Desert+Facts

Kathryn M. = Desert Facts  =

Monerans: a single-celled organism with no nucleus
//__ Calothrix crustacea __//

The scientific name of //Calothrix// is //Calothrix crustacea// which is a type of cyanobacteria which can be found in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It grows on the surface of submersed rocks. The shape of this bacteria is bacilli.



// __Pedomicrobium manganicum__ //

Desert varnish is a dark coating found on exposed rock surfaces in arid environments. Desert varnish forms mostly on rocks that are relitively high resistant to weathering such as basalt, fine quartzite, and metamorphosed shales. The shape of this moneran is cocci.



Protists

** Protozoans: "animal-like" organisms with no cell wall and no chlorophyll **** Protists: single celled or multi-celled organisms that have a nucleus **

__// Zoomastigophora incertae sedis //__

__scientific name:__ //Zoomastigophora// __common name:__ Zooflagellates __disease:__ African sleeping sickness __where they live:__ they may be free-living or parasitic in humans, other animals, and in certain plants.

Algae //__ Microcoleus vaginatus __//

__Definition:__ "plant like" with no cell walls or chlorophyll __Scientific name:__ //Microcoleus vaginatus// __Where it lives:__ it can be found in saltwater ponds in the desert



Protozoans

Multi-celled, no chlorophyll, absorbs nutrients Glomeromycota: grows on the roots of plants __// Scutellospora armeniaca //__ Where they are found: in sand dunes of the Bledowska Desert, in Poland Kingdom: Fungi Phylum: Glomeromycota Class:Glomeromycetes order:Diversisporales Family: Gigasporaceae Genus: //Scutellospora// species: //armeniaca// Ascomycota: cup shaped fungus __// Psora crenata //__ common name: fishscale lichen Kingdom: Fungi Phylum: Ascomycota class: Ascomycetes order: Lecanorales family:Psoraceae Genus: //Psora// species: //crenata// Where they are found: they grow on the soil in the Sonoran Desert

Ascomycota: cup shaped fungus __// Gymnoascus reesii //__ Location: It's commonly found beneath desert shrubs Kingdom: Fungi Phylum: Ascomycota Class: Ascomycetes Order: Onygenales Family: Gymnoascus Genus: //Gymnoascus// Species: //reesii//

Basidiomycota: Club- closely packed together filaments //__ Astraeus hygrometricus __// Location: It's commonly found in the upland Sonoran Desert Common name: Hard-skinned puffball Kingdom: Fungi Phylum: Basidiomycota Class: Gastermycetes Order: Sclerodermatales Family: Astraeaceae Genus: //Astraeus// Species: //hygrometricus// Plants

multi-celled, has cell walls, and has chlorophyll Magnoliophyta- Angiosperms (covered seeds) //__ Abutilon palmeri __// Kingdom: Plantae Division: Tracheophyta class: Magnoliopsida order: Malvales family: Malvaceae genus: //Abutilon// species: //palmeri// It can be found on the Sonoran Desert ground

__// Bouteloua trifida //__ Kingdom: Plantae Division: Tracheophyta class: Liliopsida order: Poales family:Poaceae genus: //Bouteloua// species: //trifida// common name: Red Gramma Grass It can be found in the Sonoran Desert

__// Ferocactus wislizeni //__ Kingdom: Plantae Division: Tracheophyta class: Magnoliopsida order: Caryophyllales family: Cactaceae genus: //Ferocactus// species: //wislizeni// common name: barrel cactus It can be found in desert washes and slopes, and can also grow along canyon walls

Pinophyta- reproduce with cones or seeds outside of plants, no fruit, evergreen __// Welwitschia mirabilis //__ Kingdom: Plantae Division: Gnetophyta Class: Gnetopsida Order: Welwitchiales Family: Welwitschiaceae Genus: //Welwitschia// species: //mirabilis// It can be found in the Namib Desert and along the southwest coast of Africa

__// Zamia furfuracea //__ Kingdom: Plantae Division: Cycadophyta Class: Cycadopsida Order: Cycadales Family: Zamiaceae Genus: //Zamia// species: //furfuracea// common name: cardboard palm It can be found in the Sonoran Desert

__// Pinus brutia //__ Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Pinophyta Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Pinaceae Genus: //Pinus// species: //brutia// common name: Afghan Pine It can be found in deserts in Afghanistan and Pakistan

__//Arundo donax//__ Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Genus: //Arundo// Species: //donax// Common name: Arundo Grass Where it lives: Grand Canyon National Park

//__Equisetum hyemale__// Kindom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Class: Equisetophyta Order: Equisetales Family: Equisetaceae Genus: //Equisetum// Species: //hemale// Common name: Scouring Rush Horsetail Where it lives: Southern North America

__//Equisetum laevigatum//__ Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Class: Equisetopsida Order: Equisetales Family: Equisetaceae Genus: //Eqisetum// Species: //laevigatum// Common name: Smooth Scouring Rush Where it lives: Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,647 meters

__//Pinus edulis//__ Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Class: Piopsida Order: Pinales Family: Pinaceae Genus: //Pinus// Species: //edulis// Common name: Rockey Mountain Pinyon Pine Where it lives: Are commonly found in the Southwestern United States Pinyon

__//Ginkgo biloba//__ Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Class: Ginkgoopsida Order: Ginkgoales Family: Ginkgoaceae Genus: //Ginkgo// Species: //biloba// Common name: Maiden hair Tree Where it lives: Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,311 meters

__//Cyathea australis//__ Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Class: Polypodiopsida Order: Cyatheales Family: Cyatheaceae Genus: //Cyathea// Species: //australis// Common name: Rough Tree Fern Where it lives: Are commonly found in Australia

Animals

multi-, digests food inside body

Arthropods-mutiple body segments, jointed appendages, exoskeleton

__// Anaea aida //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Nymphalida Genus: //Anaea// species: //aida// common name: Aida Leafwing If can be found in the Sonoran Desert

Platyhelminthes- parasites, one opening for food and waste, simple nervous system __// Dolichoplana striata //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Platyhelminthes Class: Turbellaria Order: Tridada Family: Rhynchodemidae Genus: //Dolichoplana// species: //striata// common name: Flatworm Can be found in the soil

Nemata- one opening for food and waste, straight digestive tube, some are parasites, others live in water or soil __// Caenorhabditis elegans //__ Kingdom:Animalia Phylum: Nemata Class: Secernentea Order: Rhabditida Family: Rhabditidae Genus: //Caenorhabditis// species: //elegans// common name: Roundworm Can be found in the desert

Mammalia- advanced nervous system and brain, lungs, feed young with milk, most birth live young, Endotherms __// Lepus californicus //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae Genus: //Lepus// species: //californicus// common name: known as Black-Tailed Jackrabbit or Desert Hare It can be found in southwestern United States and Mexico Deserts

Reptilia- 2 pairs of legs, lay eggs, plates or scales, lungs, Ectotherms __// Coleonyx variegatus //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Gekkonidae Genus: //Coleonyx// species: //variegatus// common name: Banded Gecko Lives in North American Deserts

Actinopterygii- fins supported by bones, upper jaw, bones slide forward when opened __// Rhinecanthus assasi //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordat Class: Actinopterygii Order: Tetradontiformes Family: Balistidea Genus: //Rhinecanthus// species: //assasi// common name: Arabian picassofish It can be found in the Red Sea, which is off the coast of the Eastern Desert

Mollusca- soft bodied, well developed organ system, some with hard shells __// Helix aspersa //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Pulmonata Family: Helicidea Genus: //Helix// Species: //aspersa// Common name: Brown Gardensnail Where it lives: This species can be found in northern South America

Acanthocephala- One opening for food/waste, curvy spines on proboscis __// Corynosoma anatarium //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Acanthocephala Class: Palaeacanthocephala Order: Polymorphida Family: Polymorphidae Genus: //Corynosoma// Species: //anatarium// Common name: N/A Where it lives: It's commonly found in Mexico

Arthropoda- Two openings for food/waste, jointed appendages, exoskeleton __// Icaricia acmon //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Lycaenidae Genus: //Icaricia// Species: //acmon// Common name: Acmon Blue Where it lives: Sonoran Desert

Aves- hollow bones, enlarged lungs, lay eggs, scaly legs,feathers, clawed toes, Endotherms __// Riparia riparia //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: N/A Genus: //Riparia// Species: //riparia// Common name: Bank Swallow Where it lives: Southern United States

Reptillia- Two pairs of legs, lay eggs, covered by plates or scales, lungs, Ectotherms __// Simoselaps australis //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordonia Class: Reptillia Order: Squamata Family: Hydrophiidae Genus: //Simoselaps// Species: //australis// Common name: Australian coral snake Where it lives: It's found in Australia

Amphibia- part of life in water, part of life on land, two pairs of legs, smooth skin, Ectotherms __// Ambystoma tigrinum //__ Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Caudata Family: Ambystomatidae Genus: //Ambystoma// Species: //tigrinum// Common name: Easter Tiger Salamander Where it lives: Is commonly found in Tuscon, Arizona BiomesFirst10

Desert Facts

Desert Fiction

Desert Food Web

Desert Conservation

Desert Bibliography