Gila Monster Facts

Gila Monster Facts Gila monsters are part of class Reptilia and live mainly in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Their scientific name, Heloderma suspectum, is derived from the Greek words meaning stud (helo) and skin (derma). This name refers to their studded skin. Fast Facts: Gila Monster Scientific Name: Heloderma suspectumCommon Names: Gila monsterOrder: SquamataBasic Animal Group: ReptileDistinguishing Characteristics: Heavy bodied lizard with a short tail and orange or pink spots on black skin.Size: Up to 22 inchesWeight: 1.5 - 5 poundsLife Span: Up to 20 yearsDiet: Small birds, eggs, frogs, insects, lizardsHabitat: Deserts, Grasslands, ShrublandConservation Status: Near ThreatenedFun Fact: The Gila monster is named for the Gila river in Arizona. Description Gila monsters have venomous glands located in their lower jaw. Their large heads allow them to have strong bites that let their venom in the grooves of their teeth sink into the victim. They walk high on their legs to keep their tails clear of the ground and swing their tail back and forth to maintain balance. These reptiles hunt during the spring and hide in burrows during the cold months, using fat stores in their tail to sustain them until spring time. They live up to 20 years in the wild, can grow up to 22 inches, and weigh between 1.5 and 5 pounds. Habitat and Distribution Gila monsters live in southwestern United States and northern Mexico, in habitats such as deserts, grasslands, and shrubland. They live at ground level and usually make their homes in burrows in rocky areas. Diet and Behavior Gila monster eating a mouse. John Cancalosi/Photolibrary/Getty Images Gila monsters are carnivores, and their diet consists primarily of small birds and eggs. They also eat lizards, frogs, insects, and small mammals. In situations of extreme temperatures during the day, gila monsters may be more active at night. Because they are relatively slow- reaching only about 1.5 miles per hour- they rely on stealth to catch their prey and also search cacti for eggs in bird nests. Additionally, gila monsters can not see well, so they rely on their strong sense of smell and taste to track their prey. They flick their tongues to pick up scents in the air. These creatures can eat up to 1/3 of their body weight and can store fat in their tails. This reduces the amount of time gila monsters have to spend foraging for food. Gila Monster Bite Gila monsters have powerful jaws that allow them to bite and hold on to their victim for up to 10 minutes. They store venom in the grooves of their teeth in their lower jaw. Most of its food can be consumed by swallowing it entirely or with one quick bite. For larger prey, like small mammals, gila monster venom seeps into the body of the bitten animal and attacks its nervous system. A gila monster bite can be very painful to humans but isnt typically fatal. Reproduction and Offspring Gila monster hatching from an egg. Â  C. Allan Morgan/Photolibrary/Getty Images Gila monsters reach the age of maturity between 3-5 years. Breeding season is in early summer, when males compete by participating in wrestling matches. The female digs a hole and lightly covers her 2-12 eggs that weigh 1.4 ounces and span 2.5 by 1.2 inches on average. Roughly 4 months later, the eggs hatch and gila monsters of sizes averaging 6.3 inches emerge. They look like miniature adults with more vibrant colors and are on their own at birth. These young will grow to become diurnal creatures that spend the majority of their lives underground with a burst of activity during the spring, which is spent hunting for food. Three to four large meals will be all the food it needs to survive the winter. They are mostly solitary animals, but gather in small communities during mating season. Conservation Status Gila monsters are designated as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). While the total number of gila monsters is unknown, their population has been found to be decreasing in the United States and Mexico at an unknown rate. The biggest threat to gila monsters is humans, as the animals are hunted as prized possessions and killed by household pets. They are also illegally collected as pets. Gila Monsters and Humans Notably, a protein component of gila monsters’ venom called Exendin-4 is used in a drug to manage Type II diabetes. The protein has a homeostatic effect by regulating glucose levels in the body. Researchers have found this drug to help manage Type II diabetes by boosting insulin secretion and restoring insulin response. Researchers are currently looking into whether this protein can be used to treat memory disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. Sources C., Triplitt, and Chiquette E. Exenatide: From The Gila Monster To The Pharmacy.. NCBI, 2006, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16529340.Foothills Palo Verde Fact Sheet. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2008, https://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Gila%20Monster.php. Gila Monster. The IUCN Red List Of Threatened Species, 2007, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/9865/13022716#population.Gila Monster. Smithsonians National Zoo Conservation Biology Institute, 2019, https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/gila-monster.Gila Monster Lizard. Fws.Gov, 2019, https://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/es/gilaMonster.php.Gila Monster | San Diego Zoo Animals Plants. San Diego Zoo, 2019, https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/gila-monster. Accessed 1 June 2019.Zug, George R. Gila Monster | Description, Habitat, Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019, https://www.britannica.com/animal/Gila-monster.

Why It’s Okay To Use “Um” and “Like” When You Talkâ€Really

Why It’s Okay To Use â€Å"Um† and â€Å"Like† When You Talk- Really Yes, you should never use filler words like â€Å"um† and â€Å"like† in your writing. But sometimes, in conversation, you might find you need to buy yourself a bit of time to gather your thoughts and figure out what it is you’re trying to say. It’s true that most job interview advice blogs will tell you to avoid using them at all costs, because they  can make you sound unintelligent or unprepared. But filler words are a natural part of the way people speak these days, so if you can utilize them economically and well in your conversation, you just might be able to get the best of both worlds. You’ll have the time to formulate your sentences and keep your speech clean and less muddled, but you won’t get carried away with your constant â€Å"umm†ing and â€Å"like†-ing.Filler words are used for the following reasons.They Show That You’re ThinkingIf you need another few seconds to formulate your sentence, you can throw in an â€Å"errr† or a â€Å"basically†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ and then continue on from there. It helps you not be interrupted. And helps you say precisely what you’d like to say once you say it.They  Soften What You’re Going to SayIf you’re going to say something a little harsh,   temper it with a few conversational filler words to keep it casual. Just to make sure your friend or colleague doesn’t think you’re being cold or cruel. i.e. â€Å"You have a little, like, something in your teeth?†They Can Strengthen or  Weaken What You’re SayingFiller words can change the tone of a sentence, either to qualify your statement and make it weaker, or to add extra emphasis and authority. Depending on the word, you can make what you’re saying sound like a stab in the dark, or a definitive conclusion.They Help You StallYou grabbed the mic; it’s your turn to talk and you have something super important to say. The stakes are high. T rouble is, you haven’t quite figured out what that is yet. A few ummms and weeeellls†¦. might just give you the time you need to strategize.They Make Your Listener Feel IncludedThrowing in a little â€Å"you know?† at the end of what you’re saying doesn’t have to make you sound like a Valley girl. It could just be a friendly way of making sure whomever you’re talking to is still with you and feels included.So you see, filler words, when used in moderation, can actually be a conversational asset. Just don’t get too carried away and you can feel free to use these natural bits of speech as you see fit.

Path Of Light Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Path Of Light - Lab Report Example A flash light is placed at the end of the row of the index cards and lit, after switching off the lights in the experimental room. The light can be seen passing through all the holes. It can be concluded that light travels in a straight line. In the same way, the holes are in alignment and that since light travels in a straight line; it was observed passing through all the holes. The property of light travelling in a straight line is known as rectilinear propagation. Considering that the sizes of the holes are to be reduces, the light will continue travelling in a straight line but in a more restricted. When the cards were shifted a shadow is formed since the path of light is a straight line and does not bend around the object (Avison 2). Another direct effect of light’s path being a straight line is the casting of shadows by opaque objects. The concept of the path of light being a straight line is applicable in various areas including the manufacture of mirrors both for domestic and industrial use, movie theaters that use projectors where light is restricted, cameras, human vision, and the casting of a shadow by light on opaque objects explains the formation of day and nights, as well as