Animals
Clark’s Grebe
Summary Known for their long slender necks and black and white feathers, Clark’s grebes closely resemble western grebes. They nest…
Animals
Animals
Eared Grebe
Summary The most populous grebe on Earth, the eared grebe belongs to the grebe family Podicipediformes. Also known as the…
Animals
Horned Grebe
Summary Known for its dramatic feathery “horns,” the horned grebe belongs to the grebe family Podicipedidae. Also known as the…
Animals
Bhutan Takin
“The Bhutan Takin is the national animal of Bhutan!” Summary The Bhutan takin is one of the four extant subspecies…
Animals
Jamaican Iguana
“The Jamaican iguana has almost been eaten to extinction.â Summary The Jamaican iguana belongs to the rock iguana genus Cyclura…
Animals
Pied-Billed Grebe
Summary Known for their shy and reclusive behavior, pied-billed grebes belong to the grebe family Podicipedidae. These small, stocky water…
Animals
Decorator Crab
Summary One of nature’s most ingenious disguise artists, decorator crabs belong to the superfamily Majoidea. Sometimes also known as spider…
Animals
Ostracod
The most common of ancient crustaceans, ostracods are tiny crustaceans in the class Ostracoda. Scientists have identified around 70,000 individual…
Animals
Bass
Bass are freshwater and marine fish that belong to the order of Perciformes. You can find them all over the…
Animals
Ocean Whitefish
A staple in Southern California, the ocean whitefish is a member of the tilefish family Malacanthidae. While commonly caught as…
Animals
Javan Leopard
“Javan leopards are deathly afraid of water.” Summary The Javan leopard is a subspecies of leopard native to the island…
Animals
Smooth Hammerhead Shark
The second largest hammerhead shark, the smooth hammerhead shark, belongs to the hammerhead shark family Sphyrnidae. Like other hammerheads, they…
Animals
King Salmon
The largest and most sought-after of Pacific salmon, the king salmon, goes by many names, including the Chinook salmon, blackmouth,…
Animals
Orange Roughy
Able to live over 200 years, the orange roughy is a deep-sea fish belonging to the slimehead family Trachichthyidae. They…
Animals
Limpet
Equipped with the strongest teeth on Earth, limpets are aquatic snails in the class Gastropoda. They get their name from…
Animals
Knifefish
Capable of producing electric fields, knifefishes belong to the order Gymnotiformes. The order currently contains 5 families and over 250…
Animals
Stoplight Loosejaw
One of nature’s sneakiest hunters, stoplight loosejaws belong to the dragonfish family Stomiidae. They get their name from the light-producing…
Animals
Amano Shrimp
Popular in the aquarium trade, the Amano shrimp goes by many names, including the Yamato shrimp, Japanese shrimp, and algae…
Animals
Kaluga Sturgeon
The Kaluga sturgeon is a large, carnivorous fish found throughout the Amur River basin in Russia and China. One of…
Animals
Leichhardt’s Grasshopper
Summary One of the most colorful grasshoppers in nature, Leichhardt’s grasshoppers are the sole member of the genus Petasida. Named…
Animals
Angled Sunbeam Caterpillar
Summary Famous for their wild defense tactic, angled sunbeam caterpillars belong to the gossamer wing butterfly family. When threatened, the…
Animals
Trapdoor spider
Summary One of nature’s greatest ambush hunters, trapdoor spiders create burrows that they cover with a trapdoor made of silk,…
Animals
Nut Weevil
Summary A severe pest of nut orchards, nut weevils are beetles in the family Curculionidae. These insects lay their eggs…
Animals
Lace Bug
Summary A common pest with a painful bite, the lace bug is a member of the family Tingidae. They get…
Animals
Fritillary Butterfly
Summary Often mistaken for monarch butterflies, fritillary butterflies are a group of butterflies that share common physical characteristics. They get…
Animals
Africanized bee (killer bee)
Summary One of the most aggressive insects in the world, the Africanized bee is a hybrid of the western honey…
Animals
Saturniidae Moth
Summary Among the largest insects in the world, Saturniidae moths are a family of moths in the order Lepidoptera. Some…
Animals
Urechis unicinctus (Penis Fish)
Also known as the penis fish, Urechis unicinctus is a species of marine spoonworm found throughout East Asia. It feeds…
Animals
Stonefish
One of the most venomous fish in the world, the stonefish, is a ray-finned fish in the family Scorpaenidae. They…
Animals
Perch Fish
Perch are considered by many anglers to be some of the best freshwater game fish in the world. Worldwide, several…
Animals
Gypsy Moth
Summary One of the most invasive species in the world, the gypsy moth is a member of the moth family…
Animals
Swordfish
One of the fastest fish in the ocean, the swordfish is the sole member of the family Xiphiidae. A close…
Animals
Garden Spider
Summary Known for their distinctive radial-style webs, garden spiders are a common sight throughout much of Europe and North America.…
Animals
Bigfin Reef Squid
Also known as the glitter squid or oval squid, the bigfin reef squid belongs to the loliginid squid family Loliginidae.…
Animals
Clock Spider
Summary The term clock spider derives from an urban legend and popular meme about a giant spider found behind a…
Animals
Naegleria
Summary Also known as the “brain-eating amoeba,” Naegleria fowleri is a pathogenic, bacteria-eating microorganism. Part of the genus Naegleria, it…
Animals
Pink Toed Tarantula
Summary Known for its distinctive pink feet, the pink toe tarantula is a New World tarantula in the family Theraphosidae.…
Animals
Lancetfish
Lancetfish are among the largest deep-dwelling fish in the world. The two extant species both belong to the genus Alepisaurus…
Animals
Nautilus
A living fossil unchanged for nearly 500 million years, this deep-sea mollusk navigates crushing ocean pressures using jet propulsion and…
Animals
Bark Scorpion
Summary Bark scorpions are among the most venomous scorpions found in the United States. While most are relatively harmless, a…
Animals
Horse Mackerel
Horse mackerel refers to several different fish species found around the world. Most horse mackerel belong to the jack mackerel…
Animals
Katydid
Summary Found on every continent except Antarctica, Katydids are a family of primarily nocturnal insects. They closely resemble grasshoppers and…
Animals
Harlequin Rabbit
Summary A colorful breed based on its coloration and markings, the Harlequin Rabbit originates from France. It comes in two…
Animals
French Lop
Summary Developed in France in the 19th century, the French Lop is one of the largest rabbits in the world.…
Animals
Rex Rabbit
Summary Also known as the “King of Rabbits,” the Rex rabbit originated in France in 1919. Not to be confused…
Animals
Dutch Rabbit
Summary Once the most popular of all rabbit breeds, the Dutch rabbit is an old and distinctive breed. Also known…
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10 Interesting Facts About Harp Seals
Pagophilus groenlandicus is better known as the harp seal, Saddleback Seal, or Greenland Seal. Native to the Atlantic and the…
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10 Notable Facts About Kiwis
Kiwis are small brown birds native to the island of New Zealand. Members of the genus Apteryx in the family…
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Centipedes: Not Just Creepy Crawlies, But Complex Creatures
The word centipede comes from the Latin words for hundred (centi) and foot (pedis). Centipedes are arthropods that belong to…
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10 Interesting Facts About Immortal Jellyfish
Turritopsis dohrnii also goes by the more commonly known name, the immortal jellyfish. Mature specimens look bell-shaped and measure about…