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Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures on Earth

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Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures on Earth

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This engaging book explores various animal adaptations, including several of our target species. It's perfect for intermediate readers and includes wonderful illustrations explaining how different animals survive in extreme conditions.

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What If You Could Spy Like a Narwhal!?: Explore the Superpowers of Amazing Animals

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What If You Could Spy Like a Narwhal!?: Explore the Superpowers of Amazing Animals

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This book includes fascinating information about animal adaptations, including camouflage and mimicry, which relates directly to animals like the mimic octopus and cuttlefish.

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Perfect for understanding cold-weather adaptations, this book includes information about animals like wood frogs and their amazing ability to survive freezing temperatures.

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Masters of Disguise: How Cuttlefish Change Their Appearance

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Masters of Disguise: How Cuttlefish Change Their Appearance

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An interactive article explaining how cuttlefish can change their color and texture to blend in with their surroundings.

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Cuttlefish Change Color, Shape-Shift to Elude Predators

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Shape-shifting cephalopods masquerade as coral or algae.

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Learn about how the mimic octopus can impersonate other sea creatures to avoid predators.

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Squids, octopuses, and cuttlefishes are among the few animals in the world that can change the color of their skin in the blink of an eye. These cephalopods -a group of mollusks with arms attached to their heads-can change their skin tone to match their surroundings, rendering them nearly invisible, or alternatively give themselves a pattern that makes them stand out.

Many thousands of color-changing cells called chromatophores just below the surface of the skin are responsible for these remarkable transformations. The center of each chromatophore contains an elastic sac full of pigment, rather like a tiny balloon, which may be colored black, brown, orange, red or yellow. If you stretched a dye-filled balloon, the color would gather in one spot, stretching out the surface and making the color appear brighter-and this is the same way chromatophores work. A complex array of nerves and muscles controls whether the sac is expanded or contracted and, when the sac expands, the color is more visible. Besides chromatophores, some cephalopods also have iridophores and leucophores. Iridophores have stacks of reflecting plates that create iridescent greens, blues, silvers and golds, while leucophores mirror back the colors of the environment, making the animal less conspicuous.

The most obvious reason such a soft-bodied animal would change color is to hide from predators-and octopuses are very good at this. They can change not only their coloring, but also the texture of their skin to match rocks, corals and other items nearby. They do this by controlling the size of projections on their skin (called papillae), creating textures ranging from small bumps to tall spikes. The result is a disguise that makes them nearly invisible; can you even see the octopus in the video above? Color changing is just one tool in an octopus's arsenal of defenses, however; it can also spray ink, and make a quick escape through any hole it can get its hidden bony beak through.

The Mimic Octopus ( Thaumoctopus mimicus) has a unique way of camouflaging. Rather than blending in with the seafloor, it changes its skin color and how it moves its tentacles to take on the shape of other sea creatures. It has been known to impersonate more than 15 different marine species, including flounders, lionfish, and sea snakes.

Octopuses and cuttlefish also use color change to warn their predators or any animals that threaten them. One of the best examples is the extremely venomous blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata), which lives in tide pools in the Pacific and Indian Oceans from Japan to Australia. When these small octopuses are provoked, iridescent blue rings surrounding dark brown patches appear all over their bodies. Despite its beauty, this reaction means, "If you touch me you will most likely get hurt!"

Cephalopods can also use chromatophores to communicate with one another. Male Caribbean reef squid (Sepioteuthis sepioidea) turn red to attract females and white to repel other males-and can even split the coloration of their bodies down the middle to attract a female on one side and repel a male on the other! The Humboldt Squid (Dosidicus gigas), also called the "Jumbo Squid" and the "Red Devil," is known for its flashing colors. This flashing is suspected to be a means of communication-but no one knows what the squid are trying to say.

No wonder cephalopods are sometimes called chameleons of the sea!

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Squids, octopuses, and cuttlefishes are among the few animals in the world that can change the color of their skin in the blink of an eye. These cephalopods -a group of mollusks with arms attached to their heads-can change their skin tone to match their surroundings, rendering them nearly invisible, or alternatively give themselves a pattern that makes them stand out.

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Explores how camels have adapted to survive in harsh desert environments, including their humps, feet, and eyelashes.

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Explore our wide variety of animal facts and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom.

Fun Camel Facts for Kids

Check out our fun camel facts for kids and enjoy learning a wide range of interesting information about camels. Find out the difference between the two speices of camel, read about how camels have been used by humans throughout history, how fast they can run and much more.

There are two species of true camel. The dromedary, is a single humped camel that lives in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa area. The bactrian, is a two-humped camel that lives in areas of Central Asia.

There are four camel-like mammals that live in South America, llama and alpaca are called "New World camels", while guanaco and vicuna are called "South American camels".

Camels have been domesticated by humans for thousands of years. Used mostly for transport or to carry heavy loads, they also provide a source of milk, meat, and hair/wool.

Camels live on average for 40 to 50 years.

Camels are 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) at shoulder level and 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in) at the hump.

Camels are capable of running as fast as 65 km/h (40 mph) for a short period of time, and can maintain a speed of around 40 km/h (25 mph).

Dromedary camels weigh 300 to 600 kg (660 to 1,320 lb) and bactrian camels weigh 300 to 1,000 kg (660 to 2,200 lb).

Camels do not actually hold liquid water in their humps. The humps contain fatty tissue reserves, which can be converted to water or energy when required. They can survive up to six months without food or water by using up these fatty stores.

Camels are well suited to the hot sandy deserts they roam in. Their thick coat insulates them from heat and also lightens during summer to help reflect heat.

A camels long legs help its body to be high from the hot desert surface and a pad of thick tissue called a pedestal raises the body slightly when the camel sits so cool air can pass underneath.

A large camel can drink around 30 gallons (113 liters) in just 13 minutes, making them able to rehydrate faster than any other mammal.

Long eyelashes, ear hair, and closable nostrils keep sand from affecting the camel, while their wide feet help them move without sinking into sand.

Camels have long been used in wartimes. Romans used camels for their ability to scare off horses who are afraid of their scent, and in recent times camels have been used to carry heavy gear and troops across hot sandy deserts.

There are estimated to be over 14 million camels in the world. Camels introduced to desert areas of Australia are the worlds largest populations of feral camels.

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Fun Camel Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Camels

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Explore our wide variety of animal facts and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom. Fun Camel Facts for Kids Check out our fun camel facts for kids and enjoy learning a wide range of interesting information about camels.

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A kid-friendly magazine article about various animal adaptations, including the incredible jumping abilities of the gazelle and the defense mechanisms of pufferfish.

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Frozen But Not Dead: The Wood Frog's Winter Survival

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Frozen But Not Dead: The Wood Frog's Winter Survival

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An fascinating article about how wood frogs survive winter by literally freezing solid and then thawing in spring.

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Each September, the wood frogs of Alaska do a very strange thing: They freeze.

They do not freeze totally solid, but they do freeze mostly solid. Two-thirds of their body water turns to ice. If you picked them up, they would not move. If you bent one of their legs, it would break.

Inside these frozen frogs other weird physiological things are going on. Their hearts stop beating, their blood no longer flows and their glucose levels sky rocket.

"On an organismal level they are essentially dead," said Don Larson, a graduate student at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks who studies frogs. "The individual cells are still functioning, but they have no way to communicate with each other."

The craziest thing of all may be that in this frozen state, they can withstand temperatures as low as zero degrees Fahrenheit for as long as seven months, and then, when spring arrives, thaw out and hop away.

Biologists have known for decades that some frogs freeze in the winter and thaw in the spring, but a paper published in the Journal of Experimental Biology reports that they can freeze longer and tolerate cooler temperatures than previously thought.

"There have been some studies, largely in the lab, that show frogs can stay frozen for a couple of weeks at temperates of about 20 degrees Fahrenheit," said Brian Barnes, director of the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. "But up here in Alaska, we know these frogs are common all the way into the Arctic circle where it gets a lot colder than that. That's what kicked off our interest."

Adult wood frogs are about the size of the palm of your hand. A juvenile is the size of your thumbnail. According to Barnes, their lifespan is four to six years.

To see how these frogs were surviving the winter in the extreme Alaskan environment, the researchers used super glue to attach small radio transmitters about the size of a nickel to the backs of 16 frogs over two years.

The radio transmitters allowed the researchers to see where the frogs made their hibernacula -- divots in the leaf litter near a lake or pond, where they planned to spend the winter. Once the frogs were settled, the researchers placed little cages over the divots and stuck a wire thermometer in there to record the temperature at regular intervals.

"The snow provides a nice insulated layer for them, but we knew from previous studies that it still gets very cold beneath the snow," said Larson, the lead author of the study. "It was the survival that was surprising. We didn't see any die off, and that was the big shock."

Over the course of two years, none of the frogs in the study died.

The researchers also discovered that the frogs don't freeze once and stay frozen. Instead they spend a week or two freezing at night and thawing during the day, until the temperature drops permanently below freezing.

Larson thinks this thawing and freezing patterns helps the frogs convert more of the glycogen stored in their liver into glucose. This is essential because it is the high levels of glucose in the frogs' cells that keep them alive throughout the long, cold winter.

The glucose's main function is to keep water inside the cells. Frostbite in humans is caused when the water in our blood outside turns to ice. That hyperconcentrates the fluid around the cells and tissues, which in turn draws water out of the cells. Eventually the cells get so dehydrated that they die.

Larson offers this analogy: "If you put a potato in salty water, the whole potato kind of shrivels up because all the water from the potato goes to the higher concentration of salinity, but if you add a bunch of salt to a potato, it would retain its water," he said.

By making the cells super sweet with glucose, the frogs keep the water from leaving their cells.

When spring comes and the frogs thaw, they turn as much of the glucose as they can back into glycogen, and they pee out the rest. Then they hurry to the nearest pond or lake to start mating. After all, they only have five months to make babies and gather all the food that they can before the freezing process starts again.

And now, there are more questions to answer.

"So we have these amazing frogs that survive seven months frozen," Larson said. "I'm asking, what about the parasites and all the cool things that live in its mouth and its butt? Is freeze tolerance its own protection against disease? Can it rid animals of parasites?"

There's still a lot to learn.
For more amazing science news, follow me @DeborahNetburn and "like" Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook

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In Alaska, wood frogs freeze for seven months, thaw and hop away

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Each September, the wood frogs of Alaska do a very strange thing: They freeze. They do not freeze totally solid, but they do freeze mostly solid. Two-thirds of their body water turns to ice. If you picked them up, they would not move. If you bent one of their legs, it would break.

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Flying Without Wings: The Sunda Flying Lemur

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Flying Without Wings: The Sunda Flying Lemur

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Discover how the Sunda flying lemur glides through the forest canopy using its special membrane.

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In the steamy jungles of South East Asia lives a peculiar creature. A small cat-sized tree dweller that appears to be part squirrel, part lemur and part fruit bat, but is unrelated to any of these …

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Learn about various animals that use mimicry to survive, including the fascinating ant-mimicking treehopper.

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Camouflage and Mimicry | Kids Discover Online

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Why would an animal want to look like a leaf or a twig?

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Common Cuttlefishes ~ MarineBio Conservation Society

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Cuttlefish - Description, Anatomy, & Facts

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Cuttlefish - Description, Anatomy, & Facts

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Discover the intriguing world of cuttlefish, marine animals related to squids and octopuses.

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This article was most recently revised and updated by

cuttlefish, any of several marine cephalopods of the order Sepioidea, related to the octopus and squid and characterized by a thick internal calcified shell called the cuttlebone. The approximately 100 species of cuttlefish range between 2.5 and 90 cm (1 to 35 inches) and have somewhat flattened bodies bordered by a pair of narrow fins. All species have eight arms and two longer tentacles that are used in capturing prey and can be withdrawn into two pouches. Suction disks are located on the arms and on expanded pads at the tips of the tentacles.

Cuttlefish inhabit shallow tropical or temperate coastal waters, usually migrating to deeper water in winter. The common cuttlefish breeds during spring and summer, producing about 100 to 300 eggs. Sepia species feed mainly on crustaceans, small fishes, and each other. Their main enemies are large aquatic animals. Cuttlefish are used by humans as food, as a source of ink, and for the cuttlebone, a dietary supplement providing calcium for cage birds. The modern cuttlefish appeared in the Miocene Epoch (which began about 23 million years ago) and is derived from a belemnite-like ancestor.

Morphological studies have shown that cuttlefish brains are large relative to their body size, and behavioral studies have demonstrated that at least one species possesses the ability for self-control in a manner similar to that of intelligent vertebrates. Behavioral studies involving the common cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis) report that the species can learn to forgo a lower-quality food item (such as a bit of crab or prawn meat), delaying immediate gratification, in order to receive a preferred higher-quality food reward (such as a live shrimp) at a later time.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica John P. Rafferty.

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Cuttlefish | Description, Anatomy, & Facts

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Cuttlefish, any of about 100 species of marine cephalopods belonging to the order Sepioidea and characterized by a thick internal calcified shell called the cuttlebone. Cuttlefish range between 2.5 and 90 cm (1 to 35 inches) in length and have somewhat flattened bodies bordered by a pair of narrow fins.

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Dive into the world of cuttlefish, one of the ocean's most mysterious creatures.

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One of the most mystifying creatures of the deep, the cuttlefish has abilities and even senses that are alien to us humans. This versatile animal can change its appearance at will, mimicking floating vegetation or rocks on the seafloor. Yet when danger looms, the animal can jet away at great speeds, shooting out a smoke screen of ink or using its ink to create decoys of itself. How does the cuttlefish accomplish all this? Below, take a look at select parts of this octopus relative and learn more about how this master of deception and disguise functions.- Rima Chaddha

We recommend you visit the interactive version. The text to the left is provided for printing purposes.

Kings of Camouflage Home | Send Feedback | Image Credits | Support NOVA

© | Created March 2007

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One of the most mystifying creatures of the deep, the cuttlefish has abilities and even senses that are alien to us humans. This versatile animal can change its appearance at will, mimicking floating vegetation or rocks on the seafloor.

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Discover their fascinating behaviors, hunting strategies, and the diverse habitats they call home.

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Sea Wonder: Cuttlefish | National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

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Camels are adapted to desert life: Lifeform of the week

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Camels are adapted to desert life: Lifeform of the week

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Discover the incredible resilience of camels, the ultimate desert survivors. This webpage from EarthSky highlights how camels are perfectly adapted to endure extreme heat and cold, go weeks without water, and eat tough, thorny plants. Learn about their unique features, such as fat-storing humps, translucent eyelids for sandstorm protection, and their ability to regulate body temperature efficiently. Perfect for anyone fascinated by animal adaptations and the wonders of desert life.

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EarthSky | Updates on your cosmos and world

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Camels are adapted to desert life: Lifeform of the week

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Dorcas Gazelle - Gazella dorcas | Marwell Zoo

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Discover more about the Dorcas Gazelle with Marwell Zoo. Learn about its habitat, conservation efforts and lots more exciting facts today!

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20 Amazing Animal Adaptations for Living in the Desert

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20 Amazing Animal Adaptations for Living in the Desert

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Discover the incredible ways animals survive in harsh desert environments.

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As the summer temperatures continue to climb, you may find yourself spending more and more time indoors enjoying the comforts of central air conditioning. But without the benefit of modern technology, animals that make their home in the heat have had to come up with their own ways of staying cool and hydrated. We caught up with San Diego Zoo Ambassador and Zookeeper Rick Schwartz between television appearances in New York City to talk about the incredible ways that some creatures have adapted to survive in the desert.

In the Australian Outback, pooled water can be extremely hard to come by. To deal with this issue, the thorny devil has developed skin that can absorb water like blotter paper (called "capillary action"). According to Schwartz, "the way the scales on the body are structured, it collects dew and channels it down to the corners of the mouth," where the lizard drinks it. You can actually watch the lizard's skin darken as it soaks up whatever liquid remains from even the muckiest of puddles.

Schwartz says it was previously believed that these animals died off during every dry season, but what was actually happening was far more interesting. When the rainy season ends on the African savannah, the second largest frog in the world burrows 6 to 8 inches underground and seals itself in a mucus membrane that "essentially hardens into a cocoon." The frog can "hibernate" in this sac for up to seven years waiting for rain, which, when it comes, causes the mucus sac to soften, signaling to the frog that it's time to wake up. The South African lungfish benefits from a similar method of hibernation.

This unusual method of locomotion is used by two species of venomous snake-the Mojave Desert sidewinder in the southwestern United States and the Namib Desert viper in Africa. Not only does it help the serpents keep traction on shifting sands, but it ensures that only two points of the animals' bodies are touching the hot ground at any given time.

When facing a predator, this large lizard will scurry under a rock crevice and inflate the loose folds of skin along its body, making it difficult to pull from its hiding place-a perfect escape plan in the rocky deserts of the U.S. and northern Mexico that the chuckwalla calls home.

The fennec fox of North Africa has large ears which Schwartz points out "serve a dual purpose": they are great for listening for bugs to eat that may be moving around underground, but they are also loaded with blood vessels, allowing the animals to dissipate excess body heat. Schwartz points out that while big ears are wonderful radiators during hot days, the fox's thick fur coat also acts as insulation during cold desert nights.

Native to the driest areas of southern Africa, this borrowing rodent can actually use its bushy tail as a sort of parasol-a function I think we all envy from time to time.

No discussion of desert survival is complete without a mention of the camel. You know that the hump stores fat, which can be used as both a food and water source for the animal when the going gets tough. But Schwartz points out that camels also have thick hairs in their ears for keeping out sand, and the same can be said of their eyelashes-"there's not a model out there that wouldn't want eyelashes like that," Schwartz says. Camels also sport closable nostrils, a nictitating eye membrane, and wide feet that act like snowshoes in the sand.

The Gila Monster-one of only two venomous lizards in the world-spends most of its life underground and can go months between meals by living off of fat stored in its tail. This is a handy little survival trick during the dry season in their Sonoran Desert habitat.

The peccary, or javelina, has a tough mouth and specialized digestive system which enables it to chomp down on prickly pear cactus pads (one of their favorite foods) without feeling the effects of the plant's thousands of tiny spines. "I can't imagine biting into the paddle of a cactus, but these animals definitely have found ways to do that," Schwartz says. As an added bonus, using cactus as a food source is a great way to supplement water intake as the spiny succulents are absolutely loaded with the stuff.

This bird, found mainly in the deserts of Asia and North Africa, has specialized feathers on its belly that are able to soak up small quantities of water. Males of the species will use these feathers like a sponge to carry water back to their nests, which they then share with their female counterparts and offspring.

Though they will drink water when it is available, this small species of North African antelope can get all of the water it needs from the food in its diet. When water is unavailable, the Dorcas gazelle can concentrate its urine into uric acid, which Schwartz describes as "a white pellet" instead of the hydraulically expensive liquid waste. "That's water conservation," he says, "and they need to hold on to whatever they get."

The Namib Desert in Africa has very little fresh water to speak of, but due to its proximity to the sea, it receives a daily dose of fog in the cool hours of the early morning. Fogstand beetles have learned to stand still in order to let the fog condense on their bodies in the form of water droplets, which they then drink.

As Schwartz points out, the metabolic processes of the body all have outputs which often occur in the form of mineral build up. "Animals that live in an environment where water is readily available will just [get rid of those minerals] through their urine," he says. "When you have animals that live in these extreme environments where they don't want to excrete any fluids, the body will find other ways to get rid of those minerals." The greater roadrunner of North America, which like the Dorcas gazelle can survive its whole life without drinking water, has developed a unique way of dealing with this problem: it secretes excess salt from a gland near its eye.

Not only are these animals able to close any wounds through a special process of contraction, but the exceptionally weak skin of these mice means it is also much easier to regenerate, allowing wounded spiny mice to heal from superficial wounds much faster than other species-a process which minimizes blood loss.

With subspecies in Africa, Asia, and Australia, this freaky legless lizard has developed an ingenious method of dealing with high desert surface temperatures-simply staying out of them. Blind skinks have lost their legs and eyes through evolution and, like the sandworms from Beetlejuice, prefer to stay hidden underground where they can tunnel in search of creepy crawlies to munch on.

Scorpions are able to go up to a year without eating thanks to their specialized metabolisms. Unlike other animals that experience a seasonal hibernation, though, a scorpion is still able to react to the presence of prey with lightning quickness even while in this state of nearly suspended animation.

To survive the harsh Australian summers, kangaroos will cool off by licking their forelegs. A special network of blood vessels in the legs allows the animals to reduce their body temperatures quickly through the evaporation of saliva since kangaroos lack regular sweat glands.

The black circles around the eyes of these social African mammals is often compared to a natural pair of sunglasses, though Schwartz says that the pattern actually functions by "absorbing the sun and preventing it from reflecting back into the eyes." This means that the pattern works more like the eye black used by professional athletes than actual lenses. Still, says Schwartz, it allows them "to see more clearly" while awake during the day, compared to nocturnal predators such as lions, whose eyes have no special markings whatsoever.

Another creature native to the Sahara Desert, the Addax antelope rarely if ever needs to drink water to survive. To cope with the unforgiving desert sun, the Addax sports a white coat in the summer which reflects sunlight, but in the winter the coat turns brownish-gray so as to better absorb heat.

What better way is there to silence your competition than by eating them? The common kingsnake is so specialized to that end that not only do they hunt by clamping down on a snake's jaws before constricting it to death, they have also developed an immunity to rattlesnake venom, making the vipers one of their favorite food sources.

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20 Amazing Animal Adaptations for Living in the Desert

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Without the benefit of modern technology, animals that make their home in the heat have had to come up with their own ways of staying cool and hydrated.

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This report details the taxonomy, biology, and conservation status of the Dorcas gazelle, a small, resilient antelope adapted to arid environments.

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René-Marie Lafontaine, Roseline C. Beudels-Jamar, Pierre Devillers and Tim Wacher-ZSL.

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Explore the detailed profile of the Dorcas gazelle, a small antelope adapted to arid environments. This resource covers their geographic range, habitat preferences, physical characteristics, behavior, and conservation status. Learn about their unique adaptations for surviving in deserts, their diet, and the challenges they face in the wild.

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Read about Gazella dorcas (dorcas gazelle) on the Animal Diversity Web.

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Discover the fascinating Sunda flying lemur, also known as the Malayan colugo.

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Galeopterus variegatus
( Jean-Baptiste Audebert, 1799)

In Thai: บ่าง, baang

The Sunda flying lemur (Galeopterus variegatus), also called Malayan flying lemur and Malayan colugo, is the sole colugo species of the genus Galeopterus. It is native to Southeast Asia from southern Myanmar, Thailand, southern Vietnam, Malaysia to Singapore and Indonesia and listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Although it is called "flying lemur", it cannot fly but glides among trees and is strictly arboreal. It is active at night, and feeds on soft plant parts such as young leaves, shoots, flowers, and fruits. It is a forest-dependent species.

The Sunda flying lemur is protected by national legislation. The Sunda flying lemurs are often hunted by local people with spears or other lethal equipment for various reasons such as food and fur. Habitat loss is known to occur intermittently, particularly in developing countries such as Malaysia.

Taxonomy and evolution

The Sunda flying lemurs' two forms are not morphologically distinct from one another; the large form occurs on the mainland of the Sunda Shelf area and the mainland of Southeast Asia, while the dwarf form occurs in central Laos and some other adjacent islands. The Laos specimen is smaller (about 20%) than the other known mainland population.

Despite the large and dwarf forms, four subspecies are known: G. v. variegatus (Java), G. v. temminckii (Sumatra), G. v. borneanus (Borneo), and G. v. peninsulae (Peninsular Malaysia and mainland of Southeast Asia) incorporating on the genetic species concept due to geographic isolation and genetic divergence. Recent molecular and morphological data provide the evidence that the mainland, Javan, and Bornean Sunda flying lemur subspecies may be recognised as three separate species in the genus Galeopterus.

Characteristics

The Sunda flying lemur is a skillful climber, but is nearly helpless when on the ground. Its gliding membrane connects from the neck, extending along the limbs to the tips of the fingers, toes, and nails. This kite-shaped skin is known as a patagium, which is expanded for gliding. It can glide over a distance of 100 m with a loss of fewer than 10 m in elevation. It has a dorsiflexed and abducted foot while having an abducted clawed grasp. This technique helps to climb trees easier and faster while looking for food or staying away from predators.

The head-body length of Sunda flying lemur is about 33 to 42 cm. Its tail length measures 18 to 27 cm, its hind legs measure between 6.5 to 7.3 cm long. It weighs 0.9 to 1.3 kg.

Distribution and habitat

The Sunda flying lemur is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia, ranging from the Sunda Shelf mainland to other islands - northern Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia (Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak), Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia (Kalimantan, Sumatra, Bali, Java), and many adjacent islands. Conversely, the Philippine flying lemur (C. volans) is confined to the southern parts of the Philippines only.

The Sunda flying lemur is adapted to many different vegetation types, including gardens, primary and secondary forest, rubber and coconut plantations, fruit orchards (dusun), mangrove swamps, lowlands and upland forests, tree plantations, lowland dipterocarp forests, and mountainous areas, but not all of these habitats can sustain large colugo populations.

Behaviour and ecology

The Sunda flying lemur is nocturnal, but is sometimes active in the morning and in the afternoon.

It can maneuver and navigate while gliding, but strong rain and wind can affect its ability to glide. Gliding usually occurs in open areas or high in the canopy, especially in dense tropical rainforest. It needs a certain distance to glide and to land to avoid injury. The highest landing forces are experienced after short glides; longer glides lead to softer landings, due to its ability to brake its glide aerodynamically. The ability to glide increases a colugo's access to scattered food resources in the rainforest, without increasing exposure to terrestrial or arboreal predators.

The Sunda flying lemur mainly forages in tree canopies on several different tree species in a single night, or on a single species.

Diet

In general, its diet consists mainly of leaves; it usually consumes leaves with less potassium and nitrogen-containing compounds, but with higher tannin. It also feeds on buds, shoots, flowers of coconut and durian trees fruits and sap from selected tree species. It also feeds on insects in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The selected food sources depend on the localities, habitat, vegetation types, and availability.

It has been observed to lick tree bark of selected tree species to obtain water, nutrients, salts, and minerals.

Reproduction

After a 60-day gestation period, a single offspring is carried on the mother's abdomen held by a large skin membrane.

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The Colugo Looks Like a Cross Between a Bat and a Monkey, But Is Neither

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The Colugo Looks Like a Cross Between a Bat and a Monkey, But Is Neither

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Discover the colugo, a unique mammal that glides through Southeast Asian forests. Often mistaken for a bat or monkey, this nocturnal creature uses a special membrane to glide between trees. Learn about its distinct evolutionary branch, fascinating adaptations, and the challenges it faces in the wild.

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The Colugo Looks Like a Cross Between a Bat and a Monkey, But Is Neither

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Weighing as much as a chihuahua, the colugo is an evolutionary anomaly that glides through the Southeast Asian forests. But don’t confuse it for a bat or monkey.

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Flying lemurs—or colugos—can't technically fly and aren't technically lemurs

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Flying lemurs—or colugos—can't technically fly and aren't technically lemurs

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Learn about their unique adaptations, nocturnal habits, and the evolutionary branch they belong to.

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Flying lemurs have a deceptive name. Also called colugos, these small, furry tree-dwellers can't technically fly, and they're not technically lemurs. But in the Southeast Asian forests they inhabit, they can glide incredible distances between trees. And genetically they happen to be the closest living relatives of primates.

Anatomy of a flying lemur

THREATS

Flying lemurs depend on trees for their food and safety, so deforestation in the regions they inhabit (particularly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra) threatens their habitat. Even when loggers selectively remove one type of tree from a forest, the increased space between trees can make it difficult for these creatures to glide from tree to tree. Some local communities also occasionally hunt flying lemurs for their fur and meat.

Meet the flying lemurs

PHILIPPINE FLYING LEMUR (Left)
Cynocephalus volans

RANGE Southern Philippines
WEIGHT 2.2-3.8 lb
FUR COLOR Mottled but less dramatically spotted than that of the Sunda flying lemur. Males tend to have brown fur and females tend to have gray fur.

SUNDA FLYING LEMUR (Right)
Galeopterus variegatus

RANGE Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia
WEIGHT 2-4.5 lb
FUR COLOR Ranges from reddish-brown to gray and tends to have patches of color that look like tree lichen.

About

World Wildlife magazine provides an inspiring, in-depth look at the connections between animals, people and our planet. Published quarterly by WWF, the magazine helps make you a part of our efforts to solve some of the most pressing issues facing the natural world.

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Flying lemurs-or colugos-can't technically fly and aren't technically lemurs

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Flying lemurs have a deceptive name. Also called colugos, these small, furry tree-dwellers can't technically fly, and they're not technically lemurs. But in the Southeast Asian forests they inhabit, they can glide incredible distances between trees. And genetically they happen to be the closest living relatives of primates.

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ADW: Galeopterus variegates
Sunda flying lemur

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ADW: Galeopterus variegates
Sunda flying lemur

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Explore the detailed profile of the Sunda flying lemur, also known as the Malayan flying lemur. This nocturnal, tree-dwelling mammal glides through Southeast Asian forests using a special membrane. Learn about its habitat, physical characteristics, behavior, diet, and conservation status. Discover how this unique creature adapts to its environment and the challenges it faces in the wild.

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Geographic Range

Sunda flying lemurs are found in Southeast Asia and are endemic to Indochina and Sundaland, an area which includes the Malay Peninsula and the surrounding islands. ("America Zoo", 2005; Burnie and Wilson, 2001; Shapiro, 2010)

Habitat

Sunda flying lemurs are strictly arboreal, spending their entire lives in the treetops of tropical rainforests. They can also be found in highlands and can readily adapt to disturbed forests edges and plantations. ("America Zoo", 2005; "Malayan Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus", 2007; Burnie and Wilson, 2001)

Physical Description

Sunda flying lemurs have small heads, large and forward-facing eyes, wide brows, and small ears. They have blunt snouts, and there are no obvious whiskers on their faces. The fur of Sunda flying lemurs is dense and mottled. While the underside is pale, the dorsal fur can be white, gray, black, or red. Unlike ( Philippine flying lemurs, Sunda flying lemurs have bold patches of color that look similar to lichen on a tree, which aid in camouflage. While Sunda flying lemurs cannot fly, a membrane of skin called a patagium allows them to glide. This membrane is fully furred, extending along the limbs from the neck to the fingers, toes and tail. When gliding, the patagium can extend to about 70 cm with the help of an extensor muscle in the flank membrane. Sunda flying lemurs have four legs of similar size with webbed feet and curled claws. Their digits are flattened, and the soles of the feet can form sucking discs to allow a better grip while climbing. Sunda flying lemurs weigh 0.9 to 2 kg (2 to 4.5 lbs) and are 33 to 42 cm in length with 17.5 to 27 cm tails. "America Zoo", 2005; Allaby, 1999; Burnie and Wilson, 2001; Darwin and Beer, 1996; Shapiro, 2010)

Sunda flying lemurs have 34 carnivore-like teeth. Flying lemurs of the family ( Cynocephalidae have unique comb-shaped bottom incisors, which can be used for straining or grooming. These incisors include up to up to 20 prongs per tooth. While most incisors of mammals are single rooted, the second incisors of Sunda flying lemurs are double rooted. The front of the top jaw is toothless as the upper incisors are positioned at the sides of the jaw. The canines of Sunda flying lemurs resemble pre-molars. "America Zoo", 2005; Allaby, 1999; Burnie and Wilson, 2001; Darwin and Beer, 1996)

Range mass

0.9 to 2 kg

1.98 to 4.41 lb

Range length

50.5 to 69 cm

19.88 to 27.17 in

Average wingspan

70 cm

27.56 in

Reproduction

Little is known about the reproductive systems and courtships of Sunda flying lemurs.

Sunda flying lemurs can mate throughout the year. After a gestation period of about 60 days, female Sunda flying lemurs give birth to a single offspring. Rarely, twins can be born. The offspring is born underdeveloped and weighs around 35 g. Weaning occurs at six months of age, and adulthood is reached at about three years. The mother can mate again shortly after giving birth, and it is possible for a female to be pregnant while still nursing. ("America Zoo", 2005; Burnie and Wilson, 2001; Linzey, 2007; Martin, 2004)

Offspring of Sunda flying lemurs nurse from a single pair of mammae located near the mother's armpits. The mother can fold her patagium into a pouch to protect and warm her offspring. Young Sunda flying lemurs are dependent on the mother until they are weaned. Offspring cling to the underside of the mother, if not in the pouch, even when she is gliding from tree to tree. ( Burnie and Wilson, 2001; Linzey, 2007; Martin, 2004)

Lifespan/Longevity

Little information is available on the lifespan of Sunda flying lemurs, but the oldest known captive flying lemur of the family ( Cynocephalidae was 17.5 years old. "Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research", 2002)

Range lifespan
Status: captivity

17.5 (high) years

Behavior

Sunda flying lemurs are mainly nocturnal. During the day, they sleep in holes in trees or high in the dense foliage of the treetops. They grasp the underside of branches or the trunk of a tree with all four feet. Climbing trees involves stretching out the two front legs then bringing up the two back legs, giving an awkward, hopping appearance. When threatened, this species either climbs higher into the trees or completely stops moving. Sunda flying lemurs are strictly arboreal and are quite helpless on the forest floor. They are able to glide over 100 m with little loss in elevation. Sunda flying lemurs live alone or in small, loosely connected groups. However, they can be territorial of sleeping and foraging areas. ("America Zoo", 2005; "Malayan Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus", 2007; Burnie and Wilson, 2001; Linzey, 2007; Shapiro, 2010)

Home Range

Not much is known regarding the home ranges of Sunda flying lemurs, although home ranges broadly overlap. In the protected forests of Singapore, one Sunda flying lemur is estimated per two hectares. ( Linzey, 2007; Shapiro, 2010)

Communication and Perception

As most Sunda flying lemurs are solitary, little is known about communication between individuals. They can be territorial of sleeping and foraging areas, though information regarding territorial behavior is limited. ("America Zoo", 2005; Burnie and Wilson, 2001; Linzey, 2007)

Food Habits

Sunda flying lemurs are strictly herbivorous. They feed on soft plant parts such as fruits, flowers, buds, young leaves, nectar, and sap. The unusually comb-shaped lower incisors are thought to be used to scrape up sap from trees or to strain fruits and flowers. ("Malayan Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus", 2007; Burnie and Wilson, 2001)

leaves

fruit

nectar

flowers

sap or other plant fluids

Predation

( Humans are among the few known predators of Sunda flying lemurs. If threatened, these animals either freeze or climb higher into the trees. Bold patches of fur that look similar lichen provide camouflage against predators. Sunda flying lemurs also glide away to escape predators, gliding up to up to 100 m with minimal loss in altitude. "Malayan Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus", 2007; Burnie and Wilson, 2001)

Ecosystem Roles

As Sunda flying lemurs consume fruit and flowers, they may aid in seed dispersal as well as flower pollination. ( Burnie and Wilson, 2001)

disperses seeds

pollinates

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Sunda flying lemurs are occasionally hunted for their meat and skin. As the closest living relatives to ( primates, the genome of Sunda flying lemurs could prove evolutionarily enlightening. Kennedy, 2002)

food

body parts are source of valuable material

research and education

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Because Sunda flying lemurs adapt well to disturbed and fragmented forests and plantations, they are considered as pests for fruit crops. ("Malayan Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus", 2007)

Conservation Status

Although Sunda flying lemurs are fairly adaptive to disturbed forests, their numbers have been decreasing due to habitat loss from logging and the conversion of native forests into farm land. Nonetheless, Sunda flying lemurs are considered at low risk of extinction by the IUCN Red List. ( Burnie and Wilson, 2001)

Sunda flying lemurs are also known as Malayan flying lemurs, as they inhabit both Malaysia and the Malay Peninsula. Sunda flying lemurs have previously been classified as and/or linked to ( insectivores, bats, and primates. This species is difficult to breed and sustain in captivity. Few formal studies have been conducted on Sunda flying lemurs, and there is much yet to learn. Martin, 2004)

Contributors

Katrina Beatson (author), Northern Michigan University, John Bruggink (editor), Northern Michigan University, Gail McCormick (editor), Animal Diversity Web Staff.

Glossary

oriental

found in the oriental region of the world. In other words, India and southeast Asia.

References

2005. "America Zoo" (On-line). Accessed February 03, 2009 at http://www.americazoo.com/goto/index/mammals/52.htm.

2007. "Malayan Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus" (On-line). Wildlife Singapore. Accessed February 23, 2009 at http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/factsheet/colugo.htm.

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. 2002. "Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research" (On-line). Longevity Records: Life Spans of Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish. Accessed March 02, 2009 at http://www.demogr.mpg.de/longevityrecords/index2.htm.

Allaby, M. 1999. A Dictionary of Zoology. Oxford: New York Oxford University Press (UK).

Burnie, D., D. Wilson. 2001. Smithsonian Institution Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife. New York, New York: DK Publishing, Inc.

Darwin, C., G. Beer. 1996. The Origin of Species. Oxford: New York Oxford University Press (UK).

Kennedy, B. 2002. "Penn State Live" (On-line). Accessed March 02, 2009 at http://live.psu.edu/story/26969.

Linzey, D. 2007. Dermoptera. Pp. 390-391 in McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, Vol. 5, 10 Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Martin, R. 2004. Dermoptera (Colugos). Pp. 299-305 in E Hutchins, D Thoney, M McDade, eds. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 13, 2 Edition. Detroit: Gale.

Shapiro, L. 2010. "Galeopterus variegatus (Audebert, 1799)" (On-line). Encyclopedia of Life. Accessed January 18, 2011 at http://www.eol.org/pages/1040858.

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Galeopterus variegates (Sunda flying lemur)

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Sunda flying lemurs are found in Southeast Asia and are endemic to Indochina and Sundaland, an area which includes the Malay Peninsula and the surrounding islands. ("America Zoo", 2005; Burnie and Wilson, 2001; Shapiro, 2010) Sunda flying lemurs are strictly arboreal, spending their entire lives in the treetops of tropical rainforests.

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flying lemur, (family Cynocephalidae), also called colugo, either of the two species of primitive gliding mammals classified in the family Cynocephalidae and found only in Southeast Asia and on some of the Philippine Islands. Flying lemurs resemble large flying squirrels, as they are arboreal climbers and gliders that have webbed feet with claws. However, the form of the head and the animals' nocturnal habit recall those of the lemurs-hence their name. The long limbs and the tail are connected by broad folds of skin, as in bats. When a flying lemur leaps from high in the trees, the limbs are outstretched, and the animal's controlled glide can cover 70 metres (230 feet) while losing little altitude.

The Philippine flying lemur ( Cynocephalus volans) inhabits several of the southerly islands in the Philippines, including Bohol, Samar, and Mindanao. The Malayan, or Sunda, colugo, also called Malayan, or Sunda, flying lemur (Galeopterus variegatus), ranges from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia and southward along the Malay Peninsula to the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. Adults of both species can grow as large as 42 cm (16.5 inches) in body length, with a tail that extends an additional one-half to two-thirds of the body length, and they can weigh as much as 2 kg (4.4 pounds).

Flying lemurs were formerly classified as insectivores, but they differ from those and other mammals in several basic anatomical features, especially in the form of the brain and in the dentition. The teeth (34) are peculiar in that the lower incisors stick out in a comblike structure formed of enamel folds. The second upper incisors are similar to canine teeth and are double-rooted. Canines are absent in the upper jaw. Cheek teeth (premolars and molars) bear sharp cusps. The digestive tract exhibits specializations to a strict vegetarian diet. Although flying lemurs share some characteristics with certain bats ( flying foxes of suborder Yinpterochiroptera), they are most closely related to the primates.

The Philippine flying lemur and the Malayan colugo are listed as species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Although both species have relatively healthy populations, ecologists have noted that habitat loss resulting from ongoing deforestation is the primary threat to each of these species, with hunting as a secondary concern.

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Flying lemur | Types, Adaptations, Diet, & Facts

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flying lemur, (family Cynocephalidae), also called colugo, either of the two species of primitive gliding mammals classified in the family Cynocephalidae and found only in Southeast Asia and on some of the Philippine Islands. Flying lemurs resemble large flying squirrels, as they are arboreal climbers and gliders that have webbed feet with claws.

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Discover the graceful gazelle, a fleet-footed antelope found in open plains and arid regions from Mongolia to North Africa and throughout eastern and central tropical Africa. Known for their slender limbs, level backs, and long necks, gazelles are well-adapted to their environments, extracting moisture from the plants they eat and tolerating high temperatures. Learn about their various species, unique adaptations, and the conservation challenges they face.

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Observe a herd of gazelles grazing, playing, and nursing in their natural habitat on the African plains

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. See all videos for this article

Gazelle, any of several fleet, medium-sized antelopes with slender, evenly developed limbs, level backs, and long necks. Most gazelles are tan-coloured, with white underparts and rump patch, a dark side stripe, and contrasting facial markings. They inhabit the arid lands of Asia from China to the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa from the Saharan deserts to the sub-Saharan Sahel, and northeast Africa from the Horn of Africa to Tanzania. Most gazelles are placed in the genus Gazella, family Bovidae (order Artiodactyla).

Gazelles have adapted to inhabit waterless steppe, subdesert, and even desert. They can extract water from the plants they browse without having to drink. They have narrow jaws and incisor rows for highly selective feeding on the most nutritious growth. Their urine is concentrated, and, before excretion, moisture is extracted from their fecal pellets. Their coats are light-coloured and reflective. They can tolerate an increase in their core temperature by as much as 5 °C (9 °F). Gazelles seek shade and avoid activity in the hottest weather by feeding at night and early morning when plants contain the most moisture. If all else fails, they can cool down by rapid nasal panting.

The genus Gazella was traditionally considered to contain 14 species. However, specialists in the taxonomy of the gazelle tribe (Antilopini), using genetic techniques for studying phylogenetic relationships, now believe that gazelles stem from not one but several different ancestors. Accordingly, six species, all African, have been removed from Gazella by some authorities and placed in two different genera. The three largest species-the dama gazelle, Grant's gazelle, and Soemmering's gazelle-are placed in the genus Nanger (formerly considered a subgenus), and three of the smaller species- Thomson's gazelle, the red-fronted gazelle, and the Mongalla gazelle-have become the genus Eudorcas. The Gazella genus as traditionally defined includes eight species that occur only in Africa, five that occur only in Asia, and one species that occurs both in Africa and Asia. In the revised classification, Gazella contains ten species-three exclusively African, five exclusively Asian, and one shared by both continents.

Asian gazelles

The Arabian Peninsula is the centre of diversity of the revised genus Gazella, with six species: the mountain gazelle ( G. gazella), the goitred, or sand, gazelle ( G. subgutturosa), the Arabian gazelle ( G. arabica; now extinct), the Saudi gazelle ( G. saudiya; now extinct in the wild), the Queen of Sheba's gazelle ( G. bilkis; now extinct), and the dorcas gazelle ( G. dorcas). The dorcas gazelle also ranges into North Africa. The range of the goitred gazelle extends across the Asian deserts to China, though its population is greatly reduced in numbers. A sixth Asian gazelle, the Indian gazelle or chinkara ( G. bennetti), survives in the deserts of India and Pakistan.

Tribe Antilopini includes several Asian species of the genus Procapra that are also called gazelles: the Tibetan gazelle ( P. picticaudata), Przewalski's gazelle ( P. przewalskii), and the Mongolian gazelle ( P. gutturosa). The last, with a population estimated at well over one million, may be the most numerous of all hoofed mammals.

African gazelles

Of the three exclusively African Gazella species, two range north of the Sahara (along with the dorcas gazelle). The Atlas gazelle, also called Cuvier's, or the edmi, gazelle ( G. cuvieri), is found in the Atlas Mountains. The rhim, or slender-horned, gazelle ( G. leptoceros) is the most desert-adapted African gazelle and lives in the Sahara's great sand deserts ( ergs) from Algeria to Egypt. The third indigenous species, Speke's gazelle ( G. spekei), inhabits the coastal plain of Somalia.

The dorcas gazelle, though still the most abundant and widespread of the Saharan antelopes, has been eliminated from most of its North African range. However, sizable populations survive in the Sahel from Mauritania to the Nile and in the lowlands of countries bordering the Red Sea.

Thomson's gazelle ( Eudorcas thomsonii) is still common in East Africa and abundant in the Serengeti ecosystem of Tanzania. An isolated species, the Mongalla gazelle ( E. albonotata), occurs in eastern South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia. The red-fronted gazelle ( E. rufifrons) is a Sahel version of Thomson's gazelle but is distinguished by a more rufous colour and a reddish border between the narrow black flank stripe and white underparts.

The dama gazelle ( Nanger dama) is the largest gazelle, weighing up to 75 kg (165 pounds) and standing up to 120 cm (47 inches) at the shoulder. Formerly common in the grasslands and subdesert of the Sahel from Mauritania to Sudan, it now exists only in endangered remnant populations. This gazelle is unusual both for its form and for geographic variations in its colour pattern, which range from predominately rufous with extensive white underparts, rump, legs, and head in the west ( N. dama mhorr) to nearly white in the east ( N. dama ruficollis).

Grant's gazelle ( N. granti) has the largest horns (up to 80 cm [31 inches]) and is still widespread both in and outside protected areas through most of its range from South Sudan to central Tanzania. Soemmering's gazelle ( N. soemmeringii) inhabits the arid savanna country of northeast Africa, where it is the ecological equivalent of Grant's gazelle. Clark's gazelle ( Ammordorcas clarkei) of northeast Africa is also known as the dibatag.

Ecology and behaviour

Like most antelopes of arid regions, gazelles are nomadic, migratory, or both. All gazelles are gregarious; females and young band together, as do bachelor males. During migration, the sexes associate in mixed herds, but they are segregated by territorial males whenever breeding opportunities arise. Gazelles are unusually endowed with glands; these are located between the hooves, in the groin (inguinal glands), on the front of the forelegs, and ahead of the eyes (preorbital glands). In males of some species (Thomson's, red-fronted, Speke's, and goitred) the preorbitals produce a sticky black secretion that is daubed on twigs and grass stems to demarcate territories. However, the main way of posting territories, in all members of the gazelle tribe, is with urine and feces, which males deposit on dung middens in a linked, highly ritualized performance.

Because antelopes living in open plains can be run down by motorized vehicles, all gazelles (with few exceptions) have been decimated over most of their range by relentless hunting. Habitat degradation and competition with livestock have also harmed gazelle populations.
Richard Estes

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Gazelle, any of several fleet, medium-sized antelopes with slender, evenly developed limbs, level backs, and long necks. Most gazelles are tan-coloured, with white underparts and rump patch, a dark side stripe, and contrasting facial markings. They inhabit the arid lands of Asia from China to the

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Meet the Dorcas gazelle, a small, graceful ungulate found in the deserts of North Africa, the Sinai Peninsula, Palestine, and Arabia.

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Pequeño ungulado, es decir, mamífero con casco o pezuña, la Gacela Dorcas se distribuye por los desiertos del norte de África, península del Sinaí, Palestina y Arabia

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Discover the remarkable wood frog, known for its unique ability to survive freezing temperatures.Learn about their distinctive black eye mask, diet, habitat, and the fascinating adaptations that allow them to thrive in cold climates.

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Wood Frog | National Wildlife Federation

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Learn facts about the wood frog’s habitat, diet, life history, and more.

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Discover the incredible wood frog, a small amphibian that can survive freezing temperatures by hibernating in leaf litter. Learn about their unique adaptations, habitat, and the remarkable biological miracle that allows them to thrive in some of the coldest environments on Earth.

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It's hard to imagine this lively frog spends the winter frozen solid
Richard Nelson

Yet wood frogs have evolved ways to freeze solid for up to eight months each year. They've accomplished what would seem to be a biological miracle. How do they pull this off?

At the beginning of winter, ice quickly fills the wood frog's abdominal cavity and encases the internal organs. Ice crystals form between layers of skin and muscle. The eyes turn white because the lens freezes.

At the same time, the wood frog's liver produces large amounts of glucose that flushes into every cell in its body. This syrupy sugar solution prevents the cells from freezing and binds the water molecules inside the cells to prevent dehydration.

So on the one hand, the wood frog's body allows ice to form around the outsides of cells and organs; and on the other hand, it prevents ice from forming inside the cells--thus avoiding the lethal damage suffered by most animals when they freeze.

What does a hibernating wood frog look like? There is no muscle movement. No heartbeat. No breathing. For the entire winter, the wood frog is like a lump of hard, frigid, icy stone carved in the shape of a frog. But it's alive, in a state of suspended animation.

In spring, the wood frog thaws from the inside outward. First the heart starts beating. Then the brain activates. Finally, the legs move.

Nobody yet understands what starts the wood frog's heart after being frozen and inert for the entire northern winter. Once the frog is fully thawed, it heads off through the woods to find a breeding pond or other suitable water.

The wood frog is completely undamaged by conditions that would be fatal to nearly all other animals.

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Biological Miracle - Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)

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Yet wood frogs have evolved ways to freeze solid for up to eight months each year. They've accomplished what would seem to be a biological miracle. How do they pull this off? At the beginning of winter, ice quickly fills the wood frog's abdominal cavity and encases the internal organs.

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Discover the wood frog, an amphibian known for its incredible ability to survive freezing temperatures.

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Wood Frog

Lithobates sylvaticus

Status: Not Listed

Classification: Amphibian

Description

A wood frog's most distinct characteristic is the black marking across its eyes, which has been said to resemble a mask. The bodies of wood frogs can be varying shades of brown, red, green, or gray, with females tending to be more brightly colored than males. Adults of this amphibian species are 1.5 to 3.25 inches (3.8 to 8.2 centimeters) in length.

These frogs have adapted to cold climates by freezing over the winter. During this time, they stop breathing and their hearts stop beating. Their bodies produce a special antifreeze substance that prevents ice from freezing within their cells, which would be deadly. Ice does form, however, in the spaces between the cells. When the weather warms, the frogs thaw and begin feeding and mating again.

Range

Wood frogs are found in the United States throughout the forests of Alaska and the Northeast. They are found in smaller numbers as far south as Alabama and northwest into Idaho. Wood frogs are the only frogs that live north of the Arctic Circle. Adults usually live in woodlands and lay eggs in vernal pools. During winter, they take shelter in leaf litter. A variety of snakes eat adult wood frogs. The frogs also fall prey to snapping turtles, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, foxes, and birds. Tadpoles face a different set of predators, including beetles, salamanders, wood turtles, and other wood frogs.

Diet

Adults use their long, sticky tongues to catch insects, arachnids, worms, slugs, and snails. Tadpoles are mostly herbivorous and eat algae and decaying plant matter, though they have also been recorded eating eggs or larvae of other amphibians.

Life History

Wood frogs are one of the first frogs to begin the breeding season, usually in early March. During the breeding season, males can be heard making quack-like calls day and night. Females lay masses of 1,000 to 3,000 eggs, which hatch between 9 and 30 days later. Maturity may be reached in one to two years, depending on the sex and the population of frogs. A wood frog's lifespan in the wild is usually no more than three years.

Conservation

The wood frog's population is stable, but habitat loss due to farming and development may affect them in some areas.

Fun Fact

In the amphibian world, wood frogs may be the species best able to recognize their family. When many tadpoles are in the same place, siblings seek each other out and group together.

Sources

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

eNature.com

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

NatureServe Explorer

Virginia Herpetological Society

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Wood Frog | National Wildlife Federation

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Lithobates sylvaticus Status: Not Listed Classification: Amphibian Description A wood frog's most distinct characteristic is the black marking across its eyes, which has been said to resemble a mask. The bodies of wood frogs can be varying shades of brown, red, green, or gray, with females tending to be more brightly colored than males.

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Discover how wood frogs play a crucial role in their ecosystems and the fascinating ways they thrive in cold climates.

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Geographic Range

Wood frogs, Lithobates sylvaticus, are only native to the Nearctic region. They are found from northern Georgia and in isolated colonies in the central highlands in the eastern to central parts of Alabama, up through the northeastern United States, and all the way across Canada into Alaska. They are found farther north than any other North American reptile or amphibian. ( Conant and Collins, 1998)

Habitat

Wood frogs inhabit a wide variety of habitats including tundra, thickets, wet meadows, bogs, coniferous and deciduous forests. Wood frogs are aquatic breeders and require fish-free seasonal or semi-permanent bodies of water to reproduce, but will migrate from their primary habitat to breed. These frogs seek out terrestrial locations with ample cover to hibernate which may or may not be near a breeding pond. ( Redmer and Trauth, 2005)

Physical Description

Wood frogs range from 3.5 to 7.6 cm. Females are much larger than males. This species exhibits a number of color morphs, usually browns, tans and rust, but can also be found in shades of green and gray. In all cases however, they can be distinguished by a black patch that extends over the tympanum to the base of the front limb. It is this characteristic that causes them to be referred to as the frog with the "robber's mask". They are also known to have a white outline across the upper lip. Most specimens have a light yellowish brown middorsal lateral fold. The underparts of the frogs are white becoming pale orange-yellow towards the rear, with male frogs having more brilliant colors on the ventral aspect of the legs. ( Dickerson, 1931; Mansker, 1998)

female larger

male more colorful

Average mass

7.88 g

0.28 oz

AnAge

Range length

3.5 to 7.6 cm

1.38 to 2.99 in

Average basal metabolic rate

0.00416 W

AnAge

Development

The time it takes for fertilized eggs to hatch is largely dependent on water temperature. Eggs that are laid in colder waters in early March may take a month to hatch, whereas eggs laid later when water temperatures are warmer may take only 10 to 14 days. Tadpoles are olive-brown to black in color and measure 49.8 mm in length. Tadpoles undergo metamorphosis when they reach 50 to 60 mm in length between 65 and 130 days post-hatch. Juveniles measure 16 to 18 mm in length after metamorphosis. Juvenile males reach reproductive maturity from 1 to 2 years post-metamorphosis, whereas females may not reach reproductive maturity for 2 to 3 years post-metamorphosis. Like all frogs, wood frogs exhibit indeterminate growth. ( Redmer and Trauth, 2005)

Reproduction

Wood frogs exhibit "explosive" breeding in late winter or early spring when the first warm rains occur. Frogs wake from hibernation and migrate to breeding ponds. Individuals show some site fidelity year to year. Not much information is known regarding how males attract a mate. In an explosive breeding situation the success of the male in finding an available and willing female is strictly density-dependent. ( Redmer and Trauth, 2005)

Wood frogs are seasonal breeders that breed from early March to May. They are the first frogs to begin calling, often before the ice is completely off the breeding ponds. While the calls of these male frogs are very abundant in season, once the breeding season is over they become silent. During the breeding season however, they create a chorus of duck-like quacking sounds, described by some as a "lot of chuckling". Once mate choice is accomplished and amplexus occurs, the female will lay a globular egg mass, most often in the deepest part of a pond. Each egg mass measures about 10 to 13 cm in diameter, and can contain from 1000 to 3000 eggs. The masses can either be attached to a twig or grass, or they can be free standing. After about a week or so the egg mass begins to flatten out, allowing it to rest on the surface of the water. The jelly around the eggs becomes green in color creating a great camouflage. The green color of the jelly is due to the presence of numerous small green algae. The eggs hatch after 9 to 30 days and the tadpoles will undergo metamorphosis when they are 2 months old. Male juvenile frogs reach reproductive maturity when they are 1 to 2 years old, while females take a bit longer and cannot reproduce until they are 2 to 3 years old. ( Conant and Collins, 1998; Redmer and Trauth, 2005)

Like many frogs, wood frogs do not provide any further parental care after fertilizing and laying the eggs. Eggs are supplied with a nutritious yolk sac to sustain the tadpoles during the early stages of life. The parents select breeding sites without fish to increase the likelihood that their young will survive. ( Redmer and Trauth, 2005)

no parental involvement

pre-fertilization

Lifespan/Longevity

Wood frogs frogs are expected to live to 4 or 5 years old for males and females, respectively, living in Quebec and southern Illinois. Studies done in several other states showed wood frogs live to be 3 to 4 years old for males and females, respectively. It is unknown why males consistently have shorter lifespans than females. ( Redmer and Trauth, 2005)

Typical lifespan
Status: wild

3 to 5 years

Range lifespan
Status: wild

3 (high) years

AnAge

Behavior

Wood frogs are a diurnal species. These frogs perform seasonal migrations to breeding ponds in late winter or early spring. Individual wood frogs show significant breeding site fidelity and will often migrate within the same area throughout their lives. Though they amass at breeding ponds, these frogs are mostly solitary.

Wood frog tadpoles have been shown to have the strongest powers of kin recognition yet discovered in amphibian larvae. These tadpoles can recognize kin using maternal and paternal factors. They have been documented (by marking them with dye and releasing them into natural habitats) to aggregate back together. This may be a survival mechanism allowing them the potential benefit of food, thermoregulation, and defense against predators. ( Blaustein and Walls, 1995; Redmer and Trauth, 2005; Savage, 1961)

Home Range

Wood frog territory size is currently unknown. Home range for these frogs is estimated to be an average of 83.6 square meters. ( Redmer and Trauth, 2005)

Communication and Perception

Males actively search for females during the breeding season; however, they are unable to tell males from females by sight. Sex recognition is accomplished by the males embracing other frogs (regardless of sex) and releasing those that are not fat enough to be females full of eggs. If a male is embraced he lets out a loud croak. A female will also be let go if spawning has already occurred, because of her thin body size. ( Harding, 1997)

The call of a wood frog is often compared with the sound of a quacking duck or a squawking chicken. They tend to repeat the call several times in a row when trying to attract females. Wood frogs use auditory forms of communication nearly exclusively during the breeding season. ( Harding, 1997)

Food Habits

Adult wood frogs eat a variety of terrestrial insects and other small invertebrates, especially spiders (Order ( Araneae), beetles (Order Coleoptera), moth larvae (Order lepidoptera), slugs (Order Stylommatophora) and snails (Order Stylommatophora). Wood frog larvae consume algae, decaying plant and animal matter, and eggs or larvae of other amphibians. Chenard, 1998; Harding, 1997)

eggs

carrion

insects

terrestrial non-insect arthropods

mollusks

terrestrial worms

Predation

Adult wood frogs have many predators including larger frogs, garter snakes, ribbon snakes, water snakes, herons, raccoons, skunks, and mink. Tadpoles are preyed upon by diving beetles, water bugs, and Ambystoma salamander larvae. Leeches, eastern newts, and aquatic insects may eat wood frog eggs.

Wood frogs have developed several anti-predator mechanisms. Older tadpoles develop poison glands that repel many predators. Adult wood frogs have noxious skin secretions but they are only effective in deterring shrews. These frogs rely on their cryptic coloration to camouflage into the forest floor and escape predators. If captured, wood frogs may emit a piercing cry that may startle the attacker enough to release the frog. ( Harding, 1997)

Ecosystem Roles

Wood frogs have many predators and thus provide food for many animals in an ecosystem. They also feed on many terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates and therefore control insect populations.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Wood frogs, along with other amphibians, are great indicators of environmental health. Population declines in species of amphibians should be of great concern. Wood frogs may also help to control invertebrate pests.

research and education

controls pest population

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

There are no known negative effects of wood frogs on humans.

Conservation Status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) consider wood frogs to be of "Least Concern" as they are an abundant and widespread species. Though wood frogs are fairly common in most areas of appropriate habitat, loss of habitat to agriculture and suburban development has put them on the list of "species of special concern" in some areas. Populations may decline if breeding ponds are drained or forest habitats are logged. Many migrating frogs are killed while crossing busy roads to access breeding ponds. Studies have shown that eggs and larvae may be harmed by acid rain or toxic runoff that enter breeding pools. ( Harding, 1997)

Wood frogs utilize a cryogenic freezing process during hibernation. In the winter, as much as 35 to 45% of a frog's body may freeze and turn to ice. Ice crystals form beneath the skin and become interspersed among the body's skeletal muscles. During the freeze the frog's breathing, blood flow, and heart beat cease. Freezing is made possible by specialized proteins and glucose, which prevent intracellular freezing and dehydration. ( Redmer and Trauth, 2005)

Contributors

Tanya Dewey (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, George Hammond (editor), Animal Diversity Web Staff, Rachelle Sterling (editor), Special Projects.

Allison Poor (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Katie Kiehl (author), Michigan State University, James Harding (editor), Michigan State University.

Glossary

Nearctic

living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.

diurnal

active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.

tropical savanna and grassland

A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.

savanna

A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.

temperate grassland

A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.

References

Blaustein, A., S. Walls. 1995. Aggregation and Kin Recognition. American Naturalist, 121: 449-454.

Chenard, P. 1998. "Wood Frogs" (On-line). Accessed November 17th, 1999 at http://www.ednet.ns.ca/cgi-bin/redirmu/educ/museum/mnh/nature/frogs/wood.htm.

Conant, R., J. Collins. 1998. Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Dickerson, M. 1931. The Frog Book. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran, and Company, Inc..

Harding, J. 1997. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press.

Mansker, A. 1998. "Critter of the Week: Rana sylvatica" (On-line). Accessed November 17, 1999 at http://think.ucdavis.edu/~yamara/ucdlife/traditions/critters/rana.html.

Redmer, M., S. Trauth. 2005. Amphibian Declines. London, England: University of California Press, Ltd.

Savage, R. 1961. The Ecology and Life History of the Common Frog. London: Sir Isaac Pitman and sons, LTD..

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Wood frogs, Lithobates sylvaticus, are only native to the Nearctic region. They are found from northern Georgia and in isolated colonies in the central highlands in the eastern to central parts of Alabama, up through the northeastern United States, and all the way across Canada into Alaska.

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Discover the fascinating puffer fish, known for their ability to inflate themselves with water or air to avoid predators. Learn about their unique adaptations, such as tough, often prickly skin, and a beak-like snout used to crack open shells.

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Puffers are fish that can inflate themselves with water or air. When inflated, some are nearly as round as a ball. There are about 90 species, or types, of puffer. They are...

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Learn about the intriguing puffer fish, known for their ability to inflate themselves with water or air when threatened. Discover their unique adaptations, habitats, and the fascinating behaviors that make them stand out in the aquatic world.

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Puffer, also called swellfish, or blowfish, any of about 90 species of fishes of the family Tetraodontidae, noted for their ability when disturbed to inflate themselves so greatly with air or water that they become globular in form. Puffers are found in warm and temperate regions around the world, primarily in the sea but also, in some instances, in brackish or fresh water. They have tough, usually prickly skins and fused teeth that form a beaklike structure with a split in the centre of each jaw. The largest puffers grow about 90 centimetres (3 feet) long but most are considerably smaller.

Many species are poisonous; a highly toxic substance, tetraodontoxin, is especially concentrated in the internal organs. Although this substance can cause death, puffers are sometimes used as food. In Japan, where the fishes are called fugu, they must be carefully cleaned and prepared by a specially trained chef.

M. Shirao/B.W. Halstead, World Life Research Institute

Related to the puffers are about 12 species, also capable of inflating themselves, known as the sharp-nosed puffers. These fishes, which comprise the genus Canthigaster and the family Canthigasteridae, are found throughout the world. They are small fishes with rather long, pointed snouts and, unlike the puffers, inconspicuous nostrils. They are brightly coloured and no more than about 20 centimetres long. Like some puffers, they are sometimes kept in marine aquariums.

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Puffer: Puffer, any of about 90 species of fishes of the family Tetraodontidae, noted for their ability when disturbed to inflate themselves so greatly with air or water that they become globular in form.

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Pufferfish: Meet the Tetraodontidae Wonder

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Pufferfish: Meet the Tetraodontidae Wonder

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Dive into the captivating world of pufferfish, known for their unique ability to inflate like a balloon when threatened. This blog explores their intriguing appearance, behaviors, and the lethal defenses that make them a must-see for scuba divers. Learn about their biology, habitats, and the thrill they add to underwater adventures.

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Dive into the world of pufferfish and porcupinefish, fascinating marine creatures known for their ability to inflate their bodies when threatened. These fish, found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide, have unique adaptations like tough, often spiny skin and powerful teeth for cracking open shells. Learn about their habitats, diets, and the intriguing behaviors that make them stand out in the aquatic world.

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Dive into the diverse world of pufferfishes and their relatives, part of the Tetraodontiformes order. Known for their ability to inflate their bodies to deter predators, these fascinating fish range from tiny species to some of the largest in the ocean. Learn about their unique adaptations, habitats, and the intriguing behaviors that make them stand out in marine ecosystems.

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Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History

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Pufferfishes are well known for their ability to inflate their bodies in the face of danger, but when it comes to the pufferfish family this is just one of many fascinating traits in a truly diverse group of fishes. Pufferfishes and their relatives belong to the order Tetraodontiformes that contains 447 species in ten families. They primarily live in marine habitats from coasts and reefs to open pelagic waters and deep ocean, but some pufferfishes live in freshwater rivers in Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa.

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Dive into the fascinating world of the mimic octopus, a marine marvel known for its incredible ability to imitate other sea creatures. This article from the American Museum of Natural History explores how the mimic octopus uses its unique skills to evade predators and hunt for food. Learn about the different animals it can mimic, such as lionfish, flatfish, and sea snakes, and discover the science behind its remarkable camouflage abilities. Perfect for anyone interested in marine biology and the wonders of the ocean!

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Discover the mimic octopus, a marine marvel that imitates other sea creatures as a unique defense mechanism.

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Why the Mimic Octopus is the Ultimate Master of Disguise

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Why the Mimic Octopus is the Ultimate Master of Disguise

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Discover the incredible mimic octopus, a true master of disguise in the ocean. This blog post from Ocean Conservancy delves into the fascinating abilities of the mimic octopus, which can imitate up to 15 different marine species to evade predators and hunt for food. Learn about its unique color-changing cells and how it mimics creatures like lionfish, flatfish, and sea snakes. Perfect for marine enthusiasts and anyone curious about the wonders of ocean life!

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Why the Mimic Octopus is the Ultimate Master of Disguise - Ocean Conservancy

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The mimic octopus can change its color, texture and even the way it moves to impersonate a variety of other marine species. Read about this wild cephalopod.

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Explore the fascinating world of the mimic octopus, a small but incredible sea creature known for its amazing ability to imitate other animals. This entry from Kiddle explains how the mimic octopus can change its shape and color to look like poisonous fish, sea snakes, and even flatfish to avoid predators and catch prey. Learn about its habitat, behavior, and the unique ways it survives in the ocean. Perfect for young readers interested in marine life and the wonders of nature!

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The mimic octopus was first discovered off the coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia by a group of scientists in 1998 on the bottom of a muddy river. The species was thought to only inhabit the western and central Indo-Pacific (with most documented records from Indonesia) until one was spotted near the Great Barrier Reef on a shallow sand flat off Lizard Island in June 2012.

Appearance

The mimic octopus is a smaller octopus, growing to a total length of about 60 cm (2 ft), including arms, with a diameter approximately that of a pencil at their widest. Small horns protrude from each eye. The octopus' natural color is light brown/beige, but usually takes on a more noticeable hue of striped white and brown to scare off predators by imitating poisonous species and vicious, territorial sea creatures. Its ability to change shape is the reason it was named the "mimic" octopus, which is its main defense besides camouflage.

The mimic octopus uses a jet of water through its funnel to glide over the sand while searching for prey, typically small fish, crabs, and worms, protected by its apparently Batesian mimicry of aposematic animals. It also uses aggressive mimicry to approach wary prey, for example mimicking a crab as an apparent mate, only to devour its deceived suitor. It prefers river mouths and estuaries, as opposed to reefs which are usually preferred as shelter by other types of octopus. As it is able to impersonate poisonous fish, it is at less risk of predation than others in the open.

Mimicry is a common survival strategy in nature. Certain flies have the black and yellow stripes of a bee, which discourages potential predators, but the mimic octopus is the first known species to mimic more than one other species, and the first of its kind to possess the ability of mimicry. It is not known how many animals the mimic octopus can imitate, but it is known that most of the animals that it mimics are poisonous. Some of the more common animals the mimic octopus imitates are the following:

Lion fish - a venomous fish with brown and white stripes, and spines that trail behind it on all sides. When the octopus changes its color and shapes its eight legs to look like spines, it may be perceived by a potential predator as a venomous creature that should be avoided.

Sea snake - by waving two arms in opposite directions, in the yellow and black markings of the snake.

Flatfish - By pulling its arms together on one side, and flattening out its body while moving forward along the ocean floor, the mimic octopus imitates a flatfish.

Jellyfish - The mimic octopus will act as a jellyfish sometimes, by puffing up its head and siphon and letting its arms trail behind it. The octopus will then impersonate the motions of a jellyfish swimming by going to the surface and then slowly sinking with its arms spread evenly around its body; many octopus predators avoid jellyfish.

Virtually everything sea creature that eats others sea creatures is a predator to them, so this ability is vital for survival.

Observed behavior

The mimic octopus of tropical Indo-Pacific are reputed to mimic up to 15 species of other local marine organisms. Mimicry of a local, abundant flounder was observed; nearly 500 episodes were analyzed. Both octopus species mimicked the shape, swimming actions, speed, duration, and sometimes the coloration of swimming flounders. During flounder mimicry, octopuses were actively moving and conspicuous, whereas immediately before and afterwards they were camouflaged and motionless (sitting or very slowly crawling). Furthermore, when motionless, the octopuses assumed body patterns and postures that resembled small sponges, tube-worm tubes, or colonial tunicates, which were among the few objects in the open sand habitat. The key finding was that octopuses used flounder mimicry only when their movement would give away camouflage in this open habitat. In all cases, octopuses used mimicry as a primary defense. The mimic's behaviour remained undiscovered for years because its dull homelands are poorly studied. But it is precisely in this barren environment that this behaviour is advantageous.

The octopus may mimic animals known to deter a specific threatening predator. For example, it has been observed that an octopus attacked by damselfish mimicked a black and yellow banded sea snake, a damselfish predator. It decides which mimicry behavior would be most appropriate and acts upon it. Like other cephalopods it can also mimic its background.

Eating habits

The mimic octopus can either be classified as a hunter or a forager. It is believed to be a hunter because scientists have observed and recorded the octopus having the ability to stalk prey and hunt down small fish and catch them. More often, however, the Mimic Octopus can be seen foraging for food. It does this by using a jet of water through its siphon to glide over the sand while searching for prey, and using its slender tentacles to reach into crevices in coral, as well as holes in the sand, and use its suction cups to grab small crustaceans and eat them. Because the Mimic Octopus prefers to live in shallow, murky waters, it is believed that its diet consists almost exclusively of small fish and crustaceans. That is because those are the only two animals that are common to those conditions that a mimic octopus can survive on. They are believed to be carnivores, and are not known to eat any type of plant or vegetation. Living in the tropical Indo-Pacific seas, it was first discovered in 1998 off Sulawesi.

The mimic octopus is distinct from Wunderpus photogenicus, which has fixed white markings.

Habitat and range

The mimic octopus is native to the Indo-Pacific, ranging from the Red Sea in the west to New Caledonia in the east, and Gulf of Thailand and the Philippines in the north to the Great Barrier Reef in south. Most documented records are from Indonesia. It is primarily found in areas with sand or silt at depths of less than 15 m (49 ft). It prefers obscuring murky and muddy sea floors to blend in with its natural brown- beige coloring.

In Spanish: Thaumoctopus mimicus para niños

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The Octopus That Mimics Other Sea Animals!

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The Octopus That Mimics Other Sea Animals!

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OctoNation - The Largest Octopus Fan Club!

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The octopus that mimics other sea animals!

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Mimics are also subterranean experts. They can dig burrows, navigate underground tunnels, and even blindly stick their arms into holes in search of snacks!

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Discover the incredible adaptations that allow camels to thrive in some of the harshest environments on Earth. This webpage from the Natural History Museum explores how camels manage to survive extreme heat and cold, scarce water, and limited food sources. Learn about their unique features, such as fat-storing humps, thick fur, and specialized noses that help them conserve water. Perfect for anyone interested in animal adaptations and desert ecosystems!

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Camels are part of a group known as camelids. This makes them close relatives of llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas, which are all native to South America.

There are three species of camels living today and most are domesticated. The one-humped dromedary ( Camelus dromedarius) is found in dry regions in Africa and Asia, including the Sahara Desert and Middle East. The domestic Bactrian camel ( Camelus bactrianus) is found across Central Asia and the wild Bactrian camel ( Camelus ferus) is found in remote parts of Mongolia and China and is critically endangered. Domestic and wild Bactrian camels have two humps.

Why do camels have humps?

Camels' humps are often associated with these animals' ability to go for long periods without taking a drink. But they don't store water in them. Instead, their humps are made of fat. Camels are generally found in areas with limited water and vegetation. Their fat store can be converted to energy when they don't have access to the resources they need to survive.

To last for prolonged periods in dry areas, camels have also adapted to minimise the amount of water they lose. For example, camels have thick, syrupy urine and their faeces are so dry that they can be used as fire starters.

A camel can also use its nose as a dehumidifier. When we breathe, the air we exhale is at body temperature and we lose water in it as vapour. But when air passes out over a camel's mucous membranes it is cooled and the water vapour is removed and reabsorbed into the body. This saves them from losing water with each breath.

Camels can withstand a loss of up to 30% of their bodyweight in water, which is far more than most other mammals could survive. But they cannot go without water forever. When camels can drink, they take in vast amounts of liquid quite quickly, but they don't store it for later, so it's just enough to rehydrate themselves.

Extreme heat and cold are no sweat for a camel

Camels are adapted to live in extreme environments, both hot and cold.

Unlike a lot of other mammals, most of a camel's fat is stored in its humps, which allows for better thermoregulation. It makes it easier for them to release heat from their bodies in hot weather.

Camels rarely sweat. They are much better than us at tolerating hot weather. Their body temperature fluctuates, rising in the day with the increased environmental temperature and falling at night when it is cooler. It might seem strange that camels are furry when they can be found in extremely hot deserts, but their coats actually serve as insulation, protecting them from the heat. In fact, shorn camels tend to sweat more.

Desert sand can be scorching, so camels have leathery, heat-resistant pads on their feet, knees, elbows and sternum so they can lie down without getting burnt. They also lack a stifle fold. In other animals, this is the skin that stretches from the abdomen to the thighs. Camels don't have this, so when they are lying down, air can continue to circulate under their bodies.

But while camels are often thought of as being found exclusively in hot areas, some can also be found in much cooler regions.

Bactrian camels in Central Asia, for example, face freezing winters and scorching summers. They are suitably adapted though, with thick fur keeping them warm when it gets cold. This coat quickly sheds when their environment starts to warm up again. Camels have historically been suited to colder weather, with evidence of now extinct species found in the Arctic Circle.

How do camels walk on sand without sinking?

Sand and other soft surfaces can be tricky to walk on. Sinking into the ground means it takes more effort and energy to take each step.

Camels can weigh up to 1,000 kilograms, with males often much larger and heavier than females. Rather than small hooves, camels are equipped with wide snowshoe-like feet with two toes. The large size and round shape of their feet help camels to distribute their weight, preventing them from sinking.

Why do camels have long eyelashes?

While you might not spend too much time thinking about your eyelashes, these little hairs play a very important role as your eyes' first line of defence. Eyelashes keep dust and dirt away from our sensitive eyeballs.

This function is particularly important for camels who often live in dry and dusty environments. Their eyelashes are often noted for being particularly long. Research has found that there is an ideal ratio for optimal eyelashes and that tends to be one third the width of the eye they protect. Camels have much larger eyes than us, hence the luscious length of their lashes.

But if a camel's long eyelashes and bushy brows aren't enough and debris does get into their eyes, these animals have a third eyelid that can sweep it out like a windscreen wiper. This thin structure is known as a nictitating membrane. A number of other animals have functioning third eyelids, such as cats, seals, birds and reptiles.

Camels can also stop sand and dirt from getting in their noses by fully closing their nostrils.

What do camels eat?

Desert environments can offer limited food options for herbivorous camels. Dromedaries and Bactrian camels mostly feed on fibre-rich thorny plants, with access to some shrubs, trees, herbs and grasses.

But camels can happily munch on prickly plants. Their lips and tongues are tough, and they have mouths lined with firm papillae (fleshy protrusions). These help camels manipulate and swallow their food, but also prevent it from scraping, poking or otherwise injuring their mouths.

When a camel swallows food, it passes into a chamber of their stomach called the rumen, where it begins to ferment and soften with the help of microbes. The animal then regurgitates this material, which is known as cud, and carries on chewing it before it can be swallowed again and properly digested.

Though camels ruminate, they don't have the typical four-chambered stomach seen in true ruminants like cows. Instead, camels are sometimes called pseudoruminants.

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Camels are part of a group known as camelids. This makes them close relatives of llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas, which are all native to South America. There are three species of camels living today and most are domesticated. The one-humped dromedary ( Camelus dromedarius) is found in dry regions in Africa and Asia, including the Sahara Desert and Middle East.

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Camels are a mammal of the Camelidae family. Camels form the genus Camelus. There are three living species of camels. Best-known are the dromedary (one hump) and bactrian (two humps) camels.

The camelids, as a family, include the "New World" camelids: the llama, the alpaca, the guanaco, and the vicuña.

The earliest known camel, called Protylopus, lived in North America 40 to 50 million years ago, during the Eocene. It was about the size of a rabbit and lived in the open woodlands of what is now South Dakota.

Habitat and adaptation

Camels live in deserts, where it is hot and dry. Camels have adapted and found ways to help them survive in deserts. They have a thick coat of hair that protects them from the heat in the day, and keeps them warm at night. Their large feet spreads their weight on the sand when they are walking. When there is food and water, a camel can eat and drink large amounts of it and store it as fat in the hump. Then, when there is no food or water, the camel uses the fat for energy, and the hump becomes small and soft. A camel's waste contains very little water. Even the water from the camel's breath flows back into its mouth. The camels have bushy eyebrows that don't let the sand go in their eyes in a sandstorm. It has a long slender neck in order to reach high leaves such as palm trees, and rubbery patches on the belly and knees to protect the skin when kneeling and sitting on the hot sand. These form after five years of age.

A camel has a naturally adapted temperature regulation - it can change its bodily temperature by six degrees Celsius either way. It has two sets of eyelashes, closing muscles in the nasal passages with slited nostrils, hairy ears and tough, leathery skin to protect the camels skin in vital emergencies such as a sandstorm. It has thick rubbery lips to eat dry, prickly plants and a large, haired tail to swat pests such as mosquitos and flies.

Camels live in groups, with one male, many females, and their young calves or calf. They are animals that use their hooves.

Reproduction

An unborn camel gestates about 9 to 11 months. There is usually one calf per birth. A camel calf can run only a few hours after it is born. Calves are weaned when they are about 1 year old.

In the desert, people feed camels with grass, grains, wheat and oats. When camels are travelling in the desert, food is often very hard to find. So the animal might have to live on dried leaves, seeds, and thorny twigs (without hurting their mouths). If there is not any regular food, camels will eat anything:, leather, even their owner's tent.

Camels are ruminants but camels do not chew their food very well before swallowing. The first stomach stores the food that is not completely chewed. Later, this food (or cud) returns to the camel's mouth, and the camel chews it again. Then the camel swallows the cud and it goes to the other parts of the stomach to be completely digested.

Camels and humans

Camels have been domesticated by humans for about 5000 years. They are used for riding and to carry things, and for meat, milk and wool.

As domesticated animals they are used in Africa, Asia, and since the 19th century also in Australia. About 900-1000 wild Bactrian Camels still live in China, Tibetan Plateau and Mongolia. There are no wild dromedaries anymore, but there are escaped domestic dromedaries in Australia. Today there are about 700,000 dromedaries living wild in the outback in Australia.

10 fun facts about camels

Newborn camels don't have humps. They gradually grow as they get older.

Camels are smarter than horses.

Camels pee on their back legs to help them cool down.

Camels can live around 40 - 50 years.

Female camels are called cows and males are called bulls.

The worlds largest meal is roasted stuffed camel! The Bedouin are nomadic Arabs and they make the feast for weddings.

In Abu Dhabi you can get a camel milkshake made with camel milk.

A group of camels is called a caravan.

Camel dung can be used for fuel.

Camels can carry about 375 to 600 lbs (170 to 270 kilograms).

Images for kids

Camel Corps at Magdhaba, Egypt, 23 December 1916, by Harold Septimus Power (1925)

Camels at the Khan and old bridge, Lajjun, Palestine (now in Israel) - 1870s drawing

Petroglyph of a camel, Negev, southern Israel (prior to c. 5300 BC)

Joseph Sells Grain by Bartholomeus Breenbergh (1655), showing camel with rider at left

The Magi Journeying ( Les rois mages en voyage)-James Tissot, c. 1886, Brooklyn Museum

In Spanish: Camelus para niños

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Explore the fascinating world of camels, the remarkable animals known for their ability to endure the harsh conditions of arid regions. This comprehensive entry from Britannica covers the three species of camels: the one-humped dromedary and the two-humped Bactrian and wild Bactrian camels. Learn about their unique adaptations, such as fat-storing humps, specialized feet, and water-conserving abilities, which enable them to survive extreme temperatures and long periods without water. Perfect for anyone interested in animal biology, desert ecosystems, and the incredible resilience of nature.

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camel, (genus Camelus), any of three species of large ruminating hoofed mammals of arid Africa and Asia known for their ability to go for long periods without drinking. The Arabian camel, or dromedary ( Camelus dromedarius), has one back hump, while the domesticated Bactrian camel ( C. bactrianus) and the wild Bactrian camel ( C. ferus) have two.

These "ships of the desert" have long been valued as pack or saddle animals, and they are also exploited for milk, meat, wool, and hides. The dromedary was domesticated about 3000-2000 bce in Arabia, the Bactrian camel by 4000 bce in the steppes of Central Asia. Most of today's 13 million domesticated dromedaries and roughly 97 domesticated breeds are in India and in the Horn of Africa. Wild dromedaries are extinct, although there is a large feral population in interior Australia descended from pack animals imported in the 19th century. About one million domesticated Bactrian camels range from the Middle East to China and Mongolia. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the wild Bactrian camel as a critically endangered species since 2002. The largest population-numbering approximately 650 adult animals-lives in the Gobi Desert.

Natural history

Camels have an unmistakable silhouette, with their humped back, short tail, long slim legs, and long neck that dips downward and rises to a small narrow head. The upper lip is split into two sections that move independently. All three species are about 3 metres (10 feet) long and 2 metres (6.6 feet) high at the hump (itself 20 cm [8 inches]). Males weigh 400 to 650 kg (900 to 1,400 pounds), and females are about 10 percent smaller. Colour is usually light brown but can be grayish. Domesticated Bactrian camels are darker, stockier, and woollier than the wild form. Heavy eyelashes protect the eyes from blowing sand, and the nostrils can be squeezed shut. The dromedary has horny pads on the chest and knees that protect it from searing desert sand when it lies down, but the Bactrian camel lacks these callosities. Camels are generally docile, but they will bite or kick when annoyed. When excited, camels huff so sharply that spit is incidentally expelled.

Camels do not walk on their hooves. On each leg, weight is borne on two large toes that spread apart to keep the animal from sinking into the sand. Dromedaries have a soft wide-spreading pad for walking on sand; Bactrian camels have a firmer foot. Like the giraffe's, the camel's gait is a pace, with both legs on a side moving together. Short bursts of 65 km (40 miles) per hour are possible, but camels are excellent plodders. Bactrian camels can carry more than 200 kg (about 440 pounds) for 50 km (31 miles) in a day, while the more lightly built dromedaries can carry up to 100 kg (about 220 pounds) for 60 km (about 37 miles) if they are worked in the coolness of night.

During catastrophic droughts, herdsmen may lose all of their cattle, sheep, and goats while 80 percent of the camels will survive, owing to the camel's ability to conserve water and tolerate dehydration. In severe heat a camel survives four to seven days without drinking, but it can go 10 months without drinking at all if it is not working and the forage contains enough moisture. Even salty water can be tolerated, and between drinks it forages far from oases to find food unavailable to other livestock. The body rehydrates within minutes of a long drink, absorbing over 100 litres (25 gallons) in 5-10 minutes. Cattle could not tolerate such a sudden dilution of the blood, because their red blood cells would burst under the osmotic stress; camel erythrocyte membranes are viscous (that is, sticky and flow-resistant), which permits swelling. A thirsty camel can reduce its urine output to one-fifth of its normal volume and produce feces dry enough for herders to use as fuel for fires.

Another adaptation is minimization of sweating. The fine woolly coat insulates the body, reducing heat gain. The camel also can allow its body temperature to rise to 41 °C (106 °F) before sweating at all. This reduces the temperature difference between the camel and its environment and thereby reduces heat gain and water loss by as much as two-thirds. Only in the hottest weather must the camel sweat. It tolerates extreme dehydration and can lose up to 25-30 percent of its body weight-twice what would be fatal for most mammals.

Camels have also adapted to desert conditions by being able to endure protein deficiency and eat items other livestock avoid, such as thorns, dry leaves, and saltbush. When food is plentiful, camels "overeat," storing fat in one area on the back and forming a hump. When the fat is depleted, the hump sags to the side or disappears. Storing fat in one place also increases the body's ability to dissipate heat everywhere else.

When not corralled, camels form stable groups of females accompanied by one mature male. Females breed by three to four years of age. Males begin to manufacture sperm at age three but do not compete for females until they are six to eight years old. Males compete for dominance by circling each other with the head held low and biting the feet or head of the opponent and attempting to topple it. After one camel withdraws from the bout, the winner may roll and rub secretions onto the ground from a gland on the back of its head. The dominant male breeds with all the females in each stable group. After a gestation of 13 or 14 months, one calf weighing up to 37 kg (81 pounds) is born, usually during the rainy season. Milk yields of 35 kg (about 77 pounds) per day are achieved in some breeds (e.g., the "milch dromedary" of Pakistan), though normal yield is about 4 kg (9 pounds) per day. Herders typically divert most milk to their own use during the calf's first 9 to 11 months, then force weaning and take the rest. The calf is otherwise suckled 12 to 18 months. Females and males reproduce until about 20 years old. Longevity is 40 years.

Camels are classified in the family Camelidae, which first appeared in North America 40 million years ago. North American camelid stock became extinct 10,000 years ago. Living South American camelids are represented by the llama ( Lama glama), guanaco ( L. guanicoe), vicuña ( Vicugna vicugna), and alpaca ( V. pacos). The lineage that produced modern dromedary and Bactrian camels diverged from the South American camelid lineage between 11 million and 25 million years ago. Dromedary and Bactrian camel lineages split from one another between 4 million and 5 million years ago, with wild and domestic Bactrian camels separating from one another between 1.5 million and 700,000 years ago. Bactrian camel domestication by human beings came much later, however, occurring between 6,000 and 4,000 years ago. By 2 million years ago (the early Pleistocene Epoch) Camelus representatives had crossed back to Asia and were present in Africa ( Tanzania). During the Pleistocene Epoch (2.5 million to 11,700 years ago) camelids reached South America. The family Camelidae belongs to the order Artiodactyla, a large group of hoofed mammals.
Lory Herbison & George W. Frame The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Cultural significance

Camels are among those few creatures with which humans have forged a special bond of dependence and affinity. Traditional lifestyles in many regions of the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia would never have developed without the camel, around which entire cultures have come into being. This camel-based culture is best exemplified by the Bedouin of the Arabian Peninsula-the native habitat of the dromedary-whose entire traditional economy depended on the produce of the camel. Camel's milk and flesh were staples of the Bedouin diet, and its hair yielded cloth for shelter and clothing; its endurance as a beast of burden and as a mount enabled the Bedouin to range far into the desert. The mobility and freedom that the camel afforded to desert Arabs helped forge their independent culture and their strong sense of self-reliance, and they celebrated the camel in their native poetic verse, the qaṣīdah, in which the nāqah (female camel) was a faithful, unwavering mount. Among these nomadic people, a man's wealth was measured not only by the number of camels he possessed but also by their speed, stamina, and endurance.

Until modern times, the camel was the backbone of the caravan trade, a central pillar of the economy in large parts of Asia and Africa. In settled regions, the caravansary, located on the outskirts of most urban centres, served as a hub for business and as a source of information about the outside world for the city's residents. In the central Islamic lands, it likewise set the scene for many tales in the rich Arab-Persian oral tradition of storytelling, such as those found in The Thousand and One Nights. In Central Asia, vast and numerous camel caravans ensured the wealth and growth of the great trading cities of the Silk Road, upon which goods moved between Asia and Europe.

Today the camel remains an important part of some local economies, although it has been surpassed by automated forms of transportation for most tasks. Camels are still bred for their meat, milk, and hair, and, beginning in the late 20th century, the age-old sport of camel racing was revived, particularly in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula but also as far afield as Australia and the United States.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Camel | Description, Humps, Food, Types, Adaptations, & Facts

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Camel, any of three species of ruminating hoofed mammals of arid Africa and Asia known for their ability to go for long periods without drinking. The Arabian camel, or dromedary (Camelus dromedarius), has one back hump, and the domesticated Bactrian camel (C. bactrianus) and wild Bactrian camel (C. ferus) have two.

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Cyphonia Clavata - Ant-Mimicking Treehopper

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Cyphonia Clavata - Ant-Mimicking Treehopper

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This webpage from the American Museum of Natural History's OLogy site explores the fascinating Cyphonia clavata, a treehopper that looks like an ant to avoid predators. By mimicking dangerous creatures, this tiny insect increases its chances of survival in the wild. The page provides insights into its unique appearance, behavior, and the science behind its incredible mimicry skills.

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This treehopper looks more like an ant than the flying insect it is. Its costume, called a “helmet,” grows out of its upper back.

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This article from the Missouri Department of Conservation provides an in-depth look at treehoppers, small insects known for their unique shapes and camouflage abilities. Treehoppers can mimic thorns, leaves, and other natural elements to avoid predators. They communicate by vibrating plants and have specialized mouths for feeding on plant sap. The article also highlights the diverse species of treehoppers found in Missouri and their role in the ecosystem.

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More than 260 species in North America North of Mexico

Membracidae (treehoppers) in order Hemiptera (true bugs)

The treehopper family is grouped with the cicada and leafhopper families into superfamily Cicadoidea. All have short, bristle-like antennae, 3-segmented feet (tarsi), and other similarities in leg form and in wing venation.

Treehoppers are distinguished from their closely related families by their large pronotum (the shieldlike first segment of the thorax, which you could say is something like a neck or shoulders): in treehoppers, the pronotum extends backward to cover the abdomen and, in many species, forward to cover the head as well. Treehopper pronota are often humped or pointed to resemble a thorn, or have spikes, or take other odd shapes.

Most species are tan, brown, gray, or black, or leaf-green - camouflage colors. The patterns are usually cryptic blotches, though some species have bold patches or bands of contrasting colors. Some may have tiny raised bumps, hairs, or a jagged texture. Bristly hairs often appear on nymphs (immature life stages).

Similar species: Many groups of true bugs are "hoppers," including spittlebugs, froghoppers, leafhoppers, and many types of planthoppers.

Length: ½ inch or less; some reach ¾ inch (varies with species).

About Land Invertebrates in Missouri

Invertebrates are animals without backbones, including earthworms, slugs, snails, and arthropods. Arthropods-invertebrates with "jointed legs" - are a group of invertebrates that includes crayfish, shrimp, millipedes, centipedes, mites, spiders, and insects. There may be as many as 10 million species of insects alive on earth today, and they probably constitute more than 90 percent all animal species.

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The treehopper family is grouped with the cicada and leafhopper families into superfamily Cicadoidea. All have short, bristle-like antennae, 3-segmented feet (tarsi), and other similarities in leg form and in wing venation.

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This Britannica entry explores treehoppers, small insects known for their unique ability to blend into their surroundings by mimicking thorns, leaves, and other natural elements. Treehoppers use their specialized mouthparts to feed on plant sap and communicate through vibrations. The entry highlights the diversity of treehopper species and their role in the ecosystem, emphasizing their fascinating adaptations and behaviors.

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Treehopper | Leaf-Feeding, Hemiptera, Plant-Sucking | Britannica

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Treehopper, (family Membracidae), any of approximately 3,200 species of insects (order Homoptera) that are easily recognized by their vertical face and grotesquely enlarged thorax, which may extend anteriorly over the head to form one or more spines and expands posteriorly over the body to form a

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Treehopper Facts For Kids | AstroSafe Search

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Discover Treehopper in AstroSafe Search Insects section. Safe, educational content for kids 5-12. Explore fun facts!

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Treehoppers are tiny insects that live on plants and have some really cool features! They can look like thorns, leaves, or even other insects to hide from predators. Treehoppers can also make sounds by vibrating plants to talk to each other. They have long, straw-like mouths to suck juice from plants. There are over 3,500 different kinds of treehoppers, and they live all around the world. Some treehoppers even have ants as bodyguards because they make a sweet liquid called honeydew that ants love to eat.

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for all Taxa (Enter a taxon, select among the results, click "Go" ) * Explore taxonomic diversity among HIGHER TAXA * Identify treehoppers via * Discover generic and species richness through * Find LITERATURE * List genera by place via DISTRIBUTION (in preparation) * Visit * Tour CYBERMUSEUM (in preparation) * Hear treehopper * View gallery of * Submit photos, comments, corrections, or questions * Check * Learn more about treehoppers - see OVERVIEW, below

TREEHOPPERS provides online access to unique bibliographic and taxonomic resources for retrieving information on the insect families Aetalionidae, Melizoderidae, and Membracidae, collectively known as treehoppers. The dazzling array of treehopper body shapes and behaviors invite us to imagine, explore, question, and discover. The mission of the TREEHOPPERS website and database is to support these lofty pursuits among students, teachers, researchers, and the general public.

Treehoppers make up a group of more than 3500 described species of plant-feeding insects in the order Hemiptera. Of the three treehopper families, Membracidae is by far the most diverse (428 genera and more than 3450 species), followed by Aetalionidae (6 genera, 42 species), and Melizoderidae (2 genera, 8 species). Recent phylogenetic analyses suggest treehoppers form a monophyletic lineage, as yet unnamed, related to leafhoppers, within the superfamily Membracoidea. Treehoppers are found in all major zoogeographic regions of the world. Europe has relatively few species, and Madagascar and New Zealand have no known indigenous species.

The family Aetalionidae is primarily Neotropical, but the subfamily Aetalioninae includes the New World genus Aetalion recorded from the Nearctic (Arizona and Florida) and Neotropical regions, and the Old World genus Darthula of the Indomalayan region. All members of the second aetalionid subfamily, Biturritiinae, occur only in the Neotropical region. Illustrated here are the genera Aetalion (left: Aetalionidae: Aetalioninae: Aetalionini) and Lophyraspis (right: Aetalionidae: Biturritiinae: Biturritiini) (both images Copyright © 2006, by Christopher H. Dietrich).

The smallest family of treehoppers is Melizoderidae, known only from Chile and Argentina. This group includes only two genera-- Melizoderes (left; Copyright © 2003, by Matthew S. Wallace & Lewis L. Deitz) and Llanquihuea (right; Copyright © 1985, by Lewis L. Deitz)--both belonging to the subfamily Melizoderinae and tribe Melizoderini.

Membracidae, the largest and most widespread treehopper family, has 9 subfamilies: Centronodinae, Centrotinae, Darninae, Endoiastinae, Heternotinae, Membracinae, Nicomiinae, Smiliinae, and Stegaspidinae. Although eight of the subfamilies are restricted to the New World, one Nearctic species of Stictocephala (S. bisonia) is introduced and widespread in the Palearctic. The largest subfamily, Centrotinae, has 6 New World tribes and 17 Old World tribes. Shown here are an Afrotropical species, Monocentrus fuscoflavus Boulard (left; Membracidae: Centrotinae: Centrotini; Copyright © 2003, by Michel Boulard), and a Nearctic species, Telamona maculata Van Duzee (right: Membracidae: Smiliinae: Smiliini; Copyright © 2003, by Matthew S. Wallace & Lewis L. Deitz).

For many, but not all treehoppers, the most prominent feature is an oddly-shaped pronotum. Although once placed in a single genus, the three bizarre species illustrated here actually represent three unrelated membracid subfamilies (1, Stegaspidinae; 2, Heteronotinae; and 3, Membracinae; plate 25, Duncan 1843a, Homoptera, in Introduction to Entomology). Less obvious is the presence of three or fewer longitudinal rows of enlarged setae (cucullate) on the tibia of the hind leg. In nearly all adults of the family Membracidae (2-24 mm in length) the pronotum is noticeably enlarged and extends posteriorly over the scutellum. Also, in membracid males, distinct lateral plates are differentiated from abdominal tergum IX, and, in nymphs (many of which have dorsal spines), abdominal segment IX forms an unbroken sheath around segment X. Melizoderid adults (4-6 mm in length) have an anterior pronotal horn, but the posterior pronotal process (characteristic of most membracids) is absent, so the melizoderid scutellum is fully visible. In melizoderid nymphs abdominal tergum IX completely conceals the anal orifice dorsally. Aetalionids (3-30 mm) may have various modifications of the head (simple or with a pair of dorsal horns), pronotum (simple or with a middorsal process), or scutellum (fully visible and either simple or with an elevated keel). Also, in aetalionids the prothoracic trochanter and femur are fused, and females have abdominal tergum IX produced posteroventrally.

The diverse morphological, behavioral, ecological, and distributional patterns among treehoppers make them an ideal group for exploring evolutionary relationships and the connections among form, function, genetics, the environment, and biogeography. The use of treehoppers as model organisms in evolutionary biology is ever increasing as evidenced by research in such areas as sympatric evolution, acoustic communication, host plant associations, biogeography, behavior, and evo-devo biology.

Recent phylogenetic studies are helping to unravel patterns in behavior and biogeography. For example, morphology-based analyses suggest that all Old World membracids (17 tribes) arose from two separate colonizations from the New World. These accidental colonizations set the stage for tantalizing "natural" experiments in evolution, running over millions of years, wherein treehopper lineages on opposite sides of the planet would radiate into parallel niches. This grand experiment, both spatially and temporally, brings to mind countless questions about key morphological and life history traits that may be addressed by comparing various attributes among Old and New World treehopper faunas.

Treehoppers are significant components of many ecosystems around the world. Distributional patterns among living treehoppers reveal hot spots of diversity that merit diligent study by those concerned with preserving global biodiversity. Within the Nearctic region, Arizona stands out as a treehopper hot spot, and on a global scale, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean, Australia, China, and India are likewise areas of concern with many endemic genera.

All treehoppers feed on plant sap, and the loss of host species could seriously impact treehopper diversity. Members of the membracid subfamily Centrotinae alone are reported from 105 different plant families. Nevertheless, treehoppers are so named because many species are associated with trees. Indeed, the United States has nearly 100 species associated with oaks ( Quercus spp.), a dominant plant group of the native forests. Hidden in the canopy of the Neotropical forests is an even more amazing treehopper fauna, apparently rich in species that remain to be discovered. The abundance of treehoppers in the forest canopy makes them important in the diet of insectivorous animals including other arthropods and various vertebrates.

In the United States, relatively few treehoppers are considered economically important, but in the tropics, species injure a variety of crops, including legumes, avocado, cacao, coffee, grape, and papaya. Treehoppers may injure plants, not only through feeding, but also through depositing their eggs in host plant tissue. At least one species is known to transmit a plant pathogen, raising the possibility that others may eventually be implicated as vectors, especially as exotic pathogens are being introduced to the United States and elsewhere at an alarming rate.

We trust that the enlightening images, sounds, life histories, and evolutionary patterns of these curious insects will be a source of joy, inspiration, and contemplation to artists, children, and everyone with an interest in the natural world.

The taxonomic and bibliographic resources of TREEHOPPERS will ultimately include: (1) taxon pages (including nomenclatural information, illustrations, male courtship calls, and geographic data); (2) illustrated taxonomic keys; (3) a distributional database (in preparation) providing geographic data for each valid genus and a checklist of genera known from each of more than 400 regions and localities; and (4) an up-to-date searchable bibliography (in preparation). Our target audience includes specialists in entomology, crop protection, and zoology. The resource should also be valuable to those in related life sciences.

TREEHOPPERS is the product of a partnership among the NCSU Insect Museum, the NCSU Libraries, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, the University of Illinois, the Illinois Natural History Survey, the Systematic Entomology Laboratory (United States Department of Agriculture) and researchers at numerous other institutions [Acknowledgments]. It builds on a related broader website "DrMetcalf: a resource on cicadas, leafhoppers, planthoppers, spittlebugs, and treehoppers".

This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation (Grants DEB-9815867, to L. L. Deitz, Principal Investigator; and NSF DEB-9978026 PEET Program, to C. H. Dietrich and L. L. Deitz, Principal Investigators), a 2009-2010 East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania President's Research Fund Grant, a 2009-2010 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education FPDC Grant, the NCSU Agricultural Research Service, and the NCSU Libraries.

Before using this site, please read the Disclaimer and Data Use Policy below. For optimal performance, this site and others using mx software are best viewed with the browser FireFox. To view copyrights and enlarge images, click on the thumbnail images. Images may also be zoomed using [Control] and [+], [-], or [0].

Suggested citation of the electronic publication TREEHOPPERS: Deitz, L. L., and M. S. Wallace (team leaders). 2010 (and updates). Treehoppers: Aetalionidae, Melizoderidae, and Membracidae (Hemiptera). http://treehoppers.insectmuseum.org, visited on Mon Aug 22 12:45:47 -0500 2011. [note: various additional authors are listed in each section]
Introduction prepared by L. L. Deitz, M. S. Wallace, C. H. Dietrich, S. H. McKamey, and M. J. Rothschild, 14 July 2010 (revised 22 August 2011).
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for all Taxa (Enter a taxon, select among the results, click "Go" ) * Explore taxonomic diversity among HIGHER TAXA * Identify treehoppers via * Discover generic and species richness through * Find LITERATURE * List genera by place via DISTRIBUTION (in preparation) * Visit * Tour CYBERMUSEUM (in preparation) * Hear treehopper * View gallery of * Submit photos, comments, corrections, or questions * Check * Learn more about treehoppers - see OVERVIEW, below TREEHOPPERS provides online access to unique bibliographic and taxonomic resources for retrieving information on the insect families Aetalionidae, Melizoderidae, and Membracidae, collectively known as treehoppers.

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Learn about various animals that use mimicry to survive, including the fascinating ant-mimicking treehopper.

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Camouflage and Mimicry | Kids Discover Online

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Why would an animal want to look like a leaf or a twig?