There are some ideas about the natural world that "ordinary" people have that have always driven me crazy. They use incorrect words to describe animals without thinking what they are really saying. (Of course, that problem goes way beyond Zoology, but that will be another entry!) So without further ado, I will now list my pet peeves when it comes to biology and the common people. Take careful notes. One never knows when there will be a pop quiz!
1) Deer do not have horns; they have antlers!
2) There are no deer in Africa. The graceful creatures seen running around the savannas and creeping through rain forests are antelopes. They are not even in the same family as deer!!
3) All bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs. Neither is a spider a bug nor a centipede, millipede, mite, etc.
4) No snake is poisonous. Poison is something ingested or taken on the skin. Hence the name for Poison Ivy or Poison Sumac. However, some snakes are venomous; venom must be injected.
5) Animals are not just 4-footed creatures that walk on land. Animals include birds, fish, insects, sponges, sea jellies, mollusks, echinoderms, and many other creatures.
6) Polar Bears (Ursus arctos) do not eat penguins. They do not live in the same place.
7) Bats are not blind. True, some do not have good vision, but they can see nonetheless. It would be better to use the expression "Blind as a cavefish".
8) Buffaloes have never roamed the prairies of the American West. Bison are the majestic creatures of western lore.
9) Cranes, storks, and herons are not the same bird!!!!!!!!! Big differences between them.
10) The Cheetah (Acionyx jubatus), the Leopard (Panthera pardus), and the Jaguar (Panthera onca) are very different from each other. They should never be confused with the other.
I will stop here for now. The list could go on and on and on, but I want each one of you to get a complete grasp on the simple concepts I have just listed without taxing your brains. :-)
Remember, a pop quiz can happen at anytime. Be prepared!!
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1 comment:
I have heard these before in my glazed eye state of mind. Glad you wrote them down for my referral when I am incorrect. lol :)
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