Crocodylus porosus
Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia order: Crocodylia Family: Crocodylidae Genus: Crocodylus Species: Crocodilians Common name: Saltwater Crocodile Morphology
The species has a relatively large head, with a pair of ridges that run from the eye along the center of the snout. Adults are generally dark in color, with lighter tan or grey areas, and dark bands and stripes on the lower flanks. The juvenile is usually pale tan, with black stripes and spots on the body and tail. The saltwater crocodile has bilateral symmetry. Female saltwater crocodiles grow to a smaller size than males, normally reaching a maximum length of 2.5 to 3 meters. Biology Juveniles take smaller items such as insects, amphibians, crustaceans and fish, while adults also take reptiles, birds and mammals. The young start to disperse at about eight months, and territorial behaviour begins at about 2.5 years, although breeding does not usually begin until about 12 to 14 years in females, and 16 to 17 years in males. Like other crocodilians, the saltwater crocodile is potentially long-lived, surviving to over 65, or perhaps even to over 100 years. Importance Ecological- They are good money giving reptiles. People pay parks to ride through streams to spot the saltwater Crocodiles. Economic- They are well wanted for their skin, people would pay big cash to have the crocodiles skin products. But they are also very dangerous reptiles to encounter Distribution Map Facts
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Vocabulary
- Brackish- Slightly salty water, usually a mixture of salt and freshwater, such as that found in estuaries.
- Carrion- The flesh of a dead animal.
- Crocodilian- A member of the order Crocodylia, a group which includes crocodiles, alligators, caimans and gharials.
- Feral- Previously domesticated animals that have returned to a wild state.
- Incubation- The act of incubating eggs; that is, keeping them warm so that development is possible.
Marine Birds- Emperor Penguin
Biology
The Emperor Penguin have to mate during the Antarctic's harsh winter so their chicks can depart during the late summer season. The adults have to make the long journey like up to 120 kilometers across the park ice to the breeding colonies at the onset of winter. The emperor penguin feeds mainly on fish, squid and krill, which it hunts in the open sea or in gaps in the sea-ice. Like other penguins, it is an expert swimmer, typically spending two and a half to nine minutes underwater whilst diving to depths of more than 400 meters. Once the chicks hatch the female will be back which allows the male to go hunt for the first time in 4 months. After two months pass the parents will take turns feeding the chick.
Morphology
Slow and dignified, the emperor penguin is a stunning bird with a blue-grey back that shades into a black tail, and a characteristically white belly flushed with yellow. Deep yellow ear patches on either side of the head fade down the neck and the upper chest, while the remainder of the head and throat is black. The emperor penguin has a bilateral symmetry. Sharp bill for catching fish. Black and white feathers to provide camouflage. High density feather uniformed on the skin to provide waterproof.
The Emperor Penguin have to mate during the Antarctic's harsh winter so their chicks can depart during the late summer season. The adults have to make the long journey like up to 120 kilometers across the park ice to the breeding colonies at the onset of winter. The emperor penguin feeds mainly on fish, squid and krill, which it hunts in the open sea or in gaps in the sea-ice. Like other penguins, it is an expert swimmer, typically spending two and a half to nine minutes underwater whilst diving to depths of more than 400 meters. Once the chicks hatch the female will be back which allows the male to go hunt for the first time in 4 months. After two months pass the parents will take turns feeding the chick.
Morphology
Slow and dignified, the emperor penguin is a stunning bird with a blue-grey back that shades into a black tail, and a characteristically white belly flushed with yellow. Deep yellow ear patches on either side of the head fade down the neck and the upper chest, while the remainder of the head and throat is black. The emperor penguin has a bilateral symmetry. Sharp bill for catching fish. Black and white feathers to provide camouflage. High density feather uniformed on the skin to provide waterproof.
Importance
Ecological
They will feed on krill, fish, and squid, but they will also feed on crustaceans and Economics Researchers in extraordinary abilities of Emperor penguins to withstand extreme cold, and to successfully reproduce under those conditions, can help us to understand and appreciate the evolution of these incredible adaptations. Facts
Vocabulary Incubate- To keep eggs warm so that development is possible. Pack ice- Sea ice that floats on the surface of the water. Often formed from large pieces of ice that consolidate into a single ice mass, pack ice typically moves with currents, tides and wind |