Finding the scientific name requires detective work, because there can be multiple common names that can vary geographically, and similar common names can refer to a variety of organisms. A good starting point is the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), a database of scientific and common names and broad taxonomic categories.
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Do alligators and crocodiles exist together anywhere in the world?
The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) lives in several places within the Americas, including Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and south Florida. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is also found in south Florida, among other places. South Florida is the only place you can find both animals in the wild. To distinguish the two, alligators have a more U-shaped...
What are the differences between endangered, threatened, imperiled, and at-risk species?
Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), plant and animal species may be listed as either endangered or threatened. “Endangered” means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. “Threatened” means a species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future. States have their own ESA-type laws, so species can have different Threatened...
What is an invasive species and why are they a problem?
An invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health. A few well-known examples include the unintentional introduction of the West Nile virus, chestnut blight, the South American...
How many amphibian species are there in the United States?
More than 6,000 amphibian species exist worldwide, with approximately 300 of them found in the United States. The USGS is the lead agency for the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), a program of amphibian monitoring, research, and conservation that was established in response to the worldwide decline of amphibian species.
Why are amphibian populations declining?
Research suggests that even though amphibians are severely declining worldwide, there is no smoking gun—and thus no simple solution—to halting or reversing these declines. Though every region in the United States has suffered amphibian declines, threats differ among regions. They include: Human influence from the Mississippi River east, including the metropolitan areas of the Northeast and the...
Why are bats important?
By eating insects, bats save U.S. agriculture billions of dollars per year in pest control. Some studies have estimated that service to be worth over 3.7 billion dollars per year, and possibly as much as 53 billion dollars per year. This value does not, however, take into account the volume of insects eaten by bats in forest ecosystems and the degree to which that benefits industries like lumber...
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- FAQ
Do alligators and crocodiles exist together anywhere in the world?
The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) lives in several places within the Americas, including Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and south Florida. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is also found in south Florida, among other places. South Florida is the only place you can find both animals in the wild. To distinguish the two, alligators have a more U-shaped...
What are the differences between endangered, threatened, imperiled, and at-risk species?
Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), plant and animal species may be listed as either endangered or threatened. “Endangered” means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. “Threatened” means a species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future. States have their own ESA-type laws, so species can have different Threatened...
What is an invasive species and why are they a problem?
An invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health. A few well-known examples include the unintentional introduction of the West Nile virus, chestnut blight, the South American...
How many amphibian species are there in the United States?
More than 6,000 amphibian species exist worldwide, with approximately 300 of them found in the United States. The USGS is the lead agency for the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), a program of amphibian monitoring, research, and conservation that was established in response to the worldwide decline of amphibian species.
Why are amphibian populations declining?
Research suggests that even though amphibians are severely declining worldwide, there is no smoking gun—and thus no simple solution—to halting or reversing these declines. Though every region in the United States has suffered amphibian declines, threats differ among regions. They include: Human influence from the Mississippi River east, including the metropolitan areas of the Northeast and the...
Why are bats important?
By eating insects, bats save U.S. agriculture billions of dollars per year in pest control. Some studies have estimated that service to be worth over 3.7 billion dollars per year, and possibly as much as 53 billion dollars per year. This value does not, however, take into account the volume of insects eaten by bats in forest ecosystems and the degree to which that benefits industries like lumber...
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