Posts tagged gould

Doris sumptuosa [now Hexabranchus sanguineus] - “Spanish Dancer”

The “Spanish Dancer” nudibranch is named for its flamboyant “skirts” that swish around like a flamenco dancer. Hexabranchus sanguineus is found around the world, wherever the water is warm enough.

The species was first described based on a specimen from the Red Sea, where its coloration is almost blood-red (hence the “sanguineus” - blood-like). However, the color can vary from red, to orange, to bright yellow (though pure yellow is quite rare).

These are some of the largest nudibranchs out there. Adults can reach up to 40 cm in length.

United States Exploring Expedition, under the command of Charles Wilkes: Atlas, Mollusca and Shells. Augustus A. Gould, 1856.

gastropods.com

Thaumalia amherstiae [now Chrysolophus amherstiae] - Lady Amherst’s Pheasant Despite the flashy appearance and elegant tail that look like they would stick out anywhere, Lady Amherst’s Pheasant does a remarkably good job at blending in with the underbrush of its native rainforest habitat, in Myanmar and China. Though not endangered, they are rarely seen in the wild. Birds of Asia. John Gould, 1850-86.

Thaumalia amherstiae [now Chrysolophus amherstiae] - Lady Amherst’s Pheasant

Despite the flashy appearance and elegant tail that look like they would stick out anywhere, Lady Amherst’s Pheasant does a remarkably good job at blending in with the underbrush of its native rainforest habitat, in Myanmar and China. Though not endangered, they are rarely seen in the wild.

Birds of Asia. John Gould, 1850-86.

Pitohui variable (now Pitohui kirhocephalus) - The Variable Pitohui Though all pitohuis have been found to have at least some level of toxin in them, the variable pitohui and hooded pitohui have by far the highest and most consistent levels of it, both in their bodies and throughout their feathers. The toxins carried by the pitohuis aren’t actually produced by them - like the Columbian poison dart frog, they acquire the toxin from their food sources. Actually, the chemical makeup of their toxin is almost identical to that of the poison dart frogs. They secrete neurotoxic alkaloid compounds known as batrachotoxins. These toxins are lipophilic, and can permeate unbroken skin. They bind to nerve cells, and basically “break” them - they open up the sodium channels in the cells (permanently depolarizing them) so that the nerves can no longer fire, and a flaccid paralysis ensues. Bizarrely, the tetrodotoxin of the pufferfish may be a possible “treatment” for batrachotoxin-induced paralysis. Tetrodotoxin is non-competitive with batrachotoxin (meaning it wouldn’t be trying to bind to the same part of the cell, and wouldn’t have to remove the batrachotoxin first), and causes an extreme tetanic (stiff) paralysis, because it causes nerve cells to enter a state where they’re permanently firing and can’t stop. Well, toxin or not, no deaths due to the pitohui have ever been recorded. The Papuan natives see pitohuis as “rubbish birds” because of their toxins, and avoid hunting them. Surely a few natives or explorers have died eating them in the past, but they aren’t an active threat to anyone. The birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan Islands. R. Bowdler Sharpe and John Gould, 1875-1888.

Pitohui variable (now Pitohui kirhocephalus) - The Variable Pitohui

Though all pitohuis have been found to have at least some level of toxin in them, the variable pitohui and hooded pitohui have by far the highest and most consistent levels of it, both in their bodies and throughout their feathers.

The toxins carried by the pitohuis aren’t actually produced by them - like the Columbian poison dart frog, they acquire the toxin from their food sources. Actually, the chemical makeup of their toxin is almost identical to that of the poison dart frogs. They secrete neurotoxic alkaloid compounds known as batrachotoxins. These toxins are lipophilic, and can permeate unbroken skin. They bind to nerve cells, and basically “break” them - they open up the sodium channels in the cells (permanently depolarizing them) so that the nerves can no longer fire, and a flaccid paralysis ensues.

Bizarrely, the tetrodotoxin of the pufferfish may be a possible “treatment” for batrachotoxin-induced paralysis. Tetrodotoxin is non-competitive with batrachotoxin (meaning it wouldn’t be trying to bind to the same part of the cell, and wouldn’t have to remove the batrachotoxin first), and causes an extreme tetanic (stiff) paralysis, because it causes nerve cells to enter a state where they’re permanently firing and can’t stop.

Well, toxin or not, no deaths due to the pitohui have ever been recorded. The Papuan natives see pitohuis as “rubbish birds” because of their toxins, and avoid hunting them. Surely a few natives or explorers have died eating them in the past, but they aren’t an active threat to anyone.

The birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan Islands. R. Bowdler Sharpe and John Gould, 1875-1888.

pictures of swallows? — Asked by Anonymous

Y’know, I read this, figured “oh, yeah, I have tons of birds, I’m sure I have a bunch of swallows/martins in one of those books”

Boy, was I ever wrong. But after looking through my entire natural history folder, I remembered that I still had John Gould’s plates in a separate folder, and HE certainly had swallows. Gould saves the day! Or something like that.  Here’s one for now. I have a few more for later.

Hirundo fluvicola - Indian Cliff Swallow - Birds of Asia, John Gould, 1850.

Crimson-headed Partridge. Groups are known as a bevy, bew, clutch, covey, or warren of partridges. 

Crimson-headed Partridge.

Groups are known as a bevy, bew, clutch, covey, or warren of partridges. 

Hooded Crow. The nouns for a collective group of crows are interesting. They’re known as a parcel, murder, muster, hover, or storytelling. A storytelling of crows. Interesting noun.

Hooded Crow.

The nouns for a collective group of crows are interesting. They’re known as a parcel, murder, muster, hover, or storytelling.

A storytelling of crows. Interesting noun.

Blue-Bearded Bee-Eater.

Blue-Bearded Bee-Eater.

Gurney’s Pitta.

Gurney’s Pitta.


Australian King Parrot.

Australian King Parrot.

Black-Naped Oriole.

Black-Naped Oriole.

Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo.

Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo.

Whooper Swan, Black Swan, Bewick’s Swan.

Pesquet’s Parrot. Also known as the Vulturine Parrot - it consumes only figs, but it still has the bare head that gives it a vulture-esque profile. The few species of figs that it consumes are particularly soft, and it is assumed the bare head is an adaptation against the sticky residues of the fruit.

Pesquet’s Parrot.

Also known as the Vulturine Parrot - it consumes only figs, but it still has the bare head that gives it a vulture-esque profile. The few species of figs that it consumes are particularly soft, and it is assumed the bare head is an adaptation against the sticky residues of the fruit.

Eurasian Teal.

Eurasian Teal.


Red Myzomela

Red Myzomela