Monday, January 31, 2011

Olm (blind cave salamander) Proteus anguinus

Proteus anguinus

It's the member of proteidae family. This strange amphibian is blind, and Large, flat head with rounded snout. They are totally aquatic species that can live without food for up to 10 years and live to an age of 58 or additional. It eats small aquatic invertebrates, mostly crustaceans. It lives in Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia and Adriatic coast from northern Italy to Montenegro (former Yugoslavia). Unlike most amphibians, the olm lives in the water for its entire life. Another oddity of this amphibian is its neotenic (larval) gills. It grows 8-11 in (or) 20-28 cm.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Rare Fish: Deep-Sea Lizardfish

Lizardfish

The Deep-Sea Lizardfish is a member of Synodontidae family. This fish is also known as the 'Deep-water Greeneye'. This rare fish is located only in the extreme depths of the tropical and subtropical seas of the world. It lives in waters of around 1500 to 3500 meters deep. It is deemed as an ambush predator hunting in the abyssal seafloor. It grows to a length of around 30 centimeters, is coloured a purple-black and prowls the ocean floors with a mouth of razor sharp barbed teeth.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Rare Fish: The black swallower

Black swallower

The black swallower (Chiasmodon niger) is a deep sea fish that has the ability to extend its stomach three times its size so that it can swallow fish that are larger than itself. It’s a charming and rare fish which lives in depths of up to 1,500 meters. And what makes this fish sole is the fact that unlike many other deep sea fish which need cold, dark conditions the Black Swallower also makes warm tropical waters its home. This fish can grow up to 25 centimeters and has the aptitude to make use of bioluminescence because of the darkness found in some parts of the pelagic zone.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Rare animal: Solenodon

Solenodon

Solenodon is a strange mammal found mostly in Cuba and Hispanola. It looks cute and controllable enough sort of like an over-sized hedgehog. Solenodon injects rattlesnake-like venom through its teeth, the only mammal do this. Solenodon bites at the go down of a banana leaf. Being both a carrion feeder and insectivore, it is a essential species in its ecosystem. It was thought to be died out until scientists found a few still alive in 2003. It is in grave danger of death.