Observações de boulton_k_910

Date and Time:
11:46 AM on 20 JAN 2020.

Location:
Urban habitat in Riverview, Florida.

Identification:

Common Name: Sandhill Crane. Scientific Name: Antigone canadensis.

This is a species of crane belonging to the Genus Antigone, Family Gruidae, Order Gruiformes, Class Aves, Phylum Chordata, and Kingdom Animalia. 2

Description:
The crane had a long neck and hanging feathers that formed a tail at its back end. It had light colored cheeks, a red crown around its eyes, and a grey body with a tan back end. Its dagger-like bill and thin long legs were black in color. This coloration was indicative of an adult crane. 1 It was approximately 3-3.5 feet tall. It was observed in an urban environment, walking on the grass along the road before reuniting with its family. There were ferns, bushes, and trees lining the sidewalk and a man-made pond within 20 feet of the location. Defining features that linked it to the Genus Antigone were that it was a large crane bird. Its dagger-like bill, long neck, and long legs linked it to the Family Gruidae. 2

One website states, “Adults have a pale cheek and red skin on the crown. Their legs are black. Juveniles are gray and rusty brown, without the pale cheek or red crown.” 1

Sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/id. 1
https://nhpbs.org/wild/gruidae.asp. 2

Date and Time:
1:51 PM on 25 MAR 2020.

Location:
Alderman's Ford Conservation Park in Hillsborough County, Florida.

Identification:

Common Name: Eastern Lubber Grasshopper. Scientific Name: Romalea microptera.

This is a species of grasshopper belonging to the Genus Romelea, Family Romaleidae, Order Orthoptera, Class Insect, Phylum Arthropod, and Kingdom Animalia. 2

Description:
The body of the grasshopper was completely black with a distinct vertical yellow line along its back. It had bilateral symmetry with a vertical yellow line under each eye, along its jaw, and along each hind leg. Also, it had horizontal yellow lines in the middle of its body that did not connect to the yellow line along its back. Its coloration and lack of wings indicates that it was in its nymph stage. 1 It was approximately 2.5 inches in length. It was observed along with many others in the leaves of a hardwood forested upland environment that transitioned into the banks of the Alafia River. Defining features that linked it to the Genus Romelea were that it had no wings, its body was completely black with a yellow stripe, and its size was 2.5-3 inches in length.2

One website states, “Nymphs (immature grasshoppers) typically are almost completely black, but with a distinctive yellow, orange, or red stripe located dorsally (though occasionally they are reddish brown). The hopper’s face, edge of the pronotum, and abdominal segments also may contain reddish accents. Often the reddish accents change to yellow over the course of development.”1

Sources:
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/lubber.htm. 1
https://bugguide.net/node/view/2807. 2

Date and Time:
2 PM on 20 JAN 2020.

Location:
Near wildflowers and a freshwater habitat in Riverview, Florida.

Identification:

Common Name: White Peacock. Scientific Name: Anartia jatrophae.

This is a species of butterfly belonging to the Genus Anartia, Family Nymphalidae, Order Lepidoptera, Class Insecta, Phylum Arthropoda, and Kingdom Animalia. 2

Description:
This butterfly had white scaly wings with light yellow, orange, and brown markings along the edges. The wings had bilateral symmetry with markings that formed an identical pattern on each wing. Distinctive characteristics were the two rows of crescent markings with one dark circular spot on each top wing and two spaced dark circular spots on each bottom wing. It was approximately 2 inches in length horizontally and 3 inches in length vertically. It was observed perching on top of the leaves of black jacks and other wildflowers with a pond within 30 feet of the location. It is possible that this was a male perching to look for mates.2 Defining features that linked it to the family Nymphalidae were its reduced front legs, anglewings, and brown-orange-yellow coloration.2

One website states, “The upperside is white with light brown markings and a double row of light crescents at the margins. Forewing has one round, black spot; hindwing has two.” 1

Sources:
https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Anartia-jatrophae. 1
https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy/Nymphalidae. 2

Date and Time:
12:24 PM on 22 FEB 2020.

Location:
Lettuce Lake Park in Hillsborough County, Florida.

Identification:

Common Name: Christmas Lichen.
Scientific Name: Cryptothecia rubrocincta.

This is a species of lichen belonging to the Genus Cryptothecia, Family Arthoniaceae, Order Arthoniales, Class Ascomycetes, Division Ascomycota, and Kingdom Fungi.2

Description:
The lichens appeared to be crust-like growths that were irregular in shape growing flat on the surface of a tree. The outline and small granules resembling isidia in the center of the lichens were red in color with white-ish or green-ish in between. The lichens ranged from 1-2 cm to 1-2 inches in diameter. The flat structures were indicative of being a thallus because they lacked specialized features like stems, leaves, and roots.1 It was observed in a well-lit hardwood forest upland environment in a natural reserve. Defining characteristics that linked it to the genus Cryptothecia was that they were irregularly-shaped crustose lichens that grew flat on tree bark.2

One website states, “It gets its common name from its color pattern, consisting of a red fringe (the prothallus) around the body of the lichen (the thallus), which itself ranges in color from pale to mint green. The central, oldest area of the thallus is often adorned by dense clusters of small red granules.”1

Sources:
http://www.loyno.edu/lucec/natural-history-writings/christmas-wreath-lichen-cryptothecia-rubrocincta. 1
http://friendslaarb.org/tree/christmas-lichen. 2

Date and Time:
1:58 PM on 14 MAR 2020.

Location:
Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County, Florida.

Identification:

Common Name: Nine-banded armadillo. Scientific Name: Dasypus novemcinctus.

This is a species of armadillo belonging to the Genus Dasypus, Family Dasypodidae, Order Cingulata, Class Mammalia, Phylum Chordata, and Kingdom Animalia. 1

Description:
The armadillo was dark grey in color with a pink long and narrow snout. Its cone shaped ears were covered by rugged skin, its face was partially covered by armored scales, and its body was covered in a bony plate of armor with nine distinct bands. It was approximately 2.5 feet in length with a ringed tail. It was observed wandering along the scrub-brush and the trail path of a upland forested environment in a park reserve. Its face was usually digging around in the fallen leaves, presumably searching for food. Defining features that linked it to the Genus Dasypus were its long, narrow snout.3 The armor-like plating on top of its head, back, sides, and tail linked it to the Family Dasypodidae. 2

One website states, “The head is partially covered in these bony/keratinous scales, but the ears lack them. Instead, ears are hairless and covered in a rough, bumpy skin. The long snout is much softer and pinkish in color, appearing almost pig-like with it narrow, tapered shape.” 2

Sources:
https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=180103#null. 1
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dasypus_novemcinctus/. 2
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/dasypus. 3

Date and Time: 22 FEB 2020 12:22 PM.

Identification: Tillandsia usneoides
Common Name: Spanish moss (Seeded vascular plant)

Visual Description: Defining characteristics the organism had in common with the seeded vascular plants, Angiosperms, were the presence of stems, leaves, and flowers. It had long, thin stems that branched out into thin, curly white-gray leaves that had scales with several brown-orange flowers around 3 centimeters in size. Roots were not observed. It was anchored on the surface of a southern live oak tree and hung in masses around 31 centimeters in length, which is consistent with the behavior of an epiphytic flowering plant. Presumably, that is how the organism obtained needed water and nutrients.

One website specifically states, “This organism grows in a long, draping form... Its gray-to-white leaves have scales on the exterior, which it uses instead of roots to absorb minerals and water,” (homeguides).

The following websites helped me in making this identification:
https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=TIUS
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/spanish-moss-characteristics-48420.html

Habitat: It was found on a southern live oak in the forest environment of a nature preserve.

Location: Lettuce Lake Park.

Date and time: 20 JAN 11:42 AM

Scientific Name: Ardea alba.
Common Name: Great Egret.

Description(s): The bird had white feathers, a light orange bill, and long, black legs. It was approximately three to three and a half feet tall. Defining characteristics included its long S-shaped neck, “dagger-like” bill, and short tail. It was observed standing still in the grass alongside a small creek, presumably hunting for food. Nearby greenery included a mixture of oak trees, palm trees, and a variety of vines. In addition, there were two fenced-in ponds within 50 – 60 feet of the location.

The following website(s) helped me in making the identification: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Egret/overview.
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-egret.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/g/great-egret/.

One website specifically states, “Great Egrets are tall, long-legged wading birds with long, S-curved necks and long, dagger-like bills. All feathers on Great Egrets are white. Their bills are yellowish-orange, and the legs black. They typically stand still and watch for unsuspecting prey to pass by. Then, with startling speed, the egrets strike with a jab of their long neck and bill,” (allaboutbirds.org).

Habitat: Great Egrets can be found in both saltwater and freshwater habitats, near areas such as ponds and streams (nationalgeographic.com). In this instance, this Great Egret was observed in a freshwater habitat, standing alongside a small creek.

Geographic Distribution: Great Egrets are geographically distributed world-wide. In North America, they can seen in both the north and south.

The following website shows its geographic distribution on a global scale:
http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/great-white-egret-ardea-alba/distribution.