Questions tagged [zoology]
The biological study of animals. Very broad use so be sure to add additional clarifying tags
1,361
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How does a bone know the final shape it has to attain (and then maintain)?
How do osteoblasts and osteoclasts share information with each other to maintain this shape?
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Have scientists tried to communicate with Sperm whales?
I see lots of passive studies of sperm whale click "language", usually focused on fingerprinting to identify groups and individuals. There's application of deep learning, and all sorts of ...
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2answers
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What species of duck is this?
What species of duck is this? See below photo. Head colour is green like a mallard, but that's pretty much the only similarity. Spotted in Leicestershire, UK.
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What is this worm like animal found on a well water filter?
This was found in the water filter on a private water well that feeds a house in southeast Colorado, USA. The well has hard water, and is shallow (25’). There are several of these creatures all over ...
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0answers
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What mammals can rotate and move their ears the most?
I found out that rabbits can rotate their ears 270 degrees, and also move them up, down and independently. Are there any other mammals that can control their ears' position that well, or even better?
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Why mammals don't have renal portal system
I am a high school student and I am a little confused why mammals don't have renal portal system?, some books says that because we have four chambered heart, so our blood is filtered more effectively ...
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0answers
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Infectious deadly disease among free animals?
Sorry for the presumably naive question, I'm not a biologist and searched for that but didn't find a clear answer to this question.
What I would like to know if deadly infectious diseases are common ...
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0answers
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WC small organisms ID?
I have reached the end of my Winogradsky Column experiment, but out of interest I have kept them for a little longer. I have noticed small bug- and worm-like organisms appearing in some of my columns. ...
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0answers
36 views
Why do wasps (Vespula vulgaris) build a new nest every year?
I have been searching it for a while, and i haven't found an answer, why do common wasps (Vespula vulgaris) create a new nest every year instead of using the previous one if the old one is still ...
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1answer
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Spontaneous generation of fruit flies
I live in the South of England. It is currently winter.
Whenever I buy bananas, even one, if I leave the discarded banana peel in my kitchen, within hours or even minutes, there is a cloud of little ...
3
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0answers
53 views
Why is the spinal cord shortened in some vertebrates (cauda equina) but not in others?
Hodos, 2009, mentions that the "spinal cord tail" that humans have is not present in most vertebrates. This page mentions cauda equina is not present early on in human embryonic development, ...
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1answer
32 views
How many hairs per sq. cm. (or inch) do hamsters have on average?
How many hairs per square centimeter (or inch) do common pet hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus or Phodopus sungorus) have on average?
I thought this would be easy to find by googling, but the best I've ...
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1answer
33 views
The Fish-Tetrapod Transition, evolution of the “elbow” in Stem Tetrapods
The Acanthostega and Tulerpeton limbs seem to form "elbows" in an axis perpendicular to the flexor and extensor plane of the fin. They seem to "flex" their "elbow" ...
3
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1answer
67 views
What is the name of this bird from Tanzania?
I took this picture in late 2018 in Tanzania. The Birds of East Africa book does not include it and I've been unable to identify it looking on the web. Can someone help me identify it, please. Thank ...
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0answers
49 views
What type of creature makes those mounds?
Location: South Ireland,
Appeared: 2020
Nearest river: 500 meter down hill south
Water is running down the hill also but there’s drainage to not flood the grass
Seen before: potted plant
I used earth ...
-2
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1answer
18 views
Sprawling locomotion, are knee/elbow joints perpendicular to erect locomotion?
The first terrestrial animals used sprawling locomotion. Is the knee and elbow jointed perpendicular to the joints in erect locomotion? It is easy to assume so, based on how the limbs move in ...
3
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1answer
49 views
Bats observed hunting insect prey - any evidence of “handedness” (laterality) in circular flight pattern?
Whilst watching a bat hunting on the wing at dusk (most likely was a species common to my urban UK location, e.g. pipistrelle) its flight pattern around the garden comprised circles, several metres in ...
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0answers
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Can this toad be approx 1cm long?
Recently the toad from this video has been identified as an American Toad inside this post in Reddit. The original video mentions it was filmed in White Clay Creek State Park, Newark, Delaware, USA.
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1answer
73 views
Can someone identify this worm?
The first time I saw these was in an old cooler full of water by my shed, there were 3 of them about 2 weeks ago. Now tonight I found one crawling up my door. Can anyone offer some insight? I have ...
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0answers
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Difference between haemocoel and coelom
I am looking for an embryological perspective on the following question.
I know about coelom derivation, but I want to know how haemocoel is derived and how it is fundamentally different from coelom.
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question on brain dissection
I was dissecting a sheep's brain for my students and one of them asked a question about the corpora quadrigemina he asked why did two of them(the superior colliculus) look more red than the other two ...
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1answer
79 views
confusion in types and kingdom system of classification
I am a high school student and I want to ask: is the 'kingdom system' of classification (two-kingdom, three-kingdom etc.) different from artificial or natural classification? I am asking this because ...
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1answer
44 views
Animal species anatomy [closed]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal
Do all animal species have two lungs and two kidneys similar to human beings?
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51 views
Found lots of these insects on my study desk today. What are these? [duplicate]
I came home today, switched on the lights and saw many of these running around my study desk. Any help in identifying these little insects? The picture is zoomed in so it doesn't really do justice to ...
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0answers
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Weird Black Worm (Possibly Flatworm?)
I was out walking one night (In Florida) when I spotted this creature sliding around in the grass. I believe it may be a New Guinea Flatworm, but not quite sure. Could anyone please provide a definite ...
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0answers
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Animals with very high bite pressures
When media, such as this site wants to explain just how dangerous large animals are, they often quote bite-forces as pounds per square inch (psi).
However, it appears that they mixed up the units, as ...
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Why do Oak Processionary caterpillars form processions?
Firstly ,I don't live in Europe. I live in South India, and my garden has a Night Flowering Jasmine tree.
And these trees are quite popular, but notorious for their caterpillars. In our region ,there ...
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51 views
Need help identifying what looks to be a skull
( BOTTOM VIEW )I was given this skull(?) by someone a few years ago, it was found washed up on a beach in Panama. I collect bones so usually I’m really good at IDing skulls and I’ve spent some time ...
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0answers
29 views
Harbor Seal behavior and personality
I'm doing some research on Harbor seal behavior, but I haven't been able to find much on general behavior such as personality, quirks, ect. Does anyone have anyone have any firsthand experience with ...
2
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1answer
37 views
What species is this colourful caterpillar?
What species is this colourful caterpillar found on a road in Central Europe?
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1answer
36 views
Can elephants trumpet when they have water in their trunks?
I am writing a fun story about elephants and want to know if elephants can trumpet or at least, make noises when they have water in their trunks, like when they are drinking water. Thanks for your ...
1
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1answer
36 views
Phytophagous worm identification
These worms appear soon after the rain lilies flower and slowly nibble on the leaves growing big and chubby. They are about 5cm long, have many small red legs underneath, have no spines or spikes, and ...
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0answers
21 views
Digestion of Cud in a Ruminant [duplicate]
A ruminant's digestive system contains 4 chambers: The rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum. The food travels from the mouth to the rumen, then to the reticulum, back to the mouth, then back to the ...
29
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1answer
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What is this strange sea creature we found on the beach?
We found this on a beach in North Devon, UK. I've never seen anything like it.
There's a yellowy-ball in the middle with 5 pointed shells attached to it, each of which seems to have a single "leg&...
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1answer
34 views
Characteristics of Araneus hui (an orb-weaving spider)
What are the characteristics of Araneus hui? Neither thematic literature nor photos was found.
Mentioned in RU Wikipedia, reference wasn't found.
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%...
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0answers
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Do uerotelic organisms save roughly 3/4ths water compared to ammonotelic?
My analysis based on Daniel Atkinsons work, professor in biochemistry (see references below), is that ureotelism is saving 3/4ths water compared to ammonotelism. Is this correct? What do people here ...
10
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1answer
2k views
Can anyone identify this object?
It was found on the shore of the Ohio River in Kentucky. It is very hard, like bone, and feels hollow but does not rattle. It is translucent. I do not think it is skull of a water fowl even though ...
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Please help ID this possible fish skull
Found on the shoreline of a tributary of the upper part of the Chesapeake bay in Maryland:
[![enter image description here][1]][1]
More pictures:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cg8t4Ttsde4oDDDg7
...
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0answers
25 views
What websites biologists use to check what new plant or animal species have been discovered in the world?
What are the databases or websites that biologists use to check what new plants or animals have been found in the world? The service should list the location of the discovery, time of discovery, image ...
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1answer
106 views
Why don't the female lions in a pride help their male lion to protect their children from other males?
I watched a dozen of videos taping the fights between male lions; none of them involve female lions assisting in the fight. It is also known that the male lion who take-over the pride will kill all ...
2
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1answer
54 views
Anyone can identify this moth?
Found on the ceiling of my flat.
Place: London, UK
Date: 9th of August
Size I would say slightly more than inch and inch and half (3-4cm) wingspan
Suspect on the photo:
3
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2answers
66 views
How is Elysia chlorotica classified as an animal capable of photosynthesis?
Elysia chlorotica is a kind of sea slug. Technically, it's an animal. However, it undergoes a process called kleptoplasty, which is the absorption of chloroplasts from algal prey cells which are then ...
5
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0answers
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Identification of a red arachnida (?) (picture and video)
I found this in a greenhouse in Norway. It is a few millimeters in size, I could fit 5-6 of them on my thumbnail.
It looks a lot like this one from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
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1answer
67 views
Bed bug or booklouse? [duplicate]
I found this creature climbing on the lower part of a wall inside apartment. Can you distinguish if it's a bed bug nymph or a booklouse? Sorry the photo quality isn't great, because it's so small (2 ...
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0answers
33 views
Can elephants drink water by directly sucking it up from its nose?
For animals and humans, our noses are connected to the esophagus. When us humans go to the pool and do flips in the water, we often get water stuck in our noses, and drips into our esophaguses. What I ...
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0answers
25 views
Does the spray of a skunk affect only mammals, or can it also affect birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, or invertebrates?
The spray of a skunk is said to affect dogs, bears, and humans.
Can it also affect other mammals or members of other groups of animals such as birds (other than the great horned owl, due to their poor ...
8
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3answers
152 views
Can elephants smell when they have water in their trunks?
For humans, humans cannot smell when they have water stuck in their noses. However, I am wondering if elephants can smell scents when they have water in their trunks, as they are designed to hold ...
5
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3answers
555 views
Identify this black dragonfly with a bright bluish-white band around its body
I took these photos around noon in late July in Hsinchu county Taiwan. This particular stick in this particular pond is visited by many dragonfly species. This one was very high energy and nervous but ...
2
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1answer
78 views
Are these springtails and isopods?
G'day!
I'm based in Victoria, Australia.
I'm hoping to culture springtails for my terrariums, so I went out and tried to collect some. I found them underneath a rock, which was sitting on damp ground. ...
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1answer
22 views
Do Termites and Silverfish metabolize cellulose the same way?
I am fascinated with silverfish and would like to understand more about their metabolism.
I learned that they can survive on a diet of cotton which is nearly pure cellulose. Do they metabolize ...
