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Biodiversity Pics

@biodiversitypix.bsky.social

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The Biodiversity Heritage Library contains thousands of historical illustrations of flora and fauna. This unaffiliated bot shares random images from the collection.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1h

🐃 Buffon's Natural history, .
London: Printed for the Proprietor, and sold by H. D. Symonds, 1797-1807..

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Historical illustration from Buffon's Natural History showing two animals: the upper panel depicts a buffalo standing on grass with a robust body, short tail, curved upward horns, and a shaggy beard. The lower panel shows a bison in a dynamic, aggressive stance with lowered head, slightly curved horns, muscular build, and raised tail, set against a grassy landscape under a cloudy sky. Both illustrations are framed and labeled "FIG 137 Buffalo" and "FIG 138 Bison" respectively, highlighting the physical contrasts between the two bovines. The print has a vintage, hand-colored style typical of late 18th-century natural history works.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 3h

🔭 Voyage au pole sud et dans l'Océanie sur les corvettes l'Astrolabe et la Zélée: Paris: Gide et J. Baudry ..., 1842-1853.

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Illustration from an 1842-1853 expedition publication, depicting two coiled snakes labeled "Dendrophide lineolé" and "Tropidolaime de Hombron." The larger snake on the left is brown with yellow underbelly and detailed scales, its head raised and turned right. Above it, a detailed black-and-white snake skull is shown. The smaller snake on the right is green with a yellow underside, also coiled with its head raised. The style is scientific and precise, capturing anatomical and color details for study during the historic voyage to the South Pole and Oceania.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 5h

🦆 The birds of North America
New York, U.S.A.: Published under the auspices of the Natural Science Association of America, 1895, c1888.

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Illustration of various North American waterfowl, primarily geese and related birds, perched and standing on rocky outcrops by the water. The birds feature detailed plumage in shades of white, black, grey, and brown with bright orange beaks and feet. Some have distinctive markings like white face patches or black-and-white contrasts. The scene reflects a naturalistic group setting of different species, showcasing the diversity in size, posture, and coloration typical of geese and similar aquatic birds. The image is a vintage scientific plate from 1895, with numbered birds for reference.

Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 7h

❄ The Danish Ingolf-Expedition.
Copenhagen: H. Hagerup, 1899-1928.

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Illustration from the Danish Ingolf Expedition (1899-1928) showing detailed scientific drawings of various Echinothuriid skeletal structures collected in the Arctic. The image features 27 finely detailed, numbered views of irregular, hollow, and porous ossicles and spines with diverse shapes, including elongated, bulbous, and forked forms. Each structure is rendered in fine stippling and line work, emphasizing texture and internal openings. The layout is organized in rows on a plain background, with Latin and expedition titles at the top and bottom. This plate serves as a historical scientific record of Arctic echinoderm anatomy.

Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 9h

🕸️ The animal kingdom
London: Printed for G.B. Whittaker, 1827-1835.

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Illustration from "The Animal Kingdom" (London, 1827-1835) depicting four detailed drawings of different arachnids, specifically harvestmen. Each arachnid has a segmented body and long, thin legs, with variations in leg length and body shape. The species are labeled as 1. Pycnogonum grotesipes, 2. Pyc. littorale, 3. Pyc. sanguineum, and 4. Nymphon gracile. The drawings emphasize anatomical features such as jointed legs, claws, and body segments, reflecting an early 19th-century scientific study of arachnid morphology. The paper shows slight aging with minor spots.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 11h

🌊 Voyage autour du monde sur la frégate la Vénus
Paris: Gide et J. Baudry, 1846 [atlas]-1855 [text]

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Historical illustration titled "Voyage autour du monde sur la frégate la Vénus" shows detailed scientific drawings of the coral species Gorgonia plantaginea from the Pacific coast of Mazatlan. The main subject is a large, branching brown coral with numerous thin, finger-like projections extending from a thick, textured base attached to a piece of rock. Additional smaller coral segments and cross-sectional views are depicted around the main illustration, highlighting the coral's structure and texture. The style is delicate and precise, typical of mid-19th century natural history atlases.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 13h

🐌 Recreatio mentis et oculi in observatione animalium testaceorum: Romae: Ex typographia Varesii, 1684.

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Historical illustration from 1684 showing detailed black-and-white scientific drawings related to Gastropoda. The upper part features intricate star-shaped, snowflake-like patterns resembling microscopic or shell surface structures. Below, a geometric diagram composed of interconnected labeled circles (A, B, C, etc.) outlines a central circle surrounded symmetrically by others, possibly representing shell formation or anatomical structures. The entire illustration is rendered on aged paper with a faint square border, reflecting early scientific study and taxonomy.

Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 15h

🌴 Descripcion de diferentes piezas de historia natural las mas del ramo maritimo: .
En La Havana: En la Imprenta de la Capitania General, 1787..

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Historical illustration from 1787 showing four framed detailed sketches of marine natural history specimens likely from the Caribbean. Each frame contains intricate drawings of various types of coral, seaweed, sponges, and marine plants, emphasizing their textures and branching structures. The frames are numbered and bordered with decorative floral patterns. The artwork reflects 18th-century scientific documentation of maritime biodiversity, printed in Havana, highlighting Caribbean marine life.

Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 17h

🌸 The genus M̲a̲s̲d̲e̲v̲a̲l̲l̲i̲a̲
London: R.H. Porter, 1896.

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Illustration of the orchid species Masdevallia gemmata, featuring a clump of lance-shaped green leaves with slender stems topped by five distinct reddish-brown, tubular flowers that curve forward with long, thin tips. Below the main plant, detailed botanical sketches show the flower’s internal structures, petal shapes, and reproductive parts in varying views for scientific study. The image is labeled with the species name and artist credits, emphasizing its use as a precise botanical reference from 1896.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 19h

🐮 Biggle cow book; .
Philadelphia, W. Atkinson co., 1898..

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 21h

🪲 Insecta Britanica: Diptera. v.1.
London: Reeve and Benham, 1851-56.

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Historical scientific illustration titled "Diptera, Pl. X" from "Insecta Britanica: Diptera," 1851-56, depicting detailed black-and-white line drawings of various British two-winged insects (Diptera). The plate features full-body views of multiple fly species with wings spread, alongside detailed close-ups of anatomical parts such as eyes, wings, legs, antennae, and larval stages, each numbered for reference. The style is precise and technical, aimed at entomological study, showing wing venation patterns, body segments, and appendages clearly on a light beige background. Publisher imprint "Reeve & Nichols" appears at the bottom.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 23h

🦧 Recherches sur la faune de Madagascar et de ses dépendances
Leyde: J.K. Steenhoff, 1868-1877.

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Illustration of a Cheirogaleus furcifer, a species of dwarf lemur from Madagascar, perched on a tree branch. The lemur has a long, bushy tail, large dark eyes, and a compact body covered in tawny brown fur with subtle darker stripes along its back. Its rounded ears and delicate hands with grasping fingers are clearly detailed. The background is a pale beige, emphasizing the animal and the textured tree branch it clings to. The image is a detailed, scientific drawing from the 19th century, showcasing the lemur's distinctive anatomy and natural habitat.

Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

🦎 Our living world;.
New York: S. Hess, [1885].

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

🐦 Skandinaviens fugle, .
Kjøbenhavn, L.A. Jørgensen, 1875-1879..

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Historical illustration titled "Skandinaviens fugle" (1875-1879) depicting three bird species. At the top, two woodpeckers with black and white striped bodies and red crests are perched on a broken tree trunk. Below them, a medium-sized bird with grey and white plumage, a slender beak, and long tail stands on a patch of grass. At the bottom, a smaller bird with rusty brown and grey feathers and a black cap is perched on a branch. The image includes scientific names and descriptions in Danish and German. The illustration focuses on detailed, naturalistic renderings of the birds relevant to Scandinavian fauna.

Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

🦫 Animal guide, North American wild animals
Worcester, Mass.: C. K. Reed, 1915.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

🌳 The new guide to rose culture: .
West Grove, Pa.: The Dingee & Conard Co., 1881..

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Black-and-white historical botanical illustration of Hydrangea grandiflora, a hardy ornamental flowering shrub with large, dense, conical clusters of small flowers atop bushy, leafy stems. The flowers are noted as pure white, turning pink later, growing in pyramid-shaped trusses over a foot long and nearly as wide. The plant is depicted with leafy branches and broad ovate leaves, reaching 3 to 4 feet tall, known for compact growth and hardiness. The image is from an 1881 guide promoting this rare shrub valued for lawns, blooming mid-summer and lasting two to three months without requiring protection.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

📜 The class Mammalia /.
London: Printed for Geo. B. Whittaker, 1827..

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Illustration of a two-toed sloth, or unau (Bradypus didactylus), perched on a Y-shaped tree branch. The sloth is shown facing right, with detailed fur texture and prominent claws gripping the branch. The lithograph style reflects early 19th-century scientific art, emphasizing anatomical accuracy. Text below identifies the species and includes publication details: London, 1825, by G. B. Whittaker. The image relates to Linnaean taxonomy and mammalian classification.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

🐼 Zoophytes
Philadelphia, Printed by C. Sherman, 1846-1849.

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Historical scientific illustration titled "Zoophytes," depicting various coral-like marine organisms in detailed drawings with textures and cross-sections. The image shows multiple specimens in shades of brown, green, and reddish tones, arranged systematically with numbered labels and magnified detail inserts. Though related to the keyword "panda," the illustration features no panda animal, focusing instead on colonial zoophytes, a category of aquatic invertebrates resembling corals from the mid-19th century. The print is from Philadelphia, dated 1846-1849, credited to C. Sherman and linked to the U.S. Exploring Expedition.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

🍍 Curtis's botanical magazine..
London ; New York [etc.]: Academic Press [etc.].

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Illustration from Curtis's Botanical Magazine showing a pineapple plant branch with broad, dark green leaves and a thick brown stem. Two distinctive flowers are depicted with white outer petals and prominent red-purple inner petals fringed with yellow stamens. Below the branch is a textured, oval-shaped green pineapple fruit. Surrounding the main image are detailed black-and-white botanical sketches of the plant's reproductive parts, including cross-sections of the fruit and seed structures, highlighting scientific anatomy. The artwork combines delicate coloring and precise line work typical of historical botanical illustrations.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

🌳 Flora conspicua
London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, 1826.

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Illustration of a magnolia flower from the 1826 "Flora conspicua" publication. The flower features large, soft white petals with striking deep maroon veins and accents, unfolding fully to reveal a densely clustered central pistil and stamens. The bloom is attached to a green stem with several broad, veined leaves. Some leaves show curling edges, and there are small unopened buds near the base. The detailed botanical drawing highlights the delicate texture and coloration of the petals and leaves, emphasizing the magnolia's elegant and vibrant form. The image is labeled "Pl. 50" and credits W. Clark as the artist and engraver.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

🐘 The class Mammalia /.
London: Printed for Geo. B. Whittaker, 1827..

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d

🌊 Illustrations of the zoology of H.M. Indian Marine Surveying steamer Investigator
Calcutta: Printed and sold by the Superintendent of Government Printing, 1892-1909.

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Historical scientific illustration showing detailed black-and-white drawings of seven different species of marine crabs and crustaceans collected during the zoological survey of H.M. Indian Marine Surveying steamer Investigator. Each specimen is numbered and labeled with scientific names, showcasing various shapes, sizes, and claw formations. The image captures the textured carapaces, jointed legs, pincers, and segmented bodies of the crustaceans, highlighting their anatomical differences for taxonomical study. The aged paper background and fine etching style reflect a late 19th-century publication dated May 1896 from Calcutta.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 2d

🦭 The fur seals and fur-seal islands of the North Pacific Ocean. v.3.
Washington, Govt. Print. Off., 1898-99.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 2d

🍍 Flore médicale /.
Paris: Imprimerie de C.L.F. Panckoucke, 1828-1832..

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Historical botanical illustration of a ripe pineapple (Ananas) with detailed, textured orange-yellow fruit skin and a crown of long, green, spiky leaves. The pineapple is positioned centrally on a beige background with the stem and base leaves visible beneath it. Below the main pineapple image, five small, finely detailed botanical diagrams depict individual plant parts, such as flower petals and reproductive structures, labeled with numbers. The style is delicate and precise, reflecting early 19th-century scientific illustration. The image is framed with a thin black line and includes text at the bottom identifying the subject as "ANANAS."

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 2d

🐄 Lindenia: .
Gand [Belgium]: Impr. F. Meyer-van Loo, 1885-1906..

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Historical botanical illustration of Cattleya lawrenceana, an orchid species, showing several large pink flowers with ruffled petals and deep red centers atop thick green and gray pseudobulbs. Broad, glossy green leaves emerge from the base, with visible white roots spreading below. The detailed print highlights the plant’s vibrant colors and textures in a naturalistic style typical of 19th-century botanical art. The image is titled "Lindenia," published in Ghent, Belgium, between 1885 and 1906, and is related to the keyword "cattle," referencing the orchid’s genus name rather than livestock.

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