title: Pelican content: possibly endangering the pelican on this island. In May 2012, hundreds of Peruvian pelicans were reported to have perished in Peru from a combination of starvation and roundworm infestation. The pelican ("henet" in Egyptian) was associated in Ancient Egypt with death and the afterlife. It was depicted in art on the walls of tombs, and figured in funerary texts, as a protective symbol against snakes. "Henet" was also referred to in the Pyramid Texts as the "mother of the king" and thus seen as a goddess. References in nonroyal funerary papyri show that the pelican was believed to possess the


title: Pelican content: ability to prophesy safe passage in the underworld for someone who had died. Consumption of pelican, as with other seabirds, is considered not kosher as an unclean animal, and thus forbidden in Jewish dietary law. An origin myth from the Murri people of Queensland, cited by Andrew Lang, describes how the Australian pelican acquired its black and white plumage. The pelican, formerly a black bird, made a canoe during a flood to save drowning people. He fell in love with a woman he thus saved, but her friends and she tricked him and escaped. The pelican consequently prepared to go


title: Pelican content: to war against them by daubing himself with white clay as war paint. However, before he had finished, another pelican, on seeing such a strange piebald creature, killed him with its beak, and all such pelicans have been black and white ever since. The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped nature. They placed emphasis on animals and often depicted pelicans in their art. Alcatraz Island was given its name by the Spanish because of the large numbers of brown pelicans nesting present. The word "alcatraz" is itself derived from the Arabic "al-caduos", a term used for a water-carrying vessel and


title: Pelican content: likened to the pouch of the pelican. The English name albatross is also derived by corruption of the Spanish word. In medieval Europe, the pelican was thought to be particularly attentive to her young, to the point of providing her own blood by wounding her own breast when no other food was available. As a result, the pelican came to symbolise the Passion of Jesus and the Eucharist, and usurped the image of the lamb and the flag. A reference to this mythical characteristic is contained for example in the hymn by Saint Thomas Aquinas, "Adoro te devote" or "Humbly


title: Pelican content: We Adore Thee", where in the penultimate verse, he describes Christ as the "loving divine pelican, able to provide nourishment from his breast". Elizabeth I of England adopted the symbol, portraying herself as the "mother of the Church of England". Nicholas Hilliard painted the "Pelican Portrait" around 1573, now owned by the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. A pelican feeding her young is depicted in an oval panel at the bottom of the title page of the first (1611) edition of the King James Bible. Such "a pelican in her piety" appears in the 1686 reredos by Grinling Gibbons in


title: Pelican content: the church of St Mary Abchurch in the City of London. Earlier medieval examples of the motif appear in painted murals, for example that of "circa" 1350 in the parish church of Belchamp Walter, Essex. The self-sacrificial aspect of the pelican was reinforced by the widely read medieval bestiaries. The device of "a pelican in her piety" or "a pelican vulning (from Latin "vulno", "to wound") herself" was used in heraldry. An older version of the myth is that the pelican used to kill its young then resurrect them with its blood, again analogous to the sacrifice of Jesus. Likewise,


title: Pelican content: a folktale from India says that a pelican killed her young by rough treatment, but was then so contrite that she resurrected them with her own blood. The legends of self-wounding and the provision of blood may have arisen because of the impression a pelican sometimes gives that it is stabbing itself with its bill. In reality, it often presses this onto its chest to fully empty the pouch. Another possible derivation is the tendency of the bird to rest with its bill on its breast; the Dalmatian pelican has a blood-red pouch in the early breeding season and this


title: Pelican content: may have contributed to the myth. Pelicans have featured extensively in heraldry, generally using the Christian symbolism of the pelican as a caring and self-sacrificing parent. Heraldic images featuring a "pelican vulning" refers to a pelican injuring herself, while a "pelican in her piety" refers to a female pelican feeding her young with her own blood. The image became linked to the medieval religious feast of Corpus Christi. The universities of Oxford and Cambridge each have colleges named for the religious festival nearest the dates of their establishment, and both Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and Corpus Christi College, Oxford, feature


title: Pelican content: pelicans on their coats of arms. The medical faculties of Charles University in Prague also have a pelican as their emblem. The symbol of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service is a pelican, and for most of its existence the headquarters of the service was located at Pelican House in Dublin, Ireland. The heraldic pelican also ended up as a pub name and image, though sometimes with the image of the ship "Golden Hind". Sir Francis Drake's famous ship was initially called "Pelican", and adorned the British halfpenny coin. The great white pelican is the national bird of Romania. The brown


title: Pelican content: pelican is the national bird of three Caribbean countries—Saint Kitts and Nevis, Barbados, and Sint Maarten—and features on their coats of arms. It is also the state bird of the US state of Louisiana, which is known colloquially as the Pelican State; the bird appears on the state flag and state seal. It adorns the seals of Louisiana State University and Tulane University, and is the mascot of the New Orleans Pelicans NBA team, Tulane University, and the University of the West Indies. A white pelican logo is used by the Portuguese bank Montepio Geral, and a pelican is depicted


title: Pelican content: on the reverse of the Albanian 1 lek coin, issued in 1996. The name and image were used for Pelican Books, an imprint of nonfiction books published by Penguin Books. The seal of the Packer Collegiate Institute, a pelican feeding her young, has been in use since 1885. The Christian Democratic political party known as the American Solidarity Party uses the pelican as its animal symbol, alluding to its Catholic social teaching platform. The pelican is the subject of a popular limerick originally composed by Dixon Lanier Merritt in 1910 with several variations by other authors. The original version ran:


title: Pelican content: Pelican Pelicans are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterised by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before swallowing. They have predominantly pale plumage, the exceptions being the brown and Peruvian pelicans. The bills, pouches, and bare facial skin of all species become brightly coloured before the breeding season. The eight living pelican species have a patchy global distribution, ranging latitudinally from the tropics to the temperate zone, though they are absent from interior South America and from polar


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: Statue of Zeus at Olympia The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was a giant seated figure, about tall, made by the Greek sculptor Phidias around 435 BC at the sanctuary of Olympia, Greece, and erected in the Temple of Zeus there. A sculpture of ivory plates and gold panels over a wooden framework, it represented the god Zeus sitting on an elaborate cedar wood throne ornamented with ebony, ivory, gold and precious stones. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it was lost and destroyed during the 5th century AD with no copy ever being found, and details


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: of its form are known only from ancient Greek descriptions and representations on coins. The statue of Zeus was commissioned by the Eleans, custodians of the Olympic Games, in the latter half of the fifth century BC for their recently constructed Temple of Zeus. Seeking to outdo their Athenian rivals, the Eleans employed the renowned sculptor Phidias, who had previously made the massive statue of Athena Parthenos in the Parthenon. The great seated statue as fashioned by Phidias occupied half the width of the aisle of the temple built to house it. "It seems that if Zeus were to stand


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: up," the geographer Strabo noted early in the 1st century BC, "he would unroof the temple." The "Zeus" was a chryselephantine sculpture, made with ivory and gold panels on a wooden substructure. No copy in marble or bronze has survived, though there are recognizable but only approximate versions on coins of nearby Elis and on Roman coins and engraved gems. In the 2nd century AD, the geographer and traveler Pausanias gave a detailed description. The statue was crowned with a sculpted wreath of olive sprays, and wore a gilded robe made from glass and carved with animals and lilies. In


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: its right hand was a small chryselephantine statue of crowned Nike, goddess of victory. Its left hand held a scepter inlaid with many metals, supporting an eagle. The throne featured painted figures and wrought images and was decorated in gold, precious stones, ebony, and ivory. Zeus' golden sandals rested upon a footstool decorated with an Amazonomachy in relief. The passage underneath the throne was restricted by painted screens. Pausanias also recounts that the statue was kept constantly coated with olive oil to counter the harmful effect on the ivory caused by the "marshiness" of the Altis grove. The floor in


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: front of the image was paved with black tiles and surrounded by a raised rim of marble, to contain the oil. This reservoir acted as a reflecting pool which doubled the apparent height of the statue. According to the Roman historian Livy, the Roman general Aemilius Paulus (the victor over Macedon) saw the statue and "was moved to his soul, as if he had seen the god in person," while the 1st centuryAD Greek orator Dio Chrysostom declared that a single glimpse of the statue would make a man forget all his earthly troubles. According to a legend, when Phidias


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: was asked what inspired him—whether he climbed Mount Olympus to see Zeus, or whether Zeus came down from Olympus so that Phidias could see him—the artist answered that he portrayed Zeus according to Book One, verses 528 – 530 of Homer's "Iliad": The sculptor also was reputed to have immortalised Pantarkes, the winner of the boys' wrestling event at the eighty-sixth Olympiad who was said to have been his "beloved" (eromenos), by carving "Pantarkes kalos" ("Pantarkes is beautiful") into Zeus's little finger, and by placing a relief of the boy crowning himself at the feet of the statue. According to


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: Pausanias, "when the image was quite finished Pheidias prayed the god to show by a sign whether the work was to his liking. Immediately, runs the legend, a thunderbolt fell on that part of the floor where down to the present day the bronze jar stood to cover the place." According to Roman historian Suetonius, the Roman Emperor Caligula gave orders that "such statues of the gods as were especially famous for their sanctity or their artistic merit, including that of Jupiter at Olympia, should be brought from Greece, in order to remove their heads and put his own in


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: their place." Before this could happen, the emperor was assassinated in 41 AD; his death was supposedly foretold by the statue, which "suddenly uttered such a peal of laughter that the scaffolding collapsed and the workmen took to their heels." In 391 AD, the Roman emperor Theodosius I banned participation in pagan cults and closed the temples. The sanctuary at Olympia fell into disuse. The circumstances of the statue's eventual destruction are unknown. The 11th-century Byzantine historian Georgios Kedrenos records a tradition that it was carried off to Constantinople, where it was destroyed in the great fire of the Palace


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: of Lausus, in 475 AD. Alternatively, the statue perished along with the temple, which was severely damaged by fire in 425 AD. But earlier loss or damage is implied by Lucian of Samosata in the later 2nd century, who referenced it "Timon": "they have laid hands on your person at Olympia, my lord High-Thunderer, and you had not the energy to wake the dogs or call in the neighbours; surely they might have come to the rescue and caught the fellows before they had finished packing up the loot." The approximate date of the statue (the third quarter of the


title: "Statue of Zeus at Olympia" content: 5th century BC) was confirmed in the rediscovery (1954–58) of Phidias' workshop, approximately where Pausanias said the statue of Zeus was constructed. Archaeological finds included tools for working gold and ivory, ivory chippings, precious stones and terracotta moulds. Most of the latter were used to create glass plaques, and to form the statue's robe from sheets of glass, naturalistically draped and folded, then gilded. A cup inscribed "ΦΕΙΔΙΟΥ ΕΙΜΙ" or "I belong to Phidias" was found at the site. Statue of Zeus at Olympia The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was a giant seated figure, about tall, made by the


title: Hornbill content: Hornbill The hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family refer to the shape of the bill, "buceros" being "cow horn" in Greek. Hornbills have a two-lobed kidney. They are the only birds in which the first and second neck vertebrae (the atlas and axis respectively) are fused together; this probably provides a more stable platform for carrying the


title: Hornbill content: bill. The family is omnivorous, feeding on fruit and small animals. They are monogamous breeders nesting in natural cavities in trees and sometimes cliffs. A number of species of hornbill are threatened with extinction, mostly insular species with small ranges. Hornbills show considerable variation in size, ranging from the black dwarf hornbill ("Tockus hartlaubi"), at and in length, to the great hornbill ("Buceros bicornis"), at up to and in length. Males are always bigger than the females, though the extent to which this is true varies according to species. The extent of sexual dimorphism also varies with body parts. For


title: Hornbill content: example, the difference in body mass between males and females is 1–17%, but the variation is 8–30% for bill length and 1–21% in wing length. The most distinctive feature of the hornbills is the heavy bill, supported by powerful neck muscles as well as by the fused vertebrae. The large bill assists in fighting, preening, constructing the nest, and catching prey. A feature unique to the hornbills is the casque, a hollow structure that runs along the upper mandible. In some species it is barely perceptible and appears to serve no function beyond reinforcing the bill. In other species it


title: Hornbill content: is quite large, is reinforced with bone, and has openings between the hollow centre, allowing it to serve as a resonator for calls. In the helmeted hornbill the casque is not hollow but is filled with hornbill ivory and is used as a battering ram in dramatic aerial jousts. Aerial casque-butting has also been reported in the great hornbill.The plumage of hornbills is typically black, grey, white, or brown, and is frequently offset by bright colours on the bill, or by patches of bare coloured skin on the face or wattles. Some species exhibit sexual dichromatism, where the coloration of


title: Hornbill content: soft parts varies by gender. Hornbills possess binocular vision, although unlike most birds with this type of vision, the bill intrudes on their visual field. This allows them to see their own bill tip and aids in precision handling of food objects with their bill. The eyes are also protected by large eyelashes which act as a sunshade. The Bucerotidae include about 55 living species, though a number of cryptic species may yet be split, as has been suggested for the red-billed hornbill. Their distribution includes Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Subcontinent to the Philippines and the Solomon Islands, but


title: Hornbill content: no genus is found in "both" Africa and Asia. Most are arboreal birds, but the large ground hornbills ("Bucorvus"), as their name implies, are terrestrial birds of open savanna. Of the 24 species found in Africa, 13 are birds of the more open woodlands and savanna, and some occur even in highly arid environments; the remaining species are found in dense forests. This contrasts with Asia, where a single species occurs in open savanna and the remainder are forest species. The Indian subcontinent has 10 species of hornbills, of which 9 are found in India and adjoining countries, while the


title: Hornbill content: Sri Lanka grey hornbill is restricted to the island. The most common widespread species in the Indian subcontinent is the Indian grey hornbill. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Indonesia has 13 hornbill species: 9 of them exist in Sumatra, and the rest exist in Sumba, Sulawesi, Papua and Kalimantan. Kalimantan has the same hornbill species as Sumatra, except that the great hornbill is not found there. In the Neogene (at least in the late Miocene), hornbills inhabited North Africa and South Europe. Their remains have been found in Morocco and Bulgaria. Hornbills are diurnal, generally


title: Hornbill content: travelling in pairs or small family groups. Larger flocks sometimes form outside the breeding season. The largest assemblies of hornbills form at some roosting sites, where as many as 2400 individual birds may be found. Hornbills are omnivorous birds, eating fruit, insects and small animals. They cannot swallow food caught at the tip of the beak as their tongues are too short to manipulate it, so they toss it back to the throat with a jerk of the head. While both open country and forest species are omnivorous, species that specialise in feeding on fruit are generally found in forests,


title: Hornbill content: while the more carnivorous species are found in open country. Forest-dwelling species of hornbills are considered to be important seed dispersers. Some hornbills defend a fixed territory. Territoriality is related to diet; fruit sources are often patchily distributed and require long-distance travel to find. Thus, species that specialise in fruit are less territorial. Hornbills generally form monogamous pairs, although some species engage in cooperative breeding. The female lays up to six white eggs in existing holes or crevices, either in trees or rocks. The cavities are usually natural, but some species may nest in the abandoned nests of woodpeckers and


title: Hornbill content: barbets. Nesting sites may be used in consecutive breeding seasons by the same pair. Before incubation, the females of all Bucerotinae—sometimes assisted by the male—begin to close the entrance to the nest cavity with a wall made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. When the female is ready to lay her eggs, the entrance is just large enough for her to enter the nest, and after she has done so, the remaining opening is also all but sealed shut. There is only one narrow aperture, big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and eventually the chicks.


title: Hornbill content: The function of this behaviour is apparently related to protecting the nesting site from rival hornbills. The sealing can be done in just a few hours; at most it takes a few days. Having sealed the nest it takes a further five days for the first egg to be laid. Clutch size varies from one or two eggs in the larger species to up to eight eggs for the smaller species. During the incubation period the female undergoes a complete and simultaneous moult. It has been suggested that the darkness of the cavity triggers a hormone involved in moulting. Non-breeding


title: Hornbill content: females and males go through a sequential moult. When the chicks and the female are too big to fit in the nest, the mother breaks out the nest and both parents feed the chicks. In some species the mother rebuilds the wall, whereas in others the chicks rebuild the wall unaided. The ground hornbills do not adopt this behaviour, but are conventional cavity-nesters. A number of hornbills have associations with other animal species. For example, some species of hornbills in Africa have a mutualistic relationship with dwarf mongooses, foraging together and warning each other of nearby birds of prey and


title: Hornbill content: other predators. Other relationships are commensal, for example following monkeys or other animals and eating the insects flushed up by them. The family Bucerotidae was introduced (as Buceronia) by the French polymath Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1815. There are two subfamilies: the Bucorvinae contain the two ground hornbills in a single genus, and the Bucerotinae contain all other taxa. Traditionally they are included in the order Coraciiformes (which includes also kingfishers, rollers, hoopoes and bee-eaters). In the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, however, hornbills are separated from the Coraciiformes into an order of their own, Bucerotiformes, with the subfamilies elevated to family level.


title: Hornbill content: Given that they are almost as distant from the rollers, kingfishers and allies as are the trogons, the arrangement chosen is more a matter of personal taste than any well-established taxonomic practice. All that can be said with reasonable certainty is that placing the hornbills outside the Coraciiformes and the trogons inside would be incorrect. Recent genetic data suggests that ground hornbills and "Bycanistes" form a clade outside the rest of the hornbill lineage. They are thought to represent an early African lineage, while the rest of Bucerotiformes evolved in Asia. However, another study claims that the ground hornbills diverged


title: Hornbill content: first, followed by "Tockus". Within "Tockus", two clades have been identified based on genetics and vocal types - 'whistlers' and 'cluckers'. The 'cluckers' have been suggested to form a distinct genus, "Lophoceros". "Bycanistes" belongs to a clade of mostly African species that also includes "Ceratogymna" and "Tropicranus". Another member of this clade is the Black dwarf hornbill. The Black dwarf hornbill is typically classified in the genus "Tockus" but in this study, is a sister species to the White-crested hornbill. If these two species are classified in congeneric, "Tropicranus" becomes a junior synonym of "Horizocerus", as that was one of


title: Hornbill content: the old names used for the Black dwarf hornbill. This clade also includes one Southeast Asian species, the White-crowned hornbill. As for the other Asian hornbill species, "Buceros" and "Rhinoplax" are each other's closest relatives, "Anorrhinus" is part of a clade that has "Ocyceros" and "Anthracoceros" as sister taxa, and "Aceros", "Rhyticeros", and "Penelopides" form another clade. However, according to this study, "Aceros" is polyphyletic; the Rufous-headed hornbill, Writhed hornbill, and Wrinkled hornbill form a clade with the Sulawesi hornbill, and are in turn more closely related to "Penelopides". These four species have been classified in a separate genus, "Rhabdotorrhinus".


title: Hornbill content: Similarly, the Knobbed hornbill is more closely related to "Rhyticeros", leaving the Rufous-necked hornbill the only member of the genus "Aceros". This is a list of extant hornbill species, presented in taxonomic order. "Bucorvus brailloni" – Late Miocene (Morocco) "Euroceros bulgaricus" – Late Miocene (Bulgaria) Most species' casques are very light, containing much airspace. However, the helmeted hornbill has a solid casque made of a material called hornbill ivory, which is greatly valued as a carving material in China and Japan. It was used as a medium for the art of netsuke. None of the African species of hornbills are


title: Hornbill content: seriously threatened, but many Asian hornbills are threatened by hunting and habitat loss, as they tend to require primary forest. Among these threatened species, only the plain-pouched hornbill and rufous-necked hornbill are found on the Asian mainland; all others are insular in their distribution. In the Philippines alone, one species (the Palawan hornbill) is vulnerable, and two species (the Mindoro and Visayan hornbills) are endangered. The only critically endangered hornbills, the rufous-headed hornbill and the Sulu hornbill, are also restricted to the Philippines. The latter species is one of the world's rarest birds, with only 20 breeding pairs or 40


title: Hornbill content: mature individuals, and faces imminent extinction. The Ticao hornbill, a subspecies of the Visayan hornbill, is probably already extinct. A hornbill named Zazu is one of the characters in the 1994 animated film "The Lion King", voiced by Rowan Atkinson.<r</ref> Hornbill was used as the official mascot of one of Malaysia's political parties, the Democratic Action Party. The Rhinoceros hornbill is the official state animal of Sarawak, a Malaysian state located in Borneo. Great hornbill, a member of the hornbill family, is the official state bird of Kerala, an Indian state. Hornbill The hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of bird


title: "First Sino-Japanese War" content: in his own right, Queen Min seized the opportunity to force her father-in-law's retirement as regent. The departure of the Daewongun led to Korea's abandonment of its isolationist policy. On February 26, 1876, after confrontations between the Japanese and Koreans, the Ganghwa Treaty was signed, opening Korea to Japanese trade. In 1880, the King sent a mission to Japan that was headed by Kim Hong-jip, an enthusiastic observer of the reforms taking place there. While in Japan, the Chinese diplomat Huang Zunxian presented him with a study called ""Chaoxian Celue"" ("A Strategy for Korea"). It warned of the threat to


title: Ceviche content: Ceviche Ceviche, also cebiche, seviche or sebiche (), is a seafood dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with "ají", chili peppers or other seasonings including chopped onions, salt, and cilantro. Whereas the dish is not cooked with heat, it must be prepared and consumed fresh to minimize the risk of food poisoning. Ceviche is usually accompanied by side dishes that complement its flavors, such as sweet potato, lettuce, corn, avocado or plantain. The dish is popular in the Pacific coastal regions of Latin America. Though the origin of


title: Ceviche content: ceviche is hotly debated, in Peru it is considered a national dish. Though archeological records suggest that something resembling ceviche may have been consumed in Peru nearly two thousand years ago, some historians believe the predecessor to the dish was brought to Peru by Moorish women from Granada, who accompanied the Spanish conquistadors and colonizers, and this dish eventually evolved into what is now considered ceviche. Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio further explains that the dominant position Lima held through four centuries as the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru allowed for popular dishes such as ceviche to be brought to


title: Ceviche content: other Spanish colonies in the region, and in time they became a part of local cuisine by incorporating regional flavors and styles. Ceviche is now a popular international dish prepared in a variety of ways throughout the Americas, reaching the United States in the 1980s. The greatest variety of ceviches are found in Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and Perú; but other distinctly unique styles can also be found in coastal Honduras, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala, the United States, Mexico, Panama, and several other nations. The origin of the name of the dish is also disputed. One hypothesis suggests the common Spanish


title: Ceviche content: word for the dish, "cebiche", has its origin in the Latin word "cibus", which translates to English as "food" Another hypothesis, supported by the Royal Spanish Academy, is that "ceviche" has the same etymology as "escabeche", which derives from Mozarabic "izkebêch", in turn descending from Andalusian Arabic "assukkabáǧ", which also derives from Classical Arabic "sakbāj" (), meaning meat cooked in vinegar). It is ultimately from the unattested Middle Persian *"sikbāg", from "sik" ("vinegar") and *"bāg" ("soup"), which also yielded the Persian word "sekbā" (, a soup made with meat and vinegar). Further hypotheses base the origin of the term on


title: Ceviche content: "escabeche", Spanish for pickle, or it is simply a variation of the word "siwichi", the traditional Quechua name for the dish. The name of the dish may be spelled variously as "cebiche", "ceviche", "seviche" or "sebiche", but the more common spelling in Peru is ceviche with "v” which is an alternative spelling accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy, the official institution responsible for regulating the Spanish language. Despite this, other local terms, such as "cerbiche" and "serviche", are still used as variations to name the dish. In regard to its origin, various explanations are given. According to some historic sources


title: Ceviche content: from Peru, ceviche would have originated among the Moche, a coastal civilization that began to flourish in the area of current-day northern Peru nearly 2000 years ago. The Moche apparently used the fermented juice from the local banana passionfruit. Recent investigations further show, during the Inca Empire, fish were marinated with the use of "chicha", an Andean fermented beverage. Different chronicles also report, along the Peruvian coast prior to the arrival of Europeans, fish was consumed with salt and "ají". Furthermore, this theory proposes the natives simply switched to the citrus fruits brought by the Spanish colonists, but the main


title: Ceviche content: concepts of the plate remain essentially the same. The invention of the dish is also attributed to places ranging from Central America to the Polynesian islands in the South Pacific. In Ecuador, it could have also had its origins with its coastal civilizations, as both Peru and Ecuador have shared cultural heritages (such as the Inca empire) and a large variety of fish and shellfish. Ceviche is not native to Mexico, despite the fact that the dish has been a part of traditional Mexican coastal cuisine for centuries. The Spanish, who brought from Europe citrus fruits such as lime, could


title: Ceviche content: have originated the dish in Spain with roots in Moorish cuisine. Nevertheless, most historians agree ceviche originated during colonial times in the area of present-day Peru. They propose the predecessor to the dish was brought to Peru by Moorish women from Granada who accompanied the Spaniards, and this dish eventually evolved into what nowadays is considered ceviche. Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio further explains the dominant position that Lima held through four centuries as the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru allowed for popular dishes such as ceviche to be brought to other Spanish colonies in the region, and in time


title: Ceviche content: they became a part of local cuisine by incorporating regional flavors and styles. Other notable chefs who support the Peruvian origin of the plate include Chilean Christopher Carpentier and Spaniard Ferran Adrià, who in an interview stated, "Cebiche was born in Peru, and so the authentic and genuine [cebiche] is Peruvian." Ceviche is marinated in a citrus-based mixture, with lemons and limes being the most commonly used. In addition to adding flavor, the citric acid causes the proteins in the seafood to become denatured, appearing to be cooked. (However, acid marinades will not kill bacteria or parasitic worms, unlike the


title: Ceviche content: heat of cooking.) Traditional-style ceviche was marinated for about three hours. Modern-style ceviche, popularized in the 1970s, usually has a very short marinating period. With the appropriate fish, it can marinate in the time it takes to mix the ingredients, serve, and carry the ceviche to the table. Most Latin American countries have given ceviche its own touch of individuality by adding their own particular garnishes. In Chile, ceviche is often made with fillets of halibut or Patagonian toothfish, and marinated in lime and grapefruit juices, as well as finely minced garlic and red chili peppers and often fresh mint


title: Ceviche content: and cilantro are added. In Ecuador, the shrimp ceviche is sometimes made with tomato sauce for a tangy taste. The Manabí style, made with lime juice, salt and the juice provided by the cooked shrimp itself is very popular. Occasionally, ceviche is made with various types of local shellfish, such as black clam (cooked or raw), oysters (cooked or raw), spondylus (raw), barnacles (cooked percebes), among others mostly cooked. It is served in a bowl with toasted corn kernels as a side dish (fried green plantain chunks called "patacones", thinly sliced plantain chips called "chifle", and popcorn are also typical


title: Ceviche content: ceviche side dishes). In some regions, ceviche is served with rice on the side. Well cooked Sea bass (corvina), octopus, and crab ceviches are also common in Ecuador. In all ceviches, lime juice and salt are ubiquitous ingredients. In Peru, ceviche has been declared to be part of the country's "national heritage" and has even had a holiday declared in its honor. The classic Peruvian ceviche is composed of chunks of raw fish, marinated in freshly squeezed key lime or bitter orange ("naranja agria") juice, with sliced onions, chili peppers, salt and pepper. Corvina or cebo (sea bass) was the


title: Ceviche content: fish traditionally used. The mixture was traditionally marinated for several hours and served at room temperature, with chunks of corn-on-the-cob, and slices of cooked sweet potato. Regional or contemporary variations include garlic, fish bone broth, minced Peruvian "ají limo", or the Andean chili "rocoto", toasted corn or "cancha" and "yuyo" (seaweed). A specialty of Trujillo is ceviche prepared from shark ("tollo" or "tojo"). "Lenguado" (sole) is often used in Lima. The modern version of Peruvian ceviche, which is similar to the method used in making Japanese sashimi, consists of fish marinated for a few minutes and served promptly. It was


title: Ceviche content: developed in the 1970s by Peruvian-Japanese chefs including Dario Matsufuji and Humberto Sato. Many Peruvian "cevicherías" serve a small glass of the marinade (as an appetizer) along with the fish, which is called "leche de tigre" or "leche de pantera." In Mexico and some parts Central America, it is served either in cocktail cups with tostadas, salted crackers, or as a tostada topping and taco filling. In Mexico, when served in a cup with tomato sauce, it is called a ceviche cocktail. Although this cocktail is made from the "dry" ceviche recipe, this presentation is rather unusual outside of some


title: Ceviche content: specific areas, and in most areas of Mexico the ceviche cocktail is very popular. Shrimp, octopus, squid, tuna, and mackerel are also popular bases for Mexican ceviche. The marinade ingredients include salt, lime, onion, chili peppers, avocado, and cilantro (known as coriander leaves outside of the Americas). Cut olives and a bit of tomatoes are often added to the preparation (ketchup is not used because it adds sugar and is not fresh). In El Salvador and Nicaragua one popular ceviche recipe is "ceviche de concha negra" ("black conch ceviche"), known in Mexico as "pata de mula" ("mule's foot"). It is


title: Ceviche content: dark, nearly black, with a distinct look and flavor. It is prepared with lime juice, onion, yerba buena, salt, pepper, tomato, Worcestershire sauce, and sometimes picante (any kind of hot sauce or any kind of hot pepper) as desired. In Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the dish includes marinated fish, lime juice, salt, ground black pepper, finely minced onions, coriander (cilantro) and finely minced peppers. It is usually served in a cocktail glass with a lettuce leaf and soda crackers on the side, as in Mexico. Popular condiments are tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, and tabasco sauce. The fish is typically tilapia or


title: Ceviche content: corvina, although mahi-mahi, shark and marlin are also popular. In Panama, ceviche is prepared with lemon juice, chopped onion, celery, cilantro, assorted peppers, and sea salt. Ceviche de corvina (white sea bass) is very popular and is served as an appetizer in most local restaurants. It is also commonly prepared with octopus, shrimp, and squid, or served with little pastry shells called "canastitas." In Cuba, ceviche is often made using mahi-mahi prepared with lime juice, salt, onion, green pepper, habanero, and a touch of allspice. Squid and tuna are also popular. In Puerto Rico and other places in the Caribbean,


title: Ceviche content: the dish is prepared with coconut milk. In The Bahamas and south Florida, a conch ceviche known as 'conch salad' is very popular. It is prepared by marinating diced fresh conch in lime with chopped onions, celery, and bell pepper. Diced pequin pepper and/or scotch bonnet pepper is often added for spice. In south Florida, it is common to encounter a variation to which tomato juice has been added. In the Philippines, "kinilaw" (or "kilawin") which use raw fish are usually referred to in English as "Filipino ceviche". However, this is inaccurate as "kinilaw" technically refers to an indigenous cooking


title: Ceviche content: process and thus not restricted to fish. Unlike Latin American ceviches, which primarily use citrus juices, "kilawin" instead primarily uses vinegar (usually coconut vinegar) and other acidic fruit juices. It is native to the Philippines, with archeological evidence dating back to the 10th to 13th century AD. It was also described by Spanish colonists and explorers to the Philippines, with the earliest mention being in the "Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala" (1613) as "cqinicqilao" and "cquilao". Fish "kinilaw" typically use "tanigue" (Spanish mackerels), "malasugi" (marlins or swordfish), and anchovies. The raw fish are cubed and then marinated in vinegar, souring


title: Ceviche content: agents (usually calamansi, but can also be other sour fruits), and salt and spices like black pepper, ginger, onions, and chili peppers (commonly "siling labuyo" or bird's eye chili). Variants can also use other ingredients, like shrimp, squid, clams, oysters, crabs, sea urchin roe, seaweed, shipworms ("tamilok"), vegetables, and cooked meat (usually goat meat, pork, beef, or chicken). In the Northern Mariana Islands, "kelaguen", is another ceviche-type dish among the Chamorro people. It is derived from and closely resembles the Filipino "kilawin". It is believed to have originated from Filipino settlers during the Manila galleon trade in the Spanish period.


title: Ceviche content: Like the Filipino "kilawin", the Chamorro dish is also not restricted to fish or seafood, and can use cooked meat (commonly chicken or beef), but it is influenced by the Latin American version in that they exclusively use citrus juices. It is usually served with "titiya" (Chamorro tortillas) during fiestas. Ceviche is ideally very healthy. However, bad sanitary conditions during its preparation may lead to illness. Aside from contaminants, raw seafood can also be the vector for various pathogens, viral and bacterial, as well as larger parasitic creatures. According to the 2009 Food Code published by the United States Food


title: Ceviche content: and Drug Administration (FDA) and more recent studies, specific microbial hazards in ceviche include "Anisakis simplex", "Diphyllobothrium" spp., "Pseudoterranova decipiens" and "Pseudoterranova cattani", and "Vibrio parahaemolyticus". Anisakiasis is a zoonotic disease caused by the ingestion of larval nematodes in raw seafood dishes such as ceviche. The Latin American cholera outbreaks in the 1990s may have been attributed to the consumption of raw cholera-infested seafood that was eaten as ceviche. The American Dietetic Association urges women to avoid ceviche during pregnancy. Ceviche Ceviche, also cebiche, seviche or sebiche (), is a seafood dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in


title: "Lady Margaret Beaufort" content: the 17th-century antiquary, suggested that she may have been born in 1441, based on evidence of inquisitions "post mortem" taken after the death of her father. Dugdale has been followed by a number of Margaret's biographers; however, it is more likely that she was born in 1443, as in May 1443 her father had negotiated with the king concerning the wardship of his unborn child should he die on campaign. At the moment of her birth, Margaret's father was preparing to go to France and lead an important military expedition for King Henry VI. Somerset negotiated with the king to


title: Kuvasz content: Kuvasz The Kuvasz (), is an ancient breed of livestock dog of Hungarian origin. Mention of the breed can be found in old Hungarian texts. It has historically been used as a royal guard dog, or to guard livestock, but has been increasingly found in homes as a pet over the last seventy years. The Kuvasz is a large dog with a dense, double, odorless coat which is white in color and can range from wavy to straight in texture. Although the fur is white, the Kuvasz’s skin pigmentation should be dark and the nose should be black. The eyes


title: Kuvasz content: should have an almond shape. Females usually weigh between 32–41 kg (70–90 pounds) while males weigh between 45–52 kg (100–115 pounds) with a medium bone structure. The head should be half as wide as it is long with the eyes set slightly below the plane of the muzzle. The stop (where the muzzle raises to the crown of the head) should be defined but not abrupt. The precise standard varies by country. (See the Breed Standards for a more precise description.) To a casual observer, the Kuvasz may appear similar to a Great Pyrenees, Akbash, a Maremma Sheepdog, Slovak Cuvac


title: Kuvasz content: and the Polish Tatra Sheepdog, all of which are similar in size, coat color, and general appearance. As with many livestock guardian dogs, the color of the Kuvasz's coat serves a functional purpose and is an essential breed criterion. Shepherds purposefully bred the Kuvasz to have a light colored coat so that it would be easier for the shepherds to distinguish the Kuvasz from wolves that would prey on the livestock during the night. The Komondor, a cousin of the Kuvasz, has a white coat for the same reason. Traditionally, the Hungarian Kuvasz's coat could be either white or cream


title: Kuvasz content: colored with a wavy texture. However, there is some debate, particularly in the United States, concerning the appropriateness of "cream" colored coats in show-quality dogs and whether the coat should be straight or wavy in texture. Since washing and brushing out a coat, as done for shows in the US also causes the coat to appear straight, the debate may be circular. Straighter coats may also have appeared as the result of breeding programs that developed after World War II, when the breeding lines in Hungary were isolated from the rest of the world as a result of Soviet &


title: Kuvasz content: German occupation (see History, below). By Hungarian standard the straight coat is not acceptable. There must be special twirls in the coat. The Kuvasz is an intelligent dog and is often described as having a clownish sense of humor which can last throughout their adolescence and into adulthood. They are intensely loyal and patient pets who appreciate attention but may also be somewhat aloof or independent, as well as thoroughly cunning, particularly with strangers. They rank a low 42nd in Stanley Coren's "The Intelligence of Dogs", but keep in mind that Coren's criteria focus on how fast a dog can


title: Kuvasz content: learn obedience "tricks"—a limited test of intelligence. The Kuvasz breed is for experienced handlers only. The combination of intelligence, independence, and protectiveness make obedience training and socialization absolute necessities. They are strictly working dogs, bred for centuries to think independently and act without instruction, scanning and evaluating the environment and taking protective or deterrent action as needed. This was a vital trait in their solitary duties protecting livestock. That independence can make training a difficult task, wearing on the patience of even experienced owners. Kuvasz quickly understand what is being asked of them, but they have to respect a person


title: Kuvasz content: as a trusted leader before they'll obey commands. They're also not usually interested in meaningless activity, such as doing entertaining tricks. As a result, they are not recommended for novices and those who do not have time to train and socialize them properly. An adolescent Kuvasz should be able to learn basic obedience commands and consistently respond to them; however the instinctive need to investigate strangers and protect its owner may cause the Kuvasz to act independently when off leash and ignore the calls of a handler. Interactions with other dogs, especially first meetings, should be managed carefully. One of


title: Kuvasz content: the tasks of a livestock guardian is to kill wolves, coyotes, and other predators, and this instinct remains intact in the modern dog. Handlers should be alert to signs of tension, and intervene before a dangerous situation develops. However, a well socialized, well trained Kuvasz will usually ignore, play with, or go exploring with other dogs once a successful introduction has been made. A potential owner should refrain from purchasing a Kuvasz if barking will be a problem at the home. While not every Kuvasz is prone to barking (socializing them will define what is a threat), many of them


title: Kuvasz content: fulfill their guardian role by vocally warning off potential threats, both real and imagined. On the other hand, many of these qualities make the Kuvasz excellent guardians for sheep or large estates. The Kuvasz has a very special, close connection to his owner or family, as well as anyone in their circle, human or animal, that the dog considers part of the flock. He will protect all of them. He may also police interactions among them, such as discouraging rough play by herding rowdy individuals away from the group. The owner has the responsibility for setting clear, consistent limits on


title: Kuvasz content: this behavior. That connection can easily be lost if the dog is humiliated, confused by contradictory commands, or otherwise abused. The only country is Romania, where a Breed-specific legislation specifies that Kuvasz must be muzzled when in public places. Around 2000 BC, the Magyar tribes moved along the recently established trade routes of the steppes, gradually leading them to the Carpathian Basin in Hungary which they conquered in 896 A.D. With them came Kuvasz-type dogs, which primarily served as livestock guardians. In 1978, the fossilized skeleton of a 9th Century Kuvasz-type dog was discovered in Fenékpuszta near Keszthely, a discovery


title: Kuvasz content: which was remarkable in that the morphology of the skeleton was almost identical to a modern Kuvasz. If accurate, such a discovery would mark the Kuvasz as among the oldest identifiable dog breeds as only a few breeds can be dated beyond the 9th Century. After the Magyar settlement of the Carpathian Basin, the tribes converted to a more agrarian lifestyle and began to devote more resources towards animal husbandry. Whereas the Komondor was used in the lower elevations with drier climates, the Kuvasz was used in the wet pastures of the higher mountains and both were an integral part


title: Kuvasz content: of the economy. Later, during the 15th Century, the Kuvasz became a highly prized animal and could be found in the royal court of King Matthias Corvinus. Kuvasz puppies were given to visiting dignitaries as a royal gift, and the King was said to have trusted his dogs more than his own councilors. After the king's death, the popularity of the breed among the nobles waned but it was still frequently found in its traditional role of protecting livestock. By the end of World War II, nearly all the Kuvasz dogs in Hungary had been killed. The dogs had such


title: Kuvasz content: a reputation for protecting their families that they were actively sought and killed by German and Soviet soldiers, while at the same time some German officers used to take Kuvasz dogs home with them. After the Soviet invasion and the end of the war, the breed was nearly extinct in Hungary. After the war, it was revealed that fewer than thirty Kuvasz were left in Hungary and some sources indicate the number may have been as few as twelve. Since then, due to many dedicated breeders, Kuvasz breed have repopulated Hungary. However, as a result of this near extinction, the


title: Kuvasz content: genetic pool available to breeders was severely restricted and there is conjecture that some may have used other breeds, such as the Great Pyrenees, to continue their programs. The issue is further clouded by the need to use an open stud book system at the time to rebuild the breed. The word most likely comes from the Turkic word "kavas" meaning guard or soldier or "kuwasz" meaning protector. A related theory posits that the word may have originated from the ancient farmers of Russia, the Chuvash, who nurtured the breed for generations and contributed many words to the Hungarian language.


title: Kuvasz content: The Kuvasz's stiff, dense coat, growing up to 15 cm (6 inches) in length, does not require any special grooming. It needs to be brushed once a week or, better still, every two or three days. For standard grooming purposes, use of a grooming rake or a pin-brush with rounded pins is recommended. To remove stubborn knots, use a curry comb or a large-toothed comb. During the spring and autumn the Kuvasz moults (also known as shedding), and he will lose copious amounts of hair very quickly. Frequent brushing is therefore needed to keep his coat tidy. A Kuvasz should


title: Kuvasz content: not smell or have an odor; such is usually a sign of illness or a poor diet. Although generally a healthy and robust breed which can be expected to live approximately 12–14 years, the Kuvasz are prone to developmental bone problems. Accordingly, owners should take care to provide proper nutrition to their Kuvasz puppy and avoid subjecting the puppy to rough play. As with many large breeds, hip dysplasia, a painful and potentially debilitating condition, is not uncommon. Good genetics and proper nutrition as a puppy are key to avoiding these complications. The belief that a large breed puppies including


title: Kuvasz content: Kuvasz puppy should not be fed a diet high in calories or protein has largely been dispelled by studies. Bone and joint disorders are thought to be genetic. However, weight can be an influencing factor. Puppies should be fed a balanced diet. The Kuvasz has a very efficient metabolism and is predisposed to rapid growth—vitamin supplements are not necessary and, in fact, should be avoided. Cooked bones should never be given to a Kuvasz or any other dog because the cooking process renders the bone brittle and prone to splintering, which can cause serious injury to the dog's mouth and


title: Kuvasz content: digestive tract. It is important breeders screen their breeding stock for common inherited disease for Kuvasz as recommended by the Canine Health Information Center. Kuvasz The Kuvasz (), is an ancient breed of livestock dog of Hungarian origin. Mention of the breed can be found in old Hungarian texts. It has historically been used as a royal guard dog, or to guard livestock, but has been increasingly found in homes as a pet over the last seventy years. The Kuvasz is a large dog with a dense, double, odorless coat which is white in color and can range from wavy


title: "Elo rating system" content: Category 1 is an average rating of 2051 to 2075, etc. The highest-rated tournament has been category 23, with an average from 2801 to 2825. The top categories are in the table. FIDE updates its ratings list at the beginning of each month. In contrast, the unofficial "Live ratings" calculate the change in players' ratings after every game. These Live ratings are based on the previously published FIDE ratings, so a player's Live rating is intended to correspond to what the FIDE rating would be if FIDE were to issue a new list that day. Although Live ratings are unofficial,


title: "Smooth newt" content: Smooth newt The smooth newt, also known as the common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris; formerly Triturus vulgaris) is a species of amphibian, the most common newt of the genus "Lissotriton". It is found throughout Europe, except the far north, areas of Southern France and the Iberian Peninsula. Outside the breeding season, male and female smooth newts are hard to distinguish – both sexes are of similar size (roughly 10 cm head-to-tail length), and a similar pale brown to yellow colouration. Their main visible differences are two – the male newt has a single black line running down the centre of the


title: "Smooth newt" content: spine, the female has two parallel lines on either side of the centre. On closer inspection, the male's cloaca is very distended, whilst the female's is nearly invisible. During the breeding season, the male becomes darker than the female, and develops a tall, wavy, translucent crest along the spine and tail, with dark spots covering the rest of the body, including the belly, which becomes a far more vivid pink or orange colour than it is in winter and autumn. The female also develops spots, but not on the belly, which is paler than those of the males, and they


title: "Smooth newt" content: are generally smaller. The female does not develop a crest. Smooth newts have paddle-like tails for increased swimming speeds. The nominal subspecies, "L. v. vulgaris", is found in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Females and nonbreeding males are pale brown or olive green, often with two darker stripes on the back. Both sexes have orange bellies, although paler in females, which is covered in rounded black spots. They also have pale throats with conspicuous spots. This helps to distinguish them from palmate newts that have pale unspotted throats, and with which they are often confused. When on land, they have


title: "Smooth newt" content: velvety skin. During the breeding season, male smooth newts develop a continuous wavy (rather than jagged) crest that runs from their heads to their tails, and their spotted markings become more apparent. They are also distinguishable from females by their fringed toes. The smooth newt occurs in western Asia and most of Europe. It is not present in southern France, in southern Italy and the Iberian Peninsula, and is also not found on many Mediterranean islands. It is typically a lowland species, ranging up to about but reaches in Austria. It is found in damp meadows, field edges, parks, gardens,


title: "Smooth newt" content: woods and stone piles. While the smooth newt occurs almost exclusively in the northern hemisphere, scientists have recently documented the first instance of a newt species establishing in the wild in Australia, and the first invasive population of this species in the southern hemisphere. See "An invasive species in Australia" (below) for more information. Adult smooth newts emerge from hibernation on land from late February to May, and head towards fresh water to breed. They favour ponds and shallow lakesides over running water. At this time, both sexes become more strikingly and colourfully marked, with vivid spots and orange bellies.


title: "Smooth newt" content: The male also develops a wavy crest along the back and tail – the sexes are clearly different during the breeding season. During courtship, the male newt displays for his prospective mate by vibrating his tail in front of her in a distinctive fashion. The male then deposits a sperm-containing capsule, a spermatophore, in front of his mate, who manoeuvres herself into a position where she can pick up the capsule with her cloaca – fertilisation then occurring inside the female. Thus fertilised, after a few days the female starts to lay eggs. These are placed individually, usually under aquatic


title: "Smooth newt" content: plant leaves at a rate of seven to 12 eggs per day. Altogether, a total of 400 eggs may be produced over the season. After two to three weeks (depending on water temperature), the eggs hatch to a larval form – a tadpole or eft. For a few days, the larvae live off the food reserves contained within their yolk sacs (left over from the egg stage). After this, they start to eat freshwater plankton, and later insect larvae, molluscs, and similar foods (unlike frog and toad tadpoles, newts are carnivorous throughout their lives). The newt larvae initially look like


title: "Smooth newt" content: small fish fry, but later they become similar to miniature adults, but with "feathery" external gills emerging from behind the head on either side. As the tadpoles mature, they develop legs (front first), and the growth and use of their lungs is matched by a gradual shrinkage of the gills. Thus, the larva gradually shifts from being fully aquatic to possessing a body suitable for a mostly terrestrial existence, the young newt typically leaving the water after 10 weeks. However, some may overwinter in the larval state, only emerging from the water the following year. Smooth newts take around three


title: "Smooth newt" content: years to become sexually mature, on average living for six years. Most adult and juvenile newts hibernate over winter in moist, sheltered areas above ground, emerging in the spring. Female mate choice is an important concept in evolutionary biology because it bears on female and male reproductive success. Experiments were carried out with "Lissotriton vulgarus" in which female newts were paired sequentially with two males having different degrees of genetic relatedness to the female. It was found that the more genetically dissimilar male had a higher paternity share than the less related male. Female choice may reflect an avoidance of


title: "Smooth newt" content: inbreeding with related males that could lead to less fit progeny (inbreeding depression). The newt was first detected in Melbourne, Australia, in 2011. Four additional sites were found in and around Melbourne in 2012, and another two sites were identified in 2013. In 2016, the newt was found at another new site, and at least one previous site. Although the full extent of establishment is not known, some of the sites where newts have been detected are quite far apart – up to 5 kilometres from the original incursion, so scientists suspect that the species has spread considerably. The smooth


title: "Smooth newt" content: newt was available in the pet trade for decades before it was declared a “controlled pest animal” in Victoria in 1997, and prohibited Australia-wide in 2010. Therefore, this invasion is likely to have originated from the release or escape of captive animals. Researchers cannot yet say how widely the species will spread because this is the first newt species found in the wild in Australia. However, smooth newts are prolific breeders and can survive in a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Based on where they live in Europe – fields, woodlands, and a range of disturbed habitats, scientists


title: "Smooth newt" content: suspect that they're capable of surviving in many areas of southern Australia. Furthermore, the climate of south-eastern Australia resembles the species’ native range, and climate matching suggests that large parts of NSW, Victoria, eastern Tasmania, southern South Australia, and south-western Western Australia are suitable for newt habitation. Due to the unique nature of this invasion in the southern hemisphere, it is difficult to predict likely impacts. However, scientists such as Tingley et al. (2014) note that on average, exotic species with only distant relatives in their invaded ranges tend to have greater impacts because the native species probably lack co-evolved


title: "Smooth newt" content: defences against them. Potential impacts arise from predation and competition, toxicity, and disease spread. Smooth newts are generalist carnivores with a broad diet including invertebrates, crustaceans, and the eggs and hatchlings of frogs and fish. Therefore, they are likely to prey on and compete for food with a wide range of Australian terrestrial and freshwater species There is also a risk that smooth newts could poison their predators, like cane toads do. Any native animal that ingests the potentially deadly skin secretions produced by the newt could be affected, including wading birds, snakes, lizards, turtles, fish and mammals. Smooth newts


title: "Smooth newt" content: are also potential transmitters of chytrid fungus, because a close relative of the newt carries this disease. Chytrid fungus has decimated frog populations worldwide, and caused extinctions and widespread declines in Australian frogs. Government authorities decided not to attempt to eradicate the newt nearly two years after the newt was first detected in Australia. It has been suggested that high levels of uncertainty about the likely spread and impact of smooth newts in Australia contributed to the decision not to act. However, experts contend that the decision-making process was too slow and failed to take the precautionary principle into account.


title: "Smooth newt" content: They claim that high levels of uncertainty should favour a quick decision to act, because by the time the impacts of the newt become apparent it will be too late to eradicate. Scientists are now calling on government authorities to revisit this decision before eradication is too difficult and costly to consider. All species of newts are protected in Europe. Laws prohibit the killing, destruction, and the selling of newts. While the species is by no means endangered, IUCN lists insufficient data to make an assessment for two of the subspecies. In the UK, the smooth newt is protected under


title: "Smooth newt" content: Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 with respect to sale only. It is therefore illegal to sell individuals of the species, but their destruction or capture is still permitted. They are also listed under Annex III of the Bern Convention. The smooth newt is the only newt native to Ireland, and it is protected there under the Wildlife Acts (1976 and 2000). It is an offence to capture or kill a newt in Ireland without a licence. As indicated in the foregoing section, while smooth newts are a protected species in Europe, they were declared a 'controlled


title: "Smooth newt" content: pest animal' in the state of Victoria, Australia, in 1997, and prohibited Australia-wide in 2010, due to their invasive potential. Until around 2000, the smooth newt was classified as "Triturus vulgaris" rather than "Lissotriton vulgaris", and will be found under that name in most books and many websites. Smooth newt The smooth newt, also known as the common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris; formerly Triturus vulgaris) is a species of amphibian, the most common newt of the genus "Lissotriton". It is found throughout Europe, except the far north, areas of Southern France and the Iberian Peninsula. Outside the breeding season, male and


title: "Red-eared slider" content: Red-eared slider The red-eared slider ("Trachemys scripta elegans"), also known as the red-eared terrapin, is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of the pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet in the rest of the world. It has, therefore, become the most commonly traded turtle in the world. It is native to the southern United States and northern Mexico, but has become established in other places because of pet releases, and has become an invasive species in many areas, where it


title: "Red-eared slider" content: outcompetes native species. The red-eared slider is included in the list of the world's 100 most invasive species published by the IUCN. The red-eared slider get its name from the small red stripe around its ears and from its ability to slide quickly off rocks and logs into the water. This species was previously known as Troost's turtle in honor of an American herpetologist Gerard Troost. "Trachemys scripta troostii" is now the scientific name for another subspecies, the Cumberland slider. The red-eared slider belongs to the order Testudines which contains about 250 turtle species. It is a subspecies of "Trachemys


title: "Red-eared slider" content: scripta". It was previously classified under the name "Chrysemys scripta elegans". The species "Trachemys scripta" contains three subspecies: "T. s. elegans" (red-eared slider), "T. s. scripta" (yellow-bellied slider), and "T. s. troostii" (Cumberland slider). The carapace of this species can reach more than in length, but the average length ranges from . The females of the species are usually larger than the males. They typically live between 20 and 30 years, although some individuals have lived for more than 40 years. Their life expectancy is shorter when they are kept in captivity. The quality of their living environment has a


title: "Red-eared slider" content: strong influence on their lifespans and well being. These turtles are poikilotherms, meaning they are unable to regulate their body temperatures independently; they are completely dependent on the temperature of their environment. For this reason, they need to sunbathe frequently to warm themselves and maintain their body temperatures. The shell is divided into two sections: the upper or dorsal carapace, and the lower, ventral carapace or plastron. The upper carapace consists of the vertebral scutes, which form the central, elevated portion; pleural scutes that are located around the vertebral scutes; and then the marginal scutes around the edge of the


title: "Red-eared slider" content: carapace. The rear marginal scutes are notched. The scutes are bony keratinous elements. The carapace is oval and flattened (especially in the male) and has a weak keel that is more pronounced in the young. The color of the carapace changes depending on the age of the turtle. The carapace usually has a dark green background with light and dark, highly variable markings. In young or recently hatched turtles, it is leaf green and gets slightly darker as a turtle gets older, until it is a very dark green, and then turns a shade between brown and olive green. The


title: "Red-eared slider" content: plastron is always a light yellow with dark, paired, irregular markings in the centre of most scutes. The plastron is highly variable in pattern. The head, legs, and tail are green with fine, irregular, yellow lines. The whole shell is covered in these stripes and markings that aid in camouflaging an individual. Turtles also have a complete skeletal system, with partially webbed feet that help them to swim and that can be withdrawn inside the carapace along with the head and tail. The red stripe on each side of the head distinguishes the red-eared slider from all other North American


title: "Red-eared slider" content: species and gives this species its name, as the stripe is located behind the eyes where their (external) ears would be. These stripes may lose their color over time. Some individuals can also have a small mark of the same color on the top of their heads. The red-eared slider does not have a visible outer ear or an external auditory canal; instead, it relies on a middle ear entirely covered by a cartilaginous tympanic disc. The main internal organs of these reptiles are the lungs, heart, stomach, liver, intestines, and the urinary bladder. A cloaca serves both excretory and


title: "Red-eared slider" content: reproductive functions. Some dimorphism exists between males and females. Red-eared slider young look practically identical regardless of their sex, making it difficult to determine their sex. However, there is another method to determine their sex, by inspecting the markings under their carapace. These markings will fade as the turtles age. It is much easier to distinguish the sex of adults, as the shells of mature males are smaller than those of females. Male red-eared sliders reach sexual maturity when their carapaces' diameters measure and females reach maturity when their carapaces measure 15 cm. Both male and females reach sexual maturity


title: "Red-eared slider" content: at five to six years. The male is normally smaller than the female, although this parameter is sometimes difficult to apply as individuals being compared could be of different ages. Males have longer claws on their front feet than the females; this helps them to hold on to a female during mating and is used during courtship displays. The male's tail is thicker and longer. Typically, the cloacal opening of the female is at or under the rear edge of the carapace, while the male's opening occurs beyond the edge of the carapace. The male's plastron is slightly concave, while


title: "Red-eared slider" content: that of the female is completely flat. The male's concave plastron also helps to stabilize the male on the female's carapace during mating. Older males can sometimes have a dark greyish-olive green melanistic coloration, with very subdued markings. The red stripe on the sides of the head may be difficult to see or be absent. The female's appearance is substantially the same throughout her life. The red-eared slider originated from the area around the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, in warm climates in the southeastern United States. Their native areas range from the southeast of Colorado to Virginia


title: "Red-eared slider" content: and Florida. In nature, they inhabit areas with a source of still, warm water, such as ponds, lakes, swamps, creeks, streams, or slow-flowing rivers. They live in areas of calm water where they are able to leave the water easily by climbing onto rocks or tree trunks so they can warm up in the sun. Individuals are often found sunbathing in a group or even on top of each other. They also require abundant aquatic plants, as these are the adults' main food, although they are omnivores. Turtles in the wild always remain close to water unless they are searching


title: "Red-eared slider" content: for a new habitat or when females leave the water to lay their eggs. Owing to their popularity as pets, red-eared sliders have been released or escaped into the wild in many parts of the world. The turtle is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species. Feral populations are now found in Australia, Europe, South Africa, the Caribbean Islands, Israel, Bahrain, the Mariana Islands, Guam, and southeast and far-east Asia. In Australia, it is illegal for members of the public to import, keep, trade, or release red-eared sliders, as they are regarded as an invasive species - see below.


title: "Red-eared slider" content: Their import has been banned by the European Union as well as specific EU member countries. In 2015 Japan announced it was planning to ban the import of red-eared sliders, but it would probably not take effect until 2020. Invasive red-eared sliders cause negative impacts in the ecosystems they occupy because they have certain advantages over the native populations, such as a lower age at maturity, higher fecundity rates, and larger body size, which gives them a competitive advantage at basking and nesting sites, as well as when exploiting food resources. They also transmit diseases and displace the other turtle


title: "Red-eared slider" content: species with which they compete for food and breeding space. Red-eared sliders are almost entirely aquatic, but as they are cold-blooded, they leave the water to sunbathe to regulate their temperature. Red-eared sliders do not hibernate, but actually brumate; while they become less active, they do occasionally rise to the surface for food or air. Brumation can occur to varying degrees. In the wild, red-eared sliders brumate over the winter at the bottoms of ponds or shallow lakes. They generally become inactive in October, when temperatures fall below . During this time, the turtles enter a state of sopor, during


title: "Red-eared slider" content: which they do not eat or defecate, they remain nearly motionless, and the frequency of their breathing falls. Individuals usually brumate underwater, but they have also been found under banks and rocks, and in hollow stumps. In warmer winter climates, they can become active and come to the surface for basking. When the temperature begins to drop again, however, they quickly return to a brumation state. Sliders generally come up for food in early March to as late as the end of April. During brumation, "T. s. elegans" can survive anaerobically for weeks, producing ATP from glycolysis. The turtle's metabolic


title: "Red-eared slider" content: rate drops dramatically, with heart rate and cardiac output dropping by 80% to minimise energy requirements. The lactic acid produced is buffered by minerals in the shell, preventing acidosis. Red-eared sliders kept captive indoors should not brumate. Courtship and mating activities for red-eared sliders usually occur between March and July, and take place under water. During courtship, the male swims around the female and flutters or vibrates the back side of his long claws on and around her face and head, possibly to direct pheromones towards her. The female swims toward the male and, if she is receptive, sinks to


title: "Red-eared slider" content: the bottom for mating. If the female is not receptive, she may become aggressive towards the male. Courtship can last 45 minutes, but mating takes only 10 minutes. On occasion, a male may appear to be courting another male, and when kept in captivity may also show this behaviour towards other household pets. Between male turtles, it could be a sign of dominance and may preclude a fight. Young turtles may carry out the courtship dance before they reach sexual maturity at five years of age, but they are unable to mate. After mating, the female spends extra time basking


title: "Red-eared slider" content: to keep her eggs warm. She may also have a change of diet, eating only certain foods, or not eating as much as she normally would. A female can lay between two and 30 eggs depending on body size and other factors. One female can lay up to five clutches in the same year, and clutches are usually spaced 12 to 36 days apart. The time between mating and egg-laying can be days or weeks. The actual egg fertilization takes place during the egg-laying. This process also permits the laying of fertile eggs the following season, as the sperm can


title: "Red-eared slider" content: remain viable and available in the female's body in the absence of mating. During the last weeks of gestation, the female spends less time in the water and smells and scratches at the ground, indicating she is searching for a suitable place to lay her eggs. The female excavates a hole, using her hind legs, and lays her eggs in it. Incubation takes 59 to 112 days. Late-season hatchlings may spend the winter in the nest and emerge when the weather warms in the spring. Just prior to hatching, the egg contains 50% turtle and 50% egg sac. A new


title: "Red-eared slider" content: hatchling breaks open its egg with its egg tooth, which falls out about an hour after hatching. This egg tooth never grows back. Hatchlings may stay inside their eggshells after hatching for the first day or two. If they are forced to leave the eggshell before they are ready, they will return if possible. When a hatchling decides to leave the shell, it still has a small sac protruding from its plastron. The yolk sac is vital and provides nourishment while visible, and several days later it will have been absorbed into the turtle's belly. The sac must be absorbed,


title: "Red-eared slider" content: and does not fall off. The split must heal on its own before the turtle is able to swim. The time between the egg hatching and water entry is 21 days. Damage to or inordinate motion of the protruding egg yolk, enough to allow air into the turtle's body, results in death. This is the main reason for marking the top of turtle eggs if their relocation is required for any reason. An egg turned upside down will eventually terminate the embryo's growth by the sac smothering the embryo. If it manages to reach term, the turtle will try to


title: "Red-eared slider" content: flip over with the yolk sac, which would allow air into the body cavity and cause death. The other fatal danger is water getting into the body cavity before the sac is absorbed completely and while the opening has not completely healed yet. The sex of red-eared sliders is determined by the incubation temperature during critical phases of the embryos' development. Only males are produced when eggs are incubated at temperatures of , whereas females develop at warmer temperatures. Colder temperatures result in the death of the embryos. Red-eared slider turtles are the world’s most commonly traded reptile, due to


title: "Red-eared slider" content: their relatively low price, small size and easy maintenance. As with other turtles, tortoises, and box turtles, individuals that survive their first year or two can be expected to live generally around 30 years. But they are an infection risk, and when they mature they can inflict painful bites, which results in many being dumped into the wild with negative ecological, social and economic impacts. Reptiles are asymptomatic (meaning they suffer no adverse side effects) carriers of bacteria of the genus "Salmonella". This has given rise to justifiable concerns given the many instances of infection of humans caused by the


title: "Red-eared slider" content: handling of turtles, which has led to restrictions in the sale of red-eared sliders in the USA. A 1975 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation bans the sale (for general commercial and public use) of both turtle eggs and turtles with a carapace length of less than . This regulation comes under the Public Health Service Act, and is enforced by the FDA in cooperation with state and local health jurisdictions. The ban was enacted because of the public health impact of turtle-associated salmonellosis. Turtles and turtle eggs found to be offered for sale in violation of this provision


title: "Red-eared slider" content: are subject to destruction in accordance with FDA procedures. A fine of up to $1,001 and/or imprisonment for up to one year is the penalty for those who refuse to comply with a valid final demand for destruction of such turtles or their eggs. Many stores and flea markets still sell small turtles due to an exception in the FDA regulation which allows turtles under to be sold "for "bona fide" scientific, educational, or exhibition purposes, other than use as pets." As with many other animals and inanimate objects, the risk of "Salmonella" exposure can be reduced by following basic


title: "Red-eared slider" content: rules of cleanliness. Small children must be taught to wash their hands immediately after they finish playing with the turtle, feeding it, or changing its water. Some states have other laws and regulations regarding possession of red-eared sliders because they can be an invasive species where they are not native and have been introduced through the pet trade. Now, it is illegal in Florida to sell any wild-type red-eared slider, as they interbreed with the local yellow-bellied slider population — "Trachemys scripta scripta" is another subspecies of pond sliders, and hybrids typically combine the markings of the two subspecies. However,


title: "Red-eared slider" content: unusual color varieties such as albino and pastel red-eared sliders, which are derived from captive breeding, are still allowed for sale. In Australia, breeding populations have been found in New South Wales and Queensland, and individual turtles have been found in the wild in Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia. Red-eared slider turtles are considered a significant threat to native turtle species – they mature more quickly, grow larger, produce more offspring and are more aggressive. Numerous studies provide evidence that red-eared slider turtles can out-compete native turtles for food and nesting and basking sites. Because red-eared slider


title: "Red-eared slider" content: turtles eat plants as well as animals, they could also have a negative impact on a range of native aquatic species, including rare frogs. There is also a significant risk that red-eared slider turtles will transfer diseases and parasites to native reptile species. There is evidence that a malaria-like parasite was spread to two wild turtle populations in Lane Cove River, Sydney. Social and economic costs are also likely to be substantial. The Queensland government has invested close to $1 million AUD in eradication programs to date. As outlined in the foregoing section, the turtle may also have significant public


title: "Red-eared slider" content: health costs due to the impacts of turtle-associated salmonella on human health. Outbreaks in multiple states and fatalities in children, associated with handling salmonella-infected turtles, have been recorded in the USA. Salmonella can also spread to humans when turtles contaminate drinking water. There have been varying degrees of action by state governments to date, ranging from ongoing eradication efforts by the Queensland government to very little action by the government of New South Wales. Experts have ranked the species as high priority for management in Australia and are calling for a national prevention and eradication strategy, including a concerted education


title: "Red-eared slider" content: and compliance program to stop the illegal trade, possession and release of slider turtles. Within the second volume of the "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", the popular comic book heroes were revealed as specimens of the red-eared slider. The popularity of the Turtles led to a craze for keeping them as pets in Great Britain, and subsequent ecological havoc as turtles were accidentally or deliberately released into the wild. Red-eared slider The red-eared slider ("Trachemys scripta elegans"), also known as the red-eared terrapin, is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of the


title: Senecio content: as well. In its current circumscription, the genus contains species that are annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, small trees, aquatics or climbers. The only species which are trees are the species formerly belonging to "Robinsonia" occurring on the Juan Fernández Islands. The genus "Senecio" is distributed almost worldwide. It is one of the few genera occurring in all five regions with a Mediterranean climate. Furthermore, species are found in mountainous regions, including tropical alpine-like areas. Many genera and the whole tribe are in need of revision. Many species currently placed in the genus need to be transferred to other or


title: "Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou" content: to Juhel de Mayenne, on condition that he help obtain the inheritance of Geoffrey's wife. In 1139 Matilda landed in England with 140 knights, where she was besieged at Arundel Castle by King Stephen. In the "Anarchy" which ensued, Stephen was captured at Lincoln in February 1141, and imprisoned at Bristol. A legatine council of the English church held at Winchester in April 1141 declared Stephen deposed and proclaimed Matilda "Lady of the English". During 1142 and 1143, Geoffrey secured all of Normandy west and south of the Seine, and, on 14 January 1144, he crossed the Seine and entered


title: "Bell pepper" content: Bell pepper The bell pepper (also known as sweet pepper, pepper or capsicum ) is a cultivar group of the species "Capsicum annuum". Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colours, including red, yellow, orange, green, white, and purple. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungent pepper varieties as "sweet peppers". Peppers are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Pepper seeds were imported to Spain in 1493, and from there, spread to Europe and Asia. The mild bell pepper cultivar was developed in 1920s, in Szeged, Hungary. Preferred growing conditions for bell peppers include warm,


title: "Bell pepper" content: moist soil in a temperate range of . The misleading name "pepper" was given by Europeans when Christopher Columbus brought the plant back to Europe. At that time, black pepper (peppercorns), from the unrelated plant "Piper nigrum" originating from India, was a highly prized condiment; the name "pepper" was at that time applied in Europe to all known spices with a hot and pungent taste and was therefore naturally extended to the newly discovered genus "Capsicum". The most commonly used alternative name of the plant family, "chile", is of Mexican origin, from the Nahuatl word "chilli". Botanically speaking, bell peppers


title: "Bell pepper" content: are fruits; however, they are considered vegetables in culinary contexts. The bell pepper is the only member of the genus "Capsicum" that does not produce capsaicin, a lipophilic chemical that can cause a strong burning sensation when it comes in contact with mucous membranes. The lack of capsaicin in bell peppers is due to a recessive form of a gene that eliminates capsaicin and, consequently, the "hot" taste usually associated with the rest of the genus "Capsicum". This recessive gene is overwritten in the Mexibelle pepper, a hybrid variety of bell pepper that produces small amounts of capsaicin (and is


title: "Bell pepper" content: thus mildly pungent). Sweet pepper cultivars produce non-pungent capsaicinoids. The terms "bell pepper" (US, Canada), "pepper" or "sweet pepper" (UK), and "capsicum" (Australia, India, New Zealand and Pakistan) are often used for any of the large bell-shaped peppers, regardless of their color. The vegetable is simply referred to as a "pepper", or additionally by color ("green pepper" or red, yellow, orange, purple, brown, black). In the Midland region of the U.S., bell peppers when stuffed and pickled are sometimes called "mangoes." Canadian English uses both "bell pepper" and "pepper" interchangeably. In some languages, the term "paprika", which has its roots


title: "Bell pepper" content: in the word for pepper, is used for both the spice and the fruit – sometimes referred to by their colour (e.g., "groene paprika", "gele paprika", in Dutch, which are green and yellow, respectively). The bell pepper is called "パプリカ" ("papurika") or "ピーマン" ("piiman", from Portuguese "pimentão") in Japan. In Switzerland, the fruit is mostly called "peperone", which is the Italian name of the fruit. In France, it is called "poivron", with the same root as "poivre" (meaning "pepper") or "piment". In Spain it is called "pimiento", which would be the masculine form of the traditional spice, "pimienta". In South


title: "Bell pepper" content: Korea, the word "피망" ("pimang" from the Japanese "ピーマン" ("piiman")) refers to green bell peppers, whereas "파프리카" ("papeurika" from paprika) refers to bell peppers of other colors. In Sri Lanka, the fruit used as a vegetable is called "maalu miris". The most common colors of bell peppers are green, yellow, orange and red. More rarely, brown, white, lavender, and dark purple peppers can be seen, depending on the variety. Most typically, unripe fruits are green or, less commonly, pale yellow or purple. Red bell peppers are simply ripened green peppers, although the "Permagreen" variety maintains its green color even when


title: "Bell pepper" content: fully ripe. As such, mixed colored peppers also exist during parts of the ripening process. Green peppers are less sweet and slightly more bitter than yellow or orange peppers, with red bell peppers being the sweetest. The taste of ripe peppers can also vary with growing conditions and post-harvest storage treatment; the sweetest fruits are allowed to ripen fully on the plant in full sunshine, while fruit harvested green and after-ripened in storage is less sweet. Bell peppers contain 94% water, 5% carbohydrates, and negligible fat and protein (table). They are rich sources of vitamin C, containing 97% of the


title: "Bell pepper" content: Daily Value (DV) in a 100 gram reference amount (table). Red bell peppers have more vitamin C content than green bell peppers. Vitamin B6 is moderate in content (17% DV), with no other micronutrients having significant amounts of the DV (table). China is the world's largest producer of bell and chile peppers, followed by Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia, and the United States. Bell pepper The bell pepper (also known as sweet pepper, pepper or capsicum ) is a cultivar group of the species "Capsicum annuum". Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colours, including red, yellow, orange, green, white, and


title: "Trail of Tears" content: of the last Eastern capital of the Cherokee Nation. Because of the diseases, the Indians were not allowed to go into any towns or villages along the way; many times this meant traveling much farther to go around them. After crossing Tennessee and Kentucky, they arrived at the Ohio River across from Golconda in southern Illinois about the 3rd of December 1838. Here the starving Indians were charged a dollar a head (equal to $ today) to cross the river on "Berry's Ferry" which typically charged twelve cents, equal to $ today. They were not allowed passage until the ferry


title: BlackBerry content: BlackBerry BlackBerry is a line of smartphones, tablets, and services originally designed and marketed by Canadian company BlackBerry Limited (formerly known as Research In Motion, or RIM). These are currently designed, manufactured, and marketed by TCL Communication (under the brand of BlackBerry Mobile), BB Merah Putih, and Optiemus Infracom for the global, Indonesian, and South Asian markets (respectively) using the BlackBerry brand under license. BlackBerry was one of the most prominent smartphone vendors in the world, specializing in secure communications and mobile productivity, and well-known for the keyboards on most of its devices. At its peak in September 2013, there


title: BlackBerry content: were 85 million BlackBerry subscribers worldwide. However, BlackBerry has since lost its dominant position in the market due to the success of the Android and iOS platforms; the same numbers had fallen to 23 million in March 2016. The BlackBerry line traditionally uses a proprietary operating system developed by BlackBerry Limited known as BlackBerry OS. In 2013, BlackBerry introduced BlackBerry 10, a major revamp of the platform based on the QNX operating system. BlackBerry 10 was meant to replace the aging BlackBerry OS platform with a new system that was more in line with the user experiences of modern smartphone


title: BlackBerry content: operating systems. The first BB10 powered device was the BlackBerry Z10, which was followed by other all-touch and keyboard-equipped models; including the BlackBerry Q10, BlackBerry Classic, Blackberry Z30 (with stereo speakers ), BlackBerry Passport, and the BlackBerry Leap. In 2015, BlackBerry re-focused its business strategy and began to release Android-based smartphones, beginning with the BlackBerry Priv slider and then the BlackBerry DTEK50. On September 28, 2016, BlackBerry announced it would cease designing its own phones in favor of licensing to partners. TCL Communication became the global licensee of the brand, under the name "BlackBerry Mobile." Optiemus Infracom, under the name


title: BlackBerry content: BlackBerry Mobile India, and BB Merah Putih also serve as licensees of the brand, serving the Indian and Indonesian markets, respectively. In February 2017, BlackBerry Mobile released the BlackBerry KeyOne, which was known for having a physical keyboard below the 4.5 inch screen, having a great battery life, and the last device to be designed by BlackBerry Limited. BlackBerry Mobile's latest Android smartphone is the BlackBerry Motion. The BlackBerry Key2 was officially announced on June 7, 2018. These devices, along with BB Merah Purih's BlackBerry Aurora make up BlackBerry's current lineup. In June 2018, BlackBerry KEY2 was launch in international


title: BlackBerry content: markets, and in India by licensee Optiemus Infracom . The KEY2 is the first BlackBerry-branded smartphone to sport a dual camera setup, and it incorporates features such as portrait mode and optical zoom. In August 2018, After the launch of BlackBerry KEY2, Optiemus Infracom has announced the launch of Evolve and Evolve X smartphones for the Indian market sold exclusively on Amazon India. The smartphones have been conceptualized, designed and manufactured in India. The Evolve Series was officially announced on August 2, 2018. RIM, founded in Waterloo, Ontario, first developed the Inter@ctive Pager 900, announced on September 18, 1996. The


title: BlackBerry content: Inter@ctive Pager 900 was a clamshell-type device that allowed two-way paging. After the success of the 900, the Inter@ctive Pager 800 was created for IBM, which bought US$10 million worth of them on February 4, 1998. The next device to be released was the Inter@ctive Pager 950, on August 26, 1998. The very first device to carry the BlackBerry name was the BlackBerry 850, an email pager, released January 19, 1999. Although identical in appearance to the 950, the 850 was the first device to integrate email and the name Inter@ctive Pager was no longer used to brand the device.


title: BlackBerry content: The first BlackBerry device, the 850, was introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager in Munich, Germany. The name BlackBerry was coined by the marketing company Lexicon Branding. The name was chosen due to the resemblance of the keyboard's buttons to that of the drupelets that compose the blackberry fruit. The original BlackBerry devices, the RIM 850 and 857, used the DataTAC network. In 2002, the more commonly known convergent smartphone BlackBerry was released, which supports push email, mobile telephone, text messaging, Internet faxing, Web browsing and other wireless information services. BlackBerry gained market share in the mobile industry by


title: BlackBerry content: concentrating on email. BlackBerry began to offer email service on non-BlackBerry devices, such as the Palm Treo, through the proprietary BlackBerry Connect software. The original BlackBerry device had a monochrome display while newer models installed color displays. All newer models have been optimized for "thumbing", the use of only the thumbs to type on a keyboard. The Storm 1 and Storm 2 include a SureType keypad for typing. Originally, system navigation was achieved with the use of a scroll wheel mounted on the right side of device models prior to the 8700. The trackwheel was replaced by the trackball with


title: BlackBerry content: the introduction of the Pearl series, which allowed four-way scrolling. The trackball was replaced by the optical trackpad with the introduction of the Curve 8500 series. Models made to use iDEN networks, such as Nextel, SouthernLINC, NII Holdings, and Mike also incorporate a push-to-talk (PTT) feature, similar to a two-way radio. On January 30, 2013, BlackBerry announced the release of the Z10 and Q10 smartphones. Both models consist of touch screens: the Z10 features an all-touch design and the Q10 combines a QWERTY keyboard with touchscreen features. During the second financial quarter of 2013, BlackBerry sold 6.8 million handsets, but


title: BlackBerry content: was eclipsed by the sales of competitor Nokia's Lumia model for the first time. On August 12, 2013, BlackBerry announced the intention to sell the company due to their increasingly unfavourable financial position and competition in the mobile industry. Largely due to lower than expected sales on the Z10, BlackBerry announced on September 20, 2013 that 4,500 full- and part-time positions (an estimated 40% of its operating staff) have been terminated and its product line has been reduced from six to four models. On September 23, 2013, Fairfax Financial, which owns a 10% equity stake in BlackBerry, made an offer


title: BlackBerry content: to acquire BlackBerry for $4.7 billion (at $9.00 per share). Following the announcement, BlackBerry announced an acceptance of the offer provisionally but it would continue to seek other offers until November 4, 2013. On November 4, 2013, BlackBerry replaced Thorsten Heins with new interim CEO John S. Chen, the former CEO of Sybase. On November 8, the BlackBerry board rejected proposals from several technology companies for various BlackBerry assets on grounds that a break-up did not serve the interest of all stakeholders, which include employees, customers and suppliers in addition to shareholders, said the sources, who did not want to


title: BlackBerry content: be identified as the discussions were confidential. On November 13, 2013, Chen released an open message: "We are committed to reclaiming our success." In early July 2014, the "TechCrunch" online publication published an article titled "BlackBerry Is One Of The Hottest Stocks Of 2014, Seriously", following a 50 percent rise in the company's stock, an increase that was greater than peer companies such as Apple and Google; however, an analysis of BlackBerry's financial results showed that neither revenue or profit margin were improved, but, instead, costs were markedly reduced. During the same period, BlackBerry also introduced the new Passport handset


title: BlackBerry content: — consisting of a square screen with "Full HD-class" (1,440 x 1,440) resolution and marketed to professional fields such as healthcare and architecture — promoted its Messenger app and released minor updates for the BB10 mobile operating system. On December 17, 2014, the BlackBerry Classic was introduced; it is meant to be more in line with the former Bold series, incorporating navigation buttons similar to the previous BlackBerry OS devices. When it was discontinued in June 2016, it was the last BlackBerry with a keyboard that dominates the front of the phone in the classic style. In September 2015, BlackBerry