- The hoof rabbit is a close relative of the elephant
Elephants, hoofed rabbits, and manatees all descended from a common ancestor of a group of mammals called Tethysians, which became extinct about 50 million years ago.
Although they are now different animals, their toes, teeth and skulls are surprisingly pachyderm-like. The hoofed rabbit's incisors give the animal a grumpy expression, sort of like tiny tusks. The rounded hoof nails on the toes of rubber feet are quite different from the sharp curved claws of some rodents.
- Male kangaroos display their biceps to attract females
A new study conducted by researchers from the School of Veterinary and Life Sciences at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia, shows that the muscle tissue in the forelimbs of male kangaroos plays an important role in attracting females. Males know this, too, and will show off their biceps and pectorals to potential mates. But having larger forelimb muscles doesn't seem to have a survival advantage. In fact, the extra bulk can be a drawback. "Under conditions of extreme environmental stress, there is evidence of higher mortality in strong males, suggesting that maintaining this extra muscle tissue comes at a significant cost," said researcher Dr Warburton.
- Exploding Ants in Malaysia
If the ant feels threatened and becomes desperate, it explodes itself, a way of overcontracting its abdominal muscles to break down its body. When the body explodes, it throws sticky secrets around.
- The largest living thing is a kind of mushroom
The largest living thing on our planet is a mushroom: black mycelium from the Malheur Nature Reserve in the United States covers 880 hectares and is 24,000 years old.
- There is a species of butterfly chrysalis that looks like gold jewelry
One species has a wingspan of about 75-80 mm and a forewing of about 40 mm. The dorsal side of the forewing is usually black with white spots, and the hindwing is orange with black edges. The most interesting thing is that the pupa is completely golden yellow and looks very metallic.
- Starfish are very skilled predators
Starfish feed on invertebrates, such as corals and shellfish. The starfish can open the shell with a suction cup on the underside of its body, and then insert its stomach membrane through its mouth into the opening of the shell. The digestive juices will break down the shellfish's body and then be absorbed into the starfish's stomach.
- Sperm whales sleep vertically
A 2008 article in the journal Nature described a scenario in which a team of whale behavior researchers led by Luke Rendell of the University of St. Andrew in the United Kingdom were adrift off the coast of northern Chile when, all of a sudden, they found themselves in the middle of a very unusual sight. A pod of giant sperm whales bobbed through the water, each animal perfectly vertical, snout toward the surface and tail toward the bottom. Each one remained motionless and did not respond to the intrusion of the science team. This surprised scientists, who thought sperm whales would be in a state of full sleep, rather than sleeping with one eye open, as dolphins do. In a state of complete sleep, sperm whales will remain asleep for 15-20 minutes.
- Baby rhinos can meow
We all know that dogs say "Want want", cats say "meow" and birds say "chirp". Surprisingly, however, the baby rhinoceros made a "squeaky" and "uh-huh" sound, much like the sound a dog makes when it is petting.
- Black herons in Africa trap animals in the form of "umbrellas.
The black heron, which usually predominate with fish, uses a very unusual baiting technique. The black heron folds its wings over its head in the form of an "umbrella" to attract fish into the shade. Slowly move through the shallow water, folding the wings in a similar manner and luring the fish. Every two to three seconds, the birds checked to see if the area they were currently in was attracting prey. After noticing the fish, the black heron will Pierce it with its long beak and swallow it completely. It also catches frogs and crustaceans.
- After mating for the only time, male Schizothorax bites off his genitals
Schizothorax is a very special creature, the female is much larger than the male. Interestingly, when a male Schizothorax has mated for the only time in his life, he will "self-house", and the severed mating organs may act as a plug, after which he will stay with the female and fend off other males, which can protect his reproductive investment. A study suggests that male schizothorax spiders that have lost their reproductive organs may be able to pack lighter and defend themselves against other males more effectively, thus ensuring their paternity.
- Male deep-sea anglerfish are much smaller than their female counterparts
In this species, males may be orders of magnitude smaller than females. Deep sea anglerfish can be seen on the pelagic seafloor all over the world and usually have large upward-pointing mouths. During mating, the male inserts his body into the female anglerfish and gradually merges with her body, which becomes smaller and smaller over time until only the gonads are left. From then on, they become a symbiotic relationship, with the male surviving on the nutrients from the female's body.
- Vampire Squid
Although this deep-sea mollusk may look a little cute, it has the nickname of "the vampire of hell". The vampire squid is 30 centimeters long, dark red or purple in color, and has eight tentacles and two ear-like fins. The apparent eight tentacles have a row of spikes. A pair of tentacles becomes a slender body that can stretch to twice the length of its body, which can cooperate with other short tentacles to hunt. Unlike most cephalopods, which spit ink, the vampire squid flaps its spiny tentacles outward to form a protective net when in danger. Despite its scary name, it usually feeds on organic residues, making it a cleaner in the ocean.
- If you scratch a shark's nose, it will fall into a trance
If you scratch a shark's nose, it will fall into a trance and can even turn around. Therefore, the researchers recommend attacking the nose as well as the eyes and gills in the event of a shark attack. Because obviously, the nose is a very sensitive part of the shark's body, along with the eyes and gills.
