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Put your local species in the spotlight!
Topic Started: Oct 9 2016, 05:40 PM (937 Views)
HangingThief
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So, on this forum we have members from all over the world, including avid naturalists. Most of us are well versed in biodiversity. But when it comes to groups like plants, invertebrates, amphibians and smaller reptiles, individual species of these diverse taxa are likely to be quite unknown outside their native range. If you have any obscure species in your backyard, species that have interesting behaviors & life histories, look strange, or are just plain your favorite, put it in the spotlight! Post a picture of the organism and some info, being sure to include its most remarkable features. Perhaps someone from another corner of the globe will get inspiration from a species they never would otherwise have heard of.
I'll start with a few. I live in Massachusetts, USA.

Partridgeberry Mitchella repens
Posted Image
Partridgeberry is a tiny, evergreen, vine- like shrub native to temperate forests in North America. It grows on the forest floor, especially in places where it won't get covered by fallen leaves such as atop mossy boulders and rotting logs. It's waxy red berries are edible to humans though somewhat bland. (I think they taste like a watered down cross between a banana and a blueberry.) They seem to never rot and last for months, through warm weather and over the winter. Oddly, the single red berry comes from not one but two narrow, pinkish white tubular flowers, which are pollinated by bumblebees in early summer. The two flowers emerge from a single ovary, which is why the resulting berry has two flower scars.
It makes a good terrarium plant.

Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus
Posted Image
The Ringneck Snake is a small, secretive snake native to North America. It doesn't grow much more than a foot long and spends most of its life hidden in dark, humid places, such as under rocks and in burrows. When disturbed, it may flip over to show off its bright orange or yellow venter before slithering away. It is technically a venomous rear- fanged snake, but poses no threat to humans due to its nonaggressive nature and low venom toxicity.
The ringneck snake has several different subspecies across its range, each of which has a very specific dietary preference. The northeastern subspecies feeds exclusively on plethodontid salamanders, especially Plethodon cinereus. The small southeastern subspecies eats mainly earthworms. The large, desert dwelling southwestern subspecies, the Regal Ringneck, eats other snakes. It has even been recorded preying upon on a small Common Kingsnake, which is also known for its snake- eating habits.

Eastern Newt Notopthalmus viridescens
Posted ImagePosted Image
The Eastern Newt is native to the eastern half of the US. It is the only species of true newt found across most of its range. Like some other newts, it has an odd three- step life cycle. Adult newts lay eggs in the water, which hatch into small gilled larvae. The larvae, after a brief period of growth, metamorphose, crawl onto land, and turn bright red- orange. At this stage they are called Red Efts. Red Efts have dry, rough, hydrophobic skin, and due to this they are sometimes mistaken for small lizards. But they are far more slow and clumsy than any lizard, as they waddle around out in the open, in broad daylight. They needn't worry about predators, since they are extremely toxic- their skin contains tetrodotoxin, the same found in fugu pufferfish and blue- ringed octopi. The exact effects of N. viridescens toxin on humans are unknown, but other newts have caused human fatalities when swallowed. In some forested areas, red efts can be very abundant, with hundreds visible walking around on damp, overcast days.
After wandering around for a varying number of years, efts return to the water. They lose most of their vibrant color, turning drab olive green with yellow bellies. Only the bright red lateral spots remain. The adults are aquatic and very rarely, if ever, leave the water. Some newts skip the eft stage, and still others are neotenic individuals that retain gills into adulthood.
Despite their drab coloration, adult newts are just as toxic and swim among predatory fish with impunity. I'm fairly certain that this common bloodsucking leech, Macrobdella decora, is a Batesian mimic of adult eastern newts. It also preys on newts and their eggs.
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Hey.


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Ànraich
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L'évolution Spéculative est moi

Kansas, USA. We have grass and cottonwood trees.
We should all aspire to die surrounded by our dearest friends. Just like Julius Caesar.

"The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming

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trex841
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I've actually been taking pictures of the local wildlife as of late. Need to get them off the phone though.
F.I.N.D.R Field Incident Logs
A comprehensive list of all organisms, artifacts, and alternative worlds encountered by the foundation team.

At the present time, concepts within are inconsistent and ever shifting.

(And this is just the spec related stuff)
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Dr Nitwhite
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NO I DID IT FIRST!

I kid of course. This is an absolutely lovely idea. I'll kick off the New York side of things, I myself dwell in the tristate area just above NJ and a good 40-60 minute drive from the NYC. Our first is a bit more north of where I live, and I'm sure our Canadian friends will be quite familiar with this little thief.

I have first hand experience with these pixies


The Grey Jay is a fairly common bird, and while well know in its range this range isn't the largest. These brilliant little opportunists are known for their thieving ways and are commonly known as "camp robbers" in some places. They are very bold and will perch on your hand if you associate yourself with food for a while. They are unfortunately being displaced by Blue Jays in some areas, as well as our next specimen. The juveniles are grey and are completely adorable, even more so than the adults.

As demonstated here.


This fellow picked up a roadkill toad. All these images are mine. Except the woodpecker and woodcock. others are mine though.


Our next bird is the Black-backed Woodpecker, which is another Adirondack specialist. This woodpecker sports only three toes, which it shares with the rest of its genus Picoides, and are also being pushed further north. Like Grey Jays they only extend into NY in boreal bog habitat, the closest things the state has to boreal habitat. I've only ever got one good look at this bird, they are difficult to find without a group.

Posted Image

Okay. Last bird. The American Woodcock is a dumpy little sandpiper found only inland, away from the ocean. They are alos one of the coolest and most difficult to find birds in the state, however they are much easier to come by than you might think. The bill tip is not only flexible but sensitive to the touch, allowing them to easier hunt their preferred prey of worms. The eyes are set far enough back on the head as to give the woodcock 360 degree vision. They have a wonderful array of alternate common names as well, including (but not limited to) Bogsucker, Mud Bat, Timberdoodle, Night Partridge, Labrador Twister, and Whistler. They make a characteristic whistle when taking off, and don't flush until you are on top of them. Any slightly brushy, wet feild or forest with wet soil could host a woodcock during spring to fall in NY. Watching their display flights and listening to their peent calls at twilight is a distinct experience, where you almost blend into the night and bushes around you. Woodcock tastes awful, but some people enjoy it.

Posted Image

Brook Trout is another NY specialty, and a tasty one to boot. You really haven't eaten fish until you've had Brook Trout, I regard it as one of the best you can catch. It's like a cross between cooked and raw salmon, just mild enough but just enough flavor too. Delicious! Historically, Brook Trout would have been a top aquatic predator in our region and would have had little competition. Unfortunately, human activity and invasive species have reduced its range considerably, but it has been in turn been introduced to other countries like NZ and Argentina. Several Adirondack subspecies and races are also on their way out, but conservation efforts are being made. The largest fish I've ever caught was a 17 inch brookie, and she put up a hell of a fight. Well worth it though.

The fish in question.





Quote:
 
They needn't worry about predators, since they are extremely toxic- their skin contains tetrodotoxin, the same found in fugu pufferfish and blue- ringed octopi. The exact effects of N. viridescens toxin on humans are unknown, but other newts have caused human fatalities when swallowed.


Oh dear. I've been handling these animals all my live long life, and I think I've turned out okay... Yeah, we have Partridge Berry, newts, and Ringneck Snake in NY too, I've seen them all. No the leech though.
Edited by Dr Nitwhite, Oct 9 2016, 06:51 PM.
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HangingThief
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Parasky
Oct 9 2016, 06:25 PM
Kansas, USA. We have grass and cottonwood trees.
You also have spadefoot toads and glass lizards, lubber grasshoppers and prairie orchids. And thousands of other species.
I've never seen a gray jay! I live just outside their native range. I've never definitively seen a woodcock either but I've had birds fly out from under my feet that i'm 99 percent sure were woodcocks.

The newts are harmless to handle. Just don't eat 'em.
Edited by HangingThief, Oct 9 2016, 07:03 PM.
Hey.


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Dr Nitwhite
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They probably where. If they made a whistle, compare to mourning dove.





Woodcock is a more clean whistle, perhaps more burbly, clearer, but at a lower pitch. It's difficult to explain. Grouse make no whistles.
Speculative Evolution Projects-

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Final SE Lifelist standings

BREAKING NEWS
We interrupt your regular programming to bring you this cutting edge report.
ATTENDANCE DROPS DRASTICALLY ON SE SERVER
This past Monday on Discord, famous server Speculative Evolution took a hit in the attendance office when it's offline member list suddenly reappeared. Mods scrambled to rectify the situation, but unfortunately there was little anyone could do. Server member Ivan was asked what he thought of the situation. "So long as Flisch, lord of machines and scion of Urborg lives, all will be well". SE, (in)famous for it's eccentric userbase, has recently been spiraling downward, and now we have hard conformation of the decline. Moderator "High Lord" Icthyander states "There is nothing to be concerned about, Discord is merely changing its UI again", but members are beginning to suspect the honesty of their staff.
Stay tuned, we'll be back with more at 11.
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Dragon
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/r/GamingCirclejerk is the best subreddit, don't @ me
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Dr Nitwhite
Oct 9 2016, 06:46 PM
NO I DID IT FIRST!

I kid of course. This is an absolutely lovely idea. I'll kick off the New York side of things, I myself dwell in the tristate area just above NJ and a good 40-60 minute drive from the NYC. Our first is a bit more north of where I live, and I'm sure our Canadian friends will be quite familiar with this little thief.

I have first hand experience with these pixies


The Grey Jay is a fairly common bird, and while well know in its range this range isn't the largest. These brilliant little opportunists are known for their thieving ways and are commonly known as "camp robbers" in some places. They are very bold and will perch on your hand if you associate yourself with food for a while. They are unfortunately being displaced by Blue Jays in some areas, as well as our next specimen. The juveniles are grey and are completely adorable, even more so than the adults.

As demonstated here.


This fellow picked up a roadkill toad. All these images are mine. Except the woodpecker and woodcock. others are mine though.


Our next bird is the Black-backed Woodpecker, which is another Adirondack specialist. This woodpecker sports only three toes, which it shares with the rest of its genus Picoides, and are also being pushed further north. Like Grey Jays they only extend into NY in boreal bog habitat, the closest things the state has to boreal habitat. I've only ever got one good look at this bird, they are difficult to find without a group.

Posted Image

Okay. Last bird. The American Woodcock is a dumpy little sandpiper found only inland, away from the ocean. They are alos one of the coolest and most difficult to find birds in the state, however they are much easier to come by than you might think. The bill tip is not only flexible but sensitive to the touch, allowing them to easier hunt their preferred prey of worms. The eyes are set far enough back on the head as to give the woodcock 360 degree vision. They have a wonderful array of alternate common names as well, including (but not limited to) Bogsucker, Mud Bat, Timberdoodle, Night Partridge, Labrador Twister, and Whistler. They make a characteristic whistle when taking off, and don't flush until you are on top of them. Any slightly brushy, wet feild or forest with wet soil could host a woodcock during spring to fall in NY. Watching their display flights and listening to their peent calls at twilight is a distinct experience, where you almost blend into the night and bushes around you. Woodcock tastes awful, but some people enjoy it.

Posted Image

Brook Trout is another NY specialty, and a tasty one to boot. You really haven't eaten fish until you've had Brook Trout, I regard it as one of the best you can catch. It's like a cross between cooked and raw salmon, just mild enough but just enough flavor too. Delicious! Historically, Brook Trout would have been a top aquatic predator in our region and would have had little competition. Unfortunately, human activity and invasive species have reduced its range considerably, but it has been in turn been introduced to other countries like NZ and Argentina. Several Adirondack subspecies and races are also on their way out, but conservation efforts are being made. The largest fish I've ever caught was a 17 inch brookie, and she put up a hell of a fight. Well worth it though.

The fish in question.





Quote:
 
They needn't worry about predators, since they are extremely toxic- their skin contains tetrodotoxin, the same found in fugu pufferfish and blue- ringed octopi. The exact effects of N. viridescens toxin on humans are unknown, but other newts have caused human fatalities when swallowed.


Oh dear. I've been handling these animals all my live long life, and I think I've turned out okay... Yeah, we have Partridge Berry, newts, and Ringneck Snake in NY too, I've seen them all. No the leech though.
How far upstate is this? Because if it's anywhere between Ogdensburg and Syracuse, then the stuff here is basically identical to what you find where I live on the Canadian side.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life," John 3:16

A neat pixel animation of a future cowboy


trex841
 
Hey, their right to get freaky ends when it goes up my nose.


I think this describes what dinosaurs are like now

Click for something good. Click this too.
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Dr Nitwhite
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Doot doot thanks mr skeltal
Oct 9 2016, 07:14 PM
How far upstate is this? Because if it's anywhere between Ogdensburg and Syracuse, then the stuff here is basically identical to what you find where I live on the Canadian side.
Grey Jays and Black-backs are only found in the Adirondack park and north in my state, and still only in the northern half of it where boreal bogs are found.

The others are statewide animals.

I live much further south, but I visit the Adirondacks quite often.
Edited by Dr Nitwhite, Oct 9 2016, 07:18 PM.
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Final SE Lifelist standings

BREAKING NEWS
We interrupt your regular programming to bring you this cutting edge report.
ATTENDANCE DROPS DRASTICALLY ON SE SERVER
This past Monday on Discord, famous server Speculative Evolution took a hit in the attendance office when it's offline member list suddenly reappeared. Mods scrambled to rectify the situation, but unfortunately there was little anyone could do. Server member Ivan was asked what he thought of the situation. "So long as Flisch, lord of machines and scion of Urborg lives, all will be well". SE, (in)famous for it's eccentric userbase, has recently been spiraling downward, and now we have hard conformation of the decline. Moderator "High Lord" Icthyander states "There is nothing to be concerned about, Discord is merely changing its UI again", but members are beginning to suspect the honesty of their staff.
Stay tuned, we'll be back with more at 11.
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HangingThief
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Dr Nitwhite
Oct 9 2016, 07:07 PM
They probably where. If they made a whistle, compare to mourning dove.





Woodcock is a more clean whistle, perhaps more burbly, clearer, but at a lower pitch. It's difficult to explain. Grouse make no whistles.
Yup, they were woodcocks.
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Flisch
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I just came here, because
Quote:
 
but other newts have caused human fatalities when swallowed

What
We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon.
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Dr Nitwhite
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Some idiot took a bet and ate one of these, I belive it was this species. They did not make it out alive.
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Final SE Lifelist standings

BREAKING NEWS
We interrupt your regular programming to bring you this cutting edge report.
ATTENDANCE DROPS DRASTICALLY ON SE SERVER
This past Monday on Discord, famous server Speculative Evolution took a hit in the attendance office when it's offline member list suddenly reappeared. Mods scrambled to rectify the situation, but unfortunately there was little anyone could do. Server member Ivan was asked what he thought of the situation. "So long as Flisch, lord of machines and scion of Urborg lives, all will be well". SE, (in)famous for it's eccentric userbase, has recently been spiraling downward, and now we have hard conformation of the decline. Moderator "High Lord" Icthyander states "There is nothing to be concerned about, Discord is merely changing its UI again", but members are beginning to suspect the honesty of their staff.
Stay tuned, we'll be back with more at 11.
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Flisch
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Well that's one way of asking Natural Selection if she's still there.
We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon.
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HangingThief
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It would be awesome if somebody from the southern hemisphere or someplace tropical did one.
Four Spined Stickleback Apeltes quadracus
Posted Image
The four- spined stickleback is a tiny fish, around four centimeters in length. It is the smallest member of the stickleback order, Gasterosteiformes. It lives mostly in the brackish and salt water of estuaries along the eastern coast of The US and Canada. During the spawning season, they often swim up small freshwater streams like little salmon. Like other sticklebacks they feed mainly on small aquatic arthropods, but they also utilize a behavior similar to some tropical shrimps and wrasses- removing parasites from the skin of other fish.

Goldenrod Spider Misumena vatia
Posted Image
The goldenrod spider is a large species of crab spider, usually found on white, pink or yellow flowers in North America. The large females rarely move, usually sitting on the same flower for days or even weeks. If by some chance they have to move to a flower that doesn't match their coloration, they can gradually change color from yellow to white or vice versa. The pink pattern on their abdomen can be switched on or off. They ambush any insect that lands on their flower and comes within striking distance, from tiny flies to huge bees and butterflies. The wandering males are much smaller and have black and green coloration.
Goldenrod spiders seem to be a particularly common prey for spider hunting mud dauber wasps. Perhaps this is because the wasps encounter goldenrod spiders while they themselves are nectaring at flowers.

Spring Salamander Gyrinophilus porphyreticus
Posted Image
The spring salamander is large species of lungless salamander native to mountainous regions of the eastern US. It is mostly aquatic and lives mainly in springs and cold mountain streams, sometimes entering other bodies of water during cooler parts of the year. The genus name refers to its extended larval stage, which lasts several years and sees the larva reach nearly adult size before metamorphosing. Even as an adult it only rarely leaves the stream on rainy nights to search for new territory. It requires cold, clean water with a high oxygen content to survive, and is very sensitive to environmental disturbance.
The spring salamander is a voracious, cannibalistic predator. In addition to worms and aquatic insects, it often devours smaller stream salamanders such as Eurycea, Desmognathus, and young of its own kind. Unusually for a salamander, it bites aggressively when threatened. Its broad, keeled tail makes it a strong swimmer.
Hey.


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Dr Nitwhite
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HangingThief
Oct 10 2016, 06:16 PM
Spring Salamander Gyrinophilus porphyreticus
Posted Image
The spring salamander is large species of lungless salamander native to mountainous regions of the eastern US. It is mostly aquatic and lives mainly in springs and cold mountain streams, sometimes entering other bodies of water during cooler parts of the year. The genus name refers to its extended larval stage, which lasts several years and sees the larva reach nearly adult size before metamorphosing. Even as an adult it only rarely leaves the stream on rainy nights to search for new territory. It requires cold, clean water with a high oxygen content to survive, and is very sensitive to environmental disturbance.
The spring salamander is a voracious, cannibalistic predator. In addition to worms and aquatic insects, it often devours smaller stream salamanders such as Eurycea, Desmognathus, and young of its own kind. Unusually for a salamander, it bites aggressively when threatened. Its broad, keeled tail makes it a strong swimmer.
I have a spec idea that originally had the red-backed salamander as an ancestor. This is probably a better fit.
Speculative Evolution Projects-

Other Relevant Work-

Final SE Lifelist standings

BREAKING NEWS
We interrupt your regular programming to bring you this cutting edge report.
ATTENDANCE DROPS DRASTICALLY ON SE SERVER
This past Monday on Discord, famous server Speculative Evolution took a hit in the attendance office when it's offline member list suddenly reappeared. Mods scrambled to rectify the situation, but unfortunately there was little anyone could do. Server member Ivan was asked what he thought of the situation. "So long as Flisch, lord of machines and scion of Urborg lives, all will be well". SE, (in)famous for it's eccentric userbase, has recently been spiraling downward, and now we have hard conformation of the decline. Moderator "High Lord" Icthyander states "There is nothing to be concerned about, Discord is merely changing its UI again", but members are beginning to suspect the honesty of their staff.
Stay tuned, we'll be back with more at 11.
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Flisch
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I don't think we have any species that are "local" to germany. We pretty much share everything within europe and even eurasia.
We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon.
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