Meintest du becker?
In this Special Coral Reef Issue, discover how these ocean habitats provide homes to about a quarter of all known marine species. Take a just-for-fun quiz to find out which reef matches your personality. Then meet some of the animals that live there.
Maze: Oceans Puzzles Maze: Oceans Try to get back
Scorpions are arachnids and have eight legs like their cousins—spiders, mites, and ticks. They can quickly grab an insect with their pincers and whip their telson, the poisonous tip of their tail forward and sting their prey. They use their poison to kill prey and to defend against predators. Scorpions look like small lobsters and may be the first animals to move from water to land hundreds of millions of years ago. They have been around since before the age of the dinosaurs. Fossils of scorpions from Scotland hundreds of millions of years ago show that their appearance hasn’t changed over the millennia, but they are now half the size of their ancient ancestors. Only 30 or 40 species around the world have strong enough poison to kill a person. Each species has a special type of venom that works well against a chosen prey. Scorpions typically eat insects, but when food is scarce, they can slow their metabolism to as little as one-third the typical rate for arthropods. This technique enables some species to use little oxygen and live on only one insect per year. Such survival skills allow scorpions to live in some of the planet’s toughest environments. Researchers have even frozen scorpions overnight, only to put them in the sun the next day and watch them thaw out and walk away. However, they are burrowing animals, so in areas of permafrost or heavy grasses, where loose soil is not available, scorpions may not be able to survive.
critters See how animal species in trouble have come back
Howler monkeys are the loudest of all monkeys. They call to let others know where their territory is, alerting them to stay away. The calls sound like a loud whooping bark or roar. After one group of howlers call, another group answers. Howler monkeys usually do this in the morning and at the end of the day. These monkeys live in Central and South America. At home in the forest, they hardly ever leave the treetops. They don’t move very far each day, feeding leisurely at the very top of the forest canopy. Howlers mainly eat leaves, as well as fruits, nuts, and flowers. Howler monkeys get almost all the water they need from the food they eat. One of the few times they can be spotted on the ground, however, is during very dry spells when they need to find extra water. Howler monkeys have prehensile tails, or tails that can grip. The monkeys use their tails as a fifth limb to grip branches. Mostly it uses its tail to help grip branches as it eats and moves around high in the trees. Each family group is generally made up of 15 to 20 howlers. The leader is usually an old male. The head and body of adult howler monkeys range from 22 to 36 inches (55.8 to 91.4 centimeters) long and their tail can add 23 to 36 inches (58.4 to 91.4 centimeters). Though most species are classified as least concern, the Yucatán Black is endangered.
critters See how animal species in trouble have come back
A rainbow-colored crustacean skitters along the ocean floor, adding a splash of brightness to the murky setting. The animal’s narrow, hard-shelled body sports orange, green, red, and blue hues. Known as the peacock mantis shrimp, this beautiful, seven-inch-long critter looks harmless. But the marine animal packs a punch—literally. SHRIMP SMACKDOWN Peacock mantis shrimp mostly live in shallow parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The crustacean spends much of its time looking for crabs and mollusks to eat. When it finds a delicious-looking snack, the animal goes into full-on boxer mode. Springing out one of its club-like front claws, the animal delivers a swift punch to its prey. The punch is 50 times faster than the blink of an eye and strong enough to break glass! These shrimp also rely on their sparing moves to keep enemies away from burrows in the ocean floor that they use as shelters. Hovering at the opening of its burrow, a peacock mantis shrimp will strike at intruders that come too close. EYES ON THE PRIZE The crustacean has another eye-popping feature in addition to its strong punch. Its eyes—which protrude from its head and move independently—can see in two different directions at once. They can also detect colors that humans are unable to see. It’s easy to be floored by this animal’s cool traits! Watch a video of the peacock mantis shrimp. Text by Andrea Silen, NGS Staff
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Space explorers go above and beyond on the job. Here are five cool things about these pioneers.
(They return to their normal size once back on Earth
Hippopotamuses are large mammals found in sub-Saharan Africa. Their name comes from the Greek word for “river horse” because they’re often found in water, which helps them stay cool in the hot, tropical climate where they live.
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Even without a fancy underwater camera, you can still capture mysteries of the deep. Check out these tips before heading to the local aquarium.
Light bounces off the glass of a fish tank right back
Duck-billed platypuses are small, shy animals. They have a flattened head and body to help them glide through the water. Their fur, dark brown on top and tan on their bellies, is thick and repels water to keep them warm and dry even after hours of swimming. Their head and body grow to about 15 inches (38 centimeters) and their tail about 5 inches long (13 centimeters). Their most remarkable feature is their amazing snout. It looks like a duck’s bill, but is actually quite soft and covered with thousands of receptors that help the platypus detect prey. Males are also venomous. They have sharp stingers on the heels of their rear feet and can use them to deliver a strong toxic blow to any foe. Platypuses spend most of their time alone, sleeping or eating. These mammals are bottom feeders. They scoop up insects and larvae, shellfish, and worms in their bill along with bits of gravel and mud from the bottom. All this material is stored in cheek pouches and, at the surface, mashed for consumption. Platypuses do not have teeth, so the bits of gravel help them to „chew“ their meal. Platypuses are long-lived, surviving 20 years or more in captivity and up to 12 years in the wild. Scientists think these fascinating creatures are the earliest relatives of modern mammals. Recent studies show that they first evolved more than 112 million years ago, well before the extinction of the dinosaurs.
critters See how animal species in trouble have come back
Scientist Superheroes Fight Killer Fungus
bats were declared healthy enough to be released back
Make your own paper straws!
Place a chopstick at an angle on the back of the paper
