Spider With Long-horned - orb weaver spider

 Hey Guys hope you readers are happy to read this blog we are awaiting you for Feedback suggestions for improving this blog. So let’s start to today’s info. In our world there is lots of animals and livings and each one have their own Secrets and beauties. Today we are going to know about a spider that has a big horn. Yes a big horn spider

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                                                      Classification

Kingdom:              Animalia                                  Phylum:                 Arthropoda

Subphylum:          Chelicerata                              Class:                    Arachnida

Order:                 Araneae                                  Infraorder:         Araneomorphae

Superfamily:       Araneoidea                              Family:                 Araneidae

So let’s know about him, spiders are among the craftiest and most beautiful of arthropods, entirely undeserving of their maligned reputation. Some signal their presence with massive horns or brilliant colors, others attempt to blend into the scenery.

Many spin intricate traps of sticky silk, but some chase their prey -- or ambush it, bursting out of burrows hidden beneath Earth's surface. With its massive antenna-like horns, the spiny Macracantha arcuata looks like some sort of WiFi-equipped gadget. Nobody is really sure what purpose the horns actually serve, but it's possible that they are mostly for show, to make the spider look more intimidating to predators. Orb-weaver spiders or araneids are members of the spider family Araneidae. They are the most common group of builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields and forests.

"Orb" was previously used in English to mean "circular", hence the English name of the group. Araneids have eight similar eyes, hairy or spiny legs, and no stridulating organs.The family is cosmopolitan, including many well-known large or brightly colored garden spiders. With 3122 species in 172 genera worldwide, Araneidae is the third-largest family of spiders (behind Salticidae and Linyphiidae). Araneid webs are constructed in a stereotyped fashion. A framework of nonsticky silk is built up before the spider adds a final spiral of silk covered in sticky droplets.Orb-webs are also produced by members of other spider families. The long-jawed orb weavers (Tetragnathidae) were formerly included in the Araneidae;

they are closely related, being part of the superfamily Araneoidea. The family Arkyidae has been split off from the Araneidae.The cribellate or hackled orb-weavers (Uloboridae) belong to a different group of spiders.

Their webs are strikingly similar, but use a different kind of sticky silk. Generally, orb-weaving spiders are three-clawed builders of flat webs with sticky spiral capture silk. The building of a web is an engineering feat, begun when the spider floats a line on the wind to another surface. The spider secures the line and then drops another line from the center, making a "Y". The rest of the scaffolding follows with many radii of nonsticky silk being constructed before a final spiral of sticky capture silk.The third claw is used to walk on the nonsticky part of the web. Characteristically, the prey insect that blunders into the sticky lines is stunned by a quick bite, and then wrapped in silk.

If the prey is a venomous insect, such as a wasp, wrapping may precede biting and/or stinging. Araneids species either mate at the central hub of the web, where the male slowly traverses the web, trying not to get eaten, and when reaching the hub, mounts the female; or the male constructs a mating thread inside or outside the web to attract the female via vibratory courtship, and if successful, mating occurs on the thread.In the cannibalistic and polyandrous orb-web spider Argiope bruennichi, the much smaller males are attacked during their first copulation and are cannibalized in up to 80% of the cases. All surviving males die after their second copulation, a pattern observed on other Argiope species. Whether a male survives his first copulation depends on the duration of the genital contact: males that jump off early (before 5 seconds) have a chance of surviving, while males that copulate longer (greater than 10 seconds) invariably die.

Prolonged copulation, although associated with cannibalism, enhances sperm transfer and relative paternity. Sexual dimorphism refers to physical differences between males and females of the same species. One such difference can be in size.Araneids often exhibit size dimorphism typically known as extreme sexual size dimorphism, due to the extent of differences in size. The size difference among species of Araneidae ranges greatly. Some females, such as those of the Nephila pilipes, can be at least 9 times larger than the male, while others are only slightly larger than the male. The larger size female is typically thought to be selected through fecundity selection,the idea that bigger females can produce more eggs, thus more offspring.

Although a great deal of evidence points towards the greatest selection pressure on larger female size, there is some evidence that selection can favor small male size as well.Araneids also exhibit a phenomenon called sexual cannibalism, which is commonly found throughout Araneidae.Evidence suggests a negative correlation between sexual size dimorphism and incidences of sexual cannibalism. Other evidence, however, has shown that differences in cannibalistic events among araneids when having smaller or slightly larger males is advantageous.

The oldest known true orb-weaver is Mesozygiella dunlopi, from the Lower Cretaceous. Several fossils provide direct evidence that the three major orb-weaving families, namely Araneidae, Tetragnathidae and Uloboridae, had evolved by this time, about 140 million years ago.They probably originated during the Jurassic (200 to 140 million years ago). Based on new molecular evidence in silk genes, all three families are likely to have a common origin.The two families, Deinopoidea and Araneoidea, have similar behavioral sequences and spinning apparatuses to produce architecturally similar webs. The Araneidae weave true viscid silk with an aqueous glue property, and the Deinopoidea use dry fibrils and sticky silk. The Deinopoidea (including the Uloboridae), have a cribellum – a flat, complex spinning plate from which the cribellate silk is released.

Saiga antelope An Amazing animal that must be save

Hey guys today we will know about really weird but extremely amazing and rare animal, the name called Saiga antelope. We should try to save this animal.

                                                      Classification

Kingdom:  Animalia                                                         Phylum:         Chordata

Class:       Mammalia                                                       Order:           Artiodactyla

Family:     Bovidae                                                          Subfamily:     Antilopinae

Genus:     Saiga                                                              Species:         S. tatarica

So let's know about him,The saiga antelope is a critically endangered antelope that originally inhabited a vast area of the Eurasian steppe zone from the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains and Caucasus into Dzungaria and Mongolia.

They also lived in Beringian North America during the Pleistocene. Today, the dominant subspecies (S. t. tatarica) is only found in one location in Russia (in The Republic of Kalmykia) and three areas in Kazakhstan (the Ural, Ustiurt and Betpak-Dala populations). A proportion of the Ustiurt population migrates south to Uzbekistan and occasionally Turkmenistan in winter. It is extinct in People's Republic of China and southwestern Mongolia. It was hunted extensively in Romania and Moldova until it became extinct in those regions in the end of the 18th century. The Mongolian subspecies (S. t. mongolica) is found only in western Mongolia. Saiga tatarica is the only species in the genus Saiga. Although there is little geographical variation, two subspecies are recognized: Saiga tatarica tatarica (the nominate subspecies, to which the majority of the global population belongs), and Saiga tatarica mongolica (endemic to western Mongolia). Grubb (2005) recognized the Pleistocene mammoth-steppe Saiga as a distinct species S. borealis, including the living subspecies mongolica.

Fossils of saiga, concentrated mainly in central and northern Eurasia, date back to as early as the late Pleistocene (nearly 0.1 Mya). An extinct species of Saiga, S. borealis, has been identified from the Pleistocene of northern Eurasia. Fossils excavated from the Buran Kaya III site (Crimea) date back to the transition from Pleistocene to Holocene. The morphology of saiga does not seem to have changed significantly since prehistoric timesThe saiga stands 61–81 centimetres  at the shoulder, and weighs 26–69 kilograms. The head-and-body length is typically between 100 and 140 centimetres . A prominent feature of the saiga is the pair of closely spaced, bloated nostrils directed downward. Other facial features include the dark markings on the cheeks and the nose, and the 7–12 centimetres  long ears.

During summer migrations the saigas' nose helps filter out dust kicked up by the herd and cools the animal's blood. In the winter it heats up the frigid air before it is taken to the lungs. The coat shows seasonal changes. In summer, the coat appears yellow to red, fading toward the flanks. The Mongolian saiga can develop a sandy colour. The coat develops a pale grayish brown colour in winter, with a hint of brown on the belly and the neck. The ventral parts are generally white. The hairs, that measure 18–30 millimetres long in summer, can grow as long as 40–70 millimetres  in winter. This forms a 12–15 centimetres  long mane on the neck. Two distinct moults can be observed in a year: one in spring (April to May) and another in autumn (late September or early October to late November or early December). The tail measures 6–12 centimetres .Only males possess horns.

These horns, thick and slightly translucent, are wax-coloured and show 12 to 20 pronounced rings. With a base diameter of 25–33 millimetres, the horns of the Russian saiga measure 28–38 centimetres  in length;

the horns of the Mongolian saiga, however, reach a maximum length of 22 centimetres Saigas form very large herds that graze in semideserts, steppes, grasslands and possibly open woodlands eating several species of plants, including some that are poisonous to other animals. They can cover long distances and swim across rivers, but they avoid steep or rugged areas. The mating season starts in November, when stags fight for the acceptance of females. The winner leads a herd of five to 50 females. In springtime, mothers come together in mass to give birth. Two thirds of births will be twins, the remaining third of births will be of a single foal. Saiga, like the Mongolian gazelles, are known for their extensive migrations across the steppes that allow them to escape natural calamities. Saiga are highly vulnerable to wolves.

Juvenile saiga are targeted by foxes, steppe eagles, golden eagles, dogs and ravensDuring the last glacial period, the saiga ranged from the British Isles through Central Asia and the Bering Strait into Alaska and Canada's Yukon and Northwest Territories. By the classical age they were apparently considered a characteristic animal of Scythia, judging from the historian Strabo's description of an animal called the "Kolos" that was "between the deer and ram in size" and was (understandably but wrongly) believed to drink through its nose.Numerous evidence show the importance of the antelope to Andronovo culture settlements. Illustrations of saiga antelopes can be found among the cave paintings that were dated back to seventh-fifth century B.C. Moreover, saiga bones were found among the remains of other wild animals near the human settlements.

The fragmented information shows an abundance of saigas on the territory of modern Kazakhstan in the 14th-16th centuries. The migratory routes ranged throughout the country's area, especially the region between Volga and Ural rivers was heavily populated. The population's size remained high until the second half of the 19th century when excessive horn export began. The high price and demand for horns drove radical hunting. The number of animals decreased in all regions and the migratory routes shifted southward.After a rapid decline they were nearly completely exterminated in the 1920s, but they were able to recover. By 1950, two million of them were found in the steppes of the USSR. Their population fell drastically following the collapse of the USSR due to uncontrolled hunting and demand for horns in Chinese medicine. At one point, some conservation groups, such as the World Wildlife Fund, encouraged the hunting of this species, as its horn was presented as an alternative to that of a rhinoceros.Today, the populations have again shrunk enormously — as much as 95% in 15 years. The saiga is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. An estimated total number of 50,000 saigas survive today in Kalmykia, three areas of Kazakhstan and in two isolated areas of Mongolia.

Another small population in the Pre-Caspian region of Russia remains under extreme threat. The horn of the saiga antelope is used in traditional Chinese medicine, and can sell for as much as $US150. Demand for the horns has wiped out the population in China, where the saiga antelope is a Class I protected species, and drives poaching and smuggling.Under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Concerning Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use of the Saiga Antelope was concluded and came into effect 24 September 2006.

The saiga's decline being one of the fastest population collapses of large mammals recently observed, the MoU aims to reduce current exploitation levels and restore the population status of these nomads of the Central Asian steppes. Agricultural advancement and human settlements kept shrinking the habitat areas of the saigas since 20th century. A strange animal mystery captivated the internet back in 2015: 200,000 critically endangered saiga antelopes in Kazakhstan died from internal bleeding after infections. Surreal photographs showed hundreds of dead antelopes that appeared to have simply dropped dead where they stood as a herd.

Some researchers now have an update on that story. Following the die off, folks quickly guessed that infections from normally harmless Pasteurella multocida caused the die-off. Deeper analysis has found another connection: the infection was strongly linked to warmer weather and higher humidity. That’s bad news, considering the whole climate change thing.“The fact that P. multocida infection in saigas... appears strongly linked to high humidity and temperature is of concern going forward, given that a climate change–induced increase in temperature is projected for the region over the short to medium term” the international team of authors write in the study published in Science Advances.Virtually no saigas in the afflicted group survived, and the die-off killed almost two-thirds of the entire global saiga population, according to the paper. The researchers couldn’t design an experiment, and instead just began taking data, observing the dying animals and performing necropsies afterwards.The diagnosis was a disease called Hemorrhagic septicemia, caused by the usually benign Pasteurella multocida. But the quick, simultaneous onset of the symptoms in the whole group implied some environmental change occurred—like warm weather and high humidity.

There are a lot more questions to answer, though. The evidence linking environmental conditions to saiga death is concerning, but the researchers don’t actually know how the changes could cause the bacteria to become more deadly, yet.

Please save this Rare and amazing Animals before they Extinct.

Dumbo octopuses - weird and Creepy

Hey Guys Ocean is full mysteries and different kind of animals one of a very weird and Creepy animal is Dumbo octopuses.so lets know about it…

Classification

Kingdom:        Animalia                                              Phylum:         Mollusca

Class:            Cephalopoda                                        Order:           Octopoda

Family:           Opisthoteuthidae                               Genus:           Grimpoteuthis

Dumbo octopuses live in the deep open ocean down to depths  of at least 13,100 feet(4000 m) and perhaps much deeper, making this group the deepest living of all known octopuses. Grimpoteuthis is a genus of pelagic umbrella octopuses known as the dumbo octopuses.

The name "dumbo" originates from their resemblance to the title character of Disney's 1941 film Dumbo, having a prominent ear-like fin which extends from the mantle above each eye. There are 13 species recognized in the genus. Prey include crustaceans, bivalves, worms and copepods.^[ The average life span of various Grimpoteuthis species is 3 to 5 years.Dorsal (left) and ventral (right) aspects of a mature female of G. innominata (73 mm ML).All species of Grimpoteuthis live at depths of 3,000 to 4,000 metres (9,800 to 13,100 ft) with some living up to 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) below sea level, which is the deepest of any known octopus. 

They are some of the rarest of the Octopoda species though they occur worldwide including in the waters of New Zealand, Australia, Monterey Bay, Oregon, Philippines, Martha's Vineyard, Papua New Guinea and Azores. The largest Dumbo octopus ever recorded was 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) in length and weighed 5.9 kilograms (13 lb). The average size for most species is 20–30 centimetres (7.9–12 in) in length.

The average weight is still undetermined. Species of Grimpoteuthis are assumed to have a worldwide distribution, living in the cold, abyssal depths ranging from 400 to 4,800 metres (13,000 ft). Specimens have been found off the coast of Oregon, The Philippines, Martha's Vineyard, Azores, New Zealand, Australia, California, Papua, and New Guinea. Dumbo octopuses are among the deepest living octopuses known. Females have no distinct period for breeding. Females carry multiple eggs in various stages of maturation, suggesting that they have no optimal breeding period. Male octopuses have a separate protuberance on one of their arms that carries an encapsulated sperm packet to the female.

It is hypothesized that the female can then distribute this sperm to the eggs at any given time based on environmental conditions. The females lay the eggs under small rocks or on shells in the deep ocean or can even carry them on her arms, by tucking the eggs behind the wide webbing, until she finds a safe place that would provide them with the best fitness. As with other octopuses, females do not invest any further time in the young after they hatch because once they are born they are able to defend themselves. Species of Grimpoteuthis face few direct threats from humans, living at depths below 3,000 meters (9,800 ft). Natural predators include sharks, killer whales, tuna and predatory cephalopods.

The genus has a distinct habit of swimming. They flap their ear-like fins to propel themselves. Movement of the arms can be used to help the animal move in any direction. The arms permit the animal to crawl along the seafloor, to capture prey, lay eggs, explore, etc. Dumbos hover above the sea floor, searching for polychaete worms, pelagic copepods, isopods, amphipods, and other crustaceans for food. Prey is captured by pouncing on the target, which then is swallowed whole.

Kitty’s hog-nosed bat Smallest bat on Earth

Hey guys had you imagine a big bat on your dreams but never dreamed the smallest one. Yes, there is a bat which is part of list of smallest animals on Earth. Yes today we are going to see one of the Smallest Creatures in world.

                        Scientific classification

Kingdom:          Animalia                                             Phylum:           Chordata

Class:              Mammalia                                           Order:             Chiroptera

Family:            Craseonycteridae                              Genus:              Craseonycteris

Species:          C. thonglongyai

Let’s know about this small and beautiful animal .The Kitty’s hog-nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), sometimes referred to as the bumblebee bat due to its diminutive size, was discovered in 1970s and could arguably be the world’s smallest mammal, depending on how size is defined.

Kitti's hog-nosed bat is about 29 to 33 mm (1.1 to 1.3 in) in length and 2 g (0.071 oz) in mass. hence the common name of "bumblebee bat". It is the smallest species of bat and may be the world's smallest mammal, depending on how size is defined. The main competitors for the title are small shrews; in particular, the Etruscan shrew may be lighter at 1.2 to 2.7 g (0.042 to 0.095 oz) but is longer, measuring 36 to 53 mm (1.4 to 2.1 in) from its head to the base of the tail. The bat has a distinctive swollen, pig-like snout with thin, vertical nostrils. Its ears are relatively large, while its eyes are small and mostly concealed by fur. Its teeth are typical of an insectivorous bat. The dental formula is 1:1:1:3 in the upper jaw and 2:1:2:3 in the lower jaw, with large upper incisors. Kitti's hog-nosed bat roosts in caves in limestone hills, far from the entrance.

While many caves contain only 10 to 15 individuals, the average group size is 100, with a maximum of about 500. Individuals roost high on walls or roof domes, far apart from each other. Bats also undertake seasonal migration between caves.

Kitti's hog-nosed bat has a brief activity period, leaving its roost for only 30 minutes in the evening and 20 minutes at dawn. These short flights are easily interrupted by heavy rain or cold temperatures. During this period, the bat forages within fields of cassava and kapok or around the tops of bamboo clumps and teak trees, within one kilometre of the roosting site. The wings seem to be shaped for hovering flight, and the gut contents of specimens include spiders and insects that are presumably gleaned off foliage.

Nevertheless, most prey is probably caught in flight. Kitti's hog-nosed bat is the only extant species in the family Craseonycteridae, which is grouped in the superfamily Rhinolophoidea as a result of molecular testing. Based on this determination, the bat's closest relatives are members of the families Hipposideridae and Rhinopomatidae. As of the species' most recent review in 2008, Kitti's hog-nosed bat is listed by the IUCN as vulnerable, with a downward population trend.

Soon after the bat's discovery in the 1970s, some roosting sites became disturbed as a result of tourism, scientific collection, and even the collection and sale of individuals as souvenirs.

However, these pressures may not have had a significant effect on the species as a whole, since many small colonies exist in hard-to-access locations, and only a few major caves were disturbed. Another potential risk is the activity of local monks, who have occupied roost caves during periods of meditation.Currently, the most significant and long-term threat to the Thai population could be the annual burning of forest areas, which is most prevalent during the bat's breeding season.

In addition, the proposed construction of a pipeline from Myanmar to Thailand may have a negative impact. Threats to the Myanmar population are not well known.In 2007, Kitti's hog-nosed bat was identified by the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered project as one of its Top 10 "focal species".

Most powerful Underwater Predator - Great white Shark

Hey guys, when we think about dangerous animals then we never forget to include a name “Great white Shark”. Yes our Favorite Shark. This Predators is one of the  most powerful underwater Predators and oldest in history of Earth.

         Classification

Kingdom:        Animalia                                                           Phylum:       Chordata

Class:            Chondrichthyes                                                Order:         Lamniformes

Family:          Lamnidae                                                          Genus:         Carcharodon

Species:          C. carcharias

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a species of large mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The great white shark is notable for its size, with larger female individuals growing to 6.1 m in length and 1,950 kg  in weight at maturity.

However most are smaller, males measuring 3.4 to 4.0 m and females 4.6 to 4.9 m on average. According to a 2014 study the lifespan of great white sharks is estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, well above previous estimates, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known. According to the same study, male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, while the females take 33 years to be ready to produce offspring.Great white sharks can swim at speeds of over 56 km/h, and can swim to depths of 1,200 m.The great white shark has no known natural predators other than, on very rare occasion, the killer whale.

The great white shark is arguably the world's largest known extant macropredatory fish, and is one of the primary predators of marine mammals. The great white shark was one of the many amphibia originally described by Linnaeus in the landmark 1758 10th edition of his Systema Naturae, its first scientific name, Squalus carcharias. Later, Sir Andrew Smith gave it Carcharodon as its generic name in 1833, and also in 1873. The generic name was identified with Linnaeus' specific name and the current scientific name, Carcharodon carcharias, was finalized.

Carcharodon comes from the Ancient Greek words karcharos, which means sharp or jagged, and odous, which means tooth. he great white shark came into existence during the mid-Miocene epoch. The earliest known fossils of the great white shark are about 16 million years old. However, the phylogeny of the great white is still in dispute. The original hypothesis for the great white's origins is that it shares a common ancestor with a prehistoric shark, such as the C. megalodon. C. megalodon had teeth that were superficially not too dissimilar with those of great white sharks, but its teeth were far larger.

Although cartilaginous skeletons do not fossilize, C. megalodon is estimated to have been considerably larger than the great white shark, estimated at up to 17 m and 59,413 kg .

Similarities among the physical remains and the extreme size of both the great white and C. megalodon led many scientists to believe these sharks were closely related, and the name Carcharodon megalodon was applied to the latter. However, a new hypothesis proposes that the C. megalodon and the great white are distant relatives (albeit sharing the family Lamnidae). The great white is also more closely related to an ancient mako shark, Isurus hastalis, than to the C. megalodon, a theory that seems to be supported with the discovery of a complete set of jaws with 222 teeth and 45 vertebrae of the extinct transitional species Carcharodon hubbelli in 1988 and published on 14 November 2012. In addition, the new hypothesis assigns C. megalodon to the genus Carcharocles, which also comprises the other megatoothed sharks; Otodus obliquus is the ancient representative of the extinct Carcharocles lineage.

Great white sharks live in almost all coastal and offshore waters which have water temperature between 12 and 24 °C (54 and 75 °F), with greater concentrations in the United States (Northeast and California), South Africa, Japan, Oceania, Chile, and the Mediterranean including Sea of Marmara and Bosphorus.One of the densest known populations is found around Dyer Island, South Africa.The great white is an epipelagic fish, observed mostly in the presence of rich game, such as fur seals (Arctocephalus ssp.), sea lions, cetaceans, other sharks, and large bony fish species. In the open ocean, it has been recorded at depths as great as 1,200 m.

These findings challenge the traditional notion that the great white is a coastal species. The great white shark has a robust, large, conical snout. The upper and lower lobes on the tail fin are approximately the same size which is similar to some mackerel sharks. A great white displays countershading, by having a white underside and a grey dorsal area (sometimes in a brown or blue shade) that gives an overall mottled appearance. In great white sharks, sexual dimorphism is present, and females are generally larger than males. Male great whites on average measure 3.4 to 4.0 m long, while females at 4.6 to 4.9 m. Adults of this species weigh 522–771 kg . on average, however mature females can have an average mass of 680–1,110 kg, The largest females have been verified up to 6.1 m in length and an estimated 1,950 kg in weight, perhaps up to 2,268 kg.

The maximum size is subject to debate because some reports are rough estimations or speculations performed under questionable circumstances. Among living cartilaginous fish, only the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) and the giant manta ray (Manta birostris), in that order, average larger and heavier. These three species are generally quite docile in disposition and given to passively filter-feeding on very small organisms.This makes the great white shark the largest extant macropredatory fish.

Great white sharks are at around 1.2 m when born, and grow about 25 cm each year. Great white sharks are carnivorous and prey upon fish (e.g. tuna, rays, other sharks), cetaceans (i.e., dolphins, porpoises, whales), pinnipeds (e.g. seals, fur seals and sea lions), sea turtles, sea otters (Enhydra lutris) and seabirds. Great whites have also been known to eat objects that they are unable to digest. Juvenile white sharks predominantly prey on fish including other elasmobranchs, as their jaws are not strong enough to withstand the forces required to attack larger prey such as pinnipeds and cetaceans until they reach a length of 3 meters or more,

at which point their jaw cartilage mineralizes enough to withstand the impact of biting into larger prey species. Great white sharks were previously thought to reach sexual maturity at around 15 years of age, but are now believed to take far longer; male great white sharks reach sexual maturity at age 26, while females take 33 years to reach sexual maturity.  Maximum life span was originally believed to be more than 30 years, but a study by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution placed it at upwards of 70 years.

Examinations of vertebral growth ring count gave a maximum male age of 73 years and a maximum female age of 40 years for the specimens studied. The shark's late sexual maturity, low reproductive rate and slow growth make it vulnerable to pressures such as overfishing and environmental change.

A 2007 study from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, used CT scans of a shark's skull and computer models to measure the shark's maximum bite force. The study reveals the forces and behaviors its skull is adapted to handle and resolves competing theories about its feeding behavior. In 2008, a team of scientists led by Stephen Wroe conducted an experiment to determine the great white sharks jaw power and findings indicated that a specimen massing 3,324 kg could exert a bite force of 18,216 newtons.

Under water Deep inside amazing Animal - Seahorse

Hey guys after long time we apology for that, let’s get Started in deep sea there are lots of amazing animals like largest animal which we see in earlier blog and there are so many amazing and beautiful animals.

        Classification

Kingdom:         Animalia                                           Phylum:          Chordata

Class:              Actinopterygii                                  Order:          Syngnathiformes

Family:            Syngnathidae                                   Subfamily:     Hippocampinae

     Genus: Hippocampus

The Latin name for seahorse is Hippocampus which means “Horse Caterpillar”. Seahorse is the name given to 54 species of small marine fishes in the genus Hippocampus.

"Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek word hippos meaning "horse" and kampos  meaning "sea monster". The word "seahorse" can also be written as two separate words (sea horse), or hyphenated (sea-horse). Having a head and neck suggestive of a horse, seahorses also feature segmented bony armour, an upright posture and a curled prehensile tail. Seahorses are mainly found in shallow tropical and temperate waters throughout the world, from about 45°S to 45°N  and live in sheltered areas such as seagrass beds, estuaries, coral reefs, or mangroves. Four species are found in Pacific waters from North America to South America. In the Atlantic, H. erectus ranges from Nova Scotia to Uruguay. H. zosterae, known as the dwarf seahorse, is found in the Bahamas. Seahorses range in size from 1.5 to 35.5 cm .They are named for their equine appearance with bent necks and long snouted heads followed by their distinctive trunk and tail. 

Although they are bony fish, they do not have scales, but rather thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates, which are arranged in rings throughout their bodies. Each species has a distinct number of rings. Seahorses swim upright, another characteristic not shared by their close pipefish relatives, which swim horizontally. Razorfish are the only other fish that swim vertically. They swim upright propelling themselves by using the dorsal fin. The pectoral fins located on either side of the head are used for maneuvering. They lack the caudal fin typical of fishes. Their prehensile tail can only be unlocked in the most extreme conditions. They are adept at camouflage with the ability to grow and reabsorb spiny appendages depending on their habitat.

Seahorses eat small crustacea such as Mysis Shrimp. An adult eats 30-50 times a day. Seahorse fry (baby seahorses) eat a staggering 3000 pieces of food per day.

The male seahorse is equipped with a pouch on the ventral, or front-facing, side of the tail. When mating, the female seahorse deposits up to 1,500 eggs in the male's pouch. The male carries the eggs for 9 to 45 days until the seahorses emerge fully developed, but very small.

The young are then released into the water, and the male often mates again within hours or days during the breeding season. Before breeding, seahorses may court for several days. Scientists believe the courtship behavior synchronizes the animals' movements and reproductive states so the male can receive the eggs when the female is ready to deposit them. During this time, they may change color, swim side by side holding tails or grip the same strand of sea grass with their tails, and wheel around in unison in what is known as a "predawn dance".

They eventually engage in a "true courtship dance" lasting about 8 hours, during which the male pumps water through the egg pouch on his trunk which expands and opens to display its emptiness. When the female’s eggs reach maturity, she and her mate let go of any anchors and drift upward snout-to-snout, out of the seagrass, often spiraling as they rise. They interact for about 6 minutes, reminiscent of courtship. The female then swims away until the next morning, and the male returns to sucking up food through his snout. The female inserts her ovipositor into the male’s brood pouch and deposits dozens to thousands of eggs. As the female releases her eggs, her body slims while his swells. Both animals then sink back into the seagrass and she swims away. The fertilized eggs are then embedded in the pouch wall and become surrounded by a spongy tissue.The male supplies the eggs with prolactin, the same hormone responsible for milk production in pregnant mammals.

The pouch provides oxygen, as well as a controlled environment incubator. Though the egg yolk contribute nourishment to the developing embryo, the male sea horses contribute additional nutrients such as energy- rich lipids and also calcium to allow them to build their skeletal system, by secreting them into the brood pouch that are absorbed by the embryos. Further they also offer immunological protection, osmoregulation, gas exchange and waste transport. While many aquarium hobbyists keep them as pets, seahorses collected from the wild tend to fare poorly in home aquaria. Many eat only live foods such as brine shrimp and are prone to stress, which damages their immune systems and makes them susceptible to disease. Seahorse populations are thought to be endangered as a result of overfishing and habitat destruction. Despite a lack of scientific studies or clinical trials, the consumption of seahorses is widespread in traditional Chinese medicine, primarily in connection with impotence, wheezing, nocturnal enuresis, and pain, as well as labor induction. Up to 20 million seahorses may be caught each year to be sold for such uses.

Preferred species of seahorses include H. kellogii, H. histrix, H. kuda, H. trimaculatus, and H. mohnikei. As of 2012 the 54 recognized species in this genus .Seahorses are also consumed by the Indonesians, the central Filipinos, and many other ethnic groups.