Collection of articles and curiosity regarding the world of mammals. The Ciuicì – Gruppo Didattico Naturalistico
Javan Leopard (Panthera pardus melas, Cuvier 1809), melanic form Black Panther is the common name by which are called the blacks specimens (melanic variants) of some species of felines. Zoologically speaking, the term Panther is synonymous with Leopard. The genus Panthera is a taxonomic category that includes all species of…
Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra, Linnaeus 1758) Generally, animals do not exchange information on abstract concepts or objects not present in the environment: they communicate immediate events related to the issuer or its habitat. The signals can transmit information on body size, age and strength, or information concerning the environment, for…
White tigers are not true “albino” (it is not albinism) and are characterized by brown or black stripes and blue eyes with pink nose. In fact, these specimens, are suffering from Leucism. Color variation is considered a mutation caused by a recessive gene that inhibits the yellow pigmentation of the…
The squirrel or common Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris, Linnaeus 1758) One of the major threats to biodiversity is the spread of alien species (species transported outside of its distribution capabilities for the direct or indirect action of man): animals and plants introduced into new environments where they often…
Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia o Uncia uncia, Schreber 1775) Few animals are more mysterious and unapproachable of Snow Leopard. Only someone saw one in the wild and very little is known of how he lives. Endemic to the high mountains of Tibet, Snow Leopard has a thick greyish coat, slightly tinted…
The Polar Bear or White Bear (Ursus maritimus, Phipps 1774), large carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Ursidae, definitely looks white, but as the old saying goes, looks can be deceiving. The outer hairs of the bear are actually transparent, and its undercoat is really colourless. So why do Polar…
Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius, Linnaeus 1758) is an artiodactyl, family Camelids, widespread in Asia, North Africa and, for human intervention, even in Australia. Not to be confused with its closest relative, Camel (Camelus bactrianus, Linnaeus1758), who lives in the desert and steppe of Central Asia, between Anatolia and Mongolia. The Camel,…
The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus, Illiger, 1815) is a canid of South America and is the only species of the genus Chrysocyon, a real survivor of the Pleistocene big mammals. Recent studies have shown that the maned wolf is not closely related to the currently popular canids: therefore represent a…
