Glossary

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false gharial – (Tomistoma schlegelii) A large (up to 5 meters in length) crocodilian with a long slender snout. Endangered, it is found in freshwater systems in Indonesia (Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, possibly Sulawesi), Malaysia (Malay Peninsula, Borneo), possibly Vietnam, and is possibly extirpated in Thailand (none seen since 1970).

fishes – These are a group of aquatic vertebrates possessing two sets of paired fins, and a number of unpaired fins used for locomotion. They breathe using external respiratory organs called gills. There are approximately 20,000 different species of fishes worldwide that can range in size from half-inch gobbies to a 45 ft whale shark. They are distributed throughout all types of waters; fresh, brackish and marine. 

fungi – A group of organisms that are not plants or animals. Fungi live off of decaying organic matter, living plants and even animals. Many play an important role in the natural cycle as decomposers and return nutrients to the soil.

fynbos – The distinctive plant community found within the small (about 80,000 km²) Mediterranean-like heathlands of the Cape of South Africa. The fynbos contains over 7,700 plant species, of which about 70 percent are endemic – found nowhere else in the world. The soils are poor, so the fynbos does not support large animals, but many of the small animals are also endemic. One of the most fascinating families in the fynbos is the heath family (Ericaceae, such as blueberries or rhododendrons); there are over 600 heath species, whereas the rest of the world has only 26. Some of the fynbos species are located in extremely restricted ranges – some smaller than half a soccer field. Threats to the fynbos include development, fire and invasive species such as the acacia trees introduced from Australia.