Typhoid
12-15-2009, 08:51 PM
Naked Mole Rat:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Nacktmull.jpg/800px-Nacktmull.jpg
The skin of naked mole rats lacks a key neurotransmitter called substance P that is responsible in mammals for sending pain signals to the central nervous system. When naked mole rats are exposed to acid or capsaicin, they feel no pain. When injected with Substance P, however, the pain signaling works as it does in other mammals, but only with capsaicin and not with the acids. This is proposed to be adaptation to the animal living in high levels of carbon dioxide due to poorly ventilated living spaces, which would cause acid to build up in their body tissues.
Blue Tongued Skink:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Tiliqua_scincoides_scincoides.jpg/800px-Tiliqua_scincoides_scincoides.jpg
As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be bared as a bluff-warning to potential enemies.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Nacktmull.jpg/800px-Nacktmull.jpg
The skin of naked mole rats lacks a key neurotransmitter called substance P that is responsible in mammals for sending pain signals to the central nervous system. When naked mole rats are exposed to acid or capsaicin, they feel no pain. When injected with Substance P, however, the pain signaling works as it does in other mammals, but only with capsaicin and not with the acids. This is proposed to be adaptation to the animal living in high levels of carbon dioxide due to poorly ventilated living spaces, which would cause acid to build up in their body tissues.
Blue Tongued Skink:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Tiliqua_scincoides_scincoides.jpg/800px-Tiliqua_scincoides_scincoides.jpg
As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be bared as a bluff-warning to potential enemies.