VERTEBRATE DIVISION Competitor Profiles Bald Eagle • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Aves (Birds) • National emblem of the United States • Not bald! “Bald” is derived from Old English for “white” or “white patch” • We have the largest nesting population in the Lower 48 States here in Florida! Osprey • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Aves (Birds) • 2nd most widespread raptor in the world and on every continent except Antarctica • They are migratory raptors can travel up to 160,000 miles in their lifetime • Lifespan: 15-20 years • Have a reversible toe which can rotate to catch prey (fish) more efficiently Great Egret • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Aves (Birds) • Height 3.3 feet (1 meter) tall with up to a 55-inch wingspan • Flight speed can be up to 25 mph and can fly at 2 wingbeats per second • Their ornate mating plumage was once an expensive fashion accessory, which almost led to these and similar bird species’ extinction until conservation efforts stopped the plume industry. Great Blue Heron • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Aves (Birds) • Height is 4.5 feet tall (1.4 meters) with up to 80-inch wingspan • Can reach top speeds of 35 mph! • The fossil record of this species in North America goes back 1.8 million years ago Brown Pelican • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Aves (Birds) • Only species of diving pelican • Smallest of the 9 species of Pelicans o Only weighs around 5-10 lbs. • National Bird of Saint Martin, Barbados, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Spotted Sandpiper • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Aves (Birds) • Most widespread sandpiper species in North America • Sometimes called “Teeter-tails” because of their wobbly behaviors. • They are Polyandrous o Females are slightly larger and more aggressive, actively defending their breeding territory. o Females will mate with many males, and males will care for the eggs. Belted Kingfisher • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Aves (Birds) • The Japanese Bullet Train is modeled after the kingfisher • They are sit-and-wait predators – typically perching on power lines over or near water. • They will dive directly into the water to avoid predators. • Males will give food to the female as a courtship display. Swallowtail Kite • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Aves (Birds) • Largest Kite species in the world • They will migrate as far as Brazil in winter and return to the States around mid-February. • They are rarely seen perched – they are articulate flyers operating their tail feathers independently (like a kite). • They can eat stinging insects like wasps and fire ants, even taking entire wasps’ nests back to their roost to eat and use as nesting material. Bottlenose Dolphin • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Mammalia • Live in tropical and temperate waters around the world • Very social animals, and will travel in pods of 10-15 individuals. • Dolphins have language and even names amongst each other. • They can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes and swim to depths of 250m! • They regulate their body temperature by using their dorsal fin. Manatee • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Mammalia • They can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes • Closely related to elephants! • They have “marching molars” teeth to deal with eating tough plants. o Molars form at the back of the jaw and move forward as teeth wear down, eventually falling out but replaced by newly formed molars. • Native to Florida waters, but have been seen (extremely rare) as far north as Massachusetts! Bull Shark • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish) • Known to move freely between salt and fresh water o Spotted in Illinois, another spotted 2,000 miles up the Amazon River in Peru! • Give live birth in freshwater (the babies are less tolerant of salt water) • They have the higest levels of testosterone of any animal. • The movie JAWS was likely inspired by a series of bull shark attacks in New Jersey. Cow Nose Ray • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish) • Can crush shells with their tooth plates • They have electroreceptors called the Ampullae of Lorenzini on their snouts to detect prey. • They are well known for their large seasonal migrations which may include 10,000 individuals at a time. Polka-dotted Batfish • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish) • Heavily rely on their camouflage while lying on the ocean floor • They have modified pectoral fins and pelvic fins which are situated under the body allowing them to “walk” across the sea floor. • The small lure above its head (called the “esca”) is a modified dorsal fin which helps lure in their prey. Atlantic Tarpon • Commonly called the “Silver King” • Lifespan: 50 years • Can grow up to 8 ft long and 300 lbs! • Tarpon can move easily into freshwater areas • The larva are transparent and look similar to eels, which are close relatives. • Advanced color vision o Tarpon have 5 types of cones in their eyes which can see into the ultraviolet spectrum. o Humans only have 3 types American Crocodile • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Reptilia • Federally Protected under the Endangered Species Act • Can excrete salt with salt glands in their tongue. • Crocs are known to eat sharks and many shark species will intentionally avoid areas with crocodiles. • During egg development, their sex is determined by temperature o 31-34C = Males o < 31C , > 34C = Females Diamondback Terrapin • Phylum: Chordata o Class: Reptilia • NOT a sea turtle, but terrapins are the only freshwater turtles that live in brackish water • White/Gray skin that is impervious to salt • Will eat mollusks and have adapted ridges on their jaws to crush shells .