Flying squirrels is in subfamily Petauristinae. They are arboreal and nocturnal. They do not actually fly, but glide between trees by a gliding membrane (patagium). This membrane connects the front legs to the back legs (Parr, 2003). In another word, a furry parachute-like membrane stretches from wrist to ankle. Flaps of skin connecting limbs to body provide a wing-like surface. All species have reddish eyeshine, brighter in the large species than the smaller ones which may be quite dim. The subfamily shows severe taxonomic complications, with little agreement among mammalian researchers (Parr, 2003).
Giant flying squirrels (Petaurista sp.) have highest diversity in term of richness in population in Southeast Asia. This species is large in size, being on average 422 mm long. The Red Giant Flying Squirrel is believed to mate twice a year and the young are typically born in March or August in litters of 2 - 3 (Parr, 2003).
The Indochinese ground squirrel (Menetes berdmorei) is a member of the family Sciuridae. The family has only 29 species of 14 genera in Thailand (Lekagul and McNeely, 1977, 1988; Par, 2003). The characteristics of the Indochinese ground squirrel are black mid-dorsal stripe, two or three black stripes on the sides, and reddish brown fur on the back (Lekagul and McNeely, 1977, 1988; Par, 2003). Identification is more difficult during the dry season, however, when they are much less brightly colored. They have been found throughout Southeast Asia, from the east of Myanmar to Vietnam. As a ground squirrel, it is rarely found on trees, but spends most of the time in the thick underwoods of the rainforests. (Walston and Duckworth, 2008).
The sizes of squirrels are variable between species. There are three types of...
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...th at least one restriction enzyme and sequencing the ends of the resulting fragments using an Illumina Genome Analyzer in order to sample the genomes of multiple individuals in a population (Baird et al., 2008). The major advantage of RAD is that it gives information for a very large number of loci across the genome, and for the same loci in each individual sampled.
The current method for accelerating targeted sequencing from ancient and highly degraded DNA includes the linking of multiplex PCR directly with sample barcoding and high-throughput sequencing. The method creates the chance to generate many kilobases of overlapping sequence data from 31 cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) ancient specimens at the same time (Stiller et al., 2010). It seems likely that in the future high-throughput sequencing technologies will have many advantages for the study of ancient DNA.
The Pygmy Three-Toed-Sloth, also known as Bradypus pygmaeus scientifically, has been classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. “They are restricted to one area from Isla Escudo de Veraguas in the archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama” (“Pygmy three-toed sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus)” (a)). The island is very small measuring to about 5 square kilometers in area. These sloths are usually found in red mangroves at sea level. As of now the Pygmy three-toed-sloth are critically endangered and weak law enforcement, deforestation, and poachers are to blame.
The red-cockaded woodpecker, an inhabitant of mature pine forests and pine-grassland ecosystems from Maryland to eastern Texas, has had a troubled history within the last decade (Roise et al, 1990). Ten years ago, James documented a population decline in America’s largest remaining red-cockaded woodpecker population (1991). Of the 2,157 clusters, or living groups, contained in national forests, 693 of them were located in Florid...
Flying Tigers is the name of a mercenary group of American pilots that helped defend China and the Burma Road from the bombing of the Japanese during World War II. The name of their planes was Tomahawks, but the Chinese called them Fei Hu for the sharks teeth painted on their planes. Flying Tigers were known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force. The Flying Tigers did not see combat until December 1941 when the Japanese started bombing China.
Calyptorhynchus banksii, commonly known as the red-tailed black-cockatoo, is of the Family Cacatuidae (Cockatoos), which is a branch of the Order Psittaciformes. Red-tailed black-cockatoos are indigenous to Australia and can be found throughout the entire continent. Calyptorhynchus banksii is distinct in that there are five different subspecies: Calyptorhynchus banksii( C.b.) banksii, C.b. macrorohynchus, C.b. naso, C.b. graptogyne, and C.b. samueli (Del Hoyo et al., 1997). Differences in beak apparatus are one of the most prevalent variations observed within the subspecies. Throughout the paper an examination of evolutionary forces will explain the changes that have occurred in the beak apparatus of the red-tailed black-cockatoo.
The Eastern chipmunk is a small rodent of the Sciuridae family. This chipmunk is closely related to the red and grey fox, the flying squirrel, and the woodchuck. Its Taxonomic name is Tamias Striatus. The word Tamias, Means collector or keeper and Striatus refers to its bold stripes and coloring.
The likelihood of the four-toed hedgehog going extinct is very improbable. They have an extensive range and are very stable in regards to their wildlife population. They continue to grow in the wild and animal experts have not seen any alarming declines in the population rates. Hence, they have a minimal conservation status. But with the four-toed hedgehog’s development into a popular exotic household pet, there have been some concerns about the threatening of the native populations in Africa. Luckily, there is a breeding stock that is present in the United States that supplies this pet demand. Furthermore, it is prohibited to transport the four-toed hedgehog animals out of Africa to the pet trade market. These regulations allow for the native populations to flourish (Nichols 2014)
Originated in 1996, due to the frustrations of squirrels destroying Richard Walsh’s bird feeder on his new deck, Ed Walsh, Richard’s brother came up with the concept of building a solar bird feeder to help Richard out. The concept of a bird feeder that allowed birds to continue to eat the bird seed, while preventing the squirrels from reaching the food and destroying the feeders, soon became an obsession for Ed. What once originated with a car battery developed over the years to a solar cell, and was successful until the squirrels discovered that they could eat early in the morning or late evenings before the battery charged. Bo Haeberle became involved in the bird feeder project after he overheard how much trouble Ed was having coming up with a feeder that worked and also didn’t harm the squirrels, while under his employment at Visual Design, Inc.
Dr. Nachman's research explores the connection between genotype and coat color in four populations of rock pocket mice. Rock pocket mice live in rocky habitats in the southwest U.S. and northern Mexico. In the 1930s, classical studies revealed that there was a close correlation between the color of a mouse's coat, and the color of the rocks the mouse lived on. Light-colored mice...
The phenomenal recent discovery of the species saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), was found in the Annamite Mountains along the Laos/Vietnam border in 1992. The saola was the first latest large mammal to be discovered in over 50 years, making it one of the biggest zoological discoveries of the 20th century. Also known as the “Asian unicorn,” the rare saola species prefer living in moist, dense evergreen forests with little or no dry season. The saolas have been attempting to survive in the condensed regions of the subtropical evergreen or mixed evergreen and deciduous forests, only found within the Annamite Mountain Range along the northwest-southeast Vietnam-Laos border (Holcomb). The area of the narrow range of the forests that the saola used to inhabit was is 5,000 to 15,000 sq. km, although they don’t inhabit in this area anymore. The saolas’ extremely scarce numbers make their dispersal difficult to determine; currently, they are known to be densely populated into the decreasing area of the evergreen forests and travel mainly individually and occasionally in clumped dispersion. They have been mainly sighted nearby streams, most likely to survive off of the water and possible supplies nearby. Saolas also tend to live on the borderlines of the forests; they currently inhabit the mountain forests during the wetter seasons and live in the lowlands during the winter. Saola are currently known to be herbivores, eating leafy plants, fig leaves, and stems along the rivers, observed from locals that have sighted them. And their shelters that they specifically reside in are unknown.
Squirrel hunting has long been an American tradition and a tradition that many hunters grew up with. Squirrel hunting has just the right amount of action to keep a young hunter interested and more often than not that young hunter will choose to pursue other game eventually. Squirrels are getting a break from hunters as more and more people are hunting deer and turkey or unfortunately not at all. I remember when opening day of squirrel season was almost like Christmas. I couldn't wait to walk the hardwood ridges and fencerows to hunt a few squirrels and it was as exciting to me then as any deer hunt could be. I have to admit that I do a lot more deer hunting these days but once I tag out or the deer season ends I like to grab my grandfathers old Stevens .22 rifle and hit the woods for a day of relaxation and an old school squirrel hunt.
Genomic sequencing is the process of determining the precise order of nucleotides within a DNA molecule. It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four DNA bases – thiamine, adenine, guanine, and cytosine– in the strand of DNA (NHGRI, 2011). In each organism, these bases are arranged in a unique and specific sequence, and it is this sequence that is the genetic code of the organism. Genomic sequencing has had an impact on nearly every field of biological research including human genetics and genomics, plants and agriculture, microbes, medicine, viruses and infectious diseases, environmental genetics and evolutionary biology. By first examining the development of gene sequencing technology we will be able to view its role in evolutionary biology, its contribution to phylogenetics, and how it has changed our understanding of the biological tree of life.
Furthermore, the grey squirrel’s color and size are distinctive traits that separate it from other species. First of all, coloring stays the same when it comes to males and females. Its hue ranges from pale grey to dark grey (Fischer, Lawinczak, Pagad). Its ears, underparts, and tail are all white to pale grey. Ginger-colored fur can be found on this squirrel’s head, hips, feet, and underparts (Lawiczak, Pagad). A natural occurrence among the grey squirrel is melanism, meaning it has an elevated amount of melanin in its pelt (Fischer, Lawinczak, Pa...
Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark. "Red Panda." National Geographic. 19 May 2017. Web. 19 May 2017.
Porcupines African Crested Porcupines Order: rodent. A porcupine's habitat and range: forests, deserts, and grasslands of North and South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Porcupines can weigh from 2 to 60 pounds depending on the species. A prickly coat of needle-sharp quills is the porcupine's best defense. Ordinarily the quills lay flat. But if an enemy approaches the porcupine will raise the quills and spread them, usually deterring the enemy. If the animal is not deterred the quills may lodge in the enemy's flesh when the porcupine brushes against the animal. New quills grow in to relace the lost ones. The porcupine cannot throw its quills. There are two groups of porcupines. They differ in habits and appearance. The porcupines of the Americas also climb trees. Some have been seen using their tails to hold on to branches. In the winter the North American porcupine eats evergreen needles and bark. When spring arrives they feed on leaves, buds, stems, and fruit. Depending on the species, the gestation period is from 2 to 7 months, bearing 1 to 4 young. The life span of captive porcupines can be as much as 20 years. The Future of the Porcupine They are nearsighted, have a deep red shine to their eyes, and four toes on each front foot and five toes on each hind foot. Porkies are the second-largest rodent in Wisconsin after the North American beaver. They can weigh 30 pounds or more in summer but their weight drops dramatically during the lean months of winter. Porcupines live in the northern two-thirds of the state in a territory that extends in a V-shape from about the Ellsworth area in Pierce County down to Wisconsin Dells and back up toward Green Bay. Porcupines, like most rodents, are vegetarians. Their winter diet consists of conifer needles, buds and the bark of pines, hemlock, maples and birch. How these critters survive on foods with a protein content of only two to three percent is truly amazing. Porcupines are sloppy eaters who drop a lot of greenery that provides a welcome snack for white-tailed deer during deep snows. If you spot a small pile of freshly-snipped branches on a winter walk, it's likely porcupines are nearby. Their winter dens are easy to find -- just follow your eyes and nose. Porcupines winter in caves and hollow logs. They travel the same paths every day.