Rougeplant (Rivina humilis)

Teter abang or pigeonberry or rougeplant (Rivina humilis) is a species of shrub plant in Petiveriaceae, living in colonies on black soil under the shade of large trees, 0.4-2 m high, green perennial leaves for up to 15 cm long and 9 cm wide, leaf stalks have a length of 1-11 cm.

R. humilis has flowers in clumps with a length of 4-15 cm on the main stalk with a length of 1-5 cm (0.39-1.97 in) and strands with a length of 2-8 mm. Sepal is 1.5-3.5 mm long, white or green and will turn pink or purplish.

The berries are green and end up becoming shiny red when ripe, round in size from 2.5 to 5 mm and emit a red liquid if broken. More than 20 pieces appear in each panicle and are very noticeably filling the ground.

Rougeplant grows in forests, stretched land, curbs or becomes ornamental plants at a maximum height of 1,700 m above sea level. This species does not need much sunlight and stands under the shade of large trees including in golden bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris vittata) clump and is tolerant of salt soil.

Some reports say leaves, stems and roots have antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer and antipesticide properties. The fruits used as pigment-containing coloring agents are rivianin or rivinianin, 5-O-β-D-Glucopyranoside, 3-sulfate, CAS number 58115-21-2, C24H26N2O16S and betaxanthin humilixanthin.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Petiveriaceae
Genus: Rivina
Species: Rivina humilis

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...

Takenoshin Nakai swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum nakaianum) replaces V. magnificum and C. magnificum

NEWS - Researchers reported an erect herbaceous species distributed in the eastern part of Honshu Island, Vincetoxicum magnificum (Nakai) Kitag. based on Cynanchum magnificum Nakai, nomen nudum. Therefore, they named this species Takenoshin Nakai swallow-wort ( Vincetoxicum nakaianum K.Mochizuki & Ohi-Toma). Vincetoxicum Wolf (Asclepiadeae) is the third largest genus in the Asclepiadoideae consisting of about 260 species geographically extending from tropical Africa, Asia and Oceania to temperate regions of Eurasia. A total of 23 species are known from Japan, including 16 endemic species. Molecular phylogeny divides Japanese Vincetoxicum into four groups: the “Far Eastern” clade consisting of 11 endemic species and 4 more widespread species, 1 sister species to the “Far Eastern” clade, the “subtropical” clade consisting of 2 species and the “Vincetoxicum s. str.” clade consisting of 5 species. V. magnificum (Nakai) Kitag. (Japanese: tachi-gashiwa) is closely related to V. macro...

Red costate tiger moth (Aloa lactinea)

Red costate tiger moth ( Aloa lactinea ) is an animal species in the Erebidae, a moth with a wingspan of 40 mm, a yellow belly, black antennae with red basalt joints, dark red palpi on the sides and white below, black terminal joints, living in forests and agriculture in the lowlands to mountainous areas. A. lactinea has a white head with a red stripe on the back. Thorax is white. The wings are predominantly white in color with black dots on each corner of the cells and a red margin. The wings have branched pulse lines and a starchy surface. The wing-covered upper abdomen is black with large elliptical plots and is colored yellow forming cells. The lower abdomen is white and has fine hairs that fall out easily. A pair of antennas is black. The forelegs are red, white and black. The other legs are white on the top and black on the bottom. The final joints are white and black which form alternating rings. Tip and sole black all over. The larvae are black in color with a lateral crest ...

Dlium