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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.
fish
Angelicus Loach
Botia kubotai
The Burmese Border loach, angelicus loach or polka dot loach, Botia kubotai, is a recently described species that has quickly become a popular tropical fish for freshwater aquariums. In 2002, fish collectors working in western Thailand began to expand their search into Myanmar (Burma) area from the Three Pagodas Pass Thai-Myanmar border to look for new fish for the aquarium trade. This is one of several species discovered and explains the origin of the fish's common name: Burmese Border Loach. Its specific epithet honors Katsuma Kubota of an aquarium export company in Thailand who first purchased the catch and sent them out for identification.
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S
fish
Sumo Loach
Schistura balteata
Sumo Loach (Schistura balteata)
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P
fish
Panda Loach
Yaoshania pachychilus
Panda Loach (Yaoshania pachychilus)
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invertebrate
Swallowtail Butterfly
Papilionidae
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the largest butterflies in the world, the birdwing butterflies of the genus Ornithoptera.
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B
invertebrate
Blue Morpho
Morpho peleides
Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides)
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O
invertebrate
Owl Butterfly
Caligo
Owl Butterfly (Caligo)
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D
invertebrate
Death's-Head Hawkmoth
Acherontia
Death's-Head Hawkmoth (Acherontia)
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S
invertebrate
Silkworm
Bombyx mori
Silkworm (Bombyx mori)
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invertebrate
Goliath Beetle
Goliathus
The Goliath beetles are any of the six species in the genus Goliathus. Goliath beetles are among the largest insects on Earth, if measured in terms of size, bulk and weight. They are members of subfamily Cetoniinae, within the family Scarabaeidae. Goliath beetles can be found in many of Africa's tropical forests, where they feed primarily on tree sap and fruit. Little appears to be known of the larval cycle in the wild, but in captivity, Goliathus beetles have been successfully reared from egg to adult using protein-rich foods, such as commercial cat and dog food. Goliath beetles measure from 6-11 centimeters for males and 5-8 centimeters for females, as adults, and can reach weights of up to 80–100 grams (2.8–3.5 oz) in the larval stage, though the adults are only about half this weight. The females range from a dark chestnut brown to silky white, but the males are normally brown/white/black or black/white. Goliath beetles, while not currently evaluated on the IUCN Red List, are facing growing conservation challenges across their African range due to habitat loss, over-collection for the international pet trade, and the potential impacts of climate change.
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E
invertebrate
Elephant Beetle
Megasoma elephas
Elephant Beetle (Megasoma elephas)
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R
invertebrate
Rhinoceros Beetle
Dynastinae
Rhinoceros Beetle (Dynastinae)
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J
invertebrate
Jewel Beetle
Buprestidae
Jewel Beetle (Buprestidae)
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invertebrate
Figeater Beetle
Cotinis mutabilis
The figeater beetle is a member of the scarab beetle family in the subfamily Cetoniinae, comprising a group of beetles commonly called flower chafers, since many of them feed on pollen, nectar, or petals. Its habitat covers primarily the southwestern United States and Mexico, extending south to northern South America. Within the figeater beetle's cuticle, twisted fibers are arranged in stacked layers. When light hits those layers, it bends and creates a distinct iridescent color. Figeater beetles are often mistaken for green June beetles and occasionally Japanese beetles, which occur in the Eastern US. C. mutabilis are also named by the synonym C. texana.
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G
invertebrate
Green June Beetle
Cotinis nitida
Green June Beetle (Cotinis nitida)
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J
invertebrate
Japanese Beetle
Popillia japonica
Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica)
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invertebrate
Ladybug
Coccinellidae
Coccinellidae is a widespread family of small beetles. They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and other English speaking territories; "lady" refers to mother Mary. Entomologists use the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles to avoid confusion with true bugs. The more than 6,000 described species have a global distribution and are found in a variety of habitats. They are oval beetles with a domed back and flat underside. Many of the species have conspicuous aposematic (warning) colours and patterns, such as red with black spots, that warn potential predators that they taste bad.
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invertebrate
Firefly
Lampyridae
The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,400 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production of light, mainly during twilight, to attract mates. The type species is Lampyris noctiluca, the common glow-worm of Europe. Light production in the Lampyridae is thought to have originated as a warning signal that the larvae were distasteful. This ability to create light was then co-opted as a mating signal and, in a further development, adult female fireflies of the genus Photuris mimic the flash pattern of the Photinus beetle to trap their males as prey.
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C
invertebrate
Click Beetle
Elateridae
Click Beetle (Elateridae)
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T
invertebrate
Trapdoor Spider
Ctenizidae
Trapdoor Spider (Ctenizidae)
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H
invertebrate
Huntsman Spider
Sparassidae
Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae)
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