Critters of the Day 2010

Terms	Definitions
Plasmodium falciparum	parasite that causes malaria
humpback whale	80,000. 90% decrease in population due to over-hunting. Megaptera novaeangilae.
platypus	Ornithorhynchus anatinus. native to coasts. venomous .
termite	Reticulitermes virginicus. Eats materials found in plants. Tunnels in house for food.
Electric Eel	Electrophorus electricos. 3 electric organs that can produce up to 600 volts.
Streptococcus pyogenes	bacteria that cause strep throat.
Black Widow Spider	Latrodectus mactans. Females very poisonous.
Echidna	eats ants and termites. spiny. Tachyglossus aculeatus.
Angler Fish	Lophius piscatorius. Carnivorous fish.
Water Bear	Echiniscus (species). Microscopic animal with 4 legs, claws, eyes, skin, and muscles.
Vampire Squid	Vampyroteuthis infernalis. Tropical squid, that also shares Octopi traits.
Clostridium Tetani	Virus. Tetanus shot cures.
Aye Aye	Daubentonia madagascariensis. Lemur native to Madagascar.
Baiji	Lipotes vexilifer. Freshwater dolphin, native to China.
Archer Fish	Toxotes jaculatrix. Good vision, jumps out of water to grab prey.
Whooping Crane	Grus americana. Tallest bird in North America. Once on the brink of extinction.
Camel Spider	Solifugae. arachnid, many false rumors about it's size, can eat lizards.
Albatross	Phoebastria immutabilis. Bird that can live up to 50 year. Longest wingspan.
Ornate Box Turtle	Terrepene ornata. Turtle that can live for 100+ years.
Ocean Sunfish	Mola mola. Heaviest bony fish.
Tarsier	Tarsius sychichta. Most advanced group of primates.
Three Toed Sloth	Bradypus tridactylus. Lives in trees in S. America. Moves at .15 mph.
Quetzal	Pharomachrus mocino. Rainforest bird. Considered sacred in some cultures.
Sea Pen	Ptilosarcus gurneyi. Slender fish related to the Jelly Fish.
Fire Ant	Solenopsis invicta. Ants that can sting painfully and sometimes even fatally.
Wombat	Vombatus ursinus. Rare marsupial.
Capybara	Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris. Largest known rodent.
Naegleria fowleri	amoeba that can be fatal.
Tapir	Tpirus terrestris. related to horses and rhinoceroses.
Snowshoe Hare	Lepus americansus. Hares with changing coat color and huge feet.
Killer Whale	Orcinus orca. Largest species of the dolphin family. Rarely violent towards humans.
Box Jellyfish	Chironex fleckeri. 10 ft long, deadly venom.
Clostridium perfringes	Food poisoning, symptoms last 8-22 hours.
Indian Pipe	Monotropa uniflora. corpse plant, droopy flowers, doesn't have chlorophyll.
Megatherium americanum.	Elephant sized sloth, 20 feet tall, extinct.
Magnapinna paccifica	Squid with a fin and stiff elbows.
Mekong Giant Cat Fish	Pangasianodon gigas. South East Asia. Largest fresh water fish.
Kinkajou	Potus flavus. Nocturnal, related to the racoon.
Eurasian Shrew	Sorex araneus. 1 of the most common mammals.
Passenger Pigeon	Ectopisces migratorious. Once most numerous bird, has been extinct since 1903.
Pyrococcus furiosus	found in sand and volcanos.
Serval	Leptailurus serval. Medium sized african wild cat.
Zebra	Equus burchelli. Stripes as unique as humans' fingerprints.
Beluga Whale	Delphinapterus leucas. live 50+ years, off the coast of Canada.
Leafy Sea Dragon	Phycodurus eques. Camouflages, related to sea horse.
The Polar Bear	Ursus maritimus. Eats seals, threatened by pollution.
Velociraptor	Volociropator mongoliensis. Dinosaur 75 million years ago. Carnivorous.
Porcupine	Erethizon dorsatum. Rodent covered in quills.
White Tiger	Panthera tigris. Occurs only once every 10,000 births.
Red Panda	Ailurus fulgens. Not actually a bear, related to raccoon.
Jerboa	Salpingotulus michaelis. desert mouse like animal, smallest mammal.
Naked Mole Rat	Heterocephalus glaber. Little to know hair, native to East Africa.
Red Eyed Tree Frog	Agalychnis calidryas. Can see in dark, brightly colored.
Lyrebird	Menura novaeholadiae. Pheasant song bird. Imitates other sounds.
Flying Fish	Cypselurus heterurus. Gathers enough speed to break the surface of the water and glides on the air.
Manatee	Trichechus manatus. Friendly, lives in shallow water.
Meercat	Suricata suricatta. Mongoose, digs in dirt.
Giraffe	Giraffa camelopardis. 6 foot tall babies.
Flying Squirrel	Glacomys sabrinus. Glides between branches.
Southern Elephant Seal	Mirounga leonina Trunk like nose, can dive deeper than 3200 feet.
Axolotl	Ambystoma mexicanum. Mexican salamander.