonomy
• Gray Wolf - Classification and relation to the dog
• Gray Wolf - Subspecies of the wolf
• Gray Wolf - Media

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Many, see text. Lizards are reptiles of the order Squamata, which they share with the snakes (Ophidians). They are usually four-legged, with external ear openings and movable eyelids. Species range in adult length from a few centimeters (some Caribbean geckos) to nearly three meters (Komodo dragons). Some lizard species called "glass snakes" or "glass lizards" have no functional legs, though there are some vestigial skeletal leg structures. They are distinguished from tru ...

Including:

• Lizard - Classification

Read more here: » Lizard: Encyclopedia - Lizard

The Barbary Sheep (Ammotragus lervia, also called or Aoudad and arui) is a species of Caprinae (goat-antelope) found in rocky mountains in North Africa. Six subspecies have been described. Although it is rare in its native North Africa, it was introduced in South Europe and other places. Barbary Sheep - Description. Barbary Sheep stand 80 to 100 cm (30 to 40 inches) tall at the shoulder and weigh 40 to 140 kg (90 to 310 lb). Thery are a sandy-brown color, darkening with age, with a slig ...

Including:

• Barbary Sheep - Description
• Barbary Sheep - Subspecies
• Barbary Sheep - Habitats
• Barbary Sheep - Expansion to Southern Europe
• Barbary Sheep - Names

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S. c. caffer S. c. nanus S. c. brachyceros S. c. mathewsi The African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a bovid from the family of the Bovidae. It is up to 1.7 meters high, 3.4 meters long, and can reach a weight of 900 kilograms. The Cape Buffalo is not closely related to the Asian Water Buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear. It is a very powerful creature, demanding respect from even a pride of lions when paths cross. Other than man, they have f ...

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Biodiversity or biological diversity is the diversity of and in living nature. There are a number of definitions and measures of biodiversity. Biodiversity - Etymology. Biodiversity is a neologism and a portmanteau word, from bio and diversity. The term biological diversity was coined by Thomas Lovejoy in 1980, while the word biodiversity itself was coined by the entomologist E. O. Wilson in 1986, in a report for the first American Forum on biological diversity organized b ...

Including:

• Biodiversity - Etymology
• Biodiversity - Biodiversity definitions
• Biodiversity - Origin of life and biodiversity evolution
• Biodiversity - Benefits of biodiversity
• Biodiversity - Ecological role of biodiversity
• Biodiversity - Economic role of biodiversity
• Biodiversity - Ethical role of biodiversity
• Biodiversity - Scientific role of biodiversity
• Biodiversity - Evaluation of biodiversity
• Biodiversity - Measurement of biodiversity
• Biodiversity - Biodiversity: time and space
• Biodiversity - Species inventory
• Biodiversity - Hotspots of biodiversity
• Biodiversity - Threats to biodiversity
• Biodiversity - Biodiversity management: conservation preservation and protection
• Biodiversity - Juridical status of biological diversity
• Biodiversity - Biodiversity and size bias
• Biodiversity - Quotes from Sean Nee
• Biodiversity - Measures of biodiversity

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Macropus rufus Macropus giganteus Macropus fuliginosus A kangaroo is any of several large macropods (the marsupial family that also includes the wallabies, tree kangaroos, wallaroos, pademelons and the quokka: 45 species in all). The term kangaroo is sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to all members of the macropod family. Kangaroos are native to the continent of Australia, whi ...

Including:

• Kangaroo - Overview
• Kangaroo - Courtship
• Kangaroo - Adaptations
• Kangaroo - Kangaroo blindness
• Kangaroo - Kangaroos and humans
• Kangaroo - Eating
• Kangaroo - Kangaroo culling
• Kangaroo - Kangaroo traffic sign
• Kangaroo - Famous Kangaroos

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Alligator mississippiensis Alligator sinensis An alligator is a crocodile in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two living alligator species: the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) and the Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis). Alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, rivers, and swamps. Although alligators have heavy bodies and slow metabolisms, they are capable of short bursts of speed that can exceed ...

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A butterfly is a flying insect of the order Lepidoptera belonging to one of the superfamilies Hesperioidea (the skippers) and Papilionoidea (all other butterflies). Some authors would include also members of the superfamily Hedyloidea, the American butterfly moths. Many butterflies have striking colours and patterns on their wings. When touched by humans they tend to lose small numbers of scales, that look like a fine powder. If they lose too many scales the butterfly's ability to fly will be impaired. People who study or collect butt ...

Including:

• Butterfly - The four stages in the lifecycle of a butterfly
• Butterfly - Egg
• Butterfly - Larva
• Butterfly - Pupa
• Butterfly - Butterfly
• Butterfly - Classification
• Butterfly - Etymology
• Butterfly - Aerodynamics butterflies and flutter
• Butterfly - Field guides to butterflies
• Butterfly - Additional photos

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Reports about the size of Birgus latro vary, and most references give a weight of up to 4 kg (9 lb), a body length of up to 400 mm (16 in), and a leg span of 1 m (3 ft), with males generally being larger than females. Some reports claim weights up to 17 kg and a body length of 1 m. It is believed that this is near the theoretical limit for a terrestrial arthropod. However, when the body is supported by water, larger sizes are possible (see Japanese spider crab). They can reach an age of up to 30-60 years (references vary). The body of ...

See also:

Coconut crab, Coconut crab - Physical Description, Coconut crab - Reproduction, Coconut crab - Diet, Coconut crab - Habitat, Coconut crab - Distribution, Coconut crab - Conservation status, Coconut crab - Cultural

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A deep crimson dye is extracted from the female cochineal insects. Cochineal is used to produce scarlet, orange and other red tints too. The colouring comes from carminic (kermesic) acid. Cochineal extract's natural carminic-acid content is usually 19–22% [4]. The insects are killed by immersion in hot water (after which they are dried) or by exposure to sunlight, steam, or the heat of an oven. Each method produces a different colour ...

See also:

Cochineal, Cochineal - Biology, Cochineal - Host cacti, Cochineal - Farming, Cochineal - Dye, Cochineal - History, Cochineal - Usage, Cochineal - Sources for the History of Cochineal

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Unlike many insects, butterflies do not experience a nymph period, but instead go through a pupal stage which lies between the larva and the adult stage (the imago). Egg Larva, known as a caterpillar Pupa (chrysalis) Adult butterfly (imago) Butterfly - Egg. Butterfly eggs consist of a hard-ridged outer layer of shell, called the chorion. This is lined with a thin coating of wax which prevents the egg from drying out before the larva ...

See also:

Butterfly, Butterfly - The four stages in the lifecycle of a butterfly, Butterfly - Egg, Butterfly - Larva, Butterfly - Pupa, Butterfly - Butterfly, Butterfly - Classification, Butterfly - Etymology, Butterfly - Aerodynamics butterflies and flutter, Butterfly - Field guides to butterflies, Butterfly - Additional photos

Read more here: » Butterfly: Encyclopedia II - Butterfly - The four stages in the lifecycle of a butterfly

Jupiter has been known since ancient times and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. In 1610, Galileo Galilei discovered the four largest moons of Jupiter using a telescope, the first observation of moons other than Earth's. Jupiter is 2.5 times more massive than all the other planets combined, so massive that its barycenter with the Sun actually lies above the Sun's surface (1.068 solar radii from the Sun's center). It is 318 times more massive than Earth, with a diameter 11 times that of Earth, and with a volume 1300 times t ...

See also:

Jupiter, Jupiter - Overview, Jupiter - Physical characteristics, Jupiter - Planetary composition, Jupiter - Atmosphere, Jupiter - Planetary rings, Jupiter - Magnetosphere, Jupiter - Appearance, Jupiter - Exploration of Jupiter, Jupiter - Pioneer flyby missions, Jupiter - Voyager flyby missions, Jupiter - Ulysses flyby mission, Jupiter - Galileo mission, Jupiter - Cassini flyby mission, Jupiter - Future probes, Jupiter - Natural satellites, Jupiter - Galilean moons, Jupiter - Classification of Jupiter's moons, Jupiter - Life on Jupiter, Jupiter - Trojan asteroids, Jupiter - Cometary impact, Jupiter - Jupiter in fiction and film, Jupiter - Jupiter and Internet conspiracists

Read more here: » Jupiter: Encyclopedia II - Jupiter - Overview

Aposematism (from apo- away, and sematic warning), is a means of natural defence employing conspicuous colours or body parts by which an organism openly displays a warning signal to potential predators. The intent to become as noticeable as possible is the antithesis of the principles of natural camouflage. Aposematism - Aposematic mimicry. Aposematism is a sufficiently successful strategy that other organisms lacking the primary defence means will attempt to mimic the conspicuous markings of ...

Including:

• Aposematism - Aposematic mimicry

Read more here: » Aposematism: Encyclopedia - Aposematism

Apex predators (also alpha predators or superpredators) are predators that are not preyed upon in the wild. These species are often at the end of long food chains, where they have a crucial role in maintaining and determining the health of ecosystems. Even if not dangerous to humans, they are formidable predators in their respective niches. Apex predators often have a special place in human culture and they have come to represent aspects of nature that humans find important and often appear in heraldry. The eagle ...

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Argonauta argo Argonauta bottgeri Argonauta cornuta Argonauta hians Argonauta nodosa Argonauta nouryi Argonauta pacifica Argonauts (genus Argonauta, the only genus in the Argonautidae family) are a kind of pelagic octopus that live close to the surface of warm seas rather than on the sea floor, as nearly all other octopuses do. The female produces a paper-thin egg case resembling a shell into which she deposits her eggs. Co ...

Including:

• Argonaut animal - Anatomy and Reproduction
• Argonaut animal - Egg case
• Argonaut animal - Feeding and defense
• Argonaut animal - Species
• Argonaut animal - Trivia
• Argonaut animal - Reference
• Argonaut animal - External link

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See text The Aristolochiaceae, or the Birthwort family, are a family of flowering plants with 7 genera and about 400 species belonging to the order Piperales. The Aristolochiaceae are basal dicots (paleodicots), most closely related orders Magnoliales, Laurales, Canellales, and Piperales, which form a monophyletic clade called the Magnoliids. Some newer classification schemes, such as the Update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, place the family Aristolochiacea in the order Piperales, but it is still quite common, though superseded, for the Aristolochi ...

Including:

• Aristolochiaceae - Genera

Read more here: » Aristolochiaceae: Encyclopedia - Aristolochiaceae

Behavioral ecology is the study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior, and the roles of behavior in enabling an animal to adapt to its environment (both intrinsic and extrinsic). Behavioral ecology emerged from ethology after Niko Tinbergen (a seminal figure in the study of animal behavior), outlined the four causes of behavior. These four causes can be grouped into two larger classes (ultimate causes and proximate causes). The two causes that contribute to ultimate causation are phylogenetic contingencie ...

Including:

• Behavioral ecology - References

Read more here: » Behavioral ecology: Encyclopedia - Behavioral ecology

Big cat refers to the medium-to-large wild felids of the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe. Australia and Antarctica have no indigenous species of big cats. Like the domestic cat, all of the big cats are carnivores and efficient predators. The term is used to distinguish these large felids from the domestic cat and other smaller Felidae species. Felines can either roar or purr but not both, and only members the genus Panthera are able to roar. Consequently, this is sometimes used a ...

Including:

• Big cat - Species

Read more here: » Big cat: Encyclopedia - Big cat

Bialowieza Primaeval Forest, known as Belaveskaya Pushcha (Белавеская пушча) or Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus and Puszcza Białowieska in Poland, is an ancient virginal forest straddling the border between Belarus and Poland, located 70 km north of Brest. It is the only remaining part of the once immense forest spreading across ...

Including:

• Bialowieza Forest - The Belarusian part of the Reserve
• Bialowieza Forest - The Polish part of the Reserve
• Bialowieza Forest - History of the forest and the reserve
• Bialowieza Forest - The forest and reserve in culture

Read more here: » Bialowieza Forest: Encyclopedia - Bialowieza Forest

The Bengal Tiger or Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is a subspecies of tiger found through the rainforests and grasslands of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, China, India and Nepal. Its fur is orange-brown with black stripes. Bengal Tiger - Physical Characteristics. Male Bengal Tigers measure 2.7 to 3.1 m (8.86 to 10.17 ft) in length, weigh 180 to 258 kg (418 to 569 lb), and have a greatest skull length of 329 to 378 mm (13 to 15 in.). The average male Bengal Tiger is approximately 2.9 m ...

Including:

• Bengal Tiger - Physical Characteristics
• Bengal Tiger - Diet
• Bengal Tiger - Habitat
• Bengal Tiger - Maneaters

Read more here: » Bengal Tiger: Encyclopedia - Bengal Tiger