Ever wondered about those cool icons you see on our animal educational cards? Get ready to unlock their secrets! Welcome to our icon glossary page, where we explain all those awesome symbols and what they really mean.
Core Icons
Species/Scientific Name
This icon reveals the official names of animals, their special 'scientific' name that scientists use to identify each unique creature in the animal kingdom. This is the final level of the Taxonomy tree.
HEIGHT
This icon gives you the lowdown on how tall or short an animal can be. It's like having a measuring tape for animals, helping you figure out how big or small they are compared to us.
LENGTH
This icon indicates how long or short an animal can stretch out to be. It helps you understand the size of the animal compared to other creatures, almost like using a super cool ruler specifically made for animals.
WEIGHT
This icon gives you the scoop on how heavy or light an animal can be. It's like having a set of scales for animals, helping you figure out their weight compared to other creatures.
DIET
This icon describes what an animal eats, whether it's plants, meat, or a mix of both. It gives us insight into the specific menu these creatures follow to stay healthy and energised.
INTERESTING FACT
This icon unveils captivating and unique information about the featured animal. It adds a surprising or fascinating detail that makes these incredible creatures even more captivating!
Standard Icons
TOP SPEED
This icon reveals how fast an animal can zoom around! Find out the ultimate speed record for your favourite animal and their friends in the animal kingdom.
LIFE EXPECTANCY
This icon reveals the average lifespan of an animal species, showing how long these amazing creatures typically live. It's like peeking into the future to know the expected duration of these incredible animals' lives.
HABITAT
This icon describes the specific places where an animal lives, like forests, deserts, or oceans. It's like peeking into an animal's home to see the environments they call their own.
REGION
This icon shows you the regions within a continent where an animal lives. It's narrowing down the search field for where you can find their home.
COLLECTIVE NOUN
This icon shares the fun and unique word used to describe a group of these animals. It's like unlocking the secret code for the awesome names we give to groups of these creatures when they're all together.
BABY NAME
This icon shares the term used to refer to the young ones of a particular animal species. It's like discovering the special name given to these adorable baby creatures.
GESTATION
This icon refers to the period when a female animal is pregnant, carrying and developing its babies before they are born. It provides insight into the special time when these awesome creatures are growing inside their mothers.
INCUBATION
This icon reveals how long an animal's eggs are kept warm before they hatch. It's like knowing the special countdown until new life begins for these amazing creatures.
LITTER / CLUTCH SIZE
This icon tells you the number of offspring typically born or hatched at one time for a particular species. It provides insight into the average size of the family for these amazing creatures.
Specialised Icons
WINGSPAN
This icon reveals how wide an birds wings can spread out. It measures the distance from tip to tip of a bird wings, showing how far they can soar through the skies.
Depth Zone
This icon represents what depth of water an aquatic animal is found in the ocean. It's like having a specialised map that helps you understand the amazing adaptations needed to survive, whether the animal lives in the sunny shallows or the crushing darkness of the trenches!
CONSERVATION STATUS
This icon showcases the status of how endangered or secure a species is in the wild. It's like knowing the 'health report' of these incredible creatures, whether they need extra help or are doing well in their natural homes. Refer to the IUNC Red List.
CONSERVATION TREND
This icon illustrates whether a species' conservation status is improving, declining, or staying stable over time. It helps us track the 'health trends' for these amazing creatures, understanding if things are getting better or if they need more support.
Farm Purpose
This icon represents the primary purpose the animal serves on the farm. It helps explorers quickly understand the animal's key role in agriculture, such as raising for Dairy, Meat, or Fibre. It grounds the animal in its economic and human context.
ANIMAL SOUNDS
This icon lets you in on the noises animals make, like their roars, chirps, or howls. It's like having a backstage pass to listen to the incredible voices and unique languages of the animal kingdom.
SIMPLE PHONETIC
This icon provides an easy-to-read guide on how to say a dinosaur's name. It's like having a special code to sound out the tricky parts and say these awesome dinosaur names correctly.
NAME MEANING / COMMON NAME / ALTERNATIVE NAME:
This icon spills the beans on the meanings behind an animal's name, its cool nicknames, and the names most people use to talk about that animal.
FOSSIL DISCOVERY
This icon represents the exciting moment where scientists found and uncover the remains or evidence of a dinosaur. It's like stepping into a time machine and discovering clues from the ancient past.
Geological Time Scale
This icon represents the specific geological time period when that amazing creature roamed the Earth. Because the age of the dinosaurs spans millions of years, this fact helps you understand which era your animal belongs to - whether it was the Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous period - and when exactly it lived.
MILLION YEARS AGO
This icon represents the timeframe or era in history when a particular dinosaur species lived. It's like taking a trip back in time to understand when these amazing creatures roamed the Earth.
FOSSIL NAMED BY
This icon indicates the scientist or individual who officially named and identified the discovered dinosaur fossil. Understanding this helps us recognise and remember the explorer who gave these incredible ancient creatures their names
You've now explored the meaning behind every icon and seen just how much information they represent! This glossary is your key to understanding the incredible world of animals on a deeper level. But guess what? There's so much more to learn!
While our cards offer a fantastic introduction, we're currently building our Member Animal Library. This exciting upcoming feature will give members exclusive access to over 50 in-depth facts and stats for each animal! You'll be able to dive deeper into their habitats, behaviours, and unique characteristics. Keep an eye out for our launch announcement, and see below for a list of the upcoming facts!
Member Animal Library: Beyond the Card
All Core and Standard Icons are included and expanded upon in the Animal Library. The categories below highlight the 50+ additional, in-depth facts and metrics you gain access to as a member.
Who Am I?
TAXONOMY CLASSIFICATIONS
This icon helps organise animals into groups based on their similarities, like a big family tree that shows how different animals are related to each other.
Domain > Kingdom > Phylum > Class > Order > Family > Genus
AUTHORITY
This icon tells you the clever person who first discovered and officially named the animal, giving it its special scientific name. It's like knowing the super cool detective who cracked the case of naming that animal.
NAME MEANING / COMMON NAME / ALTERNATIVE NAME:
This icon spills the beans on the meanings behind an animal's name, its cool nicknames, and the names most people use to talk about that animal.
RELATED ANIMALS
This icon presents other species that are closely linked to the featured animal, sharing common traits or characteristics. It's the 'family tree' of these amazing creatures, discovering their close relatives in the animal kingdom!
What Do I look like?
WINGSPAN
This icon reveals how wide an birds wings can spread out. It measures the distance from tip to tip of a bird wings, showing how far they can soar through the skies.
COLOUR
This icon describes the vibrant shades and hues that make up an animal's appearance. You'll uncover the vibrant palette nature uses to paint these amazing creatures.
PELAGE / SKIN TYPE
This icon reveals the type, texture, and colour of an animal's fur or hair. It's like peeking into a secret wardrobe of an animal to know all about its cozy, furry coat.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
This icon highlights unique characteristics or standout traits that make an animal special. Exploring these features is like discovering the superhero powers or fancy accessories that set each animal apart.
SEXUAL DIMORPHISM
This icon shows how males and females of a species can look different. It's like having a secret decoder to spot the unique features that make boys and girls of certain animals stand out from each other.
THERMOREGULATION
This icon explains how animals control their body temperature. Are they cold blooded and need the sun to warm up or can they internally control their temperature
BODY TEMPERATURE
This icon tells you the typical temperature range an animal's body stays at. It's like having a thermometer to know how warm or cool they usually are.
ANIMAL SOUNDS
This icon lets you in on the noises animals make, like their roars, chirps, or howls. It's like having a backstage pass to listen to the incredible voices and unique languages of the animal kingdom.
Where Do I Live?
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
This icon shows you where in the world an animal lives. It's like having a treasure map that reveals the specific places on our planet where these amazing creatures call home.
CONTINENT
This icon tells you which continent or continents an animal can be found on. It provides insight into the areas worldwide where these amazing creatures call home!
COUNTRY
This icon pinpoints the specific country or countries where an animal can be found. It directs you to the exact places within a country where these incredible creatures roam.
CLIMATE ZONES
This icon reveals whether an animal prefers temperate, tropical, or polar climates. It provides insight into the preferred weather conditions of these creatures, whether they prefer mild, hot, or cold climates.
Farm Purpose
This icon represents the primary purpose the animal serves on the farm. It helps explorers quickly understand the animal's key role in agriculture, such as raising for Dairy, Meat, or Fibre. It grounds the animal in its economic and human context.
Depth Zone
This icon represents what depth of water an aquatic animal is found in the ocean. It's like having a specialised map that helps you understand the amazing adaptations needed to survive, whether the animal lives in the sunny shallows or the crushing darkness of the trenches!
Behaviour
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
This icon explains how an animal's body clock works, including when they sleep, wake up, and do their daily activities. Understanding their secret schedule helps us learn about their daily routine and habits.
LOCOMOTION
This icon tells you how animals move around, like walking, hopping, flying, or swimming. It helps us understand the different ways these creatures travel from one place to another.
SOCIAL TYPE
This icon explains how animals interact with others of their kind, whether they're solitary, live in pairs, or groups. Discover the social lives of these amazing creatures, whether they like hanging out alone or have heaps of friends.
MOVEMENT PATTERNS
This icon reveals how animals travel or migrate from one place to another. It's like understanding the special paths these creatures take during their journeys, whether they travel short distances or embark on epic migrations!
SOCIAL STRUCTURES
This icon explains how animals organise their groups, whether they have leaders, hierarchies, or special roles within their communities. Let's begin to understand how they live together and look after each other.
COMMUNICATION METHODS
This icon uncovers how animals talk to each other, whether through sounds, gestures, or smells. It unveils the amazing ways these creatures chat and share information in their own secret languages.
What Do I Eat?
FOODS CONSUMED
This icon lists the specific types of food an animal enjoys, like fruits, insects, fish, or grasses. It gives us a glimpse into their pantry, revealing the yummy treats these creatures munch on to stay strong and healthy!
FORAGING BEHAVIOUR
This icon explains how animals search for food, whether they scavenge, hunt, or gather. It's like understanding the awesome ways these creatures go on their food-finding adventures!
Reproduction
REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR
This icon reveals how animals choose their partners for breeding. Understand the special ways these creatures form relationships for starting families.
REPRODUCTIVE TYPE
This icon explains how animals reproduce, whether they lay eggs, give birth to live young, or have other unique ways of bringing new life into the world.
REPRODUCTIVE SEASON
This icon tells you the time of year when animals mate, whether it's during a particular season or throughout the year. Understanding the seasonal patterns helps us learn when each animal begins growing their families!
SEXUAL MATURITY
This icon indicates the age at which animals reach adulthood and become capable of reproducing. Uncover the milestone when these amazing creatures are ready to start their own families.
GENDER TERMS
This icon explains the specific words used to describe males, females, and sometimes other genders within a species. Unlock the special vocabulary used to identify and talk about the different genders of these incredible creatures.
INDEPENDENCE AGE
This icon reveals the age at which young animals become self-sufficient or can survive on their own. It's like understanding the milestone when these amazing creatures start their journey into independence.
Am I at Threat?
CONSERVATION STATUS
This icon showcases the status of how endangered or secure a species is in the wild. It's like knowing the 'health report' of these incredible creatures, whether they need extra help or are doing well in their natural homes. Refer to the IUNC Red List.
CONSERVATION TREND
This icon illustrates whether a species' conservation status is improving, declining, or staying stable over time. It helps us track the 'health trends' for these amazing creatures, understanding if things are getting better or if they need more support.
POPULATION
This icon represents the estimated number of animals within a specific species or group. It's like having a headcount of these incredible creatures, giving us an idea of how many of them exist in the wild.
THREATS
This icon outlines the various dangers or challenges that pose risks to a species' survival in their natural habitat. It's like understanding the obstacles these incredible creatures face, helping us work towards their protection and safety.
PREDATORS
This icon lists the animals that hunt or prey upon a particular species. Get to know who the 'big bads' are in the natural world for each incredible creature.
ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS
This icon highlights the effects an animal species has on its environment, including its role in maintaining the balance of nature. It's like understanding the 'ripple effects' these incredible creatures have on the world around them.
PREHISTORIC SPECIFIC
SIMPLE PHONETIC
This icon provides an easy-to-read guide on how to say a dinosaur's name. It's like having a special code to sound out the tricky parts and say these awesome dinosaur names correctly.
FOSSIL DISCOVERY
This icon represents the exciting moment where scientists found and uncover the remains or evidence of a dinosaur. It's like stepping into a time machine and discovering clues from the ancient past.
Geological Time Scale
This icon represents the specific geological time period when that amazing creature roamed the Earth. Because the age of the dinosaurs spans millions of years, this fact helps you understand which era your animal belongs to - whether it was the Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous period - and when exactly it lived.
MILLIONS YEARS AGO
This icon represents the timeframe or era in history when a particular dinosaur species lived. It's like taking a trip back in time to understand when these amazing creatures roamed the Earth.
FOSSIL NAMED BY
This icon indicates the scientist or individual who officially named and identified the discovered dinosaur fossil. Understanding this helps us recognise and remember the explorer who gave these incredible ancient creatures their names