Author: Renee Miskie
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127/150: Happy Halloween! The Masked Hunter wears a costume of disguise!
Animalia: Arthropoda: Insecta: Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Reduviinae: Reduvius: Reduvius personatus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Masked Hunter is a true bug belonging to the family Reduviidae, also known as the Assassin Bugs. In accordance to their dangerous sounding common name they are known to have a painful bite, but they are relatively harmless towards humans as they don’t…
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48/150: Talk about using your nose!
Animalia: Chordata: Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Talpidae: Scalopinae: Condylura cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) Moles belong to the family Talpidae which are known for their burrowing behaviours. The star-nosed mole is interestingly distinguishable from all other moles due to a ring of tentacle-like organs surrounding the snout. These fleshy appendages form the star-shaped Eimer’s organs.
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18/150: A fungus beetle known for using its head
Animalia: Arthropoda: Insecta: Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Bolitotherus: Bolitotherus cornutus (Panzer, 1794) Male Bolitotherus cornutus, commonly known as the Forked Fungus beetle, have fork-like horns in which they use to compete for mates. Those with bigger horns have better success at prying rivals off of their prized females.
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1/150: These Fireflies are Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
Animalia: Arthropoda: Insecta: Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Photuris quadrifulgens (Barber, 1951) Photuris quadrifulgens is a species in the beetle family Lampyridae, commonly known as the fireflies. This species belongs to the femme fatale lightning bugs that produce light flashes from lantern organs on their abdomen.