Zoology

Xoloitzcuintli

The Xoloitzcuintli is a rare, hairless breed of dog. Archaeological evidence dates the breed to over 3500 years ago. Long regarded as guardians and protectors, the indigenous peoples believed that the Xolo would safeguard the home from evil spirits as well as intruders. In ancient times the Xolos were often sacrificed and then buried with their owners to act as guide to the soul on its journey to the underworld. These dogs were considered a great delicacy, and were consumed for sacrificial ceremonies–including marriages and funerals.

Javan Rhino

Javan rhinoceros, also called lesser one-horned rhinoceros, one of three Asian species of rhinoceroses, found only on the island of Java in Indonesia. It is the rarest living rhinoceros and one of the world’s most endangered mammals.

Clionidae

Clionidae is a family of sea angels. They are shaped a little like angels, and have flapping "wings".

Komodo dragon

The Komodo dragon is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang.

Bitis nasicornis

Bitis nasicornis is a venomous viper species found in the forests of West and Central Africa. It has a striking color pattern and prominent horns on its nose.

Bay Cat

The Bay Cat is a small feline endemic to the island of Borneo. Nearly everything that is known about this cat is based on just twelve specimens, the first of which was collected by Alfred Russel Wallace in 1855 in Sarawak. A total of seven further skins surfaced over the following decades, but it was not until 1992 that a living specimen was obtained, and there were no photographs of the animal until a second living specimen was captured in 1998.

Arapaima

The arapaima is a South American freshwater fish. It is a living fossil and one of the largest freshwater fishes in the world. Because the arapaima produces large, boneless steaks, it is considered a delicacy. Commercial fishing of the arapaima has been banned by the Brazilian government.

African Wild Dog

The African wild dog typically roams the open plains and sparse woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. These long-legged canines have only four toes per foot, unlike other dogs, which have five toes on their forefeet.

Bowerbird

The most notable characteristic of bowerbirds is their extraordinarily complex courtship and mating behaviour, where males build a bower to attract mates. There are two main types of bowers. One clade of bowerbirds build so-called maypole bowers that are constructed by placing sticks around a sapling. The other major bower-building clade builds an avenue type bower made of two walls of vertically placed sticks. In and around the bower the male places a variety of brightly colored objects he has collected. These objects — usually different among each species — may include hundreds of shells, leaves, flowers, feathers, stones, berries, and even discarded plastic items, coins, nails, rifle shells, or pieces of glass. The males spend hours arranging this collection.

Pacific Blackdragon

Female blackdragons are about 61 cm long and have fang-like teeth and a long chin whisker. The males are small, about 8 cm in length, and brownish in color. They have no teeth, no chin barbel and no stomach. Unable to eat, the male lives only long enough to mate.

Opus

Encyclopædia of the sublime