Flora and Fauna

Authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Information about taxonomy, natural history, distribution, abundance, and ecology of many species worldwide. Includes tools to identify, map, and database species.

WoRMS aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms, including information on synonymy.

Site and community for reporting personal observations of any plant or animal species in the world.

Database covering the flora and fauna of the world with a checklist for each country.

Original photographs for identification of the common species of marine creatures found throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Includes information and images of Paraguayan wildlife, a free on-line Paraguayan zoology journal, and information about birdwatching and wildlife tours.

Provides information on the different divisions of the animal kingdom and photographs of a selection of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects.

The ERMS project covers species of the kingdoms Animalia, Plantae, Fungi and Protoctista occurring in the marine environment including all the continental shelf seas of Europe.

Online database of animal natural history, distribution, classification, and conservation biology at the University of Michigan.

Images of marine invertebrates, mammals, fish, birds and algae in the Seattle, Washington area.

Distribution maps and a check list of vascular plants found growing in Hokkaido.

Brief introduction to the plant kingdom with links to further information.

Taxonomically arranged images and summaries of family characteristics.

One of the world’s great botanical works, this was started in 1752 but not completed until 1883. The 3,240 engravings in folio of all the wild plants of Denmark are now available online.

Checklist of plants, subdivided by form, with common names.

A photo guide and identification tool for vascular plants of West Africa with an easy to use multi-entry key of 18 characters.

Introduction to the first land plants, known from fossils.

Article from Wikipedia on the unicellular microbes that are traditionally classified as protozoans, based on their methods of locomotion.

Research project by Kayleen Kinsley on the human immunodeficiency virus, including its classification, nutrition, reproduction, habitat, history and information on the disease it causes.

Comprehensive information from Wikipedia on these sub-microscopic infectious agents that are unable to grow or reproduce outside a host cell.

Article examining the evidence for how the first viruses may have appeared and how viruses, like other parasites, co-evolved with their hosts.

Viruses in the genus Tospovirus cause significant worldwide crop losses. Provides information on their biology, transmission, host range, symptoms, distribution and management strategies.

Information, user-contributed images, and identification help for insects and relatives of North America.

Directory of the specialists working on brachiopods, recent publications, and systematics and taxonomy of the Brachiopoda.

Photographs of some live lamp shells and some fossil specimens.

Includes characteristics, biology and ecology.

Photographic study by Jean-Marie Cavanihac of the Arrow Worm.

Includes photographs and information on a wide range of mammals and reptiles from Canada, the United States and Mexico. Includes fact sheets and distribution maps.

A brief description of the phylum followed by a long list of annotated photographs.

Information from Wikipedia on this phylum of worm-shaped marine deuterostome organisms.

A useful guide to Australian marine molluscs, providing for each species a description and details of distribution, habitat and biology.

This site provides a searchable database that allows the user to search for taxonomic references by taxon, geographical locality, author or keyword.

Paper by David Gems examining the great variability in ageing patterns observed in different nematode species.

Information on the nematodes Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus which can invade and parasatize humans, and a diagram and information on their life cycle.

Information on the classification of the ribbon worms with a photograph of Tubulanus rhabdotus.

An article by Floyd Sandford about the sponges that are carried around by hermit crabs.

Species list from the USGS on the nonindigenous sponges found in US waters, with factsheets and collection details.

Photographic article on the constituent parts of the jaws of this species.

Photographs and information on this genus of freshwater rotifers.

Information on the classification of the peanut worms with a photograph of Phascolopsis gouldii.

Introduction, taxonomy of the tardigrade genera, and a description of Pseudobiotus megalonys. In German and English.

A Time Magazine article that mentions Abbe Spallanzani, who discovered tardigrades in 1776, approaching the French philosopher Voltaire to ask about the soul of organisms that can be rehydrated and brought back to life.

Information from Wikipedia on various fungi from the order Ophiostomatales which have a symbiotic relationship with the ambrosia beetle.

Tom Volk provides photographs and information on these causal agents of tar spot of maple.

Tom Volk provides photographs and information on this fungus, found growing in a kangaroo's pouch, which provides a missing link between fungi and plants.

Information from Wikipedia about this group of underground fungi which exchange nutrients with higher plants through a mycorrhizal arrangement.

An illustrated introduction to the lichens with information on their ecology and reproduction.

A lichen is a combination of two organisms which live together intimately. Information on their fossil record, life history and ecology, systematics and morphology.

Photographs of Acolium hawaiiense, Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides, Anaptychia leucomelos, Bacidia medialis, Bryoria furcellata, B. smithii, Buellia aeruginascens, B. proximata, B. pruinosa, B. tincta, Caloplaca erythrantha and Teloschistes flavicans.