Biodiversity Pics
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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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🐯 Smithsonian contributions to knowledge
Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1848-1916.

[Source]
Historical scientific illustration from "Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge" (1848-1916) showing cross-sectional drawings of right and left femurs from various mammals. The image includes detailed bone structures of an orangutan, armadillo, ant-eater, gorilla, monkey, gibbon, chimpanzee, and notably the left femur of a tiger (Felis tigris). Each femur is labeled with figure numbers and species names, highlighting comparative anatomy across species. The tiger's femur is a rounded cross-section with dense internal patterns, positioned near the top center of the page, illustrating bone morphology for scientific study.
January 6, 2026 at 9:23 AM
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🐨 The mammals of Australia: .
Sydney: Thomas Richards, government printer, 1871..

[Source]
Illustration of two koalas, one adult and one joey clinging to the adult’s back, perched on a tree branch. The koalas have rounded ears, large eyes, and thick fur, with the joey smaller and nestled closely. Above them are eucalyptus leaves. In the background, a detailed natural landscape shows trees, bushes, a river or lake, and a small sailing boat on the water. The image is a historical black and white lithograph titled "The Native Bear (Phascolarctos cinereus)," emphasizing the koala’s arboreal habitat and mother-offspring bond.
January 6, 2026 at 7:23 AM
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🌼 British phaenogamous botany, .
Oxford, Published by the author, sold by J.H. Parker [etc.]1834-43..

[Source]
Illustration of the Purple Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) with a central green stem bearing several large, tubular purple flowers speckled with lighter, spotted throats. Surrounding the main flowers are detailed green leaves and buds. The image also includes smaller botanical sketches of the plant’s pollen structures and seed pods on the bottom left and right, with fine lines and numbering indicating specific parts. The botanical name and common name are printed below the illustration, dated 1834, highlighting this historical scientific depiction.
January 6, 2026 at 5:23 AM
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🦦 Descrizioni degli animali
In Venezia: Nella stamperia di Carlo Palese, 1771-1775.

[Source]
Historical illustration titled "Lontra del Canada" from "Descrizioni degli animali" (1771-1775), depicting a Canadian otter resting on a rock amid aquatic plants and reeds. The otter has a dark, sleek body with a lighter face and yellow eyes, shown in profile. Surrounding the otter are green foliage and water, with a distant landform visible on the horizon. The artwork uses fine lines and muted colors typical of 18th-century natural history prints.
January 6, 2026 at 3:23 AM
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🦅 Ootheca Wolleyana
London, sold by R. H. Porter, 1864-1907.

[Source]
Illustration titled "Ootheca Wolleyana" depicts a rugged cliffside with an eagle's large nest secured on a rocky ledge. One eagle is perched on the nest, wings partly spread, while another eagle is shown soaring in the sky nearby. The detailed engraving captures the texture of the rocks and nest, emphasizing the eagle’s natural habitat high on a precipitous cliff face. The scene reflects a realistic and dramatic view of eagle nesting behavior in a remote, elevated environment.
January 6, 2026 at 1:23 AM
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🌼 Lovett's illustrated catalogue of fruit and ornamental trees and plants for the autumn of 1891..
Little Silver, N.J.: J.T. Lovett, [1891].

[Source]
Illustration from an 1891 plant catalogue showing botanical drawings and descriptions of various hardy herbaceous plants. The foxglove image depicts tall spikes with tubular flowers that are narrow and spotted, growing from a leafy base. The flowers range in color from purple to white, typical of Digitalis purpurea. The page also includes detailed text on appearance, growth height of 5 to 7 feet, and cultivation notes, alongside illustrations of other plants like flowering spurge, geranium, hollyhock, and gaillardia. The style is detailed black-and-white line art, typical of botanical catalogs of the late 19th century.
January 5, 2026 at 11:23 PM
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💐 Le jardin des plantes
Paris: J.-J. Dubochet, 1845.

[Source]
Historical black-and-white illustration titled "La Boucherie, derrière les loges des animaux féroces" from Le jardin des plantes, Paris, 1845. It depicts a slaughterhouse scene with three workers butchering large animal carcasses inside a stone-walled room. One carcass hangs from a hook on the left, another large animal lies on the floor being worked on by a man. Two women attend to another table with a carcass. Various butchering tools and equipment hang on the walls. A cat lies on the floor in the foreground. The setting is utilitarian with pulleys and wooden beams overhead, emphasizing the processing of animals within the Jardin des Plantes facility.
January 5, 2026 at 9:23 PM
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🔭 Die zweite Deutsche Nordpolarfahrt in den Jahren 1869 und 1870, unter Führung des Kapitän Karl Koldewey
Leipzig: F.A. Brockhaus, 1873-1874.

[Source]
Detailed scientific illustration from the 1869-1870 German North Pole expedition, showing the crustacean species Oediceros borealis. The image features a full side view of the segmented, armored body with multiple jointed legs and antennae, alongside enlarged, labeled close-ups of various limbs, claws, and mouthparts. Fine hairs and bristles are meticulously depicted on the appendages. This plate visually documents the anatomical features of an Arctic crustacean specimen collected during the voyage led by Captain Karl Koldewey. The drawing is precise and technical, intended for zoological study and classification.
January 5, 2026 at 7:23 PM
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🍃 The natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: London: Printed for B. White, 1771.

[Source]
Illustration from 1771 showing a brown alligator-like reptile with a long snout and short legs positioned at the base of a green and yellow-leaved plant with elongated stems and small yellow flowers. The plant has visible roots, and an egg is depicted near the reptile’s tail. The drawing combines botanical and zoological elements, highlighting species associated with Carolina's natural history in the 18th century. The background is plain, emphasizing the detailed subjects.
January 5, 2026 at 5:23 PM
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🛡 The handy natural history
Boston, R.G. Badger, The Gorham press, 1910.

[Source]
Historical illustration titled "Plate XXXI" from 1910 depicting five mammals: 1. Armadillo with a segmented, armored shell and clawed feet; 2. Three-toed Sloth hanging upside down from a branch, showing long curved claws and shaggy fur; 3. Pangolin covered in large overlapping scales with a long tail; 4. Wombat, a stout, furry marsupial with short legs; 5. Great Anteater with elongated snout, long bushy tail, and curved claws. Each animal is labeled by name and numbered, rendered in naturalistic detail on a neutral background.
January 5, 2026 at 1:23 PM
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🐾 Buffon's Natural history, .
London: Printed for the Proprietor, and sold by H. D. Symonds, 1797-1807..

[Source]
Historical illustration from Buffon's Natural History showing two animals in separate framed panels. The top panel depicts a lynx with tufted ears, spotted fur, and a short tail standing on grassy terrain with sparse foliage. The bottom panel portrays a hyena with a hunched back, dark striped fur, and a wide mouth slightly open, walking on rocky ground. Both animals are shown in profile facing right, with detailed fur texture and naturalistic postures typical of late 18th-century scientific illustrations. The hyena is darker with more pronounced rib and muscle definition. The illustration is dated 1797-1807.
January 5, 2026 at 9:23 AM
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🐞 Transactions of the American Entomological Society and proceedings of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences.
Philadelphia: The Society, 1878-1889

[Source]
Historical entomological illustration featuring 17 detailed black-and-white line drawings of various beetle species, each labeled with numbers. The beetles are shown from a dorsal view, highlighting differences in body shape, antennae, and leg structure. Additional close-up sketches depict various beetle legs, antennae segments, and mouthparts, emphasizing anatomical details. Scale bars next to select beetles suggest measurement reference. The plate is from the "Transactions of the American Entomological Society," dated 1878-1889, and demonstrates scientific study and classification of beetle morphology in the late 19th century.
January 5, 2026 at 7:23 AM
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🐿 Squirrels and other fur-bearers
Boston, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1900.

[Source]
Illustration from 1900 showing three skunks near a fallen log in a natural setting with grass. One adult skunk with a bushy tail and distinctive white stripes stands alert on the log, while two smaller skunks rest inside a hollow underneath. The fur details and the skunk’s characteristic black body with white stripes are clearly depicted. The image is titled "Skunk" despite being in a book about squirrels and fur-bearing animals.
January 5, 2026 at 3:23 AM
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🐬 Natural history of the animal kingdom for the use of young people
Brighton: E. & J.B. Young and Co., 1889.

[Source]
Historical illustration titled "Dolphins" from 1889 depicting two marine animals on a shore near a castle and a sailing ship in the background. The foreground features a narwhal with a long, spiraled tusk extending from its head, lying partially in the water. Behind it is a dolphin with a streamlined, smooth body, a curved dorsal fin, and visible teeth. The setting includes a rocky shoreline, gentle ocean waves, and a coastal tower with people in a small boat nearby. The scene combines natural history detail with maritime and architectural elements typical of 19th-century scientific illustrations.
January 5, 2026 at 1:23 AM
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🐺 Amusement microscopique tant pour l'esprit, que pour les yeux
A Nuremberg: Se grave et se vend chés Adam Wolfgang Winterschmidt: 1764-1768.

[Source]
Historical illustration titled "Amusement microscopique," depicting a circular, intertwined ribbon-like structure labeled "a" forming a large loop around the center. Inside the loop is a smaller flower-like shape with petal-like loops labeled "b." The scene is framed by a textured border with fine horizontal and wavy lines, giving a scientific or microscopic appearance. The image has a minimal color palette with shades of blue and light orange. Though the keyword is "wolf," no wolf figure is depicted; the focus is on abstract, detailed patterns resembling microscopic or cellular forms from the 18th century.
January 4, 2026 at 11:23 PM
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🪰 Oeuvres du comte de Lacépède
A Paris: Chez F.D. Pillot: 1830-1833.

[Source]
Historical illustration from "Oeuvres du comte de Lacépède" (1830-1833) depicting two species of frogs labeled "1. La Sonnante" and "2. La Mugissante." The first frog is smaller with a bumpy, textured skin and detailed toes with slight webbing. The second frog is larger, showing a more intricate spotted pattern and clearer webbing on its limbs. Both amphibians are shown in side profile with attention to anatomical detail, emphasizing their skin textures, limb structures, and distinctive markings typical for scientific study in the 19th century.
January 4, 2026 at 9:23 PM
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🪰 North American herpetology: Philadelphia, J. Dobson;1842.

[Source]
Illustration from 1842 depicting two views of a salamander species labeled "Salamandra erythronata." The top image shows a small, slender salamander with a reddish-orange back and dark head and limbs. The lower image is a black and white line drawing of the same salamander in a similar pose. Both show the salamander's elongated body, four small limbs, and a long, curved tail on a plain, light background. The images focus on detailed anatomy for herpetological study.
January 4, 2026 at 7:23 PM
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🐢 The gigantic land tortoises of the Galapagos Archipelago
San Francisco, Britton & Rey, 1914.

[Source]
Two black-and-white historical photographs of a Galapagos giant land tortoise (Testudo darwini Van Denburgh) from James Island. The upper image shows a 30-inch female tortoise viewed from above, highlighting the dome-shaped, segmented shell. The lower image shows the same tortoise from the side, displaying the shell's curved profile and the head and one leg extended forward. Both images include the specimen number "8106" beneath the tortoise. The page is titled and dated "PROC. CAL. ACAD. SCI. 4th Series Vol. II Pt. I, 1914," with scientific labels identifying the species, individual, and perspectives.
January 4, 2026 at 5:23 PM
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🌼 How to know the wild flowers: .
New York: Scribner's, 1893..

[Source]
Illustration of Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) showing three slender green stems with lance-shaped leaves and clusters of small daisy-like flowers. Each flower has a yellow central disc surrounded by delicate, narrow petals that are white with pink tips. Some flowers are fully open while others are partially closed. The base of the plant includes visible roots and larger leaves. The style is fine line art with soft watercolor tones on a plain background. The image is from an 1893 botanical guide titled "How to know the wild flowers."
January 4, 2026 at 9:23 AM
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🦥 [Die vergleichende Osteologie /.
Bonn: In Commission bei Eduard Weber, 1821-1838..

[Source]
Illustration of various sloth bones from the early 19th century anatomical study, "Die vergleichende Osteologie." The image displays detailed black-and-white drawings of the sloth's skull from multiple angles, including lateral, frontal, and dorsal views. Surrounding the skull are individual bones such as limb bones, vertebrae, and scapula, each rendered with shading to highlight texture and shape. The arrangement presents a comparative osteology study of the sloth’s skeletal structure, emphasizing bone morphology and articulation points. The detailed anatomical illustration reflects the scientific style of the 1821-1838 era.
January 4, 2026 at 7:23 AM
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🐦 Aves de rapiña y su caza
Madrid [Spain]: S. A. Blass, [1918?]

[Source]
Illustration of a jay (Garrulus glandarius) perched on a pine tree branch. The bird is shown in profile with a pinkish-brown body, black and blue feather accents on the wings, and a distinctive black streak below its eye. The background features soft, muted natural tones suggesting foliage. The title "Arrendajo" and scientific name are printed below the image.
January 4, 2026 at 5:23 AM
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🦘 The class Mammalia /.
London: Printed for Geo. B. Whittaker, 1827..

[Source]
Historical black-and-white illustration titled "The Vulpine Phalanger," depicting a possum (Didelphis Vulpina) perched on a tree branch. The possum has a fox-like face with large eyes, pointed ears, and a bushy, curled tail with a dark tip. Its body is covered in short fur, with detailed texture showing shading and contour. The animal grips the branch with its clawed feet and hands, highlighting its arboreal nature. The background is simple with light line shading to suggest foliage or sky. Text below the illustration identifies the species and publication details from 1827 in London.
January 4, 2026 at 3:23 AM
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🌾 Coloured engravings of heaths: London: Published by the Author. Printed by T. Bensley, 1802-09 [1830?]

[Source]
Historical botanical engraving of a heath plant (Erica tenuiflora cunea) featuring a tall, slender branch with dense, needle-like green leaves. The branch is adorned with numerous bell-shaped, pale pink flowers clustered around the stems, each with delicate, slightly flared tips. Below the main illustration are small detailed sketches of floral parts, highlighting the plant’s reproductive structures. The illustration is finely detailed and colored, set against a plain, aged beige background typical of early 19th-century botanical prints.
January 3, 2026 at 9:23 PM
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🍒 The birds of Singapore Island..
Singapore: Printed at the Govt. Print. Office by W. T. Cherry, Govt. Printer, 1927..

[Source]
Illustration of a white-breasted water hen standing on the edge of a water body with green reeds in the background. The bird has a white face and neck, dark brown wings, a rusty brown back, and bright orange legs and feet with long toes. Its beak is pointed and slightly red near the base. The artwork is a detailed, colored drawing by G. A. Levett, printed in 1927 by W. T. Cherry at the Government Printing Office in Singapore, highlighting the bird species Amaurornis phoenicurus jacanaica native to Singapore Island.
January 3, 2026 at 7:23 PM
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🐍 A flower-hunter in Queensland & New Zealand, .
London, J. Murray, 1898..

[Source]
Black and white historical illustration depicting a dense jungle scene on the Pioneer River. The image features thick tropical foliage with large palm leaves, twisting vines, and tall trees extending into the misty background. The composition highlights the lush, overgrown nature of the jungle, emphasizing its wild, untamed character. No human figures are present, focusing entirely on the rich plant life and natural environment.
January 3, 2026 at 5:23 PM