The Ark In Space

Jaçana – The Big Foot of the Bird World

Friday, 22 November 2024

The tropical zone of planet Earth contains many wonderful species which have adapted over time to their environment. The Jaçana (the c is pronounced like the one in façade) consists of eight species; all are found within the tropical zone and all in possession of something quite special which equips them take best advantage of their habitat. At home in shallow lakes with lots of vegetation, the Jaçana has evolved enormous feet and claws. They are, literally, the big foot of the bird world. Once seen, never forgotten.

African Jacana - Image Credit Flickr User David Cook

The vegetation which floats upon many shallow lakes in the world’s tropical zone contains a veritable smorgasbord for any bird able to reach them. Most are home to a huge variety of insects and other invertebrates. Yet the vegetation which houses this feast is what disables access to it. Now, if only a bird could walk on the vegetation without submerging it (and itself) with the weight, all this food would be theirs for the taking. Enter the Jaçana.

The Hyrax – The Elephant’s Cousin

Thursday, 17 February 2022

The Hyrax may look like a guinea pig to the casual observer but looks can be very deceptive. It has even been called the rock rabbit but its family tree is much stranger than you might expect. Its nearest living relatives are the elephant and, bizarrely, the sea cow.

Image Credit Flickr User Rainbirder

The Pink Underwing Moth: Skull-Faced Caterpillar of Australia’s Rainforest

Saturday, 22 May 2021

Nature never ceases to astonish. This is the larva of the Pink Underwing Moth, an endangered species which lives in the subtropical rainforest below about 600m elevation in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland. It has evolved a remarkable set of patterns to ward off potential predators.

A giant set of eyes would, you might think, be enough to warn off a bird looking for an easy lunch. Yet this caterpillar goes one step further. It appears to have a set of teeth which could rip any possible attacker to shreds. Why, then, is it so rare? You might think that with this sort of natural protection the species would be thriving everywhere.

The Ant-Mimicking Treehopper

Saturday, 28 November 2020

Take a look at the picture of an ant, above. Yet, this is not a photograph of an ant: it isn’t even a photograph of an ant attacking an insect. It is in fact the ant-mimicking treehopper (Cyphonia clavata) which keeps itself safe from predators by pretending to be an ant. What looks like an ant here is actually extension growths on its body - which most other insect species are incapable of creating.

Image Credit Flickr User Andreas Kay

The plan is that any predator looking down will only see what looks like an ant. The rest of the treehopper’s body will blend in with the foliage. What seems, at first, strange is that the body of the ant is positioned backwards on that of the treehopper. Take a look at the abdomen of the ant and you will see the tiny green eyes of the treehopper. Why is this? It is because when it is in defensive mode an ant will move backwards. In this way, the ant-mimicking treehopper (which can be found in in Middle and South America) has, in fact, got this right too.

Darwin’s Dream – Galapagos Islands

Friday, 31 October 2014

When Charles Darwin arrived at the Galapagos Islands in 1831 he had no idea that what he would discover there would help him conceive his theory of natural selection.

Yet despite the many wonders he saw there was one thing he could not experience as we can: the sight of sharks, mola molas, turtle, iguanas, penguins and even orcas in their own habitat. Thanks to Dustin Adamson of Ocean Shutter here is that underworld realm in all its startling and unusual beauty that Darwin could only dream about.

The page cannot be found