Monday, March 11, 2013

Pink Fairy Armadillo

 
The pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) or pichiciego is the smallest species of armadillo (mammals of the family Dasypodidae, mostly known for having a bony armor shell). It is found in central Argentina, where it inhabits dry grasslands and sandy plains with thorn bushes and cacti.

It is a nocturnal animal. It burrows small holes near ant colonies in dry soil, and feeds mainly on ants and ant larvae near its burrow. Occasionally, it feeds on worms, snails, insects and larvae, or various plant and root material.

The pink fairy armadillo spends much of its time under the ground, as it is a "sand swimmer" similar to the golden mole or the marsupial mole. It uses large front claws to agitate the sand, allowing it to almost swim through the ground like it is water. It is torpedo-shaped, and has a shielded head and back.

Source: wikipedia.com

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Cordyceps Parasitic Fungus


This unfortunate arachnid is infected with Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus that
replaces its host's tissue with its own.

Cordyceps fungi invades its hosts (mainly arthropods), and its mycelium
eventually replaces the host's tissue. Once the arthropod is dead, cylindrical
or branching growths emerge from the creature's dead body. Some species
also have mind-control capabilities, convincing the host to travel to a place
where the fungus will find optimal growth conditions before the host dies.