REPTILES: IGUANA
Classification:
Kingdom- Animalia
Phylum- Chordata
Subphylum- Vertebrata
Class- Reptilia
Order- Squamata
Family- Iguanidae
Genus- Iguana
Species- Iguana
Common Name: Common Green Iguana, Giant Green Iguana
Kingdom- Animalia
Phylum- Chordata
Subphylum- Vertebrata
Class- Reptilia
Order- Squamata
Family- Iguanidae
Genus- Iguana
Species- Iguana
Common Name: Common Green Iguana, Giant Green Iguana
Morphology: The marine iguana body is elongated and fusiform. The average adult male iguana is 1.3 meters and the average adult female iguana is 0.6 meters in length. A lot of this length comes from their tale. The weight of marine iguanas ranges from 0.5 kilograms to 1.5 kilograms. Female iguanas are either black or dark gray, while male iguanas have shades of red or green. The dark pigment in the skin protects the iguana from ultraviolet rays and helps the body keep warm. Marine iguana skin is actually pyramid-shaped dorsal scales. Its has bilateral symmetry.
Biology: This species must warm its body after swimming in cold ocean waters in search of food because reptiles do not have the ability to thermoregulate. Their dark color allows them to absorb heat quickly. When their body temperature is low, these animals move more sluggishly and are therefore at greater risk of predators. To counter this vulnerability, the marine iguana displays a highly aggressive behavior to bluff its way to escape. The marine iguana is dependent on its marine environment and is consequently equipped with a nasal gland to excrete excess salt.
Distribution Map:
Importance:
Ecological- The marine Iguana does not affect human because where the live is not a place where humans also live. Marine Iguanas are not a specific source of anything useful to humans so they aren't harvested or killed. Marine Iguanas mostly live off algae and plants, which makes them a vegetarian species.
Ecological- The marine Iguana does not affect human because where the live is not a place where humans also live. Marine Iguanas are not a specific source of anything useful to humans so they aren't harvested or killed. Marine Iguanas mostly live off algae and plants, which makes them a vegetarian species.
Facts:
1. They sneeze because while they eat they swallow saltwater.
2. They lay in the sun all day because they are cold-blooded.
3. The largest of the marine iguanas can dive up to 30 m or 98 ft.
4. They can hold their breath for up to 45 minutes.
5. Male marine iguanas display bright colors during mating season.
1. They sneeze because while they eat they swallow saltwater.
2. They lay in the sun all day because they are cold-blooded.
3. The largest of the marine iguanas can dive up to 30 m or 98 ft.
4. They can hold their breath for up to 45 minutes.
5. Male marine iguanas display bright colors during mating season.
Vocabulary:
1. Marine Iguana- Shore-dwelling seaweed-eating iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) of the Galápagos Islands that often feeds in the sea .
2. Bilateral -of, relating to, or affecting the right and left sides of the body or the right and left members of paired organs.
3. Fusiform- Tapering toward each end.
4. Galapagos Islands - Island group Ecuador in the Pacific W of mainland ∗ on San Cristóbal Island area 3093 square miles
5. Ectotherm- A cold-blooded animal.
1. Marine Iguana- Shore-dwelling seaweed-eating iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) of the Galápagos Islands that often feeds in the sea .
2. Bilateral -of, relating to, or affecting the right and left sides of the body or the right and left members of paired organs.
3. Fusiform- Tapering toward each end.
4. Galapagos Islands - Island group Ecuador in the Pacific W of mainland ∗ on San Cristóbal Island area 3093 square miles
5. Ectotherm- A cold-blooded animal.
Resources:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/marine-iguana/
http://www.arkive.org/galapagos-marine-iguana/amblyrhynchus-cristatus/
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/marine-iguana
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/marine-iguana/
http://www.arkive.org/galapagos-marine-iguana/amblyrhynchus-cristatus/
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/marine-iguana
BIRDS: Blue - Footed Boobie
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Suliformes
Family: Sulidae
Genus: Sula
Spcies: S. nebouxii
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Suliformes
Family: Sulidae
Genus: Sula
Spcies: S. nebouxii
Morphology:
The blue-footed boobie has bilateral symmetry. It is a small Goose sized bird that has brown and white feathers with bright, beautiful blue feet that draw attention. The head of the bird is a pale cinnamon-brown with dense white streaks. On the back of the neck, there is a white patch where the neck connects to the mantle. A booby has long, brown, pointed wings that can measure an average152 cm across. The lower breast , central tail feathers, and underparts are white. Its blue tapered bill has serrated edges that enables the bird to tightly grasp fish.
The blue-footed boobie has bilateral symmetry. It is a small Goose sized bird that has brown and white feathers with bright, beautiful blue feet that draw attention. The head of the bird is a pale cinnamon-brown with dense white streaks. On the back of the neck, there is a white patch where the neck connects to the mantle. A booby has long, brown, pointed wings that can measure an average152 cm across. The lower breast , central tail feathers, and underparts are white. Its blue tapered bill has serrated edges that enables the bird to tightly grasp fish.
Biology:
Blue footed boobies, Su la nebouxii, are famous for two reasons: their link to Charles Darwin's expedition to the Galapagos Islands, and their name. A skilled hunter in the air and on water despite its awkward gait on land, blue-footed boobies dine solely on fish. They fly over water and keep their bill pointed downward to capture fish in their beak. They have become such good divers and hunters that they have even been known to catch flying fish mid- leap. When a member of the flock spots a fish, they will whistle to alert the others, and the entire flock descends, perfectly synchronized, on its unlucky prey. Males are smaller, and thus tend to stick with shallow dives closer to shore, while heavier females make deeper dives offshore.:
Distribution Map:
Importance:
Ecological- Blue-footed boobies play an important role in their ecosystem; they have an impact on the fish that they prey on. They do not interact with many other organisms, as they live in such isolated marine areas, often staying far out to sea. Its diet mainly consists of fish, which it obtains by diving and sometimes swimming underwater in search of its prey. While it sometimes hunts alone, the blue-footed booby mainly hunts in groups.The blue-footed booby usually lays one to three eggs at a time. The species practices asynchronous hatching, which means that eggs that are laid first are hatched before the consequent eggs, resulting in a growth inequality and size disparity between siblings.
Economical- Although the blue-footed boobie does not have an incredible amount of impact on our economy, it does have a small effect on tourism at the Galapagos Islands.
Ecological- Blue-footed boobies play an important role in their ecosystem; they have an impact on the fish that they prey on. They do not interact with many other organisms, as they live in such isolated marine areas, often staying far out to sea. Its diet mainly consists of fish, which it obtains by diving and sometimes swimming underwater in search of its prey. While it sometimes hunts alone, the blue-footed booby mainly hunts in groups.The blue-footed booby usually lays one to three eggs at a time. The species practices asynchronous hatching, which means that eggs that are laid first are hatched before the consequent eggs, resulting in a growth inequality and size disparity between siblings.
Economical- Although the blue-footed boobie does not have an incredible amount of impact on our economy, it does have a small effect on tourism at the Galapagos Islands.
Facts:
1. The Blue-footed Booby is a rare, but regular visitor to the Salton Sea in California.
2.The female Blue-footed Booby looks nearly identical to the male. The most obvious difference is that the pupils in her eyes are unusually large and somewhat star-shaped.
3. The Blue-footed Booby makes no nest, but lays its eggs on bare ground. The incubating birds defecate while on the nest, and the eggs become surrounded by a circular wall of excrement.
4. Breeds on open ground on islands. Forages off shore.
5. Plunge-dives from various heights into schools of fish. May catch flying fish in the air.
6. Largest breeding population located on Galapagos Islands, where they are protected
Vocabulary:
1. Booby- An awkward foolish person;: any of several tropical seabirds (genus Sula) of the gannet family.
2. Asynchronous- not going at the same rate and exactly together with something else, in particular.
3. Underwing- brownish with darker flight feathers.
4. Juvenile- has browner head and breast, and the bare parts are duller than in adults. Eyes are dusky. The young needs two years to attaint the adult pattern.
5. Flocks- Blue-Footed boobie flocks can be up to 200+ birds.
1. Booby- An awkward foolish person;: any of several tropical seabirds (genus Sula) of the gannet family.
2. Asynchronous- not going at the same rate and exactly together with something else, in particular.
3. Underwing- brownish with darker flight feathers.
4. Juvenile- has browner head and breast, and the bare parts are duller than in adults. Eyes are dusky. The young needs two years to attaint the adult pattern.
5. Flocks- Blue-Footed boobie flocks can be up to 200+ birds.