The taiga, or boreal forest, constitutes the majority of forest mass in the planet and is formed by immense coniferous forests resistant to the cold. This type of environment is found in Russia, Europe and Siberia, the North of Europe, North of Canada and Alaska. The animals that live in these zones are able to survive in long and hard winters. the Siberian taiga cover, only, one large area of the United States. In the illustration, the author represents the plants and animals typical of this region. Between the animals we find herbivores such as elks and wild boar and carnivores such as lync, brown bears, wolves and foxes.
Category: Nature illustration
Technique: computer graphics
Year: 2017
Sudan, the last white male rhinoceros
Larissa Ribeiro Lourenço Fernandes
Brasil
Species: Northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni)
The last northern white male rhinoceros that exists in the world. It is a symbol of the species’ danger of extinction and it is a sign that if the way we consume does not change, sooner or later we will destroy the planet and the ecological process of which, we humans depend. With the death, in March 201, only two females of the subspecies remain, the daughter and cousin of Sudan. White northern rhinoceroses were decimated by poachers and because of the conflicts in the zones where they lived. Sudan and the few other surviving specimens had to live in protected areas constantly guarded by armed guards.
Category: Naturalist illustration
Technique: Graphite pencil
Year: 2018
Triggerfish
Sonia Alvaredo
Portugal
Species: Rhinecanthus aculeatus
Triggerfishes are the attractive fishes of the family Balistidae. They have the ability to lock and unlock their first dorsal spine. This finn who is strong and rigid is normally retracted and carried on a groove on the upper body and when frightened the fish will release his “trigger” on a branch or crevice of a coral to lock itself into it for protection. There about forty species around the world, the Rhinecanthus aculeatus or also known as Picasso triggerfish is one of them. He lives in sandy areas of coral reefs in the indo-pacific ocean. Rhinecanthus have compressed body and small mouths but with strong jaws. The eyes are set on top of the head moving independently to scan the coral reef for predators.
La polilla penacho es un lepidóptero de la familia Pterophoroidea. Su nombre común se debe a la característica de tener las alas traseras divididas en tres penachos plumosos y las delanteras en otros dos. Se reconoce por su coloración uniformemente blanca. Esta especie es una de las más conocidas de la familia Pterophoroidea, y también una de las más grandes. Su envergadura es de 24-35 mm. Los adultos de este insecto se pueden observar desde junio hasta agosto, cuando vuelan a partir del crepúsculo. Viven en praderas secas, descampados y jardines. Durante el día normalmente descansan sobre las plantas, con las alas extendidas hacia fuera y los penachos plumosos de cada ala enrollados en forma de caña. Las orugas pasan el invierno sobre plantas de campanillas (Convolvolus), de las que se alimentan.
Categoría: Ilustración científicac
Técnica: témpera sobre papel
Año: 2018
Terrestrial turtle
Gabriel Ignacio Baloriani
Argentina
Chelonoids chilensis (Gray, 1870) is endemic to arid and semi arid regions of the Chaco of Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina , extending as far as northern Patagonia. It is the tortoise the reproduces at the southernmost latitude in the world.
Different sizes, coloration, and designs of the shells are shown. The females are a grayish dark color with strong horny scales. The females are larger in size than the males. They have the longest tails and cloacal orifice very far from the body, being the concave plastron. In the females, the cleft between the anal plaques is C-shaped. Their eggs are round and white.
The are herbivores, and they complement their diet with invertebrates.
The destruction of the habitat and the illegal capture is what places them on the list of species in danger of extinction.
The females of the Marsh Frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) are the largest frogs native to Europe (up to 17 cm long). In the amphibian world, the larger the female, the more eggs she can lay – and that’s what the males are looking for. Small (up to 8 cm long) males of the Pool Frog (Pelophylax lessonae) find large females of the Marsh Frog much more attractive than the females of their own kind. They try to mate with them, even though the females are so big that they might easily eat them. If the male manages to fertilize the spawn, the offspring of this surprising relationship will belong to a hybrid species – the Edible Frog (Pelophylax kl. esculentus).
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Pencil on paper
Year: 2018
Xylocopa augusti hembra
María José Carmona Fontaine
Chile
The illustrated species, is a female Xylocopa august. Some characteristics of this speices of bee, in addition to its large size (between 23-38 mm large), is the group of alteral hair that come in on both sides of the abdomen.
This bee or carpenter bee, is an insect that lives in different places of South America, such as Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. They have been found in the central zone of Chile in recent years. The first examples were captured only in 2013. It is believed that it was introduced into the country accidentally, probably in active nests inside of wood packaging.
Category: Naturalist illustration
Technique: graphite pencils
Year: 2018
Cardinal Rule
James Gustafson
USA
Species: Cardinals Though many birds carry the moniker of Cardinal, the genus Cardinalis (family Cardinalidae) consists of only three species; a. The Vermilion Cardinal, Cardinalis phoeniceus b. The Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis c. And the Pyrrhuloxia or Desert Cardinal, Cardinalis sinuatus In spite of its common name,the Red Crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata), (d), belongs to the family Thraupidae and not to the Cardinalidae.
The common cardinal (Paroaria coronata), (d), besides its name, does not belong to the family Cardinalidae, but to Thraupidae.
The three species of cardinals live in America, from the Great Lakes region to the North of South America. Their name precedes their intense red color that matches species C. cardinalis, that recalls the color of the clothing of a cardinal from the Catholic Church. However, not all species are completely red.
There are birds between 19 to 22 cm long. Their distinctive characteristic are the presence of its conspicuous crest and its strong and thick conical beak. The sexual dimorphism; the males have a greater amount of red in their plumage, and the females only have tints, with gray is the dominant color. The juvenile individuals are similar to the females.
Bactris gasipaes is a species of palm native of South and Central America. It is well spread in these regions and it is often cultivated by smallholders in agroforestry systems or, more rarely, in monoculture. In Brazil, its common name is Pupunha.
It is a long-live perennial plant which is productive during 50 to 70 years on average. Its population has an important genetic diversity leading to numerous fruits, colours and qualities. The fruits are edible and very nutritious but need to be cooked for 3-5 hours.
It grows erect, with a single slender stem and can grow to 20 metres or taller.
This one I have painted came from Belém do Pará and it is an 8 years old tree, producing these fruits with edible pulp surrounding the single seed.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Watercolor and graphite
Year: 2017
Sepia officinalis
Fran Rodríguez García
España
Especie: Sepia officinalis
Sepia officinalis (molusco cefalópodo). Posee un manto ancho y ovalado con dos aletas longitudinales (extensiones del propio manto) para desplazarse y estabilizarse. Un sifón le permite oxigenar sus branquias y desplazarse a gran velocidad. Posee 8 brazos con ventosas alrededor del pico (boca), grandes ojos de visión polarizada y dos largos tentáculos retráctiles que proyecta a gran velocidad para atrapar a sus presas. Su piel está recubierta de cromatóforos y papilas, pequeños órganos musculares que le permiten cambiar de color y textura para mimetizarse con su entorno y comunicarse a través de patrones de coloración con otros individuos de su misma especie. Este patrón de rayas de cebra corresponde a la competencia entre machos durante el cortejo.
Categoría: Ilustración naturalista
Técnica: Acuarela
Año: 2017
Reproduction of Andinoacara blombergi
Dorian Noel
France and Ecuador
Especie: Andinoacara blombergi
Andinoacara blombergi is a part of the cichlids group, fish characterized, among other things, for taking care of their children and being monogamous in the majority of cases. This species is endemic to the basin of the Esmerelda river, in the Northwest of Ecuador. The ecosystems of this region, between cloudy forests and choco forests, are among the richest in the world. But recent mega-mining projects could have a negative impact on its biodiversity, and in particular, on aquatic life. This problem adds to the introduction of non native species like Tilapias- other cichlids originating from Africa’, who are direct competitors of this endemic species. The illustration shows direct observation of the environment, from photographs and various scientific publications.
Category: Naturalist illustration
Technique: Watercolor
Year: 2017
(Español) Ramphastos, diversity of Neotropic beaks – Ramphastos, diversidad de picos del Neotrópico
Santiago Forero Avellaneda
Colombia
Espècies: En sentit de les agulles del rellotge: tucà bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766), Ramphastos vitellinus (Lichtenstein, 1823), Ramphastos brevis (Meyer de Schauensee, 1945), Ramphastos ambiguus (Swainson, 1823), Ramphastos tucanus (Linnaeus, 1758 ), Ramphastos citreolaemus (Gould, 1844) i tucà toco (Statius Müller, 1776) al centre.
El gènere Ramphastos és un dels cinc que componen la família Ramphastidae. Aquest gènere està compost per vuit espècies caracteritzades pels seus grans i colorits pics. Aquestes espècies es troben distribuïdes al llarg de les selves de l’Amèrica Central i Sud-amèrica. Els pics d’aquestes aus van ser representats en una il·lustració que permet evidenciar les diferències de coloració, mida i forma dels mateixos entre les diferents espècies.
Categoria: Il·lustració científica
Tècnica: Llapis de colors sobre cartró polpa
Any: 2018
Megasoma elephas
Carlos Ortega Contreras
México
Species: Megasoma elephas
In mexico, there are eight species of Megasoma beetles, one being the Megasoma elephas that are found in tropical evergreen forests. They are coleoptera lamelicorns, whose adults present a marked sexual dimorphism. The males have cephalic projects in the form of horns and differences in coloration and body texture. Their life cycle is long, with a duration of two to three years to grow after the larval stage (in organic soils such as decomposing trees and manure), until the adult stage, when the female develops in 2 years while the male does it in 3. It has been recorded that individuals in this stage of development are active during autumn-winter, in the months of october and january.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Watercolor
Year: 2017
Chinese Pangolin
Teresa Such Ferrer
Spain
Species: Manis Pentadactyla
Pangolins are mammals belonging to the order Pholidota (from the Greek “covered in scales”), and are fundamentally nocturnal. They have the ability to climb trees and are also excellent swimmers. They feed off of termites and ants. Their defense mechanism is to roll up into a ball form, covering its head under its tails. They reproduce very slowly, the mothers usually only breed once and carry their baby on their tail.
Category: Naturalist illustration
Technique: Graphite and digital color
Year: 2018
Varroa destructor, the terror of the hive
Benjamín De Andrés Cuesta
Spain
Species: Varroa destructor
The Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite of Hymenoptera that has found Apis mellifera to be the perfect species for synchronizing their life cycle. When the cells are at the point of closing to allow metamorphosis, the female of the Varroa enters and lays her eggs. Once the cell is closed, the mother will feed on the larvae, and these will develop, hatch, mate and all the fecundated females willing to continue their expansion will leave with the adult bee. These arachnids feed on the hemolymph of bees, generate malformations and can destroy entire colonies.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Ink
Year: 2018
Mundo microbiano
María Lamprecht Grandio
España
Biofilm bacteriano
This drawing represents a bacterial biofilm. The microorganisms in the center of nature do not live isolated as individual organisms, but they are apart of an organized ecosystem formed by one or various types of microorganisms associated with a surfaced, generating biofilms. In this case, two types of bacteria are present, cocci, the round shape and bacilli, rod shaped. The biofilms are generated when planktonic cells adhere to a surface and begin to actively divide, forming a community that is characterized by the excretion of an extracellular matrix, generally formed by exopolysaccharides, which will form channels through which the flagellated cells, water and nutrients circulate to supply the community.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Digital
Year: 2018
Moisture harvesting system in thorny devils
Clara García Guardiola
Spain
Especie: Thorny devil (Moloch horridus)
Inhabiting deserts and semi-deserts of Australia these specialized lizards harvest environmental moisture using their skin.
The skin channels transporting water are formed by partially overlapping scales with a narrow opening on their superficial side (A), by which a semi-tubular system of channels is formed extending over the lizard’s body surface.
Channels are hierarchically structured as a large channel, between irregularly hexagonal scales (B) and spines (C), sub-divided by protusions (Oberhäutchen structures – D) into smaller sub-capillaries. The large channel absorbs water whereas the sub-capillaries extend the transport distance. Water is transported to the mouth by capillary action (blue and white arrows showing water direction), where active ingestion occurs by jaws movements.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Graphite and digital edition
Any: 2018
The two Majas: M. squinado & M. brachydactyla
Vanessa Gonzalez Ortiz
Spain
European Spider Crab: Maja squinado and Maja brachydactyla.
The distribution of the natural population of the crab covers from the East of the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Until a few years ago the entire population was considered the Maja squinado species, but recent studies of discovered the genetic distance between atlantic populations and Mediterraneans populations were substantial enough to consider them distinct species. The Mediterranean populations have preserved the name of M. squinado, while the Atlantic populations have been renamed to M. brachydactyla. It is difficult to differentiate, although there is a consensus that the simplest form of identification is through their antero-orbital spines. The tips directed outwards for M. squinado and upwards, almost vertical for M. brachydactyla.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Digital
Year: 2018
The Swiss Cheese Plant: Monstera deliciosa
Laura Núñez Moncadas
Spain
This climbing epiphyte for the Araceae family, has as common names Adam´s Rib, Philodendron or Ceriman, among others.
It is a species endemic to the tropical rainforest, originally from Central America and the South. It can grow up to 20 meters, adhering to other plants and surfaces. It feeds on the air more than from the Earth.
Their most identifiable characteristics are the heart shaped leaves that arrive when they are mature and probably due to the darkness of the environment, are pierced to catch more light and survive in strong winds. This is why it is called “Swiss Cheese Plant”.
They also highlight their waves in the union between the back part of the leaf and the stem. Its fruit is edible and its flower has a hexagonal structure and texture with points in the center.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Watercolor, colored pencil and digital
Year: 2018
Heteromorphic Ammonoids of the Matanuska Formation, Turonian, Alaska
Two heteromorph ammonoid cephalopods whose conches are endemic to the Upper Cretaceous strata of the Matanuska Formation of Alaska and analogous units on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. They are here reconstructed using internal shell structures, analysis of the matrix, and other features at the species level.
Left: Eubostrychoceras japonicum, macroconch. E. japonicum is notable for sinistral and dextral intraspecies coil variation, and a drastically enlarged living chamber is present in only about half the known adult specimens. This likely indicates a brood pouch, denoting a female individual, here imagined employing defensive aposematism.
Right: Muramotoceras matsumoto, identifiable by its knotted phragmacone separated from its living chamber by a long U-shaped shaft.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Colored pencil and ink on etching rag
Year: 2017
Pollen
Esther Merchán Montero
Spain
Element: Pollen
Pollen of different species of plants. By observing microscopic pollen we can see the extremely complete structure and each one is its own concrete botanical species. In the illustration they can see for example: Stellaria Holostea, Epacris Longiflora, Ipomoea Purpurea, and Helianthus Annuus, among others.
Polen are sexual masculine cells of plants with flowers. During the process known as pollination, pollen passes through the stamen of the flowers to the Stigma, where fertilization of the ovules takes place, which gives rise to the creation of fruits and seeds.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Digital
Year: 2017
Sierra Madre Sparrow
Annamaria Savarino Drago
Species: Xenospiza baileyi
The Sierra Madre Sparrow is a bird endemic to mexico and is in danger of extinction depending on the high mountain grassland, a fragile habitat that is progressively deteriorating. It is a rare bird and is barely seen outside of the reproductive period; little is known about its biology. In this illustration I intend to draw a male singing to a female, both are perched about the spikes of the Muhlenbergia, characteristic of its habitat. There is no apparent sexual dimorphism in this species, but the positions of the sparrows allow them to see the diagnostic characters. Likewise, Illustrated an adult individual in flight and the face of a juvenile. I decided to illustrate this for its sentimental value since it is the theme of my thesis investigation adn to represent the bastion of conservation for local communities in my country.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Watercolor
Year: 2018
Wildcat
Malen Valeiro
Argentina
Species: Leopardus Geoffroyi
The Wildcat or Geoffroy´s Cat (Leopardus Geoffroyi) Is the only feline that possesses the major part of the distribution of the Republic of Argentina. It inhabits a large variety of environments even though it prefers dense vegetation zones.
Similar in size to a robust domestic cat, its fur is ochre or grayish color and has numerous black spots which forms a good species mark of a collar around its neck. It also shows a whitish snout, throat and belly area. It typically has a black rinar with a pinky orange center, rounded ears and black with a white central spot on its posterior.
Category: Scientific Illustration
Technique: Scratch on high impact with ink and graphite
Year: 2017
Falso-íris
Maria Alice de Rezende
Brasil
Species: Neomarica caerulea (Ker Gawl.) Sprague
The family present an ample distribution, comprising more than 70 genuses and around 1800 species, principally in South Africa, Asia and Europe. There are around 120 known species and 19 known genuses in Brazil.
It has large leaves, fine lanceolate, arranged in a fan, and showy but not durable blue flowers that arise during the spring and summer. It is used a lot in beautiful landscaping. The raised and tall inflorescences are very attractive to insects. The illustration copy was found in the city of Paracambi in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The illustration was made with watercolor on paper.
Category: scientific illustration
Technique: Watercolor
Year: 2017
Eucalyptus Globulus
Estéfano Obregón Ruiz
Colombia
Species: Eucalyptus Globulus
It is an illustration of a frog of a Eucalyptus Globulus, in which it is possible to appreciate both its leaves and its fruits or seeds. This tree is originally from Australia and was introduced to Spain in the 19th Century. It is an invasive species and covers all of the North of Spain, occupying miles of hectares. Its principal use was industrial paper bins, because of its properties and rapid growth. It also possesses medicinal properties.
Category: Naturalist illustration
Technique: Colored pencils
Year: 2018
The Speciation of the Green Jay
Verónica Lalinde Calle
Colombia
Species: Cyanocorax yncas/Cyanocorax luxuosus
The Carriaque Verdiamarillo (Inca Jay) was considered, until recently, an isolated population situated 1500 km from the Green Jay in the Andy territory. In 2009, they were recognized by the International Ornithological Congress as distinct species, and renamed to Cyanocorax Luxuosus, the species that comprises Texas to Honduras, and Cyanocorax Yncas, the species that inhabits Colombia, which is the fountain of inspiration for my illustration.
The separations between the species has in consideration the appearance, behaior, habitat preferences, vocalizations and distribtuion.
With the dissemination of illustrated biological knowledge I seek to create love for our birds and their conservation.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Watercolor on paper
Year: 2017
Dyckia distachya, Bromeliácea at risk of extinction
Alexandre Viana
Brasil
Species: Dyckia distachya, Hassler. Bromeliaceae
The Bromeliaceae Dyckia Distachya, Hassler, is endemic to the basin of the Uruguay River, South of Brazil and its habitat are the rocky environments with rapid currents of water (Rheophytes). Because of its construction of three hydroelectrics, seven out of the eight known populations of this Rheophyte are extinct in their wild state. These populations were partially redeemed and maintained in ex situ conditions, and the intents of introduction will get little success. Actually, the only natural population is in the Yucuma heel, on the border between Brazil and Argentina. In this context, the species represents serious risk of extinction, and is found included on the official extinct list of Brazilian Amazonian flora species of 2017.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Watercolor on paper
Year: 2017
Dugong feeding on a seagrass meadow
Cárceles Román
Spain
Spiece: Dugong dugon
The dugong, also known as the Sea Cow, is a long-living (until 70 years), slow-moving and slow-breeding aquatic mammal that feeds exclusively on marine plants known as seagrasses. Dugongs inhabit shallow warm waters of the East Africa, the Persian Gulf, India, South-east Asia and Australia. They belong to a small order known as Sirenia, which also includes the manatees, a slightly better known species. Unfortunately all the species belonging to this group are considered to be vulnerable due to the continuous exposure to increasing threats. human activities. The dugongs’ characteristic feeding activity leaves distinctive trails behind as well as a cloud of sand created when uprooting the seagrasses, as it is depicted in the illustration.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technic: Graphite and digital
Year: 2018
Cranial dissection of the Woodpeckerç
Jesús Osvaldo Mendoza López
México
Woodpeckers can peck tree trunks with enormous strength and velocity (18 to 25 times per second, 8.000- 12.000 times per day). The illustration shares a profile of a cranial dissection, in order to show the unique system of cushioning that characterizes these birds, since this system allows you to absorb the impact of peck with strength and velocity (18 to 25 times per second, 8.000- 12.000 times per day) around tree trunk and how these impacts do not damage their brain organs. Without suffering brain damage.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Acrylic on cardboard illustration
Year: 2017
Life Cycle of the American Bullfrog
Araceli Gomez
Mexico
Species: Amphibian Anura, Family Ranidae
The American Bullfrog is very big, it can grow to be at least 20.5 cm. Its hind legs are a very appreciated delicacy. The small Bullfrogs can resemble the green frog, but the dorso-lateral line is partially covered and ends in the eardrum. The Bullfrog can vary a lot, from region to region, in color and patterns. Their tadpoles cna take up to two years to mature; while the tadpoles of other species of frogs can mature in a couple of weeks or a year. The Bullfrog prefers permanent large bodies of water such as lakes, swamps and lives naturally in the Oriental area of the United States. The range of its habitat has artificially expanded to California and Mexico.
Category: Naturalist illustration
Technique: Mixed (markers, crayons, pastels and watercolor)
Year: 2018
Badger skull
Jurre Blom
Netherlands
Species: Badger (Meles meles)
A graphite drawing of the inferior view of a badger (meles meles) skull. This powerfully built mustelid lives in several types of habitat, but it prefers mountain areas with woods and grass. Badgers are omnivorous and its diet includes fruits, plants, small animals and carrions. They are mainly nocturnal. Badgers are social animals and live in big burrows called setts, that can be very extensive.
Category: Scientific illustration Technique: Graphite on paper Year: 2018
(Español) Dimorfismo sexual en Eudicella ducalis
José Saúl Martín Fuentes
Colombia
Sexual Dimorphism in Eudicella ducalis
Sexual Dimorphism is defined by the variations in the external physiognomy between males and females of the same species. We talk about sexual dimorphism in a species when the mal and femal have a different body shape or other external physical characteristics. In this case, the illustration shows the variation between a male and female of the species cleoptero Eudicella ducalis, a species of the genus Eudicella. Even though the colorations are similar in both sexes, there are important physical differences . The male is a lot bigger than the femaly and can grow up to 5.5cm while the female measures up to 5.1cm. The head of the male has a horn that bifurcates at the end while the female has a flatter extension. The male has warm femurs (called the internal part of the leg in insects) much bigger than the female and in some cases there is a series with spines distributed in different shapes. The scutellum (the posterior portion of the thorax, triangular in shape) of the female, unlike the male, is smaller and has a slight curve in the upper part. Finally, the color pattern is similar in both individuals.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Watercolor and color pencil
Year: 2018
Cougar Skull
Raul Facundo Rojas Romero
Argentina
Species: Cougar Concolor
The cougar, (Puma Concolor) is a carnivorous mammal of the family Felidae, native to America. Its habitat expands from the North of Canada until the South of Chile and Argentina, however a large portion of its original distribution is now extinct and rare. It has great adaptability, for which it can occupy almost any environment, from forests and jungles, to savannas, deserts and mountains. A difference from the large lions, cougars cannot roar. This is because, in addition to having a craneum much shorter and wider, it is without a hyoid apparatus and a specialized larynx to generate the characteristic powerful roar. In various provinces of Argentina, it was recorded as extinct due to the pressure of man as a result of hunting and an increased use of land for agricultural-livestock purposes.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Graphite
Year: 2017
(Español) Salta hojas de Roble
Sofía García Marín
Colombia
Species: Platycotis vittata
This species belongs to the Membracidae family and its members are known for having bodies in the shape of triangles and often have stripes. Generally, but not always, they carry a frontal horn. If the horn is also included, these insects can grow to a length of 13 mm. The species is found in Brazil, Mexico and the United States. In some places, they are considered a pest because of the damage they can cause to oaks.
Category: Natural illustration
Technique: Watercolor and colored pencils
Year: 2018
Life cycle of Papilio machaon
Luisa Domènech García
Spain
Species: Papilio Machaon Linnaeus 1778
Papilio Machaon, commonly known as Swallowtail, belongs to the family Papilionidae and is one of the most beautiful butterflies of Europe. The dorsal of the wings are yellow with lots of black bands and spots and additionally a naming characteristic of a red spot on each of the posterior wings. This butterfly can have a wingspan of up to 80 millimeters. The eggs, smooth and spherical, become a black color just a little before hatching. The larvae (caterpillars) are black when they are born, but successively take on a vivid coloration with characteristic black bands and orange points. If they feel threatened, the caterpillars defend themselves by removing an orange fleshy organ called osmatery, which emits a strong and acrid scent from the anterior part of the back.
Category: Scientific illustration
Technique: Colored pencils and alcohol markers on bristol paper, with subsequent digital retouching.
Year: 2018
Stag beetle
Rita Cortês de Matos
Portugal
Especie: Lucanus cervus
The Stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, is the biggest beetle in Europe well known for the enlarged mandibles of the males (II). The species is sexually dimorphic, that is, males and female are different in morphology. The male has enlarged mandibles and is also larger than female. Females lay their eggs in a piece of decaying wood, deep in the soil. Stag beetle larvae feed on rotting wood for several years. The larvae go through several instar stages, taking 4 to 6 years to become pupae (I). Adults emerge in summer to mate and only live for a few weeks. In the Iberian Peninsula Lucanus cervus has been associated with a range of deciduous trees like Quercus and Castanea sativa (III). The loss of its natural habitat caused by human activities and bad forestry management (for example, removing decaying wood from forests) makes this species vulnerable and protected by several international laws, subsscribed by Portugal and Spain.
Category: Scientific illustration Technique: Graphite on poliester. Digital color and composition. Year: 2018
Aristolochia ridicula
Joelcio Freitas
Brasil
Specie: Aristolochia ridicula
Aristolochia ridicula N.E. Br., es una de las más de 90 especies del género que habitan en Brasil, uno de los países más diversos para este grupo de plantas. Las flores de Aristolochia emanan un olor fétido de material en descomposición que sirve para atraer las moscas polinizadoras. Una de las principales características morfológicas de Aristolochia ridicula son las largas fimbrias en sus flores.
Category: Scientific illustration Technique: Pontilhismo em nanquim. Year: 2018
Apatite Ca5 (F,Cl,OH) (PO4)3
Marisa Gabadinho
Portugal
Element: Apatite
Apatite is the generic name for the group of minerals composed of calcium fluorophosphate. It includes Fluorapatite – Ca5F (PO4)3, Chlorapatite – Ca5Cl (PO4)3 and Hydroxylapatite – Ca5 (OH) (PO4)3. Hexagonal crystallographic system. It has a short, long, tabular or acicular prismatic habit. The color is very variable (colorless, white, yellow, green, blue-green, brown). The gloss is vitreous to resinous. Hardness 5 on the Mohs scale. It is present in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. It occurs in several countries, Canada, the United States, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Mexico, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal. The sample illustrated originates from Minas da Panasqueira (Fundão, Portugal).
Category: Scientific illustration Technique: Color pencils on polyester Year: 2018
2018
Ancient sea
Ancient sea Marina Durante
Italy
Species: Aquatic reptiles of Mesozoic Era
This illustration has been realized for “Terribili dinosauri!” Edicart. It represents an ancient sea with different reptiles, some fishes and many invertebrates like jellyfish and ammonites. On the left side there is a Plesiosaurus (living in early Cretaceous), then an Archelon ischyros (living in late Cretaceous), the bigger sea turtle ever existed: the largest specimen was over 4 m long and 4,9 m wide, from flipper to flipper. Below there is an Ichthyosaurus (living from the late triassic to early jurassic), similar in appearance to a modern dolphin, but it was a reptile not a mammal. On the right side there is the Mosasaurus (late Cretaceous), a very big predator. Below there is an Elasmosaurus (late Cretaceous) characterized by a very long neck and a small head.
El dril o drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) es un primate de la familia de los Cercopithecidae, en grave peligro de extinción. Es en apariencia similar al mandril. Lo encontramos en África ecuatorial, en las zonas boscosas de Camerún, Nigeria y la isla de Bioko (Guinea Ecuatorial). Existen dos subespecies: Mandrillus leucophaeus leucophaeus y el Mandrillus leucophaeus poensis.
Las jirafas macho en sus peleas sólo emplean el cuello como arma de combate. Los contendientes no recurren a patadas o mordeduras. Este comportamiento se emplea para establecer el dominio con el fin de tener un mayor éxito reproductivo. Las jirafas rozan entre sí sus cabezas. El poder de un golpe depende del peso del cráneo y del arco de la oscilación. La disputa termina por lo general con la huida de uno de los luchadores. La mayoría de las peleas no suele causar lesiones graves, pero se han dado casos de mandíbulas y cuellos rotos e incluso alguna muerte.
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