The Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina), also called Blue Moon Butterfly in New Zealand or Common Eggfly, is a species of nymphalid butterfly.

The upper side of the wings are jet black, offset with three pairs of white spots &two on the forewing and one on the hind. These white spots are surrounded by purple iridescence. In addition, the upper side of the hind wing bears a series of small white dots.

  

This Southern Zigzag Salamander was found under a saturated log along a mountainside.

 

The Southern Zigzag Salamander complex, much like the closely related Red-backed Salamander complex, exhibits color and pattern polymorphism. Some individuals have a scalloped-edged dorsal stripe with shades of brown, red, yellow and orange. While others may be almost completely uniform dark gray with varying amounts of light flecking. These color patterns may all be found within a single population.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalash

 

The Kalash (Urdu: کیلاش ;Nuristani: Kasivo) or Kalasha, are indigenous people of the Hindu Kush mountain range, residing in the Chitral district of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. They speak the Kalash language, from the Dardic family of Indo-Iranic, and are considered a unique tribe among the Indo-Aryan stock

 

Etymology

According to the linguist Richard Strand, the people of Chitral apparently adopted the name of the former Kafiristan Kalasha, who at some unknown time extended their influence into Chitral.[2] A reference for this assumption could be the names kâsv'o respectively kâsi'o, used by the neighboring Nuristani Kata and Kom for the Kalash of Chitral. From these the earlier name kâs'ivo (instead Kalasha) could be derived

 

Culture

 

The culture of Kalash people is unique and differs drastically from the various ethnic groups surrounding them. They are polytheists and nature plays a highly significant and spiritual role in their daily life. As part of their religious tradition, sacrifices are offered and festivals held to give thanks for the abundant resources of their three valleys[3]. Kalash mythology and folklore has been compared to that of ancient Greece[4], but they are much closer to Indo-Iranian (Vedic and pre-Zoroastrian) traditions [5]

 

Language

 

The language of the Kalash is a Dardic language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-Iranian group; itself part of the larger Indo-European family. It is classified as a member of the Chitral sub-group, the only other member of that group being Khowar. The Norwegian Linguist Georg Morgenstierne who studied both languages wrote that in spite of similarities Kalasha is an independent language in its own right, not a mere dialect of Khowar.[6][7] Currently about 5,000 people speak Kalasha and it is considered critically endangered by UNESCO. [8] Badshah Munir Bukhari unicoded the Kalasha Language in 2005. Working in close collaboration with various international researchers and linguists, Kalash linguist Taj Khan Kalash organized first "Kalasha Orthography Conference 2000"in Islamabad Pakistan. In 2004 he was able to raise funds to publish first alphabet book of Kalasha language based on Roman script designed by an Australian linguist Gregory R. Cooper.

 

Customs

 

There is some controversy over what defines the ethnic characteristics of the Kalash. Although quite numerous before the 20th century, the non-Muslim minority has seen its numbers dwindle over the past century. A leader of the Kalash, Saifulla Jan, has stated, "If any Kalash converts to Islam, they can't live among us anymore. We keep our identity strong."[9] About three thousand have converted to Islam or are descendants of converts, yet still live nearby in the Kalash villages and maintain their language and many aspects of their ancient culture. By now, sheikhs, or converts to Islam, make up more than half of the total Kalasha-speaking population.[10]

 

Kalash women usually wear long black robes, often embroidered with cowrie shells. For this reason, they are known in Chitral as "The Black Kafirs". Men have adopted the Pakistani shalwar kameez, while children wear small versions of adult clothing after the age of four.

 

In contrast to the surrounding Pakistani culture, the Kalash do not in general separate males and females or frown on contact between the sexes. However, menstruating girls and women are sent to live in the "bashaleni", the village menstrual building, during their periods, until they regain their "purity". They are also required to give birth in the bashaleni. There is also a ritual restoring "purity" to a woman after childbirth which must be performed before a woman can return to her husband.[11] The husband is an active participant in this ritual.

 

Marriage by elopement is rather frequent, also involving women who are already married to another man. Indeed, wife-elopement is counted as one of the "great customs" (ghōna dastūr) together with the main festivals.

 

Girls are usually married at an early age. If a woman wants to change husbands, she will write a letter to her prospective husband offering herself in marriage and informing the would-be groom how much her current husband paid for her. This is because the new husband must pay double if he wants her. For example, if the current husband paid one cow for her, then the new husband must pay two cows to the original husband if he wants her.

 

Wife-elopement may lead in some rare cases to a quasi-feud between clans until peace is negotiated by mediators, in the form of the double bride-price paid by the new husband to the ex-husband. [12]

 

Kalash lineages (kam) separate as marriageable descendants have separated by over seven generations. A rite of "breaking agnation" (tatbře čhin) marks that previous agnates (tatbře) are now permissible affines (därak "clan partners).[12] Each kam has a separate shrine in the clan's Jēṣṭak-hān, the temple to lineal or familial goddess Jēṣṭak.

 

Festivals

The three main festivals (khawsáṅgaw) of the Kalash [13] are the Joshi festival in late May, the Uchau in autumn, and the Caumus in midwinter.[14]

 

The pastoral god Sorizan protects the herds in Fall and Winter and is thanked at the winter festival, while Goshidai does so until the Pul festival (pũ. from *pūrṇa, full moon in Sept.) and is thanked at the Joshi (joṣi, žōši) festival in spring.

 

Joshi is celebrated at the end of May each year. The first day of Joshi is "Milk Day", on which the Kalash offer libations of milk that have been saved for ten days prior to the festival.

 

The most important Kalash festival is the Chaumos (cawmōs, ghona chawmos yat, Khowar "chitrimas" from *cāturmāsya, CDIAL 4742), which is celebrated for two weeks at winter solstice (c. Dec. 7-22), at the beginning of the month chawmos mastruk. It marks the end of the year's fieldwork and harvest. It involves much music, dancing, and the sacrifice of many goats. It is dedicated to the god Balimain who is believed to visit from the mythical homeland of the Kalash, Tsyam (Tsiyam, tsíam), for the duration of the feast. Food sacrifices are offered at the clans' Jeshtak shrines, dedicated to the ancestors.

  

A Kalash man dances during the Uchau FestivalAt Chaumos, impure and uninitiated persons are not admitted; they must be purified by a waving a fire brand over women and children and by a special fire ritual for men, involving a shaman waving juniper brands over the men. The 'old rules' of the gods (Devalog, dewalōk) are no longer in force, as is typical for year-end and carnival-like rituals. The main Chaumos ritual takes place at a Tok tree, a place called Indra's place, "indrunkot", or "indréyin". Indrunkot is sometimes believed to belong to Balumain's brother, In(dr), lord of cattle. [15] Ancestors, impersonated by young boys (ōnjeṣṭa 'pure') are worshipped and offered bread; they hold on to each other and form a chain (cf. the Vedic anvārambhaṇa) and snake through the village.

 

The men must be divided into two parties: the pure ones have to sing the well-honored songs of the past, but the impure sing wild, passionate, and obscene songs, with an altogether different rhythm. This is accompanied by a 'sex change': men dress as women, women as men (Balumain also is partly seen as female and can change between both forms at will). [15]

 

This includes the Festival of the Budulak (buḍáḷak, the 'shepherd king'). In this festival, a strong prepubescent boy is sent up into the mountains to live with the goats for the summer. He is supposed to get fat and strong from the goat milk. When the festival comes he is allowed for a 24-hour period only to have sexual intercourse with any woman he wants, including even the wife of another man, or a young virgin or his own mother if he wants her. Any child born of this 24-hour rampage is considered to be blessed. The Kalash claim to have abolished this practice in recent years due to negative worldwide publicity.

 

At this crucial moment the pure get weaker, and the impure try to take hold of the (very pure) boys, pretend to mount them "like a hornless ram", and proceed in snake procession. At this point, the impure men resist and fight. When the "nagayrō" song with the response "han sarías" (from *samrīyate 'flows together', CDIAL 12995) is voiced, Balumain showers all his blessings and disappears. He gives his blessings to seven boys (representing the mythical seven of the eight Devalog who received him on arrival), and these pass the blessings on to all pure men. [15]

 

In myth, Mahandeu had cheated Balumain from superiority, when all the gods had slept together (a euphemism) in the Shawalo meadow; therefore, he went to the mythical home of the Kalash in Tsiyam (tsíam) , to come back next year like the Vedic Indra (Rigveda 10.86). If this had not happened, Balumain would have taught humans how to have sex as a sacred act. Instead, he could only teach them fertility songs used at the Chaumos ritual. He arrives from the west, the (Kati Kafir) Bashgal valley, in early December, before solstice, and leaves the day after. He was at first shunned by some people, who were annihilated. He was however, received by seven Devalog and they all went to several villages, such as Batrik village, where seven pure, young boys received him whom he took with him. Therefore, nowadays, one only sends men and older boys to receive him. Balumain is the typical culture hero. He told people about the sacred fire made from junipers, about the sowing ceremony for wheat that involved the blood of a small goat, and he asked for wheat tribute (hushak) for his horse. Finally, Balumain taught how to celebrate the winter festival. He was visible only during his first visit, now he is just felt to be present. [15]

 

[edit] Religion

Kalash culture and belief system differs from the various ethnic groups surrounding them but is similar to that of the neighboring Nuristanis in northeast Afghanistan, before their enforced Islamization in the last decade of the 19th century. The Kalash people are unique in their customs and religion.

 

There is a creator deity called Dezau (ḍezáw) whose name is derived from Indo-European *dheig'h 'to form' (cf. Vedic dih, Kati Nuristani dez 'to create', CDIAL 14621); he is also called by the Pashto term Khodai. There are a number of other deities, semi-gods and spirits. The Kalash pantheon is thus one of the last living representatives of Indo-European religion, along with Hinduism and Zoroastrianism.

 

There is the prominent Indr or Varendr (Warín, Werín from *aparendra); the rainbow (indré~ CDIAL 1577) is called "Indra's bow" as in Vedic; when it thunders, Indra plays Polo. Indra is attested both in Vedic and Avestan texts and goes back to Indo-Iranian deity Vṛtrahan the 'slayer of vṛtra' (resistance).

 

Indra appears in various form, such as Sajigor (Sajigōr), also called Shura Verin (Šúra Werín from *śūra *aparendra 'the hero, the unrivaled Indra'). Warén(dr-) or In Warīn is the mightiest and most dangerous god. The location of his shrine was assigned by bow shot, which recalls the Vedic Indra's Bunda bow [15]. Another one of his forms is the recently popular Balumain (Baḷimaín). Riding on a horse, comes to the Kalash valleys from the outside at winter solstice. Balumain is a culture hero who taught how to celebrate the Kalash winter festival (Chaumos). He is connected with Tsyam, the mythological homeland of the Kalash. Indra has a demon-like counterpart, Jeṣṭan (from *jyeṣṭha? 'the best'), who appears on earth as a dog; the gods (Devalog, Dewalók) are his enemies and throw stones at him, the shooting stars. [15]

 

Another god, Munjem Malik (munjem from *madhyama 'middle'; malék from Arab. malik 'king'), is the Lord of Middle Earth and killed, like the Vedic Indra, his father. Mahandeo (mahandéo, cf. the Nuristani Mon/Māndi, from *mahān deva), is the god of crops, and also the god of war and a negotiator with the highest deity. [15]

 

Jestak (jéṣṭak, from *jyeṣṭhā, or *deṣṭrī?) is the goddess of domestic life, family and marriage. Her lodge is the women's house (Jeṣṭak Han).

 

Dezalik (ḍizálik), the sister of "Dezau" is the goddess of childbirth, the hearth and of life force; she protects children and women. She is similar to the Kafiri Nirmali (Indo-Iranian *nirmalikā). She is also responsible for the Bashaleni lodge.

 

There also is a general pattern of belief in mountain fairies, Suchi (súči, now often called Peri), who help in hunting and killing enemies, and the Varōti (~ Sanskrit Vātaputra), their violent male partners (echoing the Vedic Apsaras and Gandharvas). They live in the high mountains, such as Tirich Mir (~ Vedic Meru, *devameru: Shina díamer, CDIAL 6533), but in late autumn they descend to the mountain meadows. The Jach (j.ac. from *yakṣ(inī), are a separate category of female spirits of the soil or of special places, fields and mountain pastures. [15]

 

There is some confusion regarding to the present status of the Kalash, as some sources are stating that Islamic fundamentalists have converted all the Kalash, while some other sources stating that there are still some pagan Kalash remaining. According to the latter source, during the seventies, when local Muslims forced a number of conversions upon the Kalash, their numbers shrank to just two thousand. However, with protection from the government, a decrease in voluntary conversion and a great reduction in the child mortality rate, the last two decades have seen their numbers double.[16] Recently there was some controversy when two Kalash girls converted to Islam.[17]

 

Ritual

 

These deities have shrines throughout the valleys, where they frequently receive goat sacrifices. In 1929, as Georg Morgenstierne testifies, such rituals were still carried out by Kalash priests, "ištikavan" 'priest' (from ištikhék 'to praise a god'). This institution has since disappeared but there still is the prominent one of shamans (dehar) [18] The deities are temporary visitors. Kalash shrines (dūr 'house', cf. Vedic dúr) are a wooden board or stone altar at juniper, oak, cedar trees, in 1929 still with the effigy of a human head inside holes in these shrines. Horses, cows, goats and sheep were sacrificed. Wine is a sacred drink of Indr, who owns a vineyard that he defends against invaders. Kalash ritual is of potlatch type; by organizing rituals and festivals (up to 12; the highest called biramōr) one gains fame and status. As in the Veda, the former local artisan class was excluded from public religious functions. [15]

 

However, there is a special role for prepubescent boys, who are treated with special awe, combining pre-sexual behavior and the purity of the high mountains, where they tend goats for the summer month. Purity is very much stressed and centered around altars, goat stables, the space between the hearth and the back wall of houses and in festival periods; the higher up in the valley, the more pure the location. [15]

 

By contrast, women (especially during menstruation and giving birth), as well as death and decomposition and the outside (Muslim) world are impure, and, just as in the Veda and Avesta, many cleansing ceremonies are required if impurity occurs. [15]

 

Crows represent the ancestors, and are frequently fed with the left hand (also at tombs), just as in the Veda. The dead are buried above ground in ornamented wooden coffins. Wooden effigies are erected at the graves of wealthy or honoured people.[15], [19][20]

 

History

 

The Kalash are known as indigenous people of Chitral, and their ancestors migrated to Chitral from Afghanistan in the 2nd century BC.[21] It is thought the Kalash descendants migrated to Afghanistan from a distant place in South Asia, which the Kalash call “Tsiyam” in their folk songs and epics.[21]

 

The Kalash were ruled by the Mehtar of Chitral from the 1700s onward. They have enjoyed a cordial relationship with the major ethnic group of Chitral, the Kho who are Sunni and Ismaili Muslims. The multi-ethnic and multi-religious State of Chitral ensured that the Kalash were able to live in peace and harmony and practice their culture and religion. The Nuristani, their neighbours in the region of former Kafiristan west of the border, were converted to Islam by Amir Abdur-Rahman of Afghanistan in the 1890s and their land was renamed Nuristan.

 

Prior to that event, the people of Kafiristan had paid tribute to the Mehtar of Chitral and accepted his suzerainty. This came to an end with the Durand Agreement when Kafiristan fell under the Afghan sphere of Influence. Recently, the Kalash have been able to stop their demographic and cultural spiral towards extinction and have, for the past 30 years, been on the rebound. Increased international awareness, a more tolerant government, and monetary assistance has allowed them to continue their way of life. Their numbers remain stable at around 3,000. Although many convert to Islam, the high birth rate replaces them, and with medical facilities (previously there were none) they live longer.

 

Allegations of "immorality" connected with their practices have led to the forcible conversion to Islam of several villages in the 1950s, which has led to heightened antagonism between the Kalash and the surrounding Muslims. Since the 1970s, schools and roads were built in some valleys.[22]

 

Rehman and Ali (2001) report that pressure of radical Muslim organizations is on the increase:

 

Ardent Muslims on self-imposed missions to eradicate idolatry regularly attack those engaged in traditional Kalash religious rituals, smashing their idols. The local Mullahs and the visiting Tableghi Jammaites remain determined to 'purify' the Kafirs.[23]

 

Location, climate and geography

 

Located in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, the Kalash people live in three isolated mountain valleys: Bumboret (Kalash: Mumret), Rumbur (Rukmu), and Birir (Biriu). These valleys are opening towards the Kunar River, some 20 km south (downstream) of Chitral,

 

The Bumboret and Rumbur valleys join at 35°44′20″N 71°43′40″E / 35.73889°N 71.72778°E / 35.73889; 71.72778 (1640 m), joining the Kunar at the village of Ayrun (35°42′52″N 71°46′40″E / 35.71444°N 71.77778°E / 35.71444; 71.77778, 1400 m) and they each rise to passes connecting to Afghanistan's Nuristan Province at about 4500 m.

 

The Birir valley opens towards the Kunar at the village of Gabhirat (35°40′8″N 71°45′15″E / 35.66889°N 71.75417°E / 35.66889; 71.75417, 1360 m). A pass connects the Birir and Bumboret valleys at about 3000 m. The Kalash villages in all three valleys are located at a height of approximately 1900 to 2200 m.

 

The region is extremely fertile, covering the mountainside in rich oak forests and allowing for intensive agriculture, despite the fact that most of the work is done not by machinery, but by hand. The powerful and dangerous rivers that flow through the valleys have been harnessed to power grinding mills and to water the farm fields through the use of ingenious irrigation channels. Wheat, maize, grapes (generally used for wine), apples, apricots and walnuts are among the many foodstuffs grown in the area, along with surplus fodder used for feeding the livestock.[24]

 

The climate is typical of high elevation regions without large bodies of water to regulate the temperature. The summers are mild and agreeable with average maximum temperatures between 23° and 27°C (73° - 81°F). Winters, on the other hand, can be very cold, with average minimum temperatures between 2° and 1°C (36° - 34°F). The average yearly precipitation is 700 to 800 mm (28 - 32 inches).

 

Genetic origins

 

Rosenberg et al. (2006) ran simulations dividing autosomal gene frequencies in selected populations into a given number of clusters. For 7 or more clusters, a cluster (yellow) appears which is nearly unique to the Kalash. Smaller amounts of Kalash gene frequencies join clusters associated with Europe and Middle East (blue) and with South Asia (red).Some in the academic community have speculated that the Kalash might be from ancient Middle Eastern populations[25], an indigenous population from South Asia[26], or members of Alexander the Great's army.[27] Though often overstated, instances of blond hair or light eyes are not uncommon.

 

In a 2005 study of ASPM gene variants, Mekel-Bobrov et al. found that the Kalash people of Pakistan have among the highest rate of the newly-evolved ASPM haplogroup D, at 60% occurrence of the approximately 6,000-year-old allele.[28].

 

The Kalash also have been shown to exhibit the exceedingly rare 19 allele value at autosomal marker D9S1120 at a frequency higher than the majority of other world populations which do have it.[29]

 

Firasat et al. (2006) conclude that the Kalash lack typical Greek haplogroups (e.g. haplogroup 21),[30] On the other hand, a study by Qamar et al. (2002) found that even though "no support for a Greek origin of their Y chromosomes was found" in the Kalash, Greek y-chromosome admixture could be as high as 20% to 40%.[31] Considering the apparent absence of haplogroup 21 in the local population, one of the possibilities suggested was because of genetic drift.[31] On the basis of Y chromosome allele frequency, some researchers describe the exact Greek contribution to Kalash as unclear. [32]

 

Another study with Qasim Ayub, and S. Qasim Mehdi, and led by Quintana-Murci claims that "the western Eurasian presence in the Kalash population reaches a frequency of 100%, the most prevalent [mtDNA] haplogroup being U4, (pre-HV)1, U2e, and J2," and that they show "no detectable East or South Asian lineages. The outlying genetic position is seen in all analyses. Moreover, although this population is composed of western Eurasian lineages, the most prevalent ... are rare or absent in the surrounding populations and usually characterize populations from Eastern Europe, the middle East and the Caucasus... All these observations bear witness to the strong effects of genetic drift of the Kalash population... However, a western Eurasian origin for this population is likely, in view of their maternal lineages, which can ultimately be traced back to the Middle East". [33]

 

The estimates by Qamar et al. of Greek admixture has been dismissed by Toomas Kivisild et al. (2003): “some admixture models and programs that exist are not always adequate and realistic estimators of gene flow between populations ... this is particularly the case when markers are used that do not have enough restrictive power to determine the source populations ... or when there are more than two parental populations. In that case, a simplistic model using two parental populations would show a bias towards overestimating admixture”.[34]

 

The study came to the conclusion that the Pakistani Kalash population estimate by (Qamar et al. 2002) “is unrealistic and is likely also driven by the low marker resolution that pooled southern and western Asian–specific Y-chromosome haplogroup H together with European-specific haplogroup I, into an uninformative polyphyletic cluster 2”.[34]

 

A study by Rosenberg et al. (2006) employing genetic testing among the Kalash population concluded that they are, in fact, a distinct (and perhaps aboriginal) population with only minor contributions from outside peoples. In one cluster analysis with (K = 7), the Kalash formed one cluster, the others being Africans, Europeans/Middle Easterners/South Asians, East Asians, Melanesians, and Native Americans. [35]

 

A genetic study published led by Firasat (2007) on Kalash individuals found high and diverse frequencies of :Haplogroup L3a (22.7%), H1* (20.5%), R1a (18.2%), G (18.2%), J2 (9.1%), R* (6.8%), R1* (2.3%), and L* (2.3%)[36]. Haplogroup L originates from prehistoric South Asia.

 

In the recent study: "Worldwide Human Relationships Inferred from Genome-Wide Patterns of Variation (2008)", geneticists using more than 650,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) samples from the Human Genome Diversity Panel, found deep rooted lineages that could be distinguished in the Kalash. The results showed them not only to be distinct, but perfectly clustered within the Central/South Asian populations at (K = 7). The study also showed the Kalash to be a separated group, with having no membership within European populations.[37]

 

Economy

 

Historically a goat herding and subsistence farming people, the Kalash are moving towards a cash-based economy whereas previously wealth was measured in livestock and crops. Tourism now makes up a large portion of the economic activities of the Kalash. To cater to these new visitors, small stores and guest houses have been erected, providing new luxury for visitors of the valleys.[38] People attempting to enter the valleys have to pay a toll to the Pakistani government, which is used to preserve and care for the Kalash people and their culture.

 

Mekzog is a Space Ork Mechanic. He is in charge of keeping the space hulk moving. He is never seen without his shape changing Parrot "Polymorph". Polymorph can change shape into a giant swiss army knife which he finds infinitely useful, just as well because this is the only shape Polly can morph into. Other than engines, Mekzog loves to drink. his favourite tipple is battery acid. It makes him flatulent hence his second name...

This week all bird lovers in Singapore were extremely delighted with the discovery of this Super Super Rare migratory bird from Australia. This little bird have made it over 4,000 km to reach Singapore!!! Superb. Just cannot miss this visitor!!!

  

Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis)

 

The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis) is a small cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. Its size averages 22g and is distinguished by its green and bronze iridescent colouring on its back and incomplete brown barring from neck to tail. What distinguishes the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo from other bronze cuckoos is its white eyebrow and brown eye stripe.The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo is common throughout Australia preferring the drier open woodlands away from forested areas.

  

Taxonomy

 

The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo is one of five Australian species in the genus Chrysococcyx (formally Chalcites) a type of parasitic bird, that parasitises fairy-wrens primarily to raise their young.

 

The Five species of Cuckoo in the genus Chrysococcyx;

- Black-eared Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx osculans)

- Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis)

- Shining Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus)

- Little Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus)

- Gould’s Bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx russatus)

  

Diet and Behaviour

 

The main diet of the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo are insects and they are nomadic, travelling to different regions of Australia to breed and find food.Small insects are taken from leaves, branches, caught on the wing and in breeding season, Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoos feed each other in a courtship ritual.

 

The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo is known as a brood parasite, this means that they lay their eggs in a host species nest.They mainly parasitise the fairy-wrens in the genus (malarus sp). It has been well documented that the Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) and the Splendid Fairy-wren (Malurus splendens) are the two main species to bare host to the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo, although they may also parasitise other small Passeriformes including Thornbills, Warblers and Scrub-wrens that can be utilised as a secondary host in certain locations. Although the behavioural attributes of a host species may play a role in parasitism, it is thought that the female selects its host through imprinting, remembering the species that it was raised by and ultimately using that species to raise its brood.

  

Breeding

 

The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo’s are known to form monogamous pairs in the breeding season and occupy the same breeding territories as their host species, however partnerships are short lived as a female will only occupy the breeding territory for a few weeks, as another female takes her place, she may form a pairing with the same male.Females that leave a breeding site after several weeks may move to another site and continue to breed with another male, forming another bond in a new breeding territory. Breeding territories of the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo generally do not overlap giving rise to the possibility that a pair will defend an area through the season.

  

Parasitism

 

As a brood parasite the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo does not build its own nest but will utilise a host species nest (Malurus sp) to lay their eggs. The breeding season for the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo relies on their host and they will lay one elongated pinkish-white egg, that is speckled with red-brown spots to mimic that of the fairy wren or thornbills egg.The breeding season for the Superb Fairy-wren is between September – February and a female may have three consecutive broods in this time, allowing the Cuckoo multiple attempts to parasitise this species.The female cuckoo may choose a breeding site with a high density of hosts, which allows extra opportunity for her success in parasitising a nest successfully. Studies have shown at one site a female did not parasitise a territory with less than 23 breeding pairs of their primary host (Malurus cyaneus).

 

The egg of a Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo is small for its size, evolving overtime to mimic those of their host in what can be described as an evolutionary arms race between parasite and host, also the smaller the host for the cuckoo, the likelihood of successfully raising multiple broods thus the energy and nutrients needed to produce more smaller eggs than few larger eggs can be utilised more efficiently.Egg laying is very fast for the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo, being able to lay an egg in under 6 seconds typically in the morning shortly after the host has laid,the adult cuckoo removes one egg each time she lays, only laying one egg per nest and replacing one host egg with one of her own.

 

Younger semi-experienced females were generally selected over new and novice breeding females due to their success and experience. The Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo chose females that would choose similar breeding sites to previous years and were likely to raise several broods in one season. Generally the superb fairy wren will not reject the cuckoos egg, fairy wrens make oval dome nests that can be dark inside, meaning it is harder for the fairy wren to distinguish between their own egg and the host’s egg, furthermore the mimicry in eggs from the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo have evolved over time and are hard to distinguish besides their slight elongation and glossier finish.

 

The cuckoo chick hatches within 12 days of incubation, 2 days before the host egg, ejecting other eggs in the nests within two days of hatching, leaving the cuckoo the sole chick. As newly hatched cuckoo chicks eject host eggs they do not get to learn the host’s begging called but can possess begging call polymorphism, where nestlings produced the calls of their primary host. As the nestling grows it will be fed by the host parent and possibly the group growing more rapidly until fledged.

  

Co-Evolutionary Arms Race

 

Counter adaptations have been documented for host species and cuckoos alike. As each species evolves it will adapt to its environment and ultimately to its competition. In what is called a co-evolutionary arms race to better the species, parasite against host race. Studies show that co-evolutions happens at all stages of the growth cycle, not just the early stages. In the case of the fairy wrens, they have adapted some host defences to try and minimise parasitism. The cost of hosting a parasitic species is high, in energy and genetics, the defences from the host increase, in turn increasing the parasites defences in a co-evolutionary arms race between the species.

 

Some of the adaptations that the host employs are:

-Adult hosts will drive cuckoos away in groups to reduce parasitism.

-Hosts like to nest in large colonies to deter adult cuckoos then chasing them away if a cuckoo is spotted, increasing nesting success.

-Helpers in large colonies provision the female so she can attend the nest more proficiently.

-The ability to learn and recognise their own eggs, and abandon any that are in the nest before they have started their own.

  

As a counter move the cuckoo also evolves adaptations:

-Mimicry of host eggs.

-Eggs that are cryptic and therefore unable to be seen in the dark nest.

-Thickened egg shells

-Efficiency in laying the egg, being able to lay an egg secretly and fast while the host is absent.

 

The cost of parasitism is high for the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo’s hosts, with both host and cuckoo evolving with each other, the cuckoo is extremely successful as a parasite.As hosts evolve defenses against parasitism by cuckoos, cuckoos evolve ever better means of tricking their hosts into rearing their young, which, in turn, promotes the evolution of improved host defenses. The counter adaptations from the host species must keep evolving in order to reduce parasitism. Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo’s have been counter adapting to host defences in terms, ‘leading’ the co-evolutionary arms race by effective means in the early stages of parasitising a host nest and leaving the host with a smaller chance of detecting the eggs of the Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo.

 

[Credit: en.wikipedia.org/]

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sur souches ou bois mort, souvent en touffes, ce champignon commun mais polymorphe peut se rencontrer du printemps aux premières gelées. Chapeau de 2-5 (7) cm, conique puis s'étalant en conservant habituellement un mamelon. Cuticule brillante puis mate, striée, blanchâtre, grisâtre ou brun-grisâtre, plus sombre au centre. Lames adnées, souvent interveinées à leur base, blanches puis rosées. Stipe grisâtre, lisse à base poilue.

 

Mycena galericulata (Scopoli) S.F. Gray, 1821 = Agaricus conicus W. Hudson, 1778 = Agaricus crispus Batsch, 1783 = Agaricus galericulatus Scopoli, 1772 = Agaricus galericulatus var. albidus Persoon, 1801 = Agaricus radicatellus Peck, 1878 = Agaricus rugosus Fries, 1838 = Agaricus sudorus Fries, 1838 = Collybia rugulosiceps Kauffman, 1926 = Mycena berkeleyi Massee, 1893 = Mycena galericulata var. albida (Persoon) Roussel, 1806 = Mycena galericulata var. carneifolia Gillet = Mycena galericulata var. fulva Gillet = Mycena galericulata var. fulvella Saccardo = Mycena galericulata var. livida (Albertini & Schweinitz) Gillet = Mycena galericulata var. rugosa (Bulliard) Fries = Mycena galericulata var. spadicea Gillet = Mycena longipes (Murrill) Murrill, 1916 = Mycena radicatella (Peck) Saccardo, 1887 = Mycena rugosa Quélet, 1872 = Mycena rugulosiceps (Kauffman) A.H. Smith, 1937 = Mycena sudora (Fries) Gillet, 1876 = Mycena sudora var. alba Gillet = Prunulus galericulatus (Scopoli) Murrill, 1916 = Prunulus longipes Murrill, 1916 = Prunulus radicatellus (Peck) Murrill, 1916 = Stereopodium galericulatum (Scopoli) anon., le mycène en casque ou mycène casqué, mycène à bonnet.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_canina

  

Rosa canina, commonly known as the dog rose,[1] is a variable climbing, wild rose species native to Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia.

 

It is a deciduous shrub normally ranging in height from 1–5 metres (3.3–16.4 ft), though sometimes it can scramble higher into the crowns of taller trees. Its stems are covered with small, sharp, hooked prickles, which aid it in climbing. The leaves are pinnate, with 5–7 leaflets. The flowers are usually pale pink, but can vary between a deep pink and white. They are 4–6 centimetres (1.6–2.4 in) in diameter with five petals, and mature into an oval, 1.5–2-centimetre (0.59–0.79 in), red-orange fruit, or hip.

  

Synonyms

  

From DNA analysis using amplified fragment length polymorphisms of wild-rose samples from a transect across Europe (900 samples from section Caninae, and 200 from other sections), it has been suggested that the following named species are best considered as part of a single Rosa canina species complex, and are therefore synonyms of R. canina:[2]

 

R. balsamica Besser

R. caesia Sm.

R. corymbifera Borkh.

R. dumalis Bechst.

R. montana Chaix

R. stylosa Desv.

R. subcanina (Christ) Vuk.

R. subcollina (Christ) Vuk.

R. × irregularis Déségl. & Guillon

Cultivation and uses

  

Rose hips

  

The plant is high in certain antioxidants. The fruit is noted for its high level of vitamin C, and is used to make syrup, tea, and marmalade. It has been grown or encouraged in the wild for the production of vitamin C from its fruit (often as rose-hip syrup), especially during conditions of scarcity or during wartime. The species has also been introduced to other temperate latitudes. During World War II in the United States, Rosa canina was planted in victory gardens, and can still be found growing throughout the country, including roadsides and in wet, sandy areas along the coastlines. In Bulgaria, where it grows in abundance, the hips are used to make a sweet wine as well as tea. In the traditional Austrian medicine, Rosa canina fruits have been used internally as tea for treatment of viral infections and disorders of the kidneys and urinary tract.[3] The hips are used as a flavouring in Cockta, a soft drink made in Slovenia.

 

Bao Ninh in “The Sorrow of War,” his novel of the Vietnam War from a North Vietnamese soldier’s perspective, writes: “With canina one smoked to forget the daily hell of the soldier’s life, smoked to forget hunger and suffering. Also, to forget death. And totally, but totally, to forget tomorrow.”

 

Forms of this plant are used as stocks for the grafting or budding of cultivated roses. The wild plant is used for stabilising soil in land reclamation and specialised landscaping schemes.

 

Numerous cultivars have been named, though few are common in cultivation. The cultivar Rosa canina 'Assisiensis' is the only dog rose without prickles.

  

The dog roses, the Canina section of the genus Rosa (20-30 species and subspecies, which occur mostly in Northern and Central Europe), have an unusual kind of meiosis that is sometimes called permanent odd polyploidy, although it can occur with even polyploidy (e.g. in tetraploids or hexaploids). Regardless of ploidy level, only seven bivalents are formed leaving the other chromosomes as univalents. Univalents are included in egg cells, but not in pollen.[4][5] Similar processes occur in some other organisms.[6] Dog roses are most commonly pentaploid, i.e. five times the base number of seven chromosomes for the genus Rosa, but may be tetraploid or hexaploid as well.

  

Names and etymology

  

The botanical name is derived from the common names 'dog rose' or similar in several European languages, including classical Latin and ancient (Hellenistic period) Greek.

 

It is sometimes considered that the word 'dog' has a disparaging meaning in this context, indicating 'worthless' (by comparison with cultivated garden roses) (Vedel & Lange 1960). According to The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable,[7] the name is a direct translation of its name in classical Latin, rosa canina, itself a translation of the Greek κυνόροδον ('kunórodon'); the name arose out of the belief in classical times that the root was a cure for the bite of a mad dog. (It also known that it was used in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to treat the bite of rabid dogs.[8])

 

Other old folk names include dogberry and witches' briar.[citation needed]

  

Invasive species

  

Dog rose is an invasive species in the high country of New Zealand. It was recognised as displacing native vegetation as early as 1895[9] although the Department of Conservation does not consider it to be a conservation threat.[10]

  

In culture

  

The dog rose was the stylised rose of medieval European heraldry, and is still used today.[citation needed] It is also the county flower of Hampshire.[11] Legend states the Thousand-year Rose or Hildesheim Rose, which climbs against a wall of Hildesheim Cathedral, dates back to the establishment of the diocese in 815.

A text In English:

The Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, so called from its forked tail, is one of the largest hummingbirds in cities and gardens, but it also occurs in gallery forests, bushy pastures and edges of woods or coppices. It is green, except for the blue head and upper breast, turning to iridescent purple according to the direction of light; it has dark wings and a heavy black bill. The tail is dark blue with the external feathers longer than central ones. It is very aggressive and attacks other hummingbirds that dare to visit flowers in certain trees. Where the flowers are available for many months, the individual is fiercely territorial, but generally needs to search soon for other flowering plants. It flies to catch small insets on or under leaves in the gallery forests or woodlands. The female builds a small cup-shaped nest saddled on a branch, not far from the main trunk in the shade of leaves. Perched on favorite branches, the male can utter long but low chirps. Once in a while, it interrupts these singing sessions to feed, and flies back for more song or to clean the plumage. They occur from the Guianas and Amazon River to Paraguay and southeastern Peru. They can get along with partially deforested zones, but may disappear with intensive agriculture and with the development of treeless cities.

 

Um texto em Português:

Beija-flor Tesoura (Eupetomena macroura), fotografado em Brasília-DF, Brasil.

Eupetomena macroura (Gmelin, 1788): tesoura; swallow-tailed hummingbird c.

Destaca-se das espécies estudadas pelo maior porte e pela cauda comprida e bifurcada, o que lhe valeu o nome popular. Como é comum entre os beija-flores, é uma espécie agressiva que disputa com outras o seu território e fontes de alimento.

Nidificação: o ninho, em forma de tigela, é assentado numa forquilha de arbusto ou árvores, a cerca de 2 a 3 m do solo. O material utilizado na construção é composto por fibras vegetais incluindo painas, musgos e liquens, aderidos externamente com teias de aranhas.

Hábitat: capoeiras, cerrados, borda de matas e jardins.

Tamanho: 17,0 cm

A SEGUIR UM TEXTO ENCONTRADO E REPRODUZIDO DO ENDEREÇO nationalgeographic.abril.uol.com.br/ng/edicoes/83/reporta... DA NATIONAL GEOGRAFIC:

 

Prodígios da micro-engenharia, os beija-flores são os campeões dos pesos-leves entre as aves

Uma faísca safira, um frêmito de asas, e o minúsculo pássaro - ou seria um inseto? - some como miragem fugaz. Reaparece instantes depois, agora num ângulo melhor. É pássaro mesmo, um dervixe do tamanho do meu polegar com asas que batem 80 vertiginosas vezes por segundo, produzindo um zumbido quase inaudível. As penas da cauda, à guisa de leme, delicadamente direcionam o vôo em três direções. Ele fita a trombeta de uma vistosa flor alaranjada e do bico fino como agulha projeta uma língua delgada feito linha. Um raio de Sol ricocheteia de suas penas iridescentes. A cor refletida deslumbra como uma pedra preciosa contra uma janela ensolarada. Não admira que os beija-flores sejam tão queridos e que tanta gente já tenha tropeçado ao tentar descrevê-los. Nem mesmo circunspectos cientistas resistem a termos como "belo", "magnífico", "exótico".

Surpresa maior é o fato de o aparentemente frágil beija-flor ser uma das mais resistentes criaturas do reino animal. Cerca de 330 espécies prosperam em ambientes diversos, muitos deles brutais: do Alasca à Argentina, do deserto do Arizona à costa de Nova Scotia, da Amazônia à linha nevada acima dos 4,5 mil metros nos Andes (misteriosamente, essas aves só são encontradas no Novo Mundo).

"Eles vivem no limite do que é possível aos vertebrados, e com maestria", diz Karl Schuchmann, ornitólogo do Instituto Zoológico Alexander Koenig e do Fundo Brehm, na Alemanha. Schuchmann ouviu falar de um beija-flor que viveu 17 anos em cativeiro. "Imagine a resistência de um organismo de 5 ou 6 gramas para viver tanto tempo!", diz ele espantado. Em média, o minúsculo coração de um beija-flor bate cerca de 500 vezes por minuto (em repouso!). Assim, o desse pequeno cativo teria batido meio bilhão de vezes, quase o dobro do total de uma pessoa de 70 anos.

Mas esses passarinhos são duráveis apenas em vida. Quando morrem, seus ossos delicados e ocos quase nunca se fossilizam. Daí o assombro causado pela recente descoberta de um amontoado de fósseis de aves que talvez inclua um beija-flor ancestral de 30 milhões de anos. Como os beija-flores modernos, os espécimes fósseis tinham o bico longo e fino e os ossos superiores das asas mais curtos, terminando em uma saliência arredondada que talvez lhes permitisse fazer a rotação na articulação do ombro e parar no ar.

A outra surpresa foi o local do achado: no sul da Alemanha, longe do território dos beija-flores atuais. Para alguns cientistas, essa descoberta mostra que já existiram beija-flores fora das Américas, mas se extinguiram. Ou quem sabe os fósseis não fossem de beija-flor. Os céticos, entre eles Schuchmann, afirmam que muitas vezes, ao longo da evolução, outros grupos de aves adquiriram características semelhantes às do beija-flor. Os verdadeiros beija-flores, diz Schuchmann, evoluíram nas florestas do leste do Brasil, onde competiam com insetos pelo néctar das flores.

"O Brasil foi o laboratório do protótipo", diz o ornitólogo. "E o modelo funcionou." O beija-flor tornou-se a obra-prima da microengenharia da natureza. Aperfeiçoou sua habilidade de parar no ar há dezenas de milhões de anos para competir por parte das flores do Novo Mundo.

"Eles são uma ponte entre o mundo das aves e o dos insetos", diz Doug Altshuler, da Universidade da Califórnia em Riverside. Altshuler, que estuda o vôo dos beija-flores, examinou os movimentos das asas do pássaro. Observou que, nele, os impulsos elétricos propulsores dos músculos das asas lembram mais os dos insetos que os das aves. Talvez por isso o beija-flor produza tanta energia por batida de asas: mais, por unidade de massa, que qualquer outro vertebrado. Altshuler também analisou os trajetos neurais do beija-flor, que funcionam com a mesma vertiginosa velocidade encontrada nas aves mais ágeis, como seu primo mais próximo, o andorinhão. "São incríveis; uns pequenos Frankesteins", compara.

Certamente eles sabem intimidar: grama por grama, talvez sejam os maiores confrontadores da natureza. "O vocabulário do beija-flor deve ser 100% composto de palavrões", graceja Sheri Williamson, naturalista do Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory. A agressão do beija-flor nasce de ferozes instintos territoriais moldados à necessidade de sugar néctar a cada poucos minutos. Os beija-flores competem desafiando e ameaçando uns aos outros. Postam-se face a face no ar, rodopiam, mergulham na direção da grama e voam de ré, em danças de dominância que terminam tão subitamente quanto começam.

O melhor lugar para vermos tais batalhas é nas montanhas, especialmente no Equador, em que ricos ecossistemas se apresentam em suas várias altitudes. Sheri supõe que o sentido norte-sul das cordilheiras americanas também crie rotas favoráveis à migração para onde haja constante suprimento de flores. O que contrasta, diz ela, com as barreiras naturais que se estendem de leste a oeste na África, como o Saara e o Mediterrâneo.

Algumas espécies de beija-flor, porém, adaptaram-se a atravessar vastidões planas, onde o alimento é escasso. Antes de sua intrépida migração da primavera para os Estados Unidos e o Canadá, os beija-flores-de-garganta-vermelha reúnem-se no México e empanturram-se de insetos e néctar. Armazenam gordura e duplicam de peso em uma semana. Em seguida, atravessam o golfo do México, voando 800 quilômetros sem escalas por 20 horas, até a costa distante.

A região próxima à linha do equador é um reino de beija-flores. Quem sai do aeroporto de Quito, no Equador, pode ser logo saudado por um cintilante beija-flor-violeta, com pintura de guerra de manchas púrpura iridescentes nos lados da face. A leste da cidade, nas cabeceiras da bacia Amazônica, o beija-flor-bico-de-espada esvoaça na mata portando o bico mais longo de todas as aves em proporção a seu tamanho: mais de metade do comprimento total do animal. Nas encostas do Cotopaxi, um vulcão ao sul de Quito, o beija-flor-do-chimborazo foi avistado acima dos 4,5 mil metros. Ali ele passa a noite entorpecido em cavernas, pois desacelera seu ritmo metabólico o suficiente para não morrer de fome antes de amanhecer. Mais tarde, aquecido pelo Sol, ele recomeça a se alimentar.

"Quem estuda beija-flores fica irremediavelmente enfeitiçado", diz Sheri Williamson. "São criaturinhas sedutoras. Tentei resistir, mas agora tenho sangue de beija-flor correndo nas veias."

Canon EOS 50D

www.flickr.com/map/?&fLat=-15.827534&fLon=-47.928...

Ipê Amarelo, Tabebuia [chrysotricha or ochracea].

Text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Trumpet tree" redirects here. This term is occasionally used for the Shield-leaved Pumpwood (Cecropia peltata).

Tabebuia

Flowering Araguaney or ipê-amarelo (Tabebuia chrysantha) in central Brazil

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Asterids

Order: Lamiales

Family: Bignoniaceae

Tribe: Tecomeae

Genus: Tabebuia

Gomez

Species

Nearly 100.

Tabebuia is a neotropical genus of about 100 species in the tribe Tecomeae of the family Bignoniaceae. The species range from northern Mexico and the Antilles south to northern Argentina and central Venezuela, including the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Cuba. Well-known common names include Ipê, Poui, trumpet trees and pau d'arco.

They are large shrubs and trees growing to 5 to 50 m (16 to 160 ft.) tall depending on the species; many species are dry-season deciduous but some are evergreen. The leaves are opposite pairs, complex or palmately compound with 3–7 leaflets.

Tabebuia is a notable flowering tree. The flowers are 3 to 11 cm (1 to 4 in.) wide and are produced in dense clusters. They present a cupular calyx campanulate to tubular, truncate, bilabiate or 5-lobed. Corolla colors vary between species ranging from white, light pink, yellow, lavender, magenta, or red. The outside texture of the flower tube is either glabrous or pubescentThe fruit is a dehiscent pod, 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 in.) long, containing numerous—in some species winged—seeds. These pods often remain on the tree through dry season until the beginning of the rainy.

Species in this genus are important as timber trees. The wood is used for furniture, decking, and other outdoor uses. It is increasingly popular as a decking material due to its insect resistance and durability. By 2007, FSC-certified ipê wood had become readily available on the market, although certificates are occasionally forged.

Tabebuia is widely used as ornamental tree in the tropics in landscaping gardens, public squares, and boulevards due to its impressive and colorful flowering. Many flowers appear on still leafless stems at the end of the dry season, making the floral display more conspicuous. They are useful as honey plants for bees, and are popular with certain hummingbirds. Naturalist Madhaviah Krishnan on the other hand once famously took offense at ipé grown in India, where it is not native.

Lapacho teaThe bark of several species has medical properties. The bark is dried, shredded, and then boiled making a bitter or sour-tasting brownish-colored tea. Tea from the inner bark of Pink Ipê (T. impetiginosa) is known as Lapacho or Taheebo. Its main active principles are lapachol, quercetin, and other flavonoids. It is also available in pill form. The herbal remedy is typically used during flu and cold season and for easing smoker's cough. It apparently works as expectorant, by promoting the lungs to cough up and free deeply embedded mucus and contaminants. However, lapachol is rather toxic and therefore a more topical use e.g. as antibiotic or pesticide may be advisable. Other species with significant folk medical use are T. alba and Yellow Lapacho (T. serratifolia)

Tabebuia heteropoda, T. incana, and other species are occasionally used as an additive to the entheogenic drink Ayahuasca.

Mycosphaerella tabebuiae, a plant pathogenic sac fungus, was first discovered on an ipê tree.

Tabebuia alba

Tabebuia anafensis

Tabebuia arimaoensis

Tabebuia aurea – Caribbean Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia bilbergii

Tabebuia bibracteolata

Tabebuia cassinoides

Tabebuia chrysantha – Araguaney, Yellow Ipê, tajibo (Bolivia), ipê-amarelo (Brazil), cañaguate (N Colombia)

Tabebuia chrysotricha – Golden Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia donnell-smithii Rose – Gold Tree, "Prima Vera", Cortez blanco (El Salvador), San Juan (Honduras), palo blanco (Guatemala),duranga (Mexico)

A native of Mexico and Central Americas, considered one of the most colorful of all Central American trees. The leaves are deciduous. Masses of golden-yellow flowers cover the crown after the leaves are shed.

Tabebuia dubia

Tabebuia ecuadorensis

Tabebuia elongata

Tabebuia furfuracea

Tabebuia geminiflora Rizz. & Mattos

Tabebuia guayacan (Seem.) Hemsl.

Tabebuia haemantha

Tabebuia heptaphylla (Vell.) Toledo – tajy

Tabebuia heterophylla – roble prieto

Tabebuia heteropoda

Tabebuia hypoleuca

Tabebuia impetiginosa – Pink Ipê, Pink Lapacho, ipê-cavatã, ipê-comum, ipê-reto, ipê-rosa, ipê-roxo-damata, pau d'arco-roxo, peúva, piúva (Brazil), lapacho negro (Spanish); not "brazilwood"

Tabebuia incana

Tabebuia jackiana

Tabebuia lapacho – lapacho amarillo

Tabebuia orinocensis A.H. Gentry[verification needed]

Tabebuia ochracea

Tabebuia oligolepis

Tabebuia pallida – Cuban Pink Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia platyantha

Tabebuia polymorpha

Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) DC.[verification needed] (= T. pentaphylla (L.) Hemsley) – Pink Poui, Pink Tecoma, apama, apamate, matilisguate

A popular street tree in tropical cities because of its multi-annular masses of light pink to purple flowers and modest size. The roots are not especially destructive for roads and sidewalks. It is the national tree of El Salvador and the state tree of Cojedes, Venezuela

Tabebuia roseo-alba – White Ipê, ipê-branco (Brazil), lapacho blanco

Tabebuia serratifolia – Yellow Lapacho, Yellow Poui, ipê-roxo (Brazil)

Tabebuia shaferi

Tabebuia striata

Tabebuia subtilis Sprague & Sandwith

Tabebuia umbellata

Tabebuia vellosoi Toledo

 

Ipê-do-cerrado

Texto, em português, da Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre.

Ipê-do-cerrado

Classificação científica

Reino: Plantae

Divisão: Magnoliophyta

Classe: Magnoliopsida

Subclasse: Asteridae

Ordem: Lamiales

Família: Bignoniaceae

Género: Tabebuia

Espécie: T. ochracea

Nome binomial

Tabebuia ochracea

(Cham.) Standl. 1832

Sinónimos

Bignonia tomentosa Pav. ex DC.

Handroanthus ochraceus (Cham.) Mattos

Tabebuia chrysantha (Jacq.) G. Nicholson

Tabebuia hypodictyon A. DC.) Standl.

Tabebuia neochrysantha A.H. Gentry

Tabebuia ochracea subsp. heteropoda (A. DC.) A.H. Gentry

Tabebuia ochracea subsp. neochrysantha (A.H. Gentry) A.H. Gentry

Tecoma campinae Kraenzl.

ecoma grandiceps Kraenzl.

Tecoma hassleri Sprague

Tecoma hemmendorffiana Kraenzl.

Tecoma heteropoda A. DC.

Tecoma hypodictyon A. DC.

Tecoma ochracea Cham.

Ipê-do-cerrado é um dos nomes populares da Tabebuia ochracea (Cham.) Standl. 1832, nativa do cerrado brasileiro, no estados de Amazonas, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Pernambuco, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Paraná.

Está na lista de espécies ameaçadas do estado de São Paulo, onde é encontrda também no domínio da Mata Atlântica[1].

Ocorre também na Argentina, Paraguai, Bolívia, Equador, Peru, Venezuela, Guiana, El Salvador, Guatemala e Panamá[2].

Há uma espécie homônima descrita por A.H. Gentry em 1992.

Outros nomes populares: ipê-amarelo, ipê-cascudo, ipê-do-campo, ipê-pardo, pau-d'arco-do-campo, piúva, tarumã.

Características

Altura de 6 a 14 m. Tronco tortuso com até 50 cm de diâmetro. Folhas pilosas em ambas as faces, mais na inferior, que é mais clara.

Planta decídua, heliófita, xerófita, nativa do cerrado em solos bem drenados.

Floresce de julho a setembro. Os frutos amadurecem de setembro a outubro.

FloresProduz grande quantidade de sementes leves, aladas com pequenas reservas, e que perdem a viabilidade em menos de 90 dias após coleta. A sua conservação vem sendo estudada em termos de determinação da condição ideal de armazenamento, e tem demonstrado a importância de se conhecer o comportamento da espécie quando armazenada com diferentes teores de umidade inicial, e a umidade de equilíbrio crítica para a espécie (KANO; MÁRQUEZ & KAGEYAMA, 1978). As levíssimas sementes aladas da espécie não necessitam de quebra de dormência. Podem apenas ser expostas ao sol por cerca de 6 horas e semeadas diretamente nos saquinhos. A germinação ocorre após 30 dias e de 80%. As sementes são ortodoxas e há aproximadamente 72 000 sementes em cada quilo.

O desenvolvimento da planta é rápido.

Como outros ipês, a madeira é usada em tacos, assoalhos, e em dormentes e postes. Presta-se também para peças torneadas e instrumento musicais.

 

Tabebuia alba (Ipê-Amarelo)

Texto, em português, produzido pela Acadêmica Giovana Beatriz Theodoro Marto

Supervisão e orientação do Prof. Luiz Ernesto George Barrichelo e do Eng. Paulo Henrique Müller

Atualizado em 10/07/2006

 

O ipê amarelo é a árvore brasileira mais conhecida, a mais cultivada e, sem dúvida nenhuma, a mais bela. É na verdade um complexo de nove ou dez espécies com características mais ou menos semelhantes, com flores brancas, amarelas ou roxas. Não há região do país onde não exista pelo menos uma espécie dele, porém a existência do ipê em habitat natural nos dias atuais é rara entre a maioria das espécies (LORENZI,2000).

A espécie Tabebuia alba, nativa do Brasil, é uma das espécies do gênero Tabebuia que possui “Ipê Amarelo” como nome popular. O nome alba provém de albus (branco em latim) e é devido ao tomento branco dos ramos e folhas novas.

As árvores desta espécie proporcionam um belo espetáculo com sua bela floração na arborização de ruas em algumas cidades brasileiras. São lindas árvores que embelezam e promovem um colorido no final do inverno. Existe uma crença popular de que quando o ipê-amarelo floresce não vão ocorrer mais geadas. Infelizmente, a espécie é considerada vulnerável quanto à ameaça de extinção.

A Tabebuia alba, natural do semi-árido alagoano está adaptada a todas as regiões fisiográficas, levando o governo, por meio do Decreto nº 6239, a transformar a espécie como a árvore símbolo do estado, estando, pois sob a sua tutela, não mais podendo ser suprimida de seus habitats naturais.

Taxonomia

Família: Bignoniaceae

Espécie: Tabebuia Alba (Chamiso) Sandwith

Sinonímia botânica: Handroanthus albus (Chamiso) Mattos; Tecoma alba Chamisso

Outros nomes vulgares: ipê-amarelo, ipê, aipê, ipê-branco, ipê-mamono, ipê-mandioca, ipê-ouro, ipê-pardo, ipê-vacariano, ipê-tabaco, ipê-do-cerrado, ipê-dourado, ipê-da-serra, ipezeiro, pau-d’arco-amarelo, taipoca.

Aspectos Ecológicos

O ipê-amarelo é uma espécie heliófita (Planta adaptada ao crescimento em ambiente aberto ou exposto à luz direta) e decídua (que perde as folhas em determinada época do ano). Pertence ao grupo das espécies secundárias iniciais (DURIGAN & NOGUEIRA, 1990).

Abrange a Floresta Pluvial da Mata Atlântica e da Floresta Latifoliada Semidecídua, ocorrendo principalmente no interior da Floresta Primária Densa. É característica de sub-bosques dos pinhais, onde há regeneração regular.

Informações Botânicas

Morfologia

As árvores de Tabebuia alba possuem cerca de 30 metros de altura. O tronco é reto ou levemente tortuoso, com fuste de 5 a 8 m de altura. A casca externa é grisáceo-grossa, possuindo fissuras longitudinais esparas e profundas. A coloração desta é cinza-rosa intenso, com camadas fibrosas, muito resistentes e finas, porém bem distintas.

Com ramos grossos, tortuosos e compridos, o ipê-amarelo possui copa alongada e alargada na base. As raízes de sustentação e absorção são vigorosas e profundas.

As folhas, deciduais, são opostas, digitadas e compostas. A face superior destas folhas é verde-escura, e, a face inferior, acinzentada, sendo ambas as faces tomentosas. Os pecíolos das folhas medem de 2,5 a 10 cm de comprimento. Os folíolos, geralmente, apresentam-se em número de 5 a 7, possuindo de 7 a 18 cm de comprimento por 2 a 6 cm de largura. Quando jovem estes folíolos são densamente pilosos em ambas as faces. O ápice destes é pontiagudo, com base arredondada e margem serreada.

As flores, grandes e lanceoladas, são de coloração amarelo-ouro. Possuem em média 8X15 cm.

Quanto aos frutos, estes possuem forma de cápsula bivalvar e são secos e deiscentes. Do tipo síliqua, lembram uma vagem. Medem de 15 a 30 cm de comprimento por 1,5 a 2,5 cm de largura. As valvas são finamente tomentosas com pêlos ramificados. Possuem grande quantidade de sementes.

As sementes são membranáceas brilhantes e esbranquiçadas, de coloração marrom. Possuem de 2 a 3 cm de comprimento por 7 a 9 mm de largura e são aladas.

Reprodução

A espécie é caducifólia e a queda das folhas coincide com o período de floração. A floração inicia-se no final de agosto, podendo ocorrer alguma variação devido a fenômenos climáticos. Como a espécie floresce no final do inverno é influenciada pela intensidade do mesmo. Quanto mais frio e seco for o inverno, maior será a intensidade da florada do ipê amarelo.

As flores por sua exuberância, atraem abelhas e pássaros, principalmente beija-flores que são importantes agentes polinizadores. Segundo CARVALHO (2003), a espécie possui como vetor de polinização a abelha mamangava (Bombus morio).

As sementes são dispersas pelo vento.

A planta é hermafrodita, e frutifica nos meses de setembro, outubro, novembro, dezembro, janeiro e fevereiro, dependendo da sua localização. Em cultivo, a espécie inicia o processo reprodutivo após o terceiro ano.

Ocorrência Natural

Ocorre naturalmente na Floresta Estaciobal Semidecicual, Floresta de Araucária e no Cerrado.

Segundo o IBGE, a Tabebuia alba (Cham.) Sandw. é uma árvore do Cerrado, Cerradão e Mata Seca. Apresentando-se nos campos secos (savana gramíneo-lenhosa), próximo às escarpas.

Clima

Segundo a classificação de Köppen, o ipê-amarelo abrange locais de clima tropical (Aw), subtropical úmido (Cfa), sutropical de altitude (Cwa e Cwb) e temperado.

A T.alba pode tolerar até 81 geadas em um ano. Ocorre em locais onde a temperatura média anual varia de 14,4ºC como mínimo e 22,4ºC como máximo.

Solo

A espécie prefere solos úmidos, com drenagem lenta e geralmente não muito ondulados (LONGHI, 1995).

Aparece em terras de boa à média fertilidade, em solos profundos ou rasos, nas matas e raramente cerradões (NOGUEIRA, 1977).

Pragas e Doenças

De acordo com CARVALHO (2003), possui como praga a espécie de coleópteros Cydianerus bohemani da família Curculionoideae e um outro coleóptero da família Chrysomellidae. Apesar da constatação de elevados índices populacionais do primeiro, os danos ocasionados até o momento são leves. Nas praças e ruas de Curitiba - PR, 31% das árvores foram atacadas pela Cochonilha Ceroplastes grandis.

ZIDKO (2002), ao estudar no município de Piracicaba a associação de coleópteros em espécies arbóreas, verificou a presença de insetos adultos da espécie Sitophilus linearis da família de coleópteros, Curculionidae, em estruturas reprodutivas. Os insetos adultos da espécie emergiram das vagens do ipê, danificando as sementes desta espécie nativa.

ANDRADE (1928) assinalou diversas espécies de Cerambycidae atacando essências florestais vivas, como ingazeiro, cinamomo, cangerana, cedro, caixeta, jacarandá, araribá, jatobá, entre outras como o ipê amarelo.

A Madeira

A Tabebuia alba produz madeira de grande durabilidade e resistência ao apodrecimento (LONGHI,1995).

MANIERI (1970) caracteriza o cerne desta espécie como de cor pardo-havana-claro, pardo-havan-escuro, ou pardo-acastanhado, com reflexos esverdeados. A superfície da madeira é irregularmente lustrosa, lisa ao tato, possuindo textura media e grã-direita.

Com densidade entre 0,90 e 1,15 grama por centímetro cúbico, a madeira é muito dura (LORENZI, 1992), apresentando grande dificuldade ao serrar.

A madeira possui cheiro e gosto distintos. Segundo LORENZI (1992), o cheiro característico é devido à presença da substância lapachol, ou ipeína.

Usos da Madeira

Sendo pesada, com cerne escuro, adquire grande valor comercial na marcenaria e carpintaria. Também é utilizada para fabricação de dormentes, moirões, pontes, postes, eixos de roda, varais de carroça, moendas de cana, etc.

Produtos Não-Madeireiros

A entrecasca do ipê-amarelo possui propriedades terapêuticas como adstringente, usada no tratamento de garganta e estomatites. É também usada como diurético.

O ipê-amarelo possui flores melíferas e que maduras podem ser utilizadas na alimentação humana.

Outros Usos

É comumente utilizada em paisagismo de parques e jardins pela beleza e porte. Além disso, é muito utilizada na arborização urbana.

Segundo MOREIRA & SOUZA (1987), o ipê-amarelo costuma povoar as beiras dos rios sendo, portanto, indicado para recomposição de matas ciliares. MARTINS (1986), também cita a espécie para recomposição de matas ciliares da Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, abrangendo alguns municípios das regiões Norte, Noroeste e parte do Oeste do Estado do Paraná.

Aspectos Silviculturais

Possui a tendência a crescer reto e sem bifurcações quando plantado em reflorestamento misto, pois é espécie monopodial. A desrrama se faz muito bem e a cicatrização é boa. Sendo assim, dificilmente encopa quando nova, a não ser que seja plantado em parques e jardins.

Ao ser utilizada em arborização urbana, o ipê amarelo requer podas de condução com freqüência mediana.

Espécie heliófila apresenta a pleno sol ramificação cimosa, registrando-se assim dicotomia para gema apical. Deve ser preconizada, para seu melhor aproveitamento madeireiro, podas de formação usuais (INQUE et al., 1983).

Produção de Mudas

A propagação deve realizada através de enxertia.

Os frutos devem ser coletados antes da dispersão, para evitar a perda de sementes. Após a coleta as sementes são postas em ambiente ventilado e a extração é feita manualmente. As sementes do ipê amarelo são ortodoxas, mantendo a viabilidade natural por até 3 meses em sala e por até 9 meses em vidro fechado, em câmara fria.

A condução das mudas deve ser feita a pleno sol. A muda atinge cerca de 30 cm em 9 meses, apresentando tolerância ao sol 3 semanas após a germinação.

Sementes

Os ipês, espécies do gênero Tabebuia, produzem uma grande quantidade de sementes leves, aladas com pequenas reservas, e que perdem a viabilidade em poucos dias após a sua coleta. A sua conservação vem sendo estudada em termos de determinação da condição ideal de armazenamento, e tem demonstrado a importância de se conhecer o comportamento da espécie quando armazenada com diferentes teores de umidade inicial, e a umidade de equilíbrio crítica para a espécie (KANO; MÁRQUEZ & KAGEYAMA, 1978).

As levíssimas sementes aladas da espécie não necessitam de quebra de dormência. Podem apenas ser expostas ao sol por cerca de 6 horas e semeadas diretamente nos saquinhos. A quebra natural leva cerca de 3 meses e a quebra na câmara leva 9 meses. A germinação ocorre após 30 dias e de 80%.

As sementes são ortodoxas e há aproximadamente 87000 sementes em cada quilo.

Preço da Madeira no Mercado

O preço médio do metro cúbico de pranchas de ipê no Estado do Pará cotado em Julho e Agosto de 2005 foi de R$1.200,00 o preço mínimo, R$ 1509,35 o médio e R$ 2.000,00 o preço máximo (CEPEA,2005).

Papillons en liberté 2016 / Jardin botanique de Montréal

 

Distribution : Amériques centrale et du Sud. Envergure des ailes : 7-8 cm. La zone colorée qui irradie vers le bord externe des ailes postérieures peut être rouge vif, orangée, vert d’eau, bleu poudre, ou tellement foncée qu’elle est à peine visible.

 

* Explore 07/03/2016 *

 

IMG_4292

Los Jameos del Agua, situados en el norte de la isla de Lanzarote, es uno de los siete Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo del Cabildo de Lanzarote.

     

Vistas desde los Jameos del agua en Lanzarote

Se trata de una intervención espacial creada a partir de una serie de jameos naturales por el artista lanzaroteño César Manrique y pretende mostrar al visitante un espacio para la contemplación de la naturaleza apenas intervenida por el hombre.

 

Los Jameos del Agua, al igual que la Cueva de los Verdes, se localizan en el interior del túnel volcánico producido por la erupción del Volcán de la Corona. Los Jameos del Agua se encuentran situados en la sección de este túnel más cercano a la costa.

 

Está formado por al menos tres jameos o aberturas en el terreno. El “Jameo Chico” por donde se realiza el acceso al interior, el “Jameo Grande” y un tercero, denominado “Jameo de la Cazuela”.

 

Los "Jameos del Agua" es el primer Centro de Arte, Cultura y Turismo creado por César Manrique, y es el reflejo de uno de sus pilares creativos: la armonía entre la naturaleza y la creación artística.

 

A principios de los años sesenta, y debido al abandono del entorno, se hace necesario acometer labores de limpieza y de acondicionamiento. Aunque las obras se dilataron en el tiempo, podemos señalar el año 1966 como fecha de la apertura de las primeras fases al público.

 

La especial morfología del tubo volcánico provocó que se realizaran numerosos cambios del proyecto inicial, explorando nuevas alternativas creativas y procurando que las soluciones adoptadas fuesen las más adecuadas.

 

Será en 1977, después de más de una década de trabajos, cuando quede conformada la estructura general de los Jameos del Agua. En estas mismas fechas se procede a la inauguración oficial del centro, incluyendo el Auditorio, y se considera conclusa la obra.

 

Aun así, y con posterioridad, se realizan nuevas instalaciones para funciones concretas como el espacio museístico de la “Casa de los Volcanes”. Este centro se dedica, desde 1987, a una labor científica y didáctica sobre la vulcanología.

     

Cangrejo ciego(Munidopsis polymorpha).

Los “Jameos del Agua” son muy importantes desde el punto de vista ecológico, ya que existe una especie de cangrejo única y endémica, los cangrejos ciegos (Munidopsis polymorpha) un cangrejo de apenas un centímetro de longitud, albino y ciego.

 

Estos cangrejos son muy sensibles a los cambios de la laguna (procedente de agua de mar) por lo que el ruido y la luz les afecta. Son muy sensibles al óxido, que puede llegar a matarlos, por lo que está prohibido tirar monedas al agua

 

♥♥ NEW REBIRTH NOVA Head : James kid Shape + Style card ♥♥

Come and test the new REBIRTH NOVA head, the Polymorph head that match 80% of BOM skins

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MANY THANKS FOR YOUR KIND COMMENTS AND FAVS........ PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT MY PHOTOSTREAM, FOR GENERAL PHOTOS OF NATURE ACROSS THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF WILDLIFE.

 

This is one of many lizards found in the Sonoran Desert in the State of Arizona, USA. It certainly has lovely colouring, especially on its front underpart. It was basking in a friend's garden among the saguaro cactus and other cactus and desert shrubs. As it was only very small, and as yet unpredated upon, I photographed it with a macro lens.

 

It is found on the Pacific Coast of North America. It is notable for having a unique form of polymorphism wherein each of the three different male morphs utilizes a different strategy in acquiring mates. The three morphs compete against each other following a pattern of 'rock, paper, scissors', where one morph has advantages over another but is outcompeted by the third. All sounds very complicated!

Location: Highland of Pahang, Malaysia.

Toxicity: Non-venomous

Behavior: Fossorial and shy (see picture). When exposed it tends to hide its head under its body, leaves or dirt.

Elevation: Lowland to sub-montane area.

 

Note: Calamaria schlegeli come in a few color forms (head color) e.g., red, dull pink, dull brown, or yellow. More research will be needed to determine if these are merely a result of "polymorphism" or whether they actually represent different species or subspecies.

  

Ich habe einen blog eingerichtet für persönliche Erinnerungen an B. Schmittlein. Ich finde, dass er diese Würdigung verdient hat. Wer etwas schreiben möchte, gern auch mit Fotos garniert, der mailt das Ganze bitte an polymorph_2002@yahoo.de. Ich stelle Text und Fotos dann in den blog ein. Link zum blog: schmittleinklepmemories.wordpress.com

A recent study, using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) datasets, places the origins of H. melpomene at 2.1 Mya. H. melpomene shows clustering of AFLPs by geography suggesting that the species originated in eastern South America....Bet you just couldn't get through Saturday without knowing that ;)

 

Have a great weekend, my friends!

 

Thank you for your comments and faves – they are greatly appreciated!

 

Select photos from my Flickr stream are available for purchase as prints or personal download at [www.winterfirephotographicarts.com].

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flowers frenzy

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To view more of my images, of Rhinoceros, please click "here" !

 

Please, no group invites; thank you!

 

From the Archieves, reprocessed using Photoshop CC 2021.

 

Rhinoceros, often abbreviated to rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to Southern Asia. Members of the rhinoceros family are characterized by their large size (they are some of the largest remaining megafauna, with all of the species able to reach one tonne or more in weight); as well as by an herbivorous diet; a thick protective skin, 1.5–5 cm thick, formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure; relatively small brains for mammals this size (400–600 g); and a large horn. They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter, if necessary. Unlike other perissodactyls, the two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their lips to pluck food. Rhinoceros are killed by humans for their horns, which are bought and sold on the black market, and which are used by some cultures for ornamental or traditional medicinal purposes. East Asia, specifically Vietnam, is the largest market for rhino horns. By weight, rhino horns cost as much as gold on the black market. People grind up the horns and then consume them believing the dust has therapeutic properties. The horns are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails. Both African species and the Sumatran rhinoceros have two horns, while the Indian and Javan rhinoceros have a single horn. The IUCN Red List identifies three of the species as critically endangered. The word rhinoceros is derived through Latin from the Ancient Greek: ῥῑνόκερως, which is composed of ῥῑνο- (rhino-, "nose") and κέρας (keras, "horn"). The plural in English is rhinoceros or rhinoceroses. The collective noun for a group of rhinoceroses is crash or herd. The name has been in use since the 14th century. The family Rhinocerotidae consists of only four extant genera: Ceratotherium (White rhinoceros), Dicerorhinus (Sumatran rhinoceros), Diceros (Black rhinoceros) and Rhinoceros (Indian and Javan rhinoceros). The living species fall into three categories. The two African species, the white rhinoceros and the black rhinoceros, belong to the tribe Dicerotini, which originated in the middle Miocene, about 14.2 million years ago. The species diverged during the early Pliocene (about 5 million years ago). The main difference between black and white rhinos is the shape of their mouths – white rhinos have broad flat lips for grazing, whereas black rhinos have long pointed lips for eating foliage. There are two living Rhinocerotini species, the Indian rhinoceros and the Javan rhinoceros, which diverged from one another about 10 million years ago. The Sumatran rhinoceros is the only surviving representative of the most primitive group, the Dicerorhinini, which emerged in the Miocene (about 20 million years ago). A subspecific hybrid white rhino (Ceratotherium s. simum × C. s. cottoni) was bred at the Dvůr Králové Zoo (Zoological Garden Dvur Kralove nad Labem) in the Czech Republic in 1977. Interspecific hybridisation of black and white rhinoceros has also been confirmed. While the black rhinoceros has 84 chromosomes (diploid number, 2N, per cell), all other rhinoceros species have 82 chromosomes. However, chromosomal polymorphism might lead to varying chromosome counts. For instance, in a study there were three northern white rhinoceroses with 81 chromosomes. There are two subspecies of white rhinoceros: the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) and the northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni). As of 2013, the southern subspecies has a wild population of 20,405 – making them the most abundant rhino subspecies in the world. However, the northern subspecies was critically endangered, with as few as four individuals in the wild; the possibility of complete extinction in the wild having been noted since June 2008. Five are known to be held in captivity, one of which resides at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Four born in a zoo in the Czech Republic were transferred to a wildlife refuge in Kenya in December 2009, in an effort to have the animals reproduce and save the subspecies. There is no conclusive explanation of the name white rhinoceros. A popular theory that "white" is a distortion of either the Afrikaans word wyd or the Dutch word wijd (or its other possible spellings whyde, weit, etc.,) meaning wide and referring to the rhino's square lips is not supported by linguistic studies. The white rhino has an immense body and large head, a short neck and broad chest. Females weigh 1,600 kg (4,000 lb) and males 2,400 kg (5,000 lb). the head-and-body length is 3.5–4.6 m (11–15 ft) and a shoulder height of 1.8–2 m (5.9–6.6 ft). On its snout it has two horns. The front horn is larger than the other horn and averages 90 cm (35 in) in length and can reach 150 cm (59 in). The white rhinoceros also has a prominent muscular hump that supports its relatively large head. The colour of this animal can range from yellowish brown to slate grey. Most of its body hair is found on the ear fringes and tail bristles, with the rest distributed rather sparsely over the rest of the body. White rhinos have the distinctive flat broad mouth that is used for grazing.

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As borboletas são insectos da ordem Lepidoptera classificados nas super-famílias Hesperioidea e Papilionoidea, que constituem o grupo informal Rhopalocera.

 

As borboletas têm dois pares de asas membranosas cobertas de escamas e peças bucais adaptadas a sucção. Distinguem-se das traças (mariposas) pelas antenas rectilíneas que terminam numa bola, pelos hábitos de vida diurnos, pela metamorfose que decorre dentro de uma crisálida rígida e pelo abdómen fino e alongado. Quando em repouso, as borboletas dobram as suas asas para cima.

 

As borboletas são importantes polinizadores de diversas espécies de plantas.

 

O ciclo de vida das borboletas engloba as seguintes etapas:

 

1) ovo→ fase pré-larval

2) larva→ chamada também de lagarta ou taturana,

3) pupa→ que se desenvolve dentro da crisálida (ou casulo)

4) imago→ fase adulta

_______________________

 

A butterfly is any of several groups of mainly day-flying insects of the order Lepidoptera, the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, butterflies' life cycle consists of four parts, egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). All the many other families within the Lepidoptera are referred to as moths.

 

Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some, like the Monarch, will migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Butterflies are important economically as agents of pollination. The caterpillars of some butterflies eat harmful insects. A few species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.

"Pyrite can take many different forms. The smallest aggregates sparkle in the light, and the largest crystals appear as fascinating perfect cubes, or in other equally interesting crystalline forms. This makes pyrite a particularly popular mineral with collectors.

 

A polymorph of Marcassite, pyrite has the same chemical formula but crystallises in a different system. In certain forms, the two minerals can be confused.

 

Pyrite is sometimes called "fool's gold" because of its resemblance to the precious metal. At the time of the gold rush, many researchers thought they had made a fortune, only to find that their discovery was in fact pyrite and not gold. Some went mad...

 

Pyrite is nonetheless a magnificent mineral, both aesthetically and energetically. It has the particularity of being very difficult to photograph, because it reflects the colours of the surface on which it is placed. If it is placed on black, the photo will be dull, and on white pyrite will be greyish.

 

Pyrite takes its name from the Greek "Pyros" meaning fire, as it produces sparks when clashed with iron or another mineral."

 

Multiple exposure

 

MosaicMontageMonday

"Squared"

A group of supervillains that Pyrite brings together after they all consistently lose to Heavyweight on separate occasions.

 

Alias: White Wraith

Real Name: Blanc Slate

Gender: Male

Allegiance: Villain

Backstory: His story was nothing noteworthy. Honestly, he was just a regular person, going about his daily life. That is of course, until a near death accident changed everything. How bland and boring, I know. He was comatose for a month, before he would wake up. Upon waking up, he was confused of the people around him. They were family, but he didn't know who these people were. He would lash out, saying that they are trying to trap him there at the hospital. His ghostly powers manifested themselves during this time. as his breakdown would cause him to telekinetically throw one of the visitors into the wall, while he himself floated up and out of his bed. Not knowing anything about himself, he searched for answers. But all he saw was fear in people's eyes. He would learn the reason why, when he looked at himself through a storefront's window. A white wraith of sorts, with yellow eyes. After calming down, he would revert back to his regular appearance. Not knowing where to go, he would sit on the streets of the Halford district, trying to use his powers to make some money. In his first outing as the villainous White Wraith, he would come into conflict with the hero Night Angel. Having similar appearances, Wraith thought he would find a kindred spirit in the hero, but Night Angel wasn't interested in talking, as Wraith had broken the law by stealing. This act would not go unnoticed though, as Mayhem was looking to recruit more for their cause. He would be broken out of prison by Thrill Kill, and Buzzsaw, two grunts of the organization. Thankful for not being locked up anymore, he decided to join them, though even he's not sure how long he'll stay. Needing a name, Crepuscule suggested Blanc Slate. He liked the sound of it, and would get a job as a receptionist at Victoria's PI office. His hatred towards Night Angel grows with each day.

 

Real Name: Xion

Gender: Male

Alignment: Villain

Backstory: Xion grew up on a farm, where he would be worked to the bone at unruly hours of the day. His complaints fall on deaf ears, as his parents wanted him to learn how to run the farm, so that eventually, he can take over the family business. It was discovered, that the crops grown there, had traces of radiation. His parents denied it, but it was only a matter of time, before CCBN junior reporter Asher Adams wrote an expose on the farm. Xion's parents would be sent to prison, and he would be sent to a monastery, due to his violent tendencies. For many years, Xion was isolated from the world, living with the other monks. While he was frustrated at how his parents treated him, they were still family. In time, he would realize they only wanted him to succeed. Most of his anger was targeted at Asher for putting them behind bars. During his time at the monastery, he would find a mystical hat in the old archives room. The rims of the hat, with razor blades (Think Kung Lao from Mortal Kombat). Upon trying it on, he had the urge to throw it. In doing so, he knocked a random vase off the shelf with such precision, and it came back to him. This relic is able to teleport back to him whenever he wants. In addition to this, when he holds it, becomes a shield, strong enough to stop bullets. One of the others tried stopping him from taking it, but seeing himself as the rightful owner of the hat, Xion killed the monk. He would leave the monastery in that moment, knowing they would come for him. Traveling back to Cardinal City, he seeks to take everything away from Asher Adams, and then, only then, will he kill him. In combat, he primarily uses his hat.

 

Alias: Pyrite

Real Name: Holden Ridgewood

Gender: Male

Alignment: Villain

Powers: Having a unique physiology thanks to the experiment that gave him his powers, Holden is able to change into different shapes, both solid and liquid. As a metallic polymorph, he can reshape his limbs into various weapons, and anything else he so desires. Because of this power, he's also able to cling onto the sides of buildings quite easily. Since he's not exactly human anymore, he doesn't require food, water, or oxygen to survive. Even though it's not necessary for his survival, he does it anyway, as some foods are just too tasty to give up! He's very hard to damage due to his body being now made up of metal. Also has an immunity to biological attacks.

Weaknesses: Fire, or Electricity

Backstory: Holden's brother would be sentenced to death as capital punishment, for a crime he truly didn't commit. Since Holden pretty much idolized his brother, he knew this wasn't right. It was the system's fault. A corrupt justice system, that only lives to serve the wealthy elite. As Holden Ridgewood, he gets texts and emails, everyday, blaming him. Saying how he should've seen it coming, and that there's something he could've done to prevent this tragedy. It was at this point, he would go, seeking power to make everything right. He no longer viewed the heroes in the city in a positive light, as they let an innocent man be killed, as well as protecting the corrupt from harm. He would undergo experimentation, which would change him, into something more than human. As Pyrite, he seeks to bring an end to the system that got his brother killed

 

Alias: Antimony

Gender: Female

Allegiance: Villain

Backstory: The villain's real name is not known, as taking off Antimony's "costume" would result in her death. No one even knows for sure if Antimony is actually female, just presumed because Antimony's voice sounds very feminine, along with the way she acts. Antimony just loves to watch chaos ensue in Cardinal City. There's no real rhyme or reason to the people she kills, just mostly for her own amusement. While she is resistant to heat, she doesn't have full out durability, so if you hit her hard enough, she will go down. Antimony is able to do various things with metals. One is the ability to liquify said metal, and another is to make said metal ductile, allowing for cables to be formed, which she uses often, to ensnare her opponents. Finally, Antimony can change liquids into various metals.

  

Los Jameos del Agua, al igual que la Cueva de los Verdes, se localizan en el interior del túnel volcánico producido por la erupción del Volcán de la Corona. Los Jameos del Agua se encuentran situados en la sección de este túnel más cercano a la costa. Deben su nombre a la existencia un lago interior que constituye una formación geológica singular. Se origina por filtración al encontrarse por debajo del nivel del mar.

Tras atravesar una pequeña puerta de entrada, descendemos por una ingeniosa escalera de caracol de piedra volcánica y madera que nos permite ir descubriendo lentamente desde la altura, el primer escenario interior: El "Jameo Chico". En este espacio destaca la abundante vegetación y los elementos ornamentales que nutren de estímulos visuales la estructura del Jameo.

En el interior de la cueva descubrimos un lago natural de aguas claras y transparentes que alberga más de una docena de especies endémicas de gran interés científico entre las que destacan los célebres cangrejos ciegos(Munidopsis polymorpha), punteando el fondo rocoso del lago. La oscuridad de la gruta provoca la carencia de pigmentación de este raro espécimen único en el mundo, de color blanquecino y de apenas de un centímetro de longitud. Conocidos también como "jameitos" son el símbolo de los Jameos del Agua.

Mimetizado con el entorno nos encontramos con una pasarela que permite cruzar el lago lateralmente y, tras ascender a través una pared ajardinada, accedemos al "Jameo Grande" que, entre otros encantos, alberga un espectacular Auditorio aprovechando el interior de una gruta volcánica. El auditorio se convierte en epílogo arquitectónico de este recorrido.

-

Fuente: “El libro Gordo de Petete”

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"I told you these strange rocks make great shelters from the rain!" Two young cheetahs take refuge from the rain beneath the rear of a vehicle on the Serengeti. Cheetahs are one of the only big cats of Africa to have a semi-retractable claw. There is also so little genetic variability in cheetahs that transplanted skin from one animal to the next does not induce tissue rejection. This suggests that at some point thousands of years ago much inbreeding occurred, leaving the cheetah with little genetic polymorphism. What an interesting species of cat they are! #Canon

Femmes Hmong Rouge en bord de route entre Dien Bien Phu et Lai Chau, Nord du Vietnam

 

Les Hmong encore appelés Méo, ou Miao , sont originaires des régions montagneuses du sud de la Chine (principalement la province du Guizhou), où ils sont encore présents ainsi qu'au nord du Viêt Nam et du Laos.

Le souci de préserver leur identité culturelle et leur indépendance les ont amenés à s'engager dans divers conflits. Au XXe siècle, en particulier, ils aidèrent les Français pendant la guerre d'Indochine puis les Américains pendant la la guerre du Vietnam. A l’avènement des régimes communistes dans ces pays un nombre important de Hmong se sont réfugiés dans des pays d'accueil, principalement les États-Unis, la France et l'Australie. Mais la majeure partie d’entre eux vit encore en Asie du Sud-Est

Les Hmongs sont animistes ou chrétiens. La langue hmong appartient à la famille des langues hmong-mien, encore appelée « miao-yao »

Les costumes traditionnels de cette ethnie sont très polymorphes mais ils ont en commun la richesse du décor brodé.

On distingue plusieurs groupes dans cette ethnie dont les plus connus sont les Hmongs Fleurs ou Hmong Bariolés dans la région de Bac Ha, mais aussi les Hmongs Noirs dans la région de Sapa et les Hmongs Rouge dans la région de Lai Chau. J'ai déjà eu l'occasion de présenter précédemment plusieurs d'entre eux.

Cuculus canorus

[order] Cuculiformes | [family] Cuculidae | [latin] Cuculus canorus | [UK] Cuckoo | [FR] Coucou gris | [DE] Kuckuck | [ES] Cuco Europeo | [IT] Cuculo eurasiatico | [NL] Koekoek | [IRL] Cuach

 

Status: Widespread summer visitor to Ireland from April to August.

 

Conservation Concern: Green-listed in Ireland. The European population is currently evaluated as secure.

 

Identification: Despite its obvious song, relatively infrequently seen. In flight, can be mistaken for a bird of prey such as Sparrowhawk, but has rapid wingbeats below the horizontal plane - ie. the wings are not raised above the body. Adult male Cuckoos are a uniform grey on the head, neck, back, wings and tail. The underparts are white with black barring. Adult females can appear in one of two forms. The so-called grey-morph resembles the adult male plumage, but has throat and breast barred black and white with yellowish wash. The rufous-morph has the grey replaced by rufous, with strong black barring on the wings, back and tail. Juvenile Cuckoos resemble the female rufous-morph, but are darker brown above.

 

Similar Species: Sparrowhawk

 

Call: The song is probably one of the most recognisable and well-known of all Irish bird species. The male gives a distinctive “wuck-oo”, which is occasionally doubled “wuck-uck-ooo”. The female has a distinctive bubbling “pupupupu”. The song period is late April to late June.

 

Diet: Mainly caterpillars and other insects.

 

Breeding: Widespread in Ireland, favouring open areas which hold their main Irish host species – Meadow Pipit. Has a remarkable breeding biology unlike any other Irish breeding species.

 

Wintering: Cuckoos winter in central and southern Africa.

 

To minimise the chance of being recognised and thus attacked by the birds they are trying to parasitize, female cuckoos have evolved different guises.

 

The common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. On hatching, the young cuckoo ejects the host's eggs and chicks from the nest, so the hosts end up raising a cuckoo chick rather than a brood of their own. To fight back, reed warblers (a common host across Europe) have a first line of defence: they attack, or ‘mob’, the female cuckoo, which reduces the chance that their nest is parasitized.

 

To deter the warbler from attacking, the colouring of the grey cuckoo mimics sparrow hawks, a common predator of reed warblers. However, other females are bright rufous (brownish-red). The presence of alternate colour morphs in the same species is rare in birds, but frequent among the females of parasitic cuckoo species. The new research shows that this is another cuckoo trick: cuckoos combat reed warbler mobbing by coming in different guises.

 

In the study, the researchers manipulated local frequencies of the more common grey colour cuckoo and the less common (in the United Kingdom) rufous colour cuckoo by placing models of the birds at neighbouring nests. They then recorded how the experience of watching their neighbours mob changed reed warbler responses to both cuckoos and a sparrow hawk at their own nest.

 

They found that reed warblers increased their mobbing, but only to the cuckoo morph that their neighbours had mobbed. Therefore, as one cuckoo morph increases in frequency, local host populations will become alerted specifically to that morph. This means the alternate morph will be more likely to slip past host defences and lay undetected. This is the first time that ‘social learning’ has been documented in the evolution of mimicry as well as the evolution of different observable characteristics - such as colour - in the same species (called polymorphism).

 

From the University of Cambridge “When mimicry becomes less effective, evolving to look completely different can be a successful trick. Our research shows that individuals assess disguises not only from personal experience, but also by observing others. However, because their learning is so specific, this social learning then selects for alternative cuckoo disguises and the arms race continues.”.

“It’s well known that cuckoos have evolved various egg types which mimic those of their hosts in order to combat rejection. This research shows that cuckoos have also evolved alternate female morphs to sneak through the hosts' defences. This explains why many species which use mimicry, such as the cuckoo, evolve different guises.”

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Thank you very much, again, Dario Sanches, for the right identification of this ant.

A text, in english, from Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leafcutter_ant ), the free encyclopedia:

Leafcutter ants are social insects found in warmer regions of Central and South America. These unique ants have evolved an advanced agricultural system based on ant-fungus mutualism. They feed on special structures called gongylidia produced by a specialized fungus that grows only in the underground chambers of the ants' nest.

Different species of leafcutter ants use different species of fungus, but all of the fungi the ants use are members of the Lepiotaceae family. The ants actively cultivate their fungus, feeding it with freshly-cut plant material and maintaining it free from pests and molds. This symbiotic relationship is further augmented by another symbiotic partner, a bacterium that grows on the ants and secretes chemicals, or secondary metabolites, which protect the fungus from molds that would feed on the fungus - essentially the ants use portable antimicrobials. Leaf cutter ants are sensitive enough to adapt to the fungi's reaction to different plant material, apparently detecting chemical signals from the fungus. If a particular type of leaf is toxic to the fungus the colony will no longer collect it.

Leafcutter ants comprise two genera — Atta and Acromyrmex — with a total of 39 species[1] (15 in Atta and 24 in Acromyrmex), some of which are major agricultural pests. For example, some Atta species are capable of defoliating an entire citrus tree in less than 24 hours.

The Acromyrmex and Atta ants have much in common anatomically; however, the two can be identified by their external differences. Atta ants have 3 pairs of spines and a smooth exoskeleton on the upper surface of the thorax while Acromyrmex have 4 pairs and a rough exoskeleton.

A mature leafcutter colony can contain more than 8 million ants, mostly sterile female workers. They are divided into castes, based mostly on size, that perform different functions. Acromyrmex and Atta exhibit a high degree of biological polymorphism, four castes being present in established colonies - minims, minors, mediae and majors. Majors are also known as soldiers or dinergates. Atta ants are more polymorphic than Acromyrmex, meaning that there is comparatively less differential in size from the smallest to largest types of Acromymex.

* Minims are the smallest workers, and tend to the growing brood or care for the fungus gardens. Head width is less than 1 mm.

* Minors are slightly larger minima workers and are present in large numbers in and around foraging columns. These ants are the first line of defense and continuously patrol the surrounding terrain and vigorously attack any enemies that threaten the foraging lines. Headwidth are around 1.8-2.2 mm

* Mediae are the generalized foragers, who cut leaves and bring the leaf fragments back to the nest.

* Majors are the largest worker ants and act as soldiers, defending the nest from intruders, although there is recent evidence that majors participate in other activities, such as clearing the main foraging trails of large debris and carrying bulky items back to the nest. The largest soldiers (Atta laevigata) may have total body lengths up to 16 mm and head widths of 7 mm.

When the ants are out collecting leaves, they are at risk of being attacked by the phorid fly, a parasitic pest which lay eggs into the crevices of the worker ants head. Often a minim will sit on the worker ant and ward off any attack.

Obrigado, mais uma vez ao Dario Sanches, agora pela identificação desta formiga.

A içá é a fêmea da formiga saúva. Formiga com asas, como aquela que o Tesourinha capturou na foto anterior. Vejam como ela é grande em relação às outras.

A içá é a fêmea da formiga saúva, responsável pela perpetuação da espécie. Seu abdômen, destacado do corpo e torrado, constitue iguaria muito apreciada na culinária popular.

Farofa de Içá Torrado

("... A içá torrada venceu todas as resistências,urbanizando-se mesmo, quase tão completamente como a mandioca, o feijão, o milho e a pimenta da terra. Pretendeu-se que os jesuítas, no intuito de livrarem as lavouras da praga das saúvas, tivessem contribuido para disseminar entre os paulistas o gosto por essa iguaria. Nada há de inacreditável em tal suposição,uma vez que já os primeiros escritos de missionários inacianos em terra brasileira, mencionam a içá como prato saboroso e saudável. Nos meses de setembro e outubro, em que saem aos bandos essas formigas aladas, buscava-as com sofreguidão, nos seus quintais, a gente de São Paulo, e ainda em pleno século XIX, com grande escândalo, para os estudantes forasteiros

eram apregoadas elas no centro da cidade pelas pretas de quitanda, ao lado das comidas tradicionais: biscoito de polvilho, pés-de-moleque, furrundum de cidra, cuscuz de baqre ou camarão, pinhão quente, batata assada ao forno, cará cozido...")

Sérgio Huarque de Holanda - "Caminhos e Fronteiras"

Por todo o Vale do Paraíba sempre houve grandes apreciadores de içás.

Monteiro Lobato foi grande apreciador da iguaria e a ela se refere em vários textos de sua obra sempre plena de indicações de caráter folclórico. Lobato certa vez disse que a içá é o caviar da gente taubateana.

Modo de Fazer:

Limpam-se as içás das perninhas e cabeças. Em seguida, põe-se de molho em água e sal por cerca de 1/2 hora. Escorre-se bem e leva-se ao fogo, em frigideira com gordura mexendo-se sempre para não queimar. Quando estiverem bem torradas,acrescenta-se farinha de mandioca, mexendo-se sempre, resultando a farofa, ja pronta para ser comida acompanhada de café. Se quiser, coloca-se em pequeno pilão, juntando-se farinha a gosto, daí resultando uma paçoca de içás.

 

A seguir texto de Eduardo Kato, biólogo e professor de gestão ambiental do INPG- Instituto Nacional de Pós Graduação, que pode ser acessado no endereço www.maisprojetos.com.br/conteudos/boletim/Bloco1/bloco1_m...

No início da primavera, surgem alguns insetos voadores dotados de enorme e arredondado abdômen - são as içás ou tanajuras, expressão fêmea das formigas saúvas. Num único determinado dia, estas içás alçam vôo para serem fecundadas.

De volta a superfície, as içás perdem definitivamente as suas asas. Sem perder tempo, escolhem, separadamente, um tipo de solo apropriado para nele escavar um buraco com quase um palmo de profundidade e que terminará em uma câmara onde a iça dará início a uma nova população de saúvas. Curiosamente, a içá fecha o túnel que desemboca na referida câmara com porções de solo retiradas do fundo da própria câmara que fica então imersa em um ambiente úmido e completamente escuro.

Concluída a etapa de construção do abrigo, a saúva elimina pela boca uma pequenina porção de um fungo filamentoso (uma pequenina porção de bolor) que irá desenvolver-se nutrido, nesta etapa, pelos dejetos e pela saliva da iça. Este fungo servirá de semente para produzir o alimento necessário para alimentar toda a futura colônia.

Cerca de uma semana depois de concluída a câmara, começa a postura dos ovos que a saúva instala, um a um, sobre a massa esbranquiçada de fungos, que neste momento sevem de "berço".

É curioso como a saliva da içá impede o desenvolvimento de outros microorganismos que poderiam vir a prejudicar o desenvolvimento da nova colônia. Para usufruir deste fato, a içá limpa regularmente suas próprias patas e antenas com o auxílio das suas mandíbulas cobertas de saliva.

Regularmente, durante a postura de ovos, a iça põe uns ovos muito maiores que os normais. Estes ovos - "ovos de alimentação" - são estéreis e servem de fonte de alimentos para a própria iça e também para os novos integrantes da colônia, na fase larval, enquanto o fungo não está disponível em quantidade suficiente.

Depois de cerca de três semanas, surgem dos ovos larvas que passam a ser alimentadas pelo conteúdo líquido dos "ovos de alimentação" levados pela içá, de boca em boca, para as larvas.

Mais três semanas e as larvas transformam-se em pupas (forma intermediária de desenvolvimento já muito semelhante à forma adulta). As pupas não tem a necessidade de se alimentar. Dez dias depois, a içá ajuda as "novas formigas" a sair das membranas de pupa.

Estas jovens formigas já tem uma formidável tarefa para cumprir : escavar uma saída em forma de túnel até a superfície e depois, alargá-lo suficientemente para formar o primeiro acesso (olheiro) do novo formigueiro.

Neste ponto, as primeiras formigas da nova colônia já são capazes de identificar plantas que forneçam folhas que serão trazidas para o interior do formigueiro cortadas em pequenos pedaços. Estas porções de folhas serão introduzidas no interior da massa de fungos. Os fungos são decompositores de partes vegetais (dos pedacinhos de folha), ou seja, nutrem-se das folhas para poder se desenvolver. Uma estrutura - "pequeno cone alongado" - que surge na massa de filamentos do fungo "cultivado" desta forma, é o alimento das laboriosas formigas. Estes "cones" aparecem em culturas de fungos com mais de 100 dias de desenvolvimento e passam a substituir definitivamente os "ovos de alimentação" para todos os elementos da colônia.

A seguir um texto, em português da wikipedia:

Saúva é designação comum às formigas, especialmente as do gênero Atta, da família dos formicídeos, que conta com cerca de 200 espécies, nativas do Novo Mundo e abundantes na região neotropical. Elas cortam pedaços de folhas e carregam para os ninhos a fim de criar os fungos que constituem o seu alimento exclusivo. No Brasil, são uma das mais importantes pragas agrícolas.

São chamadas ainda, dentre outros nomes, de cabeçuda, caçapó, caiapó, carregadeira, cortadeira, formiga-cabeçuda, formiga-caiapó, formiga-carregadeira, formiga-cortadeira, formiga-da-roça, formiga-de-mandioca, formiga-de-nós, formiga-de-roça, formiga-saúva, lavradeira, manhuara, maniuara, picadeira e roceira.

As folhas e outras partes de plantas (tanto mono como dicotiledôneas) cortadas pelas saúvas são levadas para o formigueiro, para servirem de substrato para cultivar o fungo mutualista, do qual as formigas se alimentam. A nomenclatura deste fungo é controversa, recebendo diversos nomes como Leucoagaricus gongylophorus (este é o mais aceito atualmente), Leucocoprinus gongylophorus, Attamyces bromatificus, Pholota gongylophora (Moeller), dependendo do autor.

A içá ou tanajura, rainha das formigas, revoa em dias claros do começo da estação chuvosa, e, fecundada, inicia novo sauveiro. Traz no aparelho bucal um bolota de fungo de seu formigueiro natal, e a regurgita no novo sauveiro, irrigando-a depois com sua matéria fecal.

Cerca de 99% das içás não chegam a formar sauveiros maduros.

Entre as espécies mais comuns de saúva no estado de São Paulo estão:

* Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel, 1908 - saúva-limão

* Atta sexdens piriventris Santschi, 1919 - saúva-limão-sulina

* Atta laevigata F. Smith, 1858 - saúva-cabeça-de-vidro

* Atta bisphaerica Forel, 1908 - saúva-amarela ou saúva-mata-pasto

* Atta capiguara Gonçalves, 1944 - saúva-dos-pastos ou saúva-parda

Em vôo, as içás são devoradas por pardais, andorinhas, sabiás e outras aves.

No sauveiro novo, são atacadas por tatus e insetos predadores.

No Nordeste brasileiro, as tanajuras fazem parte de um cardápio exótico, sendo iguaria em mercados públicos como o de São José - Recife - PE.

The common murre or common guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It is also known as the thin-billed murre in North America. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

 

Common murres have fast direct flight but are not very agile. They are more manoeuvrable underwater, typically diving to depths of 30–60 m (98–197 ft). Depths of up to 180 m (590 ft) have been recorded.

 

Common murres breed in colonies at high densities. Nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest; their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face. Eggs hatch after ~30 days incubation. The chick is born downy and can regulate its body temperature after 10 days. Some 20 days after hatching the chick leaves its nesting ledge and heads for the sea, unable to fly, but gliding for some distance with fluttering wings, accompanied by its male parent. Chicks are capable of diving as soon as they hit the water. The female stays at the nest site for some 14 days after the chick has left.

 

Both male and female common murres moult after breeding and become flightless for 1–2 months. In southern populations they occasionally return to the nest site throughout the winter. Northern populations spend the winter farther from their colonies.

 

Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed—perhaps character displacement with the northerly thick-billed murre, which has a white bill-stripe but no bridled morph. The white is highly contrasting especially in the latter species and would provide an easy means for an individual bird to recognize conspecifics in densely packed breeding colonies.

 

The chicks are downy with blackish feathers on top and white below. By 12 days old, contour feathers are well developed in areas except for the head. At 15 days, facial feathers show the dark eyestripe against the white throat and cheek.

 

The common murre flies with fast wing beats and has a flight speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). Groups of birds are often seen flying together in a line just above the sea surface. However, a high wing loading of 2 g/cm2 means that this species is not very agile and take-off is difficult. Common murres become flightless for 45–60 days while moulting their primary feathers.

 

The common murre is a pursuit-diver that forages for food by swimming underwater using its wings for propulsion. Dives usually last less than one minute, but the bird swims underwater for distances of over 30 m (98 ft) on a regular basis. Diving depths up to 180 m (590 ft) have been recorded and birds can remain underwater for a couple of minutes.

 

For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_murre

  

Earias insulana (Boisduval, 1833), aka the Egyptian stemborer or spiny bollworm, is a moth of the Nolidae family. It is found in most of Africa, southern Europe, the Near and Middle East, and has a wingspan of 20 mm. Adults show strong seasonal polymorphism, depending on the temperature; its two distinct forms are a bright green summer form and a brownish-yellow autumn form. Obviously, this photo was taken in summer.

Canon EOS 50D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4,5-5,6 L IS USM, development in Lightroom.

 

Photographed on a birdwatchers' boat trip to the Farne Islands, Northumberland.

 

Uria aalge - Common Guillemot (Common Murre) - Trottellumme - Zeekoet - Guillemot de Troïl - Arao común - Uria - Sillgrissla - Lomvie - Nurzyk zwyczajny - . . .

 

Wikipedia (edited): "The common murre or common guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

 

Guillemots are fast in direct flight but are not very agile. They can manoeuvre better underwater, where they typically dive to depths of 30–60m. They breed in colonies at high densities; nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest; their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face.

 

Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed."

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farne_Islands

www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4519-Uria-aalge

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_murre

 

Los Jameos del Agua, situados en el norte de la isla de Lanzarote, es uno de los siete Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo del Cabildo de Lanzarote.

     

Vistas desde los Jameos del agua en Lanzarote

Se trata de una intervención espacial creada a partir de una serie de jameos naturales por el artista lanzaroteño César Manrique y pretende mostrar al visitante un espacio para la contemplación de la naturaleza apenas intervenida por el hombre.

 

Los Jameos del Agua, al igual que la Cueva de los Verdes, se localizan en el interior del túnel volcánico producido por la erupción del Volcán de la Corona. Los Jameos del Agua se encuentran situados en la sección de este túnel más cercano a la costa.

 

Está formado por al menos tres jameos o aberturas en el terreno. El “Jameo Chico” por donde se realiza el acceso al interior, el “Jameo Grande” y un tercero, denominado “Jameo de la Cazuela”.

 

Los "Jameos del Agua" es el primer Centro de Arte, Cultura y Turismo creado por César Manrique, y es el reflejo de uno de sus pilares creativos: la armonía entre la naturaleza y la creación artística.

 

A principios de los años sesenta, y debido al abandono del entorno, se hace necesario acometer labores de limpieza y de acondicionamiento. Aunque las obras se dilataron en el tiempo, podemos señalar el año 1966 como fecha de la apertura de las primeras fases al público.

 

La especial morfología del tubo volcánico provocó que se realizaran numerosos cambios del proyecto inicial, explorando nuevas alternativas creativas y procurando que las soluciones adoptadas fuesen las más adecuadas.

 

Será en 1977, después de más de una década de trabajos, cuando quede conformada la estructura general de los Jameos del Agua. En estas mismas fechas se procede a la inauguración oficial del centro, incluyendo el Auditorio, y se considera conclusa la obra.

 

Aun así, y con posterioridad, se realizan nuevas instalaciones para funciones concretas como el espacio museístico de la “Casa de los Volcanes”. Este centro se dedica, desde 1987, a una labor científica y didáctica sobre la vulcanología.

     

Cangrejo ciego(Munidopsis polymorpha).

Los “Jameos del Agua” son muy importantes desde el punto de vista ecológico, ya que existe una especie de cangrejo única y endémica, los cangrejos ciegos (Munidopsis polymorpha) un cangrejo de apenas un centímetro de longitud, albino y ciego.

 

Estos cangrejos son muy sensibles a los cambios de la laguna (procedente de agua de mar) por lo que el ruido y la luz les afecta. Son muy sensibles al óxido, que puede llegar a matarlos, por lo que está prohibido tirar monedas al agua

 

Ipê Amarelo, Tabebuia [chrysotricha or ochracea].

Ipê-amarelo em Brasília, Brasil.

This tree is in Brasília, Capital of Brazil.

 

Text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Trumpet tree" redirects here. This term is occasionally used for the Shield-leaved Pumpwood (Cecropia peltata).

Tabebuia

Flowering Araguaney or ipê-amarelo (Tabebuia chrysantha) in central Brazil

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Asterids

Order: Lamiales

Family: Bignoniaceae

Tribe: Tecomeae

Genus: Tabebuia

Gomez

Species

Nearly 100.

Tabebuia is a neotropical genus of about 100 species in the tribe Tecomeae of the family Bignoniaceae. The species range from northern Mexico and the Antilles south to northern Argentina and central Venezuela, including the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Cuba. Well-known common names include Ipê, Poui, trumpet trees and pau d'arco.

They are large shrubs and trees growing to 5 to 50 m (16 to 160 ft.) tall depending on the species; many species are dry-season deciduous but some are evergreen. The leaves are opposite pairs, complex or palmately compound with 3–7 leaflets.

Tabebuia is a notable flowering tree. The flowers are 3 to 11 cm (1 to 4 in.) wide and are produced in dense clusters. They present a cupular calyx campanulate to tubular, truncate, bilabiate or 5-lobed. Corolla colors vary between species ranging from white, light pink, yellow, lavender, magenta, or red. The outside texture of the flower tube is either glabrous or pubescentThe fruit is a dehiscent pod, 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 in.) long, containing numerous—in some species winged—seeds. These pods often remain on the tree through dry season until the beginning of the rainy.

Species in this genus are important as timber trees. The wood is used for furniture, decking, and other outdoor uses. It is increasingly popular as a decking material due to its insect resistance and durability. By 2007, FSC-certified ipê wood had become readily available on the market, although certificates are occasionally forged.

Tabebuia is widely used as ornamental tree in the tropics in landscaping gardens, public squares, and boulevards due to its impressive and colorful flowering. Many flowers appear on still leafless stems at the end of the dry season, making the floral display more conspicuous. They are useful as honey plants for bees, and are popular with certain hummingbirds. Naturalist Madhaviah Krishnan on the other hand once famously took offense at ipé grown in India, where it is not native.

Lapacho teaThe bark of several species has medical properties. The bark is dried, shredded, and then boiled making a bitter or sour-tasting brownish-colored tea. Tea from the inner bark of Pink Ipê (T. impetiginosa) is known as Lapacho or Taheebo. Its main active principles are lapachol, quercetin, and other flavonoids. It is also available in pill form. The herbal remedy is typically used during flu and cold season and for easing smoker's cough. It apparently works as expectorant, by promoting the lungs to cough up and free deeply embedded mucus and contaminants. However, lapachol is rather toxic and therefore a more topical use e.g. as antibiotic or pesticide may be advisable. Other species with significant folk medical use are T. alba and Yellow Lapacho (T. serratifolia)

Tabebuia heteropoda, T. incana, and other species are occasionally used as an additive to the entheogenic drink Ayahuasca.

Mycosphaerella tabebuiae, a plant pathogenic sac fungus, was first discovered on an ipê tree.

Tabebuia alba

Tabebuia anafensis

Tabebuia arimaoensis

Tabebuia aurea – Caribbean Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia bilbergii

Tabebuia bibracteolata

Tabebuia cassinoides

Tabebuia chrysantha – Araguaney, Yellow Ipê, tajibo (Bolivia), ipê-amarelo (Brazil), cañaguate (N Colombia)

Tabebuia chrysotricha – Golden Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia donnell-smithii Rose – Gold Tree, "Prima Vera", Cortez blanco (El Salvador), San Juan (Honduras), palo blanco (Guatemala),duranga (Mexico)

A native of Mexico and Central Americas, considered one of the most colorful of all Central American trees. The leaves are deciduous. Masses of golden-yellow flowers cover the crown after the leaves are shed.

Tabebuia dubia

Tabebuia ecuadorensis

Tabebuia elongata

Tabebuia furfuracea

Tabebuia geminiflora Rizz. & Mattos

Tabebuia guayacan (Seem.) Hemsl.

Tabebuia haemantha

Tabebuia heptaphylla (Vell.) Toledo – tajy

Tabebuia heterophylla – roble prieto

Tabebuia heteropoda

Tabebuia hypoleuca

Tabebuia impetiginosa – Pink Ipê, Pink Lapacho, ipê-cavatã, ipê-comum, ipê-reto, ipê-rosa, ipê-roxo-damata, pau d'arco-roxo, peúva, piúva (Brazil), lapacho negro (Spanish); not "brazilwood"

Tabebuia incana

Tabebuia jackiana

Tabebuia lapacho – lapacho amarillo

Tabebuia orinocensis A.H. Gentry[verification needed]

Tabebuia ochracea

Tabebuia oligolepis

Tabebuia pallida – Cuban Pink Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia platyantha

Tabebuia polymorpha

Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) DC.[verification needed] (= T. pentaphylla (L.) Hemsley) – Pink Poui, Pink Tecoma, apama, apamate, matilisguate

A popular street tree in tropical cities because of its multi-annular masses of light pink to purple flowers and modest size. The roots are not especially destructive for roads and sidewalks. It is the national tree of El Salvador and the state tree of Cojedes, Venezuela

Tabebuia roseo-alba – White Ipê, ipê-branco (Brazil), lapacho blanco

Tabebuia serratifolia – Yellow Lapacho, Yellow Poui, ipê-roxo (Brazil)

Tabebuia shaferi

Tabebuia striata

Tabebuia subtilis Sprague & Sandwith

Tabebuia umbellata

Tabebuia vellosoi Toledo

 

Ipê-do-cerrado

Texto, em português, da Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre.

Ipê-do-cerrado

Classificação científica

Reino: Plantae

Divisão: Magnoliophyta

Classe: Magnoliopsida

Subclasse: Asteridae

Ordem: Lamiales

Família: Bignoniaceae

Género: Tabebuia

Espécie: T. ochracea

Nome binomial

Tabebuia ochracea

(Cham.) Standl. 1832

Sinónimos

Bignonia tomentosa Pav. ex DC.

Handroanthus ochraceus (Cham.) Mattos

Tabebuia chrysantha (Jacq.) G. Nicholson

Tabebuia hypodictyon A. DC.) Standl.

Tabebuia neochrysantha A.H. Gentry

Tabebuia ochracea subsp. heteropoda (A. DC.) A.H. Gentry

Tabebuia ochracea subsp. neochrysantha (A.H. Gentry) A.H. Gentry

Tecoma campinae Kraenzl.

ecoma grandiceps Kraenzl.

Tecoma hassleri Sprague

Tecoma hemmendorffiana Kraenzl.

Tecoma heteropoda A. DC.

Tecoma hypodictyon A. DC.

Tecoma ochracea Cham.

Ipê-do-cerrado é um dos nomes populares da Tabebuia ochracea (Cham.) Standl. 1832, nativa do cerrado brasileiro, no estados de Amazonas, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Pernambuco, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Paraná.

Está na lista de espécies ameaçadas do estado de São Paulo, onde é encontrda também no domínio da Mata Atlântica[1].

Ocorre também na Argentina, Paraguai, Bolívia, Equador, Peru, Venezuela, Guiana, El Salvador, Guatemala e Panamá[2].

Há uma espécie homônima descrita por A.H. Gentry em 1992.

Outros nomes populares: ipê-amarelo, ipê-cascudo, ipê-do-campo, ipê-pardo, pau-d'arco-do-campo, piúva, tarumã.

Características

Altura de 6 a 14 m. Tronco tortuso com até 50 cm de diâmetro. Folhas pilosas em ambas as faces, mais na inferior, que é mais clara.

Planta decídua, heliófita, xerófita, nativa do cerrado em solos bem drenados.

Floresce de julho a setembro. Os frutos amadurecem de setembro a outubro.

FloresProduz grande quantidade de sementes leves, aladas com pequenas reservas, e que perdem a viabilidade em menos de 90 dias após coleta. A sua conservação vem sendo estudada em termos de determinação da condição ideal de armazenamento, e tem demonstrado a importância de se conhecer o comportamento da espécie quando armazenada com diferentes teores de umidade inicial, e a umidade de equilíbrio crítica para a espécie (KANO; MÁRQUEZ & KAGEYAMA, 1978). As levíssimas sementes aladas da espécie não necessitam de quebra de dormência. Podem apenas ser expostas ao sol por cerca de 6 horas e semeadas diretamente nos saquinhos. A germinação ocorre após 30 dias e de 80%. As sementes são ortodoxas e há aproximadamente 72 000 sementes em cada quilo.

O desenvolvimento da planta é rápido.

Como outros ipês, a madeira é usada em tacos, assoalhos, e em dormentes e postes. Presta-se também para peças torneadas e instrumento musicais.

 

Tabebuia alba (Ipê-Amarelo)

Texto, em português, produzido pela Acadêmica Giovana Beatriz Theodoro Marto

Supervisão e orientação do Prof. Luiz Ernesto George Barrichelo e do Eng. Paulo Henrique Müller

Atualizado em 10/07/2006

 

O ipê amarelo é a árvore brasileira mais conhecida, a mais cultivada e, sem dúvida nenhuma, a mais bela. É na verdade um complexo de nove ou dez espécies com características mais ou menos semelhantes, com flores brancas, amarelas ou roxas. Não há região do país onde não exista pelo menos uma espécie dele, porém a existência do ipê em habitat natural nos dias atuais é rara entre a maioria das espécies (LORENZI,2000).

A espécie Tabebuia alba, nativa do Brasil, é uma das espécies do gênero Tabebuia que possui “Ipê Amarelo” como nome popular. O nome alba provém de albus (branco em latim) e é devido ao tomento branco dos ramos e folhas novas.

As árvores desta espécie proporcionam um belo espetáculo com sua bela floração na arborização de ruas em algumas cidades brasileiras. São lindas árvores que embelezam e promovem um colorido no final do inverno. Existe uma crença popular de que quando o ipê-amarelo floresce não vão ocorrer mais geadas. Infelizmente, a espécie é considerada vulnerável quanto à ameaça de extinção.

A Tabebuia alba, natural do semi-árido alagoano está adaptada a todas as regiões fisiográficas, levando o governo, por meio do Decreto nº 6239, a transformar a espécie como a árvore símbolo do estado, estando, pois sob a sua tutela, não mais podendo ser suprimida de seus habitats naturais.

Taxonomia

Família: Bignoniaceae

Espécie: Tabebuia Alba (Chamiso) Sandwith

Sinonímia botânica: Handroanthus albus (Chamiso) Mattos; Tecoma alba Chamisso

Outros nomes vulgares: ipê-amarelo, ipê, aipê, ipê-branco, ipê-mamono, ipê-mandioca, ipê-ouro, ipê-pardo, ipê-vacariano, ipê-tabaco, ipê-do-cerrado, ipê-dourado, ipê-da-serra, ipezeiro, pau-d’arco-amarelo, taipoca.

Aspectos Ecológicos

O ipê-amarelo é uma espécie heliófita (Planta adaptada ao crescimento em ambiente aberto ou exposto à luz direta) e decídua (que perde as folhas em determinada época do ano). Pertence ao grupo das espécies secundárias iniciais (DURIGAN & NOGUEIRA, 1990).

Abrange a Floresta Pluvial da Mata Atlântica e da Floresta Latifoliada Semidecídua, ocorrendo principalmente no interior da Floresta Primária Densa. É característica de sub-bosques dos pinhais, onde há regeneração regular.

Informações Botânicas

Morfologia

As árvores de Tabebuia alba possuem cerca de 30 metros de altura. O tronco é reto ou levemente tortuoso, com fuste de 5 a 8 m de altura. A casca externa é grisáceo-grossa, possuindo fissuras longitudinais esparas e profundas. A coloração desta é cinza-rosa intenso, com camadas fibrosas, muito resistentes e finas, porém bem distintas.

Com ramos grossos, tortuosos e compridos, o ipê-amarelo possui copa alongada e alargada na base. As raízes de sustentação e absorção são vigorosas e profundas.

As folhas, deciduais, são opostas, digitadas e compostas. A face superior destas folhas é verde-escura, e, a face inferior, acinzentada, sendo ambas as faces tomentosas. Os pecíolos das folhas medem de 2,5 a 10 cm de comprimento. Os folíolos, geralmente, apresentam-se em número de 5 a 7, possuindo de 7 a 18 cm de comprimento por 2 a 6 cm de largura. Quando jovem estes folíolos são densamente pilosos em ambas as faces. O ápice destes é pontiagudo, com base arredondada e margem serreada.

As flores, grandes e lanceoladas, são de coloração amarelo-ouro. Possuem em média 8X15 cm.

Quanto aos frutos, estes possuem forma de cápsula bivalvar e são secos e deiscentes. Do tipo síliqua, lembram uma vagem. Medem de 15 a 30 cm de comprimento por 1,5 a 2,5 cm de largura. As valvas são finamente tomentosas com pêlos ramificados. Possuem grande quantidade de sementes.

As sementes são membranáceas brilhantes e esbranquiçadas, de coloração marrom. Possuem de 2 a 3 cm de comprimento por 7 a 9 mm de largura e são aladas.

Reprodução

A espécie é caducifólia e a queda das folhas coincide com o período de floração. A floração inicia-se no final de agosto, podendo ocorrer alguma variação devido a fenômenos climáticos. Como a espécie floresce no final do inverno é influenciada pela intensidade do mesmo. Quanto mais frio e seco for o inverno, maior será a intensidade da florada do ipê amarelo.

As flores por sua exuberância, atraem abelhas e pássaros, principalmente beija-flores que são importantes agentes polinizadores. Segundo CARVALHO (2003), a espécie possui como vetor de polinização a abelha mamangava (Bombus morio).

As sementes são dispersas pelo vento.

A planta é hermafrodita, e frutifica nos meses de setembro, outubro, novembro, dezembro, janeiro e fevereiro, dependendo da sua localização. Em cultivo, a espécie inicia o processo reprodutivo após o terceiro ano.

Ocorrência Natural

Ocorre naturalmente na Floresta Estaciobal Semidecicual, Floresta de Araucária e no Cerrado.

Segundo o IBGE, a Tabebuia alba (Cham.) Sandw. é uma árvore do Cerrado, Cerradão e Mata Seca. Apresentando-se nos campos secos (savana gramíneo-lenhosa), próximo às escarpas.

Clima

Segundo a classificação de Köppen, o ipê-amarelo abrange locais de clima tropical (Aw), subtropical úmido (Cfa), sutropical de altitude (Cwa e Cwb) e temperado.

A T.alba pode tolerar até 81 geadas em um ano. Ocorre em locais onde a temperatura média anual varia de 14,4ºC como mínimo e 22,4ºC como máximo.

Solo

A espécie prefere solos úmidos, com drenagem lenta e geralmente não muito ondulados (LONGHI, 1995).

Aparece em terras de boa à média fertilidade, em solos profundos ou rasos, nas matas e raramente cerradões (NOGUEIRA, 1977).

Pragas e Doenças

De acordo com CARVALHO (2003), possui como praga a espécie de coleópteros Cydianerus bohemani da família Curculionoideae e um outro coleóptero da família Chrysomellidae. Apesar da constatação de elevados índices populacionais do primeiro, os danos ocasionados até o momento são leves. Nas praças e ruas de Curitiba - PR, 31% das árvores foram atacadas pela Cochonilha Ceroplastes grandis.

ZIDKO (2002), ao estudar no município de Piracicaba a associação de coleópteros em espécies arbóreas, verificou a presença de insetos adultos da espécie Sitophilus linearis da família de coleópteros, Curculionidae, em estruturas reprodutivas. Os insetos adultos da espécie emergiram das vagens do ipê, danificando as sementes desta espécie nativa.

ANDRADE (1928) assinalou diversas espécies de Cerambycidae atacando essências florestais vivas, como ingazeiro, cinamomo, cangerana, cedro, caixeta, jacarandá, araribá, jatobá, entre outras como o ipê amarelo.

A Madeira

A Tabebuia alba produz madeira de grande durabilidade e resistência ao apodrecimento (LONGHI,1995).

MANIERI (1970) caracteriza o cerne desta espécie como de cor pardo-havana-claro, pardo-havan-escuro, ou pardo-acastanhado, com reflexos esverdeados. A superfície da madeira é irregularmente lustrosa, lisa ao tato, possuindo textura media e grã-direita.

Com densidade entre 0,90 e 1,15 grama por centímetro cúbico, a madeira é muito dura (LORENZI, 1992), apresentando grande dificuldade ao serrar.

A madeira possui cheiro e gosto distintos. Segundo LORENZI (1992), o cheiro característico é devido à presença da substância lapachol, ou ipeína.

Usos da Madeira

Sendo pesada, com cerne escuro, adquire grande valor comercial na marcenaria e carpintaria. Também é utilizada para fabricação de dormentes, moirões, pontes, postes, eixos de roda, varais de carroça, moendas de cana, etc.

Produtos Não-Madeireiros

A entrecasca do ipê-amarelo possui propriedades terapêuticas como adstringente, usada no tratamento de garganta e estomatites. É também usada como diurético.

O ipê-amarelo possui flores melíferas e que maduras podem ser utilizadas na alimentação humana.

Outros Usos

É comumente utilizada em paisagismo de parques e jardins pela beleza e porte. Além disso, é muito utilizada na arborização urbana.

Segundo MOREIRA & SOUZA (1987), o ipê-amarelo costuma povoar as beiras dos rios sendo, portanto, indicado para recomposição de matas ciliares. MARTINS (1986), também cita a espécie para recomposição de matas ciliares da Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, abrangendo alguns municípios das regiões Norte, Noroeste e parte do Oeste do Estado do Paraná.

Aspectos Silviculturais

Possui a tendência a crescer reto e sem bifurcações quando plantado em reflorestamento misto, pois é espécie monopodial. A desrrama se faz muito bem e a cicatrização é boa. Sendo assim, dificilmente encopa quando nova, a não ser que seja plantado em parques e jardins.

Ao ser utilizada em arborização urbana, o ipê amarelo requer podas de condução com freqüência mediana.

Espécie heliófila apresenta a pleno sol ramificação cimosa, registrando-se assim dicotomia para gema apical. Deve ser preconizada, para seu melhor aproveitamento madeireiro, podas de formação usuais (INQUE et al., 1983).

Produção de Mudas

A propagação deve realizada através de enxertia.

Os frutos devem ser coletados antes da dispersão, para evitar a perda de sementes. Após a coleta as sementes são postas em ambiente ventilado e a extração é feita manualmente. As sementes do ipê amarelo são ortodoxas, mantendo a viabilidade natural por até 3 meses em sala e por até 9 meses em vidro fechado, em câmara fria.

A condução das mudas deve ser feita a pleno sol. A muda atinge cerca de 30 cm em 9 meses, apresentando tolerância ao sol 3 semanas após a germinação.

Sementes

Os ipês, espécies do gênero Tabebuia, produzem uma grande quantidade de sementes leves, aladas com pequenas reservas, e que perdem a viabilidade em poucos dias após a sua coleta. A sua conservação vem sendo estudada em termos de determinação da condição ideal de armazenamento, e tem demonstrado a importância de se conhecer o comportamento da espécie quando armazenada com diferentes teores de umidade inicial, e a umidade de equilíbrio crítica para a espécie (KANO; MÁRQUEZ & KAGEYAMA, 1978).

As levíssimas sementes aladas da espécie não necessitam de quebra de dormência. Podem apenas ser expostas ao sol por cerca de 6 horas e semeadas diretamente nos saquinhos. A quebra natural leva cerca de 3 meses e a quebra na câmara leva 9 meses. A germinação ocorre após 30 dias e de 80%.

As sementes são ortodoxas e há aproximadamente 87000 sementes em cada quilo.

Preço da Madeira no Mercado

O preço médio do metro cúbico de pranchas de ipê no Estado do Pará cotado em Julho e Agosto de 2005 foi de R$1.200,00 o preço mínimo, R$ 1509,35 o médio e R$ 2.000,00 o preço máximo (CEPEA,2005).

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Grote wolfspin / Kraamwebspin / Nursery web spider - Pisaura mirabilis

 

Striking characteristics of the Pisaura mirabilis are its long legs (the fourth one being the longest) and its slender abdomen (opisthosoma). The male is between 10–13 mm, while the female is 12–15 mm. After final ecdysis the male spiders weigh on average 54 mg and females 68 mg.

 

The prosoma is variable in color, ranging from light to reddish brown and from gray to black. A lighter stripe is visible down the middle of the prosoma. The opisthosoma is long and narrow and tapered towards the rear end.

 

Female spiders have a dark patch (epigyne) on the underside of their abdomen that includes the copulatory organs. Male genital openings can be found at the same location, but remain inconspicuous.

 

Patterning and coloration varies due to polymorphism. These patterns, which can be caused by hair and pigments, change with the growth of the spider (ontogenesis).

 

Male spiders are stronger in contrast than females and look black, especially in comparison to the white nuptial gifts. Females tend to get paler towards the end of summer. The stripe along the back of the body can be found in all spiders and can be seen as crypsis, a protective measure against predators.

 

The pedipalps in nymphs and females look similar to legs. In males, this structure gets thicker towards the end and is used to store sperm until reproduction (bulbus). The outer chelicerae segment consists of three teeth. They catch their prey during the day and at night and are also active on warm winter days.

 

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Canon EOS R5 Mark II, Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM, processed in Lightroom.

 

Uria aalge, Common Guillemot (in the US Common Murre). The common name in German is insulting.

 

Wikipedia: "Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed."

 

Taken on Billy Shiel's Boat Tour of the Farne Islands, after landing on Inner Farne.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_murre

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Femme de l'ethnie Dao Longue Tunique sur le marché de Quyet Tien dans la région de Hagiang, nord du Vietnam

 

Les Dao (ou Dzao) sont, comme les Hmongs, très nombreux et l'ethnie est très polymorphe : Dao Rouge, Dao à Tunique, Dao Noir, Dao à pantalon blanc… .J'en ai déjà posté plusieurs exemples.

Emigrée de Chine du sud depuis le XIIIème siècle, l’ethnie Dao habite au Nord du Vietnam dans les provinces de la moyenne et haute région. Elle occupe des terres à toute altitude et vit en bons voisins avec d’autres ethnies comme les Hmong, Tay, Thaï, … Ses ressources principales proviennent de l’agriculture, (riz et mais)

Souvent chez les femmes, les cheveux sont relevés en chignon sur la nuque ou rasés sur le pourtour à l’exception d’une touffe au sommet de la tête

Pratiquant le culte des ancêtres, les Dao adhèrent également au Taoïsme.

Les femmes Dao Tunique (ou Longues Tunique) portent donc une longue tunique noire rehaussée à la ceinture et à la base de parement rouge vif. Elles portent une coiffe colorée. On les rencontre surtout dans la région de Hagiang.

C'est un lézard de forme élancée, espèce extrêmement polymorphe, avec une variabilité extraordinaire de l'écaillure, une coloration très variable, brun, gris ou même verdâtre. La face ventrale est claire, jaune, bleu ou rougeâtre. La gorge est mouchetée de noir. Le mâle mesure 20 cm, exceptionnellement 25 cm, la femelle 18 cm. On ne peut pas déterminer son sexe tant qu'il n'a pas atteint la maturité. La queue de ce lézard casse facilement (autotomie), lui permettant ainsi d'échapper à des prédateurs. En effet, l'extrémité « perdue » continue à s'agiter ce qui constitue un leurre vis-à-vis de l'attaquant. Une queue de remplacement repousse progressivement mais elle est dépourvue d'écailles, et elle est uniformément gris sombre. Parfois elle peut repousser double. On peut observer ce lézard toute l'année dans le sud de la France.

 

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Los Jameos del Agua, situados en el norte de la isla de Lanzarote, es uno de los siete Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo del Cabildo de Lanzarote.

     

Vistas desde los Jameos del agua en Lanzarote

Se trata de una intervención espacial creada a partir de una serie de jameos naturales por el artista lanzaroteño César Manrique y pretende mostrar al visitante un espacio para la contemplación de la naturaleza apenas intervenida por el hombre.

 

Los Jameos del Agua, al igual que la Cueva de los Verdes, se localizan en el interior del túnel volcánico producido por la erupción del Volcán de la Corona. Los Jameos del Agua se encuentran situados en la sección de este túnel más cercano a la costa.

 

Está formado por al menos tres jameos o aberturas en el terreno. El “Jameo Chico” por donde se realiza el acceso al interior, el “Jameo Grande” y un tercero, denominado “Jameo de la Cazuela”.

 

Los "Jameos del Agua" es el primer Centro de Arte, Cultura y Turismo creado por César Manrique, y es el reflejo de uno de sus pilares creativos: la armonía entre la naturaleza y la creación artística.

 

A principios de los años sesenta, y debido al abandono del entorno, se hace necesario acometer labores de limpieza y de acondicionamiento. Aunque las obras se dilataron en el tiempo, podemos señalar el año 1966 como fecha de la apertura de las primeras fases al público.

 

La especial morfología del tubo volcánico provocó que se realizaran numerosos cambios del proyecto inicial, explorando nuevas alternativas creativas y procurando que las soluciones adoptadas fuesen las más adecuadas.

 

Será en 1977, después de más de una década de trabajos, cuando quede conformada la estructura general de los Jameos del Agua. En estas mismas fechas se procede a la inauguración oficial del centro, incluyendo el Auditorio, y se considera conclusa la obra.

 

Aun así, y con posterioridad, se realizan nuevas instalaciones para funciones concretas como el espacio museístico de la “Casa de los Volcanes”. Este centro se dedica, desde 1987, a una labor científica y didáctica sobre la vulcanología.

     

Cangrejo ciego(Munidopsis polymorpha).

Los “Jameos del Agua” son muy importantes desde el punto de vista ecológico, ya que existe una especie de cangrejo única y endémica, los cangrejos ciegos (Munidopsis polymorpha) un cangrejo de apenas un centímetro de longitud, albino y ciego.

 

Estos cangrejos son muy sensibles a los cambios de la laguna (procedente de agua de mar) por lo que el ruido y la luz les afecta. Son muy sensibles al óxido, que puede llegar a matarlos, por lo que está prohibido tirar monedas al agua

 

Es ist nicht einfach für einen Schuh, der versucht, ohne Träger durch die Welt zu kommen. Ohne dass er sich's versieht, findet er sich in einer Umgebung wieder, in der er sich nicht auskennt:

Der einzige Spiegel, den er finden kann, ist nass, der gewohnte Bodenbelag ist einer polymorphen Masse gewichen und auch die Luft ist ungewohnt.

So kommt es, dass er seinen Freiheitsdrang schon nach kurzer Zeit bereut und sich nach seinem Träger zurücksehnt.

 

Freiheit kann ganz schön anstrengend sein!