It is a thallose liverwort which forms a rosette of flattened thalli with forked branches. The thalli grow up to 10 cm long with a width of up to 2 cm. It is usually green in colour but older plants can become brown or purplish. The upper surface has a pattern of hexagonal markings. The underside is covered by many root-like rhizoids which attach the plant to the soil. The plants produce umbrella-like reproductive structures known as gametophores. The gametophores of female plants consist of a stalk with star-like rays at the top. These contain archegonia, the organs which produce the ova. Male gametophores are topped by a flattened disc containing theantheridia which produce sperm.

It is found worldwide from tropical to arctic climates. It grows on moist soil and rocks in damp habitats such as the banks of streams and pools,bogs, fens and dune slacks. It rapidly colonizes burnt ground after fires. It often grows in man-made habitats such as gardens, paths andgreenhouses and can be a horticultural weed.

(From wikipedia, April 27th, 2012)

Much like the seahorse, the leafy seadragon’s name is derived from its resemblance to another creature (in this case, the mythical dragon). While not large, they are slightly larger than most seahorses, growing to about 20–24 cm (8–10 in). They feed on plankton and small crustaceans.

The lobes of skin that grow on the leafy seadragon provide camouflage, giving it the appearance of seaweed. It is able to maintain the illusion when swimming, appearing to move through the water like a piece of floating seaweed. It can also change colour to blend in, but this ability depends on the seadragon’s diet, age, location, and stress level.

The creature feeds by sucking up small crustaceans, such as amphipods and mysid shrimp, plankton and larval fish through its long, pipe-like snout.^[2]

The leafy seadragon is related to the pipefish and belongs to the family Syngnathidae, along with the seahorse. It differs from the seahorse in appearance, form of locomotion, and its inability to coil or grasp things with its tail. A related species is the weedy seadragon, which is multi-coloured and grows weed-like fins but is smaller than the leafy seadragon. Current research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography is investigating the evolutionary relationships of the Syngnathidae^[4] and the DNA variation of the two seadragon species across their ranges.^[5]
 

Individual leafy seadragons have been observed remaining in one location for extended periods of time (up to 68 hours) but will sometimes move for lengthy periods. Tracking of one individual indicated it moved at up to 150 metres (490 feet) per hour.^[7]

Leafy seadragons are subject to many threats, both natural and man-made. They are caught by collectors, and used in alternative medicine. They are vulnerable when first born, and are slow swimmers, reducing their chance of escape from a predator. Seadragons are often washed ashore after storms, as unlike their relative the seahorse, seadragons cannot curl their tail and hold onto seagrass to stay safe.^[8]

They have become endangered through pollution and industrial runoff as well as collection by fascinated divers who are entranced by their unique appearance. In response to these dangers they have been officially protected by the Federal Government of Australia.
 

The leafy seadragon is the official marine emblem of the state of South Australia.^[18] It also features in the logo of the Marine Life Society of South Australia Inc. ^[19]

A biennial Leafy Sea Dragon Festival is held by the District Council of Yankalilla, South Australia. It is a festival of the environment, arts and culture of the southern Fleurieu Peninsula, with the theme of celebrating the leafy seadragon. The inaugural festival in 2005 attracted over 7,000 participants and visitors.^[20]

(From Wikipedia, 30 January 2012)

Seadragons are seen either solitarily or in pairs, they are slow-moving and rely on their elegant camouflage to provide protection from predators (2). In common with seahorses, it is the male seadragon that carries the developing eggs. The breeding season runs from October to March (5), and males develop a ‘brood patch’ on the underside of the tail that consists of cups of blood-rich tissue, which each hold an egg (4). The female transfers around 120 eggs into these pits; the eggs are then fertilised and carried by the male for about a month (2). Hatchlings emerge over several days and are initially only around 20 mm in length. They are extremely vulnerable to predation but grow quickly, attaining adult size by the time they are 2 years old (2). Seadragons feed on small organisms such as plankton and mysids by sucking them into their tube-like snout (2).

Leafy seadragons are exquisitely camouflaged fish. Belonging to the same family as seahorses and pipefish (Syngnathidae), they resemble these with their elongated snout and bony-plated body (2). Leafy seadragons are yellowish-brown to green in colour, although they may vary depending on their age, diet or location (2). The pectoral fins are located on the neck, and a dorsal fin runs along the seadragon’s back (3). As their common name suggests, there are a number of leaf-like appendages along the body, which help to make these fish resemble the seaweed of their habitat. The eyes are located above the elongated snout and there are a number of defensive spines along the sides of the body (2).
 

Phyllopteryx eques moves very slowly through the water and mimics seaweed, which makes it a master at camouflage. Those predators not fooled by its blending capabilities are often surprised by its bony exterior and long, sharp spines (Zahl 1978). The species tends to swim alone or in pairs (Groves 1998).
 

(From EOL, 30 January 2012)

Although difficult to breed in captivity because of their brood parasitic nature, these finches, particularly the males, are sold as pets in the United States and other countries. When breeding these birds in captivity, a single male is usually given access to multiple females and each female needs access to multiple active Green-winged Pytilia nests.

Widespread throughout its large range, the Long-tailed Paradise Whydah is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

(From Wikipedia, 5 March 2012)

The Cockatiel’s lifespan in captivity is generally given as 15–20 years,^[6] though it is sometimes given as short as 10–15 years, and there are reports of Cockatiels living as long as 32 years, the oldest confirmed specimen reported being 36 years old.^[7] Diet and exercise are major determining factors in cockatiel lifespan.

(From Wikipedia, 28 February 2012)

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Cockatiels are mainly grey with paler underparts that are sometimes washed with brown. There is a prominent patch of orange on the ear coverts, and the rest of the head and crest are yellow. The underside of the tail is black in the male and yellow in the female. Several plumage variants of the species are recognized. The Lutino mutation (Albino or White) is the most popular. These attractive birds are white with white or pale yellow underparts. The yellow face and crest are retained.
 

(From EOL, 28 February 2012)

The red panda has been classified as Vulnerable by IUCN because its population is estimated at fewer than 10,000 mature individuals. Although red pandas are protected by national laws in their range countries, their numbers in the wild continue to decline mainly due to habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and inbreeding depression.^[2]
 

The head and body length of red pandas averages 56 to 63 cm (22 to 25 in), and their tails about 37 to 47 cm (15 to 19 in). Males weigh 3.7 to 6.2 kg (8.2 to 14 lb) and females 4.2 to 6.0 kg (9.3 to 13 lb).^[5] They have long, soft reddish-brown fur on the upper parts, blackish fur on the lower parts, and a light face with tear markings and robust cranial-dental features. The light face has white badges similar to those of a raccoon, but each individual can have distinctive markings. Their roundish head has medium-sized upright ears, a black nose, and very dark eyes: almost pitch black. Their long bushy tail with six alternating yellowish red transverse ochre rings provides balance and excellent camouflage against its habitat of moss- and lichen-covered trees. The legs are black and short with thick fur on the soles of the paws. This fur serves as thermal insulation on snow-covered or ice surfaces and conceals scent glands which are also present on the anus.^[6]

The red panda is specialized as a bamboo feeder with strong, curved and sharp semi-retractile claws ^[5] standing inward for grasping of narrow tree branches, leaves and fruit. Like the giant panda, it has a “false thumb” that is an extension of the wrist bone. When descending a tree headfirst, the red panda rotates its ankle to control its descent, one of the few climbing species to do so.^[7]
 

Red pandas are excellent climbers, and forage largely in trees. They eat mostly bamboo, and may eat small mammals, birds, eggs, blossoms, and berries. In captivity, they were observed to eat birds, blossoms, acer and morus leaves, bark and the fruits of acer, beech and morus.^[5]

Like the Giant Panda, they cannot digest cellulose, so they must consume a large volume of bamboo to survive. Their diet consists of about two-thirds bamboo, but they also eat mushrooms, roots, acorns, lichen, and grasses. Occasionally, they supplement their diet with fish and insects. They do little more than eat and sleep due to their low-calorie diet.^{[citation needed]}

Bamboo shoots are more easily digested than leaves, exhibiting the highest digestibility in summer and autumn, intermediate digestibility in the spring, and lowest digestibility in the winter. These variations correlate with the nutrient contents in the bamboo. Red pandas process bamboo poorly, especially the cellulose and cell wall components. This implies that microbial digestion plays only a minor role in their digestive strategy. In order to survive on this poor-quality diet, they have to eat the high-quality sections of the bamboo plant such as the tender leaves and shoots in large quantities, over 1.5 kilograms / 3.3 pounds of fresh leaves and 4 kilograms / 8.8 pounds of fresh shoots daily. This food passes through the digestive tract fairly rapidly (~2–4 hours) so as to maximize nutrient intake.^[19] Red pandas can taste artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, the only known non-primate to be able to do so.^[20]

The red panda is considered a living fossil and only distantly related to the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Their common ancestor can be traced back to the Early Tertiary Period tens of millions of years ago, with a wide distribution across Eurasia. Fossils of the red panda Parailurus anglicus have been unearthed from China in the east to Britain in the west.

(From Wikipedia, 21 January 2012)

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Red pandas are predominately solitary, and are most active at dawn and dusk (5). They have semi-retractable claws, which allow them to be efficient climbers and when not foraging, pandas are usually found in the trees. Males occupy territories that overlap those of several females, especially in the mating season (4), and territories of both sexes are marked with anal secretions (5). Red pandas mate on the ground but the female gives birth, usually to two young, within a hollow tree nest cavity (5). Young are born blind and helpless, opening their eyes after 18 days; their coat is initially grey-buff in colour (5). Red pandas are one of the few animals whose diet is composed almost entirely on bamboo; they grasp stems with their forepaws and shear the leaves off with sharp teeth (4). Bamboo is poor in nutrients; to compensate, red pandas are only active for around 56 % of the day (4) and have an extremely slow metabolism, which is comparable to that of the sloth (7). Other foods such as roots and fruit as well as small lizards and bird’s eggs are also eaten (2). Red pandas have an ungainly walk on the ground but are much more agile in the trees, using their tail for balance although it is not prehensile; on the ground the tail is carried horizontally away from the body (5). After eating or resting the red panda will tend to groom itself thoroughly (5).

The classification of the red panda has caused continued controversy since it was first described in 1825 (1), due to similarities with both the bear family and the procyonids such as racoons (4). Today it is placed with the racoons, but in its own separate subfamily, the Ailurinae (4). The lustrous coat is a rich reddish brown colour on the back and black on the legs; longer coarse guard hairs cover the dense woolly undercoat, which provides warmth (4). The coat provides effective camouflage amongst the trees where branches are often swathed in reddish-brown moss (5).The face is rounded and predominantly white with reddish brown ‘tear marks’ running from the corner of each eye to the mouth (5). The long bushy tail is marked with 12 alternating red and buff rings and the soles of the feet are covered with thick white hair to provide warmth (5). Currently two subspecies of the red panda exist; Ailurus fulgens fulgens is smaller and lighter (especially in the facial region) than the related A. f. styani (6). Like the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), red pandas also posses a modified wrist bone that acts as a sixth digit or thumb, although it is smaller than that of the better-known giant panda (4). Red pandas have a wide range of vocalisations, the most peculiar of which is a ‘quack-snort’ (4).

(From EOL, 30 January 2012)

This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured,striking bird, predominantly carmine in colouration, but with the crown and undertail coverts blue.

Its usual habitat included low-altitude river valleys and floodplains, preferring vertical banks suitable for tunneling when breeding, but readily digging vertical burrows in the level surface of small salt islands. This is a highly sociable species, gathering in large flocks, in or out of breeding season. They roost communally in trees or reedbeds, and disperse widely during the day. Nesting is at the end of a 1-2m long burrow in an earthen bank, where the lay from 2-5 eggs.

This is migratory species, spending the breeding season, between August and November, in Zimbabwe, before moving south to South Africa for the summer months, and the migrating to equatorial Africa from March to August.
 

Their diet is made up primarily of bees and other flying insects, and their major hunting strategy involves hawking flying insects from perch. Perches may include branches of vegetation or even the backs of large animals, such as the Kori Bustard. They are attracted to wildfires because of the flushed insects, and are often seen circling high in the air. It also eats rodents and lizards.

They circle larger animals and even cars to catch the insects that try to escape.

(From Wikipedia, 21 January 2012)

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This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 30% decline over ten years or three generations).

(From EOL, 21 January 2012)

This species was first discovered living outdoors in the United Kingdom in 1994. By 2002 it had become widespread in the London area, and spreading rapidly throughout. Although it is susceptible to some pesticides, it is usually recommended that home growers pick off beetles by hand, or shake them off onto a sheet of paper to remove them, if the plant affected by them is intended for culinary purposes.

(From Wikipedia, 6 October 2011)

Despite the scientific name, this beetle is a native of southern Europe.  It was first noticed in the U.K. in the early 1990s and has since become well established.

The larvae are a creamy-white colour, with grey lines along their length.

(From UK Safari, 6 October 2011)

The beetle is a native of southern Europe that has become an established pest in Britain since the 1990s.

The soft-bodied grubs are greyish white with five dark longitudinal lines; fully grown larvae are 5-8mm long. Sausage-shaped eggs, 2mm long, may be found on the underside of the leaves from early autumn to spring.

Research in the entomology laboratory at Wisley Garden indicated that rosemary beetle adults remain relatively inactive on their host plants during July and August. In late August and September the beetles resume feeding, mate and lay eggs, which they continue to do on warm winter days until spring. The eggs hatch within two weeks and the larvae feed for as little as three weeks before entering the soil to pupate. The pupal stage lasts for a further two to three weeks before adults emerge.

(From RHS, 6 October 2011)

Female goats are referred to as does or nannies, intact males as bucks or billies; their offspring are kids. Note that many goat breeders prefer the terms “buck” and “doe” to “billy” and “nanny”. Castrated males are wethers. Goat meat from younger animals is called kid or cabrito, and from older animals is sometimes called chevon, or in some areas “mutton”.

Goats are among the earliest animals domesticated by humans.^[5] The most recent genetic analysis^[6] confirms the archaeological evidence that the Anatolian Zagros are the likely origin of almost all domestic goats today. Another major genetic source of modern goats is the Bezoar goat, distributed from the mountainous regions of Asia Minor across the Middle East to Sind.^[5]

Neolithic farmers began to keep goats for access to milk and meat, primarily, as well as for their dung, which was used as fuel, and their bones, hair, and sinew for clothing, building, and tools.^[1] The earliest remnants of domesticated goats dating 10,000 years before present are found in Ganj Dareh in Iran. Goat remains have been found at archaeological sites in Jericho, Choga, Mami, Djeitun and Cayonu, dating the domestication of goats in western Asia at between 8000 and 9000 years ago.^[5]

Historically, goat hide has been used for water and wine bottles in both traveling and transporting wine for sale. It has also been used to produce parchment.

Goats are reputed to be willing to eat almost anything, including tin cans and cardboard boxes. While goats will not actually eat inedible material, they are browsing animals, not grazers like cattle and sheep, and (coupled with their natural curiosity) will chew on and taste just about anything resembling plant matter in order to decide whether it is good to eat, including cardboard and paper labels from tin cans.^[18]Another possibility is that the goats are curious about the unusual smells of leftover food in discarded cans or boxes.

Aside from sampling many things, goats are quite particular in what they actually consume, preferring to browse on the tips of woody shrubs and trees, as well as the occasional broad-leaved plant. However, it can fairly be said that their plant diet is extremely varied, and includes some species which are otherwise toxic.^[19] They will seldom consume soiled food or contaminated water unless facing starvation. This is one reason goat rearing is most often free ranging, since stall-fed goat rearing involves extensive upkeep and is seldom commercially viable.

Goats prefer to browse on shrubbery and weeds, more like deer than sheep, preferring them to grasses. Nightshade is poisonous; wilted fruit tree leaves can also kill goats. Silage (corn stalks) is not good for goats, but haylage can be used if consumed immediately after opening. Alfalfa is their favorite hay; fescue is the least palatable and least nutritious. Mold in a goat’s feed can make it sick and possibly kill it. Goats should not be fed grass showing any signs of mold.

The digestive physiology of a very young kid (like the young of other ruminants) is essentially the same as that of a monogastric animal. Milk digestion begins in the abomasum, the milk having bypassed the rumen via closure of the reticular/esophageal groove during suckling. At birth, the rumen is undeveloped, but as the kid begins to consume solid feed, the rumen soon increases in size and in its capacity to absorb nutrients.

Goats are one of the oldest domesticated species. Goats have been used for their milk, meat, hair, and skins over much of the world.^[2] In the twentieth century they also gained in popularity as pets.^[3]

(From Wikipedia, 7 October 2011)

Capra hircus is a domesticated animal and has been raised in almost all habitats. Goats do require grass for grazing, but can thrive in areas of thin growth that would not support other grazers such as sheep or cows. Also,C. hircus can be kept in dry lots as long as they are constantly fed by humans. Some sort of clean and ventilated shelter is necessary, but it does not have to be extravagant. For sleeping, C. hircus prefers a bedded area of at least 15 feet. Goats require exercise; optimally a goat should have at least 25 square feet per animal for this. Due to a well-developed herding instinct, C. hircus prefers to be in groups of 2 or more. As a domesticated species, C. hircus is very susceptible to predation. Therefore, it is best situated in a fenced in area. Feral groups are found usually in rugged mountain country, rocky crags, and alpine meadows. (“Capra hircus“, 1983; “Did you know?”, 2004; “Goat”, 2004)

(from EOL, October 7 2011)

Pinus halepensis, the Aleppo pine, is generally found at low altitudes, mostly from sea level to 200 metres (660 ft), but can grow at an altitude of up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in southern Spain, well over 1,200 m (3,900 ft) on Crete and up to 1,700 m (5,600 ft) in the south, in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.^[3][4]

Pinus halepensis is a small to medium-size tree, 15–25 metres (49–82 ft) tall, with a trunk diameter of up to 60 centimetres (24 in), exceptionally up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in). The bark is orange-red, thick and deeply fissured at the base of the trunk, and thin and flaky in the upper crown. The leaves (“needles”) are very slender, 6–12 cm (2.4–4.7 in) long, distinctly yellowish green and produced in pairs (rarely a few in threes). The cones are narrow conic, 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in) long and 2–3 cm (0.79–1.2 in) broad at the base when closed, green at first, ripening glossy red-brown when 24 months old. They open slowly over the next few years, a process quickened if they are exposed to heat such as in forest fires. The cones open 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) wide to allow the seeds to disperse. The seeds are 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, with a 20 mm (0.79 in) wing, and are wind-dispersed.^[3][4][5]

(From Wikipedia, 29 December 2011)

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Aleppo Pine is closely related to the Turkish Pine, Canary Island Pine and Maritime Pine which all share many of its characteristics. Some authors include the Turkish Pine as a subspecies of the Aleppo Pine, as Pinus halepensis subsp. brutia (Ten.) Holmboe,^[6] but it is usually regarded as a distinct species.^[3][4][5][7] It is a relatively non-variable species, with its morphological characteristics staying constant over the entire range.^[3]

The resin of the Aleppo Pine is used to flavor the Greek wine retsina.

The Pinus halepensis is widely planted for timber in its native area, being one of the most important trees in forestry in Algeria and Morocco.^[5] In Israel, the Aleppo Pine has been very successful in Yatir Forest in the northern Negev, where foresters had not expected it to survive. Native Aleppo pine forests can also be found in the Carmel and Galilee regions.^[2]

The Aleppo Pine is considered an invasive species in South Africa, and in South Australia, where a control program is in place on Eyre Peninsula.

Pinus halepensis is a popular ornamental tree, extensively planted in gardens, parks, and private and agency landscapes in hot dry areas such as Southern California, where the Aleppo Pine’s considerable heat and drought tolerance, fast growth, and aesthetic qualities, are highly valued.

Paul Cézanne had an Aleppo Pine in his garden at Aix-en-Provence; this tree was the inspiration and model for his painting, The Big Trees. As of 2005, the tree is still growing in Cézanne’s garden.^[8]

(From EOL, 29 December 2011)

Such bees can navigate their way back to the nest from a distance as far away as 13 kilometres (8.1 mi), although most forage within 5 km from their nest.^[1]

The first bumblebees to be seen in spring are the queens – the queen is the only bumblebee to hibernate through the winter. The queen is much bigger than the workers, which appear later. As soon as the queen has found some nectar, to replenish her energy reserves, she starts looking for a suitable site to build her nest.

The nest site is usually underground; an abandoned mouse burrow is often used. Inside, the queen first builds a nectar pot, which will sustain her during bad weather. She also begins to build up a pollen larder, which will feed her brood.

The queen then lays a small batch of eggs. Once these hatch she tends the larvae, feeding them with nectar and pollen. When the larvae are grown they pupate, and about 2 weeks later the first worker bumblebees emerge. These workers will forage for nectar and pollen for the colony, and tend later generations of larvae. The queen can now concentrate on egg laying and does not need to leave the nest again. The workers are smaller than the queen, and will only live for a few weeks. The foraging range and frequency of workers depends on the quality and distribution of available forage but most workers forage within a few hundred metres of their nest.^[2]

Towards the end of summer the queen lays some unfertilized eggs which develop into male bees. Some eggs are also laid which receive extra food and pupate to become new queens. When the males emerge from the nest they do not return, foraging only for themselves. They seek out the new queens and mate with them.

B. terrestris is thought to be a mainly singly mating species. This is unusual for social insect queens where mating with several males (polyandry) has been shown to have several benefits. The lack of multiple mating by B. terrestris queens may be caused by male interference in the process. B. terrestris males plug the female’s sexual tract with a sticky secretion during mating which appears to temporarily reduce the female’s ability to successfully mate with other males for several days.^[3]

When the autumn cold weather sets in, all but the young queens will die. The latter seek out a safe place to hibernate, they are the only ones to survive the winter.

(From Wikipedia, 6 October 2011)

In 2008 the Australian Government banned the live import of large earth bumblebees into Australia on the grounds that it would present a significant risk of becoming a feral species and thereby present a threat to native fauna and flora.^[4] In 2004, this bumblebee was classified as a Key Threatening Process by the Scientific Committee of the New South Wales Department of Environment.^[5]

The bee is classified as a “invasive alien species” in Japan.

(From EOL, 6 October 2011)