"Buttress root Buttress roots are large, wide roots on all sides of a shallowly rooted tree. Typically, they are found in nutrient-poor rainforest soils and do not penetrate to deeper layers. They prevent the tree from falling over (hence the name buttress) while also gathering more nutrients. Buttresses are tension elements, being larger on the side away from the stress of asymmetrical canopies. The roots may interwind with buttress roots from other trees and create an intricate mesh, which may help support trees surrounding it. They can grow up to tall and spread for 30 metres above the soil then"
"all the other segments together (five in the females and six in the males). This gives these wasps a quite slender silhouette and makes them able to touch the end of the abdomen with the mouth parts when they bend the gastrum ventrally. This is particularly important in egg laying. The last abdominal segments are not externally visible and form the stinging apparatus in the females and the copulatory apparatus in the males. The males possess one more segment than the females and in ""Parischnogaster"", ""Metischnogaster"", and ""Cochlishnogaster"", the dorsal parts (tergites) of some segments are marked with whitish bands"
"same function and morphology as halteres has been observed in nature, they have evolved at least twice in the class Insecta, once in the order Diptera and again in Strepsiptera. Another structure in the class insecta also exists whose primary function is not the same as halteres, but that additionally serves a similar balancing function. This occurs in the order Lepidoptera and refers to the antennae of moths and butterflies. Strepsipterans, are a unique group of insects with major sexual dimorphism. The females spend their entire lives in a grub-like state, parasitizing larger insects. The only time they ever come"
"Darter The darters or snakebirds are mainly tropical waterbirds in the family ""Anhingidae"" having a single genus ""Anhinga"". There are four living species, three of which are very common and widespread while the fourth is rarer and classified as near-threatened by the IUCN. The term ""snakebird"" is usually used without any additions to signify whichever of the completely allopatric species occurs in any one region. It refers to their long thin neck, which has a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged, or when mated pairs twist it during their bonding displays. ""Darter"" is used with a geographical"
"stage is an effective way to check an infestation; otherwise, insecticides are used. One bagworm species, the fangalabola (""Deborrea malgassa"") of Madagascar, is in some places encouraged to breed on wattle trees, because its pupae are collected as a protein-rich food. The caterpillar larvae of the Psychidae construct cases out of silk and environmental materials such as sand, soil, lichen, or plant materials. These cases are attached to rocks, trees or fences while resting or during their pupa stage, but are otherwise mobile. The larvae of some species eat lichen, while others prefer green leaves. In many species, the adult"
"Ungulate Ungulates (pronounced ) are any members of a diverse group of primarily large mammals that includes odd-toed ungulates such as horses and rhinoceroses, and even-toed ungulates such as cattle, pigs, giraffes, camels, deer, and hippopotamuses. Most terrestrial ungulates use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving. The term means, roughly, ""being hoofed"" or ""hoofed animal"". As a descriptive term, ""ungulate"" normally excludes cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises), as they do not possess most of the typical morphological characteristics of ungulates, but recent discoveries indicate that they are descended from early artiodactyls. Ungulates"
"receiving the venom. Spiders only bite, although some tarantulas have urticating hairs. Certain caterpillars also have urticating hairs. Organs that perform similar functions in non-arthropods are often referred to as ""stings"". These organs include the modified dermal denticle of the stingray, the venomous spurs on the hind legs of the male platypus, and the cnidocyte tentacles of the jellyfish. The term ""sting"" was historically often used for the fang of a snake, although this usage is uncommon today. Snakes are said, correctly, to bite, not sting. Stinger A stinger, or sting, is a sharp organ found in various animals (typically"
"exceptions to these rules. Butterfly larvae, caterpillars, have a hard (sclerotised) head with strong mandibles used for cutting their food, most often leaves. They have cylindrical bodies, with ten segments to the abdomen, generally with short prolegs on segments 3–6 and 10; the three pairs of true legs on the thorax have five segments each. Many are well camouflaged; others are aposematic with bright colours and bristly projections containing toxic chemicals obtained from their food plants. The pupa or chrysalis, unlike that of moths, is not wrapped in a cocoon. Many butterflies are sexually dimorphic. Most butterflies have the ZW"
"Mantrap (snare) A mantrap is a mechanical physical security device for catching poachers and trespassers. They have taken many forms, the most usual being like a large foothold trap, the steel springs being armed with teeth which met in the victim's leg. Since 1827, they have been illegal in England, except in houses between sunset and sunrise as a defence against burglars. Other traps such as special snares, trap netting, trapping pits, fluidizing solid matter traps and cage traps could be used. Mantraps that use deadly force are illegal in the United States, and in notable tort law cases the"
"species exist only in relatively small populations in which some degree of inbreeding inevitably occurs. A study of 16 species of captive ungulates revealed that juvenile survival of inbred young is generally lower than that of non-inbred young. (Also see Inbreeding depression). These findings have implications for the genetic management of small ungulate populations. Ungulate Ungulates (pronounced ) are any members of a diverse group of primarily large mammals that includes odd-toed ungulates such as horses and rhinoceroses, and even-toed ungulates such as cattle, pigs, giraffes, camels, deer, and hippopotamuses. Most terrestrial ungulates use the tips of their toes, usually"
"to protect their nests. The evolution of fortress defense is closely linked to the specialization of soldier mandibles. Soldiers can have biting-crushing, biting-cutting, cutting, symmetrical snapping, and asymmetrical snapping mandibles. These mandibles may be paired with frontal gland secretion, although snapping soldiers rarely utilize chemical defenses. Termites take advantage of their modified mandibles in phragmosis, which is the blocking of the nest with any part of the body; in this case of termites, nest entrances are blocked by the heads of soldiers. Some species of bee, mainly that of the genus ""Trigona"", also exhibit such aggressive behavior. The ""Trigona fuscipennis"""
"Tentacle In zoology, a tentacle is a flexible, mobile, elongated organ present in some species of animals, most of them invertebrates. In animal anatomy, tentacles usually occur in one or more pairs. Anatomically, the tentacles of animals work mainly like muscular hydrostats. Most forms of tentacles are used for grasping and feeding. Many are sensory organs, variously receptive to touch, vision, or to the smell or taste of particular foods or threats. Examples of such tentacles are the ""eye stalks"" of various kinds of snails. Some kinds of tentacles have both sensory and manipulatory functions. A tentacle is similar to"
"on their space and threatens them, but they do not pump venom into the wound. New World tarantulas (those found in North and South America) are equipped with urticating hairs (technically bristles) on their abdomens, and almost always throw these barbed bristles as the first line of defense. These bristles irritate sensitive areas of the body and especially seem to target curious animals which may sniff these bristles into the mucous membranes of the nose. Some species have more effective urticating bristles than others. The goliath birdeater is known for its particularly irritating urticating bristles. Urticating bristles can penetrate the"
"Antler Antlers are extensions of an animal's skull found in members of the deer family. They are true bone and are a single structure. They are generally found only on males, with the exception of the caribou. Antlers are shed and regrown each year and function primarily as objects of sexual attraction and as weapons in fights between males for control of harems. In contrast, horns, found on pronghorns and bovids such as sheep, goats, bison and cattle, are two-part structures. An interior of bone (also an extension of the skull) is covered by an exterior sheath grown by specialized"
"a pair of small post-antennal organs. The setae (bristles) on the third antennal segment are unequal in length, some being much longer than others, and the fourth antennal segment is divided into sixteen sub-segments. There are three thoracial segments, each bearing a leg, and five abdominal segments. The fourth abdominal segment bears an organ known as a ""dens"", and at the tip of this is a structure known as a ""mucro"". This species has mucros with smooth outer edges and saw-edged inner edges. In females, the appendage on the fifth abdominal segment is unforked. This springtail is native to Western"
"small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. There are 335 species worldwide and 21 species which occur in Thailand. Among the thrush sighted in Phitsanulok Province are: Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Anhingidae Darters are often called ""snake-birds"" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and dark-brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females have much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet"
"- mainly fish, but in some cases amphibians or aquatic reptiles. However, a few are internal parasites. Adult monogeneans have large attachment organs at the rear, known as haptors (Greek ἅπτειν, ""haptein"", means ""catch""), which have suckers, clamps, and hooks. They often have flattened bodies. In some species, the pharynx secretes enzymes to digest the host's skin, allowing the parasite to feed on blood and cellular debris. Others graze externally on mucus and flakes of the hosts' skins. The name ""Monogenea"" is based on the fact that these parasites have only one nonlarval generation. These are often called tapeworms because"
"British naturalists. The sexes usually differ, often in the pattern or number of the black markings. The larvae (caterpillars) of a few of these species, such as ""Pieris brassicae"" and ""Pieris rapae"", commonly seen in gardens, feed on brassicas, and are notorious agricultural pests. Males of many species exhibit gregarious mud-puddling behavior when they may imbibe salts from moist soils. The Pieridae have the radial vein on the forewing with three or four branches and rarely with five branches. The forelegs are well developed in both sexes, unlike in the Nymphalidae, and the tarsal claws are bifid, unlike in the"
"the prepuce (foreskin, or sheath). Tapirs have exceptionally long penises relative to their body size. The glans of the Malayan tapir resembles a mushroom, and is similar to the glans of the horse. The penis of the Sumatran rhinoceros contains two lateral lobes and a structure called the ""processus glandis"". All members of Carnivora (except hyenas) have a baculum.Canine penises have a structure at the base called the bulbus glandis. During copulation, the spotted hyena inserts his penis through the female's pseudo-penis instead of directly through the vagina, which is blocked by the false scrotum and testes. Once the female"
"Tool use by sea otters The sea otter, ""Enhydra lutris"", is a member of the Mustelidae that is fully aquatic. Sea otters are the smallest of the marine mammals, but they are also the most dexterous. Sea otters are known for their ability to use stones as anvils or hammers to facilitate access to hard-to-reach prey items. There are three recognized subspecies of otters, all of which exhibit tool use behavior in some capacity. Tool use behavior is more associated with geographic location than sub-species. Most behavioral research has been conducted on ""Enhydra lutris nereis"", the Californian otter, and some"
"Badger Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae, which also includes the otters, polecats, weasels, and wolverines. They belong to the caniform suborder of carnivoran mammals. The 11 species of badgers are grouped in three subfamilies: Melinae (9 species, including the Eurasian badger), Mellivorinae (the honey badger or ratel), and Taxideinae (the American badger). The Asiatic stink badgers of the genus ""Mydaus"" were formerly included within Melinae (and thus Mustelidae), but recent genetic evidence indicates these are actually members of the skunk family, placing them in the taxonomic family Mephitidae. They include the species in the genera ""Arctonyx"", ""Meles"","
"seven segments, whereas female abdomens have six. Only females possess an ovipositor (modified to form a stinger), and males cannot sting. The antennae of males are slightly longer, with 13 segments compared to 12 segments in females. Individuals typically live in paper nests, which consist of a pedicle (a paper comb on the inside), an envelope, and a single entry hole on the outside. Materials such as twigs, branches, and other available plant resources are broken up, chewed, and shaped into a nest by the workers. These pieces are not uniform in shape, but are glued together very closely. Because"
"in the practice of traditional medicine. Trapping may also be done for hobby and conservation purposes. Most of the currently used traps used for mammals can be divided into six types: foothold traps, body gripping traps, snares, deadfalls, cages, and glue traps. Leghold traps were first invented to keep poachers out of European estates in the 1600s (see Mantrap (snare)). Blacksmiths made traps of iron in the early 1700s for trappers. By the 1800s companies began to manufacture steel leghold traps. Modified traps are now available with offset jaws, or lamination, or both, which decrease pressure on the animals' legs."
"a sting or stinger is a sharp organ, often connected with a venom gland and adapted to inflict a wound by piercing, as with the caudal sting of a scorpion. Stings are usually located at the rear of the animal. Animals with stings include bees, wasps (including hornets) and scorpions. In all stinging Hymenoptera the sting is a modified ovipositor. Unlike most other stings, honey bee workers' stings are strongly barbed and lodge in the flesh of mammals upon use, tearing free from the honey bee's body, killing the bee within minutes. The sting has its own ganglion, and it"
"Anteater Anteater is a common name for the four extant mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua (meaning ""worm tongue"") commonly known for eating ants and termites. The individual species have other names in English and other languages. Together with the sloths, they are within the order Pilosa. The name ""anteater"" is also colloquially applied to the unrelated aardvark, numbat, echidnas, pangolins and some members of the Oecobiidae. Extant species are the giant anteater ""Myrmecophaga tridactyla"", about long including the tail; the silky anteater ""Cyclopes didactylus"", about long; the southern tamandua or collared anteater ""Tamandua tetradactyla"", about long; and the northern"
"parent's body. Some bagworm species are parthenogenetic, meaning their eggs develop without male fertilization. Each bagworm generation lives just long enough as adults to mate and reproduce in their annual cycle. Ten subfamilies and about 240 genera are recognized among the bagworms. The subfamilies of Psychidae, with some notable genera and species also listed, are: Bagworm moth The Psychidae (bagworm moths, also simply bagworms or bagmoths) are a family of the Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). The bagworm family is fairly small, with about 1350 species described. Bagworm species are found globally, with some, such as the snailcase bagworm (""Apterona helicoidella""),"
"Utricularia Utricularia, commonly and collectively called the bladderworts, is a genus of carnivorous plants consisting of approximately 233 species (precise counts differ based on classification opinions; a 2001 publication lists 215 species). They occur in fresh water and wet soil as terrestrial or aquatic species across every continent except Antarctica. ""Utricularia"" are cultivated for their flowers, which are often compared with those of snapdragons and orchids, especially amongst carnivorous plant enthusiasts. All ""Utricularia"" are carnivorous and capture small organisms by means of bladder-like traps. Terrestrial species tend to have tiny traps that feed on minute prey such as protozoa and"
"string around one's scrotum until it is eventually stretched to the desired length. A ball crusher is a device made from either metal or often clear acrylic that squeezes the testicles slowly by turning a nut or screw. How tight it is clamped depends on the pain tolerance of the person it is used on. A ball crusher is often combined with bondage, either with a partner or by oneself. A parachute is a small collar, usually made from leather, which fastens around the scrotum, and from which weights can be hung. It is conical in shape, with three or"
"neck, and a strobila, or segmented body formed of proglottids. Tapeworms anchor themselves to the inside of the intestine of their host using their scolex, which typically has hooks, suckers, or both. They have no mouth, but absorb nutrients directly from the host's gut. The neck continually produces proglottids, each one containing a reproductive tract; mature proglottids are full of eggs, and fall off to leave the host, either passively in the feces or actively moving. All tapeworms are hermaphrodites, with each individual having both male and female reproductive organs. Humans are subject to infection by several species of tapeworms"
"Testacella Testacella is genus of small to medium-large, predatory, air-breathing, land slugs. They are terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the family Testacellidae, the shelled slugs. They are not often seen because they live underground. ""Testacella"" is the only genus in the family, in other words it is a monotypic family. ""Testacella"" is the type genus of the family Testacellidae. Species within this genus of slugs live in north Africa, southern and western Europe, and Britain. Species within the genus ""Testacella"" include: Subgenus ""Testacella"" Subgenus ""Testacelloides"" These slugs have a very small, ear-shaped shell, which is situated far back on their bodies."
"Tentacle (botany) In botany, tentacles are glandular hairs on the leaves of some species of insectivorous plants such as ""Drosera"" (sundews). Tentacles are different from organs such as the tendrils of climbing plants. In carnivorous plants such as sundews, the tentacles are the stalked glands of the upper surface of the leaves. They are hairlike projections with a drop of sticky mucilage which attract insects. Unlike a usual plant hair which is of epidermal origin, the tentacle is highly complex and includes all the tissue types present in the leaf. It consists of a tall, tapering stalk of multi-cellular structure,"
"Setter The setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. In the UK, the four setter breeds, together with the pointers, usually form a subgroup within the gundog group as they share a common function. However, the setter breeds each have subtle differences in head, bone and substance. The American and Canadian Kennel Clubs classify these breeds within the Sporting Group. Setters from show lines are usually considered to be heavier and larger than those from 'working' lines. A setter silently searches for game by scent; hunting is done systematically"
"Tern Terns are seabirds in the family Laridae that have a worldwide distribution and are normally found near the sea, rivers, or wetlands. Terns are treated as a subgroup of the family Laridae which includes gulls and skimmers and consist of eleven genera. They are slender, lightly built birds with long, forked tails, narrow wings, long bills, and relatively short legs. Most species are pale grey above and white below, with a contrasting black cap to the head, but the marsh terns, the Inca tern, and some noddies have dark plumage for at least part of the year. The sexes"