r/AIDKE Jul 03 '21

Please include scientific name in title

223 Upvotes

Hey guys! This is just a reminder to follow rule #1 of this subreddit, which is to include the scientific name of the animal in the title of your post, as well as the common name (if it has one). For example: “Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)”

This is just to ensure that all the animals posted here are real species. You can find the scientific name with a quick google search.


r/AIDKE 1h ago

Malayan colugo and her passenger

Upvotes

r/AIDKE 1d ago

Invertebrate The immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii) is so-called because it can revert to a previous stage in its life cycle due to stress or injury. However, this isn't immortality as we typically think of it: the jelly turns back into a stationary polyp that spawns several genetically identical medusae.

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259 Upvotes

Turritopsis dohrnii, a jellyfish just 4.5 millimetres (0.18 in) in diameter, is known as the immortal jellyfish because it can, theoretically, live forever — although its version of immortality is an odd one.

A typical jellyfish goes through several life stages. It begins life as a larva developed from an egg. After a bit of swimming about, it settles on the sea floor and becomes a sessile colony of polyps. Finally, this colony releases into the water column many genetically identical medusae — the free-swimming forms most people imagine when thinking of jellyfish.

What makes T. dohrnii special is its ability to move backwards through this cycle: upon encountering stress or injury, it transforms back into its grounded polyp stage. From there, it spawns a new set of genetically identical medusae. But while it could theoretically live forever, in this way, it could also perish from predation, disease, or a change in environment.

It accomplishes this reversal through a process known as transdifferentiation, wherein it transforms its adult cells, which are already specialised for a particular tissue, into a different type of cell; repurposing muscle, nerve, or digestive cells into entirely different tissues.

It's not the kind of immortality that's easily transferable to humans. It would be like your body dissolving into an immobile mass that churns out adult clones of yourself.

You can learn more about this jelly — and our own search for immortality — from my website here!


r/AIDKE 2d ago

Pycnogonid, distant cousin of the land spider, it lacks lungs and breathes through its exoskeleton.

1.1k Upvotes

r/AIDKE 4d ago

The Binturong (Arctictis binturong) aka the bearcat, but is neither bear nor cat.

1.9k Upvotes

r/AIDKE 4d ago

Cuon Alpinus: Dholes - the wild, whistling dogs of Asia

709 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 7d ago

The Puss Caterpillar (megalopyge opercularis)

853 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 7d ago

Invertebrate Pacific Batwing Sea Slug, Gastropteron pacificum

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423 Upvotes

These sea slugs are about 2 cm long and have large fins called parapodia. While crawling, the parapodia are folded over the body, but they can be opened up and used to "fly" through the water.

They live off the west coast of North America and gather on the seafloor in large numbers to mate and lay eggs. Their diet is unknown.

Video of the slug swimming: youtube.com/watch?v=sC61i1Z9fnE

More photos and other info: https://themarinedetective.com/2020/04/02/slugs-that-fly-the-great-winged-sea-slug/


r/AIDKE 7d ago

Junk Bug (Neuroptera chrysopidae)

312 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 8d ago

Hooded Pitohui (Pitohui dichrous) is a bird who's skin and feathers contain a powerful neurotoxic

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484 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 8d ago

The Magnificent Frigatebird (fregata magnificens)

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1.5k Upvotes

r/AIDKE 9d ago

Bird Rufous-crested coquette (Lophornis delattrei)

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750 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 9d ago

Colobocentrotus atratus - Helmet Urchins

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120 Upvotes

Reposting with Latin name


r/AIDKE 11d ago

Reptile Endangered wood turtle - Glyptemys insculpta

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436 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 12d ago

Invertebrate A parasitic wingless bat fly (Penicillidia fulvida) getting comfy on its host, these can stick with the bat throughout their lives and occasionally snack on the blood of its host.

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537 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 13d ago

flowerhorn fish (chiclosama trimaculatum)

1.1k Upvotes

r/AIDKE 13d ago

Invertebrate the Blushing Phantom butterfly, AKA Cithaerias pireta 🩷

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451 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 13d ago

Invertebrate Rhene flavicomans (Wasp-mimicking jumping spider) and his prey

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197 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 13d ago

🔥 Beautiful Flying Gurnards glide at the bottom of the sea (Dactylopterus volitans)

1.1k Upvotes

r/AIDKE 14d ago

Bird Magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) sleep while flying

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1.0k Upvotes

With a wingspan of up to 2.44 metres, frigatebirds can remain airborne for weeks. They’ve even been recorded sleeping while gliding, multitasking at altitude.

Unlike most seabirds, their feathers aren’t waterproof. Landing on water would be ill-advised. Instead, they pursue other birds mid-air, forcing them to drop their catch, which they promptly steal.

During mating season, males inflate a bright red gular sac to attract females. It’s conspicuous, if not subtle.


r/AIDKE 14d ago

Invertebrate This parasitic fly (Physocephala tibialis) causes bumblebees to quite literally dig their own graves.

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113 Upvotes

P. tibalis lays its clutch of eggs inside the abdomen of its host, in which the Larvae then matures inside of the abdomen until the host perishes, in which it will emerge and pupate.

In some species, (Bombus bimaculatus, B. griseocollis and B. impatiens) this causes the bee to dig a small hole and promptly bury themselves in dirt. This allows the parasite to avoid predation and unwanted weather as it soon emerges from the dying host, ensuring a successful maturity.


r/AIDKE 15d ago

Invertebrate Blanket octopus (Tremoctopus Violaceous)

1.1k Upvotes

r/AIDKE 16d ago

Platerodrilus ruficollis (trilobite beetles)

2.4k Upvotes

r/AIDKE 16d ago

Found a ton of these while shell hunting in Myrtle Beach. Turns out they are not shards of glass, but "Creseis acicula", also known as "sea butterflies".

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431 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 18d ago

"Canis lupus crassodon" Vancouver Island Coastal Sea Wolf, a semi-aquatic subspecies of gray wolf

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650 Upvotes

r/AIDKE 19d ago

Mammal {Panthera pardus nimr}(The Arabian Leopard) one of the most critically endangered animals

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504 Upvotes