Post by Infinity Blade on Mar 17, 2014 7:48:49 GMT 5
Hippopotamus-Hippopotamus amphibius
The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" (
??), is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae (the other is the pygmy hippopotamus). After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third-largest type of land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyl. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, their closest living relatives are cetaceans (whales, porpoises, etc.) from which they diverged about 55 million years ago. The common ancestor of whales and hippos split from other even-toed ungulates around 60 million years ago. The earliest known hippopotamus fossils, belonging to the genus Kenyapotamus in Africa, date to around 16 million years ago. Hippos are recognizable by their barrel-shaped torsos, enormous mouths and teeth, nearly hairless bodies, stubby legs and tremendous size. They are the third-largest type of land mammal by weight (between 1½ and 3 tonnes): the only heavier species on average are the white and Indian rhinoceroses, typically 1½ to 3½ tonnes, and the elephants, typically weighing 3 to 9 tonnes. The hippopotamus is one of the largest quadrupeds and, despite its stocky shape and short legs, it can easily outrun a human. Hippos have been clocked at 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and, as such, ranks among the most dangerous animals in Africa. Nevertheless, they are still threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth. The hippopotamus is semiaquatic, inhabiting rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps, where territorial bulls preside over a stretch of river and groups of five to 30 females and young. During the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and childbirth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grasses. While hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land.
Lurdusaurus arenatus
Lurdusaurus (name meaning 'weighty lizard') is a genus of large ornithopod dinosaur which lived in the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous, sometime between 121 to 112 million years ago. In 1965 Philippe Taquet discovered the partial remains of a euornithopod in the Tenere in Niger. In 1988 Souad Chabli coined the name "Gravisaurus tenerensis" in her dissertation on the animal.[1] Such a nomen ex dissertatione, however, remains an invalid name if not published together with a description. As Chabli had left the field of paleontology, the type species Lurdusaurus arenatus was formally named by Taquet and Dale Russell in 1999. The generic name is derived from Latin lurdus, "heavy", with the same meaning as the original gravis. The specific name arenatus means "sandy", like "tenerensis" a reference to the Tenere desert.[2] The holotype MNHN GDF 1700 was found in layers of the Elrhaz Formation dating to the upper Aptian-lower Albian. It consists of a partial skeleton with a fragmentary skull. Lurdusaurus was enormously heavily built. Taquet originally estimated a length of 30 ft (9m), 40% shorter than Spinosaurus, the longest carnivorous dinosaur known to date, but probably with around the same mass, i.c 5.5 tonnes. In 2010 however, Gregory S. Paul gave a lower estimate of seven metres and 2.5 tonnes.[3] Due to a short lower leg, its torso was characteristically low-slung, with the abdomen as little as 2.4 ft (0.71m) above ground level, and the rib cage was extremely broad. Its neck was relatively longer (5.3 ft [1.6m]) and its tail relatively shorter than that of other euornithopods. Even more so than with other large basal iguanodonts, the forelimbs were extremely powerful, with the innermost digit of each hand consisting of little more than a very large conical claw, presumably used for defense. The broad shortened hand was adapted to carrying the weight of the animal. The foot was unusually constructed in that the foot bones (metatarsals) lacked solid contact with each other, as in animals that can widely splay the toes, and this arrangement also indicates the presence of a single foot pad, precluding any ability to run quickly. Its overall body plan was therefore very unusual compared to other ornithopods, and its describers Taquet and Russell suggested that it would have looked superficially like an ankylosaur.[2] Paleontologist Tom Holtz has suggested that, based on its overall stocky build, short limbs and splaying toes, it may have been led an aquatic or semi-aquatic, hippopotamus-like lifestyle.[4] Due to its hefty and apparently ungainly build, Lurdusaurus was most likely a slow-moving animal, not built for speed and therefore probably not capable of fast retreats from predators. However, its low-slung torso, while prohibiting it from running at high speeds, would have given it a low centre of gravity, allowing it to suddenly wheel round to face an attacker. Its thumb claws would have been formidable weapons, able to inflict possibly fatal damage to a predator if a blow was delivered to the neck or flank.
Credit goes to Luis Rey for the Lurdusaurus illustration.
The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" (
??), is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae (the other is the pygmy hippopotamus). After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third-largest type of land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyl. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, their closest living relatives are cetaceans (whales, porpoises, etc.) from which they diverged about 55 million years ago. The common ancestor of whales and hippos split from other even-toed ungulates around 60 million years ago. The earliest known hippopotamus fossils, belonging to the genus Kenyapotamus in Africa, date to around 16 million years ago. Hippos are recognizable by their barrel-shaped torsos, enormous mouths and teeth, nearly hairless bodies, stubby legs and tremendous size. They are the third-largest type of land mammal by weight (between 1½ and 3 tonnes): the only heavier species on average are the white and Indian rhinoceroses, typically 1½ to 3½ tonnes, and the elephants, typically weighing 3 to 9 tonnes. The hippopotamus is one of the largest quadrupeds and, despite its stocky shape and short legs, it can easily outrun a human. Hippos have been clocked at 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and, as such, ranks among the most dangerous animals in Africa. Nevertheless, they are still threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth. The hippopotamus is semiaquatic, inhabiting rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps, where territorial bulls preside over a stretch of river and groups of five to 30 females and young. During the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and childbirth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grasses. While hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land.Lurdusaurus arenatus
Lurdusaurus (name meaning 'weighty lizard') is a genus of large ornithopod dinosaur which lived in the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous, sometime between 121 to 112 million years ago. In 1965 Philippe Taquet discovered the partial remains of a euornithopod in the Tenere in Niger. In 1988 Souad Chabli coined the name "Gravisaurus tenerensis" in her dissertation on the animal.[1] Such a nomen ex dissertatione, however, remains an invalid name if not published together with a description. As Chabli had left the field of paleontology, the type species Lurdusaurus arenatus was formally named by Taquet and Dale Russell in 1999. The generic name is derived from Latin lurdus, "heavy", with the same meaning as the original gravis. The specific name arenatus means "sandy", like "tenerensis" a reference to the Tenere desert.[2] The holotype MNHN GDF 1700 was found in layers of the Elrhaz Formation dating to the upper Aptian-lower Albian. It consists of a partial skeleton with a fragmentary skull. Lurdusaurus was enormously heavily built. Taquet originally estimated a length of 30 ft (9m), 40% shorter than Spinosaurus, the longest carnivorous dinosaur known to date, but probably with around the same mass, i.c 5.5 tonnes. In 2010 however, Gregory S. Paul gave a lower estimate of seven metres and 2.5 tonnes.[3] Due to a short lower leg, its torso was characteristically low-slung, with the abdomen as little as 2.4 ft (0.71m) above ground level, and the rib cage was extremely broad. Its neck was relatively longer (5.3 ft [1.6m]) and its tail relatively shorter than that of other euornithopods. Even more so than with other large basal iguanodonts, the forelimbs were extremely powerful, with the innermost digit of each hand consisting of little more than a very large conical claw, presumably used for defense. The broad shortened hand was adapted to carrying the weight of the animal. The foot was unusually constructed in that the foot bones (metatarsals) lacked solid contact with each other, as in animals that can widely splay the toes, and this arrangement also indicates the presence of a single foot pad, precluding any ability to run quickly. Its overall body plan was therefore very unusual compared to other ornithopods, and its describers Taquet and Russell suggested that it would have looked superficially like an ankylosaur.[2] Paleontologist Tom Holtz has suggested that, based on its overall stocky build, short limbs and splaying toes, it may have been led an aquatic or semi-aquatic, hippopotamus-like lifestyle.[4] Due to its hefty and apparently ungainly build, Lurdusaurus was most likely a slow-moving animal, not built for speed and therefore probably not capable of fast retreats from predators. However, its low-slung torso, while prohibiting it from running at high speeds, would have given it a low centre of gravity, allowing it to suddenly wheel round to face an attacker. Its thumb claws would have been formidable weapons, able to inflict possibly fatal damage to a predator if a blow was delivered to the neck or flank.
Credit goes to Luis Rey for the Lurdusaurus illustration.
