Portal:Latin America/Featured picture/2006
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Today is June 14, 2008, week number 24.
[edit] Weeks in 2006
- Week 23
The Plumed Basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) is a species of lizard native to Latin America. Its natural range covers a swath from Mexico to Ecuador. Plumed basilisks are omnivorous and will eat insects, small mammals (such as rodents), smaller species of lizards, fruits and flowers. Their predators include raptors, opossums and snakes.
- Week 24
Photo credit: Mariano
Cueva de las Manos (Spanish for Cave of the Hands) is a cave located in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina, 163 km south from the town of Perito Moreno, within the borders of the Francisco P. Moreno National Park, which includes many sites of archaeological and paleontogical importance.
It is famous (and gets its name) for the paintings of hands, made by the indigenous inhabitants (possibly forefathers of the Tehuelches) between 13,000 and 9,300 years ago.
- Week 25
The Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) is a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, with some migrating to Brazil. It is the most numerous of the Spheniscus penguins. Its nearest relatives are the African Penguin, the Humboldt Penguin and the Galápagos Penguin. They feed on fish, squid, krill, and other crustaceans.
The main threat to this species is oil pollution which kills more than 20,000 adults and 22,000 juveniles every year off the coast of Argentina. This species of penguin was discovered by Ferdinand Magellan on one of his explorations.
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- Week 26
Nevado Alpamayo is one of the most conspicuous peaks in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range (which is made up of about 50 peaks), part of the Peruvian Andes. It has two sharp summits, North and South, separated by a narrow corniced ridge.
In 1966, the Alpamayo mountain was declared "the most beautiful mountain in the world" by UNESCO.
Its name comes from Quechua (Allpa = earth Mayu = river: muddy river).
- Week 27
Tarantulas are long-legged, long-living spiders, whose entire body is covered with short glittery hairs called setae. Tarantulas inhabit tropical to temperate regions, including South America and Central America.
The body of the tarantula pictured above is approximately 2.5 inches (6.2 cm) long. Despite their often scary appearance and reputation, none of the true tarantulas are deadly spiders (spiders having a strong toxin, dangerous to humans), and this particular kind of tarantula is regarded as especially docile.
In the wild, they will consume almost any kind of arthropod, small lizard, or small rodent that they can overpower and immobilize with their venom.
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- Week 28
Machu Picchu (Quechua: Old Mountain; sometimes called the "Lost City of the Incas") is a well-preserved pre-Columbian Inca ruin located on a high mountain ridge. Elevation measurements vary depending on whether the data refers to the ruin or the extremity of the mountain, Machu Picchu tourist information reports the elevation as 2,350 m (7,710 ft). Machu Picchu is located above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, about 70 km (44 mi) northwest of Cusco. Forgotten for centuries by the outside world, although not by locals, it was brought back to international attention by Yale archeologist Hiram Bingham who rediscovered it in 1911, and wrote a best-selling work about it.
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- Week 29
The habanero chile (Capsicum chinense Jacquin) (Spanish, from Havana) is the most intensely spicy chile pepper of the Capsicum genus. Unripe habaneros are green, but the color at maturity varies. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, and pink are also seen. Typically a ripe habanero is 2–6 cm (1–2½ in) long.
Although habaneros are believed to have originated in Cuba, it is nonetheless an important part of cuisine in the Yucatán peninsula, where it is often served roasted as a condiment with meals. Approximately 1,500 tons are harvested annually in the Yucatán.
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- Week 30
Bruno Senna Lalli (born October 15, 1983 in São Paulo) is a Brazilian racecar driver and the nephew of three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna. He competed in the Formula Three support races at the 2006 Australian Grand Prix, winning three of the four races, and is running a second full season in British Formula 3 with Räikkönen Robertson Racing. He has also won the first two races of the 2006 British GP calendar, at Oulton Park. He is currently in second place in 2006 British Formula Three championship, behind teammate Mike Conway.
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- Week 31
Ipomoea purpurea, the Purple or Common Morning Glory, is a species in the genus Ipomoea, native to Mexico and Central America. Like all morning glories the plant entwines itself around structures with its viny stems, growing to a height of 2-3 m tall. The leaves are heart-shaped and the stems are covered with brown hairs. The flowers are bell-shaped, blue to purple, 3-6 cm diameter.
The habitats of morning glories are landscapes, fences and crops. The plant is predisposed to moist and rich soil, but can be found growing in a wide array of soil types. It is naturalized throughout warm temperate and subtropical regions of the world. Although it is often considered a noxious weed, Ipomoea purpurea is also grown for its beautiful purple and white flowers and has many cultivars.
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- Week 32
The Spanish shawl (Flabellina iodinea) is a nudibranch native to the North American west coast. It has been reported as far north as British Columbia, Canada and as far south as Punta Asuncion, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and in addition to this in the Gulf of California and the Galapagos Islands. It displays a stunning set of colors, the body being purple, the gills being orange and the rhinophores being scarlet red.
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- Week 33
Rano Raraku is a volcanic crater formed of consolidated ash, or tuff, and located on Easter Island, Chile. It is the quarry in which about 95% of the island's known monolithic sculpture (Moai) were carved.
The sides of Rano Raraku crater are high and steep except on the north and northwest, where they are much lower and gently sloping. The interior contains a freshwater lake bordered by reeds called tortora (Scripus sp.). The reeds, once believed to have been carried to the island by explorers from the South American mainland, are now known to have been naturally introduced some 30,000 years ago.
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- Week 34
Cerro de la Silla (Spanish for Saddle Hill), named for its distinctive saddle-shaped profile when viewed from the west, is a famous symbol of the landscape of the state of Nuevo León, Mexico. Located in the cities of Monterrey and Guadalupe, it covers an area of 60.5 km² (23 square miles). The mountain has four peaks: Pico Antena, Pico Norte, Pico Sur and Pico la Virgen; Pico Norte is the highest at 1820 m while Pico la Virgen is the lowest at 1750 m.
Set aside as a Natural Monument by the government of Mexico in 1991, the hill is a popular recreational area and is often climbed by hikers who take a 2.5 kilometre (1.6 mile) trail to reach the top.
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- Week 35
The Southern Patagonia Ice Field is the third biggest extension of continental ice after the Antarctica and Greenland, located at the Southern Patagonic Andes between Chile and Argentina, and part of the Patagonian Ice Sheet.
It extends from parallels 48º20'S to 51º30' for approximately 350 kilometres, and has an area of 16,800 km², of which 14,200 km² belong to Chile, and 2,600 km² to Argentina.
The ice field was first studied in 1943 by aereal photographies made by the United States' Air Force on request of the Chilean government. Later explorations include the expeditions of Federico Reichert and Alberto de Agostini, but the field remains largely unexplored.
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- Week 36
The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant in the family Asteraceae, with a large flower head (inflorescence). The stem of the flower can grow up to 3 metres tall, with the flower head reaching 30cm in diameter. The term "sunflower" is also used to refer to all plants of the genus Helianthus, many of which are perennial plants.
Sunflowers are native to the Americas, and were domesticated around 1000 B.C. Francisco Pizarro found the Inca subjects venerating the sunflower as an image of their sun god. Gold images of the flower, as well as seeds, were taken back to Europe early in the 16th century.
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- Week 37
The menelaus Blue Morpho (Morpho menelaus) is an iridescent tropical butterfly of Central and South America. It has a wing span of 6 inches (15 centimeters). The adult drinks juice from rotten fruit with its long proboscis, which is like a sucking tube. The larva eat plants at night. The larva is red-brown in color with bright patches of lime-green or yellow. The larvae are also highly cannibalistic.
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- Week 38
The Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is the only member of the genus Protonotaria.
The Prothonotary Warbler is 13 cm long and weighs 12.5 g. It has an olive back with blue-grey wings and tail, yellow underparts, a relatively long pointed bill and black legs. The adult male has a bright orange-yellow head; females and immature birds are duller and have a yellow head.
It breeds in hardwood swamps in southern Canada and the eastern United States, nesting in a cavity, sometimes using old Downy Woodpecker holes. The male often builds several incomplete unused nests in his territory; the female builds the real nest. It winters in the West Indies, Central America and northern South America.
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- Week 39
The citrus root weevil (Diaprepes abbreviatus) is a major agricultural pest weevil in several Caribbean countries and the US state of Florida. It is also known as the diaprepes root weevil and the sugarcane rootstock borer weevil. The weevil is found on many plants besides citrus, including sugarcane, tuber-bearing crops such as potatoes, and many ornamental plants.
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- Week 40
The Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is the rarest, most genetically distinct subspecies of the Gray Wolf in North America. It is also one of the smallest subspecies, reaching an overall length no greater than 135 cm (53 in) and a maximum height of about 80 cm (31 in). Weight ranges from 27-45 kg (60-100 lbs).
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- Week 41
Hebe is a genus of plants native to New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Rapa Nui, the Falkland Islands, and South America. There are over 100 species of Hebe, of which 90 occur in New Zealand. Of the 90 present in New Zealand, only H. salicifolia and H. elliptica extend beyond New Zealand, the remainder being endemic. They are named after the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe.
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- Week 42
Portal:Latin America/Featured picture/Week 42, 2006
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- Week 43
The lynx inhabits the high altitude forests with dense cover of shrubs, reeds and grass. Though the cat hunts only on the ground, it can climb trees and swim. Though it can be found in the northern regions of Scandinavia, it is primarily found in North America and also in pockets in the Himalayas.
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- Week 44
The Culpeo (Pseudalopex culpaeus), sometimes known as the Patagonian fox, is a South American species of wild dog. It is the second largest South American canid after the Maned Wolf. In its appearance it bears many similarities to the widely recognized red fox. It has grey and reddish fur, a white chin, reddish legs, and a stripe on its back that may be barely visible.
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- Week 45
The citrus root weevil (Diaprepes abbreviatus) is a major agricultural pest weevil in several Caribbean countries and the US state of Florida. It is also known as the diaprepes root weevil and the sugarcane rootstock borer weevil. The weevil is found on many plants besides citrus, including sugarcane, tuber-bearing crops such as potatoes, and many ornamental plants.
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- Week 46
Silver torch cactus (Cleistocactus strausii) is a succulent of family Cactaceae. It is native to high mountain regions of Bolivia and Argentina. Its slender, erect, grey-green columns can reach a height of 3 m, but are only about 6 cm across. The columns are formed from around 25 ribs and are densely covered with areoles, supporting four yellow-brown spines up to 4 cm long and 20 shorter white radials.
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- Week 47
The Mexican beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum) is a lizard found in Mexico and the southern United States that grows up to 18 inches in length. Along with the Gila monster, it was once thought to be one of only two lizards known to be venomous. However, recent research showed that some Iguanas and Monitors also produce venom. Their venom is similar to that of some snakes.
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- Week 48
The Snowy Egret is a small white heron. These birds stalk their prey in shallow water, often running or shuffling their feet, flushing prey into view. Snowy egrets may also stand still and wait to ambush prey. Their breeding habitat is large inland and coastal wetlands from the lower Great Lakes and southwestern United States to South America.
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- Week 49
Machu Picchu is a well-preserved pre-Columbian Inca ruin located on a high mountain ridge. Machu Picchu is located above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, about 70 km (44 mi) northwest of Cuzco. Forgotten for centuries by the outside world, although not by locals, it was brought back to international attention by Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham who rediscovered it in 1911.
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- Week 50
The Area Nacional de Recreación Cajas is a national park in the highlands of Ecuador. The area of 289000ha between 3100m and 4450m above sea level offers a tundra vegetation on a jagged landscape of hills and valleys. About 270 lakes and lagoons can be found. It is located about 30km from Cuenca, the capital of the province of Azuay. It was declared a national park on Nov 5, 1996.
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- Week 51
Medellín is the capital city of the Antioquia Department in Colombia. It was founded in 1616 by Francisco Herrera y Campuzano. As of 2006, Medellín municipality has a population of 2,223,078 inhabitants, making it the second most populated city in Colombia after Bogotá. Medellín also serves as the core of the Valle de Aburrá (Aburrá Valley) metropolitan area, the second largest in Colombia.
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- Week 52
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a New World mammal of the Felidae family. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and lion, and is the largest and most powerful feline in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Mexico (with occasional sightings in the southwestern United States) across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina.
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