Author f&m

What is the difference between the Oscellate River Stingray and the Thornback Ray?

f&m Leave a comment

What is the difference between the Oscellate River Stingray (Potamotrygon motoro) and the Thornback Ray (Raja clavata)?

The Oscellate River Stingray is a marine (saltwater) fish, whereas the Thornback Ray is a freshwater river fish. 

Both the Oscellate River Stingray and the Thornback Ray have two raised eyes, close together, on the top of their backs. 

The Oscellate River Stingray has a beige or brown body with numerous yellow-orange dark-ringed spots, whereas the Thornback Ray varies in colour from light-grey or light-brown with either dark or light blotches.  

Continue reading “What is the difference between the Oscellate River Stingray and the Thornback Ray?” →

Guinea Baboon

f&m Leave a comment

The Guinea Baboon (Papio papio) is a terrestrial primate monkey. It is not an ape, because apes do not have tails. The Guinea Baboon is a monkey, because monkeys have tails. It is related to the Hamadryas Baboon and the Savanna Baboon. 

The Guinea Baboon has thick, rough, reddish-brown fur with a dark blackish hairless face surrounded by a small mane. It has small ears and a dark dog-like protruding snout (nose). Its canine teeth are long and sharp. It has a long tail.It has rough patches on its buttocks, called ischial callosities, that provide a pad for sitting. 

Continue reading “Guinea Baboon” →

American Flamingo Juvenile

f&m Leave a comment

The American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is a large wetland wading bird with reddish-pink feathers, a large beak, long legs, and a curved S-shaped neck. 

The adult Flamingo measures 120-145 centimetres (47-57 inches) tall. 

The photographed American Flamingo chick was born on 18 March 2019 in the Paris Zoo in France, so it is now 8 months old. It was first photographed when it was one month old. 

Continue reading “American Flamingo Juvenile” →

Ladder Snake

f&m Leave a comment

The Ladder Snake (Rhinechis scalaris orZamenis scalaris) is a medium-sized reptile and a colubrid (non-venomous) snake. It is related to the Ratsnake.

The Ladder Snake has yellowish to dark brown scales with two dark brown stripes running down the length of its body from neck to tail. It has a dark stripe at the back of its eye, angling down to its jaw. Its underbelly is pale, such as slivery-grey to whitish. It has a pointed snout (nose). It has dark eyes.

Continue reading “Ladder Snake” →

Eyed Longhorn Beetle

f&m Leave a comment

The Eyed Longhorn Beetle (Oberea oculata) is an insect in the Cerambycidae family of longhorn beetles. It is also known as the Eyed Longicorn.

The Eyed Longhorn Beetle has an elongated, brown body with brown wing cases called elytra. It has an orange thorax and underbelly. It has two black dots on its pronotum (the section behind its head). It has a shiny black head with long, black antennae. 

Continue reading “Eyed Longhorn Beetle” →

Ocellate River Stingray

f&m Leave a comment

The Oscellate River Stingray (Potamotrygon motoro) is a freshwater ray in the Potamotrygonidae family of stingrays. It is also known as the Peacock-Eye Stingray or the Black River Stingray.

The Oscellate River Stingray has a flat, round-shaped, beige or brown body with numerous yellow-orange spots that have dark rings around them. Its underbelly is smooth and white. Its eyes are located on its back and are raised. 

Continue reading “Ocellate River Stingray” →

Fieldfare

f&m Leave a comment

The Fieldfare (Turdis pilaris) is a small bird in the Turdidae family of thrushes. It is related to the Song Thrush and the Mistle Thrush. 

The Fieldfare is mainly brown, with a brown back, dark-brown wings, dark-brown tail, and white underwings. Its wings are long and pointed. It has a bluish-grey crown, grey rump, and grey neck. Its chest and sides are spotted with dark-brown markings. It has a rounded head with dark-brown eyes. Its beak is short and yellowish. Its legs and feet are brown.

The male and female are similar in appearance, but the female has more brown feathers than the male. 

Continue reading “Fieldfare” →

Witch Flounder

f&m Leave a comment

The Witch Flounder (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) is a marine (saltwater) fish in the Pleuronectidae family of flatfish. It is also known as the Righteye Flounder, the Torbay Sole, or the Grey Sole.

The Witch Flounder is a right-eyed flatfish, with a thin and laterally compressed, round brownish-grey body. On its upper side—its right-eyed side—it is often mottled in colour. It is white with small black spots on its under side—its blind side. It has a small head and a small mouth. It has a single series of small incisor-like teeth. There is a short, sharp spine pointing forward in front of its bottom fin. 

It is called Righteye because its right eye is on the top (back) of its body. Therefore, from above, only one eye can be seen.

Continue reading “Witch Flounder” →
Featured

CREATURE FEATURE: Toco Toucan

f&m Leave a comment

The Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) is a large bird. It is also known as the Common Toucan or the Giant Toucan. 

The Toco Toucan has a black body, white cheeks, white throat, white chest, and white uppertail coverts, with red undertail coverts. It has a very large, yellow-orange beak with a black band at the base and a large spot at the tip. Its beak is hollow and light. It has bright blue eye-rings. Its tongue is long and flat. Its legs are dark-grey. The male and female have a similar appearance.

Continue reading “CREATURE FEATURE: Toco Toucan” →

European Dark Bee

f&m Leave a comment

The European Dark Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) is an insect and a sub-species of the Western Honeybee, also called the European Honeybee (Apis mellifera). It is also known as the German Black Bee or the German Dark Bee.  

The European Dark Bee has a head, thorax (chest), and abdomen (stomach) with a stinger. It has a brown-black abdomen with a few lighter spots on its abdomen. Its wings are transparent. It has six legs, and large eyes.

Continue reading “European Dark Bee” →

Saddleback Clownfish

f&m Leave a comment

The Saddleback Clownfish (Amphiprion polymnus) is a small tropical marine (saltwater) reef fish. It is also known as the Yellowfin Anemonefish or the Panda Clownfish.

The Saddleback Clownfish has brownish-black and white vertical bands, with a white ‘saddle’ in the middle of its back. The first white band is behind its eyes. It also has yellow fins and yellow eyes. It has an oval-shaped body.

Continue reading “Saddleback Clownfish” →

Rain Forest

f&m Leave a comment

What is a rain forest?

There are tropical rain forests with high temperatures, which are often called jungles. Tropical rain forests occur along the equator.

There are temperate rain forests, with warm temperatures in summer and cool temperatures in winter.

A rain forest has high, continuous rainfall, which provides water and oxygen for many species of plants and animals.

Continue reading “Rain Forest” →

Smith’s Cichlid

f&m 1 Comment

The Smith’s Cichlid (Julidochromis marksmithi) is a tropical freshwater fish in the Cichlidae family of cichlids. It is also known as a Julie Cichlid.

The Smith’s Cichlid has an elongated body with black, white, and yellow horizontal stripes from nose to tail. Its long dorsal (back) fin is white with black markings. Its eyes are black with yellow eye-rings.

Continue reading “Smith’s Cichlid” →

What are the differences between the Asian Hornet and the European Hornet?

f&m Leave a comment

What are the differences between the Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina) and the European Hornet (Vespa crabro)?

The Asian Hornet and the European Hornet are both insects in the family of eusocial wasps. They both live in colonies of several thousand individuals.

The Asian Hornet has a smooth, black and yellow-orange body with yellow legs and black wings, whereas the European Hornet has a smooth, black and yellow body with distinctive yellow legs and reddish-orange wings.

Continue reading “What are the differences between the Asian Hornet and the European Hornet?” →

Asian Hornet

f&m Leave a comment

The Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina) is an insect in the family of eusocial wasps. It is a vespine. It is also known as the Yellow-Legged Hornet. 

The Asian Hornet has a smooth black and yellow-orange body with black wings and yellow legs, called tarsi. Its thorax (chest) is brown or black. Its abdomen (stomach) is brown. Each abdominal segment has a narrow yellow border, except for the fourth segment, which is orange. Its head is black with a yellow-orange face and black antennae. The female worker hornet has a smooth barbless stinger that can repeatedly sting an animal.

Continue reading “Asian Hornet” →