Fluttershy's Animal Classesby Majestical4729ChaptersPrologueMammalsBirdsReptilesAmphibiansFishInsectsArachnidsPrologue"And there! The last thing to get this tea party with sweet dear old Fluttershy, ready!" Discord said to himself, after polishing the teapot that he had conjured up. A moment of silence was then heard, followed by a cricket chirping. "Speaking of Fluttershy, where is that little pony?!" Discord asked. The door then opened and in trotted a tired Fluttershy who panted, "Here I am, Discord...." "Oh, my dear Fluttershy! What's wrong with you right now?!" Discord asked in a concerned tone. "Well...as you know...I'm both a teacher at the School of Friendship, and a worker at my sanctuary..." Fluttershy answered. "Of course I know, sweet Fluttershy. You'd never let me not know that." Discord responded. "And because of that, I'm very busy...so....that's why I'm late." Fluttershy stated. "That's why you....WHAT?!" Discord asked in shock, before teleporting himself right in front of his favourite pony, "We cannot let all your busy business make you late for our dates all the time! Tell you what, I shall help you with your sanctuary, so you'll have lesser things to do!" "That's really kind of you, Discord." Fluttershy stated, "But, don't you know anything about animals, in the first place?" "What an absurd question that is, dear Fluttershy." Discord gently patted her head, "Of course I, Discord, the Lord of Chaos, know everything about animals!" "Oh really? Then prove it. What do you know about arachnids?" Fluttershy asked. "Well, if you insist....arachnids are...are..." Discord struggled to answer before finally giving up, "Alright you caught me. I don't know anything about arachnids." "Arachnids is an animal class of joint-legged invertebrate animals, in the subphylum Chelicerata. Spiders and scorpions are in this animal class!" Fluttershy answered, "Animals classes include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insect, and many more! Those six are the main ones that are usually seen, as an animal from one of those classes are ought to be known and seen in most places in the world! Matter of fact, the sanctuary is ought to have animals from those classes!" "Beg your pardon, Fluttershy. But I don't see any fishes at the sanctuary before," Discord pointed out. "There are, but you just never saw them, they are always in the bodies of water there." Fluttershy insisted, "And if you want to help me at the sanctuary, you got to learn the theory about animals." "Anything to help you, miss Fluttershy." Discord bowed. "Let's start with the animal classes." Fluttershy instructed. Author's Note Information from here is used in this chapter: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk01sAY-CUadI1x4PGEHzvoOdRD6c9g:1618099115036&q=Arachnid&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAIWTzWsTQRjGs4tNk4mVZOuhRCgxiMRckt3NfgnSiigILULMxYPE3dnvz2R3SXcXqtCL4ElEei148iD-ASJaPWkPHnrwKMWTXlpQBG-a2Jnt0dvvfef9eOYZpjTXLHW8TtfNaMickX3Lk90GdOUo0qI94t9RL3RShDQ34hHySjzF-Rmato6S7CTuIpwNxF3uJEE4cszeHgFmKMSm0Z0G5VnACHaYIaYlUxARcw4tRPlyb4LLJZrmEfPQH-JNynjDRugokoGr6V6W4OFZ7OhIAc8NpZDFB6YY23mDFHo4Lxoinmmafp5OFF_HbIuihLywoYqlJ_xEQI1GbOd77GTMYIbjdNpY6RgdmmEyYSQpuZqMG-ZqFKF7wqKDmO1GHvaPhSMoIe5l0MFGcUymJyeCPAVfnc24ECuVIjWjsYMTm0EIo8xFFapgG9hvJk65CRrTMwyDwXsFgbGx5ex4yEeYdScfxHobXe8rsU9Wqt9_f1msfyCfvPj4mXhHgupaEESam_Y1V441dRBQIihe92MrTqklUKkfu6s4rUK9DHDAnAULM_Noh3egqYqj6s7BNkFtEaByW4sHwXqgWnpKRdQYlNc1T9HC6JZODQC4FriuBmMr8KkboFlf7sA80VGswA0MC8ruEH2E6c4G-E9NE_SPn3o8Mi6TLbLpM8NX-9ufindqj9hCoX-3v1q_1KbA_M1oLZj21X69Fu5Jm0cr7UVQGshJ4AdeWuvdP3x78c_RSvN8-cpOtfF0-XClduHhjwc_vy2sLpENolWgtw_I1c2X53bbhV2C3Hrz_H3xVImoFk4_mytdDWVo-pb6uEj8Ba6r1hPYAwAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjA89n38PTvAhVSjuYKHY2qD3QQ-BYwLXoECAEQQg&biw=1440&bih=837 MammalsFluttershy and Discord then visited the former's sanctuary, with the former greeting the animals,"Hello every creature, as you can see, I brought Discord here today because I'll be teaching him about animal classes with your help. Can you please group yourselves according to your animal classes? It will really help us out." The animals did as told with mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and arachnids from left to right. The fishes remained in the steam nearby, as they could never leave the water. "Thank you," Fluttershy thanked the animals, then turned to Discord, "Alright Discord, do you see the group on the very left?" "What an absurd question, of course I can see the group of animals on the very left," Discord responded. "The animals in this group are all from the animal class mammals, and Mammalia is the scientific name of the class. Mammals are warm-blooded, their body temperature remains about the same their entire lives." Fluttershy explained. "Stays the same for their entire lives?!" Discord asked, "That's a bit boring, isn't it?" "Mammals are naturally that way," Fluttershy responded, "There's more to them than just that. All mammals have hair, even dolphins and whales that live in the ocean." "Even dolphins and whales that live in the ocean..." Discord said what he was writing in a notebook that he had conjured up out loud. "Continue if you please," Discord politely told Fluttershy. "Most mammals give birth to young alive, but there are two exceptions; the spiny anteater and the duckbilled platypus lay eggs that hatch into their young." Fluttershy explained. "At last something interesting about mammals," Discord commented, "I mean, can you imagine all of them being the same in everything about them? How boring and meaningless will that be?!" the mammals of the sanctuary were getting offended by Discord's words, before Fluttershy told Discord, "Discord, can you please stop commenting and just focus on learning? Your comments are not making the animals here comfortable." "If you say so, dear Fluttershy." Discord quickly responded. "Most mammals are helpless when they are babies. Adult mammals protect and help care for babies until they can survive on their own. The mammal most famous for caring for their babies is the mother kangaroo who carries their babies in their pouch until they are about one year old. Mammals like mice, only care for their young for about 1 month. Elephants care for their young for a long time, up to 10 years." Fluttershy noted. "Oh really?! " Discord asked, "How lucky are mammals to have such great care for as long as they needed. Makes me kind of wish that I was in their little class." "Actually, according to recent research, there are over 6495 mammal species, including 96 recently extinct." Fluttershy pointed out. "6495?! Wow, now that's a big class, alright!" Discord commented. Back to the main point, lecture about mammals, all mammal babies drink milk from their mothers." Fluttershy stated. "Even dolphins and whales?" Discord asked. "Even dolphins and whales," Fluttershy nodded, "Next fact: All mammals except ant eaters have teeth." "All except ant eaters?! Then why is the ant eater in the class?!" Discord asked, offending an ant eater in the sanctuary. "Because ant eaters still have the other traits that counts. Like having fur, raising their young, young feeds on mother's milk..." Fluttershy listed. "That's enough revision," Discord informed, "You may continue." "Bats are the only mammals that can fly, as flying squirrels are mammals that glide, not fly, despite having the word 'flying' in its name." Fluttershy explained. "Do you know that the fastest land animal runner is in the mammal class?" Fluttershy asked, "That mamal is the cheetah, with a speed of 70 mph. The cheetah has the perfect body for speed and has enlarged lungs, nostrils and heart to be able to get enough oxygen to run fast." "Of course the cheetah is the fastest runner, all those who know animals know that!" Discord commented. "Another interesting mammal is the orca, also known as the killer whale, are one of the fiercest of all animal hunters. Orcas are also known as the predators of who we thought was the top predator of the ocean; sharks!" Fluttershy pointed out. "Predator of sharks?!" Discord asked, "How can I not know that sharks have a predator until now?" "You'll never know when all these things will be discovered, Discord." Fluttershy told him, "We'll just go through what is already discovered and known. Speaking of known, here's another known mammal with a feature that might not be a feature that many will want." "Oh really? Just go on and tell me whatever it is." Discord singled. "The animal that sleeps the longest is in a koala, a mammal that sleeps 22 hours a day." Fluttershy revealed. "22 hours a day?! I always thought that your friend Rainbow Dash was the best at sleeping!" Discord could not help but say, "Maybe we should get her and a koala to have a sleeping competition..." "Discord?" Fluttershy asked, reminding him of why he was listening to her lectures about mammals. "Oh, right. Mammal lectures," Discord figured, sitting down. "Last fact of the today's mammal lecture; whale and dolphin babies do not sleep the first month of their life. Knowing this can be very helpful for an animal caregiver or any creature who deals with all sorts of animals." Fluttershy finished. "Got the last fact down!" Discord said out loud, after writing it in his notebook, which he caused to disappear after his writing was complete. "So what do you say, Fluttershy? Should I start taking care of all the mammals now?" "Just one more thing," Fluttershy told him, "To be assured that you know all that you got to know, let me ask you a few questions." "What questions?" Discord asked. "Question One: How do mammals reproduce?" Fluttershy asked. "That's easy. All mammals give birth to their young with the exception of the spiny anteater and the duckbilled platypus that lay eggs!" Discord answered. "Question Two: What about the body temperature of mammals?" "Mammals are warm-blooded so their body temperatures remain about the same their entire lives." "Question Three: All mammals have..." "Hair. All mammals have hair, even those that live in the ocean such as dolphins and whales." "Question Four: The only mammal that does not have teeth is..." "The ant eater. Ant eaters do not have teeth." Question Five: All mammal babies..." "Drink milk from their mothers." "Question Six: The only mammal capable of flight is..." "The bat." "Question Seven: The animal that sleeps the longest..." "Is the koala, a mammal that sleeps 22 hours a day." "Question Eight: One of the fiercest hunters of all animals is the mammal..." "The orca, also known as killer whales, which are the predators of the sharks in the ocean." "Question Nine: The fastest animal is..." "The cheetah, a mammal that can run up to 70 mph. Cheetahs has the perfect body for speed and has enlarged lungs, nostrils and heart to be able to get enough oxygen to run fast." "Last but not least, Question Ten: Dolphin and whale babies..." "Do not sleep the first month of their life." "Well done Discord! You answered all those questions like an animal expert." Fluttershy complimented. "Of course I did! I'm Discord, the Lord of Chaos, I can do anything!" Discord proudly claimed. "Then I expect you to get ready for the next lecture, about birds." Flutershy responded. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.google.com/search?q=mammals&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk02kXOyoUnuu1z0KNBpcjOPG1R_ORg%3A1618102639391&source=hp&ei=b0lyYN7UFfHYz7sPvJqWsAI&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHJXf9yFX5ar_lCecxIUyWSmsBaCclB_&oq=mammals&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyCAguELEDEJMCMggILhCxAxCDATICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAOgQIIxAnOgUILhCRAjoFCAAQkQI6CAgAELEDEIMBOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoECC4QQzoECAAQQzoHCC4QsQMQQzoKCC4QsQMQgwEQQzoFCAAQsQM6BQguELEDOgcILhCHAhAUUKYDWPoOYOgQaABwAHgAgAFKiAH5ApIBATeYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=gws-wiz&ved=0ahUKEwieyJ2I_vTvAhVx7HMBHTyNBSYQ4dUDCAo&uact=5 https://sciencewithkids.com/science-facts/facts-about-mammals.html https://www.google.com/search?q=number+of+mammal+species&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk022MSnUnS22MYhag-ER4ZQhycYGew%3A1618104139793&source=hp&ei=S09yYPypLoKS9QPQmJnIDw&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHJdWxKoM2_ImfNRdQ-aIW3R-7oji7Se&oq=number+of+mamma&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADICCAAyBwgAEIcCEBQyBwgAEIcCEBQyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAOgUIABCRAjoFCC4QkQI6CAguELEDEIMBOgUIABCxAzoLCC4QsQMQxwEQowI6DgguELEDEIMBEMcBEK8BOggIABCxAxCDAToICC4QkQIQkwI6BAgAEEM6BQguELEDOggIABCxAxCRAjoECAAQClDGAVjJGmCOKGgAcAB4AIABYogBggaSAQIxNZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=gws-wiz BirdsThe birds in the sanctuary gathered around Fluttershy and Discord, as the lecture was about them at the moment. "Alright now feathered friends, I will like you to let Discord observe you, pick up something he can observe by looking at you closely," Fluttershy told the birds, who obeyed her orders. "Let's see...." Discord said, summoning a magnifying glass with his magic, and looking at the birds up close. "So far, every bird here has feathers, a beak, two feet, two eyes...and wings. Two wings, that is." "All birds have feathers," Fluttershy explained, "But only some birds can fly. Birds that cannot fly are most notably penguins and ostriches. The ostriches' case is mostly because it is too heavy. After all, they are the largest birds of all time." "And the penguins'?" Discord asked. "Probably because rely on the oceans for food, so developing flippers to swim well is more important than growing wings to fly." Fluttershy explained. "And how many birds are there?" Discord asked. "According to new research, there is an estimated number of 18 000 bird species, but don't worry, we won't be going into so many details on lesson one..." Flutershy assured. Discord heaved a sigh of relief,"Thank goodness we are not! I can never handle needing to remember 18 000 bird species!" "Speaking of birds, you should know that all birds lay eggs, and are warm-blooded. Birds are warm-blooded animals that have a much higher metabolism, and thus higher body temperature, than us. While the exact measurement varies for different bird species, the average bird's body temperature is 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius)." Fluttershy noted. "So I don't need to memorise any special bird temperature?" Discord asked. "Not in this lecture," Fluttershy responded, "Now, another fact that you should now about birds is, migration. Birds are known to migrate to warmer places to avoid winter, or to find food elsewhere when food runs low. A lot of birds migrate which means, depending on the season, they fly elsewhere. This is often to do with the weather of different countries or places. But not all birds do so. Some birds that do not migrate include owls, woodpeckers, and scavenging birds of prey, black vultures." "Then call me one of those birds, as I never migrate." Discord said, placing objects that are most likely for vacation such as sunglasses, a beach umbrella and a hammock, away in a suitcase before making the hole thing disappear into thin air. "Another fact you should know about birds is birds do not have teeth, but they have an organ called a gizzard which grinds up their food, helping them to digest their food properly." Fluttershy explained. "No teeth, but have a gizzard. Got it." Discord took note. "Also, one of the most unusual facts about some birds such as the flamingo, pigeon, and male emperor penguin can produce a milk-like substance known as crop milk or pigeon milk to feed their young ones." Fluttershy noted. "What?! Birds producing milk?!" discord asked, "You sure they are birds?!" "They have feathers, lay eggs, and are warm-blooded." Flutershy explained,"Unlike mammals who produce milk through the mammary glands, lactating birds regurgitate crop milk. Pigeon milk contains immune-enhancing and antioxidant factors, and just like mammalian milk, it helps to build the immune system of the young ones. " "We already talked about milk the last lecture, anything else?" Discord asked after commenting in an annoyed tone. "One more thing for this lecture, the smallest bird of all time is the bee hummingbird, it can grow up to 5 to 6.1 centimetres." Fluttershy informed. Discord automatically summoned a ruler and a string. He then got the string and ruler side by side and cut off the string at the 6.1 cm point and looked at the short string. "Smallest bird indeed because there can barely be a bird even smaller!" Discord commented. "Now, a quick test to see whether you have learnt something or not." Fluttershy announced before she began asking, "Question One: What do all birds have that makes them birds?!" "Easy, that question's answer is feathers! All birds have feathers!" Discord replied in a second, before adding, "Plus all birds lay eggs and are warm-blooded." "Question Two: Why do birds migrate?" "It is often to do with the weather of different countries or places. And if their food is running low, they need to find it somewhere else to live, so they migrate!" "Question Three: Examples of flightless birds?" "The penguin and the ostrich." "Question Four: Which birds do not migrate?" "Owls, woodpeckers, and scavenging birds of prey, black vultures." "Question Five: Which birds produce crop milk to feed their young ones?" "The flamingo, pigeon, and male emperor penguin ." "Question Six: What helps birds digest their food properly?" "Birds do not have teeth, but they do have an organ called a gizzard which grinds up their food, that's what helps them digest their food properly." "Question Seven: Which bird is the smallest?" "The bee humming bird, it grows up to 5 to 6.1 centimetres!" "Question Eight: Which bird is the largest?" Fluttershy asked. "The ostrich, it's so big that it's too heavy to fly!" "Well done Discord, you got 8 out of 8! In other words..." Fluttershy began complimenting Discord, but was cut off by his excited exclaiming, "Full marks! I knew it! I knew I could do it!" "That's 2 lectures down, and 5 more to go for lesson number 1." Fluttershy informed. "5 more to go?! Are you sure it's lesson number 1?!" Discord asked in a shock tone. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.google.com/search?q=why+can%27t+penguins+fly&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk00Re__uHI-K4Z9qYCd_8hy2_HDBUA%3A1618309787782&source=hp&ei=m3J1YLiCLZCF4t4P9YCpiAg&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHWAq-xp-YYHgGHT1VJGSzB257rvL-l8&oq=why+can%27t+pe&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIFCAAQkQIyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BAgAEEM6BAguEEM6BQgAELEDOggIABCxAxCDAToCCC46BQguELEDOgsILhCxAxDHARCvAToICC4QxwEQrwFQgAFYghZgjyBoAHAAeACAAWGIAfwFkgECMTKYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=gws-wiz https://www.amnh.org/about/press-center/new-study-doubles-the-estimate-of-bird-species-in-the-world https://www.google.com/search?q=bird+warm+or+cold+blooded&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk00kg2sLQZycnnpdVVT2gIRxnViPnw%3A1618310563401&source=hp&ei=o3V1YNW-FoTHrQHai6v4Cw&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHWDswBbs87_Jq3_3sZyN9-TGK3yTZPn&oq=bird+warm&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYAjICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BAgjECc6BAgAEEM6BQguEJECOgUIABCRAjoECC4QQzoICC4QsQMQgwE6BQgAELEDOgcILhCxAxBDOgcIABCHAhAUOgIILlCxAlj4EGDYHmgAcAB4AIABV4gBvQSSAQE5mAEAoAEBqgEHZ3dzLXdpeg&sclient=gws-wiz https://www.google.com/search?q=a+bird+that+never+migrates&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk01K-emytDGLTvztiyRLLLu4CD5Qcw%3A1618310567664&ei=p3V1YLeGKMrarQGt94_oCQ&oq=a+bird+that+never+mi&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIICCEQFhAdEB4yCAghEBYQHRAeMggIIRAWEB0QHjIICCEQFhAdEB4yCAghEBYQHRAeMggIIRAWEB0QHjIICCEQFhAdEB4yCAghEBYQHRAeMggIIRAWEB0QHjIICCEQFhAdEB46BwgjEOoCECc6BAgjECc6BQgAEJECOgQILhBDOgcIABCxAxBDOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoICAAQsQMQgwE6CwguELEDEMcBEK8BOg4ILhCxAxCDARDHARCvAToICC4QsQMQgwE6BAgAEEM6BwgAEIcCEBQ6AggAOgcILhCHAhAUOgIILjoHCC4QQxCTAjoICC4QxwEQowI6CAguEMcBEK8BOgYIABAWEB5QyrcUWITiFGCp8BRoAXACeACAAc4BiAHpDJIBBjE4LjIuMZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXqwAQrAAQE&sclient=gws-wiz https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-pigeon-milk-do-birds-produce-milk.html Reptiles"Alright, we covered mammals and birds already...so now we are moving onto reptiles!" Fluttershy announced, approaching the group of reptiles in the sanctuary. "Let's see, lizards, snakes and turtles?" Discord asked, observing the animals present in the group. "There are more reptiles than that. Crocodiles and alligators are in the class too," Fluttershy giggled. "Then how many reptiles are there?" Discord asked. "Well, the total number of known living species of reptiles hovers between 7500 and 8000, of which the vast majority (more than 7000) are lizards and snakes." Fluttershy answered. "More than 7000 of them being lizards and snakes?! They might take over the entire class with their popularity!" Discord joked. "Now, moving onto the characteristics of reptiles, what makes them reptiles." Fluttershy declared, "One; Reptiles' bodies are completely covered with scales." "Scales...check!" Discord said, after writing down some notes in his notebook. "Reptiles are vertebrates, meaning that they have backbones." Fluttershy stated the second characteristic. "Vertebrates...have backbones...noted!" Discord signalled after getting his quit to automatically write down what Fluttershy was saying. "They are cold-blooded, so their body temperature varies with that of the environment." "Cold-blooded so their temperature change with the environment? That's totally different from warm-blooded! With cold and warm blooded being the opposite of each other, all I have to do is remember one and remind myself that the other is the opposite!" Discord announced. "Back to the lecture about reptiles..." Fluttershy continued, "Reptiles produce shelled eggs or bear live young. In other words, some reptiles lay eggs, while others give birth." "Reptiles giving birth?!" Discord asked in a shocked tone. "Not much since majority lay eggs, leaving minority to give birth." Flutershy explained, "Reptiles that give birth to live young can be divided into two types: viviparous and ovoviviparous. If an animal is viviparous, they retain their fertilized eggs in their reproductive system until the developing offspring are ready to be born. If an animal is ovoviviparous, they also develop their fertilized eggs inside the reproductive tract, but the difference is that the young hatch from their eggs inside the mother, then emerge into the world after this internal hatching." "Very interesting...and also a lot to remember..." Discord commented before complaining while his quit resumed copying what Fluttershy said. "All reptiles that lays eggs, fertilize eggs internally. That means the sperm from the male fertilising the egg within the female." Fluttershy explained. "Anything else?" Discord questioned. "All species of reptiles have at least one lung, and as long as they have lungs...or one, they breathe air like we do." Fluttershy added. "We all certainly do breathe air...so do I...the Lord of Chaos..." Discord announced. "That's all for this lecture, but the quick test to see if you can remember everything important that we covered this lecture, is coming." Fluttershy replied. "Go on, fire away." Discord instructed, ready for the challenge. "Question One: What is a main characteristic that makes an animal a reptile?" "Scales, all reptiles' bodies are covered with scales." "Question Two: A few examples of reptiles?" "Lizards and snakes mostly, followed by crocodiles and alligators." "Question Three: Do reptiles have bones?" "Reptiles are vertebrates, meaning that they have backbones." "Question Four: How do reptiles reproduce?" "Most reptiles lay eggs, leaving a few of them to give birth. Those that give birth are either viviparous and ovoviviparous. That means they either retain their fertilized eggs in their reproductive system until the developing offspring are ready to be born, or they develop their fertilized eggs inside the reproductive tract, but the young hatch from their eggs inside the mother, then emerge into the world after this internal hatching." "Question Five: What do reptiles breathe, and what helps them to do so?" "Reptiles breathe air because they have lungs. All reptile species have at least one lung, and lungs help them breathe air." "Well done Discord, another time you got full marks, A One." Fluttershy congratulated, "You're like my star student here!" The compliment made Discord blush, "Well...thank you dear Fluttershy...it's the least I can do...." "Then get ready for the next lecture, about amphibians!" Fluttershy responded. Author's Note Acknowledgements: http://archive-srel.uga.edu/outreach/factsheet/traits.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/reptile https://www.google.com/search?q=cold-blooded+meaning&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk02hRWKfiHGqwn_7dWYoZo2IzczZBA%3A1618395287393&source=hp&ei=l8B2YJbrFcTVrtoP26yMqAQ&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHbOp1PROafCBRIwLf7UjEdtahabVAR7&oq=cold-blooded&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIFCAAQkQIyBQgAEJECMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgIIADICCAAyBAgAEEMyBwgAEIcCEBQyBwgAEIcCEBQyAggAOgcILhBDEJMCOgQILhBDOgcIABCxAxBDOgIILlDmAVjjFGDPJWgAcAB4AIABhgGIAb0FkgEEMTEuMZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=gws-wiz https://sciencing.com/reptiles-give-live-birth-8059548.html AmphibiansAt the sanctuary, Fluttershy and Discord turned their attention to the group of amphibians. "Alright Discord, this group consists of only amphibians. Do you see anything they have in common?" Fluttershy asked. "Nothing other then slimy bodies I observe..." Discord commented, after taking a close look at the amphibians using a magnifying glass that he had conjured up with his magic. Fluttershy giggled, "Actually, amphibians have skin. Some amphibians have soft, smooth skin that they keep wet. The skin is actually slippery from being wet, not slimy." "Slippery not slimy?" Discord asked, "My, you are an animal expert." "There's more to an amphibian's skin than what I just mentioned," Fluttershy informed, "Amphibians indeed have lungs to breathe air in and out, but they breathe through their skin, too! Air moves in and out of their skin, so does water. Therefore, amphibians do not swallow water, they drink water by letting water move into their bodies by flowing through their skins." "So they don't need to swallow water in order to drink," Discord summarised, "Having a skin that allows both air and water into their body and out, such lucky little animals. Never have to worry about choking while drinking." "Back to the part about amphibian skins. Amphibians shed their skins several times a year. The shed skin is soft and they eat it. As in, they eat their own skin after shedding it off." "Eat their own skin?! I will never do that!" Discord claimed, "Even if I could, that is!" "Last but not least, an important fact to know about amphibians' skins: Some amphibians are protected by their skin, like some salamanders and toads have bad tasting liquids in their skin. If an animal tries to eat them it gets a mouthful of the bad tasting liquid and lets go. Sometimes the bad tasting liquid can make the animal sick. So many animals will not even try to eat a toad or salamander." Flutersy explained. "Lesson learnt; never try to eat a toad nor a salamander." Discord noted down in his notebook. "Actually, there's more to amphibians than just the skin that we just finished talking about." Fluttershy informed, "Another characteristic of an amphibian is how they reproduce. Unlike mammals, birds and reptiles that we talked about before, amphibians reproduce through external fertilisation. So amphibian eggs are fertilised by the sperm cell from the male, outside of the female's body. Much like most fishes that we will talk about soon." "External reproduction? Now you're talking something interesting." Discord commented, "Never heard much about it, even for a draconneques over a millennium years old." "And one more thing about amphibian eggs," Fluttershy stated, "Most amphibians reproduce in fresh water while a few lay their eggs on land and have developed mechanisms to keep the eggs moist. Amphibians reproduce by laying eggs that do not have a soft skin, not a hard shell. Most females lay eggs in the water and the babies, called larvae or tadpoles, live in the water, using gills to breathe and finding food as fish do." "Wait. Amphibians have gills?!" Discord asked in a very shocked tone. "The babies called tadpoles have gills, that hops them breathe under water. But as they grow up, they slowly lose their ability to breathe underwater as they lose their gills, although some species of amphibians retain their gills as adults." Fluttershy explained. "This is very complicated!" Discord cried. "Don't worry, this is still in lesson number one, so we're not going to the more complex parts yet." Fluttershy assured, before going back to the lecture,"Now that's enough about the eggs and young, let's move onto another key characteristic about amphibians like the fact that they are cold blooded. So they rely on the external environment to regulate their body temperature. Amphibians tend to bask in the sun to raise their body temperature and retreat to a cold place to lower their temperature. " "So they basically change their body temperature whenever their surrounding temperature change?" Discord asked. "Well, since they are cold blooded, it is that way." Fluttershy replied, "Their body temperatures change to be the same as their surroundings." "so that means if their surrounding is hot, their bodies become hot. If the surroundings is cold, their bodies become cold." Discord figured. "Yes, that's the basic way to say it." Fluttershy resounded, "Now, another characteristic you should know about amphibians is that amphibians are mainly carnivores and feed on almost anything that moves and they can swallow. The adult amphibian is a predator with its diet consisting of a wide variety of food. Some of these foods include spiders, earthworms, beetles, and caterpillars. Large amphibians can also feed on small vertebrates such as birds and mammals." "Amphibians eating birds and mammals?! I thought that birds and mammals are bigger than amphibians!" Discord could not help but shout out loud. "Some birds and mammals can be very small, small enough to become an amphibian's prey." Fluttershy explained, before continuing, "Food is often selected by sight, even in areas with dim light. " "So you're saying that amphibians eat what they see?" Discord asked. "I said 'often selected by sight', not always." Fluttershy clarified, "So there are chances that amphibians use other senses to find food, but we'll talk about them in another lesson, not in lesson number one." "Always another lesson," Discord grumbled. "Here's something that isn't on other lesson. One final fact about amphibians." Fluttershy began,"Amphibians spend their life both on land and in water. The term “amphibian” is a Greek word for “amphibious” which means “living a double life.” Most have a biphasic life cycle which involves the fertilization and development of eggs and larvae in water. The larvae metamorphose into a semi-terrestrial or terrestrial juvenile and adults. On the evolutionary tree, amphibians are found midway between fish which fully live in water and reptiles and mammals which lead a fully terrestrial lifestyle. Adult amphibians have to live near water since they need steady moisture supply in order to survive. " "That's...a lot in one go..." Discord commented, writing down everything Fluttershy recently said down in his notebook, "But...I think I got most of it down?" "If you think so, here's a chance to know if that's so or not." Fluttershy replied, before starting to give Discord a test. "Question One, what does an amphibian's skin do?" "Amphibian skins allow water to pass through and into the amphibian, so amphibians drink water through their skins, and does not swallow water. The skin also helps amphibians to breathe, as air moves in and out of the skin. Amphibian skins are wet not slimy, although they seem slimy. Also, amphibians shed and eat their own skin. aLast but not least, some amphibians have bad tasting liquids in their skin. If an animal tries to eat them it gets a mouthful of the bad tasting liquid and lets go. Sometimes the bad tasting liquid can make the animal sick. So many animals will not even try to eat such amphibians like toads and salamanders." "Question Two: How does an amphibian reproduce?" "Some amphibians lay eggs in the water while others lay eggs on land. Amphibian eggs are more of the soft kind of eggs, not being hard-shelled unlike bird eggs. mphibian eggs are fertilised by the sperm cells from the male, outside of the female's body. So it's external fertilisation." "Question Three: What do amphibians eat?" "Amphibians are mainly carnivorous. So they eat other animals. Amphibians feed on almost anything that moves and they can swallow. Large amphibians can also feed on small vertebrates such as birds and mammals. Food is often selected by sight, even in areas with dim light. " "Question Four, amphibians' body temperatures?" "Amphibians are cold blooded, so their body temperature change to be the same as the surrounding temperature." "Question Five, where do amphibians live?" "Amphibians spend their life both on land and in water. The term “amphibian” is a Greek word for “amphibious” which means “living a double life.” Most have a biphasic life cycle which involves the fertilization and development of eggs and larvae in water. The larvae metamorphose into a semi-terrestrial or terrestrial juvenile and adults. On the evolutionary tree, amphibians are found midway between fish which fully live in water and reptiles and mammals which lead a fully terrestrial lifestyle. Adult amphibians have to live near water since they need steady moisture supply in order to survive. " "Well done Discord," Fluttershy congratulated, "You once again answered in the way I would like you to, at your best!" "Of course, anything for you, Fluttershy." Discord responded. "Now that we got amphibians covered, let's move onto fish, shall we?" Fluttershy politely asked. "As you wish!" Discord responded. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/characteristics-of-amphibians.html http://www.naturenorth.com/1np/Species/amphibian/About/1info5.html http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Amphibia/ https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/how-do-amphibians-breathe/ https://sciencing.com/5-characteristics-fish-common-12059701.html FishAt the sanctuary's streams, Fluttershy and Discord were meeting the fishes. "Alright Discord, there are the fishes of he sanctuary's water bodies." Fluttershy told him, "Do you observe anything they all have in common?" "Well...so far they all have eyes, mouths, nostrils...fins and tails." Discord noted, looking through the magnifying glass he summoned with his magic, "And scales on their body." "There's a lot more than that, Discord. Although there are many characteristics that makes an animal a fish, there are only a few that all fishes known currently have, as the other characteristics have some exceptions." Fluttershy stated. "Then let's go through the no exceptions characteristics, shall we? This is lesson number one after all." Discord pointed out. "Of course," Fluttershy began, "All fishes are cold-blooded, which is also calledectothermic. This means that fish are unable to regulate their body temperature, relying solely on the outside environment for temperature regulation. The body temperature of fish changes as the environment's temperature changes." "Fish are cold-blooded...so they r temperature changes..." Discord mumbled to himself as he noted down what Fluttershy just said, before exclaiming, "Oh! Just like amphibians!" Fluttershy nodded, "Many fish species are extremely sensitive to these temperature changes and are only able to exist in a specific water temperature. Other species are able to survive in wider temperature ranges." "I'm guessing that an animal caregiver has got to know that..." Discord said his thoughts out loud, getting another response from Fluttershy. "Yes, indeed. Especially when they have to care for all kinds of animals. Speaking of animals, back to the lecture. Another characteristic all fishes share is gills. One of the basic criteria for an animal to be classified as a fish is the presence of gills throughout its life cycle. Gills are a necessity for underwater life: gills allow fish to absorb oxygen from water and release carbon dioxide, which allows them to “breathe” underwater. As with living in water, all fish have gills but not everything that has gills is a fish. Fish have gills throughout their lifespan while other species that have gills often lose them at some point. Tadpoles, for example, have gills, but eventually lose them as they metamorphose into frogs." "So fishes get to keep their gills while amphibians do not." Discord wrote down in his notebook. "Just remember that not all amphibians lose their gills, some gets to retain their gills," Fluttershy informed. "Anything else?" Discord asked. "All fish have gills, but some species of fish living in extremely oxygen-depleted environments have developed lungs as well." Fluttershy explained, "But we are not going to go deeper this lesson." "So we are going to learn about that, some other time?" Discord asked. "Yes, we are." Fluttershy nodded, before resuming her lecture, "Another characteristic that all fishes have, is fins. Fins are an almost universal characteristic of fish. Many types of fins exist, but the most common are the tail fin, a matching pair of side fins, dorsal fins, and an anal fin." "So many fins! How am I going to remember them all?!" Discord complained. "You'll get it dow, Discord. Just like you go everything down so far." Fluttershy assured, "Now, back to the lecture. The general purpose of fins is to provide motion, maneuverability, and stability. Pelvic and pectoral fins allow the fish to maneuver and maintain its stability while dorsal and ventral fins reduce the rolling motion while the fish is swimming and aids the fish during turns. The tail fin propels the fish forward while swimming." "Fins help the fish control their direction?" Discord asked. "In a way you can say yes they do," Fluttershy answered, "That being said, there are no set shapes, sizes, or even specific purposes for a particular kind of fin. Fin use and purpose varies wildly depending on the adaptations and needs of each type of fish." "So different fish, different fins, different purposes," Discord questioned. "You got that right," Fluttershy replied, before going back to the lecture, "Another characteristic is a swim bladder. All fish have a swim bladder, which is a specialized organ filled with air that helps ensure fish maintains a stable buoyancy in the water, neither sinking or floating too much." "Sounds like a swim bladder is the perfect thing that can help us spend a day on the sea on ur planned upcoming vacation, Fluttershy..." Discord could not help but think of the vacation he was looking forward to, until Fluttershy snapped him out of it. "Discord, vacation some other time, the lecture is more important right now!" "Oh...right..." Discord replied quickly. "The presence of a swim bladder allows the fish to sleep without sinking to the bottom of its habitat. In some species of fish, air is swallowed and sent to the swim bladder. This adaptation also helps the fish to survive in waters that do not have adequate levels of oxygen." Fluttershy explained. "That's a lot about the swim bladder," Discord commented, writing the notes down. "That's all about the swim bladder you need to know now." Fluttershy told him, "Now w are moving onto the water habitat characteristic; all fish live in water. This may seem too obvious to be worth stating, but there are some fish that can spend significant amounts of time out of the water. Mudskippers, for instance eat and interact with each other on land, and often go underwater only to hide from predators. They do not have lungs but can breathe through their skin and keep their gills moist with water that they store internally." "Do I need to memorise the mudskipper specialty?" Discord asked. "Since the mudskipper is special and unique, I suggest you do memories it." Fluttershy answered. "Fine." Discord responded. "Something to note here though is that while all fish live in water, not everything that lives in water is a fish. Whales and dolphins, for example, are mammals. Turtles live in water, too, but they’re reptiles, not fish." Fluttershy noted. "Don't worry, I got the idea of that thanks to the mammals and reptiles lectures coming before this lecture about fish!" Discord assured. "Now onto a characteristic that not all fishes share. Are you ready to learn what it is?" Fluttershy asked. "Sure are," Discord replied. "That characteristic is the way fishes reproduce." Fluttershy explained, "For starters, fishes lay eggs, but not all fishes do that. Some of them give birth, like sharks and guppies do." "So that means some fish lay eggs, others give birth." Discord summarised. "Yes, it does." Fluttershy answered, "For fishes that lay eggs, their eggs are fertilised by the sperm cells that comes from the males, after the eggs are laid. In other words, fish reproduce through external fertilisation." "Lke amphibians?" Discord asked. "Lie amphibians," Fluttershy nodded, "To the point that not only they are both externally fertilised, the eggs are soft-shelled, not Har-shelled unlike birds and reptiles." "Soft-shelled eggs, that should be easy to remember." Discord commented. "The way fishes reproduce is the main characteristic that not all fishes share, as most fishes may lay eggs, more than 500 species of fish reproduce by giving birth. But don't worry, you don't need to memorise them. We got books about them." Fluttershy assured. "What a relief!" Discord heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that he did not have to memorise over 500 species of fish. "That's all for today's fish lecture. Now to see if you really listened." Fluttershy announced, before beginning to ask Discord questions. "Question One, what do fishes have to help them breathe?" "Gills. All fishes have gills. Gills allow fish to absorb oxygen from water and release carbon dioxide, which allows them breathe underwater. All fish have gills, but not everything that has gills is a fish. Fish have gills throughout their lifespan while other species that have gills often lose them at some point. Tadpoles, for example, have gills, but eventually lose them as they metamorphose into frogs." "Question Two: What do fish have to prevent them from sinking too deep?" "Swim bladder. All fish have a swim bladder, which is a specialized organ filled with air that helps ensure fish maintains a stable buoyancy in the water, neither sinking or floating too much. The presence of a swim bladder allows the fish to sleep without sinking to the bottom of its habitat." "Question Three, the body temperature of fishes?" "All fish are cold-blooded, they are unable to regulate their body temperature, relying solely on the outside environment for temperature regulation. The body temperature of fish changes as the environment's temperature changes." "Question Four, what helps fishes move?" "Fins. Fins provide motion, maneuverability, and stability. Pelvic and pectoral fins allow the fish to maneuver and maintain its stability while dorsal and ventral fins reduce the rolling motion while the fish is swimming and aids the fish during turns. The tail fin propels the fish forward while swimming." "Question Five: Fish habitat?" "Water habitat, bodies of water. All fish live in water, but not all animals that live in water are fish. Whales and dolphins are mammals, sea turtles are reptiles. Some fish that can spend significant amounts of time out of the water. Mudskippers, for instance eat and interact with each other on land, and often go underwater only to hide from predators. They do not have lungs but can breathe through their skin and keep their gills moist with water that they store internally." "Question Six; how do fishes reproduce?" "Many fishes lay eggs, while others give birth like guppies and sharks. Those that lay eggs, fertilise the eggs after the eggs are laid, meaning that they reproduce through external fertilisation. Fish eggs are not hard-shelled unlike birds and reptiles. Instead, like amphibians, fish eggs are soft-shelled." "Congratulations, Discord. You remember everything!" Fluttershy hugged the draconneques, after he had passes the test with flying colours. "Of course I remember everything, or I wouldn't be the all powerful Discord, would I?" Discord asked. Fluttershy giggled, "Alright, all mighty powerful Discord, just 2 more lectures to go, and lesson number 1 will be complete." Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://sciencing.com/5-characteristics-fish-common-12059701.html https://animals.mom.com/mom-fish-babies-4969.html InsectsA cricket was seen on a tree bark, before Fluttershy flew up to it to fetch it, and bring it down to the ground with some of the other insects that included ants, grasshopper, butterflies and beetles. "Alright Discord, over here is a group consisting ants, grasshoppers, beetles, a cricket and a butterfly. They all belong to the animal class insects. Do you se anything that they all have in common?" Discord summoned his magnifying glass like he did he last times. He observed the insects closely with the said tool and said what he observed out loud, "They all have 6 legs....and 2 antennae on their heads." "We say that they have a pair of antennae on top of their heads," Fluttershy corrected, "You are right about the antennae and the 6 legs, as most insects have them, therefore they are in the same class." "So as long as they have a pair of antennae on top of their head, and 6 legs, they are insects." Discord noted. "Those are just 2 of the characteristics. Another characteristic is their 3 main body parts; Their head, thorax, and abdomen." Fluttershy explained. "Thorax?!" Discord asked. "Not the leader of the changelings Thorax," Fluttershy clarified, "The insect body part thorax. The changeling leader is probably named after the insect body part thorax." "Should we ever tell him?" Discord asked. "Not so sure...we'll talk about that some other time," Fluttershy figured, "Back to the lecture about insects. You must know that some insects have wings like butterflies, while others do not like ants. Insects that have wings have 2 pairs of wings. So they will have a total of 4 wings." "A total of 4 wings?!" Discord asked, "That's not fair. They got more wings than birds! Double, that is!" "Actually Discord, more wings does not mean faster," Fluttershy pointed out, "Most birds are faster than insects, despite the fact that birds only have 2 wings while insects with wings have 4. The fastest flying insect is the dragonfly, known to travel at the speed of 35 miles an hour. While the fastest bird, the peregrine falcon, can fly at a speed of 200 miles an hour." "So the insects have more wings but are not faster than birds...what a pity!" Discord commented. "Actually Discord, insects still have incredible abilities for creatures their size. Matter of fact, we never had their abilities, as our skills would not even math theirs!" flutter shy told him. "What?!" Discord asked in confusion. "The horned dung beetle may be a mere 10 millimeters long, but they can pull up to 1141 times its own body weight. If we want to match that ability, we ourselves must pull up to 1141 times our own weights!" Fluttershy explained. "1141 times our own weights?!" Discord dramatically fainted, "I don't think I can ever do something like that!" "That's why insects are still incredible despite their size!" Fluttershy informed, "Now that's enough trivia, let's get back to the lecture about insects, their characteristics, shall we?" "Yes, Fluttershy. We shall." Discord responded. "Insects do not have backbones, so they are invertebrates. Instead of backbones, they have exoskeletons, hard shell-like covering on the outside of their bodies." Fluttershy explained. "No backbones...because they are invertebrates...have exoskeletons, hard shell-like coverings on the outside of their bodies...got it!" Discord wrote down in his notebook. "One last characteristic that you need to know now..." Fluttershy stated, "How insects reproduce. Most insects reproduce oviparously, meaning that they lay eggs. Most insects exhibit internal fertilization — males deposit their sperm inside a female’s body. With so many insects, over one million species of insects, there can be a lot of exceptions that come along. But do not worry, we are not talking about them in this lecture." "And what a relief!" Discord could not help but say after hearing about how many insect species there were, and learning that he did not need to know them all. "Now that you heard the facts, it is time for the test." Fluttershy declared, before asking, "Question One; What do most insects have that makes them insects?" "Most insects have a pair of antennae on top of their head, and 6 legs." "Question Two; the 3 main body parts of an insect?" "Their head, thorax, and abdomen." "Question Three; do insects have wings?" "Some insects do, others do not. Ants are insects that do not have wings, while butterflies are insects that do. Insects that have wings have 2 pairs of wings, making a total of 4. Despite having more wings than birds, insects are not faster than birds." "Question Four; Do insects have bones?" "Insects are invertebrates, so they do not have backbones. Instead, they have exoskeletons, hard shell-like covering on the outside of its body." "Question Five; how do insects reproduce?" "Insects reproduce through internal fertilisation, and lay eggs. Although there can be many exceptions given that there are a lot of insects, over a million species!" "Well done Discord, you are answering like an animal lover after each lecture! One more lecture to go and lesson number one will be done!" Fluttershy congratulated. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/incredbugs http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/insect.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peregrine_falcon https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2010/03/scienceshot-worlds-strongest-insect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_reproductive_system https://genent.cals.ncsu.edu/bug-bytes/reproductive-system/ https://www.royensoc.co.uk/facts-and-figures Arachnids"Alright Discord, we're meeting the arachnids now. Just try your best not to freak out." Fluttershy told Discord, who was following behind her. "Freak out?! Hello, I am Discord, the Lord of Chaos, nothing can ever make me freak..." Discord bragged before seeing the group of arachnids right in front of him. "OUT!" the draconneques screamed upon seeing the spiders, scorpions, termites and ticks all in one group on the ground. "Relax Discord, these arachnids here in the sanctuary are tamed, so they are not like wild ones that might hurt you out of their self-defence." "So these are the arachnids?!" Discord asked, pointing at the said animals. "They are arachnids because they have 8 legs." Fluttershy explained, "4 pairs of legs, make 8 in total." "That I can observe," Discord commented. "Another thing that you can observe is arachnids do not have antennae nor wings, unlike insects that do." Flutershy stated. "Let's not forget that some insects do not have wings." Discord reminded. "Arachnids also have two additional pairs of appendages. The first pair, the chelicerae, serve in feeding and defense. The next pair, the pedipalps, help the organisms feed, move, and reproduce." Flutershy explained. "Do I have to remember those names?" Discord asked. "I'm afraid you have to, as they are characteristics of arachnids." Fluttershy replied. "Fine," Discord muttered. "The arachnid body is organized into the cephalothorax, a fusion of the head and thorax, and the abdomen." Fluttershy informed. "So the arachnids have bodies like insects, but fused together?" Discord asked in shock "You should just remember it as a fusion," Fluttershy figured,"Another characteristic that arachnids have is internal systems, like a trachea or a book lung, to adapt to living on land." "Anything else?" Discord asked. "You should know that arachnids are mostly carnivorous, feeding on the pre-digested bodies of insects and other small animals." Fluttershy informed. "Carnivorous...feed on small animals...got it!" Discord wrote down in his notebook. "For your safety, you should know that several groups of arachnids are venomous. They release the venom from specialized glands to kill prey or enemies." Fluttershy warned. "Not to worry dear Fluttershy, no creature can ever hurt me, the Lord of Chaos." Discord declared. "Another thing you should know is that mites are arachnids, and several mites are parasitic, and some of those are carriers of disease." Fluttershy continued warning. "I already told you Fluttershy, no creature can harm me," Discord reminded, but then saw her annoyed expression, "But, I'll still take your warnings seriously...." "Arachnids usually lay eggs, which hatch into immature arachnids that are similar to adults. Scorpions, however, give birth to live young, and they are still arachnids." Fluttershy informed. "Scorpions give birth...other arachnids lay eggs...got it!" Discord chirped. "Now for one last test." Fluttershy declared before asking, "Question One: What is the main characteristic that makes an animal an arachnid?" "Arachnids have 4 pairs of legs, making a total of 8." "Question Two; the body parts of an arachnid?" "The arachnid body is organized into the cephalothorax, a fusion of the head and thorax, and the abdomen." "Question Three; what do insects have that arachnids do not?" "Arachnids do not have antennae or wings, while insects have a pair of antennae on top of their heads, and some insects have wings." "Question Four; what do arachnids have that are additional parts?" "Pairs of appendages, arachnids have two pairs of them. The first pair, the chelicerae, serve in feeding and defense. The next pair, the pedipalps, help the organisms feed, move, and reproduce." "Question Five; how do arachnids breathe?" "Arachnids have internal systems, like a trachea or a book lung, to adapt to life on land." "Question Six; what do arachnids mostly eat?" "Arachnids are mostly carnivorous, feeding on the pre-digested bodies of insects and other small animals." "Question Seven; Dangers of arachnids?" "Several groups are venomous. They release the venom from specialized glands to kill prey or enemies. Also, several mites that are in the arachnids class, are parasitic, and some of those are carriers of disease." "Question Eight; How do arachnids reproduce?" "Most of them lay eggs, while others like scorpions, give birth." "Way a go, Discord! You passed all of lesson number one! I knew you have the potential to be an animal expert like I am!" Fluttershy praised as she hugged Discord. "Anything for you Fluttershy, and matter of fact, I do think all of these animals here are interesting, and creatures I'd like to hangout with." Discord said his thoughts out loud. "Then you shall help me with the animals here in the sanctuary! As my assistant and partner!" Fluttershy declared. "Your assistant and partner?!" Discord asked, blushing. "Yes, Discord. While learning more about animals, and their classes." Fluttershy replied. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.ck12.org/c/biology/arachnids/lesson/Arachnids-MS-LS/?referrer=concept_details
Prologue"And there! The last thing to get this tea party with sweet dear old Fluttershy, ready!" Discord said to himself, after polishing the teapot that he had conjured up. A moment of silence was then heard, followed by a cricket chirping. "Speaking of Fluttershy, where is that little pony?!" Discord asked. The door then opened and in trotted a tired Fluttershy who panted, "Here I am, Discord...." "Oh, my dear Fluttershy! What's wrong with you right now?!" Discord asked in a concerned tone. "Well...as you know...I'm both a teacher at the School of Friendship, and a worker at my sanctuary..." Fluttershy answered. "Of course I know, sweet Fluttershy. You'd never let me not know that." Discord responded. "And because of that, I'm very busy...so....that's why I'm late." Fluttershy stated. "That's why you....WHAT?!" Discord asked in shock, before teleporting himself right in front of his favourite pony, "We cannot let all your busy business make you late for our dates all the time! Tell you what, I shall help you with your sanctuary, so you'll have lesser things to do!" "That's really kind of you, Discord." Fluttershy stated, "But, don't you know anything about animals, in the first place?" "What an absurd question that is, dear Fluttershy." Discord gently patted her head, "Of course I, Discord, the Lord of Chaos, know everything about animals!" "Oh really? Then prove it. What do you know about arachnids?" Fluttershy asked. "Well, if you insist....arachnids are...are..." Discord struggled to answer before finally giving up, "Alright you caught me. I don't know anything about arachnids." "Arachnids is an animal class of joint-legged invertebrate animals, in the subphylum Chelicerata. Spiders and scorpions are in this animal class!" Fluttershy answered, "Animals classes include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insect, and many more! Those six are the main ones that are usually seen, as an animal from one of those classes are ought to be known and seen in most places in the world! Matter of fact, the sanctuary is ought to have animals from those classes!" "Beg your pardon, Fluttershy. But I don't see any fishes at the sanctuary before," Discord pointed out. "There are, but you just never saw them, they are always in the bodies of water there." Fluttershy insisted, "And if you want to help me at the sanctuary, you got to learn the theory about animals." "Anything to help you, miss Fluttershy." Discord bowed. "Let's start with the animal classes." Fluttershy instructed. Author's Note Information from here is used in this chapter: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk01sAY-CUadI1x4PGEHzvoOdRD6c9g:1618099115036&q=Arachnid&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAIWTzWsTQRjGs4tNk4mVZOuhRCgxiMRckt3NfgnSiigILULMxYPE3dnvz2R3SXcXqtCL4ElEei148iD-ASJaPWkPHnrwKMWTXlpQBG-a2Jnt0dvvfef9eOYZpjTXLHW8TtfNaMickX3Lk90GdOUo0qI94t9RL3RShDQ34hHySjzF-Rmato6S7CTuIpwNxF3uJEE4cszeHgFmKMSm0Z0G5VnACHaYIaYlUxARcw4tRPlyb4LLJZrmEfPQH-JNynjDRugokoGr6V6W4OFZ7OhIAc8NpZDFB6YY23mDFHo4Lxoinmmafp5OFF_HbIuihLywoYqlJ_xEQI1GbOd77GTMYIbjdNpY6RgdmmEyYSQpuZqMG-ZqFKF7wqKDmO1GHvaPhSMoIe5l0MFGcUymJyeCPAVfnc24ECuVIjWjsYMTm0EIo8xFFapgG9hvJk65CRrTMwyDwXsFgbGx5ex4yEeYdScfxHobXe8rsU9Wqt9_f1msfyCfvPj4mXhHgupaEESam_Y1V441dRBQIihe92MrTqklUKkfu6s4rUK9DHDAnAULM_Noh3egqYqj6s7BNkFtEaByW4sHwXqgWnpKRdQYlNc1T9HC6JZODQC4FriuBmMr8KkboFlf7sA80VGswA0MC8ruEH2E6c4G-E9NE_SPn3o8Mi6TLbLpM8NX-9ufindqj9hCoX-3v1q_1KbA_M1oLZj21X69Fu5Jm0cr7UVQGshJ4AdeWuvdP3x78c_RSvN8-cpOtfF0-XClduHhjwc_vy2sLpENolWgtw_I1c2X53bbhV2C3Hrz_H3xVImoFk4_mytdDWVo-pb6uEj8Ba6r1hPYAwAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjA89n38PTvAhVSjuYKHY2qD3QQ-BYwLXoECAEQQg&biw=1440&bih=837
MammalsFluttershy and Discord then visited the former's sanctuary, with the former greeting the animals,"Hello every creature, as you can see, I brought Discord here today because I'll be teaching him about animal classes with your help. Can you please group yourselves according to your animal classes? It will really help us out." The animals did as told with mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and arachnids from left to right. The fishes remained in the steam nearby, as they could never leave the water. "Thank you," Fluttershy thanked the animals, then turned to Discord, "Alright Discord, do you see the group on the very left?" "What an absurd question, of course I can see the group of animals on the very left," Discord responded. "The animals in this group are all from the animal class mammals, and Mammalia is the scientific name of the class. Mammals are warm-blooded, their body temperature remains about the same their entire lives." Fluttershy explained. "Stays the same for their entire lives?!" Discord asked, "That's a bit boring, isn't it?" "Mammals are naturally that way," Fluttershy responded, "There's more to them than just that. All mammals have hair, even dolphins and whales that live in the ocean." "Even dolphins and whales that live in the ocean..." Discord said what he was writing in a notebook that he had conjured up out loud. "Continue if you please," Discord politely told Fluttershy. "Most mammals give birth to young alive, but there are two exceptions; the spiny anteater and the duckbilled platypus lay eggs that hatch into their young." Fluttershy explained. "At last something interesting about mammals," Discord commented, "I mean, can you imagine all of them being the same in everything about them? How boring and meaningless will that be?!" the mammals of the sanctuary were getting offended by Discord's words, before Fluttershy told Discord, "Discord, can you please stop commenting and just focus on learning? Your comments are not making the animals here comfortable." "If you say so, dear Fluttershy." Discord quickly responded. "Most mammals are helpless when they are babies. Adult mammals protect and help care for babies until they can survive on their own. The mammal most famous for caring for their babies is the mother kangaroo who carries their babies in their pouch until they are about one year old. Mammals like mice, only care for their young for about 1 month. Elephants care for their young for a long time, up to 10 years." Fluttershy noted. "Oh really?! " Discord asked, "How lucky are mammals to have such great care for as long as they needed. Makes me kind of wish that I was in their little class." "Actually, according to recent research, there are over 6495 mammal species, including 96 recently extinct." Fluttershy pointed out. "6495?! Wow, now that's a big class, alright!" Discord commented. Back to the main point, lecture about mammals, all mammal babies drink milk from their mothers." Fluttershy stated. "Even dolphins and whales?" Discord asked. "Even dolphins and whales," Fluttershy nodded, "Next fact: All mammals except ant eaters have teeth." "All except ant eaters?! Then why is the ant eater in the class?!" Discord asked, offending an ant eater in the sanctuary. "Because ant eaters still have the other traits that counts. Like having fur, raising their young, young feeds on mother's milk..." Fluttershy listed. "That's enough revision," Discord informed, "You may continue." "Bats are the only mammals that can fly, as flying squirrels are mammals that glide, not fly, despite having the word 'flying' in its name." Fluttershy explained. "Do you know that the fastest land animal runner is in the mammal class?" Fluttershy asked, "That mamal is the cheetah, with a speed of 70 mph. The cheetah has the perfect body for speed and has enlarged lungs, nostrils and heart to be able to get enough oxygen to run fast." "Of course the cheetah is the fastest runner, all those who know animals know that!" Discord commented. "Another interesting mammal is the orca, also known as the killer whale, are one of the fiercest of all animal hunters. Orcas are also known as the predators of who we thought was the top predator of the ocean; sharks!" Fluttershy pointed out. "Predator of sharks?!" Discord asked, "How can I not know that sharks have a predator until now?" "You'll never know when all these things will be discovered, Discord." Fluttershy told him, "We'll just go through what is already discovered and known. Speaking of known, here's another known mammal with a feature that might not be a feature that many will want." "Oh really? Just go on and tell me whatever it is." Discord singled. "The animal that sleeps the longest is in a koala, a mammal that sleeps 22 hours a day." Fluttershy revealed. "22 hours a day?! I always thought that your friend Rainbow Dash was the best at sleeping!" Discord could not help but say, "Maybe we should get her and a koala to have a sleeping competition..." "Discord?" Fluttershy asked, reminding him of why he was listening to her lectures about mammals. "Oh, right. Mammal lectures," Discord figured, sitting down. "Last fact of the today's mammal lecture; whale and dolphin babies do not sleep the first month of their life. Knowing this can be very helpful for an animal caregiver or any creature who deals with all sorts of animals." Fluttershy finished. "Got the last fact down!" Discord said out loud, after writing it in his notebook, which he caused to disappear after his writing was complete. "So what do you say, Fluttershy? Should I start taking care of all the mammals now?" "Just one more thing," Fluttershy told him, "To be assured that you know all that you got to know, let me ask you a few questions." "What questions?" Discord asked. "Question One: How do mammals reproduce?" Fluttershy asked. "That's easy. All mammals give birth to their young with the exception of the spiny anteater and the duckbilled platypus that lay eggs!" Discord answered. "Question Two: What about the body temperature of mammals?" "Mammals are warm-blooded so their body temperatures remain about the same their entire lives." "Question Three: All mammals have..." "Hair. All mammals have hair, even those that live in the ocean such as dolphins and whales." "Question Four: The only mammal that does not have teeth is..." "The ant eater. Ant eaters do not have teeth." Question Five: All mammal babies..." "Drink milk from their mothers." "Question Six: The only mammal capable of flight is..." "The bat." "Question Seven: The animal that sleeps the longest..." "Is the koala, a mammal that sleeps 22 hours a day." "Question Eight: One of the fiercest hunters of all animals is the mammal..." "The orca, also known as killer whales, which are the predators of the sharks in the ocean." "Question Nine: The fastest animal is..." "The cheetah, a mammal that can run up to 70 mph. Cheetahs has the perfect body for speed and has enlarged lungs, nostrils and heart to be able to get enough oxygen to run fast." "Last but not least, Question Ten: Dolphin and whale babies..." "Do not sleep the first month of their life." "Well done Discord! You answered all those questions like an animal expert." Fluttershy complimented. "Of course I did! I'm Discord, the Lord of Chaos, I can do anything!" Discord proudly claimed. "Then I expect you to get ready for the next lecture, about birds." Flutershy responded. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.google.com/search?q=mammals&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk02kXOyoUnuu1z0KNBpcjOPG1R_ORg%3A1618102639391&source=hp&ei=b0lyYN7UFfHYz7sPvJqWsAI&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHJXf9yFX5ar_lCecxIUyWSmsBaCclB_&oq=mammals&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyCAguELEDEJMCMggILhCxAxCDATICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAOgQIIxAnOgUILhCRAjoFCAAQkQI6CAgAELEDEIMBOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoECC4QQzoECAAQQzoHCC4QsQMQQzoKCC4QsQMQgwEQQzoFCAAQsQM6BQguELEDOgcILhCHAhAUUKYDWPoOYOgQaABwAHgAgAFKiAH5ApIBATeYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=gws-wiz&ved=0ahUKEwieyJ2I_vTvAhVx7HMBHTyNBSYQ4dUDCAo&uact=5 https://sciencewithkids.com/science-facts/facts-about-mammals.html https://www.google.com/search?q=number+of+mammal+species&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk022MSnUnS22MYhag-ER4ZQhycYGew%3A1618104139793&source=hp&ei=S09yYPypLoKS9QPQmJnIDw&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHJdWxKoM2_ImfNRdQ-aIW3R-7oji7Se&oq=number+of+mamma&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADICCAAyBwgAEIcCEBQyBwgAEIcCEBQyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAOgUIABCRAjoFCC4QkQI6CAguELEDEIMBOgUIABCxAzoLCC4QsQMQxwEQowI6DgguELEDEIMBEMcBEK8BOggIABCxAxCDAToICC4QkQIQkwI6BAgAEEM6BQguELEDOggIABCxAxCRAjoECAAQClDGAVjJGmCOKGgAcAB4AIABYogBggaSAQIxNZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=gws-wiz
BirdsThe birds in the sanctuary gathered around Fluttershy and Discord, as the lecture was about them at the moment. "Alright now feathered friends, I will like you to let Discord observe you, pick up something he can observe by looking at you closely," Fluttershy told the birds, who obeyed her orders. "Let's see...." Discord said, summoning a magnifying glass with his magic, and looking at the birds up close. "So far, every bird here has feathers, a beak, two feet, two eyes...and wings. Two wings, that is." "All birds have feathers," Fluttershy explained, "But only some birds can fly. Birds that cannot fly are most notably penguins and ostriches. The ostriches' case is mostly because it is too heavy. After all, they are the largest birds of all time." "And the penguins'?" Discord asked. "Probably because rely on the oceans for food, so developing flippers to swim well is more important than growing wings to fly." Fluttershy explained. "And how many birds are there?" Discord asked. "According to new research, there is an estimated number of 18 000 bird species, but don't worry, we won't be going into so many details on lesson one..." Flutershy assured. Discord heaved a sigh of relief,"Thank goodness we are not! I can never handle needing to remember 18 000 bird species!" "Speaking of birds, you should know that all birds lay eggs, and are warm-blooded. Birds are warm-blooded animals that have a much higher metabolism, and thus higher body temperature, than us. While the exact measurement varies for different bird species, the average bird's body temperature is 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius)." Fluttershy noted. "So I don't need to memorise any special bird temperature?" Discord asked. "Not in this lecture," Fluttershy responded, "Now, another fact that you should now about birds is, migration. Birds are known to migrate to warmer places to avoid winter, or to find food elsewhere when food runs low. A lot of birds migrate which means, depending on the season, they fly elsewhere. This is often to do with the weather of different countries or places. But not all birds do so. Some birds that do not migrate include owls, woodpeckers, and scavenging birds of prey, black vultures." "Then call me one of those birds, as I never migrate." Discord said, placing objects that are most likely for vacation such as sunglasses, a beach umbrella and a hammock, away in a suitcase before making the hole thing disappear into thin air. "Another fact you should know about birds is birds do not have teeth, but they have an organ called a gizzard which grinds up their food, helping them to digest their food properly." Fluttershy explained. "No teeth, but have a gizzard. Got it." Discord took note. "Also, one of the most unusual facts about some birds such as the flamingo, pigeon, and male emperor penguin can produce a milk-like substance known as crop milk or pigeon milk to feed their young ones." Fluttershy noted. "What?! Birds producing milk?!" discord asked, "You sure they are birds?!" "They have feathers, lay eggs, and are warm-blooded." Flutershy explained,"Unlike mammals who produce milk through the mammary glands, lactating birds regurgitate crop milk. Pigeon milk contains immune-enhancing and antioxidant factors, and just like mammalian milk, it helps to build the immune system of the young ones. " "We already talked about milk the last lecture, anything else?" Discord asked after commenting in an annoyed tone. "One more thing for this lecture, the smallest bird of all time is the bee hummingbird, it can grow up to 5 to 6.1 centimetres." Fluttershy informed. Discord automatically summoned a ruler and a string. He then got the string and ruler side by side and cut off the string at the 6.1 cm point and looked at the short string. "Smallest bird indeed because there can barely be a bird even smaller!" Discord commented. "Now, a quick test to see whether you have learnt something or not." Fluttershy announced before she began asking, "Question One: What do all birds have that makes them birds?!" "Easy, that question's answer is feathers! All birds have feathers!" Discord replied in a second, before adding, "Plus all birds lay eggs and are warm-blooded." "Question Two: Why do birds migrate?" "It is often to do with the weather of different countries or places. And if their food is running low, they need to find it somewhere else to live, so they migrate!" "Question Three: Examples of flightless birds?" "The penguin and the ostrich." "Question Four: Which birds do not migrate?" "Owls, woodpeckers, and scavenging birds of prey, black vultures." "Question Five: Which birds produce crop milk to feed their young ones?" "The flamingo, pigeon, and male emperor penguin ." "Question Six: What helps birds digest their food properly?" "Birds do not have teeth, but they do have an organ called a gizzard which grinds up their food, that's what helps them digest their food properly." "Question Seven: Which bird is the smallest?" "The bee humming bird, it grows up to 5 to 6.1 centimetres!" "Question Eight: Which bird is the largest?" Fluttershy asked. "The ostrich, it's so big that it's too heavy to fly!" "Well done Discord, you got 8 out of 8! In other words..." Fluttershy began complimenting Discord, but was cut off by his excited exclaiming, "Full marks! I knew it! I knew I could do it!" "That's 2 lectures down, and 5 more to go for lesson number 1." Fluttershy informed. "5 more to go?! Are you sure it's lesson number 1?!" Discord asked in a shock tone. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.google.com/search?q=why+can%27t+penguins+fly&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk00Re__uHI-K4Z9qYCd_8hy2_HDBUA%3A1618309787782&source=hp&ei=m3J1YLiCLZCF4t4P9YCpiAg&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHWAq-xp-YYHgGHT1VJGSzB257rvL-l8&oq=why+can%27t+pe&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIFCAAQkQIyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BAgAEEM6BAguEEM6BQgAELEDOggIABCxAxCDAToCCC46BQguELEDOgsILhCxAxDHARCvAToICC4QxwEQrwFQgAFYghZgjyBoAHAAeACAAWGIAfwFkgECMTKYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=gws-wiz https://www.amnh.org/about/press-center/new-study-doubles-the-estimate-of-bird-species-in-the-world https://www.google.com/search?q=bird+warm+or+cold+blooded&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk00kg2sLQZycnnpdVVT2gIRxnViPnw%3A1618310563401&source=hp&ei=o3V1YNW-FoTHrQHai6v4Cw&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHWDswBbs87_Jq3_3sZyN9-TGK3yTZPn&oq=bird+warm&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYAjICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BAgjECc6BAgAEEM6BQguEJECOgUIABCRAjoECC4QQzoICC4QsQMQgwE6BQgAELEDOgcILhCxAxBDOgcIABCHAhAUOgIILlCxAlj4EGDYHmgAcAB4AIABV4gBvQSSAQE5mAEAoAEBqgEHZ3dzLXdpeg&sclient=gws-wiz https://www.google.com/search?q=a+bird+that+never+migrates&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk01K-emytDGLTvztiyRLLLu4CD5Qcw%3A1618310567664&ei=p3V1YLeGKMrarQGt94_oCQ&oq=a+bird+that+never+mi&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIICCEQFhAdEB4yCAghEBYQHRAeMggIIRAWEB0QHjIICCEQFhAdEB4yCAghEBYQHRAeMggIIRAWEB0QHjIICCEQFhAdEB4yCAghEBYQHRAeMggIIRAWEB0QHjIICCEQFhAdEB46BwgjEOoCECc6BAgjECc6BQgAEJECOgQILhBDOgcIABCxAxBDOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoICAAQsQMQgwE6CwguELEDEMcBEK8BOg4ILhCxAxCDARDHARCvAToICC4QsQMQgwE6BAgAEEM6BwgAEIcCEBQ6AggAOgcILhCHAhAUOgIILjoHCC4QQxCTAjoICC4QxwEQowI6CAguEMcBEK8BOgYIABAWEB5QyrcUWITiFGCp8BRoAXACeACAAc4BiAHpDJIBBjE4LjIuMZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXqwAQrAAQE&sclient=gws-wiz https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-pigeon-milk-do-birds-produce-milk.html
Reptiles"Alright, we covered mammals and birds already...so now we are moving onto reptiles!" Fluttershy announced, approaching the group of reptiles in the sanctuary. "Let's see, lizards, snakes and turtles?" Discord asked, observing the animals present in the group. "There are more reptiles than that. Crocodiles and alligators are in the class too," Fluttershy giggled. "Then how many reptiles are there?" Discord asked. "Well, the total number of known living species of reptiles hovers between 7500 and 8000, of which the vast majority (more than 7000) are lizards and snakes." Fluttershy answered. "More than 7000 of them being lizards and snakes?! They might take over the entire class with their popularity!" Discord joked. "Now, moving onto the characteristics of reptiles, what makes them reptiles." Fluttershy declared, "One; Reptiles' bodies are completely covered with scales." "Scales...check!" Discord said, after writing down some notes in his notebook. "Reptiles are vertebrates, meaning that they have backbones." Fluttershy stated the second characteristic. "Vertebrates...have backbones...noted!" Discord signalled after getting his quit to automatically write down what Fluttershy was saying. "They are cold-blooded, so their body temperature varies with that of the environment." "Cold-blooded so their temperature change with the environment? That's totally different from warm-blooded! With cold and warm blooded being the opposite of each other, all I have to do is remember one and remind myself that the other is the opposite!" Discord announced. "Back to the lecture about reptiles..." Fluttershy continued, "Reptiles produce shelled eggs or bear live young. In other words, some reptiles lay eggs, while others give birth." "Reptiles giving birth?!" Discord asked in a shocked tone. "Not much since majority lay eggs, leaving minority to give birth." Flutershy explained, "Reptiles that give birth to live young can be divided into two types: viviparous and ovoviviparous. If an animal is viviparous, they retain their fertilized eggs in their reproductive system until the developing offspring are ready to be born. If an animal is ovoviviparous, they also develop their fertilized eggs inside the reproductive tract, but the difference is that the young hatch from their eggs inside the mother, then emerge into the world after this internal hatching." "Very interesting...and also a lot to remember..." Discord commented before complaining while his quit resumed copying what Fluttershy said. "All reptiles that lays eggs, fertilize eggs internally. That means the sperm from the male fertilising the egg within the female." Fluttershy explained. "Anything else?" Discord questioned. "All species of reptiles have at least one lung, and as long as they have lungs...or one, they breathe air like we do." Fluttershy added. "We all certainly do breathe air...so do I...the Lord of Chaos..." Discord announced. "That's all for this lecture, but the quick test to see if you can remember everything important that we covered this lecture, is coming." Fluttershy replied. "Go on, fire away." Discord instructed, ready for the challenge. "Question One: What is a main characteristic that makes an animal a reptile?" "Scales, all reptiles' bodies are covered with scales." "Question Two: A few examples of reptiles?" "Lizards and snakes mostly, followed by crocodiles and alligators." "Question Three: Do reptiles have bones?" "Reptiles are vertebrates, meaning that they have backbones." "Question Four: How do reptiles reproduce?" "Most reptiles lay eggs, leaving a few of them to give birth. Those that give birth are either viviparous and ovoviviparous. That means they either retain their fertilized eggs in their reproductive system until the developing offspring are ready to be born, or they develop their fertilized eggs inside the reproductive tract, but the young hatch from their eggs inside the mother, then emerge into the world after this internal hatching." "Question Five: What do reptiles breathe, and what helps them to do so?" "Reptiles breathe air because they have lungs. All reptile species have at least one lung, and lungs help them breathe air." "Well done Discord, another time you got full marks, A One." Fluttershy congratulated, "You're like my star student here!" The compliment made Discord blush, "Well...thank you dear Fluttershy...it's the least I can do...." "Then get ready for the next lecture, about amphibians!" Fluttershy responded. Author's Note Acknowledgements: http://archive-srel.uga.edu/outreach/factsheet/traits.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/reptile https://www.google.com/search?q=cold-blooded+meaning&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALeKk02hRWKfiHGqwn_7dWYoZo2IzczZBA%3A1618395287393&source=hp&ei=l8B2YJbrFcTVrtoP26yMqAQ&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYHbOp1PROafCBRIwLf7UjEdtahabVAR7&oq=cold-blooded&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIFCAAQkQIyBQgAEJECMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgIIADICCAAyBAgAEEMyBwgAEIcCEBQyBwgAEIcCEBQyAggAOgcILhBDEJMCOgQILhBDOgcIABCxAxBDOgIILlDmAVjjFGDPJWgAcAB4AIABhgGIAb0FkgEEMTEuMZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=gws-wiz https://sciencing.com/reptiles-give-live-birth-8059548.html
AmphibiansAt the sanctuary, Fluttershy and Discord turned their attention to the group of amphibians. "Alright Discord, this group consists of only amphibians. Do you see anything they have in common?" Fluttershy asked. "Nothing other then slimy bodies I observe..." Discord commented, after taking a close look at the amphibians using a magnifying glass that he had conjured up with his magic. Fluttershy giggled, "Actually, amphibians have skin. Some amphibians have soft, smooth skin that they keep wet. The skin is actually slippery from being wet, not slimy." "Slippery not slimy?" Discord asked, "My, you are an animal expert." "There's more to an amphibian's skin than what I just mentioned," Fluttershy informed, "Amphibians indeed have lungs to breathe air in and out, but they breathe through their skin, too! Air moves in and out of their skin, so does water. Therefore, amphibians do not swallow water, they drink water by letting water move into their bodies by flowing through their skins." "So they don't need to swallow water in order to drink," Discord summarised, "Having a skin that allows both air and water into their body and out, such lucky little animals. Never have to worry about choking while drinking." "Back to the part about amphibian skins. Amphibians shed their skins several times a year. The shed skin is soft and they eat it. As in, they eat their own skin after shedding it off." "Eat their own skin?! I will never do that!" Discord claimed, "Even if I could, that is!" "Last but not least, an important fact to know about amphibians' skins: Some amphibians are protected by their skin, like some salamanders and toads have bad tasting liquids in their skin. If an animal tries to eat them it gets a mouthful of the bad tasting liquid and lets go. Sometimes the bad tasting liquid can make the animal sick. So many animals will not even try to eat a toad or salamander." Flutersy explained. "Lesson learnt; never try to eat a toad nor a salamander." Discord noted down in his notebook. "Actually, there's more to amphibians than just the skin that we just finished talking about." Fluttershy informed, "Another characteristic of an amphibian is how they reproduce. Unlike mammals, birds and reptiles that we talked about before, amphibians reproduce through external fertilisation. So amphibian eggs are fertilised by the sperm cell from the male, outside of the female's body. Much like most fishes that we will talk about soon." "External reproduction? Now you're talking something interesting." Discord commented, "Never heard much about it, even for a draconneques over a millennium years old." "And one more thing about amphibian eggs," Fluttershy stated, "Most amphibians reproduce in fresh water while a few lay their eggs on land and have developed mechanisms to keep the eggs moist. Amphibians reproduce by laying eggs that do not have a soft skin, not a hard shell. Most females lay eggs in the water and the babies, called larvae or tadpoles, live in the water, using gills to breathe and finding food as fish do." "Wait. Amphibians have gills?!" Discord asked in a very shocked tone. "The babies called tadpoles have gills, that hops them breathe under water. But as they grow up, they slowly lose their ability to breathe underwater as they lose their gills, although some species of amphibians retain their gills as adults." Fluttershy explained. "This is very complicated!" Discord cried. "Don't worry, this is still in lesson number one, so we're not going to the more complex parts yet." Fluttershy assured, before going back to the lecture,"Now that's enough about the eggs and young, let's move onto another key characteristic about amphibians like the fact that they are cold blooded. So they rely on the external environment to regulate their body temperature. Amphibians tend to bask in the sun to raise their body temperature and retreat to a cold place to lower their temperature. " "So they basically change their body temperature whenever their surrounding temperature change?" Discord asked. "Well, since they are cold blooded, it is that way." Fluttershy replied, "Their body temperatures change to be the same as their surroundings." "so that means if their surrounding is hot, their bodies become hot. If the surroundings is cold, their bodies become cold." Discord figured. "Yes, that's the basic way to say it." Fluttershy resounded, "Now, another characteristic you should know about amphibians is that amphibians are mainly carnivores and feed on almost anything that moves and they can swallow. The adult amphibian is a predator with its diet consisting of a wide variety of food. Some of these foods include spiders, earthworms, beetles, and caterpillars. Large amphibians can also feed on small vertebrates such as birds and mammals." "Amphibians eating birds and mammals?! I thought that birds and mammals are bigger than amphibians!" Discord could not help but shout out loud. "Some birds and mammals can be very small, small enough to become an amphibian's prey." Fluttershy explained, before continuing, "Food is often selected by sight, even in areas with dim light. " "So you're saying that amphibians eat what they see?" Discord asked. "I said 'often selected by sight', not always." Fluttershy clarified, "So there are chances that amphibians use other senses to find food, but we'll talk about them in another lesson, not in lesson number one." "Always another lesson," Discord grumbled. "Here's something that isn't on other lesson. One final fact about amphibians." Fluttershy began,"Amphibians spend their life both on land and in water. The term “amphibian” is a Greek word for “amphibious” which means “living a double life.” Most have a biphasic life cycle which involves the fertilization and development of eggs and larvae in water. The larvae metamorphose into a semi-terrestrial or terrestrial juvenile and adults. On the evolutionary tree, amphibians are found midway between fish which fully live in water and reptiles and mammals which lead a fully terrestrial lifestyle. Adult amphibians have to live near water since they need steady moisture supply in order to survive. " "That's...a lot in one go..." Discord commented, writing down everything Fluttershy recently said down in his notebook, "But...I think I got most of it down?" "If you think so, here's a chance to know if that's so or not." Fluttershy replied, before starting to give Discord a test. "Question One, what does an amphibian's skin do?" "Amphibian skins allow water to pass through and into the amphibian, so amphibians drink water through their skins, and does not swallow water. The skin also helps amphibians to breathe, as air moves in and out of the skin. Amphibian skins are wet not slimy, although they seem slimy. Also, amphibians shed and eat their own skin. aLast but not least, some amphibians have bad tasting liquids in their skin. If an animal tries to eat them it gets a mouthful of the bad tasting liquid and lets go. Sometimes the bad tasting liquid can make the animal sick. So many animals will not even try to eat such amphibians like toads and salamanders." "Question Two: How does an amphibian reproduce?" "Some amphibians lay eggs in the water while others lay eggs on land. Amphibian eggs are more of the soft kind of eggs, not being hard-shelled unlike bird eggs. mphibian eggs are fertilised by the sperm cells from the male, outside of the female's body. So it's external fertilisation." "Question Three: What do amphibians eat?" "Amphibians are mainly carnivorous. So they eat other animals. Amphibians feed on almost anything that moves and they can swallow. Large amphibians can also feed on small vertebrates such as birds and mammals. Food is often selected by sight, even in areas with dim light. " "Question Four, amphibians' body temperatures?" "Amphibians are cold blooded, so their body temperature change to be the same as the surrounding temperature." "Question Five, where do amphibians live?" "Amphibians spend their life both on land and in water. The term “amphibian” is a Greek word for “amphibious” which means “living a double life.” Most have a biphasic life cycle which involves the fertilization and development of eggs and larvae in water. The larvae metamorphose into a semi-terrestrial or terrestrial juvenile and adults. On the evolutionary tree, amphibians are found midway between fish which fully live in water and reptiles and mammals which lead a fully terrestrial lifestyle. Adult amphibians have to live near water since they need steady moisture supply in order to survive. " "Well done Discord," Fluttershy congratulated, "You once again answered in the way I would like you to, at your best!" "Of course, anything for you, Fluttershy." Discord responded. "Now that we got amphibians covered, let's move onto fish, shall we?" Fluttershy politely asked. "As you wish!" Discord responded. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/characteristics-of-amphibians.html http://www.naturenorth.com/1np/Species/amphibian/About/1info5.html http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Amphibia/ https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/how-do-amphibians-breathe/ https://sciencing.com/5-characteristics-fish-common-12059701.html
FishAt the sanctuary's streams, Fluttershy and Discord were meeting the fishes. "Alright Discord, there are the fishes of he sanctuary's water bodies." Fluttershy told him, "Do you observe anything they all have in common?" "Well...so far they all have eyes, mouths, nostrils...fins and tails." Discord noted, looking through the magnifying glass he summoned with his magic, "And scales on their body." "There's a lot more than that, Discord. Although there are many characteristics that makes an animal a fish, there are only a few that all fishes known currently have, as the other characteristics have some exceptions." Fluttershy stated. "Then let's go through the no exceptions characteristics, shall we? This is lesson number one after all." Discord pointed out. "Of course," Fluttershy began, "All fishes are cold-blooded, which is also calledectothermic. This means that fish are unable to regulate their body temperature, relying solely on the outside environment for temperature regulation. The body temperature of fish changes as the environment's temperature changes." "Fish are cold-blooded...so they r temperature changes..." Discord mumbled to himself as he noted down what Fluttershy just said, before exclaiming, "Oh! Just like amphibians!" Fluttershy nodded, "Many fish species are extremely sensitive to these temperature changes and are only able to exist in a specific water temperature. Other species are able to survive in wider temperature ranges." "I'm guessing that an animal caregiver has got to know that..." Discord said his thoughts out loud, getting another response from Fluttershy. "Yes, indeed. Especially when they have to care for all kinds of animals. Speaking of animals, back to the lecture. Another characteristic all fishes share is gills. One of the basic criteria for an animal to be classified as a fish is the presence of gills throughout its life cycle. Gills are a necessity for underwater life: gills allow fish to absorb oxygen from water and release carbon dioxide, which allows them to “breathe” underwater. As with living in water, all fish have gills but not everything that has gills is a fish. Fish have gills throughout their lifespan while other species that have gills often lose them at some point. Tadpoles, for example, have gills, but eventually lose them as they metamorphose into frogs." "So fishes get to keep their gills while amphibians do not." Discord wrote down in his notebook. "Just remember that not all amphibians lose their gills, some gets to retain their gills," Fluttershy informed. "Anything else?" Discord asked. "All fish have gills, but some species of fish living in extremely oxygen-depleted environments have developed lungs as well." Fluttershy explained, "But we are not going to go deeper this lesson." "So we are going to learn about that, some other time?" Discord asked. "Yes, we are." Fluttershy nodded, before resuming her lecture, "Another characteristic that all fishes have, is fins. Fins are an almost universal characteristic of fish. Many types of fins exist, but the most common are the tail fin, a matching pair of side fins, dorsal fins, and an anal fin." "So many fins! How am I going to remember them all?!" Discord complained. "You'll get it dow, Discord. Just like you go everything down so far." Fluttershy assured, "Now, back to the lecture. The general purpose of fins is to provide motion, maneuverability, and stability. Pelvic and pectoral fins allow the fish to maneuver and maintain its stability while dorsal and ventral fins reduce the rolling motion while the fish is swimming and aids the fish during turns. The tail fin propels the fish forward while swimming." "Fins help the fish control their direction?" Discord asked. "In a way you can say yes they do," Fluttershy answered, "That being said, there are no set shapes, sizes, or even specific purposes for a particular kind of fin. Fin use and purpose varies wildly depending on the adaptations and needs of each type of fish." "So different fish, different fins, different purposes," Discord questioned. "You got that right," Fluttershy replied, before going back to the lecture, "Another characteristic is a swim bladder. All fish have a swim bladder, which is a specialized organ filled with air that helps ensure fish maintains a stable buoyancy in the water, neither sinking or floating too much." "Sounds like a swim bladder is the perfect thing that can help us spend a day on the sea on ur planned upcoming vacation, Fluttershy..." Discord could not help but think of the vacation he was looking forward to, until Fluttershy snapped him out of it. "Discord, vacation some other time, the lecture is more important right now!" "Oh...right..." Discord replied quickly. "The presence of a swim bladder allows the fish to sleep without sinking to the bottom of its habitat. In some species of fish, air is swallowed and sent to the swim bladder. This adaptation also helps the fish to survive in waters that do not have adequate levels of oxygen." Fluttershy explained. "That's a lot about the swim bladder," Discord commented, writing the notes down. "That's all about the swim bladder you need to know now." Fluttershy told him, "Now w are moving onto the water habitat characteristic; all fish live in water. This may seem too obvious to be worth stating, but there are some fish that can spend significant amounts of time out of the water. Mudskippers, for instance eat and interact with each other on land, and often go underwater only to hide from predators. They do not have lungs but can breathe through their skin and keep their gills moist with water that they store internally." "Do I need to memorise the mudskipper specialty?" Discord asked. "Since the mudskipper is special and unique, I suggest you do memories it." Fluttershy answered. "Fine." Discord responded. "Something to note here though is that while all fish live in water, not everything that lives in water is a fish. Whales and dolphins, for example, are mammals. Turtles live in water, too, but they’re reptiles, not fish." Fluttershy noted. "Don't worry, I got the idea of that thanks to the mammals and reptiles lectures coming before this lecture about fish!" Discord assured. "Now onto a characteristic that not all fishes share. Are you ready to learn what it is?" Fluttershy asked. "Sure are," Discord replied. "That characteristic is the way fishes reproduce." Fluttershy explained, "For starters, fishes lay eggs, but not all fishes do that. Some of them give birth, like sharks and guppies do." "So that means some fish lay eggs, others give birth." Discord summarised. "Yes, it does." Fluttershy answered, "For fishes that lay eggs, their eggs are fertilised by the sperm cells that comes from the males, after the eggs are laid. In other words, fish reproduce through external fertilisation." "Lke amphibians?" Discord asked. "Lie amphibians," Fluttershy nodded, "To the point that not only they are both externally fertilised, the eggs are soft-shelled, not Har-shelled unlike birds and reptiles." "Soft-shelled eggs, that should be easy to remember." Discord commented. "The way fishes reproduce is the main characteristic that not all fishes share, as most fishes may lay eggs, more than 500 species of fish reproduce by giving birth. But don't worry, you don't need to memorise them. We got books about them." Fluttershy assured. "What a relief!" Discord heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that he did not have to memorise over 500 species of fish. "That's all for today's fish lecture. Now to see if you really listened." Fluttershy announced, before beginning to ask Discord questions. "Question One, what do fishes have to help them breathe?" "Gills. All fishes have gills. Gills allow fish to absorb oxygen from water and release carbon dioxide, which allows them breathe underwater. All fish have gills, but not everything that has gills is a fish. Fish have gills throughout their lifespan while other species that have gills often lose them at some point. Tadpoles, for example, have gills, but eventually lose them as they metamorphose into frogs." "Question Two: What do fish have to prevent them from sinking too deep?" "Swim bladder. All fish have a swim bladder, which is a specialized organ filled with air that helps ensure fish maintains a stable buoyancy in the water, neither sinking or floating too much. The presence of a swim bladder allows the fish to sleep without sinking to the bottom of its habitat." "Question Three, the body temperature of fishes?" "All fish are cold-blooded, they are unable to regulate their body temperature, relying solely on the outside environment for temperature regulation. The body temperature of fish changes as the environment's temperature changes." "Question Four, what helps fishes move?" "Fins. Fins provide motion, maneuverability, and stability. Pelvic and pectoral fins allow the fish to maneuver and maintain its stability while dorsal and ventral fins reduce the rolling motion while the fish is swimming and aids the fish during turns. The tail fin propels the fish forward while swimming." "Question Five: Fish habitat?" "Water habitat, bodies of water. All fish live in water, but not all animals that live in water are fish. Whales and dolphins are mammals, sea turtles are reptiles. Some fish that can spend significant amounts of time out of the water. Mudskippers, for instance eat and interact with each other on land, and often go underwater only to hide from predators. They do not have lungs but can breathe through their skin and keep their gills moist with water that they store internally." "Question Six; how do fishes reproduce?" "Many fishes lay eggs, while others give birth like guppies and sharks. Those that lay eggs, fertilise the eggs after the eggs are laid, meaning that they reproduce through external fertilisation. Fish eggs are not hard-shelled unlike birds and reptiles. Instead, like amphibians, fish eggs are soft-shelled." "Congratulations, Discord. You remember everything!" Fluttershy hugged the draconneques, after he had passes the test with flying colours. "Of course I remember everything, or I wouldn't be the all powerful Discord, would I?" Discord asked. Fluttershy giggled, "Alright, all mighty powerful Discord, just 2 more lectures to go, and lesson number 1 will be complete." Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://sciencing.com/5-characteristics-fish-common-12059701.html https://animals.mom.com/mom-fish-babies-4969.html
InsectsA cricket was seen on a tree bark, before Fluttershy flew up to it to fetch it, and bring it down to the ground with some of the other insects that included ants, grasshopper, butterflies and beetles. "Alright Discord, over here is a group consisting ants, grasshoppers, beetles, a cricket and a butterfly. They all belong to the animal class insects. Do you se anything that they all have in common?" Discord summoned his magnifying glass like he did he last times. He observed the insects closely with the said tool and said what he observed out loud, "They all have 6 legs....and 2 antennae on their heads." "We say that they have a pair of antennae on top of their heads," Fluttershy corrected, "You are right about the antennae and the 6 legs, as most insects have them, therefore they are in the same class." "So as long as they have a pair of antennae on top of their head, and 6 legs, they are insects." Discord noted. "Those are just 2 of the characteristics. Another characteristic is their 3 main body parts; Their head, thorax, and abdomen." Fluttershy explained. "Thorax?!" Discord asked. "Not the leader of the changelings Thorax," Fluttershy clarified, "The insect body part thorax. The changeling leader is probably named after the insect body part thorax." "Should we ever tell him?" Discord asked. "Not so sure...we'll talk about that some other time," Fluttershy figured, "Back to the lecture about insects. You must know that some insects have wings like butterflies, while others do not like ants. Insects that have wings have 2 pairs of wings. So they will have a total of 4 wings." "A total of 4 wings?!" Discord asked, "That's not fair. They got more wings than birds! Double, that is!" "Actually Discord, more wings does not mean faster," Fluttershy pointed out, "Most birds are faster than insects, despite the fact that birds only have 2 wings while insects with wings have 4. The fastest flying insect is the dragonfly, known to travel at the speed of 35 miles an hour. While the fastest bird, the peregrine falcon, can fly at a speed of 200 miles an hour." "So the insects have more wings but are not faster than birds...what a pity!" Discord commented. "Actually Discord, insects still have incredible abilities for creatures their size. Matter of fact, we never had their abilities, as our skills would not even math theirs!" flutter shy told him. "What?!" Discord asked in confusion. "The horned dung beetle may be a mere 10 millimeters long, but they can pull up to 1141 times its own body weight. If we want to match that ability, we ourselves must pull up to 1141 times our own weights!" Fluttershy explained. "1141 times our own weights?!" Discord dramatically fainted, "I don't think I can ever do something like that!" "That's why insects are still incredible despite their size!" Fluttershy informed, "Now that's enough trivia, let's get back to the lecture about insects, their characteristics, shall we?" "Yes, Fluttershy. We shall." Discord responded. "Insects do not have backbones, so they are invertebrates. Instead of backbones, they have exoskeletons, hard shell-like covering on the outside of their bodies." Fluttershy explained. "No backbones...because they are invertebrates...have exoskeletons, hard shell-like coverings on the outside of their bodies...got it!" Discord wrote down in his notebook. "One last characteristic that you need to know now..." Fluttershy stated, "How insects reproduce. Most insects reproduce oviparously, meaning that they lay eggs. Most insects exhibit internal fertilization — males deposit their sperm inside a female’s body. With so many insects, over one million species of insects, there can be a lot of exceptions that come along. But do not worry, we are not talking about them in this lecture." "And what a relief!" Discord could not help but say after hearing about how many insect species there were, and learning that he did not need to know them all. "Now that you heard the facts, it is time for the test." Fluttershy declared, before asking, "Question One; What do most insects have that makes them insects?" "Most insects have a pair of antennae on top of their head, and 6 legs." "Question Two; the 3 main body parts of an insect?" "Their head, thorax, and abdomen." "Question Three; do insects have wings?" "Some insects do, others do not. Ants are insects that do not have wings, while butterflies are insects that do. Insects that have wings have 2 pairs of wings, making a total of 4. Despite having more wings than birds, insects are not faster than birds." "Question Four; Do insects have bones?" "Insects are invertebrates, so they do not have backbones. Instead, they have exoskeletons, hard shell-like covering on the outside of its body." "Question Five; how do insects reproduce?" "Insects reproduce through internal fertilisation, and lay eggs. Although there can be many exceptions given that there are a lot of insects, over a million species!" "Well done Discord, you are answering like an animal lover after each lecture! One more lecture to go and lesson number one will be done!" Fluttershy congratulated. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/incredbugs http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/insect.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peregrine_falcon https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2010/03/scienceshot-worlds-strongest-insect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_reproductive_system https://genent.cals.ncsu.edu/bug-bytes/reproductive-system/ https://www.royensoc.co.uk/facts-and-figures
Arachnids"Alright Discord, we're meeting the arachnids now. Just try your best not to freak out." Fluttershy told Discord, who was following behind her. "Freak out?! Hello, I am Discord, the Lord of Chaos, nothing can ever make me freak..." Discord bragged before seeing the group of arachnids right in front of him. "OUT!" the draconneques screamed upon seeing the spiders, scorpions, termites and ticks all in one group on the ground. "Relax Discord, these arachnids here in the sanctuary are tamed, so they are not like wild ones that might hurt you out of their self-defence." "So these are the arachnids?!" Discord asked, pointing at the said animals. "They are arachnids because they have 8 legs." Fluttershy explained, "4 pairs of legs, make 8 in total." "That I can observe," Discord commented. "Another thing that you can observe is arachnids do not have antennae nor wings, unlike insects that do." Flutershy stated. "Let's not forget that some insects do not have wings." Discord reminded. "Arachnids also have two additional pairs of appendages. The first pair, the chelicerae, serve in feeding and defense. The next pair, the pedipalps, help the organisms feed, move, and reproduce." Flutershy explained. "Do I have to remember those names?" Discord asked. "I'm afraid you have to, as they are characteristics of arachnids." Fluttershy replied. "Fine," Discord muttered. "The arachnid body is organized into the cephalothorax, a fusion of the head and thorax, and the abdomen." Fluttershy informed. "So the arachnids have bodies like insects, but fused together?" Discord asked in shock "You should just remember it as a fusion," Fluttershy figured,"Another characteristic that arachnids have is internal systems, like a trachea or a book lung, to adapt to living on land." "Anything else?" Discord asked. "You should know that arachnids are mostly carnivorous, feeding on the pre-digested bodies of insects and other small animals." Fluttershy informed. "Carnivorous...feed on small animals...got it!" Discord wrote down in his notebook. "For your safety, you should know that several groups of arachnids are venomous. They release the venom from specialized glands to kill prey or enemies." Fluttershy warned. "Not to worry dear Fluttershy, no creature can ever hurt me, the Lord of Chaos." Discord declared. "Another thing you should know is that mites are arachnids, and several mites are parasitic, and some of those are carriers of disease." Fluttershy continued warning. "I already told you Fluttershy, no creature can harm me," Discord reminded, but then saw her annoyed expression, "But, I'll still take your warnings seriously...." "Arachnids usually lay eggs, which hatch into immature arachnids that are similar to adults. Scorpions, however, give birth to live young, and they are still arachnids." Fluttershy informed. "Scorpions give birth...other arachnids lay eggs...got it!" Discord chirped. "Now for one last test." Fluttershy declared before asking, "Question One: What is the main characteristic that makes an animal an arachnid?" "Arachnids have 4 pairs of legs, making a total of 8." "Question Two; the body parts of an arachnid?" "The arachnid body is organized into the cephalothorax, a fusion of the head and thorax, and the abdomen." "Question Three; what do insects have that arachnids do not?" "Arachnids do not have antennae or wings, while insects have a pair of antennae on top of their heads, and some insects have wings." "Question Four; what do arachnids have that are additional parts?" "Pairs of appendages, arachnids have two pairs of them. The first pair, the chelicerae, serve in feeding and defense. The next pair, the pedipalps, help the organisms feed, move, and reproduce." "Question Five; how do arachnids breathe?" "Arachnids have internal systems, like a trachea or a book lung, to adapt to life on land." "Question Six; what do arachnids mostly eat?" "Arachnids are mostly carnivorous, feeding on the pre-digested bodies of insects and other small animals." "Question Seven; Dangers of arachnids?" "Several groups are venomous. They release the venom from specialized glands to kill prey or enemies. Also, several mites that are in the arachnids class, are parasitic, and some of those are carriers of disease." "Question Eight; How do arachnids reproduce?" "Most of them lay eggs, while others like scorpions, give birth." "Way a go, Discord! You passed all of lesson number one! I knew you have the potential to be an animal expert like I am!" Fluttershy praised as she hugged Discord. "Anything for you Fluttershy, and matter of fact, I do think all of these animals here are interesting, and creatures I'd like to hangout with." Discord said his thoughts out loud. "Then you shall help me with the animals here in the sanctuary! As my assistant and partner!" Fluttershy declared. "Your assistant and partner?!" Discord asked, blushing. "Yes, Discord. While learning more about animals, and their classes." Fluttershy replied. Author's Note Acknowledgements: https://www.ck12.org/c/biology/arachnids/lesson/Arachnids-MS-LS/?referrer=concept_details
