oewn-topminnow-n oewn-poeciliid_fish-n oewn-poeciliid-n oewn-live-bearer-n

small usually brightly-colored viviparous surface-feeding fishes of fresh or brackish warm waters; often used in mosquito control


silvery topminnow with rows of black spots of tropical North America and West Indies; important in mosquito control


small stocky Mexican fish; popular aquarium fish


an order of spiny-finned fish in the superorder Acanthopterygii


type genus of the family Holocentridae; squirrelfishes


very small, brightly colored (especially red) nocturnal fishes of shallow waters or tropical reefs; they make sounds like a squirrel's bark


on reefs from Bermuda and Florida to northern South America


a squirrelfish found from South Carolina to Bermuda and Gulf of Mexico


bright red fish of West Indies and Bermuda


a family of fish including: flashlight fishes


fish having a luminous organ beneath eye; of warm waters of the western Pacific and Puerto Rico


a genus of fish in the family Anomalopidae


a genus of flashlight fishes in the family Anomalopidae, found around reefs in the Western Pacific Ocean (Photoblepharon)


fish of deep dark waters having a light organ below each eye


marine fishes widely distributed in mid-waters and deep slope waters


a genus of fish in the family Caproidae, commonly known as boarfish (Capros)


a genus of fish in the family Caproidae, commonly known as boarfishes (Antigonia)


bellows fishes, shrimpfishes, cornetfishes, pipefishes; small order of chiefly tropical marine fishes of varied and bizarre form all having a small mouth at the end of a drawn-out tubular snout


slender tropical fish with a long tubular snout and bony plates instead of scales


small (2-4 inches) pugnacious mostly scaleless spiny-backed fishes of northern fresh and littoral waters having elaborate courtship; subjects of much research


fish with long tubular snout and slim body covered with bony plates


small (4 inches) fish found off the Florida Gulf Coast


a genus of fish in the family Syngnathidae


a fish 8 inches long; found from eastern Florida to western Caribbean


small fish with horse-like heads bent sharply downward and curled tails; swim in upright position


small bottom-dwelling fish of warm seas having a compressed body and a long snout with a toothless mouth


slender tropical shallow-water East Indian fish covered with transparent plates


tropical Atlantic fish with a long snout; swims snout down


a hairlike projection from the surface of a cell; provides locomotion in free-swimming unicellular organisms


a lash-like appendage used for locomotion (e.g., in sperm cells and some bacteria and protozoa)


outer layer or covering of an organ or part or organism


thin protective membrane in some protozoa


an animal organism in the early stages of growth and differentiation that in higher forms merge into fetal stages but in lower forms terminate in commencement of larval life


oewn-blastocoel-n oewn-blastocoele-n oewn-blastocele-n oewn-segmentation_cavity-n oewn-cleavage_cavity-n

the fluid-filled cavity inside a blastula


oewn-blastoderm-n oewn-germinal_disc-n oewn-blastodisc-n oewn-germinal_area-n

a layer of cells on the inside of the blastula


any cell resulting from cleavage of a fertilized egg


an unborn or unhatched vertebrate in the later stages of development showing the main recognizable features of the mature animal


(medicine) a grossly malformed and usually nonviable fetus


a human fetus whose weight is less than 0.5 kilogram when removed or expelled from the mother's body


animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum or embryo together with nutritive and protective envelopes; especially the thin-shelled reproductive body laid by e.g. female birds


egg-laying tubular structure at the end of the abdomen in many female insects and some fishes


one of two spiral bands of tissue connecting the egg yolk to the enclosing membrane at either end of the shell


egg or young of an insect parasitic on mammals especially a sucking louse; often attached to a hair or item of clothing


the mass of eggs deposited by fish or amphibians or molluscs


the egg mass or spawn of certain crustaceans such as the lobster


early stage of an embryo produced by cleavage of an ovum; a liquid-filled sphere whose wall is composed of a single layer of cells; during this stage (about eight days after fertilization) implantation in the wall of the uterus occurs


the blastula of a placental mammal in which some differentiation of cells has occurred


the membrane that forms the wall of the blastocyst in early development; aids implantation in the uterine wall

after implantation of the blastocyst in the uterine wall the trophoblast divides into two layers, the chorion and the placenta


double-walled stage of the embryo resulting from invagination of the blastula; the outer layer of cells is the ectoderm and the inner layer differentiates into the mesoderm and endoderm


a solid mass of blastomeres that forms when the zygote splits; develops into the blastula


central cavity of the gastrula; becomes the intestinal or digestive cavity


thin structure composed of a single thickness of cells


(embryology) any of the 3 layers of cells differentiated in embryos following gastrulation


the outer germ layer that develops into skin and nervous tissue


a tube of ectodermal tissue in the embryo from which the brain and spinal cord develop


the middle germ layer that develops into muscle and bone and cartilage and blood and connective tissue


the area of mesoderm that forms the notochord


mesodermal tissue that forms connective tissue and blood and smooth muscles


oewn-endoderm-n oewn-entoderm-n oewn-endoblast-n oewn-entoblast-n oewn-hypoblast-n

the inner germ layer that develops into the lining of the digestive and respiratory systems


nutritive material of an ovum stored for the nutrition of an embryo (especially the yellow mass of a bird or reptile egg)


membranous structure enclosing the yolk of eggs in birds, reptiles, marsupials, and some fishes; circulates nutrients to the developing embryo


oewn-yolk_sac-n oewn-vitelline_sac-n oewn-umbilical_vesicle-n oewn-vesicula_umbilicus-n

membranous structure that functions as the circulatory system in mammalian embryos until the heart becomes functional


hollow or grooved tooth of a venomous snake; used to inject its poison


canine tooth of a carnivorous animal; used to seize and tear its prey


a long pointed tooth specialized for fighting or digging; especially in an elephant or walrus or hog


comprises true vertebrates and animals having a notochord


any animal of the phylum Chordata having a notochord or spinal column


a flexible rodlike structure that forms the supporting axis of the body in the lowest chordates and lowest vertebrates and in embryos of higher vertebrates


a notochord of a larval tunicate typically confined to the caudal region


a chordate subphylum defined by the presence of a notochord that persists throughout life


fish-like animals having a notochord rather than a true spinal column


oewn-Amphioxidae-n oewn-family_Amphioxidae-n oewn-Branchiostomidae-n oewn-family_Branchiostomidae-n

a family that includes most of the lancelets (Branchiostomidae, Amphioxidae)


small translucent lancet-shaped burrowing marine animal; primitive forerunner of the vertebrates


oewn-Urochordata-n oewn-subphylum_Urochordata-n oewn-Urochorda-n oewn-subphylum_Urochorda-n oewn-Tunicata-n oewn-subphylum_Tunicata-n


primitive marine animal having a saclike unsegmented body and a urochord that is conspicuous in the larva


sometimes classified as an order: sea squirts


minute sedentary marine invertebrate having a saclike body with siphons through which water enters and leaves


a tubular organ in an aquatic animal (especially in mollusks) through which water can be taken in or expelled


ascidian that can contract its body and eject streams of water


small class of free-swimming tunicates; sometimes classified as an order


a small family of tunicates in the class Thaliacea


type (perhaps sole) genus of the Salpidae


minute floating marine tunicate having a transparent body with an opening at each end


free-swimming oceanic tunicate with a barrel-shaped transparent body


small free-swimming tunicates; sometimes classified as an order


a genus of chordates in the class Larvacea


free-swimming tadpole-shaped pelagic tunicate resembling larvae of other tunicates


free-swimming larva of ascidians; they have a tail like a tadpole that contains the notochord


oewn-Vertebrata-n oewn-subphylum_Vertebrata-n oewn-Craniata-n oewn-subphylum_Craniata-n

fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals


animals having a bony or cartilaginous skeleton with a segmented spinal column and a large brain enclosed in a skull or cranium


higher vertebrates (reptiles, birds and mammals) possessing an amnion during development


thin innermost membranous sac enclosing the developing embryo of higher vertebrates (reptiles, birds and mammals)


the outermost membranous sac enclosing the embryo in higher vertebrates (reptiles, birds and mammals)


one of the tiny villi that stick out of the fetal chorion and combine with the mother's uterine tissue to form the placenta


the vascular fetal membrane that lies below the chorion and develops from the hindgut in many embryonic higher vertebrates (reptiles, birds and mammals)


the very vascular fetal membrane composed of the fused chorion and adjacent wall of the allantois


animal living wholly or chiefly in or on water


superclass of eel-shaped chordates lacking jaws and pelvic fins: lampreys; hagfishes; some extinct forms


eel-shaped vertebrate without jaws or paired appendages including the cyclostomes and some extinct forms


extinct group of armored jawless vertebrates; taxonomy is not clear


extinct fish-like jawless vertebrate having a heavily armored body; of the Paleozoic


extinct group of armored jawless fishes or fish-like vertebrate; taxonomy is not clear


extinct jawless fish with the anterior part of the body covered with bony plates; of the Silurian and Devonian


oewn-Osteostraci-n oewn-suborder_Osteostraci-n oewn-Cephalaspida-n oewn-suborder_Cephalaspida-n

extinct group of armored fish-like vertebrates; taxonomy is not clear


extinct jawless fish of the Devonian with armored head


extinct small freshwater jawless fish usually having a heterocercal tail and an armored head; of the Silurian and Devonian


oewn-Conodonta-n oewn-order_Conodonta-n oewn-Conodontophorida-n oewn-order_Conodontophorida-n

extinct order of primitive vertebrates; the precise taxonomy is not clear; in some classifications considered a separate phylum


small (2 inches long) extinct eellike fish with a finned tail and a notochord and having cone-shaped teeth containing cellular bone; late Cambrian to late Triassic; possible predecessor of the cyclostomes


the tiny fossil cone-shaped tooth of a primitive vertebrate of order Conodonta


primitive jawless aquatic vertebrate: lampreys; hagfishes


oewn-Petromyzoniformes-n oewn-suborder_Petromyzoniformes-n oewn-Hyperoartia-n oewn-suborder_Hyperoartia-n

lampreys as distinguished from hagfishes


primitive eellike freshwater or anadromous cyclostome having round sucking mouth with a rasping tongue


large anadromous lamprey sometimes used as food; destructive of native fish fauna in the Great Lakes


oewn-Myxiniformes-n oewn-suborder_Myxiniformes-n oewn-Hyperotreta-n oewn-suborder_Hyperotreta-n oewn-Myxinoidei-n oewn-Myxinoidea-n oewn-suborder_Myxinoidei-n

hagfishes as distinguished from lampreys


slime-producing marine animals: hagfishes


eellike cyclostome having a tongue with horny teeth in a round mouth surrounded by eight tentacles; feeds on dead or trapped fishes by boring into their bodies


type genus of the Myxinidae (typical hagfishes)


a genus of fossil fish of the family Myxinidae


a fossil hagfish of the genus Eptatretus


fossil hagfish of the Pennsylvanian period (c. 300 million years ago) that resembled modern hagfishes


comprising all vertebrates with upper and lower jaws


a vertebrate animal possessing true jaws


extinct group of bony-plated fishes with primitive jaws


fish-like vertebrate with bony plates on head and upper body; dominant in seas and rivers during the Devonian; considered the earliest vertebrate with jaws


fishes in which the skeleton may be calcified but not ossified


fish with high compressed head and a body tapering off into a long tail


a deep-sea fish with a tapering body, smooth skin, and long threadlike tail


oewn-Elasmobranchii-n oewn-subclass_Elasmobranchii-n oewn-Selachii-n oewn-subclass_Selachii-n


any of numerous fishes of the class Chondrichthyes characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton and placoid scales: sharks, rays, skates


any of numerous elongate mostly marine carnivorous fishes with heterocercal caudal fins and tough skin covered with small toothlike scales


large primitive shark widely distributed in warm seas


in some classifications another name for the family Lamnidae


voracious pointed-nose shark of northern Atlantic and Pacific


powerful mackerel shark of the Atlantic and Pacific


very swift active bluish shark found worldwide in warm waters; important game fish


similar to shortfin mako but darker blue


common blue-grey shark of southwest Pacific; sport and food fish


oewn-great_white_shark-n oewn-white_shark-n oewn-man-eater-n oewn-man-eating_shark-n oewn-Carcharodon_carcharias-n

large aggressive shark widespread in warm seas; known to attack humans


comprising only the basking sharks; in some classifications considered the type genus of a separate family Cetorhinidae


in some older classifications considered the family of the basking sharks


large harmless plankton-eating northern shark; often swims slowly or floats at the sea surface


type genus of the family Alopiidae; in some classifications considered a genus of the family Lamnidae


oewn-thresher-n oewn-thrasher-n oewn-thresher_shark-n oewn-fox_shark-n oewn-Alopius_vulpinus-n

large pelagic shark of warm seas with a whiplike tail used to round up small fish on which to feed


shark of the western Pacific with flattened body and mottled skin


small bottom-dwelling shark of warm shallow waters on both coasts of North America and South America and from southeast Asia to Australia


oewn-Carchariidae-n oewn-family_Carchariidae-n oewn-Odontaspididae-n oewn-family_Odontaspididae-n

sand sharks; in some classifications coextensive with family Carcharhinidae


oewn-Carcharias-n oewn-genus_Carcharias-n oewn-Odontaspis-n oewn-genus_Odontaspis-n

type and sole genus of Carchariidae: sand sharks


oewn-sand_tiger-n oewn-sand_shark-n oewn-Carcharias_taurus-n oewn-Odontaspis_taurus-n

shallow-water shark with sharp jagged teeth found on both sides of Atlantic; sometimes dangerous to swimmers


small-toothed sharks comprising only one species


large spotted shark of warm surface waters worldwide; resembles a whale and feeds chiefly on plankton


small bottom-dwelling sharks with cat-like eyes; found along continental slopes


largest family of living sharks; found worldwide especially in tropical waters; dorsal fin lacks spines: requiem sharks including tiger sharks and soupfin sharks


any of numerous sharks from small relatively harmless bottom-dwellers to large dangerous oceanic and coastal species


a most common shark in temperate and tropical coastal waters worldwide; heavy-bodied and dangerous


most common grey shark along coasts of middle Atlantic states; sluggish and occasionally caught by fishermen


widely distributed shallow-water shark with fins seemingly dipped in ink


oewn-whitetip_shark-n oewn-oceanic_whitetip_shark-n oewn-white-tipped_shark-n oewn-Carcharinus_longimanus-n

large deep-water shark with white-tipped dorsal fin; worldwide distribution; most dangerous shark


relatively slender blue-grey shark; nearly worldwide in tropical and temperate waters


common shallow-water schooling shark of the Atlantic from North Carolina to Brazil and off west Africa; dangerous


slender cosmopolitan, pelagic shark; blue body shades to white belly; dangerous especially during maritime disasters


large dangerous warm-water shark with striped or spotted body


oewn-soupfin_shark-n oewn-soupfin-n oewn-soup-fin-n oewn-Galeorhinus_zyopterus-n

Pacific shark valued for its fins (used by Chinese in soup) and liver (rich in vitamin A)


small sharks with smooth skins and lacking spines on their dorsal fins


small bottom-dwelling shark found along both Atlantic coasts


smooth dogfish of European coastal waters


found along the Atlantic coast of the Americas


found from the northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil


smooth dogfish of Pacific and Indian Oceans and Red Sea having white-tipped dorsal and caudal fins


dogfishes having a spine in each dorsal fin


destructive dogfish of the Atlantic coastal waters of America and Europe; widely used in anatomy classes


dogfish of Pacific coast of North America


medium-sized live-bearing shark with eyes at either end of a flattened hammer-shaped head; worldwide in warm waters; can be dangerous


fished for the hides and vitamin-rich liver


fished for the hide and vitamin-rich liver


oewn-shovelhead-n oewn-bonnethead-n oewn-bonnet_shark-n oewn-Sphyrna_tiburo-n

small harmless hammerhead having a spade-shaped head; abundant in bays and estuaries


type genus of the Squatinidae: angel sharks


oewn-angel_shark-n oewn-angelfish-n oewn-Squatina_squatina-n oewn-monkfish-n

sharks with broad flat bodies and winglike pectoral fins but that swim the way sharks do


cartilaginous fishes having horizontally flattened bodies and enlarged winglike pectoral fins with gills on the underside; most swim by moving the pectoral fins


oewn-electric_ray-n oewn-crampfish-n oewn-numbfish-n oewn-torpedo-n

any sluggish bottom-dwelling ray of the order Torpediniformes having a rounded body and electric organs on each side of the head capable of emitting strong electric discharges


oewn-Rajiformes-n oewn-order_Rajiformes-n oewn-Batoidei-n oewn-order_Batoidei-n

fish with dorsoventrally flattened bodies: rays, skates, guitarfishes, sawfishes, etc.


large primitive rays with elongated snouts


primitive ray with sharp teeth on each edge of a long flattened snout


commonly found in tropical bays and estuaries; not aggressive


primitive rays with guitar-shaped bodies


primitive tropical bottom-dwelling ray with a guitar-shaped body


large venomous ray with large barbed spines near the base of a thin whiplike tail capable of inflicting severe wounds


one of the largest stingrays; found from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras


a stingray with a short tail and a broad fin


powerful free-swimming tropical ray noted for `soaring' by flapping winglike fins; usually harmless but has venomous tissue near base of the tail as in stingrays


a genus of Myliobatidae, native to the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans (Aetobatus)


ray with back covered with white or yellow spots; widely distributed in warm seas


a genus of Myliobatidae, commonly known as cownose rays (Rhinoptera)


large ray found along eastern coast of North America


large rays lacking venomous spines: mantas


extremely large pelagic tropical ray that feeds on plankton and small fishes; usually harmless but its size make it dangerous if harpooned


largest manta (to 22 feet across wings); found worldwide but common in Gulf of Mexico and along southern coasts of United States; primarily oceanic


small manta (to 4 feet) that travels in schools


large edible rays having a long snout and thick tail with pectoral fins continuous with the head; swim by undulating the edges of the pectoral fins


most plentiful skate in North American inshore waters in summer; to 21 inches


cold-water bottom fish with spines on the back; to 40 inches


one of the largest skates (to 5 feet); an active skate easy to hook


warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings


oewn-dickeybird-n oewn-dickey-bird-n oewn-dickybird-n oewn-dicky-bird-n

small bird; adults talking to children sometimes use these words to refer to small birds


young bird that has just fledged or become capable of flying


a family of warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings


the part of an animal's body that corresponds to a person's chest


the part of an animal's body that corresponds to a person's throat


a bird that has built (or is building) a nest


any bird associated with night: owl, nightingale, nighthawk, etc


extinct primitive birds of the Triassic period; 70 million years before archaeopteryx


most primitive avian type known; extinct bird of the Triassic having bird-like jaw and hollow limbs and breastbone with dinosaur-like tail and hind limbs


primitive reptile-like fossil birds of the Jurassic or early Cretaceous


a genus of early bird that is transitional between feathered dinosaurs and modern birds (Archaeopteryx, Archeopteryx)


extinct primitive toothed bird of the Jurassic period having a long feathered tail and hollow bones; usually considered the most primitive of all birds


a genus of enantiornithine birds, now extinct (Sinornis)


sparrow-sized fossil bird of the Jurassic period to the Cretaceous period having a keeled breastbone and vestigial tail; found in China; considered possibly the second most primitive of all birds


a genus of fossil bird of the subclass Archaeornithes


sparrow-sized fossil bird of the Cretaceous period having a vestigial tail; found in Spain; considered possibly the third most primitive of all birds


extinct primitive toothed bird with a long feathered tail and three free clawed digits on each wing


flightless birds having flat breastbones lacking a keel for attachment of flight muscles: ostriches, cassowaries, emus, moas, rheas, kiwis, elephant birds


birds having keeled breastbones for attachment of flight muscles


used in former classifications to include all ratite bird orders


a ratite bird order: ostriches and related extinct birds; known from the Pleistocene onward


type genus of the Struthionidae: African ostriches


fast-running African flightless bird with two-toed feet; largest living bird


a ratite bird order: cassowaries and emus


a family of large ostrich-like birds including cassowaries


type and sole genus of the Casuaridae: cassowaries


large black flightless bird of Australia and New Guinea having a horny head crest


a genus of birds in the order Casuariiformes


large Australian flightless bird similar to the ostrich but smaller


a ratite bird order: flightless ground birds having vestigial wings and long bills and small eyes: kiwis


coextensive with the order Apterygiformes


nocturnal flightless bird of New Zealand having a long neck and stout legs; only surviving representative of the order Apterygiformes


a ratite bird order: birds intermediate in characteristics between ostriches and emus: recent and extinct rheas


a family of birds coextensive with the order Rheiformes


type genus of the Rheidae; large tall flightless South American birds similar to but smaller than ostriches


larger of two tall fast-running flightless birds similar to ostriches but three-toed; found from Brazil to Patagonia


smaller of two tall fast-running flightless birds similar to ostriches but three-toed; found from Peru to Strait of Magellan


huge extinct flightless birds: elephant birds


coextensive with the order Aepyorniformes


type genus of the Aepyornidae: elephant birds


huge (to 9 ft.) extinct flightless bird of Madagascar


a ratite bird order: recently extinct flightless birds of New Zealand


type genus of the Dinornithidae: large moas


the smallest moa; slender moa about the size of a large turkey


oewn-Insessores-n oewn-order_Insessores-n oewn-perching_bird-n oewn-percher-n

a bird with feet adapted for perching (as on tree branches); this order is now generally abandoned by taxonomists


largest order of birds comprising about half the known species: rooks, finches, sparrows, tits, warblers, robins, wrens, swallows, etc.; the four suborders are Eurylaimi, Tyranni, Menurae and Oscines or Passeres


perching birds mostly small and living near the ground with feet having 4 toes arranged to allow for gripping the perch; most are songbirds; hatchlings are helpless


chiefly arboreal birds especially of the order Coraciiformes


oewn-Oscines-n oewn-suborder_Oscines-n oewn-Passeres-n oewn-suborder_Passeres-n

two names for the suborder of typical songbirds


passerine bird having specialized vocal apparatus


Australasian bird with tongue and bill adapted for extracting nectar


small sparrow-like songbird of mountainous regions of Eurasia


oewn-hedge_sparrow-n oewn-sparrow-n oewn-dunnock-n oewn-Prunella_modularis-n


any of numerous predominantly Old World birds noted for their singing


brown-speckled European lark noted for singing while hovering at a great height


type genus of the Motacillidae: wagtails


Old World bird having a very long tail that jerks up and down as it walks


a songbird that lives mainly on the ground in open country; has streaky brown plumage


a common pipit that is brown above and white below; widely distributed in northern and central Europe and in Asia


finches: goldfinches, bullfinches, chaffinches, siskins, canaries, cardinals, grosbeaks, crossbills, linnets, buntings


any of numerous small songbirds with short stout bills adapted for crushing seeds


type genus of the Fringillidae: chaffinch, brambling


small European finch with a cheerful song


used in some classifications for a subgroup of finches


in some classifications considered the type genus of a subfamily Carduelinae of the family Fringillidae: goldfinches, siskins, redpolls, linnets


small European finch having a crimson face and yellow-and-black wings


small Old World finch whose male has a red breast and forehead


small yellow-and-black Eurasian finch with a sharp beak


South American species of scarlet finch with black head and wings and tail


small siskin-like finch with a red crown and a rosy breast and rump


small siskin-like finch with a red crown


in some classifications considered a subgenus of Carduelis: siskins and New World goldfinches


oewn-New_World_goldfinch-n oewn-goldfinch-n oewn-yellowbird-n oewn-Spinus_tristis-n

American finch whose male has yellow body plumage in summer


small finch of North American coniferous forests


small finch originally of the western United States and Mexico


North American finch having a raspberry-red head and breast and rump


Old World finches; e.g. canaries and serins


native to the Canary Islands and Azores; popular usually yellow cage bird noted for its song


any of various brown and yellow finches of parts of Europe


finch with a bill whose tips cross when closed


common European finch mostly black and white with red throat and breast


small North American finch seen chiefly in winter


common North American junco having grey plumage and eyes with dark brown irises


a genus of Fringillidae, containing the vesper sparrow (Pooecetes)


common North American finch noted for its evening song


common North American finch with a white patch on the throat and black-and-white striped crown


finch with black-and-white striped crown


chipping sparrow; field sparrow; tree sparrow


small North American finch common in urban areas


common North American finch of brushy pasturelands


finch common in winter in the northern U.S.


any of numerous seed-eating songbirds of Europe or North America


a genus of small North American finches including the New World buntings


oewn-indigo_bunting-n oewn-indigo_finch-n oewn-indigo_bird-n oewn-Passerina_cyanea-n


brownish Old World bunting often eaten as a delicacy


European bunting inhabiting marshy areas


European bunting the male being bright yellow


oewn-snow_bunting-n oewn-snowbird-n oewn-snowflake-n oewn-Plectrophenax_nivalis-n


oewn-Coerebidae-n oewn-family_Coerebidae-n oewn-Dacninae-n oewn-family_Dacninae-n


small bright-colored tropical American songbird with a curved bill for sucking nectar


true sparrows: Old world birds formerly considered weaverbirds


any of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on seeds or insects


small hardy brown-and-grey bird native to Europe


Eurasian sparrow smaller than the house sparrow


any of various finches of Europe or America having a massive and powerful bill


a genus of Fringillidae, containing the pine grosbeak and the crimson-browed finch (Pinicola)


large grosbeak of coniferous forests of Old and New Worlds


oewn-cardinal-n oewn-cardinal_grosbeak-n oewn-Richmondena_Cardinalis-n oewn-Cardinalis_cardinalis-n oewn-redbird-n

crested thick-billed North American finch having bright red plumage in the male


large showy finches related to cardinals


crested grey-and-red bird of southwest United States and Mexico


any of numerous long-tailed American finches


one of two genera of birds known as towhees, containing the Abert's towhee, the California towhee, the canyon towhee, the green-tailed towhee, the collared towhee, the Eastern towhee, the spotted towhee, the Bermuda towhee, and the white-throated towhee (Pipilo)


finch-like African and Asian colonial birds noted for their elaborately woven nests


oewn-Java_sparrow-n oewn-Java_finch-n oewn-ricebird-n oewn-Padda_oryzivora-n

small finch-like Indonesian weaverbird that frequents rice fields


red Asian weaverbirds often kept as cage birds


usually brightly-colored Australian weaverbirds; often kept as cage birds


small Australian weaverbird with markings like a zebra's


small to medium-sized finches of the Hawaiian islands


black honeycreepers with yellow feathers around the tail; now extinct


type and sole genus of the family Menuridae


Australian bird that resembles a pheasant; the courting male displays long tail feathers in a lyre shape


small fast-running Australian bird resembling a wren and frequenting brush or scrub


small birds of the Old World tropics having bright plumage and short wide bills


New World flycatchers, antbirds, oven birds, woodhewers


a passerine bird of the suborder Tyranni


used in some classification systems; a suborder or superfamily nearly coextensive with suborder Tyranni; Passeriformes having relatively simple vocal organs and little power of song; clamatorial birds


New World tyrant flycatchers most numerous in Central America and South America but also in the United States and Canada


oewn-New_World_flycatcher-n oewn-flycatcher-n oewn-tyrant_flycatcher-n oewn-tyrant_bird-n

large American birds that characteristically catch insects on the wing


type genus of the Tyrannidae: tyrant flycatchers


a kingbird seen in western United States; head and back are pale grey and the breast is yellowish and the tail is black


a kingbird seen in the southwestern United States; largely grey with a yellow abdomen


a kingbird that breeds in North America and winters in tropical America; distinguished by a white band on the tip of the tail


oewn-grey_kingbird-n oewn-gray_kingbird-n oewn-petchary-n oewn-Tyrannus_domenicensis_domenicensis-n

a kingbird that breeds in the southeastern United States and winters in tropical America; similar to but larger than the eastern kingbird


oewn-pewee-n oewn-peewee-n oewn-peewit-n oewn-pewit-n oewn-wood_pewee-n oewn-Contopus_virens-n

small olive-colored woodland flycatchers of eastern North America


small flycatcher of western North America


small dun-colored North American flycatcher


tropical American flycatcher found as far north as southern Texas and Arizona; adult male has bright scarlet and black plumage


tropical bird of northern South America the male having brilliant red or orange plumage and an erectile disklike crest


bird of the Andes similar to Rupicola rupicola


type genus of the Pipridae containing the typical manakins


any of numerous small bright-colored birds of Central America and South America having short bills and elaborate courtship behavior


any of several tropical American birds of the genus Procnias having a bell-like call


black tropical American bird having a large overhanging crest and long feathered wattle


type genus of the family Furnariidae: ovenbirds


small brownish South American birds that build oven-shaped clay nests


any of various dull-colored South American birds that feeding on ants some following army ant swarms


a kind of antbird, with species spanning the genera Formicarius and Chamaeza


a genus of Formicariidae, containing the antshrikes (Thamnophilus)


antbirds superficially resembling shrikes


a kind of antbird found in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, also Colombia and Ecuador of northwestern South America (Hylophylax naevioides)


oewn-woodhewer-n oewn-woodcreeper-n oewn-wood-creeper-n oewn-tree_creeper-n

any of numerous South American and Central American birds with a curved bill and stiffened tail feathers that climb and feed like woodpeckers


type genus of the Pittidae; a large genus of birds of southern Asia and Australia and adjacent islands


any bird of the genus Pitta; brilliantly colored chiefly terrestrial birds with short wings and tail and stout bills


grey flycatcher of the southwestern United States and Mexico and Central America having a long forked tail and white breast and salmon and scarlet markings


any of a large group of small songbirds that feed on insects taken on the wing


common European woodland flycatcher with greyish-brown plumage


Australian and southeastern Asian birds with a melodious whistling call


thrushes; in some classifications considered a subfamily (Turdinae) of the family Muscicapidae


alternative classification for the thrushes


songbirds characteristically having brownish upper plumage with a spotted breast


oewn-missel_thrush-n oewn-mistle_thrush-n oewn-mistletoe_thrush-n oewn-Turdus_viscivorus-n

large European thrush that feeds on mistletoe berries


oewn-song_thrush-n oewn-mavis-n oewn-throstle-n oewn-Turdus_philomelos-n

common Old World thrush noted for its song


medium-sized Eurasian thrush seen chiefly in winter


small European thrush having reddish flanks


oewn-blackbird-n oewn-merl-n oewn-merle-n oewn-ouzel-n oewn-ousel-n oewn-European_blackbird-n oewn-Turdus_merula-n


oewn-ring_ouzel-n oewn-ring_blackbird-n oewn-ring_thrush-n oewn-Turdus_torquatus-n

European thrush common in rocky areas; the male has blackish plumage with a white band around the neck


large American thrush having a rust-red breast and abdomen


American thrush: wood thrush; hermit thrush; veery


North American thrush noted for its complex and appealing song


tawny brown North American thrush noted for its song


large thrush common in eastern American woodlands; noted for its melodious song


European songbird noted for its melodious nocturnal song


common European chat with black plumage and a reddish-brown breast


brown-and-buff European songbird of grassy meadows


a dull grey North American thrush noted for its beautiful song


a genus of Old World thrushes, containing some of the redstarts (Phoenicurus)


European songbird with a reddish breast and tail; related to Old World robins


small songbird of northern America and Eurasia having a distinctive white rump


a genus of Old World thrushes, containing the robins (Erithacus)


oewn-robin-n oewn-redbreast-n oewn-robin_redbreast-n oewn-Old_World_robin-n oewn-Erithacus_rubecola-n

small Old World songbird with a reddish breast


in some classifications considered a subfamily (Sylviinae) of the family Muscicapidae: Old World (true) warblers; American kinglets and gnatcatchers


alternative classification for the Old World warblers


very small North American and South American warblers


a genus of birds of the family Sylviidae including kinglets


small birds resembling warblers but having some of the habits of titmice


European kinglet with a black-bordered yellow crown patch


American kinglet with a notable song and in the male a red crown patch


small active brownish or greyish Old World birds


small brownish-grey warbler with a black crown


greyish-brown Old World warbler with a white throat and underparts


Old World warbler similar to the greater whitethroat but smaller


European woodland warbler with dull yellow plumage


a genus of Sylviidae, commonly known as marsh warblers and reed warblers (Acrocephalus)


oewn-sedge_warbler-n oewn-sedge_bird-n oewn-sedge_wren-n oewn-reedbird-n oewn-Acrocephalus_schoenobaenus-n

small European warbler that breeds among reeds and wedges and winters in Africa


a genus of Sylviidae commonly known as wren-warblers (Prinia)


small Asiatic and African bird; constructs nests like those of tailorbirds


tropical Asian warbler that stitches leaves together to form and conceal its nest


any of various insectivorous Old World birds with a loud incessant song; in some classifications considered members of the family Muscicapidae


small bright-colored American songbird with a weak unmusical song


type genus of the Parulidae: wood warblers


small grey-blue wood warbler with yellow throat and breast; of eastern North America


a genus of Parulidae, containing at least 33 species of New World warblers (Setophaga)


any of numerous American wood warblers that feed on insects caught on the wing


flycatching warbler of eastern North America the male having bright orange on sides and wings and tail


North American wood warbler; olive green and yellow striped with black


oewn-yellow_warbler-n oewn-golden_warbler-n oewn-yellowbird-n oewn-Dendroica_petechia-n


black-and-white North American wood warbler having an orange-and-black head and throat


North American warbler having a black-and-white head


American warbler noted for imitating songs of other birds


American warbler; builds a dome-shaped nest on the ground


brownish North American warbler found near streams


small olive-colored American warblers with yellow breast and throat


any of numerous brilliantly colored plumed birds of the New Guinea area


velvety black Australian bird of paradise with green and purple iridescence on head and tail


American orioles, American blackbirds, bobolinks, meadowlarks


American songbird; male is black and orange or yellow


oewn-Baltimore_oriole-n oewn-Baltimore_bird-n oewn-hangbird-n oewn-firebird-n oewn-Icterus_galbula_galbula-n


a genus of passerine birds including the meadowlarks


North American songbirds having a yellow breast


black-and-red or black-and-yellow orioles of the American tropics


oewn-bobolink-n oewn-ricebird-n oewn-reedbird-n oewn-Dolichonyx_oryzivorus-n


any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black


long-tailed American blackbird having iridescent black plumage


North American blackbird whose bluish-black plumage is rusty-edged in the fall


North American blackbird that follows cattle and lays eggs in other birds' nests


North American blackbird with scarlet patches on the wings


mostly tropical songbird; the male is usually bright orange and black


greenish-yellow Australian oriole feeding chiefly on figs and other fruits


gregarious birds native to the Old World


type genus of the Sturnidae: common starlings


gregarious bird having plumage with dark metallic gloss; builds nests around dwellings and other structures; naturalized worldwide


only the rose-colored starlings; in some classifications considered a separate genus


oewn-rose-colored_starling-n oewn-rose-colored_pastor-n oewn-Pastor_sturnus-n oewn-Pastor_roseus-n

glossy black bird with pink back and abdomen; chiefly Asian


oewn-myna-n oewn-mynah-n oewn-mina-n oewn-minah-n oewn-myna_bird-n oewn-mynah_bird-n


a genus containing the 'typical' mynas (Acridotheres)


dark brown crested bird of southeastern Asia


a genus containing the hill mynas (Gracula)


oewn-hill_myna-n oewn-Indian_grackle-n oewn-grackle-n oewn-Gracula_religiosa-n

glossy black Asiatic starling often taught to mimic speech


crow, raven, rook, jackdaw, chough, magpie, jay


type genus of the Corvidae: crows and ravens


large black bird with a straight bill and long wedge-shaped tail


common gregarious Old World bird about the size and color of the American crow


common black-and-grey Eurasian bird noted for thievery


a European corvine bird of small or medium size with red legs and glossy black plumage


type genus of the Garrulinae: Old World jays


fawn-colored jay with black-and-white crest and blue-and-black wings


common jay of eastern North America; bright blue with grey breast


oewn-Canada_jay-n oewn-grey_jay-n oewn-gray_jay-n oewn-camp_robber-n oewn-whisker_jack-n oewn-Perisoreus_canadensis-n

a jay of northern North America with black-capped head and no crest; noted for boldness in thievery


a Canada jay with a white head; widely distributed from Montana to Arizona


long-tailed black-and-white crow that utters a raucous chattering call


a magpie of Rocky Mountains in North America


Australian birds formerly included in the family Laniidae


black-and-white oscine birds that resemble magpies


type genus of the Cracticidae: Australian butcherbirds


large carnivorous Australian bird with the shrike-like habit of impaling prey on thorns


bluish black fruit-eating bird with a bell-like call


in some classifications placed in the family Laniidae: Australian piping crows


crow-sized black-and-white bird; a good mimic often caged


any of several small active brown birds of the Northern Hemisphere with short upright tails; they feed on insects


small wren of coniferous forests of Northern Hemisphere


common American wren that nests around houses


a wren of the genus Cistothorus that frequents marshes


American wren that inhabits tall reed beds


small American wren inhabiting wet sedgy meadows


wren inhabiting badlands and mesa country of western United States and Mexico


large United States wren with a musical call


oewn-Campylorhynchus-n oewn-genus_Campylorhynchus-n oewn-Heleodytes-n oewn-genus_Heleodytes-n

alternative classifications for the cactus wrens


large harsh-voiced American wren of arid regions of the United States southwest and Mexico


sometimes considered a subfamily of Troglodytidae: mockingbirds; catbirds; thrashers


type genus of the family Mimidae: mockingbirds


long-tailed grey-and-white songbird of the southern United States able to mimic songs of other birds


oewn-catbird-n oewn-grey_catbird-n oewn-gray_catbird-n oewn-Dumetella_carolinensis-n

North American songbird whose call resembles a cat's mewing


thrush-like American songbird able to mimic other birdsongs


common large songbird of eastern United States having reddish-brown plumage


oewn-Xenicidae-n oewn-family_Xenicidae-n oewn-Acanthisittidae-n oewn-family_Acanthisittidae-n

alternative names for the family comprising the New Zealand wrens


birds of New Zealand that resemble wrens


any of various small insectivorous birds of the Northern Hemisphere that climb up a tree trunk supporting themselves on stiff tail feathers and their feet


a common creeper in North America with a down-curved bill


common European brown-and-buff tree creeper with down-curved bill


wall creepers; in some classifications placed in family Sittidae


crimson-and-grey songbird that inhabits town walls and mountain cliffs of southern Eurasia and northern Africa


any of various small short-tailed songbirds with strong feet and a sharp beak that feed on small nuts and insects


bluish-grey nuthatch with reddish breast; of northern coniferous forests


bluish-grey nuthatch with black head and white breast; of eastern North America


any of various small grey-and-black songbirds of North America


crested titmouse of eastern and midwestern United States


southern United States chickadee similar to the blackcap but smaller


widely distributed European titmouse with bright cobalt blue wings and tail and crown of the head


a genus of Paridae, containing the American bushtit (Psaltriparus)


active grey titmice of western North America


a genus of Paridae, containing the wrentit (Chamaea)


small brown bird of California resembling a wren


a genus of Paridae, containing the verdin (Auriparus)


very small yellow-headed titmouse of western North America


a family of birds of the suborder Oscines, comprising the leafbirds, ioras, and fairy bluebirds (Irenidae)


type genus of the Irenidae: fairy bluebirds


fruit-eating mostly brilliant blue songbird of the East Indies


small long-winged songbird noted for swift graceful flight and the regularity of its migrations


common swallow of North America and Europe that nests in barns etc.


North American swallow that lives in colonies and builds bottle-shaped mud nests on cliffs and walls


of Australia and Polynesia; nests in tree cavities


bluish-green-and-white North American swallow; nests in tree cavities


any of various swallows with squarish or slightly forked tail and long pointed wings; migrate around Martinmas


a genus of Hirundinidae, containing three species of house martin (Delichon)


common small European martin that builds nests under the eaves of houses


a genus of Hirundinidae containing six species, the brown-throated martin, the grey-throated martin, the congo martin, the sand martin or bank swallow, the pale martin or pale sand martin, and the banded martin (Riparia)


oewn-bank_martin-n oewn-bank_swallow-n oewn-sand_martin-n oewn-Riparia_riparia-n

swallow of the Northern Hemisphere that nests in tunnels dug in clay or sand banks


a genus of Hirundinidae containing nine American swallows, the purple martin, the Caribbean martin, the Cuban martin, the Sinaloa martin, the grey-breasted martin, the Galapagos martin, the Peruvian martin, the Southern martin, and the brown-chested martin (Progne)


large North American martin of which the male is blue-black


Australasian and Asiatic bird related to the shrikes and resembling a swallow


any of numerous New World woodland birds having brightly colored males


oewn-scarlet_tanager-n oewn-Piranga_olivacea-n oewn-redbird-n oewn-firebird-n

the male is bright red with black wings and tail


of western North America; male is black and yellow and orange-red


of middle and southern United States; male is deep rose-red the female mostly yellow


common tanager of southwestern United States and Mexico


any of numerous Old World birds having a strong hooked bill that feed on smaller animals


type genus of the Laniidae: typical shrikes


shrikes that impale their prey on thorns


a butcherbird of western North America; grey with white underparts


a common shrike of southeastern United States having black bands around the eyes


a shrike of central North America; winters in Texas and the southern Mississippi valley


any of various birds of the Australian region whose males build ornamented structures resembling bowers in order to attract females


of southeast Australia; male is glossy violet blue; female is light grey-green


small stocky diving bird without webbed feet; frequents fast-flowing streams and feeds along the bottom


any of various small insectivorous American birds chiefly olive-grey in color


of northern North America having red irises and an olive-grey body with white underparts


of eastern North America having a bluish-grey head and mostly green body


common vireo of northeastern North America with bluish slaty-grey head


a family of birds of the suborder Oscines, it includes waxwings, silky flycatchers, and the gray hypocolius of Southwest Asia (Bombycillidae)


brown velvety-plumaged songbirds of the Northern Hemisphere having crested heads and red waxy wing tips


widely distributed over temperate North America


large waxwing of northern North America; similar to but larger than the cedar waxwing


term used in former classifications; erroneously grouped together birds of the orders Falconiformes and Strigiformes


any of numerous carnivorous birds that hunt and kill other animals


chiefly diurnal carnivorous birds having hooked beaks and long talons with opposable hind toe: falcons, hawks, eagles, ospreys, caracaras, vultures


in some classifications an alternative name for the Falconiformes


hawks, Old World vultures, kites, harriers, eagles


diurnal bird of prey typically having short rounded wings and a long tail


male hawk especially male peregrine or gyrfalcon


large hawk of Eurasia and North America used in falconry


small hawk of Eurasia and northern Africa


bluish-grey North American hawk having a darting flight


nontechnical term for any hawks said to prey on poultry


dark brown American hawk species having a reddish-brown tail


large hawk of the Northern Hemisphere that feeds chiefly on small rodents and is beneficial to farmers


North American hawk with reddish brown shoulders


a common European bird of prey; dull brown with white-streaked underparts


Old World hawk that feeds on bee larvae and small rodents and reptiles


any of several small graceful hawks of the family Accipitridae having long pointed wings and feeding on insects and small animals


a genus including the common European kits


dark Old World kite feeding chiefly on carrion


graceful North American black-and-white kite


a genus of small kites of both Old and New Worlds


grey-and-white American kite of warm and tropical regions


hawks that hunt over meadows and marshes and prey on small terrestrial animals


Old World harrier frequenting marshy regions


oewn-marsh_hawk-n oewn-northern_harrier-n oewn-hen_harrier-n oewn-Circus_cyaneus-n

common harrier of North America and Europe; nests in marshes and open land


any of numerous large Old World hawks intermediate in some respects between typical hawks and typical eagles


a family of birds of the order Falconiformes


diurnal birds of prey having long pointed powerful wings adapted for swift flight


a genus of Falconidae, containing the true falcons (Falco)


a widely distributed falcon formerly used in falconry


female falcon especially a female peregrine falcon


large and rare Arctic falcon having white and dark color phases


small Old World falcon that hovers in the air against a wind


oewn-sparrow_hawk-n oewn-American_kestrel-n oewn-kestrel-n oewn-Falco_sparverius-n


small falcon of Europe and America having dark plumage with black-barred tail; used in falconry


small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small birds


any of various long-legged carrion-eating hawks of South America and Central America


a genus of Falconidae, commonly known as long-winged hawks or typical caracaras (Polyborus)


widespread from southern United States to Central America; rusty black with black-and-white breast and tail


any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight


large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America


a genus of Accipitridae, containing the true eagles (Aquila)


large eagle of mountainous regions of the Northern Hemisphere having a golden-brown head and neck


brownish eagle of Africa and parts of Asia


a genus of Accipitridae, containing the sea eagles (Haliaeetus)


a large eagle of North America that has a white head and dark wings and body


any of various large eagles that usually feed on fish


found on coasts of the northwestern Pacific


oewn-ern-n oewn-erne-n oewn-grey_sea_eagle-n oewn-gray_sea_eagle-n oewn-European_sea_eagle-n oewn-white-tailed_sea_eagle-n oewn-Haliatus_albicilla-n

bulky greyish-brown eagle with a short wedge-shaped white tail; of Europe and Greenland


oewn-osprey-n oewn-fish_hawk-n oewn-fish_eagle-n oewn-sea_eagle-n oewn-Pandion_haliaetus-n

large harmless hawk found worldwide that feeds on fish and builds a bulky nest often occupied for years


any of various large diurnal birds of prey having naked heads and weak claws and feeding chiefly on carrion


in some classifications considered the family comprising the Old World vultures which are more often included in the family Accipitridae


any of several large vultures of Africa and Eurasia


a genus of Accipitridae, containing 8 extant species of Old World vultures (Gyps)


large vulture of southern Europe and northern Africa having pale plumage with black wings


in some classifications the type genus of the family Aegypiidae


oewn-bearded_vulture-n oewn-lammergeier-n oewn-lammergeyer-n oewn-Gypaetus_barbatus-n

the largest Eurasian bird of prey; having black feathers hanging around the bill


a genus of Accipitridae containing the Egyptian vulture, also known as the white scavenger vulture or pharaoh's chicken (Neophron)


small mostly white vulture of Africa and southern Eurasia


a genus of Accipitridae, containing the cinereous vulture, also known as the black vulture, monk vulture, or Eurasian black vulture (Aegypius)


large long-legged African bird of prey that feeds on reptiles


large birds of prey superficially similar to Old World vultures


type genus of the Cathartidae: turkey vultures


oewn-buzzard-n oewn-turkey_buzzard-n oewn-turkey_vulture-n oewn-Cathartes_aura-n

a New World vulture that is common in South America and Central America and the southern United States


the largest flying birds in the western hemisphere


a bird that is usually restricted to the Andean condor


large vulture of the high Andes having black plumage and white neck ruff


North American condor; chiefly dull black; almost extinct


American vulture smaller than the turkey buzzard


usually containing only the king vulture


large black-and-white vulture of South America and Central America; have colorful wattles and wartlike protuberances on head and neck


oewn-owl-n oewn-bird_of_Minerva-n oewn-bird_of_night-n oewn-hooter-n

nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes


a family of nocturnal birds of the order Strigiformes


a genus of Strigidae containing the spotted owlet, little owl, forest owlet, and burrowing owl (Athene)


a genus of Strigidae containing the American horned owls and the Old World eagle-owls (Bubo)


large dish-faced owl of northern North America and western Eurasia


reddish-brown European owl having a round head with black eyes


large owl of eastern North America having its breast and abdomen streaked with brown


a genus of Strigidae containing the Scops owl (Otus)


small North American owl having hornlike tufts of feathers whose call sounds like a quavering whistle


any of several small owls having ear tufts and a whistling call


a large owl of North America found in forests from British Columbia to central Mexico; has dark brown plumage and a heavily spotted chest


any owl that hoots as distinct from screeching


grey-and-white diurnal hawk-like owl of northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere


slender European owl of coniferous forests with long ear tufts


a genus of Strigidae containing the laughing owl, whekau, or white-faced owl (Sceloglaux)


type and only genus of the family Tytonidae


mottled buff and white owl often inhabiting barns and other structures; important in rodent control


the class of vertebrates that live on land but breed in water, frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, caecilians


cold-blooded vertebrate typically living on land but breeding in water; aquatic larvae undergo metamorphosis into adult form


earliest fossil amphibian ever found; of the Devonian; found in Pennsylvania


fossil amphibian of the Devonian having well-developed forelimbs; found in Pennsylvania


second earliest fossil amphibian ever found; of the Devonian; found in Greenland


early tetrapod amphibian found in Greenland


oewn-Urodella-n oewn-order_Urodella-n oewn-Caudata-n oewn-order_Caudata-n


any of various typically terrestrial amphibians that resemble lizards and that return to water only to breed


European salamander having dark skin with usually yellow spots


small usually bright-colored semiaquatic salamanders of North America and Europe and northern Asia


red terrestrial form of a common North American newt


any of several rough-skinned newts found in western North America


newt of humid coast from Alaska to southern California


newt that is similar to Taricha granulosa in characteristics and habitat


a newt in its terrestrial stage of development


small to moderate-sized terrestrial or semiaquatic New World salamander


brownish-black burrowing salamander of southeastern United States


glossy black North American salamander with yellow spots


widely distributed brown or black North American salamander with vertical yellowish blotches


larval salamander of mountain lakes of Mexico that usually lives without metamorphosing


any of several large aquatic salamanders


large aquatic salamanders: hellbenders; giant salamanders


large salamander of North American rivers and streams


giant salamanders; in some classifications included in the genus Cryptobranchus


large (up to more than three feet) edible salamander of Asia


European aquatic salamander with permanent external gills that lives in caves


aquatic North American salamander with red feathery external gills


large and small highly aquatic salamanders


salamanders found near cold streams throughout the year


large (to 7 inches) salamander of western North America


small large-eyed semiaquatic salamander of the United States Northwest


small mostly terrestrial New World salamanders having neither lungs nor gills as adults


mostly terrestrial salamanders that breathe through their thin moist skin; lay eggs in moist places on land; rarely enter water


common salamander of eastern North America


salamander of the Pacific coast of North America


common North American salamander mottled with dull brown or greyish-black


any of several North American salamanders adapted for climbing with well-developed limbs and long somewhat squared-off toes


yellow-spotted brown salamander of California woodlands


any of several small slim salamanders of the Pacific coast of the United States


any of several salamanders with webbed toes and very long extensile tongues; excellent climbers that move with ease over smooth rock surfaces


primarily a cave dweller in the Mount Shasta area


similar to Shasta salamander; lives in cliff crevices and taluses


the family of congo snakes (Amphiumidae)


oewn-amphiuma-n oewn-congo_snake-n oewn-congo_eel-n oewn-blind_eel-n

aquatic eel-shaped salamander having two pairs of very small feet; of still muddy waters in the southern United States


eellike aquatic North American salamander with small forelimbs and no hind limbs; have permanent external gills


oewn-Salientia-n oewn-order_Salientia-n oewn-Anura-n oewn-order_Anura-n oewn-Batrachia-n oewn-order_Batrachia-n


oewn-frog-n oewn-toad-n oewn-toad_frog-n oewn-anuran-n oewn-batrachian-n oewn-salientian-n

any of various tailless stout-bodied amphibians with long hind limbs for leaping; semiaquatic and terrestrial species


a family nearly cosmopolitan in distribution: true frogs


insectivorous usually semiaquatic web-footed amphibian with smooth moist skin and long hind legs


wide-ranging light-brown frog of moist North American woodlands especially spruce


common North American green or brownish frog having white-edged dark oval spots


largest North American frog; highly aquatic with a deep-pitched voice


similar to bullfrog; found in or near marshes and ponds; of United States and Canada


mountain frog found near water; of United States Northwest to California


largest living frog; up to a foot and weighing up to 10 lbs; Africa


Mexican frog found within a jump or two of water


New World frogs; in some classifications essentially coextensive with the family Bufonidae


toothed frogs: terrestrial or aquatic or arboreal


small terrestrial frog of tropical America


of southwest United States and Mexico; call is like a dog's bark


type genus of the Leptodactylidae; in some classifications placed in the family Bufonidae


large toothed frog of South America and Central America resembling the bullfrog


any of various Old World arboreal frogs distinguished from true frogs by adhesive suckers on the toes


family of one species of frog: tailed frog


type genus of the Ascaphidae; in some classifications included in the family Leiopelmatidae


oewn-tailed_frog-n oewn-bell_toad-n oewn-ribbed_toad-n oewn-tailed_toad-n oewn-Ascaphus_trui-n

western North American frog with a taillike copulatory organ


oewn-Leiopelmatidae-n oewn-family_Leiopelmatidae-n oewn-Liopelmidae-n oewn-family_Liopelmidae-n


oewn-Leiopelma-n oewn-genus_Leiopelma-n oewn-Liopelma-n oewn-genus_Liopelma-n

type and sole genus of the family Leiopelmatidae


primitive New Zealand frog with four unwebbed toes on forefeet and five on hind feet


tailless amphibian similar to a frog but more terrestrial and having drier warty skin


type genus of the Bufonidae; common toads of New and Old Worlds


largest known toad species; native to Central America; valuable destroyer of insect pests


common brownish-yellow short-legged toad of western Europe; runs rather than hops


Eurasian toad with variable chiefly green coloring


small green or yellow-green toad with small black bars and stripes


of high Sierra Nevada meadows and forest borders


nocturnal burrowing toad of mesquite woodland and prairies of the United States southwest


a uniformly warty stocky toad of washes and streams of semiarid southwestern United States


of a great variety of habitats from southern Alaska to Baja California west of the Rockies


family of Old World toads having a fixed disklike tongue


European toad whose male carries the fertilized eggs wrapped around its hind legs until they hatch


similar in habit to Alytes obstetricians


toad of central and eastern Europe having red or orange patches mixed with black on its underside


a burrowing toad of the Northern Hemisphere with a horny spade-like projection on each hind foot


this spadefoot toad lives in the southwestern United States


this spadefoot toad lives in plains and hills and river bottoms in areas of low rainfall east of the Rocky Mountains


arboreal amphibians usually having adhesive disks at the tip of each toe; of southeast Asia and Australia and America


the type genus of the Hylidae; tree toads


a small brown tree toad having a shrill call heard near wetlands of eastern United States and Canada in early spring


the most commonly heard frog on the Pacific coast of America


a small chiefly ground dweller that stays within easy jumping distance of water; of United States southwest and northern Mexico


either of two frogs with a clicking call


a cricket frog of eastern and central United States


any of several small North American frogs having a loud call


terrestrial burrowing nocturnal frog of grassy terrain and scrub forests having very hard upper surface of head; of the United States southwest


oewn-Microhylidae-n oewn-family_Microhylidae-n oewn-Brevicipitidae-n oewn-family_Brevicipitidae-n

narrow-mouthed toads and sheep frogs; some burrow and some are arboreal; found worldwide


small secretive toad with smooth tough skin of central and western North America


small toad of southeastern United States


almost completely aquatic frog native to Africa and Panama and northern South America


a South American toad; incubates its young in pits in the skin of its back


in some classifications the family of the genus Xenopus which is otherwise included in the family Pipidae


an African clawed frog; in some classifications made the type genus of a separate family Xenopodidae


a tongueless frog native to Africa; established in the United States as result of release of laboratory and aquarium animals


an order of amphibians including caecilians


oewn-Caeciliidae-n oewn-family_Caeciliidae-n oewn-Caeciliadae-n oewn-family_Caeciliadae-n

coextensive with the order Gymnophiona: legless amphibians


any of the small slender limbless burrowing wormlike amphibians of the order Gymnophiona; inhabit moist soil in tropical regions


oewn-Labyrinthodontia-n oewn-superorder_Labyrinthodontia-n oewn-Labyrinthodonta-n oewn-superorder_Labyrinthodonta-n

extinct amphibians typically resembling heavy-bodied salamanders or crocodiles and having a solid flattened skull and conical teeth; Devonian through Triassic


an amphibian of the superorder Labyrinthodontia


formerly a suborder of Stegocephalia; amphibia having vertebrae whose component elements are fused into a single piece


in former classifications a division of class Amphibia comprising all pre-Jurassic and some later extinct large salamandriform amphibia


formerly a suborder of Stegocephalia; large Carboniferous and Permian amphibians having vertebrae in which some elements remain separate


class of cold-blooded air-breathing vertebrates with completely ossified skeleton and a body usually covered with scales or horny plates; once the dominant land animals


any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and extinct forms


oldest known reptiles; turtles and extinct Permian forms


primitive reptile having no opening in the temporal region of the skull; all extinct except turtles


reptile having a pair of openings in the skull behind each eye


used in former classifications to include all living reptiles except turtles; superseded by the two subclasses Lepidosauria and Archosauria


oewn-Chelonia-n oewn-order_Chelonia-n oewn-Testudinata-n oewn-order_Testudinata-n oewn-Testudines-n oewn-order_Testudines-n


any of various aquatic and land reptiles having a bony shell and flipper-like limbs for swimming


oewn-Cheloniidae-n oewn-family_Cheloniidae-n oewn-Chelonidae-n oewn-family_Chelonidae-n


any of various large turtles with limbs modified into flippers; widely distributed in warm seas


large tropical turtle with greenish flesh used for turtle soup


very large carnivorous sea turtle; wide-ranging in warm open seas


oewn-Atlantic_ridley-n oewn-bastard_ridley-n oewn-bastard_turtle-n oewn-Lepidochelys_kempii-n

grey sea turtle of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of North America


olive-colored sea turtle of tropical Pacific and Indian and the southern Atlantic oceans


oewn-hawksbill_turtle-n oewn-hawksbill-n oewn-hawkbill-n oewn-tortoiseshell_turtle-n oewn-Eretmochelys_imbricata-n

pugnacious tropical sea turtle with a hawk-like beak; source of food and the best tortoiseshell


type genus of the Dermochelyidae: leatherback turtles


oewn-leatherback_turtle-n oewn-leatherback-n oewn-leathery_turtle-n oewn-Dermochelys_coriacea-n

wide-ranging marine turtle with flexible leathery carapace; largest living turtle


family of turtles containing two genera, Chelydra and Macrochelys (Chelydridae)


large aggressive freshwater turtle with powerful jaws


one of two genera of the snapping turtle family (Chelydra)


large-headed turtle with powerful hooked jaws found in or near water; prone to bite


large species having three ridges on its back; found in southeastern United States


bottom-dwelling freshwater turtle inhabiting muddy rivers of North America and Central America


small freshwater turtle having a strong musky odor


any of various edible North American web-footed turtles living in fresh or brackish water


of marshes along Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of United States


oewn-red-bellied_terrapin-n oewn-red-bellied_turtle-n oewn-redbelly-n oewn-Pseudemys_rubriventris-n

freshwater turtle of Chesapeake Bay tributaries having red markings on the lower shell


freshwater turtle of United States and South America; frequently raised commercially; some young sold as pets


large river turtle of the southern United States and northern Mexico


chiefly terrestrial turtle of North America; shell can be closed tightly


primarily a prairie turtle of western United States and northern Mexico


oewn-painted_turtle-n oewn-painted_terrapin-n oewn-painted_tortoise-n oewn-Chrysemys_picta-n

freshwater turtles having bright yellow and red markings; common in the eastern United States


usually herbivorous land turtles having clawed elephant-like limbs; worldwide in arid areas except Australia and Antarctica


very large tortoises of the Galapagos and Seychelles islands


oewn-gopher_tortoise-n oewn-gopher_turtle-n oewn-gopher-n oewn-Gopherus_polypemus-n

burrowing edible land tortoise of southeastern North America


possible new genus for desert and Texas tortoises based on recent research


burrowing tortoise of the arid western United States and northern Mexico; may be reclassified as a member of genus Xerobates


close relative to the desert tortoise; may be reclassified as a member of genus Xerobates


voracious aquatic turtle with a flat flexible shell covered by a leathery skin; can inflict painful bites


river turtle of western United States with a warty shell; prefers quiet water


river turtle of Mississippi basin; prefers running water


diapsid reptiles: lizards, snakes, tuataras


tuataras; extinct forms from middle Triassic


coextensive with the order Rhynchocephalia: tuataras


only extant member of the order Rhynchocephalia of large spiny lizard-like diapsid reptiles of coastal islands off New Zealand


oewn-Sauria-n oewn-suborder_Sauria-n oewn-Lacertilia-n oewn-suborder_Lacertilia-n

true lizards; including chameleons and geckos


any of various reptiles of the suborder Sauria which includes lizards; in former classifications included also the crocodiles and dinosaurs


relatively long-bodied reptile with usually two pairs of legs and a tapering tail


any of various small chiefly tropical and usually nocturnal insectivorous terrestrial lizards typically with immovable eyelids; completely harmless


a gecko that has membranous expansions along the sides of its body and limbs and tail that enable it to glide short distances


any of several geckos with dark bands across the body and differing from typical geckos in having movable eyelids; of United States southwest and Florida Gulf Coast


type genus of the Pygopodidae; snake-shaped pleurodont lizard with no forelimbs and only rudimentary hind limbs


oewn-Iguanidae-n oewn-family_Iguanidae-n oewn-Iguania-n oewn-family_Iguania-n


lizards of the New World and Madagascar and some Pacific islands; typically having a long tail and bright throat patch in males


large herbivorous tropical American arboreal lizards with a spiny crest along the back; used as human food in Central America and South America


shore-dwelling seaweed-eating lizard of the Galapagos Islands


small long-tailed lizard of arid areas of southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico


a herbivorous lizard that lives among rocks in the arid parts of southwestern United States and Mexico


swift lizard with long black-banded tail and long legs; of deserts of United States and Mexico


with long pointed scales around toes; of deserts of United States and Mexico


any of several slender lizards without external ear openings: of plains of western United States and Mexico


any of several robust long-tailed lizards with collars of two dark bands; of central and western United States and northern Mexico


any of several large lizards with many dark spots; of western United States and northern Mexico


any of numerous lizards with overlapping ridged pointed scales; of North America and Central America


spiny lizard often seen basking on fences in the United States and northern Mexico


oewn-western_fence_lizard-n oewn-swift-n oewn-blue-belly-n oewn-Sceloporus_occidentalis-n

common western lizard; seen on logs or rocks


small active lizard of United States and north to British Columbia


a ground dweller that prefers open ground and scattered low bushes; of United States west between Rocky and Sierra Nevada Mountains


a reptile genus of Iguanidae, containing the side-blotched lizards (Uta)


one of the most abundant lizards in the arid western United States


a reptile genus of Iguanidae, containing the tree and brush lizards (Urosaurus)


a climbing lizard of western United States and northern Mexico


insectivorous lizard with hornlike spines on the head and spiny scales on the body; of western North America


a reptile genus of Iguanidae, containing the basilisks (Basiliscus)


small crested arboreal lizard able to run on its hind legs; of tropical America


small arboreal tropical American insectivorous lizards with the ability to change skin color


oewn-Amphisbaena-n oewn-genus_Amphisbaena-n oewn-Amphisbaenia-n oewn-genus_Amphisbaenia-n


a lizard of the genus Amphisbaena; harmless wormlike limbless lizard of warm or tropical regions having concealed eyes and ears and a short blunt tail


small secretive nocturnal lizard of southwestern North America and Cuba; bear live young


alert agile lizard with reduced limbs and an elongated body covered with shiny scales; more dependent on moisture than most lizards; found in tropical regions worldwide


found in western North American grasslands and open woodlands


frequents oak and pine habitats in rocky mountainous areas of United States southwest and Mexico


small family of spiny ovoviviparous African lizards


type genus of the Cordylidae; spiny lizards somewhat resembling tiny crocodiles


tropical New World lizard with a long tail and large rectangular scales on the belly and a long tail


any of numerous very agile and alert New World lizards


oewn-racerunner-n oewn-race_runner-n oewn-six-lined_racerunner-n oewn-Cnemidophorus_sexlineatus-n

very swift lizard of eastern and central United States


having distinct longitudinal stripes: of Colorado Plateau from Arizona to western Colorado


having longitudinal stripes overlaid with light spots; upland lizard of United States southwest and Mexico


active lizard having a network of dusky dark markings; of semiarid areas from Oregon and Idaho to Baja California


markings are darker and more marked than in western whiptail; from southeastern Colorado to eastern Chihuahua


large (to 3 feet) blackish yellow-banded South American lizard; raid henhouses; used as food


crocodile-like lizard of South America having powerful jaws for crushing snails and mussels


small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World


large arboreal insectivorous Australian lizard with a ruff of skin around the neck


a reptile genus known as flying dragons or flying lizards


any of several small tropical Asian lizards capable of gliding by spreading winglike membranes on each side of the body


a family of lizards including slowworms, glass lizards and alligator lizards (Anguidae)


any of a small family of lizards widely distributed in warm areas; all are harmless and useful as destroyers of e.g. slugs and insects


a genus of anguid lizards commonly referred to as alligator lizards (Gerrhonotus)


slim short-limbed lizard having a distinctive fold on each side that permits expansion; of western North America


small burrowing legless European lizard with tiny eyes; popularly believed to be blind


snakelike lizard of Europe and Asia and North America with vestigial hind limbs and the ability to regenerate its long fragile tail


type and sole genus of Xenosauridae: slender-bodied Mexican lizards having the upper surface covered with tiny granules and tubercles


degenerate wormlike burrowing lizard of California closely related to alligator lizards


a genus containing the species Lanthanotus borneensis, or earless monitor lizard (Lanthanotus)


a stout-bodied pleurodont lizard of Borneo


any of two or three large heavy-bodied lizards; only known venomous lizards


type genus of the Helodermatidae; American venomous lizards


large orange and black lizard of southwestern United States; not dangerous unless molested


lizard with black and yellowish beadlike scales; of western Mexico


a common and widely distributed lizard of Europe and central Asia


a common Eurasian lizard about a foot long


oewn-Chamaeleontidae-n oewn-family_Chamaeleontidae-n oewn-Chamaeleonidae-n oewn-family_Chamaeleonidae-n oewn-Rhiptoglossa-n oewn-family_Rhiptoglossa-n

Old World chameleons; in some classifications they are considered a superfamily of Sauria


lizard of Africa and Madagascar able to change skin color and having a projectile tongue


type and sole extant genus of the Varanidae


any of various large tropical carnivorous lizards of Africa and Asia and Australia; fabled to warn of crocodiles


oewn-Komodo_dragon-n oewn-Komodo_lizard-n oewn-dragon_lizard-n oewn-giant_lizard-n oewn-Varanus_komodoensis-n

the largest lizard in the world (10 feet); found on Indonesian islands


a large subclass of diapsid reptiles including: crocodiles, alligators, dinosaurs, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, thecodonts


extinct reptiles including: dinosaurs, plesiosaurs, pterosaurs, ichthyosaurs, thecodonts


a genus of rauisuchian archosaur (Saurosuchus)


a genus of proterochampsid archosauromorph (Proterochampsa)


oewn-Crocodylia-n oewn-order_Crocodylia-n oewn-Crocodilia-n oewn-order_Crocodilia-n

crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gavials


oewn-Crocodylus-n oewn-genus_Crocodylus-n oewn-Crocodilus-n oewn-genus_Crocodilus-n


large voracious aquatic reptile having a long snout with massive jaws and sharp teeth and a body covered with bony plates; of sluggish tropical waters


a dangerous crocodile widely distributed in Africa


estuarine crocodile of eastern Asia and Pacific islands


crocodile of southeast Asia similar to but smaller than the gavial


either of two amphibious reptiles related to crocodiles but with shorter broader snouts


large alligator of the southeastern United States


small alligator of the Yangtze valley of China having unwebbed digits


a semiaquatic reptile of Central and South America that resembles an alligator but has a more heavily armored belly


caiman with bony ridges about the eyes; found from southern Mexico to Argentina


large fish-eating Indian crocodilian with a long slender snout


any of numerous extinct terrestrial reptiles of the Mesozoic era


extinct terrestrial reptiles having bird-like pelvises: armored dinosaurs (thyreophorans); boneheaded and horned dinosaurs (marginocephalians); duck-billed dinosaurs (euronithopods)


herbivorous dinosaur with a pelvis like that of a bird


primitive ornithischian dinosaur found in Argentina; early Triassic


primitive ornithischian dinosaur found in Brazil


armored dinosaurs: stegosaurs and ankylosaurs


quadrupedal armored herbivore of the Jurassic and Cretaceous


herbivorous ornithischian dinosaur with a row of bony plates along its back and a spiked tail probably used as a weapon


armored herbivorous dinosaurs of the Cretaceous


having the back covered with thick bony plates; thought to have walked with a sprawling gait resembling a lizard's


heavily armored and highly spiked dinosaur with semi-upright posture


includes boneheaded (pachycephalosaurs) and horned (ceratopsian) dinosaurs


bipedal herbivorous dinosaurs with bony crowns


bipedal herbivore having 10 inches of bone atop its head; largest boneheaded dinosaur ever found


any of several four-footed herbivorous dinosaurs with enormous beaked skulls; of the late Cretaceous in North America and Mongolia


huge ceratopsian dinosaur having three horns and the neck heavily armored with a very solid frill


an unusual ceratopsian dinosaur having many large spikes around the edge of its bony frill and a long nose horn; late Cretaceous


most primitive genus of horned dinosaurs; early Cretaceous


primitive dinosaur actually lacking horns and having only the beginning of a frill; long hind limbs and short forelimbs; may have been bipedal


oewn-Euronithopoda-n oewn-suborder_Euronithopoda-n oewn-euronithopod-n oewn-Ornithopoda-n oewn-suborder_Ornithopoda-n

widespread group including duck-billed dinosaurs and their early relatives (hadrosaurs, trachodon and iguanodon)


any of numerous large bipedal ornithischian dinosaurs having a horny duck-like bill and webbed feet; may have been partly aquatic


genus of large duck-billed dinosaurs; late Cretaceous


one of the largest and most famous duck-billed dinosaurs


genus of duck-billed dinosaurs of late Cretaceous


duck-billed dinosaur with nasal passages that expand into a crest like a hollow helmet


duck-billed dinosaur from Canada found as a fossilized mummy with skin


a reptile genus of the suborder Euronithopoda


large duck-billed dinosaur of the Cretaceous period


massive herbivorous bipedal dinosaur with a long heavy tail; common in Europe and northern Africa; early Cretaceous period


extinct terrestrial reptiles: theropods (carnivorous); sauropods (herbivorous)


herbivorous or carnivorous dinosaur having a three-pronged pelvis like that of a crocodile


gigantic herbivorous dinosaurs having huge bodies with long necks and small heads: Prosauropoda and Sauropoda (apatosaurus, diplodocus and titanosaurs)


very large herbivorous dinosaur of the Jurassic and Cretaceous having a small head on a long neck and tail and five-toed limbs; largest known land animal


large quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaurs with very long neck and tail; late Jurassic


oewn-apatosaur-n oewn-apatosaurus-n oewn-brontosaur-n oewn-brontosaurus-n oewn-thunder_lizard-n oewn-Apatosaurus_excelsus-n

huge quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaur common in North America in the late Jurassic


huge quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaur; late Jurassic


a dinosaur that could grow to be as tall as a building five stories tall


a reptile genus of the suborder Sauropoda


a huge quadrupedal herbivore with long neck and tail; of late Jurassic in western North America


genus of herbivorous dinosaurs flourishing during the Cretaceous in South America


amphibious quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaur with a long thin neck and whiplike tail; of the Cretaceous mostly in the Southern Hemisphere


enormous dinosaur of the middle Cretaceous found in Argentina


huge herbivorous dinosaur of Cretaceous found in Argentina


genus of large herbivorous dinosaurs of Cretaceous found in western North America


huge herbivorous dinosaur of the Cretaceous found in western North America


carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs with short forelimbs; Jurassic and Cretaceous


any of numerous carnivorous dinosaurs of the Triassic to Cretaceous with short forelimbs that walked or ran on strong hind legs


primitive saurischian carnivorous dinosaurs


primitive medium-sized theropod; swift-running bipedal carnivorous dinosaur having grasping hands with sharp claws and a short horn between the nostrils; Jurassic in North America


late Triassic carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs


one of the oldest known dinosaurs; late Triassic; cannibalistic


largest carnivorous land animals ever known


large carnivorous bipedal dinosaur having huge claws


large carnivorous bipedal dinosaur having enormous teeth with knifelike serrations; may have been a scavenger rather than an active predator; later Cretaceous period in North America


carnivorous dinosaur of North America; late Jurassic


late Jurassic carnivorous dinosaur; similar to but somewhat smaller than tyrannosaurus


very small bipedal carnivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic in Bavaria


primitive theropod found in Argentina; primitive theropod found in Argentina; early Triassic; its name means 'Herrera's lizard' after the rancher who discovered the first specimen (Herrerasaurus)


a kind of theropod dinosaur found in Argentina


primitive theropod found in Argentina; primitive theropod found in Argentina; early Triassic; its name is derived from the Greek word Eos, meaning 'dawn' (Eoraptor)


a theropod dinosaur of the genus Eoraptor


gigantic carnivorous bipedal dinosaur of the Jurassic or early Cretaceous in Europe


lightly built medium-sized dinosaur having extremely long limbs and necks with small heads and big brains and large eyes


small toothless saurischian dinosaurs; later Cretaceous period in Canada


small light-boned toothless dinosaur resembling an ostrich in size and proportions


lightly built medium-sized theropod with long limbs and neck


advanced theropods including oviraptorids and dromaeosaurs and possibly even modern birds


advanced carnivorous theropod; regarded as surviving today as living birds


advanced carnivorous theropods, characterized by their toothless, parrot-like beaks and, in several cases, elaborate crests


a genus of advanced carnivorous theropod, containing the species V. mongoliensis and V. osmolskae (Velociraptor)


small active carnivore that probably fed on protoceratops; possibly related more closely to birds than to other dinosaurs


genus of advanced bipedal carnivorous dinosaur, containing the single species Deinonychus antirrhopus (Deinonychus)


swift agile wolf-sized bipedal dinosaur having a large curved claw on each hind foot; of the Cretaceous


genus of advanced bipedal carnivorous dinosaur, containing the single species Utahraptor ostrommaysorum (Utahraptor)


large (20-ft) and swift carnivorous dinosaur having an upright slashing claw 15 inches long on each hind foot; early Cretaceous


authorities disagree over whether to classify the genus as bird or dinosaur


a turkey-sized long-legged fossil 75 million years old found in the Gobi Desert having bird-like fused wrist bones and keeled breastbone and a long tail resembling a dinosaur's; short forelimbs end in a single claw instead of wings; classification as bird or dinosaur is in dispute


extinct reptiles of the Permian to Jurassic considered ancestral to mammals


extinct reptile having a single pair of lateral temporal openings in the skull


extinct mammal-like reptiles found inhabiting all continents from the mid Permian to late Triassic


probably warm-blooded; considered direct ancestor of mammals


shrew-sized protomammal from the Alberta region of Canada; from about 55 million years ago (much more recent than other mammal-like reptiles)


a division of the order Therapsida from the Triassic period comprising small carnivorous tetrapod reptiles often with mammal-like teeth


a genus of reptiles of the division Cynodontia


extinct reptiles of the later Triassic period


intermediate in form between the therapsids and most primitive true mammals


large primitive reptile having a tall spinal sail; of the Permian or late Paleozoic in Europe and North America


a family of reptiles of the order Pelycosauria


heavy-bodied reptile with a dorsal sail or crest; of the late Paleozoic


carnivorous dinosaur of the Permian in North America having a crest or dorsal sail


an extinct reptile of the Jurassic and Cretaceous having a bird-like beak and membranous wings supported by the very long fourth digit of each forelimb


a reptile family in the order Pterosauria


extinct terrestrial reptiles having teeth set in sockets; of the late Permian to Triassic


presumably in the common ancestral line to dinosaurs and crocodiles and birds


any of several marine reptiles of the Mesozoic having a body like a porpoise with dorsal and tail fins and paddle-shaped limbs


later ichthyosaurs of the Jurassic and Cretaceous; widely distributed in both hemispheres


an ichthyosaur of the genus Stenopterygius


extinct marine reptiles: plesiosaurs; nothosaurs


a reptile genus of suborder Plesiosauria


extinct marine reptile with a small head on a long neck and a short tail and four paddle-shaped limbs; of the Jurassic and Cretaceous


extinct marine reptile with longer more slender limbs than plesiosaurs and less completely modified for swimming


oewn-Serpentes-n oewn-suborder_Serpentes-n oewn-Ophidia-n oewn-suborder_Ophidia-n


limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous


nonvenomous snakes; about two-thirds of all living species


mostly harmless temperate-to-tropical terrestrial or arboreal or aquatic snakes


any of various harmless North American snakes that were formerly believed to take tail in mouth and roll along like a hoop


small reddish wormlike snake of eastern United States


a genus of reptiles of the family Colubridae including ringneck snakes


any of numerous small nonvenomous North American snakes with a yellow or orange ring around the neck


a genus of small colubrid snakes containing the North American hognose snakes


harmless North American snake with upturned nose; may spread its head and neck or play dead when disturbed


any of various pale blotched snakes with a blunt snout of southwestern North America


either of two North American chiefly insectivorous snakes that are green in color


slender fast-moving North American snakes


blackish racer of the eastern United States that grows to six feet


bluish-green blacksnake found from Ohio to Texas


any of several small fast-moving snakes with long whiplike tails


a whipsnake of southern United States and Mexico; tail resembles a braided whip


a whipsnake of scrublands and rocky hillsides


both terrestrial and arboreal snake of United States southwest


any of various nonvenomous rodent-eating snakes of North America and Asia


large harmless snake of southeastern United States; often on farms


oewn-black_rat_snake-n oewn-blacksnake-n oewn-pilot_blacksnake-n oewn-mountain_blacksnake-n oewn-Elaphe_obsoleta-n

large harmless shiny black North American snake


nocturnal burrowing snake of western United States with shiny tan scales


any of several large harmless rodent-eating North American burrowing snakes


bull snake of western North America that invades rodent burrows


any of several bull snakes of eastern and southeastern United States found chiefly in pine woods; now threatened


any of numerous nonvenomous North American constrictors; feed on other snakes and small mammals


widespread in United States except northern regions; black or brown with yellow bands


oewn-milk_snake-n oewn-house_snake-n oewn-milk_adder-n oewn-checkered_adder-n oewn-Lampropeltis_triangulum-n

nonvenomous tan and brown king snake with an arrow-shaped occipital spot; southeastern ones have red stripes like coral snakes


any of numerous nonvenomous longitudinally-striped viviparous North American and Central American snakes


a garter snake that is widespread in North America


slender yellow-striped North American garter snake; prefers wet places


yellow- or reddish-striped snake of temperate woodlands and grasslands to tropics


secretive snake of city dumps and parks as well as prairies and open woods; feeds on earthworms; of central United States


a genus of colubrid snakes commonly referred to as ground snakes (Sonora)


small shy brightly-ringed terrestrial snake of arid or semiarid areas of western North America


in some classifications placed in genus Haldea; small reddish-grey snake of eastern North America


any of various mostly harmless snakes that live in or near water


oewn-common_water_snake-n oewn-banded_water_snake-n oewn-Natrix_sipedon-n oewn-Nerodia_sipedon-n

in some classifications placed in the genus Nerodia; western United States snake that seldom ventures far from water


any of numerous North American water snakes inhabiting fresh waters


oewn-grass_snake-n oewn-ring_snake-n oewn-ringed_snake-n oewn-Natrix_natrix-n

harmless European snake with a bright yellow collar; common in England


a genus of Colubridae containing three species of brown snake and the redbelly snake (Storeria)


harmless woodland snake of southeastern United States


a sand snake of southwestern United States; lives in fine to coarse sand or loamy soil in which it `swims'; banding resembles that of coral snakes


small secretive ground-living snake; found from central United States to Argentina


slender arboreal snake found from southern Arizona to Bolivia


mildly venomous snake with a lyre-shaped mark on the head; found in rocky areas from southwestern United States to Central America


of desert regions of southwestern North America


nocturnal prowler of western United States and Mexico


slender blind snakes or thread snakes (Leptotyphlopidae)


wormlike burrowing snake of warm regions having vestigial eyes


blind snakes of Asia and Africa and Americas


burrows among roots of shrubs and beneath rocks in desert and rocky hillside areas and beach sand of western United States


a genus of Colubridae containing the indigo snakes (Drymarchon)


large dark-blue nonvenomous snake that invades burrows; found in southern North America and Mexico


any of various large nonvenomous snakes that kill their prey by crushing it in its coils


any of several chiefly tropical constrictors with vestigial hind limbs


very large boa of tropical America and West Indies


a genus of boas of western North America containing the rosy boas or rubber boas (Charina)


boa of grasslands and woodlands of western North America; looks and feels like rubber with tail and head of similar shape


boa of rocky desert of southwestern United States


large arboreal boa of tropical South America


Old World boas: pythons; in some classifications considered a separate family from Boidae


in some classifications a family separate from Boidae comprising Old World boas


Australian python with a variegated pattern on its back


of southeast Asia and East Indies; the largest snake in the world


very large python of tropical and southern Africa


cobras, kraits, mambas, coral snakes, Australian taipan and tiger snakes


any of numerous venomous fanged snakes of warmer parts of both hemispheres


any of several venomous New World snakes brilliantly banded in red and black and either yellow or white; widely distributed in South America and Central America


ranges from Central America to southeastern United States


ranges from Central America to southwestern United States


any of various venomous elapid snakes of Asia and Africa and Australia


oewn-Calliophis-n oewn-genus_Calliophis-n oewn-Callophis-n oewn-genus_Callophis-n


small widely distributed arboreal snake of southern Africa banded in black and orange


small venomous but harmless snake marked with black-and-white on red


a genus of snakes known as De Vis banded snakes or mud adders (Denisonia)


venomous but sluggish reddish-brown snake of Australia


venomous Asiatic and African elapid snakes that can expand the skin of the neck into a hood


(zoology) an expandable part or marking that resembles a hood on the head or neck of an animal


cobra used by the Pharaohs as a symbol of their power over life and death


aggressive cobra widely distributed in Africa; rarely bites but spits venom that may cause blindness


oewn-hamadryad-n oewn-king_cobra-n oewn-Ophiophagus_hannah-n oewn-Naja_hannah-n

large cobra of southeastern Asia and the East Indies; the largest venomous snake; sometimes placed in genus Naja


oewn-ringhals-n oewn-rinkhals-n oewn-spitting_snake-n oewn-Hemachatus_haemachatus-n

highly venomous snake of southern Africa able to spit venom up to seven feet


oewn-Dendroaspis-n oewn-genus_Dendroaspis-n oewn-Dendraspis-n oewn-genus_Dendraspis-n


arboreal snake of central and southern Africa whose bite is often fatal


a highly venomous southern African mamba dreaded because of its quickness and readiness to bite


venomous Australian snake resembling an adder


highly venomous brown-and-yellow snake of Australia and Tasmania


large semiaquatic snake of Australia; black above with red belly


brightly colored venomous but nonaggressive snake of southeastern Asia and Malay peninsula


sluggish krait banded with black and yellow


large highly venomous snake of northeastern Australia


any of numerous venomous aquatic viviparous snakes having a fin-like tail; of warm littoral seas; feed on fish which they immobilize with quick-acting venom


venomous Old World snakes characterized by hollow venom-conducting fangs in the upper jaw


small terrestrial viper common in northern Eurasia


of southern Europe; similar to but smaller than the adder


large African viper that inflates its body when alarmed


large heavy-bodied brilliantly marked and extremely venomous west African viper


oewn-horned_viper-n oewn-cerastes-n oewn-sand_viper-n oewn-horned_asp-n oewn-Cerastes_cornutus-n

highly venomous viper of northern Africa and southwestern Asia having a horny spine above each eye


New World vipers with hollow fangs and a heat-sensitive pit on each side of the head


oewn-Agkistrodon-n oewn-genus_Agkistrodon-n oewn-Ancistrodon-n oewn-genus_Ancistrodon-n

a genus of snakes commonly known as copperheads or moccasins (Ancistrodon, Agkistrodon)


common coppery brown pit viper of upland eastern United States


oewn-water_moccasin-n oewn-cottonmouth-n oewn-cottonmouth_moccasin-n oewn-Agkistrodon_piscivorus-n

venomous semiaquatic snake of swamps in southern United States


loosely connected horny sections at the end of a rattlesnake's tail


pit viper with horny segments at the end of the tail that rattle when shaken


large rattlesnakes; seldom bite unless startled or pursuing prey


large deadly rattlesnake with diamond-shaped markings


widely distributed in rugged ground of eastern United States


oewn-prairie_rattlesnake-n oewn-prairie_rattler-n oewn-Western_rattlesnake-n oewn-Crotalus_viridis-n

widely distributed between the Mississippi and the Rockies


small pale-colored desert rattlesnake of southwestern United States; body moves in an s-shaped curve


largest and most dangerous North American snake; of southwestern United States and Mexico


mountain rock dweller of Mexico and most southern parts of United States southwest


having irregularly cross-banded back; of arid foothills and canyons of southern Arizona and Mexico


extremely dangerous; most common in areas of scattered scrubby growth; from Mojave Desert to western Texas and into Mexico


markings vary but usually harmonize with background; of southwestern Arizona and Baja California


pygmy rattlesnake found in moist areas from the Great Lakes to Mexico; feeds on mice and small amphibians


large extremely venomous pit viper of Central America and South America


oewn-beak-n oewn-bill-n oewn-neb-n oewn-nib-n oewn-pecker-n


beaklike mouth of animals other than birds (e.g., turtles)


the fleshy, waxy covering at the base of the upper beak of some birds


the dead body of an animal especially one slaughtered and dressed for food


the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food


the dead body of an animal that has been killed on a road by a vehicle

vultures usually feed on carrion or roadkill


jointed-foot invertebrates: arachnids, crustaceans, insects, millipedes, centipedes


invertebrate having jointed limbs and a segmented body with an exoskeleton made of chitin


an extinct arthropod that was abundant in Paleozoic times; had an exoskeleton divided into three parts


either of the first pair of fang-like appendages near the mouth of an arachnid; often modified for grasping and piercing


any part of the mouth of an insect or other arthropod especially one adapted to a specific way of feeding


a large class of arthropods including spiders and ticks and scorpions and daddy longlegs; have four pairs of walking legs and no wings


air-breathing arthropods characterized by simple eyes and four pairs of legs


oewn-Phalangida-n oewn-order_Phalangida-n oewn-Opiliones-n oewn-order_Opiliones-n


spiderlike arachnid with a small rounded body and very long thin legs


arachnid of warm dry regions having a long segmented tail ending in a venomous stinger