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The oak is a tree of the genus Quercus, family Fagaceae, family Cupuliferae. They have a three-celled ovary and bear a round nut called an acorn. The timber of the British oak - the Pedunculate Oak or Common Oak (Quercus robur) is very hard, though prone to twisting, and was formerly used for building warships.
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The Oak Apple Gall Wasp (Biorhiza pallida) is a hymenopterous insect of the family Cynipidae. The adult wasp reaches a length of between 1.9 and 2.3 mm, the larvae measuring between 3.5 and 6 mm in length. The female wasp injects her eggs into a bud on the oak branch which develops into a gall in which the larvae develop, later pupating within the gall before emerging as an adult wasp.
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The Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) is a moth of the family Geometridae with a wing span of between 40 and 50 mm found in the western part of the Palaearctic flying from March to May in deciduous woods and parks.
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The Oak Eggar (Lasiocampa quercus) is a moth of the family Lasiocampidae with a wing span of between 45 and 75 mm found in Europe and Asia. The male moth flies during the day, the female late in the afternoon and at night, both sexes flying from June to August.
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Oak fern (Thelypteris dryopteris) is a graceful, light green polypody fern, with a creeping rhizome, found in acid woodlands of the northern hemisphere.
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The Oak Hook-tip (Drepana binaria) is a moth of the family Drepanidae with a wing span of between 18 and 30 mm found in warm deciduous forests in the warmer parts of Europe and Asia Minor. two generations are produced flying from May to August.
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The Oak Leaf Roller (Attelabus nitrens) is a species of Snout Beetle (Curculionidae) so named from its habit of making leafy containers for its brood. Despite its name, the Oak Leaf Roller also lives on other trees as well as oaks.
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The Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana) is a moth of the family Noctuidae with a wing span of between 20 and 25 mm found in Europe and Asia. Two generations are produced, the adults of the second generation hibernating.
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The Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionae) is a moth of the family Thaumetopoeidae with a wing span of between 25 and 35 mm found in central and southern Europe flying from July to August.
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The oarfish are any of a family Regalecidae of deep-sea bony fishes, found in warm parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Oarfish are large, up to 9m long, elongated, and compressed, with a fin along the back and a mane-like crest behind the head. They have a small mouth, no teeth or scales, and large eyes. They are often reported as sea serpents.
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Oat (Avena sativa) is an erect annual grass, grown in temperate regions for its edible seed.
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The Obeche is a tree found in tropical West Africa. It has a soft, light timber which is known as Nigerian whitewood, West African satinwood and also Obeche, and which is used in coach building, the manufacture of plywood and for shelving.
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Obelia is a member of the order of Calyptoblastea.
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Oberea is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) with long, narrow bodies. A single species -
Oberea oculata - occurs in Britain where the larvae develop in willow.
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Oberonia is a genus of tropical epiphytal orchids, mostly natives of Asia and Australia, bearing crowded spikes or racemes of small flowers which have the appearance of insects or other animals.
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In botany, oblanceolate refers to leaves that have a broad rounded apex and a tapering base.
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Obrium is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae).
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In zoology, the term obtect is used to describe a pupa encased in a hardened secretion so that the wings, legs, etc., are held immovably to the body, as in the case of butterflies.
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In botany, the term obvolute is used to describe leaves or petals in the bud of a plant that are folded so that the margins overlap each other.
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Oca are various South American herbaceous plants of the genus Oxalis, family Oxalidaceae. They are cultivated for their edible tubers.
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Ocalea is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae.
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The ocelot (Felis pardalis) is a wild cat found in central and South America. It is remarkable for the beauty and variability of its colouration. It varies in length from 80 to 121 centimetres, excluding the tail which is between 28 and 38 centimetres long. The colour is generally a shade of yellow or brown, marked by spots of black arranged in streaks and blotches.
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Ochina is a genus of beetle of the family Anobiidae that lives on dry ivy.
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Ochna is a genus of evergreen tropical shrubs of the family Ochanaceae. They bear racemes of yellow flowers, followed by succulent fruits of ten, five or fewer carpels placed on the enlarged receptacles.
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Ochodaeus is a genus of small dung beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. They live underground on fungi.
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The Ochraceous Wave (Idaea serpentata) is a moth of the family Geometridae with a wing span of between 15 and 20 mm found in Europe and Asia in dry, grassy localities flying from June to August.
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Ochthebius is a genus of beetles of the family Hydraenidae with fifteen species in Britain.
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Ochthepilus is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae. They have very long, flat elytra and are found on damp moss where they live with members of the genus Lesteva.
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The Ocicat is a hybrid breed of shorthaired cat produced by Virginia Daly in the USA in 1965 from a ruddy coloured Abysinian Cat father and a seal point Siamese mother. The Ocicat is a large, athletic, spotted breed with a long body. A sociable breed, Ocicats behave similarly to a dog, following their owner about, playing retrieving games and walking on a lead.
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Ocimum is a genus of sub-tropical and temperate herbs and sub-shrubs of the family Labiatae. They bear racemes of flowers arranged in whorls of six to ten.
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In botany, an ocrea or ochrea is a cup-shaped structure, formed from the united stipules or leaf bases, that sheathes the stems of certain plants.
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Octobothrium is a member of the order Monogenea.
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Octomeria is a genus of epiphytal orchids, natives of Brazil and the West Indies. They bear dense clusters of small white or yellow flowers.
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The octopus is a cephalopod with eight arms, each with two rows of suckers along it. They have an advanced brain which learns and allows the animal to develop advanced hunting techniques.
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Octotemnus is a genus of tiny, elongate, oval beetles of the family Cisidae.
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Ocypus is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae. They are mostly black, but a few have a dark metallic or blue sheen.
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Odacantha is a genus of beetles of the ground beetle family, Carabidae, represented in Britain by a single species, Odacantha melanura, which is to be found in the south-east. It has a long, cylindrical pronotum, a slender body, and distinctive colouring. It lives among waterside plants, the adults hibernating among the reeds before mating in the spring.
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Odobenidae is the walrus family of mammals of the order Pinnipedia. The distinguishing feature of the family being that both sexes have tusks which are used in defence, to beak through ice, to hold the ice for stability when sleeping and to assist in climbing out of the water onto ice.
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Odontaeus is a genus of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae associated with truffles.
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The Odontoceti are the toothed whales family of mammals of the order Cetacea. They feed mainly on fish and squid, using their teeth, and are the only mammals to have a single nostril.
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Odontoglossum is a genus of tropical American orchids. The flowers have spreading, free sepals and nearly equal petals.
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Odontospermum is a genus of herbaceous composite plants, mostly natives of the countries bordering the Mediterranean. They bear large heads of yellow flowers.
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Oedemera is a genus of beetle of the family Oedemeridae.
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Oedemeridae is a family of beetles of the order Coleoptera. Adult members have a very soft cuticle. The antennae are generally long and thin, the elytra ribbed and tapers to a point.
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Oenocarpus is a genus of tropical palms, natives of South America. They bear great spikes of monoecious flowers, followed by dark-coloured oval, one- seeded fruits. The leaves are pinnate, and borne in terminal crowns.
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Oenothera is a genus of herbs and shrubs of the family Onagrariaceae. They generally bear showy flowers, which commonly bloom at night, from which they get their popular name of 'evening primrose' . The flowers have four petals, obovate in form.
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Ohlendorffia is a genus of tropical shrubs of the family Schrophulariaceae, mostly natives of Africa.
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Oiceoptoma is a genus of large beetles of the carrion beetle, Silphidae, family.
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Oidium albicans is a parasitic fungus that causes thrush.
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The oil beetle (Meloe) is a genus of beetle of the family Meloidae. The members have a distinct neck between the head and thorax and are distinguished by exuding a reddish, oily substance from the joints of their legs when alarmed. The larvae live in the nests of bees.
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The oil-fish or golomynka (Comephorus baikalensis) is a curious bony fish found in Lake Baikal. The pectoral fins reach a large size, and the fish takes flying leaps out of the water. The body has a greenish tint and yields an oil, hence its name.
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The okapi (Okapia Johnstoni) is a ruminant of the giraffe family, although with much shorter legs and neck, found in the tropical rainforests of central Africa. Purplish brown with a creamy face and black and white stripes on the legs and hindquarters, it is excellently camouflaged. Okapis have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years.
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Olax is a genus of tropical trees and shrubs belonging to the family Olacineae. They bear spikes or racemes of small flowers, and entire leaves arranged alternately.
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The Old English Game is a breed of bantam.
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The Old English Pheasant Fowl is a breed of chicken.
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The Old English Sheep Dog or bob-tailed sheep dog (also known as the drover' s dog or cow dog) is an English breed of dog formerly used in southern England as a sheep dog and in Sussex for bringing in cows to be milked (hence the alternative name of cow dog). The dogs are coloured blue or steel- grey and have a large square head and small bright eyes. The body is large and heavy and densely coated with a harsh, broken wavy coat, and no tail.
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The Old English Terrier or English White Terrier, is one of the oldest breeds in the terrier tribe though they have almost disappeared during the 20th century, and are an excellent rat-catcher. They have a long, narrow, flat head with a fine, tapering fox-like muzzle. The neck is long and muscular. Despite reports to the contrary, this breed is not the same as the Welsh Terrier.
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The Old Lady (Mormo maura) is a moth of the family Noctuidae with a wing span of between 55 and 65 mm found in Europe and Asia, living in damp biotopes especially along river and stream banks. It flies from July to August.
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The Oldenburgh is a German breed of horse first bred during the 17th century for agricultural and harness work and later used also as a cavalry horse. The breed has continued to be adapted and the modern Oldenburgh is a versatile and quality horse suitable for dressage and show jumping. The Oldenburgh stands between 16.2 and 17.2 hands high and is mostly, bay, brown, black or grey in colour.
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Oleaceae is a family of monopetalous exogenous plants. They are shrubs or trees with opposite, simple or compound leaves and small flowers.
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Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a poisonous shrub of the dogbane family native to southern Europe and Asia. It has evergreen linear-lanceolate, leathery, dark green leaves and showy clusters of usually pink, red or white flowers with five spreading corolla lobes clustered at the stem tips. The fruit is an erect, narrow, reddish-brown pod.
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The Oleander Hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii) is a moth of the family Sphingidae with a wing span of between 90 and 130 mm found in southern Europe, Africa, Asia Minor and India sometimes migrating to the rest of Europe.
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Oleandra is a genus of tropical ferns with scandent shoots, jointed stems and entire fronds.
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Olearia is a genus of shrubs of the family Compositae.
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Oleaster is a group of hardy, deciduous and evergreen shrubs of the genus Elaeagnus. They were introduced into Britain in 1633 from China and Japan, and the deciduous variety from America. They bear fragrant yellow flowers and reddish-brown fruit.
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Olibrus is a genus of beetle of the family Phalacridae. The beetles develop in the flower heads of plants of the family Compositae.
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Oligella is a genus of featherwing beetles, Ptiliidae characterised by a median longitudinal groove and an impression at the base of the pronotum.
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The oligochaeta are the earthworm order of annelids (Phylum Annelida), although some are freshwater rather than terrestrial. They lay eggs in cocoons.
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Oligomerus is a genus of beetle of the family Anobiidae.
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Oligoporus is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Polyporaceae.
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Oligoporus leucospongia is a pore fungus with a whitish cottony soft cap found on conifer logs in forests at high elevation in the western United States and adjacent Canada.
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Oligota is a genus of tiny rove beetles, Staphylinidae.
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Oligotricha is an order of ciliata vera. They are free-living, parasitic ciliates with the cilia restricted to certain areas of the cell-body.
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Olisthopus is a genus of beetles of the ground beetle family, Carabidae. One species, Olisthopus rotundatus, is found in Britain where it likes warmth and is to be found in open, often sandy, country.
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The olive is an evergreen tree native to Asia and the countries bordering the Mediterranean. The trees have sharp, slender leaves of a greyish green colour resembling, but somewhat smaller than, those of the willow.
In folklore, the olive is emblematic of chastity, and in ancient Greece the newly wed bride wore an olive garland, and emblematic of peace. Traditionaly, those vanquished and wishing to sue for peace carried an olive branch.
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The Olive Moth (Ipimorpha subtusa) is a moth of the family Noctuidae with a wing span of between 27 and 30 mm found in the temperate parts of the Palaearctic. A single generation is produced each year flying from July to September, after which the eggs hibernate and the caterpillars emerge in the spring to feed on poplars.
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The Olive Skipper (Pyrgus serratulae) is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae found in warmer parts of Europe and Asia in dry, rocky hills and downs. A single generation is produced that flies from May to July.
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The olm is a cave-dwelling aquatic salamander, the only European member of the family Proteidae, the other members being the North American mudpuppies.
Olms are found in underground caves along the Adriatic seaboard in Italy, Croatia, and Yugoslavia. The adult is permanently larval in form, about 25cm long, almost blind, with external gills and under-developed limbs.
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Olophrum is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae, with a very wide pronotum, a relatively small head and a shining, convex surface.
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Omalium is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae. They are black or brownish red in colour and have two deep lengthwise impressions in the pronotum.
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Omaloplia is a genus of dung beetle of the family Scarabaeidae.
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The ombu (Phytolacca dioica) is a South American tree with a thick trunk and evergreen leaves.
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An omnivore is an animal that eats both plant and animal matter.
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Omophron is a genus of small (from four to seven millimetres in length) beetles of the family Carabidae, subfamily Omophroninae. They live in burrows in sandy ground beside freshwater, and feed gregariously.
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Omosita is a genus of small sap-beetle (Nitidulidae) found on bones and dry carrion.
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Omphalea is a genus of tropical trees or shrubs of the family Euphorbiaceae. They bear monoecious, apetalous flowers, followed by thick fleshy fruits with hard centres.
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Omphalodes is a genus of hardy herbaceous plants of the family Boraginaceae. They bear loose racemes of whitish or bluish flowers, followed by fruits containing four cup-shaped seeds. The species include Omphalodes linifolia 'Venus' navelwort'.
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The Onager is a variety of the Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus), also called the ghorkhar, found in Western India and Baluchistan. It is pale in colour, has a broad dark stripe down the back, and is somewhat smaller than the kulan and is renowned for its speed.
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Onagraceae is a family of mostly herbaceous plants, chiefly natives of temperate regions of Europe and America. The flowers are generally composed of four sepals, four fungacious petals, four stamens, and a two or four celled ovary. The fruit is often an edible berry.
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Oncidium is a genus of tropical American orchids including the 'dancing lady orchid'. They bear mostly yellow flowers in long racemes or spikes.
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Oncomera is a genus of beetle of the family Oedemeridae.
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The onion (Allium cepa) is a perennial herb of the family Liliaceae. It has an edible brown bulb which is much used in cooking and has been for thousands of years.
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Oniticellus is a genus of dung beetle of the family Scarabaeidae that live in horse and cow dung.
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Onobrychis is a genus of herbaceous and sub-shrubby plants of the family Leguminosae. They bear spikes or racemes of purplish or white flowers, followed by semi-orbiculate pods, and imparipinate leaves with entire, exstipulate leaflets. The species includes the native British Onobrychis sativa, 'Common Saintfoin'.
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Onoclea is a genus of hardy ferns.
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Ononis is a genus of mostly herbaceous plants of the family Leguminosae, marked by having a five-cleft calyx, the segments of which are very narrow, a beaked keel, a thread-like style, and a swollen, few-seeded legume.
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Onopordon is a genus of hardy herbaceous plants of the family Compositae, characterised by large purple or white flower-heads, with a fleshy, honeycombed receptacle, and a hairy, rough pappus. The species include the ' Scotch thistle'.
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Onosma is a genus of hardy herbs and sub-shrubs of the family Boraginaceae, bearing cymes or racemes of tubular flowers, generally yellow in colour.
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Ontholestes is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae represented by two British species. They live on carrion and fresh dung.
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Onthopagus is a genus of dung beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. The female lays her eggs on separate piles of dung stored in underground chambers connected by branching galleries.
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Onthopilus is a genus of small beetles of the family Histeridae. They live under rotting vegetation, in dung and in mammals' nests. They have a round body and have prominent ridges on the elytra.
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Onychophora is a terrestrial class of arthropod. They have a thin cuticle. The head is composed of three segments with one pair of jaws.
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An oocyte is an immature female germ cell that gives rise to an ovum after two meiotic divisions.
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Oodes is a genus of beetles of the ground beetle family, Carabidae, with a single species living in Britain, Oodes helopioides, which grows to between 7 and 10 mm in length. The genus is virtually amphibious in habit, and lives in swampy localities where they live among the reeds and sedges.
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Oology is the science dealing with birds' eggs. Oologists are concerned with the characteristics of the eggs, that is their shape, size, the colour and texture of the shell, and the number in a clutch etc. The shape and size of birds eggs varies greatly between species; the egg of the gold-crested wren being less than two centimetres in length and those of hummingbirds even smaller. The eggs of the owls are nearly circular, while those of hummingbirds are oval at both ends, with the most common shape being that where one end is narrower than the other, as with the hen's egg.
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An oosphere is a large female gamete produced in the oogonia of algae and fungi.
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An oospore is a thick-walled sexual spore that develops from a fertilised oosphere in some algae and fungi.
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An ootheca is a capsule containing eggs that is produced by some insects and molluscs.
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In Zoology, an ootid is an immature female gamete that develops into an ovum.
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The opah (Lampris regius) is a large soft-finned deep-sea teleost fish of the family Lampridae, found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. It has a deep, brilliantly coloured body. family Lampridae. It is also known as the Moonfish or kingfish.
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Opalina is a member of the order of Holotricha.
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Opatrum is a genus of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) found under stones or at the roots of plants on dry, sandy waste ground.
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Opercularia is a genus of Australian herbaceous plants belonging to the family Rubiaceae. They bear small white flower-heads in summer.
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In zoology, an operculum is a lid or flap of skin covering an aperture, such as the gill slit cover of fish and larval amphibians and the horny calcareous operculum secreted by many gastropod molluscs, which closes the opening of the shell when the animal is inside. In botany an operculum is the cone-shaped lid of the capsule of mosses, which is forcibly detached to release the spores.
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The ophidia are a suborder of Squamata. These are the snakes. They are long and slender due to an elongation of the body. Limbs are absent, and limb girdle traces are usually absent. The mouth is very extensible.
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Ophioglossum is a genus of ferns with sessile sporangia arranged in two rows as to form a spike.
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Ophiophagus is a genus of venomous snakes, found in the East Indies. They feed on other snakes. Ophiophagus elaps is said to be the largest and most deadly of the poisonous snakes.
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Ophiothrix is an ophiuroidea.
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Ophiura is an ophiuroidea.
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The ophiuroidea are a subclass of stelleroidea. They are the brittle stars. They have a flattened body clearly marked into two regions; the disc and the arms. Tube feet extend from the under surface of the arms, but the groove is closed to form a tube. Locomotion is chiefly by muscular movement of the arms assisted by the feet.
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Ophrys is a genus of hardy terrestrial orchids with three sub-equal sepals and two entire petals. Two species; the bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) and the fly orchid (Ophrys muscifera) are native to Britain, occurring in limestone and chalky districts.
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Opilo is a genus of chequered beetles of the family Cleridae found in old wood where it feeds on woodworms and other domestic pests.
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Opisthocoelicaudia was a dinosaur of the Cretaceous period. It was a large, bulky dinosaur about twelve meters long that walked on all-fours with a long tail related to Camarasaurus and Euhelopus, from which we guess it also had a long neck. Remains of Opisthocoelicaudia comprising a head and neck-less skeleton were discovered in 1965 in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.
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The opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is an erect, bluish-green, almost hairless annual plant of the family Papaveraceae, widely distributed through Europe growing on disturbed ground. It bears bowl-shaped flowers that are between seven and ten centimetres across, with almost circular petals which are pink, white or purple in colour, sometimes with a dark spot at the base. The dried juice extracted from the seed capsule is the drug opium.
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Oplosia is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae).
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The opossum (Didelphys) is a genus of prehensile-tailed carnivorous marsupials forming the family Didelphyidae, and found exclusively in America. They are characteristically arboreal forms, and have long tails. The great toe is capable of being opposed to the other digits, so that the hind foot can be used in climbing. The pouch is usually absent, and the young are carried on the back of the mother, supporting themselves by twisting their tails around hers. Opossums are nocturnal in habit, and feed largely on insects. They are noted for feigning death when feeling threatened. The largest opossum is the Virginian form (Didelphys marsupialis) which is the only species which extends into temperate north America. It is about the size of a cat and has a pointed snout. It is one of the species in which the pouch is complete. The genus also includes the woolly opossum (Didelphys lanigera) of tropical South America; the shrew opossum (Didelphys sorex) in which the head and body together measure less than 10 cm; and a bright red
mouse-like form (Didelphys murina) which ranges from central Mexico to Brazil.
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Opuntia is a genus of tropical succulent trees and shrubs belonging to the family Cactaceae. They are natives of America, but several species have become naturalised in warmer countries of the Old World. They bear yellow or reddish flowers, followed by warty, pear-shaped berries, known as Prickly Pears.
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The Orache Moth (Trachea atriplicis) is a moth of the family Noctuidae with a wing span of between 38 and 42 mm found in the Palaearctic east to Japan. Two generations are produced flying from May to October.
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The orang utan (Simia satyrus) is an anthropoid ape found only in Borneo and Sumatra, where its popular name means 'man of the woods'. The orang utan has very long arms, which reach to the ankle when the animal stands upright, and short, thick, twisted legs with a feebly developed calf, and narrow flat heels. The hair is very long, and is reddish orange in colour. The skull is without the prominent superciliary ridges of the gorilla, and is produced at the vertex, so as to give the animal the appearance of possessing a much elongated forehead. The central bone of the carpus, absent in man, the chimpanzee and the gorilla, is present in the orang utan. The great toe is very small and devoid of a nail in the adult, and is often devoid of its terminal phalanx. The orang utan lives in thick forests and is adapted for arboreal life, living mainly on fruit but also leaves, buds and young shoots. The animals live in small family groups and build shelters high in the trees which they move between by careful and deliberate swinging by the arms,
never leaping or jumping.
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The orange is a globose, reddish-yellow bitter or sweet edible citrus fruit of the orange tree (Citrus aurantium of the fanily Rutacese). There are various varieties of orange, but the two main types are the sweet and the bitter or Seville orange while the bergamot orange (Citrus Bergamia) yields oil of
bergamot which is used in perfumery. Orange trees are highly prolific, and bear glossy, evergreen leaves and masses of white, sweet-scented flowers, which yield oil of neroli upon distillation.The orange tree is a nature of Asia, and the sweet orange was introduced to Europe from China by the Portuguese in 1547. Oranges grown for export are collected while still green and lack the delicate flavour which characterizes the naturally ripened fruit.
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The Orange Moth (Angerona prunaria) is a moth of the family Geometridae with a wing span of between 35 and 45 mm found in temperate Europe and Asia flying from May to August.
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Orange Mullein (Verbascum phlomoides) is a biennial herb of the family Scrophulariaceae, native to central and southern Europe, with a spindle- shaped branched root which bears in the first year, a basal rosette of large, rectangular to elliptic, pointed, entire or crenate leaves and in the second year, a robust, tall, usually unbranched stem terminated by a spike of sessile orange yellow flowers.
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The Orange Sallow (Xanthia citrago) is a moth of the family Noctuidae with a wing span of between 28 and 33 mm found in Europe, but absent from the extreme south, in damp deciduous forests, woodland margins, clearings and glades and on overgrown slopes, flying from August until October.
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The Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) is a moth of the family Hepialidae with a wing span of between 25 and 45 mm found in milder parts of Europe flying from August to September.
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The Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) is a European butterfly of the family Pieridae. The female butterfly lays her eggs on various cruciferous plants, especially garlic mustard. The caterpillar pupates over winter in a pupa disguised in the shape of a thorn to escape insect-eating birds.
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The Orange Underwing (Archiearis parthenias) is a moth of the family Geometridae with a wing span of between 30 and 40 mm found in Europe and Asia flying from March and April.
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Orchesia is a genus of false darkling beetles (Melandyridae) characterised by a long spur at the end of their hind tibiae which enables them to somersault.
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Orchid is the popular name for any plant of the family Orchidaceae. They are found in temperate and tropical regions and have showy flowers with three sepals and three petals, of which the lower one is usually larger, wider and more brightly coloured than the others and is known as the labellum. Orchids occur all over the world, but are most common in tropical countries. In temperate regions orchids are generally terrestrial, while thousands of tropical species are epiphytic, growing upon branches of jungle undergrowth and trees, without being parasitic. Almost all orchids are specially modified for insect fertilization, most interesting being the arrangement of pollen in club-shaped pollen masses or pollinia, which become glued to the head of any insect seeking the flower's nectar, and are so borne to other flowers.
Orchids are extensively cultivated for the variety and beauty of shape and colour from several species of orchids salep is prepared, and vanilla from unripe fruit of the species Vanilla planifolia.
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Orectochilus is a genus of whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae) occurring in running water near weirs and water wheels, hiding among vegetation during the day and active by night.
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Oreodaphne or Ocotea is a genus of tropical trees and shrubs, mostly natives of South or Central America, a few occurring in South Africa and the Canary Islands. The genus is a subdivision of the family Laurineae, and the trees bear generally coriaceous leaves and pendunculate panicles of small flowers.
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Oreodoxa is a genus of tropical American palms, with slender stems, bearing large terminal pinnatisect leaves, and spikes of small white monoecious flowers.
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Oreopanax is a genus of tropical American shrubs belonging to the family Araliaceae. They bear heads, racemes or panicles of sessile flowers, with stamens equal in number to the petals.
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The orfe is a fish of the carp family (Cyprinidae). They grow to about 80 centimetres long and live in flowing water with aquatic vegetation. The orfe is recognised by a short anal fin, as well as a short dorsal fin, both without strong rays at their commencement; there are no barbules at the mouth.
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The oribi are a few species of small fawn-coloured African antelopes with short, spike-like horns and standing about 60 centimetres tall.
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The Oriental Shorthair is a variety of Siamese cat, but without the contrasting point colours of a true Siamese. The type (which contains a number of recognised breeds, such as the Foreign White) came about in the 1920s when the Siamese Cat Club of Britain was concerned to retain the purity of the Siamese breed against variations being produced by breeders.
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Orleans Reinette is an old variety of apple, possibly originating in France but valued as a dessert apple in England in the 19th Century. The fruit is still popular in France, where it is used for cooking and eating. The tree bears slightly ruseted apples with a sweet orange flavour which are ready to pick in mid October and store until Christmas.
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The Orloff is a breed of chicken.
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The Orlov Trotter is a Russian breed of horse developed by Count Alexei Orlov at his Khrenov Stud during the late 18th century as a quality carriage horse, later the breed being mixed with American Standardbred horses to produce a trotter. The Orlov Trotter stands 16 hands high and is mostly grey in colour, though it can be bay, black or chestnut, and has a prolific flowing mane and tail.
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Ornithocephalus is a genus of tropical American epiphytal orchids.
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Ornithogalum is a genus of bulbous plants belonging to the family Liliaceae, which bear racemes of generally white or yellow flowers, often very beautiful. The genus includes the Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) which flowers in May, bearing a corymb of satiny white and greenish flowers.
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Ornitholestes was a dinosaur of the Jurassic period. It was a small, lightly-built carnivore, about two meters long, that walked on its hind-legs, standing about one meter tall. An almost complete skeleton of Ornitholestes was discovered in 1900 at Wyoming, USA. Ornitholestes had small teeth and rather weak hands and long, slim arms and legs.
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Ornithology is the scientific study of birds.
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Ornithomimus was a dinosaur of the Cretaceous period. Ornithomimus was a medium-sized animal, about four meters long, half its length being taken by its tail, that walked on its hind legs and was devoid of teeth but instead had a horny beak and probably fed in a manner similar to modern birds, using its hands to tear and break leaves, fruit, insects, lizards and small animals into pieces which could then be swallowed. The first remains of Ornithomimus were discovered in 1889 near Denver, Colorado, USA. Ten species of Ornithomimus have been discovered.
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Ornithorhynchidae is the duck-billed platypus family of mammals consisting of a single genus and species.
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The Orpington is a breed of chicken.
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Orthoperus is a genus of beetles of the family Corylophidae, represented by six species in Britain. They are minute, round-bodied, black in colour and live under bark, on mouldy wood, under rotting leaves, in fungi, straw and plant matter, in pine and fir cones, in damp cellars, and in the nests of birds of prey.
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The ortolan (Emberiza hortulana) is a songbird of the bunting family, common in Europe and west Asia, migrating to Africa in the winter. The bird reaches a length of about 14 centimetres. In the male the upper surface is reddish-brown with black streaks, the under surface greenish-olive anteriorly and brownish posteriorly. The head is grey and the throat yellow. Long considered a delicacy among gourmets, it was netted during its migration and has become rare and is now a protected species.
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Orussoidea is a super-family of insects of the sub-order Symphyta, order Hymenoptera. They are tiny insects, only a few millimetres long with 11-segmented antennae. The female has a needle-like ovipositor. The larvae are parasitic on the larvae of wood-boring beetles.
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Oryctes is a genus of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae, the genus include the European Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes nasicornis) that is native to southern Europe.
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The oryx is a large antelope found in African deserts. They are about the size of donkeys, and both sexes carry long horns which are slightly curved in the Sudan oryx, and straight in the other species.
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Osbeckia is a genus of tropical herbs and shrubs belonging to the family Melastomaceae.
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Osiers is a species of willow grown for basket-making.
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Osmanthus is a genus of fairly hardy shrubs and trees belonging to the family Oleaceae, with short fascicles or racemes of small flowers, followed by globose drupes.
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Osmunda is a genus of ferns with sori distinct from the leafy part of the fronds, being borne in panicles of thyrsoid clusters. From this habit they are commonly known as flowering ferns. The genus includes the native British Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) which grows to one meter in height.
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The osprey (Pandion haliaetus), also known as the fish hawk, is a large hawk and only member of the family Pandionidae. Unlike those of the other raptors, the anterior and hind toes are the same length, the outer toe being reversible like that of an owl, which is of great advantage in grasping prey. It seeks its prey by circling above the water and on sighting it hovers a moment before plunging down after it. The mainstay of its diet is fish, though it also eats other food.
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Osteichthyes is a subclass of fishes. These are the bony fishes. The endoskeleton is of bone. The exoskeleton is comprised of bony scales. The mouth is terminal and the external nostrils lie on the dorsal surface of the snout.
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Osteospermum is a genus of shrubs native to South Africa, belonging to the family Compositae. They bear heterogamous yellow flower-heads.
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Ostracoda is a subclass of small crustaceans with a bivalved carapace and reduced trunk and abdominal limbs.
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The ostrich (Struthio) is a member of the order Struthioniformes. It is the largest bird in existence, with the adult male reaching 245 centimetres in height, the neck being almost one meter in length. The special peculiarity of the bird is the reduction of the toes to two, these corresponding to the third and fourth of the typical foot. The foot and tarsus are both stout; the head is small, with large eyes, and a short, broad and depressed beak. The wing and tail feathers are large and soft and have broad, equal vanes, while the long neck is practically naked. The male ostrich is coloured black, with pure white tail and wing plumes, the female is greyish. The wings are rudimentary and incapable of flight but the strong legs enable it to run fast for long distances. In the wild, ostriches consort in parties of five or six individuals, though larger herds are occasionally seen.
Ostriches feed on grass, leaves, seeds and fruit mingled with animal matter. Ostriches are polygamous, the male consorting usually with from two to four females. They do not build a proper nest, instead all the females associated with a single male deposit their eggs together in a single shallow excavation constructed in the sand, dug by the male.
Ostriches have long been hunted for their feathers, with a devastating reduction in their numbers which led in 1865 to the first ostrich farm being establish in the Cape Colony to produce feathers for commerce. Today ostrich meat is eaten, and ostrich farms are appearing in Britain and elsewhere also.
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The name otary is applied to any seal which has external ears (as opposed to the true seals which lack them). The eared seals make up the family Otariidae, which includes the Sea Lion and the Fur-seal of the North Pacific.
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Othius is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae, found in leaf litter.
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Othonna is a genus of South African shrubs and herbs belonging to the family Compositae. They bear mostly yellow flowers.
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Othonnopsis is a genus of mostly South African shrubs, belonging to the family Compositae. They greatly resemble the members of the genus Othonna, but the disc is sterile.
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Otiorhynchus is a genus of wingless beetles, of the weevil group. They are black or brown in colour, and usually about one centimetre in length. Both in the larval and beetle state they are very destructive to garden products such as peas, turnips, vines, strawberries, peaches and raspberries. The larvae work their mischief in the roots, the beetles usually on buds and young shoots.
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Otter is a popular name for any of several species of aquatic, furry, weasel- like carnivorous mammals of the genus Lutra. They have webbed feet and a long slightly flattened tail. A male otter is known as a dog, a female otter a bitch.
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The Otter-Hound is a shaggy breed of dog probably descended from the Old Southern Hound. Essentially a water dog, they possess an acute sense of smell and sight, great endurance and remarkable intelligence. They were formerly used in packs in England for hunting otters.
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Oulema is a genus of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) the larvae of which attack grass and cereal leaves chewing them down to a skeleton.
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Oulimnius (formerly known as Limnius) is a genus of beetle of the family Dryopidae.
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The Ounce or Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) is an endangered member of the cat family, spotted like a leopard and having a long bushy tail. It is only found at high altitudes on the Himalayas.
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Ouranosaurus was a dinosaur of the Cretaceous period. Ouranosaurus was a medium-sized dinosaur, about seven meters long, that walked on its hind legs and was similar in appearance and related to Iguanodon. However, Ouranosaurus had a 'sail' of skin that ran along the backbone and was supported by spines, one on each vertebra. Remains of Ouranosaurus have been found in North Africa and from sediments found with the remains we know the climate Ouranosaurus lived in was warm and dry.
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Ourisia is a genus of hardy herbaceous plants, belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae.
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Ousel was an ancient name for the blackbird, it is now the name of several birds found in Europe and the Americas.
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Ousipalia is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae, formerly regarded as a subgenus of Atheta.
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In botany, the term ovate describes a leaf which is egg-shaped, with the broadest part at the base.
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The oven-bird (Furnarius) is a small, South American insectivorous Passerine bird so called from its nest which is made of mud and straw in any exposed location and completely closed except for a small entrance which leads into a passage half separated by a partition from the main chamber where the eggs are laid. The best known species is the red oven-bird (Furnarius rufus) found in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina.
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In zoology, oviparous refers to animals which lay eggs from which the young subsequently hatch outside of the parent's body, such as birds and many species of snakes.
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Oviraptor was a dinosaur of the Cretaceous period. It was a small animal, about two meters long, walking on its hind legs and standing about one meter tall.
Oviraptor had hands furnished with three strong fingers, and a powerful toothless beak that could have crushed bones. It is generally assumed, as remains have been found near nests of other animals eggs, that Oviraptor ate eggs - hence it's name which means 'egg thief'. Remains of Oviraptor were first found in 1923 at Shabarakh in Mongolia.
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The Owl Butterfly (Caligo eurilochus) is a South American species of butterfly of the family Amathusiidae with a wing span of about 138 mm, the underside of the wings being brightly coloured and the upper side bearing markings which resemble the eyes of an owl.
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The ox is a genus of ruminant mammal.
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The ox-pecker is an African bird, of the genus Buphagus, of the starling family. It clambers about the bodies of large mammals, feeding on ticks and other parasites. It may help to warn the host of approaching dangers.
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Oxalis is a genus of herbaceous plants belonging to the family Geraniaceae. They all have fleshy rhizomes, and bear regular flowers, red, white or yellow in colour, each with five sepals and five petals. The genus includes wood-sorrel (Oxalis acetosella).
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Oxycoccus is a genus of hardy shrubs belonging to the family Vacciniaceae. They bear nodding flowers with pink corollas, followed by fleshy, globose berries, and have small, undivided, alternate leaves. They frequent marshy or mountainous districts. The genus includes the cranberry.
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Oxyomus is a genus of small dung beetle of the family Scarabaeidae found in decomposing vegetable matter, compost and especially rabbit dung.
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Oxypoda is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae with over sixty European species varying in shape, but found in ground litter and decaying matter.
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Oxyporus is a genus of rove beetles, Staphylinidae. They have prominent, crossed mandibles and a large head, wider than the pronotum.
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Oxythyrea is a genus of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae.
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The oyster is a bivalve mollusc of the genus Ostrea constituting the family Ostreidae, or true oyster, family, having the upper valve flat, the lower concave, hinged by an elastic ligament. The mantle, lying against the shell, protects the inner body, which includes respiratory, digestive, and reproductive organs. They are usually found adhering to rocks or other fixed objects in shallow water along the seacoasts, or in brackish water in the mouth of rivers. Oysters commonly change their sex annually or more frequently; females may discharge up to a million eggs during a spawning period.
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An oyster bed is a breeding place for oysters. The term applies to both naturally occurring colonies of oysters and to a place in a tidal river or other water on or near the seashore, where oysters are deliberately deposited to grow and fatten for market.
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The oyster catcher is a chunky shorebird of the family Haematopodidae, with a laterally flattened, heavy bill that can pry open mollusc shells. The common oyster catcher or sea-pie (Haematopus ostralegus) inhabits Europe and central Asia. It has a black head, neck and mantle, the lower part of the back, the base of the tail and the under surface are all white. The beak is long, nearly straight, wedge-shaped and a bright orange-vermilion colour. It is found generally on the coast but will also ascend rivers for some distance, feeding on shore molluscs, marine worms, small fish and other marine animals. The black and white American oyster catcher (Haematopus palliatus) is found on the Atlantic and south Pacific coasts.
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The oyster crab (Pinnotheres ostreum) is a small crab which lives as a commensal in the gill cavity of oysters.
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Oyster-green (Ulva) is a green membranous seaweed often found growing on oysters and also common on stones, piles, etc.
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Oysterling is the name for a young oyster.
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