Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Megapode chicks kick their way out of their eggs and emerge with a full set of
feathers.
Birds of paradise are so named because their tail feathers resemble the flower of
the plant with the same name. Forty-two different bird of paradise species inhabit
the East Malesian rainforests. They vary in size (robin to crow size) and color.
They are best known for the elaborate feather displays males perform during court-
ing. Many have elongated feathers on wings, body, head, and tails that they shake
and ruffle in front of females. Local people and collectors have hunted these birds
for centuries, many to near extinction. Their beautiful feathers are used in tribal
clothing and ceremonial headwear. Excessive hunting, as well as forest destruc-
tion, continues to decrease populations.
The flightless cassowary is the largest ground-dwelling rainforest bird in the
world. (The ostrich of the African savanna is the only flightless bird or ratite living
today that is larger.) The cassowary is native to the forests of New Guinea and
Australia. They have long black feathers and a distinctive blue neck and head. Cas-
sowaries have brightly colored (usually red) skin flaps or wattles under the neck
that may serve to attract mates in the dark forest. They have a large keratinous cas-
que on their head that they use to shovel and search for food on the ground. Like
hornbills, the casque may indicate dominance and age. Cassowaries have powerful
legs and feet that enable them to run at speeds up to 30 mph (48 kph). Their feet are
equipped with sharp claws and the inner toe forms a long dagger able to rip
through flesh. They are mainly frugivores, eating fallen fruit or fruit still hanging
on branches, but they also consume small vertebrates, fungi, and insects. Cassowa-
ries are important seed dispersers in the forest of New Guinea and Australia.
Although populations of cassowaries are stable, they are vulnerable to forest clear-
ing and hunting.
Other birds, such as fairy-wrens, honeyeaters, logrunners, Australian babblers,
and warblers have species endemic to the East Malesia subregion of the Asian-Pa-
cific rainforest.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, and a vast array of frogs, toads, and caecilians
inhabit the rainforest. The warm, wet environment is quite suitable for their cold-
blooded physiology.
More than a hundred different kinds of tropical snakes are found in the Asian-
Pacific rainforest. Less than 10 percent are poisonous, and only a few of these are
dangerous to humans. Poisonous snakes in this region belong to the Elapidae
(cobras, kraits, and coral snake) and Viperidae (vipers, pit vipers, and adders) fami-
lies. Elapids have short, hollow poison fangs in the front part of their upper jaw,
while vipers have longer hollow fangs at the back of the upper jaw.
Two cobras, the king cobra and the Indian cobra, are found in the West
Malesia subregion. Cobras expand their neck ribs to form a hood. In spitting
cobras, such as the king cobra, the fangs face forward. The king cobra is the most
