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Matthew Patay's
Note of the Month
March 2006
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Map and flag images provided by Graphic Maps
This month's featured note
is from the country of Costa Rica.
The denomination is 2,000 Colones and the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money
(SCWPM) Number is P-265.
The note is dated 1997.
-dab_f.jpg)
(front)
The banknote is brown-orange and dark brown on multi-colored underprint.
Clodomiro Picado Twight (1887
- 1944), Costa Rican born scientist and world renowned toxicologist is at center
right. Coco Island is in the underprint at center.
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The following information
was obtained from:
Wikipedia the
Free Encyclopedia
Clodomiro Picado Twight
(1887 - 1944)
Born in 1887, Costa Rican Scientist Dr. Clodomiro Picado Twight, also known as Clorito Picado, was known as a preeminent Latin American pioneer in toxicology.
He published some 115 research papers in his lifetime, delving into nearly all aspects of his environment: soil, flora, fauna, human tissues, water, plant pathology and others. He obtained diplomas in zoology and botany, as well as a doctorate degree from La Sorbonne in 1913. His doctoral dissertation was a series of 3 papers on Costa Rican bromeliads'.
Dr. Clodomiro’s research contributed to the development and innovation of biological sciences. In 1927 he published the results of research which demonstrated the inhibitory action of the bacillus genus penicillium sp on the proliferation of the bacteria staphylococcus and streptococcus, which led to the development of penicillin. Although, the discovery of penicillin has been attributed to Alexander Fleming, Clorito's old laboratory notebooks from 1923, show records of the antibiosis of penicillium sp.
His greatest internationally recognized achievements were for his studies of venomous snakes and his contribution to the development of various antivenom serums.
Other significant scientific contributions came from his research on bacterial diseases affecting beans and those causing coffee fermentation, as well as his studies demonstrating the beneficial effects of iodine. Dr. Picado died in 1944.
The following information
was obtained from:
National Parks Foundation,
Costa Rica
Coco
Island
(For the full article, please refer
to the link above.)
Cocos Island has a circumference of about 23 kilometers (12 km.long by approximately 5 km. wide) and a land area of 46.6 square kilometers The highest point, Cerro Iglesias (600 meters above sea level), is located on the western portion of the island. Since most of the coast is very abrupt and rugged, only two buys, Chatham and Wafer, both found on the northern end, are safe for anchorage. Cocos' steep cliffs are remnants of íts volcanic origin, and the entire island is composed chiefly of lava flows of labocorite and andesite. The islets observed around the island are of columnar basalt. They serve as important nesting areas for marine birds like the Boobies, Seagulls and Noddies.
The origin of its fauna is mainly eastern Pacific, Galapagos and Central American mainland, but several groups, including some corals, are of Indo Pacific origin very few species are related to the Atlantic-Caribbean province.
At least 60 species of animals are endemic to the island, several of which are on the endangered species list. Fortunately, the abrupt topography and the remoteness of the island have inhibited the establishment of permanent settlements therefore avoiding the destruction of the natural flora and fauna.
Fifty-nine species of fish, ninety-seven molluscs, fifty-seven crustaceans, two lizards and seven land birds have been reported. The island has seventy-four species of birds, including three that are endemic: the Cocos Island Flycatcher, (Nesotricus ridgwayi). Cocos Island Finch, (Pinaroloxias inornata) and the Cocos Island Cuckoo (Cocyzus ferrugineus). One of the most startling beautiful of all the birds that visit the island for nesting is the "Espíritu Santo" (White Tern) a small white species which often hovers in the air just a few feet above one's head, totally unafraid of visitors.
The flora of Cocos consists of 155 vascular and 48 nonvascular plants, of which about 15% are endemic. Several trails on the Island permit visitors to penetrate the enchanting forests of giant, moss-draped trees, dripping bromeliads, colossall tree ferns, svelte palms and tangled vines.
Many unanswered questions about the natural history of Cocos remain for example it is unknown if some of the fish populations live there permanently or migrate into the area periodically. Although current research is continually contributing to our knowledge of the island, basic information of the land and marine biota is needed. Understanding the natural history of the island, park planners and managers will be better equipped to protect the island.----------
-dab_b.jpg)
(back)
A hammerhead shark is at left and a dolphin is at lower center.
The following information
was obtained from:
Wikipedia the Free
Encyclopedia
Hammerhead
Sharks
(For
the full article, please refer to the link above.)
The hammerhead shark (genus Sphyrna) is a member of the family Sphyrnidae. The only other genus of Sphyrnidae, Eusphyra, contains only one species, E. blochii, the winghead shark).
The eight species of hammerhead range from 2–6 m long, and all species have projections on both sides of the head that give it a resemblance to a flattened hammer. The shark's eyes and nostrils are at the tips of the extensions.
It is an aggressive predator that eats fish, rays, other sharks, cephalopods, and crustaceans. It is found in warmer waters along coastlines and continental shelves.
The shape of the head seems to act as a wing, aiding in close-quarters maneuverability, allowing sharks to execute sharp turns without loss of stability. It also seems to help in electrolocation by separating the receptors, thus giving hammerheads a wider area of search. These sharks have been able to detect an electronic signal of half a billionth of a volt. The hammer shaped head also gives these sharks larger nasal tract, increasing the chance of finding a particle in the water by at least 10 times as compared to other 'classical' sharks. Hammerheads have proportionately small mouths and seem to do a lot of bottom-hunting. They are also known to form schools during the day, sometimes in groups of over 100. In the evening, like other sharks, they become lonely hunters.
Reproduction in the hammerhead shark occurs once a year and each litter contains 12–15 pups. Hammerhead shark mating courtship is a very violent affair. The male will bite the female until she acquiesces, allowing mating to occur. Unlike many other shark species, the hammerhead shark has internal fertilization which creates a safe environment for the sperm to unite with the egg. The embryo develops within the female inside a placenta and is fed through an umbilical cord, much like in mammals. The gestation period is 10–12 months. Once the pups are born the parents do not stay with them and they are left to fend for themselves.
Of the eight species of hammerhead, three (3) can be dangerous to humans: the scalloped, great, and smooth hammerheads.
The following information
was obtained from:
Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia
Dolphins
(For
the full article, please refer to the link above.)
Evolution and anatomy of dolphins
Dolphins, along with whales and porpoises, are descendants of land-living mammals, most likely of the Artiodactyl order. Modern dolphin skeletons have two small rod shaped pelvic bones thought to be left-over hind legs. They entered the water roughly 50 million years ago. See evolution of cetaceans for the details.
Dolphins have a fusiform body, adapted for fast swimming. The head contains the melon, a round organ used for echolocation. In many species, the jaws are elongated, forming a distinct beak; for some species like the Bottlenose, there is a curved mouth that looks like a fixed smile. Teeth can be very numerous (up to 250) in several species. The dolphin brain is large and has a highly structured cortex, which often is referred to in discussions about their high intelligence.
Their teeth are arranged in a way that works as an array or antenna focusing the incoming sound, making it easier for them to pinpoint the exact location of an object. The basic coloration patterns are shades of gray with a light underside and a distinct dark cape on the back. It is often combined with lines and patches of different hue and contrast. See individual species articles for details.
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For more information about Costa Rica visit:
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