Creature Feature #199: Elephantnose Fish

The Elephantnose Fish is a freshwater fish of Africa named for the long, sensitive extension of his mouth, which somewhat resembles an elephant's trunk. This organ is covered in electrosensors, which he uses to locate food as his eyesight is rather poor, although he can see resonably well in low light levels. He generates a weak electric field via muscle contractions to sense his surroundings. His brain is the largest in proportion to body weight of any vertebrate. Fairly common in the pet trade, he mixes well with other fish but can be territorial with others of his kind.

Creature Feature #155: Degu

The Degu is a small rodent who makes her home in the semi-arid regions of Chile. She is related to the Chinchilla and the Cavy (guinea pig). A very social creature, living in a communually dug system of burrows. She is even known to share her nest and babies with other females. Much of her day is spent on the surface, where she scrambles amongst the rocks in search of tasty plant matter. The colony keep in contact with one another using an array of vocal signals. Due to her inability to process free sugars, the Degu has been used in studies of diabetes. She has also been used to study the effects of separation anxiety (Degu pups separated too long from their mother develop something akin to ADHD) and Alzheimers.

Creature Feature #131: Cowfish

The Cowfish is a species of Boxfish, named for her two long "horns", found in both genders. She can grow up to 50cm and makes her home in coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific region. A solitary bottom-feeder, she blows jets of water into the sandy floor to expose invertebrates and other tasty treats. She is a slow swimmer, and easily caught by hand wherein she emits a grunting noise. If she becomes threatened or extremely stressed, she can exude a deadly toxin - ostracitoxin - which is fatal to other Boxfish. Despite these traits and her territorial nature, she is finding popularity amongst the tropical fish trade.

Creature Feature #115: Cockroach

Cockroaches are insects of the Order Blattaria and there are over 4,500 species ranging in size from 3mm to 80 mm. Commonly regarded as a pest - of all these species, only 30 are associated with human habitations. They are in fact an ancient Order, with fossils dating back to before the dinosaurs. Extremely adaptable, they have a cosmopolitan distribution, only avoiding the polar regions and high elevation.  These extremely hardy insects can withstand extended periods without food, and will live for a while after decaptitation. Some species can survive underwater for extended periods, withstand freezing. Their diet is particularly versatile and they will eat almost anything they can gain nutrients from - including the glue off postage stamps. Their ability to withstand radiation is somewhat over-exaggerated, however.

This pictured species is a Harlequin Cockroach. He is, due to his attractive colouration, one of the cockroaches that have found their way into the pet trade. He is fast and a skilful climber. When threatened, he can release a chemical that smells like pear droplets. This chemical, amyl acetate, has been used as a solvent and is also an agent in the prepration of penicillin.

Creature Feature #113: Cockatoo

The Cockatoo Family consists of 21 species. These charismatic parrots are distributed in Australia and the surrounding islands, with the Ducorp's Cockatoo (pictured here) endemic to the Solomons Islands. Cockatoo are characterised by their crests and sharp, curved bills. The crest is a means of indicating emotion and is raised when the bird is excited or aggressive. The long beak is used to crack open seeds and hard woody cones that are inaccesible to other animals. In some parts of Australia the Cockatoo has become an agricultural pest and has been aggressively dominating other bird species within its range. Like all parrots, cockatoo are intelligent and have become a popular house pet.

 The archetypal cockatoo is white, but some species also come in pink and black. You shall see some of the other ones later in this series.

 This Ducorps' Cockatoo was commissioned for Kerry Myers.
If you wish to commission your own "Creature Feature", please visit my Etsy shop: The Art of LemurKat