Rainer Flindt · Amazing Numbers in Biology Rainer Flindt Amazing Numbers in Biology Translated by Neil Solomon ABC Professor Dr. Rainer Flindt Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Weg 16 71462 Ludwigsburg Germany Translated by: Neil Solomon Dantestr.53 69115 Heidelberg Germany This is the translation of the 6th German Edition of “Biologie in Zahlen” © 2003 Elsevier GmbH, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg (ISBN 3-8274-1171-8) The translation was undertaken by Springer Verlag Library of Congress Control Number: 2005938321 ISBN-10 3-540-30146-1 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York ISBN-13 978-3-540-30146-2 This work is subject to copyright.All rights reserved,whether the whole or part of the material is con- cerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publi- cation or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer-Verlag. Violations are liable for prosecution under the German Copyright Law. Springer-Verlag is a part of Springer Science + Business Media springeronline.com © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006 Printed in Germany The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant pro- tective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Editor: Dr. Dieter Czeschlik,Heidelberg, Germany Desk Editor: Dr. Jutta Lindenborn, Heidelberg, Germany Cover design: Design & Production, Heidelberg Typesetting and Production: Friedmut Kröner, Heidelberg Printed on acid-free paper – 39/3152-YK – 5 4 3 2 1 0 Contents Introduction to the 6th German Edition . 1 Part 1: Zoology 1.1 General: Size, Weight, Age … . .4 1.1.0 Numbers that Amaze . 4 1.1.1 Approximate Numbers of Species in Selected Major Animal Taxa . 5 1.1.2 Maximum Age of Selected Animals . 6 1.1.3 Largest Representatives of Selected Animal Taxa (Excluding Vertebrates and Insects) . 8 1.1.4 The Largest Insects . 10 1.1.5 Size of Populations in Colony-Building Insects . 11 1.1.6 Size and Weight of Selected Fish . 12 1.1.7 Maximum Length of Selected Amphibians . 13 1.1.8 Maximum Length and Weight of Selected Reptiles . 14 1.1.9 Weight and Wingspan of Selected Birds . 15 1.1.10 Maximum Length and Weight of Selected Mammals . 16 1.1.11 Size of Selected Breeds of Dog . 18 1.1.12 Height at the Withers (= Shoulder Height) of Horses . 19 1.1.13 Size and Weights of Selected Extinct Vertebrates . 20 1.1.14 Size of Horns and Teeth . 21 1.1.15 Number of Vertebrae of Selected Vertebrates . 22 1.1.16 Number of Cervical (Neck) Vertebrae of Selected Vertebrates . 22 1.1.17 Relative Skeletal Weight of Selected Vertebrates . 23 1.1.18 Size of Selected Animal Cells . 23 1.1.19 Water Content of Vertebrate Tissue . 24 1.1.20 Amino Acid Composition of the Protein of Vertebrates . 25 1.1.21 Effects of Animal Poisons (Not Including Those of Snakes) . 25 1.1.22 Effects of Snake Venoms . 27 1.1.23 Poisonous Effect of Selected Insecticides on Vertebrates . 28 1.2 Movement, Locomotion . 29 1.2.0 Numbers that Amaze . 29 1.2.1Diameter ofMuscle Fibers . .30 1.2.2Twitch Times for Muscles . .30 1.2.3 Contraction Times of Selected Muscles . 31 1.2.4 Maximum Muscular Strength of Selected Muscles . 31 1.2.5 Load-Bearing Record of Selected Muscles . 32 1.2.6 Number of Wingbeats per Second in Insects . 32 1.2.7 Surface Areas and Surface Loads of Insect Wings . 33 1.2.8 Wingbeat Frequencies in Birds . 34 1.2.9 Surface Areas and Surface Loads of Bird Wings . 35 1.2.10 Maximum Speeds of Selected Animals . 36 VI Contents 1.2.11 Jumping Distances of Selected Animals . 38 1.2.12 Flight Speeds During Bird Migration . 38 1.2.13 Flight Distances During Bird Migration . 39 1.2.14 Migratory Times of Selected Birds Native to Germany . 40 1.3 Alimentation, Digestion . 41 1.3.0 Numbers that Amaze . 41 1.3.1 Absorption of Nutrients in the Body . 42 1.3.2 Required Daily Food Intake . 42 1.3.3 Dental Formulae of Selected Mammals . 43 1.3.4 Intestinal Length of Selected Vertebrates . 46 1.3.5 Relative Intestinal Length of Selected Animals . 47 1.3.6 Proportion of the Total Volume of the Intestinal Tract Made Up by Stomach, Small Intestine, and Appendix in Selected Mammals . 48 1.3.7 Capacity of the Digestive Tract and its Parts in Selected Domestic Animals . 48 1.3.8 pH Optimum of Selected Digestive Enzymes in Mammals . 49 1.3.9 pH Value of the Saliva of Selected Mammals . 50 1.3.10 pH Values in the Intestinal Tract of Selected Birds . 50 1.3.11 pH Values in the Intestinal Tract of Selected Mammals . 51 1.3.12 pH Values in the Mid-intestine of Selected Invertebrates . 51 1.3.13 Duration of Intestinal Passage in Selected Vertebrates . 52 1.3.14 Relative Weight of Liver in Selected Vertebrates . 52 1.3.15 Daily Bile Production in Selected Vertebrates . 53 1.4Metabolism . .54 1.4.1 Basal Metabolic Rate of Selected Animals . 54 1.4.2 Body Temperatures of Selected Homoiothermic Animals . 55 1.4.3 Size of Daily Variations in Body Temperature in Selected Homoiothermic Animals . 57 1.4.4 Preferred Temperatures of Selected Animals . 57 1.4.5 Duration of Hibernation (Torpor, Winter Rest) of Selected Vertebrates Native to Germany . 59 1.5 Excretion . .60 1.5.1 Number of Glomeruli in the Kidneys of Selected Vertebrates . 60 1.5.2 Urine Production of Selected Mammals . 61 1.5.3 Maximum Urine Concentration in Selected Mammals . 61 1.5.4 Composition of the Excrement of Selected Vertebrates . 62 1.5.5 Urea in the Urine of Selected Mammals . 62 1.5.6 Freezing Point Depression and Osmotic Pressure of Urine in Selected Animals . 63 1.5.7 Aquatic Salt Concentration Tolerance Limits of Selected Animals . 64 Contents VII 1.6 Heart, Circulation . .65 1.6.0 Numbers that Amaze . .65 1.6.1 Heart Weights of Selected Vertebrates (Absolute and Relative) . 66 1.6.2 Heart Rates of Selected Animals . 68 1.6.3 Heart Minute Volumes of Selected Animals . 70 1.6.4 Blood Pressure of Selected Animals . 71 1.7 Blood . .72 1.7.1Blood Volumes ofVertebrates . .72 1.7.2 Number and Size of Red Blood Cells in Selected Vertebrates . 73 1.7.3 Number of Platelets of Selected Animals . 74 1.7.4 Coagulation Times of Blood in Vertebrates . 74 1.7.5 Lifespan of Blood Cells . 75 1.7.6 Hematocrit Levels of Selected Vertebrates . 76 1.7.7 Hemoglobin Levels in the Blood of Selected Animals . 76 1.7.8 Molecular Weight of the Hemoglobin of Selected Animals . 77 1.7.9 Oxygen Capacity of the Blood (or Hemolymph) of Selected Animals . 77 1.7.10 Blood Sugar Levels in Selected Vertebrates . 79 1.7.11 Protein Levels of Bodily Fluids (Blood, Hemolymph, Coelom Fluid) of Selected Animals . 80 1.7.12 Freezing Point Depression and Osmolarity of the Blood of Selected Animals . 81 1.7.13 Freezing Point Depression und Osmotic Pressure of Hemolymphs of Arthropods . 82 1.7.14 Physiological Salt Solutions (Ringer’s, Tyrode’s, Locke’s Solutions) for Selected Animals . 82 1.8 Respiration . .83 1.8.0 Numbers that Amaze . .83 1.8.1 Relative Lung Weight in Selected Vertebrates . 84 1.8.2 Interior Lung Surface of Selected Animals . 85 1.8.3 Breathing Rate and Single-Breath Air Volume of Selected Vertebrates . 85 1.8.4 Oxygen Consumption of Selected Animals . 87 1.8.5 Oxygen Consumption During Hibernation of Selected European Mammals . 87 1.8.6 Maximum Diving Depth and Diving Time of Air-Breathing Vertebrates . 88 1.9 Reproduction, Development . 89 1.9.0 Numbers that Amaze . 89 1.9.1 Size of Egg Cells in Selected Animals (Excluding Birds) . 90 1.9.2 Dimensions of Sperm of Selected Animals . 91 1.9.3 Chromosome Sets of Selected Animals . 91 VIII Contents 1.9.4 Age of Sexual Maturity in Selected Animals . 93 1.9.5 Cell Division Time in Protozoa . 94 1.9.6 Reproduction and Development of Selected Insects . 94 1.9.7 Reproductive and Developmental Data of Selected Butterflies Native to Germany Over the Course of the Year . 95 1.9.8 Spawning Data of Selected Fish Native to Germany . 96 1.9.9 Number and Size of Eggs per Clutch in Selected Fish . 96 1.9.10 Number of Annual Offspring (Eggs, Larvae, Young) in Fish, Amphibians, and Reptiles . 97 1.9.11 Reproductive Data of Amphibians and Reptiles Native to Germany . 98 1.9.12 Number of Eggs per Clutch in Selected Bird Species . 99 1.9.13 Egg Size and Weight in Selected Bird Species . 100 1.9.14 Length of Time of Incubation and Nesting (in Nidicolous Members) of Selected Bird Species . 101 1.9.15 Incubation Dates of Selected, Well-Known Birds Native to Germany . 102 1.9.16 Composition of the Chicken Egg . 103 1.9.17 Embryonal Development of the Chick . 104 1.9.18 Embryogenesis in Selected Mammals and Birds . 104 1.9.19 Relative Length of Time of Sexual Maturation in Selected Mammals . 105 1.9.20 Duration of Cycle and Estrus in Selected Mammals .