Amphibia (the amphibians) is a class of vertebrate animals, which in their early life breathe by gills or branchiae, and afterwards partly or entirely by lungs. The Frog, breathing in its tadpole state by gills and afterwards throwing off these organs and breathing entirely by lungs in its adult state, is an example of the latter phase of amphibian existence. The Proteus of the underground caves of Central Europe exemplifies forms in which the gills of early life are retained throughout life, and in which lungs are developed in addition to the gills. A second character of this group consists in the presence of two occipital condyles, or processes by means of which the skull articulates with the spine or vertebral column; Reptiles possessing one condyle only. The class is divided into four orders: the Ophiomorpha (or serpentiform), represented by the Blind-worms, in which limbs are wanting and the body is snake-like ; the Urodela or Tailed Amphibians, including the Newts, Proteus, Siren, etc; theAnoura, or Tailless Amphibia, represented by the Frogs and Toads; and the Labyrinthodontia, which includes the extinct forms known as Labyrinthodons. Research Amphibia
Anomognathus is a genus of tiny rove beetles, Staphylinidae, characterised by a sharp, spine-like process on the last abdominal tergite. Research Anomognathus
Calamarinae is a subfamily of reptiles of the typical snakes family (Colubridae). The subfamily contains nine genera divided into some 65 species found in south Asia across New Guinea and the Philippines, mainly in rain forests and montane rainforests to an altitude of 1800 metres. Most members have pointed or shovel-shaped snout, and the head is indistinct from the body. Generally the rostal shield extends forward over the mouth, the scales are smooth and iridescent and the relatively short tail ends with a spine. All of the members of the subfamily are subterranean, living in burrows, emerging at night or after heavy rain to hunt earthworms and over invertebrates and larvae. Some species live in termite mounds and feed on the termites and their nymphs. Research Calamarinae
The emu or emeu (Dromaius Novoe Hollandioe) is a large, ostrich-like flightless bird found in the plains of Australia where it eats fruits, vegetable matter, roots etc. The emu resembles the cassowary in its vestigial wings and double- plumed feathers, but differing in the absence of the helmet, wattles, and spine-like quills on the wings. It nearly equals the ostrich in bulk, being thicker in the body, though its legs and neck are shorter. Its feet are three-toed (the ostrich has two toes), and its feathers, which are double, are of a dull sooty-brown colour, those about the, neck and head being of a hairy texture. Unusually the female emu is larger, more pugnacious and noisier than the male, resembling in demeanour the cock of other species of bird.
The wings are small and useless for flight, but the bird can run with great speed, and emu coursing as a sport was formerly very popular and led to a drastic reduction in the numbers of emus during the 19th century.
The feathers of the emu are used in industry for dust removal, for instance in the manufacture of motor vehicles, vehicles are passed through rollers covered in emu feathers to remove dust particles from the vehicle prior to it being painted - by 2008 no synthetic substance having been found which is as effective at dust removal. Research Emu
The Fer de Lance or Rat-tailed Snake (Bothrops atrox) is one of the species of pit vipers found in the West Indies and tropical America. It grows to about two metres in length, has a deadly bite, and is variously coloured but usually reddish-yellow with irregular dark bands and spots. The tail ends in a horny spine which scrapes harshly against rough objects but does not rattle. Research Fer de Lance
The File-fish (Trigger-fish) are bony fishes found mostly in tropical and warm seas, distinguished by their hard mail-like scales, powerful jaws, and teeth adapted for biting through the shells of molluscs and stripping off pieces of coral to get at the soft parts for food. They are also called trigger-fish from the way the first spine of the dorsal fin snaps back when elevated. Research File-fish
Horned-toad is a popular name for the Phrynosoma genus of lizards. They are found in America and look rather like toads and are covered with spine-like scales. Research Horned-toad
Lambeosaurus was a dinosaur of the Cretaceous period. Lambeosaurus was a crested, duck-billed dinosaur with a squarish forward-pointing crest and a long rearward facing spine on top of its head. Lambeosaurus was a large dinosaur, about 15 metres long and able to walk on its hind legs or all fours. Research Lambeosaurus
The Rhodesian ridgeback is a breed of South African dog. It is a medium- sized, muscular dog with a short, glossy red or tan coat with a characteristic ridge of hair along the spine consisting of parallel crowns of hair growing in the opposite direction of the rest of the coat. They were originally bred for huntinglions, but are now primarily used as guard dogs. Research Rhodesian Ridgeback
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Amphibia
