Scientific Illustration

biomedicalephemera:

“Death”

Gaboon Viper - Bitis gabonica

Despite the fact that the Gaboon viper ends up on many of the lists of “World’s Deadliest” or “Most Dangerous” animals, it’s actually not anywhere near the threat that you might think. Similar to the Australian sea snakes (with some of the deadliest venom), its docile nature renders the fact that it produces the highest volume of venom much less of a threat than, say, an aggressive snake with a small amount of venom.

Granted, you shouldn’t go around picking these guys up or threatening them, but they don’t chase down intruders or threats.

Bitis gabonica is the largest of its genus (commonly known as the puff adders), and at 8.5 kg (19 lbs), is the heaviest viperid in the world. If they do manage to get a bite on someone, the hemotoxic venom can cause internal bleeding, shock, local blistering, and eventually necrosis and the need for amputation, if not treated immediately.

ETA: Apparently the Gaboon viper also has the longest fangs of any species, and that, combined with the fact that they produce the most venom and that when they DO bite, they inject venom about 3/4 of the time (as opposed to 1 in 4 times for most viperids), is why they end up on all of these “most deadly” lists. I guess it fits. Docile and chill creature overall, but don’t piss it off or you’ll be hurting.

The Uganda Protectorate. Sir Harry Johnston, 1902.

(via mudwerks)

biomedicalephemera:

Przewalski’s Horse - Equus prjevalskii [disputed, generally accepted as Equus ferus przewalskii]

The Przewalski’s horse, or takhi, is the only “true” wild horse remaining in the world, and is distinct from Equus ferus ferus, the domesticated horse. Though Przewalski’s horses and domesticated horses can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, the Przewalski’s horse has an extra pair of chromosomes, distinctive dentition, and a convex profile (“Roman nose”) uncommon in most breeds of domestic horse. The subspecies is believed to have diverged from Equus ferus ferus around 125,000 years ago, but the two groups interbred for at least 25,000 years before true geographical isolation began.

The discovery of the takhi in the Mongolian steppes in 1881 was followed by the collection of entire herds through hunting and rounding up to be kept in zoos. The last wild herd was spotted in 1967, and the last individual was spotted in 1969. The most genetically diverse captive herd (living in Askania-Nova in Ukraine) was slaughtered by former German soldiers in the late 1940s for unknown reasons.

Fortunately for conservation efforts, the very few individuals remaining in the world by 1977, when the species was declared “Extinct in the Wild”, proved to be very healthy, at least in terms of genetic vitality. Careful breeding programs started by the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Przewalski’s Horse (FPPPH) in that same year ensured that the genetic diversity remained as strong as possible, given the tiny population. Twelve to fifteen individuals managed to produce small herds in several zoos and preserves, and the population grew at a steady pace for a decade and a half, before the first individuals were re-introduced to the wild, in 1992. Despite

After that first herd of 16 genetically distinct individuals from several zoos was introduced into the Gobi Desert, and successfully formed a herd with numerous healthy foals, Przewalski’s horse was re-classified from “Extinct in the Wild” to “Critically Endangered”. As of 2008, three stable-and-growing herds exist in the wild, in Mongolia and the prohibited-access zone around Chernobyl, Ukraine (a surprisingly good wildlife preserve!). They’re currently considered “Endangered”, and their population outlook is positive, with genetic diversity programs continuing in both zoos and the wild herds.

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1902.

biomedicalephemera:

Okapia johnstoni - The Okapi

Though it has the same general body shape of the giraffe, okapis have much shorter necks, and their type body evolved long before the giraffes. However, their significantly striped necks and legs did not evolve to what we know today until the species split off into forest-dwelling and grassland types.

Like the giraffe, the okapi has a very long, blue, muscular tongue. It uses this part of its body to groom itself more thoroughly than would otherwise be possible, and to strip the leaves off of bush branches. It also has the cloven hooves and digestive tract of the giraffidae family.

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1902.

biomedicalephemera:

Chauliodus sloanii, Melanocetus johnsoni, Malacosteus niger, Eurypharynx pelicanoides

Some fish of the deep: Sloane’s Viperfish, Humpback Blackdevil, Black Swallower, Pelican Eel.

The fish presented here have very different hunting strategies, all fitting into a specific niche in their environment:

• Sloane’s Viperfish actively hunts down prey, rockets towards them, impaling them on its long teeth, using a modified first vertebra to absorb the shock of the impact.
• The Humpback Blackdevil (Deep-Sea Anglerfish/Black Seadevil) stays still, and attracts crustaceans and lanternfish/bristlemouths with its lure, before gulping them down, often while they’re still alive.
• Black Swallowers find other bony fishes, grip them by their tail, and “walks” its jaws over the prey until the prey is fully coiled within their huge distendable stomach.
• Pelican Eels have huge jaws that are detachable, like a snake, and a massive stomach capacity. But despite this, their teeth are tiny, and their primary diet is small crustaceans.

Cool fish with cool ways of eating!

The Mighty Deep and What We Know of It. Agnes Giberne, 1902.

biomedicalephemera:

Check out these hot Friday night nudies…

On Some Nudibranchs from Zanzibar. Sir Charles Eliot, 1902.

biomedicalephemera:

Cranial sutures in relation to significant regions of the brain.

The “sutures” of the skull are actually fibrous joints. While the age of a deceased young child can be determined by the ossification of the metaphysis and fontanelles, the age of adults can be determined (within a somewhat larger age range and after racial features have been determined) by the surface and interior texture of the skull, and the complete fusion of the sutures, to the point of near-obliteration of any signs of their existence.

Applied Surgical Anatomy, Regionally Presented. Dr. George Woosley, 1902.

biomedicalephemera:

Upper Respiratory Tract Anatomy

Diseases of the Bronchi, Lungs, and Pleura. Frederich A. Hoffman, 1902.

biomedicalephemera:

Top-down view of lungs and surrounding anatomy.