Saturday, 11 August 2018
Friday, 10 August 2018
Thursday, 9 August 2018
Friday, 3 August 2018
Tiger Beetles - Calomera littoralis winkleri (Mandl, 1934) - Cyprus
Calomera is a genus of ground beetles native to the Palearctic, the Near East and northern Africa.
Family: Carabidae
Sunday, 29 July 2018
Excellent book "Canids of the World" by Jose R Castello - με συμβολή του Γιώργου και Φανής Κωνσταντίνου
This project would have been impossible without great
like you.
I want to thank you again for your contribution.
photographers
I am attaching a pdf copy of the book.
Keep in touch!
Best regards,
Jose R Castello
This stunningly illustrated and easy-to-use field guide covers every species of the world’s canids, from the Gray Wolf of North America to the dholes of Asia, from African jackals to the South American Bush Dog. It features more than 150 superb color plates depicting every kind of canid and detailed facing-page species accounts that describe key identification features, morphology, distribution, subspeciation, habitat, and conservation status in the wild. The book also includes distribution maps and tips on where to observe each species, making Canids of the World the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide to these intriguing and spectacular mammals.
Covers every species and subspecies of canid
Features more than 150 color plates with more than 600 photos from around the globe
Depicts species in similar poses for quick and easy comparisons
Describes key identification features, habitat, behavior, reproduction, and much more
Draws on the latest taxonomic research
Includes distribution maps and tips on where to observe each species
The ideal field companion and a delight for armchair naturalists
José R. Castelló is a medical doctor, naturalist, and wildlife photographer. He is a member of the American Society of Mammalogists and the Spanish Society for Conservation and Study of Mammals. He is the author of Bovids of the World: Antelopes, Gazelles, Cattle, Goats, Sheep, and Relatives (Princeton).
https://press.princeton.edu/titles/13221.html
Saturday, 28 July 2018
Ολική έκλειψη Σελήνης, η μεγαλύτερη σε διάρκεια του Αιώνα μας - Lunar Eclipse - 27/7/2018 - Blood Moon from Cyprus
Η αποψινή πανσέληνος θα αρχίσει να αλλάζει χρώμα και να μετατρέπεται σε κόκκινο ή ματωμένο φεγγάρι, στη διάρκεια της μεγαλύτερης σε διάρκεια ολικής έκλειψης σελήνης του 21ου αιώνα.
Αυτή η ολική έκλειψη σελήνης ονομάζεται και ματωμένο φεγγάρι
Photos and video by George Konstantinou
Αυτή η ολική έκλειψη σελήνης, η οποία ονομάζεται και ματωμένο φεγγάρι, θεωρείτο από τα αρχαία χρόνια ως ένας κακός οιωνός. Φέτος, η σημασία του φαινομένου έχει ιδιαίτερο συμβολισμό, μετά και την τραγωδία που κτύπησε την Ελλάδα.
Παράλληλα, εδώ και μέρες στον ουρανό φαίνονται με γυμνό μάτι τέσσερις πλανήτες, προσφέροντας ένα όμορφο θέαμα που θα ξανασυμβεί μετά από δέκα χρόνια.
Μόλις δύσει ο ήλιος, λοιπόν, ας κοιτάξουμε ανατολικά για να θαυμάσουμε τον πολεμόχαρο Άρη, ο οποίος όσο νυχτώνει θα φανερώνει το βαθύ πορτοκαλί του χρώμα. Ορατή είναι και η λαμπερή Αφροδίτη, αλλά και ο μεγαλύτερος πλανήτης του ηλιακού μας συστήματος, ο `θεός` αέριος Δίας, και ο πατέρας του ο Κρόνος με τους παγωμένους του δακτύλιους.
Σημειώνεται ότι ο Άρης, ο οποίος φιγουράρει τις τελευταίες ημέρες στην ειδησιογραφία λόγω της ανακοίνωσης για ανακάλυψη λίμνης στο υπέδαφός του, βρίσκεται αυτή την περίοδο στο πλησιέστερο του σημείο προς την Γη. Η επόμενη φορά που θα μας πλησιάσει τόσο κοντά θα είναι το 2033.
“Τέτοια συγκυρία που να είναι όλοι σχεδόν οι πλανήτες ορατοί, ο Άρης στο πλησιέστερο του σημείο προς την Γη, το φεγγάρι να είναι στην 2η του πανσέληνο εντός του μήνα, δηλαδή μπλε πανσέληνος, και ταυτόχρονα στην μεγαλύτερη ολική έκλειψη σελήνης του αιώνα, είναι ιδιαίτερα σπάνιο», είπε ο Πρόεδρος του Κυπριακού Οργανισμού Εξερεύνησης Διαστήματος, Γιώργος Δανός.
Σύμφωνα με τον αστροφυσικό Χρύσανθο Φάκα, κατά τη διάρκεια μια έκλειψης Σελήνης η Γη παρεμβάλλεται ανάμεσα στην Σελήνη και τον Ήλιο και έτσι αποκρύβει τον Ήλιο από την Σελήνη. Κατά την διάρκεια της έκλειψης η Σελήνη δεν γίνεται αόρατη, όπως συμβαίνει με τον Ήλιο κατά τις ηλιακές εκλείψεις, αλλά γίνεται κόκκινη.
"Αυτό συμβαίνει διότι η Γη διαθλά και σκεπάζει έντονα την ηλικιακή ακτινοβολία και έτσι η Σελήνη κατά την είσοδο της στην σκιά της Γης έμμεσα γίνεται κόκκινη" είπε.
Ο αστρονόμος και μέλος του Κυπριακού Οργανισμού Αστρονομίας Φειδίας Χατζηχαραλάμπους, είπε ότι η αποψινή ολική έκλειψη σελήνης είναι ιδιαίτερη γιατί πρόκειται για την μεγαλύτερη σε διάρκεια έκλειψη του 21ου αιώνα.
Τα στοιχεία της έκλειψης είναι τα εξής: είσοδος στην παρασκιά στις 20:13 της 27ης Ιουλίου, είσοδος στην σκιά της Γης ξεκινά στις 21:24, ενώ η ολική έκλειψη ξεκινά στις 22:30.
Το μέγιστο της έκλειψης θα είναι στις 23:22, το τέλος της ολικής έκλειψης θα είναι στις 00:14 της 28ης Ιουλίου. Η έξοδος εκ της σκιάς στις 01:19λ της 28ης Ιουλίου και η έξοδος εκ της παρασκιάς στις 02:30 της 28ης Ιουλίου.
Πηγή: http://politis.com.cy/article/apopse-to-kokkino-fengari-se-mia-ourania-simfonia
Thursday, 26 July 2018
Wednesday, 25 July 2018
Monday, 23 July 2018
Wednesday, 18 July 2018
Monday, 9 July 2018
Sunday, 1 July 2018
Saturday, 30 June 2018
Friday, 29 June 2018
Ploiaria domestica Scopoli, 1786 - Thread-legged bug - Cyprus
Family: Reduviidae
Ploiaria is a cosmopolitan genus of thread-legged bugs (Emesinae). There are presently about 130 described species.The presence of Ploiaria domestica Scopoli, 1786 in Cyprus was confirmed in 2018 with the article in the following link:
http://www.entomology.org.il/sites/default/files/pdfs/Hadjiconstantis_Davranoglou_2018_IJE_PloiariadomesticaCyprus.pdf
Introduction from the above article
The cosmopolitan emesine genus Ploiaria Scopoli, 1786 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) is distributed in all zoogeographic regions of the world, and is one of the most species-rich genera of Leistarchini. Members of the genus are ecologically diversified and occupy various habitats ranging from dense tropical forests to scorching deserts. they are typically found on trees and their epiphytes, plant debris such as dead leaves (Blatchley 1929), and sheltered microhabitats under bark, tree trunks and stones (Blatchley 1929; Villiers 1950; Wygodzinsky 1966). Species of Ploiaria exhibit remarkable dispersive potential, which has allowed them to occupy numerous oceanic islands (Wygodzinsky 1966), presumably via rafting on tree trunks. more recently, association of at least two species: P. chilensis (Philippi, 1862) and P. domestica scopoli, 1786 with human habitats has also
contributed to their dispersal across the globe (Putshkov & Moulet 2009). In the Palearctic, most species are found in the Mediterranean region and typically inhabit arid ecosystems (Wygodzinsky 1966). P. domestica, the type species of the genus, is a turano-mediterranean species distributed in southern Europe to Central Asia (Putshkov & Putshkov 1996). It is synanthropic, and is also frequently found under stones, in piles of logs, thatched roofs and bird’s nests; its habitat preferences are reviewed by Putshkov and Moulet (2009). the distribution of this species in Cyprus is ambiguous. It is not mentioned in the works of Lindberg (1948) and Putshkov & Moulet (2009), and its presence in Cyprus is considered doubtful in the Catalogue of the Heteroptera of the Palearctic Region (Putshkov & Putshkov 1996). We have been unable to trace the exact reference that Putshkov &
Putshkov (1996) may have used to determine the possible presence of the species in Cyprus, and major monographs do not mention P. domestica from the island (Oshanin 1912; Dispons & Stichel 1959; Stichel 1960; Putshkov 1987; Maldonado Capriles 1990).
At least three other species of the genus occur in Cyprus: the endemic P. disponsi Linnavuori, 1965, the eastern Mediterranean P. gutturalis Noualhier, 1895 (Lindberg 1948) and the cosmopolitan P. chilensis, which was almost certainly introduced (Putshkov & Moulet 2009). During a recent collecting trip, a single male specimen of P. domestica was collected, marking the first confirmed record of the species in the island of Cyprus.
Text from the article: Hadjiconstantis, Michael, & Davranoglou, Leonidas-Romanos. (2018). Confirmed occurrence of Ploiaria domestica (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae) in Cyprus. Israel Journal of Entomology, 48(1), 63–67. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1299614
Photos by Michael Hadjiconstantis. 23, October, 2017. At Tsada.
Thursday, 28 June 2018
Monday, 25 June 2018
Sunday, 24 June 2018
Holly blue - Celastrina argiolus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Cyprus
The holly blue (Celastrina argiolus) is a butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family and is native to Eurasia and North America.
The holly blue has pale silver-blue wings spotted with pale ivory dots. Seitz describes it "Male above shining violet blue, only the apical portion of the costal margin being minutely edged with white. The female has both wings broadly bordered with dark, the margin of the hindwing bearing vestiges of ocelli. Underside silver-white, in the disc a row of black dots, some of which are elongate, and before the margin blackish shadowy dots. Egg very flat, whitish. Larva green or brown, marked with yellowish white, bearing catenulate stripes on the back, on segment 7 a gland to attract ants; head brown. On Ivy, Ilex, Evonymus, Rhamnus, Robinia, Genista, Spartium, Astragalus, Rubus, Erica, Pyrus and many other plants; in Europe visited usually by ants of the genus Lasius; in June and the autumn. Pupa mostly fastened to the underside of a leaf, ochreous with brown spots and markings. The butterflies in the spring and again in July, occasionally a third time at the end of August and in September, everywhere common, particularly at the flowers of ivy and brambles." In Europe, the first generation feeds mainly on the holly species Ilex aquifolium but the second generation uses a range of food plants.
The holly blue is the national butterfly of Finland.
This species was originally described as Papilio argiolus by Linnaeus in 1758, and refers to the examples flying in Europe. In their monograph on the Lycaenopsis group of polyommatine genera, Eliot & Kawazoe, 1983, list 14 taxa as valid subspecies names, plus many further synonyms to which they accord lesser status. According to Eliot & Kawazoe, 1983
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_blue
Photos and video, Troodos 24/6/2018 by George Konstantinou
Saturday, 23 June 2018
Tawny garden slug - Limax flavus Linnaeus, 1758 - Cyprus
Limax flavus (syn. Limacus flavus), known commonly as the cellar slug, the yellow slug, or the tawny garden slug, is a medium to large species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family LimacidaeThis slug has a yellow body with grey mottling, and pale blue tentacles. When extended, the body length can be 7.5 to 10 cm (3.0 to 3.9 in)
The yellow slug is common in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland as well as most of southern and western Europe. It has been accidentally introduced in many other parts of the world.
Yellow slugs, like the majority of other land slugs, use two pairs of tentacles on their heads to sense their environment. The upper pair, called optical tentacles, is used to sense light. The lower pair, oral tentacles, provide the slug's sense of smell. Both pairs can retract and extend themselves to avoid hazards, and, if lost to an accident or predation, can be regrown.Like all slugs, the yellow slug moves relatively slowly, gliding along using a series of muscular contractions on the underside of its foot, which is lubricated with mucus, such that it leaves a slime trail behind it.
This species feeds mostly on fungi, decaying matter,[6] and vegetables.
This species is strongly associated with human habitation, and is usually found in damp areas such as cellars, kitchens, and gardens or under stones. Generally speaking it is only seen at night, because it is nocturnal. Thus often it goes unnoticed and people are unaware of how (relatively) common the species is.
Parasites of Limax flavus include the nematode Angiostoma spiridonovi.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limax_flavus
Photos and video by George Konstantinou
Friday, 22 June 2018
Sunday, 17 June 2018
Saturday, 16 June 2018
Pennaria disticha Goldfuss, 1820[. - Cyprus
Pennaria disticha is a species of athecate hydroid in the family Pennariidae. Colonies are common in the Mediterranean Sea growing on rocks close to the surface. This species has been used in research into prey captureColonies of Pennaria disticha consist of numerous much-branched stems up to 30 cm (12 in) high. The branching system is alternate. The polyps are tiny and are supported by a hydrocaulus, a fairly stiff hollow tube with a perisarc (sheath) made of chitin and protein. This is dark brown or blackish, but is often colonised by algae and diatoms giving it a muddy appearance. The whitish polyps are tinged with red. Each polyp has ten to eighteen slender, filiform tentacles at its base and up to twelve tentacles with knobbed tips surrounding its terminal mouth
Pennaria disticha probably originated in the western Atlantic Ocean but has spread and now is widely distributed in warm waters throughout the world. It was first detected in Hawaii in 1928. It is found in shallow water attached to hard surfaces, on both rocks and man-made structures, in locations with some water movement. On reefs, it tends to be in less-exposed positions and in crevices. This hydrozoan forms part of the community of organisms known as the fouling community, and has spread around the world as a result of man's maritime activities
The polyps of Pennaria disticha spread out their tentacles to catch any small zooplankton that float by. The prey is often captured and immobilised by nematocysts on the threadlike tentacles at the base of the polyp. The crown bends over to receive the item, which is then killed by the more powerful nematocysts at the tip of the crown tentacles and thrust into the mouth.[5]
The colony grows by budding, during which process new feeding polyps are formed. Reproduction is by the budding of reproductive polyps known as gonophores, the medusa stage in the life cycle. Gonophores may remain attached to the parent colony, but usually become detached. Each colony produces gonophores of one sex. Male gonophores soon eject white sperm into the water and females emit up to six eggs. After fertilisation, each embryo develops within a day or so into a free-swimming planula larva. After drifting with the plankton for some time, this finds a suitable hard surface on which to settle and start a new colony.
It has been reported that an acute, painful dermatitis occurred in several people who came into contact with a rope on which Pennaria disticha was growing as a fouling organism
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennaria_disticha
Underwater photos 2mts deep,Xylophagou 16.06.2018 by Costas Constantinou
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