Animal portraits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Nepalese legend, which explains how the yak got its rich fur, is related on the page Animals in culture and religion: Bovidae.

The yak was domesticated by nomadic tribes as early as c. 5000 B.C., and today the population is estimated at 14 million, the vast majority in Chinese territories. The population of wild yak may be fewer than 15,000, and though it is legally protected, illegal hunting still takes place and may threaten this magnificent animal with extinction.

The scientific name is Latin for ‘grunting ox’ – a most descriptive name, as it grunts incessantly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the Jersey adapts well to cold as well as hot climates, it has been exported to many countries around the world. Some countries have developed separate breeds.

 

 

 

 

 

This breed is characterized by the long horns and the wavy coat, which comes in a variety of colours, including red, ginger, black, dun, yellow, white, or grey. The long coat allows it to spend the harsh Scottish winter outdoors. It is raised primarily for the meat, which is prized for its low content of cholesterol, and also for the milk, which generally has a very high butterfat content.

Today, Scottish Highland cattle is found in many countries around the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1920, King Victor Emmanuel III donated the original 21 square kilometres to the country, and it became Italy’s first national park in 1922. Despite the park, ibex were poached until 1945, when only 419 remained. Since then, the population has increased, and there are now almost 4,000 in the park. It has been reintroduced to numerous other areas in the Alps, and also to Bulgaria and Slovenia.

In summer, the alpine ibex lives in rocky areas just below the snow line, at elevations between 1,800 and 3,300 m, descending to lower altitudes in the winter.

The specific name is the classical Latin term for the chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), possibly of the same origin as Old Spanish bezerro (‘bull’). Why it was applied to this animal is not clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several other pictures, depicting this species, are shown on the page Quotes on Nature.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek oros (‘mountain’) and amnos (‘lamb’), thus ‘mountain lamb’, presumably alluding to the white fur of the animal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The desert bighorn sheep, ssp. nelsoni, occurs throughout the desert regions of the south-western United States and north-western Mexico.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During a research trip to the Chukotka Peninsula, north-eastern Siberia, my companions and I visited the staff of a light house, situated at the tip of Kosa Ruskaya Koshka (‘Russian Cat’s Sandspit’). One of the dogs belonging to the staff was an English springer spaniel. Our trip to this area is related in detail on the page Travel episodes – Siberia 2011: Caterpillar trip in Chukotka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The black-backed jackal, also known as silver-backed jackal, is quite common in two widely separated areas. The nominate subspecies is distributed in southern Africa, from southern Angola, south-western Zambia, Zimbabwe, and southern Mozambique southwards to the Cape Province of South Africa, whereas subspecies schmidti is found from extreme south-eastern Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia southwards to central Tanzania, westwards to Uganda.

The generic name is derived from the Latin lupus (‘wolf’), and the suffix ella, indicating something diminutive, thus ‘little wolf’. The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek mesos (‘half’) and melas (‘black’), presumably referring to the blackish hairs, mixed with white hairs on the back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These animals are very intelligent and often perform in ocean parks.

The generic name is derived from the Latin Orcus (god of the underworld), and the suffix inus, thus ‘of the underworld’, or rather ‘of the realm of the dead’, like the common name alluding to these animals being efficient killers. The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘ferocious sea creature’.

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from Ancient Greek ekhinos (‘hedgehog’ or ‘sea urchin’) and mys (‘mouse’), alluding to the stiff hairs that many members of the family have on their body, presumably to deter enemies from eating them.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek mys (‘mouse’) and kastor (‘beaver’), alluding to its resemblance to the beavers (Castor). The specific name is a Latinized version of the Spanish coipu, which is taken from koypu, the Mapudungun name of this animal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today, this formerly large family contains 7 species, all placed in the genus Equus. There are 3 species of zebra, living in Africa, 3 species af ass, living in Asia and Africa, and one species of horse, which went extinct in the wild, but has been reintroduced to Mongolia. Herds of feral domestic horses are found many places around the world.

The generic name is the classical Latin term for horses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Divided into 7 subspecies, it is distributed in most of subarctic Alaska and Canada, extending its range through western United States to the northernmost parts of Mexico, and in the eastern states it is mainly restricted to the Appalachian Mountains, southwards to Pennsylvania.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek erethizein (‘to irritate’), referring to the quills, the specific name from the Latin dorsatus (‘ridged’). Thus, the name can be loosely translated as ‘the animal with the irritating back’.

The word porcupine is derived from the Latin porcus (‘pig’) and spina (‘thorn’). Despite its name, this animal is not closely related to Old World porcupines (Hystrix).

 

 

 

 

 

The snow leopard (P. uncia) is described on the page Animals: Animal tracks and traces, and the sad fate of the tiger (P. tigris) is related on the page Folly of Man.

 

This species mainly inhabits savanna, but is also found in various types of open forest. Four subspecies are currently recognized. The nominate jubatus occurs from Uganda and Kenya southwards through eastern and southern Africa to Namibia and South Africa. It has been exterminated in Zaire, Rwanda, and Burundi. The population is estimated at around 5,000 individuals.

Subspecies soemmeringii is restricted to north-eastern Africa, occurring in South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.

With a total population estimated at less than 250 individuals, subspecies hecki is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. It has a scattered occurrence of tiny populations in southern Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Benin.

Today, the Asiatic cheetah, subspecies venaticus, which was formerly distributed from the Arabian Peninsula and Turkey eastwards to Central Asia and India, is confined to a tiny population in Iran. It is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, as the total population in 2025 was estimated at only around 20 individuals, mainly in Turan National Park in northern Iran.

By 2025, the world population was estimated at between 6,500 and 7,100 individuals in the wild. In Africa, it is declining due to loss of habitat, poaching for the illegal pet trade, and conflict with humans.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek akinitos (‘motionless’) and onyx (‘nail’ or ‘hoof’), thus ‘motionless nails’, referring to the fact that the cheetah, unlike other cats, is unable to retract its claws.

The specific name is derived from the Latin iuba (‘mane’ or ‘crest’) and‎ atus (‘like’), thus ‘having a mane-like crest’, referring to the long mane of cheetah kittens below the age of 3 months. This mane is a means of camouflage, when the kittens are left in dense cover by their mother, when she goes hunting.

The name cheetah is derived from the Sanskrit citra, meaning ‘variegated’, ‘spotted’, or ‘speckled’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The spotted hyaena has a very complex social behaviour, with respect to group-size, hierarchical structure, and frequency of social interaction among both kin and unrelated group-mates. However, their social system is openly competitive rather than cooperative, with access to kills, mating opportunities, and the time of dispersal for males, all depending on the ability to dominate other clan-members. (Source: Holekamp, Sakai & Lundrigan, 2007. Social intelligence in the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, London, 362, pp. 523-538)

The generic and specific names are derived from Ancient Greek krokottas, first mentioned by Greek geographer, philosopher, and historian Strabo (c. 63 B.C. – c. 24 A.D.) in his Geographica, where the animal is described as a mix of wolf and dog, native to Ethiopia.

 

 

 

 

 

The family name means ‘those that resemble lepus’, lepus being the classical Latin word for hare.

A number of species are described on the page Animals – Mammals: Hares, rabbits and pikas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek nyktos (‘night’) and kebos (‘monkey’). The meaning of the specific name is not known.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cape fur seal ranges along the southern coasts of Africa, from Ilha dos Tigres in southern Angola, along the Namibian coast to Algoa Bay in South Africa, whereas the Australian subspecies lives in south-eastern Australian waters, along the coasts of Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, with the largest concentration in the Bass Strait.

The preferred breeding habitats of these seals are rocky islands, or pebble or boulder beaches. The population of the Cape fur seal is approximately 2 million, whereas that of the Australian fur seal is around 120,000. (Source: iucnredlist.org/details/2060/0)

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek arktos (‘bear’) and kephale (‘head’), thus ‘with a bear-like head’. The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘very small’ – not a very appropriate name, as the animal is not particularly small, but maybe it is smaller than other eared seals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The name Steller’s sea lion commemorates German naturalist, physician, and explorer Georg Wilhelm Steller (1709-1746), who described the species in 1741. He participated in the Second Russian Kamchatka Expedition, led by Danish explorer Vitus Bering (1681-1741). Steller’s life is described on the page People: Famous naturalists.

The generic name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘having a broad forehead’, whereas the specific name is Latin, meaning ‘having a mane’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek dendron (‘tree’) and hyrax (‘shrew-mouse’), the last part alluding to the rodent-like appearance of these animals. The specific name is derived from the Latin arbor (‘tree’), and the suffix eus, thus ‘living in trees’.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pro (‘before’), or rather from pros (‘towards’ = ‘resembling’), and çavia, the obsolete Portuguese name of the Brazilian spiny rat (Makalata didelphoides) of the family Echimyidae, derived from the Tupi name of this animal, saujá. In classical Latin, presumably due to a misunderstanding, the word cavia was used for the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), thus the name can be rendered as ‘resembling guinea pigs’.

The specific name refers to the Cape Province of South Africa. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

Rhino parts have been used as ingredients in traditional Asian medicine for at least 2000 years. Virtually every part of the animal is used: the horn for reducing fever and spasms; the skin for skin diseases; the penis as an aphrodisiac; the bones to treat bone disorders; the blood “as a tonic for women who are suffering from menstrual problems.”

In China, powdered horn is regarded as an aphrodisiac. However, chemical analyses have not revealed any active ingredients to suggest that the remedy could be effective in this respect. (Source: J. Still 2003. Use of animal products in traditional Chinese medicine. In: Complementary Therapies in Medicine)

In fact, western medical experts tend to discount all claims of any curative power in rhino horn. It is well known that aspirin contains similar properties and produces many of the same results as rhino prescriptions in patients.

Formerly, rhino horn was used for adorning dagger sheaths in Yemen – a practice which may still take place.

All five species of rhino are critically endangered due to widespread poaching, the Asian species also due to habitat loss.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek keras (‘horn’) and therion (‘beast’), the specific name from Ancient Greek simos (‘snub-nosed’), alluding to the square mouth of this species, an adaptation for grazing.

It has often been claimed that the most commonly used name, white rhino, is a mistranslation of the Dutch word wijd to the English word white. Wijd means ‘wide’ in English, and it was supposed to refer to the width of the rhinoceros’s mouth. However, this is not the case. In fact, the name white rhino can be traced back to a letter in Dutch, written by the Boer Petrus Borcherds to his father in 1802. In this letter, he mentions two rhinos, both killed in 1801, a male of the ‘black variety’, and a female ‘white’ rhino. Concerning the female, Borcherds stated (still in Dutch): “She was of the type known to us as the white rhinoceros. (…) I expected this animal to be entirely white, according to its name, but found that she was a paler ash-grey than the black male.” (Source: Jim Feely 2007. Black rhino, white rhino: what’s in a name? Pachyderm 43, pp. 111-115)

However, both species are in reality grey, the ‘black’ rhino somewhat darker than the ‘white’ rhino.

 

 

 

 

 

Both scientific names mean ‘two-horned’, the generic name derived from Ancient Greek dyo (‘two’) and keras (‘horn’), the specific name from the Latin bis (‘twice’) and cornu (‘horned’). The common name is explained above (see white rhino).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek rhinos (‘nose’) and keras (‘horn’), the specific name from the Latin unus (‘one’) and cornu (‘horned’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Numerous members of the family are described on the page Animals – Mammals: Squirrels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A number of species are described on the page Animals: Animals in culture and religion: Suidae.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due to illegal hunting, and to feed the insatiable Asian markets for traditional medicine and bear paw soup, bears have disappeared, or become very rare, in many areas, including Europe, Southeast Asia, Korea, China, and Taiwan. Today, five species are endangered.

 

Many Asian black bears are kept in captivity to supply the markets for traditional medicine and bear paw soup. In South Korea, for instance, only around ten individuals live in the wild, whereas about 1,600 are kept in captivity, often under horrible conditions. These captive bears are often killed in the most cruel and horrendous ways, and that this practice is illegal does not seem to deter consumers.

The generic name is the classical Latin term for bears. The specific name means ‘from Tibet’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for lark. The specific name is derived from the Latin arvus (‘cultivated’), alluding to the skylark being common in cultivated areas.

 

 

 

 

 

These birds are divided into 3 subfamilies: river kingfishers (Alcedininae), tree kingfishers (Halcyoninae), and water kingfishers (Cerylinae).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the last 50 years, the population has greatly increased due to protection from shooting on the wintering grounds. Numbers in Ireland and England have risen from about 30,000 in 1950 to about 300,000 today.

The pink-footed goose is closely related to the bean goose (A. fabalis) and was formerly treated as a subspecies of that species.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek brakhys (‘short’) and rhynkhos (‘bill’), alluding to the rather short bill of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin fuligo (‘soot’) and gula (‘throat’), thus ‘having a soot-coloured throat’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One or three species are found in the Old World. If only one species is acknowledged, it is called A. melanogaster. Most authorities, however, recognize three full species: oriental (below), African (A. rufa), and Australasian (A. novaehollandiae).

The generic name means ‘little head’ in the Tupi language of Brazil, referring to an evil spirit of the forests, the devil bird. (Source: G. Marcgrave 1648. Historiae rerum naturalium Brasiliae. Liber V)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name refers to a kind of heron, mentioned by Hesychius of Alexandria, a Greek grammarian who, probably in the 5th or 6th Century A.D., compiled a work, titled Alphabetical Collection of All Words, a list of unusual and obscure Greek words. The specific name is the name of a kind of marshbird in the Tupi language, a people who once lived in Brazil. The popular name refers to the fact that the bird seems to limp when it walks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from ciconia, the classical Latin word for storks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin crumena (a purse carried around the neck), naturally referring to the gular sac. The common name is borrowed from French marabout, which was adapted from Portuguese maraboto, which was again derived from Arabic murabit (a soldier stationed in fortified outpost), presumably alluding to the upright stance of this species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is Latin, meaning ‘turtle dove’, whereas the specific name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘female drummer’, ultimately from tympanon (‘drum’ or ‘tambourine’), alluding to its call, a repeated du-du-du, slightly reminiscent of the sound from a tambourine.

 

 

 

 

 

A large number of species are described on the page Animals – Birds: Corvids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A large number of these birds are in the pet trade, and many of them have escaped to form feral populations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin ruris (‘country’) and colere (‘to dwell’), thus ‘countryside-dweller’. The common name was adapted from French gerfaucon, possibly derived from Old High German gir (‘vulture’), referring to its large size, or from Ancient Greek gyros (‘circle’), alluding to the hunting method of the bird. As opposed to most other falcons, it circles while searching for prey.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Swedish sparv (‘sparrow’), thus ‘sparrow-like’, alluding to the small size of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A large number of species are described on the page Animals – Birds: Gulls, terns and skimmers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the past, these genera all belonged to the family Timaliidae, which constituted a true ‘waste-bin of systematics’, in which hundreds of bird species were placed. Today, most of these species have been moved to other families.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from the Latin musca (‘a fly’) and capere (‘to catch’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Numerous cormorant species are presented on the pages Fishing and Silhouettes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the latest genetic research, guineafowl and New World quails are treated as separate families, Numididae and Odontophoridae, respectively.

A number of species are described in depth on the page Animals – Animals in culture and religion: Phasianidae and Numididae.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘larger’, in this connection larger than the middle spotted woodpecker (D. medius) and the lesser spotted woodpecker (D. minor).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin torqueo (‘to twist’), and the suffix illa, denoting something small, thus ‘the small one that twists (its neck)’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sub-Saharan members of the family, called greenbuls, brownbuls, leafloves, and bristlebills, are mainly forest birds, whereas the majority of North African and Asian species live in open areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are two subspecies, faeroeensis in Iceland, the Faroes, and the Shetland and Orkney islands, and the nominate gallinago in the rest of the distribution area. Previously, Wilson’s snipe (G. delicata) of North America was also regarded as a subspecies of the common snipe.

The generic and specific names are the classical Latin word for snipe, derived from gallina (‘small hen’) and the suffix ago (‘resembling’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many species have been introduced elsewhere, including North America, Hawaii, and New Zealand. They often compete with native birds, and many are regarded as invasive species, in North America especially the common starling (Sturnus vulgaris), which is dealt with on the page Nature: Invasive species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In his journal, Banks noted: “Calm most of the day: myself in a boat shooting, in which I had good success, killing cheifly several Gannets or Solan Geese, so like European ones they are hardly distinguishable from them. As it was the humour of the ship to keep Christmas in the old fashiond way, it was resolved of them to make a Goose pye for tomorrows dinner.”

On Christmas Day, Banks recorded that “our goose pye was eaten with great approbation.” – Therefore, it is hardly surprising that none of these specimens found their way to England, considering that a goose is best when fried with the skin on!

This species breeds along the coastlines of Australia (Victoria and Tasmania), and New Zealand, mainly on offshore islands, but also in mainland colonies. Outside the breeding season, it may be observed along coasts from western Australia to Queensland, and around New Zealand, Lord Howe Islands, and Norfolk Islands.

Swedish naturalist Daniel Carlsson Solander (1733-1782), who was assistant to Banks, described the bird, naming it Pelecanus chrysocephalus, but later changing it to Pelecanus sectator. Scotsman Sydney Parkinson (c. 1745-1771), who was the official artist on board the Endeavor, illustrated the bird as P. sectator, which was misread as P. serrator by later authorities.

 

 

 

 

 

Traditionally, this family has been classified into two subfamilies, the ibises and the spoonbills. However, a recent genetic study concludes that spoonbills are closely related to the Old World ibises, whereas the New World ibises are an early offshoot. (Source: J.L. Ramirez, C.Y. Miyaki & S.N. del Lama 2013. Molecular phylogeny of Threskiornithidae (Aves: Pelecaniformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Genetics and Molecular Research 12 (3): 2740-2750)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This animal, which may attain a length of up to 35 cm, used to be included in the large genus Agama, but is now the single species in the genus Stellagama. However, it may constitute a species complex and may be split into several species in the future.

The generic and specific names are both derived from the Latin stella (‘star’), referring to its many spots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The eyes of these animals move independently, and they are able to analyze two different images simultaneously when hunting for prey. When a suitable prey has been spotted, the chameleon projects its very long, sticky, folded-up tongue at a tremendous speed at the prey, often from quite a distance. The poor victim sticks to the tongue, which is then folded up and retracted into the mouth, prey and all.

Chameleons are also able to change colour very fast, which mostly happens when they get excited. An example is shown below under Chamaeleo dilepis.

The family name is derived from Ancient Greek khamai (‘on the ground’) and leon (‘lion’), thus ‘earth-lion’, undoubtedly alluding to the hunting method and voracious appetite of these animals.

Several species are popular pets, and some places they have escaped (or have been released) to form feral populations, which are often a threat to the local insect fauna – and thereby indirectly to insectvorous birds, and plants which are dependent on insects for pollunation. This is seen in Hawaii and other places.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They live in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, with terrestrial forms in Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas, and marine forms in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family and common names are adapted from the Ancient Syriac word for these animals, sqinqur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Greek tortoise may be distinguished from the quite similar Hermann’s tortoise (T. hermanni) by having large symmetrical markings on the top of the head, large scales on the front legs, and a spur on each thigh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is of Semitic origin, meaning ‘dragon’ or ‘lizard beast’. The English name is explained in various ways. Some say it has its origin due to the occasional habit of these animals to stand on their two hind legs, seemingly ‘monitoring’ something. Others say that it arose from an old superstitious belief that they would warn people of the approach of venomous animals.

Previously, the earless monitor lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis) was placed in this family, but has since been moved to a separate family, Lanthanotidae.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Latin name of the pit vipers, Crotalinae, is derived from Ancient Greek krotalon (‘castanet’), alluding to the rattle on a rattlesnake’s tail. This subfamily is found in Asia and the Americas. The members, which include rattlesnakes, lanceheads, and Asian pit vipers, are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ, located between the eye and the nostril on both sides of the head.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek ankistron (a kind of curved chisel) and odon (‘tooth’), alluding to the curved fangs of this species. The specific name is derived from the Latin contortus (‘twisted’). What it refers to is not clear.

Previously, it was assumed that only one species of copperhead existed in the United States, but it has recently been split into 2 species.

 

 

 

 

 

This species is sometimes referred to as the temple viper, because of its abundance around the Temple of the Azure Cloud, a Chinese temple in Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia, in daily speech called the Snake Temple.

The specific name was applied in honour of German herpetologist Johann Georg Wagler (1800-1832). He died young of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound while out collecting near Munich.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from bufo, the classical Latin word for toads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is composed of the name of Indian herpetologist Sushil Kumar Dutta (born 1952), professor of zoology at North Orissa University, Baripada, India, and Ancient Greek phrynos, the term for a kind of venomous frog.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek melanos (‘black’) and stiktos (‘punctured’ or ‘spotted’), referring to the black dots on its face.

 

 

 

 

 

The common name refers to the loud rasping call, made by the males in spring, from natter (‘to chat away’), and jack, a word used to name animals, which are smaller than similar kinds, in this case presumably smaller than the common toad (above).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pelos (‘mud’) and phylax (‘sentinel’), thus ‘living in mud’.

The specific name is derived from the Latin esca (‘food’) and ulentus (‘abounding in’), thus ‘most edible’. Like the common name it stems from the usage of this frog as food, particularly in France, where its legs are considered a delicacy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It lives in many types of forest and may also sometimes be found in gardens. It is distributed from India and Bangladesh eastwards to Indochina, and thence southwards through Malaysia and the Philippines to Indonesia. It has also become naturalized on several islands in Japan.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek polys (‘many’) and pedetes (‘leaper’ or ‘dancer’), from pedan (‘to leap’ or ‘to jump’). The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’), and the Latin mystax (‘moustache’), presumably alluding to the white lips of this species, which, with a bit of imagination, resemble a moustache.

 

 

 

 

 

The female grows to about 8 cm long, the male to 6 cm. It is quite variable in colour, grey, yellow, or reddish-brown on the back, whitish on the belly. The head is triangular, and the eyes are large. When attacked by a predator , it is able to secrete a fluid, which may be toxic or unpalatable. The eggs are laid in white foam nests in trees or bushes over pools.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek megas (‘large’) and kephale (‘head’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

These animals are plant-eaters, and some species at times become serious pests, forming huge swarms that consume crops over wide areas. Most species protect themselves from predators by camouflage. If detected, they suddenly jump into the air, many species displaying brilliantly coloured wings to startle the predator. Other species have strong colours as a warning to predators that they are ill-tasting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from papilio, the classical Latin word for butterfly. The common name alludes to some members of the family with long extensions on the hindwings, giving the appearance of the tail of the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica).

 

The larvae feed on members of the genus Aristolochia, storing toxins from these plants in their bodies. This makes the adults toxic to most predators, including birds and reptiles.

The origin of the generic name is unknown.