Post by LeopJag on Apr 29, 2013 1:52:37 GMT 5
Greater Grison - Galictis vittata
The greater grison, Galictis vittata, is an animal belonging to the ferret family Mustelidae. It is native to Central and South America, ranging from southern Mexico in the north, to central Brazil, Peru and Bolivia in the south . Its habitat is savannas and rainforests, and it is usually seen near rivers and streams. Greater grisons are terrestrial and nocturnal, with some diurnal activity in the morning. They live alone or in pairs, feeding on small vertebrates including fish, amphibians, birds, and other mammals. Greater grisons are often described as large weasels. They have long, slim bodies, with short legs and a short, long-haired tail. Their toes have pearlescent blue claws and are padded and partially webbed along approximately three quarters of their length. Galictis vittata has a small, flat head with small, whitish, relatively broad, rounded ears and brown or black eyes that reflect blue light in the dark. Most striking of all is the coloration of their fur, which itself is fairly coarse, with a softer undercoat. Their dorsum is grey and separated from their black or grizzled under-parts by a light-colored, half-inch wide stripe running across their forehead and down the sides of either shoulder. Greater grisons are similar in appearance to their close relative, lesser grisons, but can be distinguished from the latter based on their larger size and their white or grey-tipped dorsal guard hairs, compared to the buff yellow-tipped dorsal guard hairs of lesser grisons. Their body length, including their tail, ranges from 60 to 76 cm, with weight records ranging from 1.4 to 3.8 kg. Female greater grisons tend to be slightly smaller and more slender than males.
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Argentine Black and White Tegu - Tupinambis merianae
The Argentine black and white tegu, Tupinambis merianae, is the largest species of tegu. It is also known as the Argentine giant tegu.[1] It belongs to the teiid family. Tegus fill ecological niches similar to those of monitor lizards, and are an example of convergent evolution.
They are an omnivorous terrestrial species that inhabit the tropical rain forests, savannas and semideserts of east and central South America. Just as many other reptiles, Argentine Tegus will go into brumation (a form of hibernation) in autumn when the temperature drops. A level of intelligence unusually high for reptiles has been observed, along with a high level of physical activity during the wakeful period of the year. It is believed that individuals of this species sometimes actively seek human attention, as would for example a cat or dog. As hatchlings they have a emerald green complexion from tip of their snout to midway down their neck with black markings; the emerald green eventually fades to black within a couple of months after shedding. Adult males are much larger than the females and can reach 3 feet in length at maturity and continue to grow to lengths of 4-4.5 feet. The females are much smaller reaching up to 3 feet in total length, from nose to tail. They have beaded skin and linear stripes running down their bodies.
The greater grison, Galictis vittata, is an animal belonging to the ferret family Mustelidae. It is native to Central and South America, ranging from southern Mexico in the north, to central Brazil, Peru and Bolivia in the south . Its habitat is savannas and rainforests, and it is usually seen near rivers and streams. Greater grisons are terrestrial and nocturnal, with some diurnal activity in the morning. They live alone or in pairs, feeding on small vertebrates including fish, amphibians, birds, and other mammals. Greater grisons are often described as large weasels. They have long, slim bodies, with short legs and a short, long-haired tail. Their toes have pearlescent blue claws and are padded and partially webbed along approximately three quarters of their length. Galictis vittata has a small, flat head with small, whitish, relatively broad, rounded ears and brown or black eyes that reflect blue light in the dark. Most striking of all is the coloration of their fur, which itself is fairly coarse, with a softer undercoat. Their dorsum is grey and separated from their black or grizzled under-parts by a light-colored, half-inch wide stripe running across their forehead and down the sides of either shoulder. Greater grisons are similar in appearance to their close relative, lesser grisons, but can be distinguished from the latter based on their larger size and their white or grey-tipped dorsal guard hairs, compared to the buff yellow-tipped dorsal guard hairs of lesser grisons. Their body length, including their tail, ranges from 60 to 76 cm, with weight records ranging from 1.4 to 3.8 kg. Female greater grisons tend to be slightly smaller and more slender than males.
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Argentine Black and White Tegu - Tupinambis merianae
The Argentine black and white tegu, Tupinambis merianae, is the largest species of tegu. It is also known as the Argentine giant tegu.[1] It belongs to the teiid family. Tegus fill ecological niches similar to those of monitor lizards, and are an example of convergent evolution.
They are an omnivorous terrestrial species that inhabit the tropical rain forests, savannas and semideserts of east and central South America. Just as many other reptiles, Argentine Tegus will go into brumation (a form of hibernation) in autumn when the temperature drops. A level of intelligence unusually high for reptiles has been observed, along with a high level of physical activity during the wakeful period of the year. It is believed that individuals of this species sometimes actively seek human attention, as would for example a cat or dog. As hatchlings they have a emerald green complexion from tip of their snout to midway down their neck with black markings; the emerald green eventually fades to black within a couple of months after shedding. Adult males are much larger than the females and can reach 3 feet in length at maturity and continue to grow to lengths of 4-4.5 feet. The females are much smaller reaching up to 3 feet in total length, from nose to tail. They have beaded skin and linear stripes running down their bodies.
