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The Living Encyclopedia
Explore our comprehensive database of reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Discover detailed care guides, morph varieties, and community setups.
mammal
Tayra
Eira barbara
The tayra is an omnivorous animal from the mustelid family, native to the Americas. It is the only species in the genus Eira.
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mammal
Grison
Galictis
A grison is any mustelid in the genus Galictis. Native to Central and South America, the genus contains two extant species: the greater grison, which is found widely in South America, through Central America to southern Mexico; and the lesser grison, which is restricted to the southern half of South America.
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mammal
Pink Fairy Armadillo
Chlamyphorus truncatus
The pink fairy armadillo is the smallest species of armadillo, first described by Richard Harlan in 1825. The pink fairy armadillo is 90–115 mm (3.5–4.5 in) long, and typically weighs about 120 g (4.2 oz). This solitary, desert-adapted animal is endemic to the deserts and scrub lands of central Argentina. The pink fairy armadillo is closely related to the only other fairy armadillo, the greater fairy armadillo.
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mammal
Screaming Hairy Armadillo
Chaetophractus vellerosus
The screaming hairy armadillo is a species of armadillo also known as the small screaming armadillo, crying armadillo or the small hairy armadillo. It is a burrowing armadillo found in the central and southern parts of South America. The adjective "screaming" derives from its habit of squealing when handled.
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mammal
Pangolin
Pholidota
Pangolins, also called scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota. The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia. Manis comprises four species found in Asia, while Phataginus and Smutsia include two species each, all found in sub-Saharan Africa. These species range in size from 30 to 100 cm. Several extinct pangolin species are also known. In September 2023, nine species were reported.
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mammal
Ground Pangolin
Smutsia temminckii
The ground pangolin, also known as Temminck's pangolin, Cape pangolin or steppe pangolin is a species of pangolin from genus Smutsia of subfamily Smutsiinae the within family Manidae. It is one of four species of pangolins which can be found in Africa, and the only one in southern and eastern Africa. The animal was named for the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck.
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mammal
Colugo
Dermoptera
Colugos, flying lemurs, or cobegos, are arboreal gliding primatomorphs that are native to Southeast Asia. Their closest evolutionary relatives are primates. There are just two living species of colugos: the Sunda flying lemur and the Philippine flying lemur. These two species make up the entire family Cynocephalidae and order Dermoptera, from Ancient Greek δέρμα (dérma), meaning "skin", and πτερόν (pterón), meaning "wing".
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bird
Kagu
Rhynochetos jubatus
The kagu or cagou is a crested, long-legged, and bluish-grey bird endemic to the dense mountain forests of New Caledonia. It is the only surviving member of the genus Rhynochetos and family Rhynochetidae, although a second species has been described from the fossil record.
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bird
Potoo
Nyctibiidae
Potoos are a group of birds related to the oilbird, with which they share the Sedentaves subclade. They are sometimes called poor-me-ones, after their haunting calls. The family Nyctibiidae was formerly included with the nightjars in the order Caprimulgiformes but is now placed in a separate order, Nyctibiiformes. There are seven species in two genera in tropical Central and South America. Fossil evidence indicates that they also inhabited Europe during the Paleogene.
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bird
Great Potoo
Nyctibius grandis
The great potoo or grand potoo is the largest potoo species and is widely distributed in Central and South America.
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bird
Frogmouth
Podargidae
The frogmouths (Podargidae) are a group of nocturnal birds related to owlet-nightjars, swifts, and hummingbirds. Species in the group are distributed in the Indomalayan and Australasian realms.
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bird
Lyrebird
Menuridae
A lyrebird is either of two species of ground-dwelling Australian birds that compose the genus Menura, and the family Menuridae. They are most notable for their ability to mimic a variety of natural and artificial sounds from their environment, and for the striking beauty of the male bird's huge tail when it is fanned out in courtship display. Lyrebirds have unique plumes of neutral-coloured tailfeathers and are among Australia's best-known native birds.
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bird
Superb Lyrebird
Menura novaehollandiae
The superb lyrebird is an Australian passerine songbird, one of two species from the family Menuridae, with the other being the much rarer Albert's lyrebird. One of the world's largest songbirds, the superb lyrebird is renowned for its elaborate tail and courtship displays, and for its excellent mimicry. The species is endemic to Australia and is found in forest in the southeast of the country. According to David Attenborough, the superb lyrebird displays one of the most sophisticated voice skills within the animal kingdom—"the most elaborate, the most complex, and the most beautiful".
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bird
Bowerbird
Ptilonorhynchidae
Bowerbirds make up the bird family Ptilonorhynchidae. They are renowned for their unique courtship behaviour, where males build a structure and decorate it with sticks and brightly coloured objects in an attempt to attract a mate.
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bird
Satin Bowerbird
Ptilonorhynchus violaceus
The satin bowerbird is a species of passerine bird in the bowerbird family Ptilonorhynchidae that is endemic to eastern Australia. It is the only species placed in the genus Ptilonorhynchus.
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bird
Kaka
Nestor meridionalis
The New Zealand kākā is a large species of parrot of the family Strigopidae found in New Zealand's native forests across the three main Islands of New Zealand. The species is often known by the abbreviated name kākā, although it shares this name with the recently extinct Norfolk kākā and Chatham kākā. Two subspecies of New Zealand kākā are recognised. It is endangered and has disappeared from much of its former range, though the re-introduction of North Island kākā at Zealandia in Wellington has led to an increasing population of the birds across the city.
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bird
Little Spotted Kiwi
Apteryx owenii
The little spotted kiwi, also known as little grey kiwi or kiwi pukupuku, is a small flightless bird in the kiwi family, Apterygidae. It is the smallest of the five kiwi species, at about 0.9 to 1.9 kg, about the size of a bantam. It is endemic to New Zealand, and in pre-European times occurred in both main islands, but is now mainly restricted to a number of small offshore islands and mainland reserves protected by pest-exclusion fences.
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bird
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
Rupicola peruvianus
The Andean cock-of-the-rock, also known as tunki (Quechua), is a large passerine bird of the cotinga family native to Andean cloud forests in South America. It is the national bird of Peru. It has four subspecies and its closest relative is the Guianan cock-of-the-rock.
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bird
Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock
Rupicola rupicola
The Guianan cock-of-the-rock is a species of cotinga, a passerine bird from South America. It is about 30 cm (12 in) in length and weighs about 200 to 220 g. It is found in tropical rainforests, near its preferred habitat of rocky outcrops. The female's plumage is brownish/dark smokey grey in colour, and generally less noticeable than the males because of their nesting work in rocky areas. The male's feathers are a bright orange. Both have a heavy body, broad-based bill and wear a remarkable half-moon crest on the head. It is one of two species of the genus Rupicola, the other being the Andean cock-of-the-rock. The Guianan cock-of-the-rock lives across the forested region of northeastern South America. Its diet consists mostly of fruit, but they sometimes feast on small snakes and lizards.
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bird
Umbrellabird
Cephalopterus
Umbrellabird is the common name referring to three species of birds in the genus Cephalopterus. They are named for their distinct umbrella-like hoods.
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