Showing posts with label Extremes and Records of the Nature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Extremes and Records of the Nature. Show all posts

Friday, May 13, 2016

Largest snake

Common consensus is that the Green Anaconda is the biggest existing snake. In therms of length some species of python are even longer, but they are not nearly as heavy as the anacondas. In short, largest one recorded was 6.27 m (20.6 ft)  and around 100kg. But is believed that in wild they can reach nearly double weight and 8m length.

And from Wikipedia: "The largest size verified for E. murinus in captivity was for a specimen kept in Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, which grew to a length of 6.27 m (20.6 ft) by the time she died on July 20, 1960. When this specimen was 5.94 m (19.5 ft) long, she weighed 91 kg (201 lb)"
View post on imgur.com

Photo of huge anaconda believed to be authentic (see reddit for the discussion)
Swiss diver Franco Banfi's picture taken in Mato Grosso. And cool story about the picture.

Friday, April 08, 2016

Largest eagle

This is very difficult question. There are different features to compare. Possibly as average the heaviest and most powerful eagle is the Harpy Eagle. The record for this species is a captive female, "Jezebel", weighed 12.3 kg (26 lb), but the average weight for the females is about 7.5 kg (16.5 lb).

On other hand as heaviest eagle often is cited (Wikipedia) to be the Steller's Sea Eagle. There was reported (unverified) wild female Steller's Sea Eagle with weight 12.7 kg (28 lb), but on average, females weight from 6.8 to 9 kg (15 to 20 lb).

The Philippine Eagle has the largest wingspan, average weighs about 7 kg (15.5 lb), that may mean that is a little bit lighter than the species above.

The Crowned Eagle also often is regarded as most powerful eagle. Is smaller than all above but he can lift in the air up to four times his weight.

Source: Wikipedia

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Largest Athropod - part II

(Photo and article courtesy of Dick Allen)

Just I thought I sorted out this problem and this one pop up. It was caught 1926 in Maine and had weight of 23.36kg (51.5pound) and total length of 1.28m (50.5in) or 83.8cm (33in) nose to tail. Amazing beast.

Sources: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

See more: The American lobster - largest arthropod recorded

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Smartest animal


This is really difficult question. There've been several attempts to order the smartest animals, but always there is big controversy. The firs problem is to define the meaning of the word "smart" or "intelligent", we can say for our propose that this is what we, the humans use to do, inventing tools, learning things, finding relations, speech, art and etc. In my personal opinion most valuable is the creating of things (tools) without previous (or at least not similar) experience. So far probably one of the smartest animals out there is the rook (Corvus frugilegus), and the reason is this article. I'll bet on them instead of the New Caledonian crows because, they have not instincts and previous experience of using and making hooks and pins.

The big question is how to distinguish the intelligence, conscience and thinking, what is the particular quality unique for the humans, where finishes the animal (or machine in the case of robots and programs) and begins the human, if very smart animal is more intelligent then human (child, old, mental disable) will this make the animal human and the human animal. I'll keep looking for answers.

See more: BBC (best of the articles with 3 short videos for illustration), Daily Mail, Science Daily

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The American lobster - largest arthropod recorded


An American lobster (Homarus americanus) is probably the heaviest specimen of arthropod ever recorded. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest lobster was caught 1977 in Nova Scotia, Canada, and weighed 20.15 kg (44.4 lb). It measured in estimation around 1.07 m (3.9 ft) along the body. On the picture is supposed to be this specimen, I can't find the origin of the photo, but it was said in several websites to be Nova Scotia's lobster.

Source: Wikipedia

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Most poisonous plant


Seems that the Oleander (Nerium oleander) is probably the most poisonous plant. In Wikipedia we will see that around 0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight is lethal to many animals or more poisonous than once common rat poison Strychnine

Sources: HowStuffWorks, Wikipedia

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The world's largest rat

The Gambian Pouch Rat is the largest rat in the world according many sources. The true is that it is rather the biggest rat-like creature, because the nutria is double in size and that rat is not true rat. He can grow up to 3 or 4 kg. The creature on the picture is may be him smaller cousin - the Emin's rat, I am don't sure. Here we have also funny video where we can see how smart they can be.


Source: Altpet

Friday, March 07, 2008

Fastest animal


Apparently the fastest animal is the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus). In the movie we can see a scientist proving it. The falcon is diving steeply at speed of 389 km/h (242 m/h).

Source: Wikipedia, National Geographic

Saturday, September 01, 2007

The Largest Beetle - part III

The Goliath beetles (Goliathus) are among the largest beetles. In my opinion only 2 or 3 specieses are heavier or larger. There are a lot of claims that Goliathus goliatus, Goliathus orientalis or Goliathus regius are the heaviest beetles or even insects with weight up to 100 gr (3.5 oz), but it is very unlikely, according to University of Florida a large living Goliathus goliatus of approximately 10 cm total length was recently reported to weigh 42 grams (C. Campbell, pers. comm.). The same extrapolation of data would produce a figure of about 45 grams for a living 11 cm Goliathus, that mean 3 or 4 grams fewer than the largest reported Megasoma actaeon – 13.5 cm. On the photo Goliathus regius on men arm.

Source: Wikipedia, Extreme Science, University of Florida, Natural Worlds
See more: The Largest Beetle - part I, The Largest Beetle - part II

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Biggest carnivorous fish ever

The megalodon (Carcharodon megalodon) was a giant prehistoric shark that probably lived between about 16 to 1.6 million years ago. It is the biggest known carnivorous fish to have ever lived. The maximum size of this creature has been calculated to be at 15.9 m (52.1 feet) long and the body mass of about 48 tonnes.

The teeth are similar to great white shark teeth but are much larger and can measure up to more than 17.78 cm (7 inch) long in slant. This one on the photo above is not so big.

Source: Wikipedia

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Dryest place on the Earth

The Atacama Desert receives on an average less than .004 in /.01 cm of rainfall per year, some parts of this desert have not received rainfall for over 400 years.

Hottest place on the Earth

Image Courtesy : www.spiegel.de A NASA satellite recorded surface temperatures in the Lut desert of Iran as high as 71ºC (159ºF), 2005, the hottest temperature ever recorded on the surface of the Earth.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Largest White Shark

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) caught in a set-net in Seven Star Lake, Hualien County, Taiwan, on May 14, 1997. Gross weight of this animal was 2500 kilograms and total length is estimated at 6.7 to 7.0 metres. Source of information is Victor Lin (Victor Lin pers. comm.). Possibly the largest great white shark ever recorded.

Source: Mollet

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Largest Black Marlins

On the photo Alfred Glassell poses with his long standing world record Black Marlin (Makaira indica) weighing 1,560 pounds (707.6 kg) caught off Cabo Blanco Peru in 1953. There are a lot of claims for world record, but the largest fish that I found is on the picture above.

Another large black marlin taken in 2001 on the Great Barrier Reef. This massive fish weighed 1,386 lbs (628.7 kg).

Source: Antique & Classic Fishing Reels, BigMarineFish

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Most venomous fish

Apparently the stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa), also known as the the reef stone or dornorn is the most venomous fish in the world. It is a carnivorous ray-finned fish with venomous spines that lives on reef bottoms, camouflaged as a rock.

Source: Wikipedia, Australian Museum

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Most toxic insect venom - part II

One of the most venomous insects are the caterpillars of the Moth genus Lonomia. To date, no one has calculated the LD50 values of Lonomia venom; the rate of human fatality has been documented as 1.7%, compared to a rate for rattlesnakes at about 1.8%, despite the fact that the amount of venom is only a minute fraction (less than 0.001) of the amount in a snake bite. Accordingly, it seems likely that when measured, the LD50 for Lonomia venom will be among the lowest for any natural toxin known. While there are many species in the genus, the most troublesome species is Lonomia obliqua (on the photos) from Brazil, and it is this species which most of the medical research has centered upon. Other famous species is Lonomia achelous from Venezuela.

See more: Most toxic insect venom
Source: Wikipedia, AFPMB, Mundobutterfly

Most toxic insect venom

Harvester ants in the genus Pogonomyrmex have the most toxic venom documented in any insects based on mice LD50 values, with P. maricopa venom being the most toxic. The LD50 value for this species is 0.12 mg/kg injected intravenously in mice, equivalent to 12 stings killing a 2 kg (4.4 lb) rat. A Pogonomyrmex sp. sting produces intense pain in humans that lasts up to 4 hours.

See more: Most toxic insect venom - part II
Source: University of Florida, Wikipedia

Monday, July 23, 2007

The Largest Beetle - part II

In my opinion the Titan Beetle (Titanus giganteus) is the largest and longest one. The biggest recorded specimen is about 17 cm long. Is powerful, fast and aggressive insect that can cut flesh to bone on human finger.

Source: University of Florida, Wikipedia
See also: The Largest Beetle - part I

Friday, July 20, 2007

Largest flying bird ever

Photo from Thunderbird site listApparently Argentavis magnificens is the largest flying bird ever discovered. Dr. Kenneth E. Campbell, (one of the discoverers) in front of the 25 ft. wingspan Argentavis Magnificens. Display seen at the Natural History Museum, Los Angeles.
Currently accepted estimates:
* Wingspan: 5.7 to 8.3 m (19 - 28 ft)
* Length: 3.5 m (11.5 ft)
* Height: 1.8 to 2 m (5.9 ft - 6.5 ft)
* Weight: 65-100 kg (143 lb - 220 lb)

Source: Angelfire, Wikipedia

Thursday, July 19, 2007

The Largest Beetle

Photo from University of Florida
Which one is the world's largest beetle is a very difficult question. All depends what exactly means "largest". Is it the heaviest? May be the longest? But in this case with the antennae or with the horns or without them? Or something else? So, according to what feature is measured the answer is variable. On the picture above we can see top, side, and bottom views of five of the bulkiest insects in the World, compared to a 15-cm (6-inch) scale at left. Images are graphically-sized representations of the five species at their maximum known sizes. Scale was achieved by comparing widths first, then body length. From left to right the species are:
Titanus giganteus – 16.7 cm French Guiana, Brazil
Megasoma actaeon – 13.5 cm Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil
Megasoma elephas – 13.7 cm Mexico through Venezuela
Goliathus regius – 11 cm Ghana, Ivory Coast
Goliathus goliatus – 11 cm Equatorial Africa, central and east
Ghosted to the right of the documented sizes, also to scale, is the mythical "9-inch Titanus" from the popular lore.

See more: The Largest Beetle - part II
Source: Coming soon