Wampoo Fruit Dove

While trekking through the Aviaries of the San Diego Zoo I came across several species of brightly colored Dove, including many beautiful examples of today's animal, the Wampoo Fruit Dove. (The name comes from the call that they make!)

These birds are the largest Fruit Doves found in New Guinea and Australia, and they measure up to 18in in length. Both males and females sport green and purple plumage, while juveniles are more dull in color.

As you may have already guessed, Wampoo Fruit Doves feed on fruit. They aren't especially picky either; they feed on whichever fruits are available in their geographic area at that time of the year. The Doves can even swallow large fruits whole! They live in flocks that rarely travel far from a specific range.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Australia and New Guinea
Size : Body length up to 18in (45cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Ptilinopus -- Species : P. magnificus

Pheasant Pigeon

Pheasant Pigeon

Pheasant Pigeons are large, terrestrial birds that can be found on New Guinea and nearby islands. They forage on the rainforest floors and build their nests on the ground. There are four recognized subspecies that vary by color and island location.

The subspecies have reddish-brown bodies with black heads and tails. The primary distinguishing feature between all four is the color of the nape of the neck. Green, white, gray, and black colored napes help to tell them all apart. 

The Pheasant Pigeons are rather interesting because they don't look especially pigeon-like, and because their behavior is more akin to that of their namesakes, the Pheasants. You see, there are no Pheasants in New Guinea, and the Pheasant Pigeons, which are the only species within their genus, have evolved to fill the niche that would have been occupied by Pheasants!

Though they are listed as being of Least Concern by the IUCN, Pheasant Pigeons are becoming rare in some parts of their range, and no global population survey has been undertaken. They are are also very few held in captivity.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : New Guinea
Size : Length around 18in (46cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Otidiphaps -- Species : O. nobilis

Giant Water Bug

Lethocerus sp.

Today we'll be talking about an entire taxonomic family-- Belostomitidae. Insects within this group are more commonly referred to as Giant Water Bugs. There are around 160 different species, organized into nine different genera.

The "Giant" name is certainly apt, as some members (especially those in the genus Lethocerus) can reach lengths of several inches. Even the smallest group members are a few centimeters in length.

Giant Water Bugs can be found all over the world, and are most concentrated in the Americas and in South Asia and Australia. All of the insects, regardless of continent, live in ponds and other shallow bodies of water. They spend most of their time in the water, but they must surface for air, as they do require it to breathe. Respiration takes place thanks to two appendages that extend from the abdomen. Speaking of abdomens, the eggs of two of the genera, Abedus and Belostoma, are deposited on the backs of the males, who carry them around for a week or two until they hatch!

Giant Water Bugs are amazingly little predators. They ambush hunt other bugs, small crustaceans, and even fish, birds, and amphibians! They strike, biting down with their powerful mandible and injecting a digestive saliva that liquefies the insides of their prey. Once that process has taken place, the Water Bugs can slurp up their meals. These bites can be very, very painful to humans, but are not dangerous overall.

Final fun fact of the day-- Giant Water Bugs are considered a culinary delicacy in some parts of the world. They are eaten both raw and prepared!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Worldwide
Size : Length up to 12cm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Hemiptera
Family : Belostomatidae