1.
Egg as food
–
Eggs are laid by female animals of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and fish, and have been eaten by humans for thousands of years. Bird and reptile eggs consist of an eggshell, albumen. The most popular choice for egg consumption are chicken eggs, other popular choices for egg consumption are duck, quail, roe, and caviar. Egg yolks and whole eggs store significant amounts of protein and choline, due to their protein content, the United States Department of Agriculture categorizes eggs as Meats within the Food Guide Pyramid. Despite the nutritional value of eggs, there are potential health issues arising from egg quality, storage. Chickens and other egg-laying creatures are widely kept throughout the world, in 2009, an estimated 62.1 million metric tons of eggs were produced worldwide from a total laying flock of approximately 6.4 billion hens. There are issues of variation in demand and expectation, as well as current debates concerning methods of mass production. In 2012, the European Union banned battery husbandry of chickens, bird eggs have been valuable foodstuffs since prehistory, in both hunting societies and more recent cultures where birds were domesticated. The chicken was probably domesticated for its eggs before 7500 BCE, chickens were brought to Sumer and Egypt by 1500 BCE, and arrived in Greece around 800 BCE, where the quail had been the primary source of eggs. In Thebes, Egypt, the tomb of Haremhab, built about 1420 BCE, shows a depiction of a man carrying bowls of ostrich eggs and other large eggs, presumably those of the pelican, as offerings. In ancient Rome, eggs were preserved using a number of methods, the Romans crushed the shells in their plates to prevent evil spirits from hiding there. In the Middle Ages, eggs were forbidden during Lent because of their richness, the word mayonnaise possibly was derived from moyeu, the medieval French word for the yolk, meaning center or hub. Egg scrambled with acidic fruit juices were popular in France in the 17th century, the dried egg industry developed in the 19th century, before the rise of the frozen egg industry. In 1878, a company in St. Louis, Missouri started to transform egg yolk and white into a light-brown, the production of dried eggs significantly expanded during World War II, for use by the United States Armed Forces and its allies. In 1911, the egg carton was invented by Joseph Coyle in Smithers, British Columbia, early egg cartons were made of paper. Bird eggs are a food and one of the most versatile ingredients used in cooking. They are important in many branches of the food industry. The most commonly used bird eggs are those from the chicken, duck and goose eggs, and smaller eggs, such as quail eggs, are occasionally used as a gourmet ingredient in western countries
2.
Bird
–
Birds, a subgroup of Reptiles, are the last living examples of Dinosaurs. Birds live worldwide and range in size from the 5 cm bee hummingbird to the 2.75 m ostrich. They rank as the class of tetrapods with the most living species, at ten thousand. Birds are the closest living relatives of crocodilians, the fossil record indicates that birds evolved from feathered ancestors within the theropod group of saurischian dinosaurs. True birds first appeared during the Cretaceous period, around 100 million years ago, Birds, especially those in the southern continents, survived this event and then migrated to other parts of the world while diversifying during periods of global cooling. Primitive bird-like dinosaurs that lie outside class Aves proper, in the broader group Avialae, have been found dating back to the mid-Jurassic period, around 170 million years ago. Birds have wings which are more or less developed depending on the species, the digestive and respiratory systems of birds are also uniquely adapted for flight. Some bird species of aquatic environments, particularly seabirds and some waterbirds, have evolved for swimming. Many species annually migrate great distances, Birds are social, communicating with visual signals, calls, and bird songs, and participating in such social behaviours as cooperative breeding and hunting, flocking, and mobbing of predators. The vast majority of species are socially monogamous, usually for one breeding season at a time, sometimes for years. Other species have breeding systems that are polygynous or, rarely, Birds produce offspring by laying eggs which are fertilised through sexual reproduction. They are usually laid in a nest and incubated by the parents, most birds have an extended period of parental care after hatching. Some birds, such as hens, lay eggs even when not fertilised, songbirds, parrots, and other species are popular as pets. Guano is harvested for use as a fertiliser, Birds prominently figure throughout human culture. About 120–130 species have become extinct due to human activity since the 17th century, human activity threatens about 1,200 bird species with extinction, though efforts are underway to protect them. Recreational birdwatching is an important part of the ecotourism industry, the first classification of birds was developed by Francis Willughby and John Ray in their 1676 volume Ornithologiae. Carl Linnaeus modified that work in 1758 to devise the taxonomic classification system currently in use, Birds are categorised as the biological class Aves in Linnaean taxonomy. Phylogenetic taxonomy places Aves in the dinosaur clade Theropoda, Aves and a sister group, the clade Crocodilia, contain the only living representatives of the reptile clade Archosauria
3.
Turtle
–
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs and acting as a shield. Turtle may refer to the order as a whole or to fresh-water, the order Testudines includes both extant and extinct species. The earliest known members of this date from 157 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups. Of the 327 known species alive today, some are highly endangered, turtles are ectotherms—animals commonly called cold-blooded—meaning that their internal temperature varies according to the ambient environment. However, because of their metabolic rate, leatherback sea turtles have a body temperature that is noticeably higher than that of the surrounding water. Turtles are classified as amniotes, along with reptiles, birds. Like other amniotes, turtles breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, Chelonia is based on the Greek word χελώνη chelone tortoise, turtle, also denoting armor or interlocking shields, testudines, on the other hand, is based on the Latin word testudo tortoise. Turtle may either refer to the order as a whole, or to particular turtles that make up a form taxon that is not monophyletic, the meaning of the word turtle differs from region to region. In North America, all chelonians are commonly called turtles, including terrapins, in Great Britain, the word turtle is used for sea-dwelling species, but not for tortoises. The term tortoise usually refers to any land-dwelling, non-swimming chelonian, most land-dwelling chelonians are in the Testudinidae family, only one of the 14 extant turtle families. Terrapin is used to describe several species of small, edible, hard-shell turtles, typically found in brackish waters. Some languages do not have this distinction, as all of these are referred to by the same name, for example, in Spanish, the word tortuga is used for turtles, tortoises, and terrapins. A sea-dwelling turtle is tortuga marina, a freshwater species tortuga de río, the largest living chelonian is the leatherback sea turtle, which reaches a shell length of 200 cm and can reach a weight of over 900 kg. Freshwater turtles are generally smaller, but with the largest species, the Asian softshell turtle Pelochelys cantorii, a few individuals have been reported up to 200 cm. This dwarfs even the better-known alligator snapping turtle, the largest chelonian in North America and they became extinct at the same time as the appearance of man, and it is assumed humans hunted them for food. The only surviving giant tortoises are on the Seychelles and Galápagos Islands and can grow to over 130 cm in length, the largest ever chelonian was Archelon ischyros, a Late Cretaceous sea turtle known to have been up to 4.6 m long. The smallest turtle is the speckled padloper tortoise of South Africa and it measures no more than 8 cm in length and weighs about 140 g. Two other species of turtles are the American mud turtles
4.
Chondrichthyes
–
The class is divided into two subclasses, Elasmobranchii and Holocephali. Within the infraphylum Gnathostomata, cartilaginous fishes are distinct from all other jawed vertebrates, the notochord, which is present in the young, is gradually replaced by cartilage. Chondrichthyans also lack ribs, so if they leave water, the larger species own body weight would crush their internal organs long before they would suffocate, as they do not have bone marrow, red blood cells are produced in the spleen and the epigonal organ. They are also produced in the Leydigs organ, which is found in certain cartilaginous fishes. The subclass Holocephali, which is a specialized group, lacks both the Leydigs and epigonal organs. In most species, all dermal denticles are oriented in one direction, making the skin feel very smooth if rubbed in one direction, originally, the pectoral and pelvic girdles, which do not contain any dermal elements, did not connect. In later forms, each pair of fins became ventrally connected in the middle when scapulocoracoid, in rays, the pectoral fins have connected to the head and are very flexible. One of the characteristics present in most sharks is the heterocercal tail. Chondrichthyans have toothlike scales called dermal denticles or placoid scales, denticles provide two functions, protection and in most cases, streamlining. Mucous glands exist in species as well. This is most likely an evolved characteristic, which means there is not necessarily a connection between the teeth and the original dermal scales. The old placoderms did not have teeth at all, but had sharp bony plates in their mouth, thus, it is unknown whether the dermal or oral teeth evolved first. Nor is it sure how many times it has happened if it out to be the case. However, there is no evidence of this at the moment, all chondrichthyans breathe through five to seven pairs of gills, depending on the species. However, this is only a rule and many species differ. A spiracle is a hole found behind each eye. These can be tiny and circular, such as found on the shark, to extended and slit-like. Many larger, pelagic species, such as the mackerel sharks, like all other jawed vertebrates, members of Chondrichthyes have an adaptive immune system
5.
Cephalopod
–
A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda. These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, fishermen sometimes call them inkfish, referring to their common ability to squirt ink. The study of cephalopods is a branch of known as teuthology. Cephalopods became dominant during the Ordovician period, represented by primitive nautiloids, the class now contains two, only distantly related, extant subclasses, Coleoidea, which includes octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish, and Nautiloidea, represented by Nautilus and Allonautilus. In the Coleoidea, the shell has been internalized or is absent, whereas in the Nautiloidea. About 800 living species of cephalopods have been identified, two important extinct taxa are the Ammonoidea and Belemnoidea. There are over 800 extant species of cephalopod, although new species continue to be described, an estimated 11,000 extinct taxa have been described, although the soft-bodied nature of cephalopods means they are not easily fossilised. Cephalopods are found in all the oceans of Earth, none of them can tolerate freshwater, but the brief squid, Lolliguncula brevis, found in Chesapeake Bay, is a notable partial exception in that it tolerates brackish water. Cephalopods are thought to be unable to live in due to multiple biochemical constraints. Cephalopods occupy most of the depth of the ocean, from the plain to the sea surface. Their diversity is greatest near the equator and decreases towards the poles, Cephalopods are widely regarded as the most intelligent of the invertebrates, and have well developed senses and large brains. The nervous system of cephalopods is the most complex of the invertebrates, the brain is protected in a cartilaginous cranium. Cephalopods have also known to climb out of their aquaria, maneuver a distance of the lab floor, enter another aquarium to feed on the crabs. Cephalopods are social creatures, when isolated from their own kind, some cephalopods are able to fly through the air for distances of up to 50 m. While cephalopods are not particularly aerodynamic, they achieve these impressive ranges by jet-propulsion, the animals spread their fins and tentacles to form wings and actively control lift force with body posture. Cephalopods have advanced vision, can detect gravity with statocysts, and have a variety of sense organs. Octopuses use their arms to explore their environment and can use them for depth perception, most cephalopods rely on vision to detect predators and prey, and to communicate with one another. Consequently, cephalopod vision is acute, training experiments have shown that the octopus can distinguish the brightness, size, shape
6.
Lepidoptera
–
The Lepidoptera is an order of insects that includes moths and butterflies. 180,000 species of Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies and it is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world. The term was coined by Linnaeus in 1735 and is derived from Ancient Greek λεπίδος, the Lepidoptera show many variations of the basic body structure that have evolved to gain advantages in lifestyle and distribution. Recent estimates suggest the order may have more species than earlier thought, and is among the four most speciose orders, along with the Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera. Lepidopteran species are characterized by more than three derived features, some of the most apparent being the scales covering their bodies and wings, the scales are modified, flattened hairs, and give butterflies and moths their extraordinary variety of colors and patterns. Almost all species have some form of wings, except for a few that have reduced wings or are wingless. Like most other insects, butterflies and moths are holometabolous, meaning they undergo complete metamorphosis, mating and the laying of eggs are carried out by adults, normally near or on host plants for the larvae. As they grow, these change in appearance, going through a series of stages called instars. Once fully matured, the larva develops into a pupa A few butterflies and many species spin a silk case or cocoon prior to pupating, while others do not. A butterfly pupa, called a chrysalis, has a hard skin, once the pupa has completed its metamorphosis, a sexually mature adult emerges. Accordingly, this is the most recognized and popular of insect orders with many involved in the observation, study, collection, rearing of. A person who collects or studies this order is referred to as a lepidopterist, in many species, the female may produce from 200 to 600 eggs, while in others, the number may approach 30,000 eggs in one day. The caterpillars hatching from eggs can cause damage to large quantities of crops. Many moth and butterfly species are of economic interest by virtue of their role as pollinators, the word Lepidoptera comes from the Latin word for scaly wing, from the Ancient Greek λεπίς meaning scale and πτερόν meaning wing. The origins of the common names butterfly and moth are varied, the English word butterfly is from Old English buttorfleoge, with many variations in spelling. Other than that, the origin is unknown, although it could be derived from the yellow color of many species wings suggesting the color of butter. The species of Heterocera are commonly called moths, the origins of the English word moth are more clear, deriving from the Old English moððe from Common Germanic. The Lepidoptera are among the most successful groups of insects, among the most northern dwelling species of butterflies and moths is the Arctic Apollo, which is found in the Arctic Circle in northeastern Yakutia, at an altitude of 1500 m above sea level
7.
Zygote
–
A zygote, is an eukaryotic cell formed by a fertilization event between two gametes. The zygotes genome is a combination of the DNA in each gamete, in multicellular organisms, the zygote is the earliest developmental stage. In single-celled organisms, the zygote can divide asexually by mitosis to produce identical offspring, oscar Hertwig and Richard Hertwig made some of the first discoveries on animal zygote formation. In fungi, the fusion of haploid cells is called karyogamy. The result of karyogamy is a diploid cell called a zygote or zygospore and this cell may then enter meiosis or mitosis depending on the life cycle of the species. In plants, the zygote may be polyploid if fertilization occurs between meiotically unreduced gametes, in land plants, the zygote is formed within a chamber called the archegonium. In seedless plants, the archegonium is usually flask-shaped, with a long hollow neck through which the cell enters. As the zygote divides and grows, it does so inside the archegonium, in human fertilization, a release ovum and a haploid sperm cell —combine to form a single 2n diploid cell called the zygote. The other product of meiosis is the polar body with only chromosomes. In the fertilized daughter, DNA is then replicated in the two separate pronuclei derived from the sperm and ovum, making the zygotes chromosome number temporarily 4n diploid. After approximately 30 hours from the time of fertilization, fusion of the pronuclei, between the stages of fertilization and implantation, the developing human is a preimplantation conceptus. However, the National Institute of Health has made the determination that the classification of pre-implantation embryo is still correct. After fertilization, the travels down the oviduct towards the uterus while continuing to divide mitotically without actually increasing in size. After four divisions, the conceptus consists of 16 blastomeres, through the processes of compaction, cell division, and blastulation, the conceptus takes the form of the blastocyst by the fifth day of development, just as it approaches the site of implantation. When the blastocyst hatches from the zona pellucida, it can implant in the lining of the uterus. The human zygote has been edited in experiments designed to cure inherited diseases. In the amoeba, reproduction occurs by division of the parent cell
8.
Animal
–
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia. The animal kingdom emerged as a clade within Apoikozoa as the group to the choanoflagellates. Animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently at some point in their lives and their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later in their lives. All animals are heterotrophs, they must ingest other organisms or their products for sustenance, most known animal phyla appeared in the fossil record as marine species during the Cambrian explosion, about 542 million years ago. Animals can be divided broadly into vertebrates and invertebrates, vertebrates have a backbone or spine, and amount to less than five percent of all described animal species. They include fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, the remaining animals are the invertebrates, which lack a backbone. These include molluscs, arthropods, annelids, nematodes, flatworms, cnidarians, ctenophores, the study of animals is called zoology. The word animal comes from the Latin animalis, meaning having breath, the biological definition of the word refers to all members of the kingdom Animalia, encompassing creatures as diverse as sponges, jellyfish, insects, and humans. Aristotle divided the world between animals and plants, and this was followed by Carl Linnaeus, in the first hierarchical classification. In Linnaeuss original scheme, the animals were one of three kingdoms, divided into the classes of Vermes, Insecta, Pisces, Amphibia, Aves, and Mammalia. Since then the last four have all been subsumed into a single phylum, in 1874, Ernst Haeckel divided the animal kingdom into two subkingdoms, Metazoa and Protozoa. The protozoa were later moved to the kingdom Protista, leaving only the metazoa, thus Metazoa is now considered a synonym of Animalia. Animals have several characteristics that set apart from other living things. Animals are eukaryotic and multicellular, which separates them from bacteria and they are heterotrophic, generally digesting food in an internal chamber, which separates them from plants and algae. They are also distinguished from plants, algae, and fungi by lacking cell walls. All animals are motile, if only at life stages. In most animals, embryos pass through a stage, which is a characteristic exclusive to animals. With a few exceptions, most notably the sponges and Placozoa and these include muscles, which are able to contract and control locomotion, and nerve tissues, which send and process signals
9.
Embryo
–
An embryo is an early stage of development of a multicellular diploid eukaryotic organism. In general, in organisms that reproduce sexually, an embryo develops from a zygote, the zygote possesses half the DNA of each of its two parents. In plants, animals, and some protists, the zygote will begin to divide by mitosis to produce a multicellular organism, the result of this process is an embryo. First attested in English in the mid-14c, the word embryon derives from Medieval Latin embryo, itself from Greek ἔμβρυον, lit. Young one, which is the neuter of ἔμβρυος, lit, growing in, from ἐν, in and βρύω, swell, be full, the proper Latinized form of the Greek term would be embryum. In animals, the development of the zygote into an embryo proceeds through specific stages of blastula, gastrula. The blastula stage typically features a fluid-filled cavity, the blastocoel, surrounded by a sphere or sheet of cells, in a placental mammal, an ovum is fertilized in a fallopian tube through which it travels into the uterus. An embryo is called a fetus at an advanced stage of development. In humans, this is from the week of gestation. During gastrulation the cells of the blastula undergo coordinated processes of cell division, invasion, in triploblastic organisms, the three germ layers are called endoderm, ectoderm, and mesoderm. The position and arrangement of the layers are highly species-specific, however. For example, in neurogenesis, a subpopulation of cells is set aside to become the brain, spinal cord. Modern developmental biology is extensively probing the molecular basis for every type of organogenesis, including angiogenesis, chondrogenesis, myogenesis, osteogenesis, and many others. In botany, a plant embryo is part of a seed, consisting of precursor tissues for the leaves, stem. Once the embryo begins to germinate — grow out from the seed — it is called a seedling, bryophytes and ferns also produce an embryo, but do not produce seeds. In these plants, the embryo begins its existence attached to the inside of the archegonium on a parental gametophyte from which the egg cell was generated, the structure and development of the rest of the embryo varies by group of plants. Once the embryo has expanded beyond the enclosing archegonium, it is no longer termed an embryo, embryos are used in various fields of research and in techniques of assisted reproductive technology. An egg may be fertilized in vitro and the embryo may be frozen for later use
10.
Egg cell
–
The egg cell, or ovum, is the female reproductive cell in oogamous organisms. The egg cell is not capable of active movement. When egg and sperm fuse, a cell is formed. Karl Ernst von Baer discovered the mammalian ovum in 1827, the fusion of spermatozoa with ova was observed by Oskar Hertwig in 1876. In animals, egg cells are known as ova. The term ovule is used for the young ovum of an animal, in vertebrates, ova are produced by female gonads called ovaries a number of ova are present at birth in mammals and mature via oogenesis. White et al. disproved the longstanding dogma that all of the ova are produced before birth, the team from the Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts, Boston could prove that oocyte fromation takes place in ovaries of reproductive-age women. This report challenged a fundamental belief, held since the 1950s, in all mammals the ovum is fertilized inside the female body. The human ova grow from primitive germ cells that are embedded in the substance of the ovaries, each of them divides repeatedly to give secretions of the uterine glands, ultimately forming a blastocyst. The ovum is one of the largest cells in the human body, the human ovum measures approximately 0.12 mm in diameter. Ooplasm is the yolk of the ovum, a substance at its center, which contains its nucleus, named the germinal vesicle. Mammalian ova contain only an amount of the nutritive yolk. In contrast, bird eggs contain enough to supply the chick with nutriment throughout the period of incubation. In the oviparous animals the ova develop protective layers and pass through the oviduct to the outside of the body and they are fertilized by male sperm either inside the female body, or outside. After fertilization, an embryo develops, nourished by nutrients contained in the egg and it then hatches from the egg, outside the mothers body. See egg for a discussion of eggs of oviparous animals, the egg cells cytoplasm and mitochondria are the sole means the egg is able to reproduce by mitosis and eventually form a blastocyst after fertilization. Some fish, reptiles and many use this technique. Nearly all land plants have alternating diploid and haploid generations, gametes are produced by the gametophyte, which is the haploid generation
11.
Arthropod
–
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda, which includes the insects, arachnids, myriapods, arthropods are characterized by their jointed limbs and cuticle made of chitin, often mineralised with calcium carbonate. The arthropod body plan consists of segments, each with a pair of appendages, the rigid cuticle inhibits growth, so arthropods replace it periodically by moulting. Their versatility has enabled them to become the most species-rich members of all guilds in most environments. They have over a million described species, making up more than 80% of all described living species, some of which. Arthropods range in size from the microscopic crustacean Stygotantulus up to the Japanese spider crab, arthropods primary internal cavity is a hemocoel, which accommodates their internal organs, and through which their haemolymph – analogue of blood – circulates, they have open circulatory systems. Like their exteriors, the organs of arthropods are generally built of repeated segments. Their nervous system is ladder-like, with paired ventral nerve cords running through all segments and their heads are formed by fusion of varying numbers of segments, and their brains are formed by fusion of the ganglia of these segments and encircle the esophagus. The respiratory and excretory systems of arthropods vary, depending as much on their environment as on the subphylum to which they belong, arthropods also have a wide range of chemical and mechanical sensors, mostly based on modifications of the many setae that project through their cuticles. Aquatic species use internal or external fertilization. Almost all arthropods lay eggs, but scorpions give birth to live young after the eggs have hatched inside the mother, arthropod hatchlings vary from miniature adults to grubs and caterpillars that lack jointed limbs and eventually undergo a total metamorphosis to produce the adult form. The level of care for hatchlings varies from nonexistent to the prolonged care provided by scorpions. The evolutionary ancestry of arthropods dates back to the Cambrian period, the group is generally regarded as monophyletic, and many analyses support the placement of arthropods with cycloneuralians in a superphylum Ecdysozoa. Overall however, the relationships of Metazoa are not yet well resolved. Likewise, the relationships between various groups are still actively debated. Arthropods contribute to the food supply both directly as food, and more importantly indirectly as pollinators of crops. Some species are known to spread disease to humans, livestock. The word arthropod comes from the Greek ἄρθρον árthron, joint, and πούς pous, i. e. foot or leg, arthropods are invertebrates with segmented bodies and jointed limbs
12.
Vertebrate
–
Vertebrates /ˈvɜːrtᵻbrᵻts/ comprise all species of animals within the subphylum Vertebrata /-ɑː/. Vertebrates represent the majority of the phylum Chordata, with currently about 66,000 species described. Vertebrates include the fish and the jawed vertebrates, which include the cartilaginous fish. A bony fish known as the lobe-finned fishes is included with tetrapods, which are further divided into amphibians, reptiles, mammals. Extant vertebrates range in size from the frog species Paedophryne amauensis, at as little as 7.7 mm, to the blue whale, vertebrates make up less than five percent of all described animal species, the rest are invertebrates, which lack vertebral columns. The vertebrates traditionally include the hagfish, which do not have proper vertebrae due to their loss in evolution, though their closest living relatives, hagfish do, however, possess a cranium. For this reason, the vertebrate subphylum is sometimes referred to as Craniata when discussing morphology, molecular analysis since 1992 has suggested that hagfish are most closely related to lampreys, and so also are vertebrates in a monophyletic sense. Others consider them a group of vertebrates in the common taxon of craniata. The word origin of vertebrate derives from the Latin word vertebratus, the Proto-Indo-European language origins are still unclear. Vertebrate is derived from the vertebra, which refers to any of the bones or segments of the spinal column. All vertebrates are built along the basic body plan, a stiff rod running through the length of the animal, with a hollow tube of nervous tissue above it. In all vertebrates, the mouth is found at, or right below, the remaining part of the body continuing after the anus forms a tail with vertebrae and spinal cord, but no gut. However, a few vertebrates have secondarily lost this anatomy, retaining the notochord into adulthood, such as the sturgeon, jawed vertebrates are typified by paired appendages, but this trait is not required in order for an animal to be a vertebrate. All basal vertebrates breathe with gills, the gills are carried right behind the head, bordering the posterior margins of a series of openings from the pharynx to the exterior. Each gill is supported by a cartilagenous or bony gill arch, the bony fish have three pairs of arches, cartilaginous fish have five to seven pairs, while the primitive jawless fish have seven. The vertebrate ancestor no doubt had more arches than this, as some of their relatives have more than 50 pairs of gills. In amphibians and some primitive fishes, the larvae bear external gills. These are reduced in adulthood, their function taken over by the gills proper in fishes, some amphibians retain the external larval gills in adulthood, the complex internal gill system as seen in fish apparently being irrevocably lost very early in the evolution of tetrapods
13.
Mollusca
–
The molluscs compose the large phylum Mollusca of invertebrate animals. Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, molluscs are the largest marine phylum, comprising about 23% of all the named marine organisms. Numerous molluscs also live in freshwater and terrestrial habitats and they are highly diverse, not just in size and in anatomical structure, but also in behaviour and in habitat. The phylum is divided into 9 or 10 taxonomic classes. The gastropods are by far the most numerous molluscs in terms of classified species, the three most universal features defining modern molluscs are a mantle with a significant cavity used for breathing and excretion, the presence of a radula, and the structure of the nervous system. Other than these things, molluscs express great morphological diversity, so many textbooks base their descriptions on an ancestral mollusc. This has a single, limpet-like shell on top, which is made of proteins and chitin reinforced with calcium carbonate, the underside of the animal consists of a single muscular foot. Although molluscs are coelomates, the coelom tends to be small, the main body cavity is a hemocoel through which blood circulates, their circulatory systems are mainly open. The generalized mollusc has two paired nerve cords, or three in bivalves, the brain, in species that have one, encircles the esophagus. Most molluscs have eyes, and all have sensors to detect chemicals, vibrations, the simplest type of molluscan reproductive system relies on external fertilization, but more complex variations occur. All produce eggs, from which may emerge trochophore larvae, more complex veliger larvae, good evidence exists for the appearance of gastropods, cephalopods and bivalves in the Cambrian period 541 to 485.4 million years ago. Molluscs have, for centuries, also been the source of important luxury goods, notably pearls, mother of pearl, Tyrian purple dye and their shells have also been used as money in some preindustrial societies. Mollusc species can also represent hazards or pests for human activities, the bite of the blue-ringed octopus is often fatal, and that of Octopus apollyon causes inflammation that can last for over a month. Stings from a few species of large tropical cone shells can also kill, schistosomiasis is transmitted to humans via water snail hosts, and affects about 200 million people. Snails and slugs can also be serious pests, and accidental or deliberate introduction of some snail species into new environments has seriously damaged some ecosystems. The words mollusc and mollusk are both derived from the French mollusque, which originated from the Latin molluscus, from mollis, molluscus was itself an adaptation of Aristotles τα μαλακά, the soft things, which he applied to cuttlefish. The scientific study of molluscs is accordingly called malacology, as it is now known these groups have no relation to molluscs, and very little to one another, the name Molluscoida has been abandoned. The most universal features of the structure of molluscs are a mantle with a significant cavity used for breathing and excretion
14.
Scorpion
–
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. Scorpions range in size from 9 mm /0.3 in. to 23 cm /9 in, the evolutionary history of scorpions goes back to the Silurian era 430 million years ago. They have adapted to a range of environmental conditions and can now be found on all continents except Antarctica. Scorpions number about 1750 described species, with 13 extant families recognised to date, only about 25 of these species are known to have venom capable of killing a human being. The taxonomy has undergone changes and is likely to change further, Scorpion stings are painful but are usually harmless to humans. For stings from species found in North America, no treatment is normally needed for healthy adults, although care should be sought for children. More harmful stings from species found in South America, Africa, Scorpions are found on all major land masses except Antarctica. The greatest diversity of scorpions in the Northern Hemisphere is to be found in the areas lying between latitudes 23° N and 38° N. Above these latitudes, the diversity decreases, with the northernmost natural occurrence of scorpions being the northern scorpion Paruroctonus boreus at Medicine Hat, Alberta, five colonies of scorpions have established themselves in Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in the United Kingdom. This small population has been resident since the 1860s, having arrived with imported fruit from Africa. This scorpion species is small and completely harmless to humans, at just over 51° N, this marks the northernmost limit where scorpions live in the wild. There are thirteen families and about 1,750 described species and subspecies of scorpions, in addition, there are 111 described taxa of extinct scorpions. This classification is based on that of Soleglad & Fet, which replaced the older, additional taxonomic changes are from papers by Soleglad et al. The following classification covers extant taxa to the rank of family, L. Koch,1837 Family Buthidae C. L. The oldest known scorpions lived around 430 million years ago in the Silurian period and these first scorpions were believed to have had gills instead of the present forms book lungs though this has subsequently been refuted. The oldest Gondwanan scorpiones comprise the earliest known terrestrial animals from Gondwana, currently,111 fossil species of scorpion are known. Unusually for arachnids, there are species of Palaeozoic scorpion than Mesozoic or Cenozoic ones. The eurypterids, marine creatures that lived during the Palaeozoic era, share several traits with scorpions
15.
Theria
–
Theria is a subclass of mammals amongst the Theriiformes. Theria includes the eutherians and the metatherians, therian mammals give birth to live young without using a shelled egg. It is possible thanks to key proteins called syncytins, which allow exchanges between the mother and its offspring through a placenta even rudimental such as the marsupial ones, genetic studies have enlighted the viral origin of syncytins through endogenization process. Therian mammals no longer have the coracoid bone, contrary to their cousins monotremes, pinnae are also a distinctive trait that is a therian exclusivity. The earliest known therian mammal fossil is Juramaia, from the Middle Jurassic of China, however, molecular data suggests that therians may have originated even earlier, during the Early Jurassic. The rank of Theria may vary depending on the system used. The textbook classification system by Vaughan et al. gives the following, marsupials Monotremes Placental mammals Theria — supercohort — Tree of Life
16.
Bird egg
–
Bird eggs are laid by the females and incubated for a time that varies according to the species, a single young hatches from each egg. Average clutch sizes range from one to about 17, clutch size may vary latitudinally within a species. Some birds lay eggs even when the eggs have not been fertilized, it is not uncommon for pet owners to find their lone bird nesting on a clutch of infertile eggs, which are sometimes called wind-eggs. The default color of vertebrate eggs is the white of the calcium carbonate from which the shells are made, the pigments biliverdin and its zinc chelate give a green or blue ground color, and protoporphyrin produces reds and browns as a ground color or as spotting. However, the markings on passerine eggs have been suggested to reduce brittleness by acting as a solid state lubricant. If insufficient calcium is available in the soil, the egg shell may be thin. Protoporphyrin speckling compensates for this, and increases inversely to the amount of calcium in the soil, for the same reason, later eggs in a clutch are more spotted than early ones, as the females store of calcium is depleted. Birds which build in trees generally have blue or greenish eggs, either spotted or unspotted, while birds that build in bushes or near or on the ground are likely to lay speckled eggs. For example, Cormorant eggs are rough and chalky Tinamou eggs are shiny Duck eggs are oily, the domestic hens egg has around 7500 pores. The shape of eggs varies considerably across bird species, ranging from near-spherical to highly pyriform or conical with the shape of the chicken egg lying in between. Early scientific investigators of egg shape suggested that the shape of eggs was caused by the egg being forced through the oviduct by peristalsis. The calcification of the egg in the shell gland/uterus then fixes it in shape. These observations cannot be explained by peristalsis and it has been proposed that the egg acquires its shape as it is forced through the narrow isthmus, but this assertion has not been thoroughly verified. Cliff-nesting birds often have highly conical eggs and they are less likely to roll off, tending instead to roll around in a tight circle, this trait is likely to have arisen due to evolution via natural selection. In contrast, many hole-nesting birds have nearly spherical eggs, a pointed egg will tend to sit on its side, with the big end tipped upward. The big end contains the air sac and its shell is pierced by a density of pores than the more pointed end. Tipping the big end upwards improves oxygen flow to the head, with the physiologically demanding eyes and brain. Egg size tends to be proportional to the size of the adult bird, kiwis have disproportionately large eggs, up to 20% of the females body weight
17.
Monotreme
–
Monotremes are basal mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young like marsupials and placental mammals. The only surviving examples of monotremes are all indigenous to Australia and New Guinea, the existing monotreme species are the platypus and four species of echidnas. There is currently debate regarding monotreme taxonomy. The word monotreme comes from the Greek μονός, monos and τρῆμα, trema, in common with reptiles and marsupials, monotremes lack the connective structure which in placental mammals is the primary communication route between the right and left brain hemispheres. Extant monotremes lack teeth as adults, fossil forms and modern platypus young have a tribosphenic form of molars, which is one of the hallmarks of extant mammals. Some recent work suggests that monotremes acquired this form of molar independently of placental mammals and marsupials, toothloss in modern monotremes might be related to their development of electrolocation. Monotreme jaws are constructed differently from those of other mammals. Nonetheless, findings on the extinct species Teinolophos confirm that suspended ear bones evolved independently among monotremes, the external opening of the ear still lies at the base of the jaw. DNA suggests that while this trait is shared and is synapomorphic with birds, platypuses are still mammals, l-ascorbic acid is synthesized only in the kidneys. The monotremes also have extra bones in the girdle, including an interclavicle and coracoid. Monotremes retain a reptile-like gait, with legs on the sides of, rather than underneath, the monotreme leg bears a spur in the ankle region, the spur is not functional in echidnas, but contains a powerful venom in the male platypus. This venom is derived from b-defensins, proteins that are present in mammals that create holes in viral and bacterial pathogens, some reptile venom is also composed of different types of b-defensins, another trait shared with reptiles. It is thought to be an ancient mammalian characteristic, as many non-monotreme archaic mammal groups also possess venomous spurs, the penis only carries semen, urine is excreted through the cloaca. The monotreme penis is similar to a penis, and is covered by a preputial sac. However, the egg is retained for some time within the mother, which provides the egg with nutrients. Newborn monotremes are larval and fetus-like, much like those of marsupials, Monotremes, like all mammals, lactate, but have no defined nipples, excreting the milk from their mammary glands via openings in their skin. All species are long-lived, with low rates of reproduction and relatively prolonged parental care of infants, the zygotes of monotremes, however, undergo meroblastic division, which causes the ovum to split but not completely. Monotremes metabolic rate is low by mammalian standards
18.
Eggshell
–
An eggshell is the outer covering of a hard-shelled egg and of some forms of eggs with soft outer coats. Bird eggshells contain calcium carbonate and dissolve in acids, including the vinegar used in cooking. While dissolving, the carbonate in an eggshell reacts with the acid to form carbon dioxide. Insects and other arthropods lay a variety of styles and shapes of eggs, some have gelatinous or skin-like coverings, others have hard eggshells. It may be fibrous or quite liquid, some arthropod eggs do not actually have shells, rather, their outer covering is actually the outermost embryonic membrane, the choroid, which serves to proteact inner layers. The choroid itself can be a structure, and it may have different layers within it. It may have an outermost layer called an exochorion, eggs which must survive in dry conditions usually have hard eggshells, made mostly of dehydrated or mineralized proteins with pore systems to allow respiration. Arthropod eggs can have extensive ornamentation on their outer surfaces, fish and amphibians generally lay eggs which are surrounded by the extraembryonic membranes but do not develop a shell, hard or soft, around these membranes. Some fish and amphibian eggs have thick, leathery coats, especially if they must withstand physical force or desiccation and these type of eggs can also be very small and fragile. While many reptiles lay eggs with flexible, calcified, eggshells, eggs laid by snakes generally have leathery shells which often adhere to one another. Depending on the species, turtles and tortoises lay hard or soft eggs, several species lay eggs which are nearly indistinguishable from bird eggs. The bird egg is a fertilized gamete located on the surface and surrounded by albumen. The albumen in turn is surrounded by two membranes and then the eggshell. The chicken eggshell is 95-97% calcium carbonate crystals, which are stabilized by a protein matrix, without the protein, the crystal structure would be too brittle to keep its form and the organic matrix is thought to have a role in deposition of calcium during the mineralization process. Eggshell formation requires gram amounts of calcium being deposited within hours, the fibrous chicken shell membranes are added in the proximal isthmus of the oviduct. In the distal isthmus mammillae or mammillary knobs are deposited on the surface of the membrane in a regular array pattern. The mammillae are proteoglycan-rich and are thought to control calcification, in the shell gland, mineralization starts at the mammillae. The shell gland fluid contains very high levels of calcium and hydrogen carbonate, the thick calcified layer of the eggshell forms in columns from the mammillae structures, and is known as the palisade layer
19.
Egg tooth
–
In some egg-laying animals, the egg tooth is a small, sharp, cranial protuberance used by offspring to break or tear through the eggs surface during hatching. It is present in most reptiles, and similar structures exist in monotremes, Eleutherodactyl frogs, some lizards develop a true tooth that is shed after use, other reptiles and birds generally develop an analogous epidermal horn that is reabsorbed or falls off. A mother bird delivers her young encased in an eggshell, a protective covering consisting of calcium carbonate. The shell protects the chick until it is ready to survive in the outside world, the chick breaks open the shell when it is strong enough and ready. Since the beak and the claws of the bird are not fully developed and cannot penetrate the eggshell and it is only found in emerging chicks and lost soon after hatching, after it is used to penetrate the hard shell that once protected the embryo. In birds, the process of breaking open the eggshell is commonly referred to as pipping, chicks have a pipping muscle on the back of their necks. It is this muscle which gives them the strength to force the egg tooth through the membrane of the eggshell. When a chick becomes too large to absorb oxygen through the pores of its eggshell and this sac provides a few hours worth of air, during which the chick breaks through the eggshell to the outside. The egg tooth falls off several days after hatching, kiwis lack an egg tooth, instead using their legs and beak to break through a relatively thin eggshell. The superprecocial megapodes possess an egg tooth in their embryonic development. Baby snakes generally hatch from eggs with tough, leathery shells, a baby snakes egg tooth tears a hole directly through the shell, and falls off the first time the snake sheds its skin. A baby crocodile has an egg tooth on the end of its snout and it is a tough piece of skin which is resorbed less than two months after hatching. Crocodile eggs are similar to those of birds in that they have an inner membrane, the egg tooth is used to tear open the inner membrane, the baby crocodile can then push its way through the outer shell. If conditions are particularly dry that year, the membrane may be too tough for the crocodile to break through. Generally, however, the crocodile is there to help free it
20.
Whale shark
–
The whale shark is a slow-moving filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 m, unconfirmed claims of considerably larger individuals, over 14 m long and weighing at least 30 t, are not uncommon. The whale shark holds many records for size in the animal kingdom. It is the member of the genus Rhincodon and the only extant member of the family Rhincodontidae. The species originated about 60 million years ago, the whale shark is found in open waters of the tropical oceans and is rarely found in water below 22 °C. Modeling suggests a lifespan of about 70 years, but measurements have proven difficult, Whale sharks have very large mouths and are filter feeders, which is a feeding mode that occurs in only two other sharks, the megamouth shark and the basking shark. They feed almost exclusively on plankton and are not known to pose a threat to humans, the species was distinguished in April 1828 after the harpooning of a 4.6 m specimen in Table Bay, South Africa. Andrew Smith, a military doctor associated with British troops stationed in Cape Town, the name whale shark directly refers to the fishs size, being as large as some species of whales and also that it is a filter feeder like baleen whales. The whale shark inhabits all tropical and warm-temperate seas, the fish is primarily pelagic, living in the open sea but not in the greater depths of the ocean, although it is known to occasionally dive to depths of as much as 1,800 metres. Although typically seen offshore, it has been closer to land, entering lagoons or coral atolls. Its range is restricted to about 30° latitude. It is capable of diving to depths of at least 1,286 m, on 7 February 2012, a large whale shark was found floating 150 kilometres off the coast of Karachi, Pakistan. The length of the specimen was said to be between 11 and 12 m, with a weight of around 15,000 kg, in 2011, more than 400 whale sharks gathered off the Yucatan Coast. It was one of the largest gatherings of whale sharks recorded, aggregations in that area are among the most reliable seasonal gatherings known for whale sharks, with large numbers occurring in most years between May and September. Associated ecotourism has grown rapidly to unsustainable levels, Whale sharks have a mouth that can be 1.5 m wide, containing 300 to 350 rows of tiny teeth and 10 filter pads which it uses to filter feed. Whale sharks have five pairs of gills. The head is wide and flat with two eyes at the front. Whale sharks are grey with a white belly and their skin is marked with pale yellow spots and stripes which are unique to each individual
21.
Common ostrich
–
The ostrich or common ostrich is either one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio, which is in the ratite family. In 2014, the Somali ostrich was recognized as a distinct species, the common ostrich shares the order Struthioniformes with the kiwis, emus, rheas, and cassowaries. However, phylogenetic studies have shown that it is the group to all other members of Palaeognathae. It is distinctive in its appearance, with a neck and legs, and can run at up to about 70 km/h. The common ostrich is the largest living species of bird and lays the largest eggs of any living bird, the common ostrichs diet consists mainly of plant matter, though it also eats invertebrates. It lives in groups of 5 to 50 birds. When threatened, the ostrich will either hide itself by lying flat against the ground, if cornered, it can attack with a kick of its powerful legs. Mating patterns differ by region, but territorial males fight for a harem of two to seven females. The common ostrich is farmed around the world, particularly for its feathers and its skin is used for leather products and its meat is marketed commercially, with its leanness a common marketing point. Common ostriches usually weigh from 63 to 145 kilograms, or as much as two adult humans, ostriches of the East African race averaged 115 kg in males and 100 kg in females, while the nominate subspecies was found to average 111 kg in unsexed adults. Exceptional male ostriches can weigh up to 156.8 kg, at sexual maturity, male common ostriches can be from 2.1 to 2.8 m in height, while female common ostriches range from 1.7 to 2.0 m tall. New chicks are fawn in colour, with brown spots. During the first year of life, chicks grow at about 25 cm per month, at one year of age, common ostriches weigh approximately 45 kilograms. Their lifespan is up to 40–45 years, the feathers of adult males are mostly black, with white primaries and a white tail. However, the tail of one subspecies is buff, females and young males are greyish-brown and white. The head and neck of both male and female ostriches is nearly bare, with a layer of down. The skin of the neck and thighs is pinkish gray. The eyes are shaded from sunlight from above, However, the head and bill are relatively small for the birds huge size, with the bill measuring 12 to 14.3 cm
22.
Elephant bird
–
Elephant birds are members of the extinct family Aepyornithidae. Elephant birds were large to enormous flightless birds that lived on the island of Madagascar. They became extinct, by the 17th or 18th century if not earlier, for reasons that are unclear, Elephant birds comprised the genera Mullerornis and Aepyornis. Aepyornis was among the heaviest of birds, the elephant birds, which were giant ratites native to Madagascar, have been extinct since at least the 17th century. Étienne de Flacourt, a French governor of Madagascar in the 1640s and 1650s, mentions an ostrich-like bird said to inhabit unpopulated regions. In 1659, Flacourt wrote, vouropatra – a large bird which haunts the Ampatres and lays eggs like the ostriches, marco Polo also mentioned hearing stories of very large birds during his journey to the East during the late 13th century. These accounts are today believed to describe elephant birds, Aepyornis, believed to have been more than 3 m tall and weighing perhaps in the range of 350 to 500 kg, was at the time the worlds largest bird. Only the much older species Dromornis stirtoni from Australia is known to rival it in size among the record and is reported to have shared the same estimated upper weight,500 kg. Remains of Aepyornis adults and eggs have been found, in cases the eggs have a length up to 34 cm. The egg weighed about 10 kg, the egg volume is about 160 times greater than that of a chicken egg. Four species are accepted in the genus Aepyornis today, but the validity of some is disputed, with numerous authors treating them all in just one species. Up to three species are included in Mullerornis. Sightings of eggs of elephant birds by sailors could also have been attributed to a giant raptor from Madagascar. Another might be the perception of ratites retaining neotenic features and thus being mistaken for enormous chicks of a more massive bird. The ancient Malagasy name for the bird is vorompatra, meaning bird of the Ampatres, the Ampatres are today known as the Androy region of southern Madagascar. Like the ostrich, rhea, cassowary, emu, kiwi and extinct moa, Mullerornis and Aepyornis were ratites, they could not fly, because Madagascar and Africa separated before the ratite lineage arose, Aepyornis has been thought to have dispersed and become flightless and gigantic in situ. More recently, it has been deduced from DNA sequence comparisons that the closest living relatives of elephant birds are New Zealand kiwis, Elephant birds are actually part of the mid-Cenozoic Australian ratite radiation, their ancestors flew across the Indian Ocean well after Gondwana broke apart. The existence of possible flying palaeognaths in the Miocene such as Proapteryx further supports the view that ratites did not diversify in response to vicariance, Gondwana broke apart in the Cretaceous and their phylogenetic tree does not match the process of continental drift
23.
Dinosaur
–
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria that first appeared during the Triassic. Although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is the subject of active research and they became the dominant terrestrial vertebrates after the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event 201 million years ago. Their dominance continued through the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and ended when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of most dinosaur groups 66 million years ago, until the late 20th century, all groups of dinosaurs were believed to be extinct. As such, birds were the dinosaur lineage to survive the mass extinction event. This article deals primarily with non-avian dinosaurs, Dinosaurs are a varied group of animals from taxonomic, morphological and ecological standpoints. Birds, at over 10,000 living species, are the most diverse group of vertebrates besides perciform fish, using fossil evidence, paleontologists have identified over 500 distinct genera and more than 1,000 different species of non-avian dinosaurs. Dinosaurs are represented on every continent by both extant species and fossil remains, while dinosaurs were ancestrally bipedal, many extinct groups included quadrupedal species, and some were able to shift between these stances. Elaborate display structures such as horns or crests are common to all dinosaur groups, evidence suggests that egg laying and nest building are additional traits shared by all dinosaurs.7 meters and heights of 18 meters and were the largest land animals of all time. Still, the idea that dinosaurs were uniformly gigantic is a misconception based in part on preservation bias, as large. Many dinosaurs were small, Xixianykus, for example, was only about 50 cm long. Through the first half of the 20th century, before birds were recognized to be dinosaurs, most of the community believed dinosaurs to have been sluggish. Most research conducted since the 1970s, however, has indicated that all dinosaurs were active animals with elevated metabolisms and numerous adaptations for social interaction. The large sizes of some groups, as well as their seemingly monstrous and fantastic nature, have ensured dinosaurs regular appearance in best-selling books and films. Persistent public enthusiasm for the animals has resulted in significant funding for dinosaur science, the term is derived from the Greek words δεινός and σαῦρος. Though the taxonomic name has often interpreted as a reference to dinosaurs teeth, claws. Instead, dinosaurs, like many forms of reptile sub-groups, did not exhibit characteristics which were traditionally regarded as reptilian. Under phylogenetic nomenclature, dinosaurs are usually defined as the group consisting of Triceratops, Neornithes, their most recent common ancestor, Birds are now recognized as being the sole surviving lineage of theropod dinosaurs. In traditional taxonomy, birds were considered a class that had evolved from dinosaurs
24.
Bee hummingbird
–
The bee hummingbird, zunzuncito or Helena hummingbird is a species of hummingbird regarded as the worlds smallest bird. With a mass around 1. 6–2 g and a length of 5–6 cm, the male has the green pileum and fiery red throat, iridescent gorget with elongated lateral plumes, bluish upper-parts, and the rest of the underparts mostly greyish white. The male is smaller than the female, the female is green above, whitish below, with white tips to the outer tail feathers. Compared to other small hummingbirds, which often have a slender appearance, female bee hummingbirds are bluish green with a pale gray underside. The tips of their feathers have white spots. During the mating season, males have a reddish to pink head, chin, the female lays only two eggs at a time, each about the size of a coffee bean. As the smallest bird in the world, its weight is less than 2 grams or about equal in mass to a United States dime, as its name suggests, it is scarcely larger than a bee. Like all hummingbirds, it is a swift, strong flier, the brilliant, iridescent colors of the bee hummingbirds feathers make the bird seem like a tiny jewel. The iridescence is not always noticeable, but depends on the angle at which a person looks at the bird, the birds slender, pointed bill is adapted for probing deep into flowers. The bee hummingbird feeds mainly on nectar, and an insect or spider, by moving its tongue rapidly in. In the process of feeding, the bird picks up pollen on its bill, when it flies from flower to flower, it transfers the pollen. In this way, it plays an important role in plant reproduction, in one day, the bee hummingbird may visit 1,500 flowers. Using bits of cobwebs, bark, and lichen, the bee hummingbird builds a cup-shaped nest that is only about 2.5 cm in diameter. Nests have been built on single clothespins and she lines the nest with soft plant fibers. In this nest she lays her eggs, which are no bigger than peas and she alone incubates the eggs and raises the young. The bee hummingbird has been reported to visit 15 plant species from 15 different genera, however, in more recent studies, only 10 were found, nine of them were found to be endemic to Cuba. Mellisuga helenae is endemic to the entire Cuban archipelago, including the island of Cuba. It is found mainly in Cubas mogote area and uncommonly in Playa Larga near Zapata swamp, the bee hummingbirds breeding season is from March–June
.jpg)
_01.jpg)
_1D.JPG)
