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List of non-avian fauna of Heard Island and McDonald Islands facts for kids

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Heard Island and the McDonald Islands are a group of small islands that belong to Australia. Even though they are far away and very cold, many different kinds of animals live on and around them! This article will tell you about the mammals, fish, and tiny creatures that call these islands home, but it won't talk about birds. (If you want to learn about the birds, you can check out the List of birds of Heard and McDonald Islands!)

Scientists have found seven types of mammals, 23 kinds of fish, 25 species of land-dwelling arthropods (like insects and mites), one type of land snail, one flowering plant, and one kind of kelp in this special place.

Amazing Mammals

Mammals are warm-blooded animals that usually have fur or hair. They also feed their babies milk. On Heard Island and the McDonald Islands, you'll find mostly marine mammals, which means they live in the ocean.

  • Seals:

* Antarctic fur seal (Arctophoca gazella) * Subantarctic fur seal (Arctophoca tropicalis) * Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) * Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina)

  • Whales and Dolphins:

* Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) * Dolphin (Delphinidae sp.) * Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)

Fascinating Fish

Fish are cold-blooded animals that live in water and breathe using gills. The waters around Heard Island and the McDonald Islands are home to many interesting fish species.

  • Skates: These fish are flat and look a bit like rays.

* Eaton's skate (Bathyraja eatonii) * Kerguelen sandpaper skate (Bathyraja irrasa) * Murray's skate (Bathyraja murrayi)

  • Icefish: Some fish here are called icefish because they have special adaptations to live in very cold water.

* Mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari) * Unicorn icefish (Channichthys rhinoceratus) * Icefish (Nototheniidae sp.)

  • Lanternfish: These small fish often have light-producing organs.

* Lanternfish (Electrona antarctica) * Lanternfish (Electrona carlsbergi) * Lanternfish (Gymnoscopelus braueri) * Nichol's lanternfish (Gymnoscopelus nicholsi) * Lanternfish (Gymnoscopelus opisthopterus) * Lanternfish (Krefftichthys anderssoni) * Lanternfish (Protomyctophum bolini)

  • Rockcod: These are a type of fish often found near rocky seabeds.

* Triangular rockcod (Gobionotothen acuta) * Toad rockcod (Lepidonotothen mizops) * Grey rockcod (Lepidonotothen squamifrons) * Black rockcod (Notothenia coriiceps) * Marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii)

  • Other Fish:

* Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) * Moray cod (Muraenolepis sp.) * Antarctic jonasfish (Notolepis coatsi) * Snake mackerel (Paradiplospinus gracilis) * Horsefish (Zanclorhynchus spinifer)

Tiny Terrestrial Arthropods

Arthropods are creatures with exoskeletons (hard outer shells), segmented bodies, and jointed legs. This group includes insects, spiders, mites, and more. Many tiny arthropods live on the land areas of the islands.

  • Mites: These are very small, often spider-like creatures.

* Mite (Alaskozetes antarcticus) * Mite (Globoppia intermedia) * Mite (Halozetes marinus)

  • True Flies: Insects with two wings.

* True fly (Amalopteryx maritima) * True fly (Anatalanta aptera) * True fly (Calycopteryx moseleyi minor) * True fly (Calycopteryx moseleyi moseleyi)

  • Beetles: Insects with hard wing covers.

* Beetle (Antarctonesiotes gracilipes) * Beetle (Canonopsis sericeus sericeus) * Beetle (Ectemnorrhinus (s. str.) crassipes) * Beetle (Ectemnorrhinus (s. str.) jelbarti) * Beetle (Ectemnorrhinus forbesi) * Beetle (Ectemnorrhinus hoseasoni)

  • Springtails: Tiny, wingless insects that can jump.

* Antarctic springtail (Cryptopygus antarcticus) * Springtail (Parisotoma octooculata) * Springtail (Tullbergia antarctica) * Springtail (Tullbergia bisetosa)

  • Fleas: Small, wingless insects that feed on blood.

* Flea (Notiopsylla kerguelensis) * Flea (Parapsyllus magellanicus heardi)

  • Moths: Insects with wings covered in tiny scales.

* Moth (Embryonopsis halticella) * Clothes moth (Pringleophaga heardensis) * Clothes moth (Tineola bisiella)

  • Other Arthropods:

* Bristle-tail (Ctenolepisma longicaudata) * Tick (Ixodes kerguelensis) * Weevil (Meropathus chuni)

One Special Snail

Mollusks are soft-bodied animals, often with a shell. Only one type of land snail has been found on these islands.

  • Subantarctic land snail (Notodiscus hookeri)

A Unique Flowering Plant

Flowering plants are plants that produce flowers, which then develop into fruits containing seeds. Only one type of flowering plant grows on Heard Island.

  • Cushion plant (Azorella selago)

Underwater Plants: Kelp

Marine algae are plant-like organisms that live in the ocean. Kelp is a type of large brown algae that forms underwater forests.

See also

  • Antarctic realm
  • Fauna of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
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