There are 4 species of anteaters living in the tropical parts of Americas. Silky anteater has just 45 cm (1.5 ft) in length and weigh one pound (0.4 kg), while the giant anteater up to 2.4 m (8 ft) in total length, weighing up to 30 kg (66 pounds). Anteaters are solitary, territorial and nocturnal; 3 species are arbo... |
4 January 2008
16:08 GMT |
 |
|
1.The name "pangolin" comes from the Malay "pengguling" ("something that rolls up"). There are 7 species of pangolins: four in Africa and three in southeastern Asia. They are unique amongst mammals because of their hard and large scales covering their back, flanks, and tails. The feet sides and the head are covered b... |
3 January 2008
11:11 GMT |
|
|
The entomophagy or insect eating is considered disgusting in western societies, even if the Europeans eat all kinds of crustaceans and mollusks. But in the diet of our ancestors, they could have had an important place, judging from the diet of the chimpanzees. Other cultures do not reject insects at all, as they are ... |
20 December 2007
14:06 GMT |
|
|
In just a few months, termites can turn a woodhouse into dust. But it is exactly this ability that can deliver us greener biofuel. Their abdomens harbor a treasure of microbes that could deliver enzymes for turning wood or waste biomass into biofuels and a new DNA analysis published in the journal Nature represents a... |
22 November 2007
04:03 GMT |
|
|
During a safari in the African, Australian or South American savannas you will come across some strange constructions resembling the towers of a castle. Their architects and builders are the termites, insects of the Isoptera order. They are also called "white ants", but have nothing to do with the real ants (which ar... |
17 November 2007
14:03 GMT |
|
|
This is too fast for our eye. The soldiers of a lowly termite, Termes panamensis, snap their jaws at a speed that bypasses any other muscle-powered movement of any species.Marc Seid and Jeremy Niven of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama revealed that termites reach a speed of 70.4 m (220 ft) per se... |
8 August 2007
06:55 GMT |
|
|
Imagine you are in a remote area, lacking infrastructure, on a scorching heat, without equipment or too much manpower. Making geological prospects is extremely difficult in these conditions. And when a layer of sand, soil and gravel tens of meters thick covers all the underlying bedrock, the picture is complete. Stil... |
29 June 2007
14:41 GMT |
|
|
If you travel along the African or Australian or South American dry savannas, you will see from far away some strange constructions resembling the towers of a castle. The architects that build them are the termites, insects of the Isoptera, that live in colonies made of millions of individuals. They are called also "... |
20 June 2007
16:31 GMT |
|
|
They are called "white ants" but it was already known they have nothing to do with the real ants (which are in fact a type of wasps). But believe it or not, scientists suspected for a long time that these insects, displaying an extremely complicated social structure and behavior inside their enormous colonies and abl... |
16 April 2007
09:06 GMT |
|
|
The about 4,000 species of termites found worldwide are some of the most important detrivores in tropical and subtropical areas, recycling wood and dead leaf. Their role in the ecosystem may be important, but their habit of consuming dead wood sometimes does great damage to buildings and other wooden structures.Their... |
21 March 2007
06:50 GMT |
|
|
