Common name : Hopper Scientific name : Amphipoda Family : Talitridae Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : The name ‘amphipoda’ has Greek origin, in which it means ‘different foot’, referring to 2 different kinds of legs. Amphipods have 13 segments to their bodies. Generally less than 10 mm in length, depending on […]
Common name : Plant louse Scientific name : Aphididae Family : Aphididae Native to : Temperate zones across the globe Interesting fact : With over 4,000 species across the globe, these pests multiply in leaps and bounds on account of their asexual reproduction capabilities. 0.04 inch to 0.40 inch in length, aphids have soft
The Tachyphonus cristatus (scientific name) or flame-crested tanager is found in tropical moist lowland forests and dry shrublands of South America, from Bolivia and Brazil to French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. 5.9 inches in length, the overall plumage is glossy black, excepting the yellow-orange coloured crest it has on its head, which looks
Common name : European honeybee, Killer bee Scientific name : Apis mellifera Family : Apidae Native to : Central, North & South America Interesting fact : The Killer bee (a hybrid of theAfricanized bee) responds to threats, by chasing away its enemy for more than a mile and stinging in large groups. The Africanized honeybee
The Ocreatus underwoodii (scientific name) or booted racket-tail hummingbird is endemic to South America, specifically Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. 2.9 inches in length, this hummingbird is distinguishable from the others because of its tail feathers. The upperparts are golden-green in colour; the throat and breast are iridescent emerald green, and legs are feathered
Insects are invertebrates that are found in almost all environments across the globe. Most of them have bodies, which can be divided up into head, thorax and abdomen. Bugs and insects have more than a million different species. More importantly, they represent more than half the number of living organisms found on the planet. This
The Rhegmatorhina melanosticta (scientific name) or hairy-crested antbird is found in tropical moist lowland forests of South America, specifically Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. 5.9 inches in length, this bird is quite dramatic-looking. Overall plumage is brown in colour, with a bushy grey crest, black face and the orbital skin which is pale blue
The Aglaeactis Pamela (scientific name) or black-hooded sunbeam is found only in the tropical moist and high altitude forests of Bolivia. At 5.1 inches in length, these birds are relatively large in size for hummingbirds. They have purplish-black plumage, while the tail is rufous, chest tufts are white and wings and lower back are glittering
The Recurvirostra andina (scientific name) or Andean avocet is found in areas above 3500 metres above the sea level in the Andes, South America. 17-19 inches in length, this bird has a white head, neck, chest, belly and rump. The wings and upperparts are black and the legs are thin, long and grey. The beak
The Sappho sparganura (scientific name) or red-tailed comet is found not only in woodlands, but also around human habitation in the Central Andes of Argentina and Bolivia. 8.6 inches in length, this bird is easily identifiable because of its tail. It has a long, metallic golden-red tail. The head and wing plumage is moss green,
The Ampelion rubrocristatus (scientific name) or red-crested cotinga is found in tropical moist forests, edges of the cloud-forests and heavily degraded forests of South America, specifically Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. 8.2 inches in length, this bird has grey plumage overall. The base of its beak is usually white and it also has a
The Ardeotis kori (scientific name) or kori bustard is found in open grasslands, plateaus, plains and arid scrublands of Africa. At 3.9 feet, this bulky bird is one of the largest flying birds in the world. The face and the neck are predominantly grey, and a black crest runs back from the crown. The upperparts
The Pygoscelis papua (scientific name) or gentoo penguin is found only in the Antarctic Peninsula, and the islands surrounding the Antarctic. 30 inches in height, the gentoo penguin has an orange bills, black colouring on the back and white colouring in the front. A unique identifying feature is the white strip, which resembles a bonnet,
The Microhierax fringillarius (scientific name) or black-legged falconet is found in the forested areas of South-East Asia, specifically Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. 5.0-5.6 inches in length, it resembles a sparrow. The upperparts are darker blackish plumage, while the forehead is streaked white and the throat and underparts are a light buff
The Mellisuga Helenae (scientific name) or bee hummingbird is found only in the forests which are on the main island of Cuba. Only 2.0-2.4 inches in length, this bird is the smallest living bird in the world. The male bee hummingbird has very colourful plumage. The head and throat have red-pink feathers, which are elongated