72-506: N. harrisi N. brasilianum N. auritum Dilophalieus Coues, 1903 Viguacarbo Coues, 1903 Nannopterum is a genus of cormorant comprising three species. They are found throughout the Americas , hence the common name American cormorants . These species were formerly classified in the genus Phalacrocorax . A molecular phylogenetic study of the cormorants published in 2014 found that these three species formed
144-548: A brown-haired person has 110,000, a black-haired person has 100,000, and a redhead has 90,000. Hair growth stops after a human's death. Visible growth of hair on the dead body happens only because of skin drying out due to water loss. The world record for longest hair on a living person stands with Smita Srivastava of Uttar Pradesh, India . At 7 feet and 9 inches long, she broke a Guinness World Record in November 2023, having grown her hair for 32 years. Hair exists in
216-490: A 50% reduction of the population to just 400 individuals. The population recovered quickly, however, and was estimated to number 900 individuals by 1999. This species inhabits the rocky shores of the volcanic islands on which it occurs. It forages in shallow coastal waters, including bays and straits. Flightless cormorants are extremely sedentary, remaining most or all of their lives, and breeding, on local stretches of coast-line several hundred metres long. Their sedentary nature
288-422: A clade that was sister to the genus Leucocarbo . To create monophyletic genera, the three species were moved the resurrected genus Nannopterum that had been introduced in 1899 by English ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe to accommodate the flightless cormorant . The genus Nannopterum is thought to have split from Leucocarbo between 6.7 - 8.0 million years ago. The genus name Nannopterum combines
360-914: A cotton thread, but is not stiff or rough. It is neither fine nor coarse. Thick strands whose shed strands usually are easily identified. Coarse hair feels hard and wiry. Hair is mainly composed of keratin proteins and keratin-associated proteins (KRTAPs). The human genome encodes 54 different keratin proteins which are present in various amounts in hair. Similarly, humans encode more than 100 different KRTAPs which crosslink keratins in hair. The content of KRTAPs ranges from less than 3% in human hair to 30–40% in echidna quill. Many mammals have fur and other hairs that serve different functions. Hair provides thermal regulation and camouflage for many animals; for others it provides signals to other animals such as warnings, mating, or other communicative displays; and for some animals hair provides defensive functions and, rarely, even offensive protection. Hair also has
432-435: A flat cross-section, while people of mostly European or Middle Eastern ancestry tend to have hair with a diameter of 70–100 μm and an oval cross-section, and people of mostly Asian or Native American ancestry tend to have hair with a diameter of 90–120 μm and a round cross-section. There are roughly two million small, tubular glands and sweat glands that produce watery fluids that cool the body by evaporation. The glands at
504-454: A new mate. Thus, females, but not males, can raise several broods in a single season, although studies over a decade indicate that environmental conditions allowing sufficient food availability for this, occur infrequently. Annual survival of both sexes is ca. 90%, and longevity is ca. 13 years. Recruitment into the population by breeding is sufficient to maintain a stable population. These cormorants evolved on an island habitat that
576-456: A population of about 1,500 individuals. In 2009, BirdLife International set the number of individuals of the flightless cormorant at only 900 individuals, although a more recent estimate in 2011 was 1679 individuals. It was formerly classified as Endangered by the IUCN , but recent research shows that it is not as rare as previously believed and that its population has stabilized. Consequently, it
648-447: A sensory function, extending the sense of touch beyond the surface of the skin. Guard hairs give warnings that may trigger a recoiling reaction. While humans have developed clothing and other means of keeping warm, the hair found on the head serves primarily as a source of heat insulation and cooling (when sweat evaporates from soaked hair) as well as protection from ultra-violet radiation exposure. The function of hair in other locations
720-486: A threat. However, although the flightless cormorant population is small and its range limited, the ability of the species to breed quickly can allow it to recover from disasters as long as the population remains above a critical level. The flightless cormorant is one of the world's rarest birds. A survey carried out by the Charles Darwin Research Station in 2004 indicated that the species has
792-400: A variety of textures. Three main aspects of hair texture are the curl pattern, volume, and consistency. All mammalian hair is composed of keratin , so the make-up of hair follicles is not the source of varying hair patterns. There are a range of theories pertaining to the curl patterns of hair. Scientists have come to believe that the shape of the hair shaft has an effect on the curliness of
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#1732776652304864-445: A very restricted range. It is found on just two islands; Fernandina , and the northern and western coasts of Isabela . Distribution associates with the seasonal upwelling of the eastward flowing Equatorial Undercurrent (or Cromwell Current) which provides cold nutrient rich water to these western islands of the archipelago. The population has undergone severe fluctuations; in 1983 an El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event resulted in
936-423: Is a method which classifies the hair by curl pattern, hair-strand thickness and overall hair volume. Curliness Strands Thin strands that sometimes are almost translucent when held up to the light. Shed strands can be hard to see even against a contrasting background. Fine hair is difficult to feel or it feels like an ultra-fine strand of silk. Strands are neither fine nor coarse. Medium hair feels like
1008-496: Is a trait that may be associated with neoteny . Primates are relatively hairless compared to other mammals, and Hominini such as chimpanzees, have less dense hair than would be expected given their body size for a primate. Evolutionary biologists suggest that the genus Homo arose in East Africa approximately 2 million years ago. Part of this evolution was the development of endurance running and venturing out during
1080-460: Is anxious to return to the Galapagos to capture the bird, that "it's not going anywhere." In reality Nannopterum harrisi would not be formally discovered until 1897 by the species' namesake, naturalist Charles Miller Harris, on an expedition sponsored by Walter Rothschild , who chose the name. Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis . Hair
1152-438: Is cognate with terms such as Old Norse and Norwegian : fax . Each strand of hair is made up of the medulla , cortex , and cuticle . The innermost region, the medulla , is an open and unstructured region that is not always present. The highly structural and organized cortex , or second of three layers of the hair, is the primary source of mechanical strength and water uptake. The cortex contains melanin , which colors
1224-419: Is debated. Hats and coats are still required while doing outdoor activities in cold weather to prevent frostbite and hypothermia , but the hair on the human body does help to keep the internal temperature regulated. When the body is too cold, the arrector pili muscles found attached to hair follicles stand up, causing the hair in these follicles to do the same. These hairs then form a heat-trapping layer above
1296-469: Is interpreted in the neocortex , a section of the brain that expanded markedly in animals like Morganucodon and Hadrocodium . The more advanced therapsids could have had a combination of naked skin, whiskers , and scutes . A full pelage likely did not evolve until the therapsid-mammal transition. The more advanced, smaller therapsids could have had a combination of hair and scutes, a combination still found in some modern mammals, such as rodents and
1368-478: Is more complex, since not all hair grows at once. Scalp hair was reported to grow between 0.6 cm and 3.36 cm per month. The growth rate of scalp hair somewhat depends on age (hair tends to grow more slowly with age), sex, and ethnicity. Thicker hair (>60 μm) grows generally faster (11.4 mm per month) than thinner (20-30 μm) hair (7.6 mm per month). It was previously thought that Caucasian hair grew more quickly than Asian hair and that
1440-455: Is not just one method to discovering one's hair type. Additionally it is possible, and quite normal to have more than one kind of hair type, for instance having a mixture of both type 3a & 3b curls. The Andre Walker Hair Typing System is the most widely used system to classify hair. The system was created by Oprah Winfrey 's hairstylist, Andre Walker . According to this system there are four types of hair: straight, wavy, curly, kinky. This
1512-448: Is often used to indicate a person's personal beliefs or social position, such as their age, gender , or religion . The word "hair" usually refers to two distinct structures: Hair fibers have a structure consisting of several layers, starting from the outside: The word "hair" is derived from Middle English : heer and hêr , in turn derived from Old English : hǽr and hér , with influence from Old Norse : hár . Both
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#17327766523041584-530: Is one of the defining characteristics of mammals . The human body , apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and fine vellus hair . Most common interest in hair is focused on hair growth , hair types, and hair care , but hair is also an important biomaterial primarily composed of protein , notably alpha-keratin . Attitudes towards different forms of hair, such as hairstyles and hair removal , vary widely across different cultures and historical periods, but it
1656-451: Is reflected in a genetic differentiation between the main colonies, and particularly between Fernandina and Isabela Island. Nesting tends to take place during April–October, when sea surface temperatures are coldest resulting in an abundance of marine food, and the risk of heat stress to the chicks is decreased. At this time, breeding colonies consisting of up to about 12 pairs form. The courtship behavior of this species begins in
1728-448: Is the largest extant member of its family, 89–100 cm (35–39.5 in) in length and weighing 2.5–5.0 kg (5.5–11.0 lb), and its wings are about one-third the size that would be required for a bird of its proportions to fly. The keel on the breastbone, where birds attach the large muscles needed for flight, is also significantly reduced. Like all cormorants, this bird has webbed feet and sturdy legs that propel it through
1800-409: Is the outer covering. Its complex structure slides as the hair swells and is covered with a single molecular layer of lipid that makes the hair repel water. The diameter of human hair varies from 0.017 to 0.18 millimeters (0.00067 to 0.00709 in). Some of these characteristics in humans' head hair vary by race: people of mostly African ancestry tend to have hair with a diameter of 60–90 μm and
1872-685: The Ancient Greek nannos meaning "dwarf" with pteron meaning "wing". This name was coined for the flightless cormorant , which does indeed have small wings. Genetic studies have found that the neotropic and double-crested cormorants form a clade with the flightless cormorant, and they are thus placed together in the genus Nannopterum despite both species having normal-sized wings and full flight capabilities. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Nannopterum harrisi Phalacrocorax harrisi The flightless cormorant ( Nannopterum harrisi ), also known as
1944-669: The Galapagos cormorant , is a cormorant endemic to the Galapagos Islands , and an example of the highly unusual fauna there. It is unique in that it is the only known cormorant that has lost the ability to fly . It was placed in its own genus , Nannopterum , but then was later placed with most of the other cormorants in the genus Phalacrocorax . A 2014 study supported reclassifying it and two other American cormorant species back into Nannopterum . The IOC followed this classification in 2021. The flightless cormorant
2016-557: The Upper Permian , shows smooth, hairless skin with what appears to be glandular depressions, though as a semi-aquatic species it might not have been particularly useful to determine the integument of terrestrial species. The oldest undisputed known fossils showing unambiguous imprints of hair are the Callovian (late middle Jurassic ) Castorocauda and several contemporary haramiyidans , both near-mammal cynodonts , giving
2088-441: The anagen , catagen , and telogen phases. Each strand of hair on the human body is at its own stage of development. Once the cycle is complete, it restarts and a new strand of hair begins to form. The growth rate of hair varies from individual to individual depending on their age, genetic predisposition and a number of environmental factors. It is commonly stated that hair grows about 1 cm per month on average; however reality
2160-409: The epidermis called the hair follicle . The bulb of hair consists of fibrous connective tissue, glassy membrane, external root sheath, internal root sheath composed of epithelium stratum ( Henle's layer ) and granular stratum ( Huxley's layer ), cuticle, cortex and medulla. All natural hair colors are the result of two types of hair pigments. Both of these pigments are melanin types, produced inside
2232-526: The epidermis . This process is formally called piloerection , derived from the Latin words 'pilus' ('hair') and 'erectio' ('rising up'), but is more commonly known as 'having goose bumps ' in English. This is more effective in other mammals whose fur fluffs up to create air pockets between hairs that insulate the body from the cold. The opposite actions occur when the body is too warm; the arrector muscles make
Nannopterum - Misplaced Pages Continue
2304-418: The fiber based on the number, distribution and types of melanin granules. The melanin may be evenly spaced or cluster around the edges of the hair. The shape of the follicle determines the shape of the cortex, and the shape of the fiber is related to how straight or curly the hair is. People with straight hair have round hair fibers. Oval and other shaped fibers are generally more wavy or curly. The cuticle
2376-406: The opossum . The high interspecific variability of the size, color, and microstructure of hair often enables the identification of species based on single hair filaments. In varying degrees most mammals have some skin areas without natural hair. On the human body, glabrous skin is found on the ventral portion of the fingers , palms , soles of feet and lips , which are all parts of
2448-465: The EDAR locus, a region of the modern human genome that contributes to hair texture variation among most individuals of East Asian descent, support the hypothesis that (East Asian) straight hair likely developed in this branch of the modern human lineage subsequent to the original expression of tightly coiled natural afro-hair . Specifically, the relevant findings indicate that the EDAR mutation coding for
2520-467: The Old English and Old Norse words derive from Proto-Germanic : * hēran and are related to terms for hair in other Germanic languages such as Swedish : här , Dutch and German : haar , and Old Frisian : her . The now broadly obsolete word "fax" refers specifically to head hair and is found in compounds such as Fairfax and Halifax . It is derived from Old English : feax and
2592-445: The age as no later than ≈220 ma based on the modern phylogenetic understanding of these clades. More recently, studies on terminal Permian Russian coprolites may suggest that non-mammalian synapsids from that era had fur. If this is the case, these are the oldest hair remnants known, showcasing that fur occurred as far back as the latest Paleozoic . Some modern mammals have a special gland in front of each orbit used to preen
2664-536: The availability of the cormorant's food, but also often results in birds becoming caught in the nets and killed. Seasonal cold water has shaped the breeding strategy of flightless cormorants. A rise of several degrees of sea surface temperature during the breeding season or persisting throughout the breeding season (i.e. during ENSO events) results in low breeding success. ENSO events appears to have increased in frequency and severity in recent decades, possibly associated with climate change. A large oil spill would pose
2736-414: The belly and lower tail of a pelycosaur , possibly Haptodus shows the basal synapsid stock bore transverse rows of rectangular scutes , similar to those of a modern crocodile , so the age of acquirement of hair logically could not have been earlier than ≈299 ma, based on the current understanding of the animal's phylogeny. An exceptionally well-preserved skull of Estemmenosuchus , a therapsid from
2808-493: The body most closely associated with interacting with the world around us, as are the labia minora and glans penis . There are four main types of mechanoreceptors in the glabrous skin of humans: Pacinian corpuscles , Meissner's corpuscles , Merkel's discs , and Ruffini corpuscles . The naked mole-rat ( Heterocephalus glaber ) has evolved skin lacking in general, pelagic hair covering, yet has retained long, very sparsely scattered tactile hairs over its body. Glabrousness
2880-425: The circulation of cool air onto the scalp. Further, wet Afro-hair does not stick to the neck and scalp unless totally drenched and instead tends to retain its basic springy puffiness because it less easily responds to moisture and sweat than straight hair does. In this sense, the trait may enhance comfort levels in intense equatorial climates more than straight hair (which, on the other hand, tends to naturally fall over
2952-453: The condition of the strand. Fine hair has the smallest circumference, coarse hair has the largest circumference, and medium hair is anywhere between the other two. Coarse hair has a more open cuticle than thin or medium hair causing it to be the most porous. There are various systems that people use to classify their curl patterns. Being knowledgeable of an individual's hair type is a good start to knowing how to take care of one's hair. There
Nannopterum - Misplaced Pages Continue
3024-434: The cormorant family, all four toes are joined by webbed skin. Males and females are similar in appearance, although males are larger and ca. 35% heavier. Juveniles generally resemble adults but differ in that they are glossy black in colour with a dark eye. Adults produce low growling vocalizations. Like other cormorants, this bird's feathers are not waterproof, and they spend time after each dive drying their small wings in
3096-506: The ears and neck to a degree that provides slightly enhanced comfort levels in cold climates relative to tightly coiled hair). Further, it is notable that the most pervasive expression of this hair texture can be found in sub-Saharan Africa; a region of the world that abundant genetic and paleo-anthropological evidence suggests, was the relatively recent (≈200,000-year-old) point of origin for modern humanity. In fact, although genetic findings (Tishkoff, 2009) suggest that sub-Saharan Africans are
3168-457: The edges of the eyelid and protects the eye from dirt. The eyelash is to humans, camels, horses, ostriches etc., what whiskers are to cats ; they are used to sense when dirt, dust , or any other potentially harmful object is too close to the eye. The eye reflexively closes as a result of this sensation . Eyebrows and eyelashes do not grow beyond a certain length (eyelashes are rarely more than 10 mm long). However, trichomegaly can cause
3240-461: The eggs have hatched, both parents continue to share responsibilities of brooding (protecting the chicks from exposure to heat and cold, and predation) and feeding the offspring, although the female provides 40-50% more food items than her partner. As the chicks approach independence at 70 days old and if food supplies are plentiful, the female will desert the offspring leaving the male to carry out further parenting, and she will re-partner and breed with
3312-560: The equator, straight hair may have (initially) evolved to aid the entry of UV light into the body during the transition from dark, UV-protected skin to paler skin. Jablonski's assertions suggest that the adjective "woolly" in reference to Afro-hair is a misnomer in connoting the high heat insulation derivable from the true wool of sheep. Instead, the relatively sparse density of Afro-hair, combined with its springy coils actually results in an airy, almost sponge-like structure that in turn, Jablonski argues, more likely facilitates an increase in
3384-491: The first years of life. Hair grows everywhere on the external body except for mucous membranes and glabrous skin, such as that found on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and lips. The body has different types of hair, including vellus hair and androgenic hair , each with its own type of cellular construction. The different construction gives the hair unique characteristics, serving specific purposes, mainly, warmth and protection. The three stages of hair growth are
3456-425: The fur, called the harderian gland . Imprints of this structure are found in the skull of the small early mammals like Morganucodon , but not in their cynodont ancestors like Thrinaxodon . The hairs of the fur in modern animals are all connected to nerves, and so the fur also serves as a transmitter for sensory input. Fur could have evolved from sensory hair (whiskers). The signals from this sensory apparatus
3528-420: The growth rate of women's hair was faster than that of men. However, more recent research has shown that the growth rate of hair in men and women does not significantly differ and that the hair of Chinese people grew more quickly than the hair of French Caucasians and West and Central Africans. The quantity of hair hovers in a certain range depending on hair colour. An average blonde person has 150,000 hairs,
3600-514: The hair follicle and packed into granules found in the fibers. Eumelanin is the dominant pigment in brown hair and black hair , while pheomelanin is dominant in red hair . Blond hair is the result of having little pigmentation in the hair strand. Gray hair occurs when melanin production decreases or stops, while poliosis is white hair (and often the skin to which the hair is attached), typically in spots that never possessed melanin at all, or ceased for natural reasons, generally genetic, in
3672-415: The hair follicle include the oil producing sebaceous gland which lubricates the hair and the arrector pili muscles, which are responsible for causing hairs to stand up. In humans with little body hair, the effect results in goose bumps . The root of the hair ends in an enlargement, the hair bulb , which is whiter in color and softer in texture than the shaft and is lodged in a follicular involution of
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#17327766523043744-423: The hair follicle shape determines curl pattern, the hair follicle size determines thickness. While the circumference of the hair follicle expands, so does the thickness of the hair follicle. An individual's hair volume, as a result, can be thin, normal, or thick. The consistency of hair can almost always be grouped into three categories: fine, medium, and coarse. This trait is determined by the hair follicle volume and
3816-520: The hair lie flat on the skin which allows heat to leave. In some mammals, such as hedgehogs and porcupines , the hairs have been modified into hard spines or quills. These are covered with thick plates of keratin and serve as protection against predators. Thick hair such as that of the lion's mane and grizzly bear's fur do offer some protection from physical damages such as bites and scratches. Displacement and vibration of hair shafts are detected by hair follicle nerve receptors and nerve receptors within
3888-501: The hot times of the day that required efficient thermoregulation through perspiration . The loss of heat through heat of evaporation by means of sweat glands is aided by air currents next to the skin surface, which are facilitated by the loss of body hair. Another factor in human evolution that also occurred in the prehistoric past was a preferential selection for neoteny , particularly in females. The idea that adult humans exhibit certain neotenous (juvenile) features, not evinced in
3960-438: The individual's hair. A very round shaft allows for fewer disulfide bonds to be present in the hair strand. This means the bonds present are directly in line with one another, resulting in straight hair. The flatter the hair shaft becomes, the curlier hair gets, because the shape allows more cysteines to become compacted together resulting in a bent shape that, with every additional disulfide bond, becomes curlier in form. As
4032-428: The islands over the years. In addition, these birds have no fear of humans and can easily be approached and picked up. In the past, introduced feral dogs were a great threat to the species on Isabela, but they have since been eradicated from the island. Future introduction of rats or cats to Fernandina is a huge potential threat to the species. Fishing with nets poses a current threat to the species; this not only reduces
4104-429: The lashes to grow remarkably long and prominent (in some cases the upper lashes grow to 15 mm long). Hair has its origins in the common ancestor of mammals, the synapsids , about 300 million years ago. It is currently unknown at what stage the synapsids acquired mammalian characteristics such as body hair and mammary glands , as the fossils only rarely provide direct evidence for soft tissues. Skin impression of
4176-510: The most genetically diverse continental group on Earth, Afro-textured hair approaches ubiquity in this region. This points to a strong, long-term selective pressure that, in stark contrast to most other regions of the genomes of sub-Saharan groups, left little room for genetic variation at the determining loci. Such a pattern, again, does not seem to support human sexual aesthetics as being the sole or primary cause of this distribution. A group of studies have recently shown that genetic patterns at
4248-607: The most successful species on the planet (and which also is very vulnerable at birth) was arguably a more urgent issue (axillary hair in the underarms and groin were also retained as signs of sexual maturity). Sometime during the gradual process by which Homo erectus began a transition from furry skin to the naked skin expressed by Homo sapiens , hair texture putatively gradually changed from straight hair (the condition of most mammals, including humanity's closest cousins—chimpanzees) to Afro-textured hair or 'kinky' (i.e. tightly coiled). This argument assumes that curly hair better impedes
4320-406: The opening of the hair produce a fatty secretion that lubricates the hair. Hair growth begins inside the hair follicle . The only "living" portion of the hair is found in the follicle. The hair that is visible is the hair shaft, which exhibits no biochemical activity and is considered "dead". The base of a hair's root (the "bulb") contains the cells that produce the hair shaft. Other structures of
4392-600: The other great apes, is about a century old. Louis Bolk made a long list of such traits, and Stephen Jay Gould published a short list in Ontogeny and Phylogeny . In addition, paedomorphic characteristics in women are often acknowledged as desirable by men in developed countries. For instance, vellus hair is a juvenile characteristic. However, while men develop longer, coarser, thicker, and darker terminal hair through sexual differentiation , women do not, leaving their vellus hair visible. Jablonski asserts head hair
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#17327766523044464-423: The passage of UV light into the body relative to straight hair (thus curly or coiled hair would be particularly advantageous for light-skinned hominids living at the equator). It is substantiated by Iyengar's findings (1998) that UV light can enter into straight human hair roots (and thus into the body through the skin) via the hair shaft. Specifically, the results of that study suggest that this phenomenon resembles
4536-426: The passage of light through fiber optic tubes (which do not function as effectively when kinked or sharply curved or coiled). In this sense, when hominids (i.e. Homo erectus ) were gradually losing their straight body hair and thereby exposing the initially pale skin underneath their fur to the sun, straight hair would have been an adaptive liability. By inverse logic, later, as humans traveled farther from Africa and/or
4608-626: The predominant East Asian 'coarse' or thick, straight hair texture arose within the past ≈65,000 years, which is a time frame that covers from the earliest of the 'Out of Africa' migrations up to now. Ringworm is a fungal disease that targets hairy skin. Premature greying of hair is another condition that results in greying before the age of 20 years in Europeans, before 25 years in Asians, and before 30 years in Africans. Hair care involves
4680-461: The sea; the male and female swim around each other with their necks bent into a snake-like position. They then move onto land. Items of seaweed (and also flotsam e.g. rope fragments) are brought predominantly by the male and gifted to the female to be woven into a bulky nest, just above high water mark. The female generally lays three whitish eggs per clutch, though usually only one chick survives. Both male and female share equally in incubation. Once
4752-602: The skin. Hairs can sense movements of air as well as touch by physical objects and they provide sensory awareness of the presence of ectoparasites . Some hairs, such as eyelashes , are especially sensitive to the presence of potentially harmful matter. The eyebrows provide moderate protection to the eyes from dirt , sweat and rain . They also play a key role in non-verbal communication by displaying emotions such as sadness, anger, surprise and excitement. In many other mammals, they contain much longer, whisker-like hairs that act as tactile sensors. The eyelash grows at
4824-696: The species range, and the prevention of fishing with nets in the bird's foraging range. A subplot of the 2003 film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World sees Royal Navy surgeon and naturalist Stephen Maturin ( Paul Bettany ) discovering and then searching for flightless cormorants in the Galapagos Islands during the Napoleonic wars in 1805. In the film's last line, the ship's captain Jack Aubrey ( Russell Crowe ) tells Maturin, who
4896-400: The sunlight. Their flight and contour feathers are much like those of other cormorants, but their body feathers are much thicker, softer, denser, and more hair -like. They produce very little oil from their preen gland ; it is the air trapped in the dense plumage that prevents them from becoming waterlogged. This unique cormorant is endemic to the Galapagos Islands , Ecuador , where it has
4968-402: The water as it seeks its prey of fish, small octopuses , and other little marine creatures. The species feeds near the sea floor and no more than 200 metres offshore. The flightless cormorants look slightly like a duck, except for their short, stubby wings. The upperparts are blackish, and the underparts are brown. The long beak is hooked at the tip and the eye is turquoise. Like all members of
5040-604: Was downlisted to Vulnerable in 2011. All populations of this species are found within the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve; furthermore, the archipelago was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1978. The Charles Darwin Research Station has monitored the species regularly to keep track of fluctuations in numbers over time. Conservation proposals include the continuation of annual monitoring programs, restriction on human visitation within
5112-410: Was evolutionarily advantageous for pre-humans to retain because it protected the scalp as they walked upright in the intense African (equatorial) UV light . While some might argue that, by this logic, humans should also express hairy shoulders because these body parts would putatively be exposed to similar conditions, the protection of the head, the seat of the brain that enabled humanity to become one of
5184-476: Was free of predators . Having no enemies, taking its food primarily through diving along the food-rich shorelines, and not needing to travel to breeding grounds, the bird eventually became flightless. Indeed, wings trapping air among flight feathers are likely to have been a disadvantage to the cormorants which dive from the surface. However, since their discovery by man, the islands have not remained free of predators: cats , dogs , and pigs have been introduced to
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