The Animal Book_clone_clone

Size ❯ Variable, but small Habitat ❯ Lowland forest, swamps, figs. Some species are seen as pests as they eat crops. and mangroves. Distribution ❯ Tropical, subtropical, and some Breeding ❯ Caterpillars retreat into hard, round cocoons, from temperate areas, including the eastern USA, sub-Saharan which they emerge as adult moths. Adults mate and lay eggs Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Australasia. Diet ❯ In that will hatch into new caterpillars. Predators ❯ Parasitic many species adults have no mouthparts. They do all their flies and wasps. Pest species may be killed by humans. Number of species ❯ About 1,000 slug moth species. eating as caterpillars, devouring the leaves of plants such as

Flies Insects ❯ Flies sii1 House f ly Elongated 4 Marsh crane f ly St Mark’ SCALE front of s f ly head rphus r ibe us Sicus 2 Bluebottle fly Sy 3 Mosquito Single pair of wings ferrugine Long tongue Long, fragile legs Marsh snipe fly for feeding at flowers sser house f 5 ly LeBee flySlender Savannah tsetse fly Bu6 Bat flyabdomen Flat, wingless body Drone f ly 7 Flesh f ly Sticky body zzer midge helps to carry pollen to plants Flies include some of the world’s most helpful in mid-air. The humble house fly 1 is the best-known of these insects, with an annoying habit of flying indoors. It eats insects, as well as some of the most harmful ones. Many anything sweet and spreads germs as it feeds. The bluebottle of them have bristly bodies, and most have just one pair of fly 2 lays its eggs on meat and carrion, which its maggots wings. In place of the rear wings, they have a pair of tiny burrow into, eating as they go. Mosquitoes 3 have sharp knobs. These work like an aircraft’s gyroscopes, keeping mouthparts and drink blood by piercing the skin of other the fly stable in the air so it can perform extreme aerobatics. animals. In some parts of the world they carry parasites 100 These include landing upside down and hovering steadily

Long, flexible Insects ❯ Flies snout for stabbing 8 Giant blue robber fly and sucking prey 9 Stalk-eyed f ly ge root fly Pla ar 10 Banded brown horsef ly Cabba Forest fly Legs with strong claws ginata 11 Timber fly tyura m Leu cozona leucor Moth fly Dark cloud on wing Marmalade hoverf ly um Dumpy abdomen that can cause malaria and other killer diseases. The marsh crane fly 4 has extra-long legs that break off if it is robber fly 8 from Australia grabs other insects on the wing, 101 touched. Bee flies 5 do a useful job by pollinating flowers. and flies with a distinctive buzzing sound. Male stalk-eyed The bat fly 6 has no wings. It does not need them because flies 9 have bizarre heads with eyes set far apart. In the it spends its adult life in the fur of bats. Drone flies 7 are breeding season, males stand head to head, and the one with very good at mimicking honey bees. Like bee flies, they the widest eyes wins. The banded brown horsefly 10 bites are effective pollinators. The awesome-looking giant blue horses, and sometimes humans, too, but timber flies 11 are harmless and do not feed at all as adults.

Bees, wasps, Wood ant and ants Insects ❯ Bees, wasps, and antsTiphiid wasp rmy ant1 Honey beeEgg-layingmbicid sawf ly tube Ci Giant wood wasp 2A 4L Bristly 3 Great carpenter bee Swe leg eaf-cutter ant 5 Fire ant Rose sawfly at bee Chalcid wasp Pergid sawf ly Bees and their relatives are very useful insects. and care for the young. Army ants 2 also live together but Although many of them pack a painful sting, they help do not make a permanent home. Instead, millions of them farmers by pollinating crops and killing pests. Apart from rush across the rainforest floor, grabbing small animals with sawflies, they all have slender waists and most have two pairs their powerful jaws. The great carpenter bee 3 feeds on of transparent wings. Honey bees 1 live in nests containing nectar from flowers, and lays its eggs in tunnels in dead wood. thousands of workers ruled by a single queen. The queen lays Like other bees, it uses its sting only if attacked. Leaf-cutter 102 the eggs, while the worker bees build the nest, collect food, ants 4 make giant nests underground, and feed on a special

6 Mammoth wasp Insects ❯ Bees, wasps, and antshid bee Orc Slender Extra-long waist Splenditongue 7 Common wasp apple gall w d emera ld wasp asp 8 P lasterer bee Long 9 antennae e Pteromalid wasp 10 Horntail Oak Fur like bristles SCALE Buff-tailed bumblebe Egg-laying 103 tube fungus which they grow on chewed-up leaves. These ants are harmless, but some others are not. Tropical fire ants 5 have young. Plasterer bees 8 and buff-tailed bumblebees 9 a vicious sting that feels worse than a burn. The mammoth nest in the ground. Plasterer bees waterproof the walls of wasp 6 is a predator. It paralyzes the grubs of scarab their nests with a fluid from their bodies. Bumblebees have beetles and lays eggs on their bodies, so its young have a furry insulation which lets them fly in the cold days of early private food supply. Common wasps 7 make papery nests, spring. They are good crop pollinators. The horntail 10 looks and help to get rid of pests by hunting insects to feed their dangerous, but cannot sting. Females lay their eggs in pine trees, and their grubs feed by chewing through wood.

Fish Fish were the first vertebrates to evolve. They live underwater and their streamlined bodies are adapted for speedy swimming. They breathe by absorbing oxygen from the water through their gills. Fish have a special extra sense, using organs along their sides to detect vibrations in the water. Tail ❯ Most fish use their tails to power themselves through the water. This lionfish can use its tail to stay steady in the water, so it can hang motionless, ready to ambush passing prey.

Fins ❯ Fish fins consist of bony spines Animals linked by membranes. The fish uses them Fish to steer its body through the water. In some species they are adapted for other purposes Features such as burrowing into mud or sand to hide. • Mostly lay eggs This lionfish can inject venom through to reproduce spines in some of its fins. • Live Red l underwater ionfish • Absorb oxygen from the water using gills •Swim with the help of fins and a tail • Are mostly cold-blooded Gills ❯ Like all animals, fish need oxygen to survive, which they absorb from the water using gills. As the fish swims, water constantly flows across a stack of fine membranes inside the gills, through which oxygen passes into the fish’s bloodstream.

Fish ❯ Sharks, rays, and skatesSharks, rays, and skates SCALE 1 Frilled shark 2 Bluntnose sixgill shark Undulate ray 3 Spott ed ratfish 4 Elephant fish chimaera Blue skate Parallel Tail fin almost half Common stingray gill slits of body length 5 Zebra shark 7 Spotted eagle ray Thorn back ray 6 -spottemdanrtiabbroayntail ray Blue 8 Giant Haller’s round ray Flap funnels plankton into mouth Razor-sharp teeth and powerful jaws make replaced throughout their lives. Their relatives chimaeras, sharks the most fearsome hunters in the seas. Like skates and a group of blunt-headed fish, have teeth that last the whole rays, they have skeletons made of cartilage or gristle. Frilled of their lives. The spotted ratfish 3 and elephant fish sharks 1 and bluntnose sixgill sharks 2 live in deep chimaera 4 use their flat teeth for crushing molluscs and water, but many other sharks live near the surface, in open crabs. Some sharks have to swim non-stop to breathe, but water or close to the shore. Most sharks have a streamlined zebra sharks 5 spend the day resting on the seabed, waking 106 body and several rows of sharp teeth, which are constantly up to hunt after dark. Skates and rays have wing-like front fins

9 Smalltooth sawfish Nurse shark 10 Longno se sawshark Snout can sense prey Fish ❯ Sharks, rays, and skates buried in seabed y Sensory barbels used to detect vibrations Wing-like front fins Brownish grey colour acts as camouflage Sand devil on the ocean floor Epaulette catshark Marbled electric ra and mouths on their undersides. Some kinds, including the Measuring up to 9 m (30 ft) across, this colossal but harmless 107 common stingray 6 , have a venomous spine in their tails. fish is the largest ray in the world, with an exceptionally big Accidentally treading on these fish can be very dangerous. In brain. The smalltooth sawfish 9 is a rare and unusual ray some cases, a single jab from a spine can kill a person. Rays with a toothed snout like a saw. It uses this to dig up animals swim by beating their front fins like a bird’s wings. The spotted in the seabed and to slash at other fish that come nearby. The eagle ray 7 feeds on seabed animals, while the giant manta longnose sawshark 10 looks similar, but is much smaller, ray 8 scoops up plankton as it “flies” through the open sea. with two barbels, or feelers, attached to its snout.

12 Great white shark 11 Shortfin mako Piked dogfish Blacknose shark Large, saw-like teeth for ripping apart prey Kitefin shark Large dorsal fin Starry smooth-hound Sharply pointed 13 Blue shark snout SCALE 15 Smooth hammerhead 14 Small-spotted catshark Pectoral fins act as stabilizers Some of the world’s biggest sharks roam the this gigantic and much-feared predator typically attacks from below, and sometimes bursts out of the water as it slams into open seas. The shortfin mako 11 is one of the fastest of its prey. The beautifully streamlined blue shark 13 travels these tireless hunters. In short bursts, it can swim at more thousands of kilometres a year, between the places where than 70 kph (43 mph). Makos feed mainly on fast-swimming it feeds and the places where it breeds. Like most large sharks fish and squid, but the great white shark 12 has a taste for it gives birth to live young. Small-spotted catsharks 14 seals, dolphins, and occasionally humans, too. Growing up and their relatives lay eggs with leathery cases. Called 108 to 7 m (24 ft) in length, and weighing as much as 2 tonnes,

Highly flexible tail used to stun prey 16 Port Jackson shark Horn shark f shark 18 Thresher shark Fish ❯ Sharks, rays, and skates 17 Light and dark shading hides shark from above and below Sharpnose sevengill shark 19 Blacktip ree 20 Whitetip reef shark Tail with two 21 Bull shark equal-sized blades “mermaid’s purses”, they can take over a year to hatch. The thresher shark 18 is an open-water predator. Its extra-long 109 smooth hammerhead 15 belongs to a family of sharks with tail works like a whip, stunning other fish and making them strange T-shaped heads. Its eyes are at each end of the head, easy to catch. Blacktip reef sharks 19 and whitetip reef enabling it to see all around as it swims. Port Jackson sharks 20 rarely harm humans, but the bull shark 21 is a sharks 16 and horn sharks 17 live on the seabed. They notorious man-eater, with a habit of swimming up rivers and have downward-facing mouths and flat back teeth, which cruising close to the shore. Despite its size, up to 3.4 m (11 ft) crunch up molluscs and other hard-bodied animals. The long, it can hunt in water just 1 m (3 ft) deep.

WHALE SHARK By far the largest fish in the world, the whale shark has a huge mouth that stretches almost as wide as its whole body, armed with up to 300 rows of tiny teeth. However, despite its fearsome appearance, this gentle giant feeds on plankton. In fact, it is often followed by shoals of smaller fish that keep the shark clean by eating bacteria and debris from its mouth.

Size ❯ 7–12 m (23–40 ft). Some may grow even larger. gills to filter out the food. Breeding ❯ The female carries Weight ❯ Up to 181⁄2 tonnes Habitat ❯ Tropical and warm up to 300 embryos and gives birth to live young. Lifespan ❯ temperate seas. They migrate thousands of kilometres Unknown but thought to be up to 150 years. Predators ❯ every year. Distribution ❯ Pacific, South Atlantic, and Indian Adults have no enemies except humans. Other sharks, Oceans. Diet ❯ Plankton, small fish, and crustaceans. Whale sharks feed by taking in water then pushing it through their sailfish, and killer whales may attack the young. Conservation status ❯ Vulnerable due to hunting.

Saltwater fish Fish ❯ Saltwater fish1 Spotted boxfish el White-spotted puffer Body swollen with water Warty frogfish 2 Long-spine porcupinefish Spiny front4 3 Clown triggerfish fins can grip seaweed Large mouth has blunt teeth adapted Sargassumfish for crushing prey 5 Zebra moray Spotted garden e Tail burrows into sand as anchor Saltwater fish come in a mind-boggling variety swallows lots of water and turns into a prickly ball. The of shapes, sizes, and colours, and scientists discover many new clown triggerfish 3 lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans kinds every year. Rays and sharks have rubbery (cartilaginous) and jams itself in coral reefs if danger comes its way. It feeds skeletons, but most saltwater fish have bony skeletons and are by crunching up sea urchins and other hard-shelled animals. covered in scales. The spotted boxfish’s 1 scales fit together The sargassumfish 4 lives in floating seaweed around the like armour plating, while the long-spine porcupinefish 2 world. Even in broad daylight, its incredible camouflage 112 has scales with sharp spines. If it feels threatened, this fish makes it almost impossible to see. The zebra moray 5

6 Needlefish Variegated lizardfish Fish ❯ Saltwater fishStriped eel catfish ard Pineapple fish Flying gurn Longspined bullhead Crowned squirrelfish Camouf lage imitates rock 7 Red lionfWeedy seadrag ish Upturned mouth sucks SCALE in smaller fish 9 Yellow seahorse 8 Stonefish on Smallscale scorpionfish Tail winds around Extra-large fins for gliding over seabed solid objects Trumpetfish 10 Coral toadfish comes out to feed at night. To firmly grip its prey, it has a can give humans a lethal jab with its venomous spines. The 113 second set of jaws in its throat, which can spring forward yellow seahorse 9 swims with its body upright. Like other into its mouth. Needlefish 6 live near the surface of the seahorses it is one of the world’s slowest fish, with a maximum sea. Large specimens have been known to spear people by speed of just a few metres an hour. Male coral toadfish 10 jumping on to boats. The red lionfish’s 7 striped colours make strange grunting or whistling sounds to attract females. warn predators that this fish is venomous. It defends itself After the females have laid their eggs, the males guard them by spreading out its poison-tipped fins. The stonefish 8 until the young fish hatch and swim away.

Fish ❯ Saltwater fish gelfish 11 Emperor an SCALE 12 Banded archerfish Royal angelfish Royal gramma chre-striped cardinalfish Long dorsal fin Brown meagre raised like a sail O Butterf ly blenny ouwrdgeero-nbfliuseh 13 Blue-spotted seabream s 14 P Longnose hawkfish 15 Clown anemonefish Slender body fits in burrow Red mullet Fleshy barbels help detect buried prey More fish live on coasts and coral reefs than seabream 13 eats animals on the seabed, while the beautiful anywhere else in the seas. The emperor angelfish 11 and powder-blue surgeonfish 14 feeds mainly on algae and its relatives are some of the most colourful reef-dwellers underwater plants. Surgeonfish look harmless, but when with vivid markings that change as they mature. Banded attacked they fight back using two sharp blades on either archerfish 12 live in estuaries in Southeast Asia. They look side of their tails. The clown anemonefish 15 hides in for insects on overhanging branches and knock them off by the tentacles of sea anemones. Unlike other fish, it is not 114 squirting a jet of water from their mouths. The blue-spotted harmed by their stings. Common bluestripe snappers 16

Harlequin swe 16 Common bluestripe snapper Fish ❯ Saltwater fish etlips 17 Harlequin tuskfish Bold pattern camouflages eyes Bluefish 18 Mediterranean parrotfish 19 Atlantic mudskipper Foxface rabbitfish Red bandfish 20 Albacore tuna live on coral reefs. They move in fast-swimming shoals by mangrove swamps where they climb up roots or hop across 115 day, dispersing at night to feed. Harlequin tuskfish 17 flip the mud. Their front fins work like stubby legs, and they can stones over with their teeth to get at small animals hiding survive out of the water by breathing air through their skin. underneath. The Mediterranean parrotfish 18 crunches The albacore tuna 20 belongs to a family of high-speed up food with its beak-shaped mouth. Like many other swimmers with muscle-packed bodies and long, razor-like parrotfish it starts out life as female, but may change into fins. Unlike most fish, tunas are warm-blooded, and can a male as it grows older. Atlantic mudskippers 19 live in hurtle through water at up to 80 kph (50 mph).

Fish ❯ Saltwater fish Three fins 21 Shore rockling on back SCALE Snake-like body Slippery body without scales 22 Atlantic mackerel Gunnel 23 Turbot Upper side 24 Lesser weeverfish Small sandeel camouflaged against seabed Sea fish thrive in cold water because it is often live on the seabed. Very young flatfish look like other fish. full of food. Shore rocklings 21 search for shrimps and crabs As they grow up, one eye moves around their heads until, as in rock pools using sensitive whiskers or barbels. Atlantic adults, they swim on one side with both eyes facing up. The mackerels 22 live in the open sea. Like tunas they have lesser weeverfish 24 also lives on the bottom, with its body muscle-packed bodies and a streamlined shape for speeding half-buried near the shore. This venomous fish has spines on its through the water. They have to keep swimming, as they rely back, which it raises to defend itself against predators. It can 116 on the flow of water to breathe. Turbot 23 and other flatfish even give humans a painful sting. Sockeye salmon 25 spend

25 Sockeye salmon Large eyes give Fish ❯ Saltwater fish 27 Atlantic cod good vision Dory 26 John Fleshy barbel Jaws extend on chin to catch prey 28 Atlantic herring Peruvian anchoveta Allis shad Both eyes on right-hand side, which always faces upwards 29 Europ ean plaice 30 Comm n sole o their adult lives in the northern Pacific Ocean but return to 5 million eggs every time they breed, but their numbers have 117 fresh water to breed. In some rivers, thousands of sockeyes plummeted due to overfishing. Herrings are some of the most fight their way upstream, creating a feast for fish-eating eagles common fish in seas. A single shoal can contain more than a and bears. The John Dory 26 looks big when seen from the billion members, attracting predators such as seals, whales, and side, but it is good at sneaking up on other fish because its body larger fish. The European plaice 29 and common sole 30 is as thin as a human hand. The Atlantic cod 27 and Atlantic are two flatfish that are highly prized as food. Both of them herring 28 are often fished for food. Cod can produce often hide on the seabed by covering themselves with sand.

BLACK-STRIPED SALEMA These tropical fish are found in waters around the Galápagos Islands. They form huge schools of hundreds or thousands. When a predator approaches, the school bunches into a tight cluster known as a bait ball. By swarming together, splitting, and changing direction in a flash, these fish try to confuse predators, making it difficult for them to attack.

Size ❯ Up to 30 cm (12 in) long Habitat ❯ Reefs and rocky without scales or fins, which slowly develop into young areas in shallow waters. They gather in large shoals during fish. Predators ❯ Dolphins, seals, penguins, and sharks. the day, but disperse at night. Distribution ❯ Eastern Pacific Conservation status ❯ Vulnerable due to changes in its Ocean, only around the Galapagos Islands. Diet ❯ Plankton environment. Recently, a weather system called El Niño has and fish larvae Breeding ❯ The female releases eggs that disrupted the oceans around the Galapagos, increasing water float freely in the ocean. These eggs hatch into tiny larvae temperatures, which may affect fish like these.

Deep-sea fish Fish ❯ Deep-sea fish1 Tripodfish 2 Common fangtoot h Pa Bristlemouth cific hatchetfi sh Elongated rays 3 Orange roughy form a tripod Northern stoplight loosejaw Lure can be held in front of mouth 4 Footballfish Giant super-flexible jaws Viperfish Tiny lights or photophores on both sides The deep sea is dark, silent, and bitterly depths of up to 5,000 m (16,400 ft). It feeds on smaller fish, cold. The fish that live here have evolved strange shapes grabbing them with its needle-like fangs and swallowing to survive. Food is hard to find, so deep-sea fish cannot them whole. The orange roughy 3 gathers over ocean waste any chance to catch a meal. The tripodfish 1 perches ridges and underwater mountains. It grows very slowly above the seabed, propped up by three long rays that stick and can live to be 150 years old. Footballfish 4 attract out from its fins. It faces into the current and catches small their prey using luminous lures that dangle in front of their 120 animals that drift by. The common fangtooth 2 lives at mouths. If other fish come near to investigate, they are

5 Pacific grenadier 6 Black swallower Luminous lanternfish Spotted lanternfish Narrownecked oceanic eel SCALE Prickly lanternf Slender fins 7 Feelerf ish held above ish body Pearlfish Sail-shaped dorsal fin 8 Longnose lancetfish Long, whip-like tail 9 Pelican eel instantly sucked inside. Female footballfish really are fins are thin and whiskery and work like antennae for 121 as big as footballs, but the males are tiny and often fasten sensing food. The longnose lancetfish 8 is a daily themselves to the females as parasites. The Pacific visitor to the deeps. It hides in the dark by day, coming grenadier 5 cruises over the ocean floor, gently rippling closer to the surface to feed when night falls. The pelican its long, rat-like tail, while the black swallower 6 has a eel 9 has enormous jaws but tiny teeth. It uses its mouth like super-stretchy stomach and can gulp down prey larger than a scoop to catch its prey. Like the black swallower, it has an itself. Feelerfish 7 stay close to the ocean floor. Their front expandable stomach to deal with over-sized meals.

Freshwater fish 1 Goldfish Green sunfish Clown l oach Extra-large decorative scales 2 Koi carp 3 Glass catfish Tench Brown bullhead 4 Tiger shovelnose catfish 5 Chain pickerel Giant whiptail catfish Sensitive barbels to probe for food Fish live in a huge variety of freshwater including the goldfish 1 and koi carp 2 , have been raised habitats, from lakes and rivers to streams and ponds. They in captivity for hundreds of years. There are many varieties can be found in hot springs where the water temperature is of both these fish, and the rarest koi carp can be worth more a steamy 40°C (104°F), and in chilly caves hundreds of than $1 million. Catfish are common freshwater fish, metres underground. The smallest fish, even the fully grown particularly where the water is murky or the current is slow. ones, are not much bigger than a grain of rice, while the The glass catfish 3 from Southeast Asia has a transparent 122 biggest are as long as a family car. Some freshwater fish, body. The South American tiger shovelnose catfish 4 has

Longsnout distichodus This cave-dwelling 6 Red piranha species has no eyes Mexican tetra Fish ❯ Freshwater fish sh 7 American paddlefish Mudminnow 8 Tigerfish Prominent jaw with sharp teeth Ri ver hatchetfi Striped anostomus 9 European eel Large rear fins SCALE help the fish to hover in one spot long barbels that probe the riverbed for food. The chain ferocious, but it feeds only on tiny animals filtered out by its 123 pickerel 5 is an ambush hunter. It lurks in the shallows and gills. Tigerfish 8 are fierce predators from Africa’s rivers. lunges at other fish with a powerful flick of its tail. The red They are famous for putting up a tremendous fight if hooked. piranha 6 from South America usually eats fish, worms, The European eel 9 is a long-distance migrant. It spawns in and crustaceans, but a large group of red piranhas can the Sargasso Sea, in the North Atlantic Ocean, and its tiny attack big mammals, stripping away chunks of flesh with young travel all the way back to Europe’s rivers, an epic their razor-sharp teeth. The American paddlefish 7 looks journey of up to 6,000 km (3,700 miles).

SCALE Long lower 10 Elephantnose fish jaw used to probe for food Chipokae Clown knifefish 11 Electric eel Mouth can gulp air in Slippery skin stagnant water without scales 12 Foureyed fish Burbot Spotted ctenopoma Large mouth with strong jaws mese fightin Zebrafish 14 Arctic char 13 Sia g fish Thin, rounded tail Many freshwater fish have special skills that foureyed fish 12 has eyes that are divided into two, letting it see clearly above and below the waterline. Siamese help them to survive. The elephantnose fish 10 from fighting fish 13 are small but famously aggressive. When tropical Africa lives in murky rivers. It finds its way by giving two males clash, they sometimes fight to the death. Far away off weak electric signals and probes for food using its long from the tropics, the Arctic char 14 lives in icy rivers and lower jaw. The electric eel 11 from South America uses cold lakes. It is one of the world’s most northerly freshwater electricity to find and kill prey. It can give a jolt of up to fish, surviving as close as 800 km (500 miles) from the North 124 650 volts, enough to knock a person off their feet. The

15 European perch Fish ❯ Freshwater fish 16 Nile tilapia 17 African lungfish Blade-shaped tail 18 Rainbow trout Thread-like front fins 19 Longnose gar Pole. The European perch 15 is a patient predator, lying that can dry out for months at a time. They seal themselves 125 in wait for its prey. It lays eggs in long ribbons and fastens up in cocoons of mud and survive by breathing air. The them to underwater plants. A distant relative of the European rainbow trout 18 originally came from North America perch, the African Nile tilapia 16 breeds in a very different but has been introduced into lakes and rivers in many other way. The female scoops up her eggs, up to 2,000 at a time, parts of the world for food and sport. Another American and holds them in her mouth until they hatch and her young fish, the longnose gar 19 bursts out of hiding to stab swim away. African lungfish 17 live in lakes and swamps other fish with its needle-sharp teeth.

Amphibians Amphibians spend part of their lives in the water and part on land. Some kinds undergo metamorphosis, like many invertebrates, starting out as water-based tadpoles with gills and evolving into air-breathing adults. They need fresh water to survive, and many species are threatened with extinction due to pollution, disease, and destruction of their habitat. Poison glands ❯ Many species of amphibian secrete a poisonous slime from glands in their skin. This helps to keep them moist as well as to deter predators. Some amphibians simply taste nasty, while others, like this cane toad, can be deadly to some predators. Skin ❯ Amphibians have permeable skin, so water can pass outwards and evaporate. This means they mostly live in water or in damp areas to stop their bodies from drying out.

Cane toad Animals Amphibians Features • Usually lay eggs to reproduce •Have moist skin, and may die if they dry out •Often spend much of their lives in water • Some hatch as tadpoles, and change shape to become adults • Are cold- blooded Legs ❯ Some amphibians only have legs as adults. These kinds hatch out from eggs as tadpoles, tiny swimming creatures with tails. As the tadpoles mature, legs grow out of their bodies and their tails shrink and disappear.

Amphibians ❯ Frogs and toads Frogs and Tongue flips out toads to catch prey A grub makes a tasty morsel 1 Lemur frog 3 Australian green treefr 2 Giant broad-headed treefrog Loose skin soaks og up water for use Frin in dry conditions ge-limbed treefrog Suckers on treefrog all toes 4 Amazon milk frog Yucatan casque-headed Orange-legged leaf frog 5 Paradoxical fr og n Islands horned frogolomo 6S SCALE Frogs and toads look very different to other climber with slender, sucker-tipped toes. The giant broad- headed treefrog 2 lives in South American forests. It amphibians, with their stubby bodies and long back legs. clings to tree trunks and branches, while the Australian Frogs are usually sleek and slippery, but most toads have dry, green treefrog 3 sometimes climbs into houses, where it warty skin. Nearly all of these animals start life as tadpoles, makes itself at home in water tanks and kitchen sinks. The changing shape as they grow up. The lemur frog 1 from Amazon milk frog 4 lays its eggs in rain-filled tree-holes. Central America hunts insects by night and hides under It lives high in the treetops and hardly ever comes to the 128 leaves during the day. Like other treefrogs, it is an expert

7 European com Golden mantella Elegant Ma 8 mon toad dagascan frog Guyanan stubfo ot toad Eyes with slit-shaped9 Malayan tree toad Warts on male’s Raucous toad pupils detect small, skin develop dark, moving prey sharp spines in the Natterjack toad breeding season 10 Cane toad ground. The South American paradoxical frog 5 spends its The rare golden mantella 8 frog from Madagascar is 129 life in lakes and pools. It gets its name from its monster brilliantly coloured, warning predators that it has poison- tadpoles, which are up to four times the adult’s length. The covered skin. The Malayan tree toad 9 is one of the few Solomon Islands horned frog 6 has a pointed snout and true toads that lives off the ground. The enormous cane horn-like projections above its eyes, camouflaging it perfectly toad 10 gulps down mice and even snakes. Originally from among fallen leaves. The European common toad 7 hunts Central America, this ravenous predator has become a major all kinds of small animals, including beetles, snails, and slugs. pest in Australia and other parts of the world.

Common parsley f rog poiBsoranz-dila-nrut tf ro g Amphibians ❯ Frogs and toads11 European common frog 13 Gra nular on-da Yellow- 12 Gol Dyeing rt frogden poison-dart frogpoisbanded rt frogpoison-da poison-da rt frog 14 Edible frog Circular poTihsroene--dsatrrtipferdog eardrums behind eyes 16 American 15 Wood frog bullfrog SCALE gara frog Tun Toads usually move by crawling, but frogs away. The golden poison-dart frog 12 is the deadliest, often hop and jump. In emergencies, the European with enough poison to kill two African elephants, while the common frog 11 can leap more than seven times its own granular poison-dart frog 13 is one of the smallest, and length, equivalent to a human athlete clearing a school bus could easily fit inside a matchbox. In the past, native without a run-up. In Central and South America, tiny Americans used these frogs to make poison hunting darts, poison-dart frogs climb up trees or hop over the rainforest which is how they got their names. In the breeding season, 130 floor. Their bright colours are a warning to predators to stay frogs and toads often make loud calls. Male edible frogs 14

17 Asian horned frog 18 Indian bullfrog Bolifamba reed frog t stump-toed Amphibians ❯ Frogs and toads 19 Paint frog Gian Common skit ed toad Rajamally wart frog tering frog Sticky, bright Couch’s spadefoot red skin to ward off predators Foulassi banana frog 21 Tinker reed fro 20 Tomato frog g and wood frogs 15 sound like quacking ducks, while the It usually climbs out after a few minutes, but can stay 131 male American bullfrog 16 sounds more like a mooing underwater for several hours. Painted toads 19 and cow. This massive frog swallows almost anything it can cram tomato frogs 20 live on land and come out to feed at night. into its mouth, including smaller frogs, young turtles, and Their skin is covered with a glue-like substance, which helps small water birds. The “horns” and the brown colour of the to protect them from attack. Tinker reed frogs 21 from Asian horned frog 17 help it blend in among fallen leaves. Africa lay their eggs on waterside plants. Their tadpoles The Indian bullfrog 18 leaps into water if it is disturbed. wriggle down into the water after hatching.

22 Mexican burrowing toadAmphibians ❯ Frogs and toads pSopisootnte-dda-trhtifgrhoe n’s glass frog Painted frog 23 Horned marsupial frogdg Oriental fire-bellied toad 25 Fleischman SCALE Eggs wrapped around male’s hind legs 24 Midwife toad Mouth as wide as head 26 Ornate horned frog -headed rain frog Big Mascarene ridged frog Frogs and toads have lots of different shapes, on her back. Instead of producing tadpoles, they hatch and varied lifestyles that help them to survive. If threatened, directly into baby frogs. The midwife toad 24 is so called the Mexican burrowing toad 22 can blow itself up to because the male carries the female’s eggs. When the eggs resemble a small balloon. It lives underground and feeds on are ready to hatch, he takes them to water so that the tadpoles ants, coming to the surface only when it breeds. The horned can swim away. Fleischmann’s glass frog 25 lives in trees. marsupial frog 23 has a strange way of breeding that lets it On its underside, its tiny beating heart can be seen through 132 stay high up in trees. The female carries her eggs in a pouch its transparent skin. The ornate horned frog 26 is a sit-and-

Darwin’s fro Coromandel New Zea g Webbed feet land frog g work like African foam-nest treef parachutes rog 27 Desert rain fro Amphibians ❯ Frogs and toads Southern whipping frog ssy frog i A ing frog og Mo 28 Wallace’s f ly frican treefrog West Cameroon forest treefr Puerto Rican coqu Brown-striped marsh frog 29 Fraser’s clawed frog Limon robber frog 30 African bullfrog 31 Common spadefoot toad 133 wait hunter from the grasslands of Argentina. Camouflaged stays in water all its life. It has a flat body, sensitive fingers, by its green and brown markings, it lurks in muddy ground and upward-facing eyes. The African bullfrog 30 lives in and grabs anything edible that comes nearby. The desert grassland and savanna. Big and aggressive, it sometimes eats rain frog 27 lives and breeds among Namibian sand dunes, its own kind. It spends the dry season underground. Males of hiding beneath the surface during the day. Wallace’s flying this species defend their eggs fiercely until they hatch. The frog 28 glides through the forests of Southeast Asia on common spadefoot toad 31 digs burrows with its back its webbed feet. Fraser’s clawed frog 29 from Africa legs, and spends half the year hidden away.

TREE FROGS There are more than 900 known species of tree frogs, most of which live high up in the branches of tropical rainforests. These red-eyed tree frogs are easy to recognize, thanks to their startling colouring. Their bright eyes are thought to surprise predators and discourage them from attacking. However, during the day they often keep their eyes shut, relying on their green skin to camouflage them among forest leaves.

Size ❯ Up to 7 cm (23⁄4 in) Habitat ❯ Trees and shrubs near five days and tadpoles fall into the water. Lifespan ❯ water in warm, tropical forests and jungles. Distribution ❯ Up to five years. Predators ❯ Many climbing and flying Central America Diet ❯ Insects such as crickets, flies, birds, reptiles, and mammals, including snakes and and moths, also worms and spiders. Breeding ❯ Females monkeys. Fish may prey on tadpoles. Conservation lay a batch of 50 eggs on a leaf over water. This process status ❯ Numbers of some species are declining where their forest habitats are being cut down. is repeated several times. The eggs hatch after about

Amphibians ❯ Salamanders and newtsSalamanders and newts SCALE 1 Fire salamander Lore stan newt 2 Tiger salamander 3 Crocodilenewt Spotless stout newt Sensors in skin detect prey by vibrations Blue markings attract a mate 4 Japanese giant salamander Oita salamander Splayed legs With their slender bodies and long tails, lay their eggs. The Asian crocodile newt 3 heads for ponds at the beginning of the monsoon, while the Japanese giant salamanders and newts look very different from frogs and salamander 4 is fully aquatic and never leaves its watery toads. Many are well camouflaged, but others, including the home. Measuring up to 1.5 m (5 ft) long, this huge, wrinkly- fire salamander 1 and tiger salamander 2 , have bright skinned amphibian feeds on fish and freshwater insects, and warning colours. This shows other animals that they are hunts after dark. Young salamanders and newts breathe poisonous and best left alone. Some species spend all using feathery gills. Some salamander species, such as the 136 their lives on land, but most return to water to mate and

6 5 Axolotl Feathery gills ee-lined salamander Amphibians ❯ Salamanders and newts Olm Sardinian brook salamander8 Ca Thr Italian cave salamander 7 Great crested ne wt lifornia newt Sharp-ribbed salamander Bones can poke through sides for defence California giant salam ander Alpine newt Ensatina salamander 9 Spectacled salamander 10 Three-toed amphiuma Four-toed salamander axolotl 5 and olm 6 , keep their gills throughout their lives. On land, salamanders and newts live in damp woodlands 137 If the axolotl loses a body part, it can regrow the entire part and rocky places, and hunt mainly after dark. During the within months. The olm lives in dark, flooded caves. Extremely summer, many species, such as the California newt 8 slender and totally blind, it finds its food by smell and touch. and Ensatina salamander 9 , keep moist by hiding under Great crested newts 7 breed in ponds, and have elaborate rotting logs. The three-toed amphiuma 10 buries itself in courtship displays. The male grows his impressive crest in mud, and makes a waterproof cocoon. This slimy, snake-like spring and uses it to attract females waiting to lay their eggs. amphibian has tiny legs but a powerful bite.

Reptiles Millions of years ago reptiles ruled the Earth in the form of dinosaurs. Modern reptiles are mostly smaller, although they still include fearsome predators such as the Komodo dragon, giant snakes, and ferocious crocodiles, which can attack and kill human beings. However, they also include gentle vegetarians, such as giant tortoises and the green sea turtle. Cold-blooded ❯ Unlike birds and mammals, reptiles cannot keep their bodies warm by burning food. Instead they rely on sources of heat in their environment to keep warm.

Scaly skin ❯ As well as skin, reptiles have an Animals outer layer of protective armour. Lizards and Reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Turtles, tortoises, crocodiles, and alligators have scutes, horny Features layers of skin backed by bony plates. • Mostly lay eggs to reproduce • Have dry, scaly skins Panther chameleon • Are mostly meat-eaters • Mostly live in warmer climates • Are cold- blooded Lungs ❯ Reptiles have lungs and must breathe air to survive. Even turtles that live under water, usually return to the surface to breathe. Legs ❯ Most reptiles have four legs. Some groups, such as snakes, have no legs at all. They move by pushing against the ground with their flexible bodies.

Turtles and tortoises Reptiles ❯ Turtles and tortoises 1 Yellow-marginated box turtl SalGoldencoin Blanding’s turtle turtle e 2 Red-bellied turtle Hawksbill sea turtle Jaws can cut fish in two Red-eared slider 4 Leatherback sea turtle 3 Carolina box turtle Rubbery shell twater terrapin 5 Common snapping turtle Hooked beak delivers a powerful bite With their domed shells and beak-like mouths, burying itself in mud. Turtles and tortoises come in many turtles and tortoises are easy to recognize. The yellow- sizes. The smallest ones are not much bigger than a baseball, marginated box turtle 1 has a hinge on the underside of but the record-breaking leatherback sea turtle 4 can its shell. If danger strikes, it quickly pulls in its head and legs, weigh as much as a small car. It is one of the greatest and shuts itself away. The American red-bellied turtle 2 travellers in the animal world, swimming vast distances with likes sunning itself near the shore, while the Carolina box its large flippers. Sea turtles live mainly in tropical oceans, 140 turtle 3 escapes the heat by retreating into cover or by but freshwater turtles live in rivers and lakes, where they eat

6 Chinese soft-shelled 7 Painted turtle Big-headed turtle turtle rop ean pond turtle Matamata Eu Common snake-necked turtle False map turtle Asian leaf turtle 8 Alligator snapping Mississippi mud turtle turtle Common musk turtle Ornate box turtle 9 Loggerhead sea turtle SCALE Paddle-like limb plants or animal prey. The common snapping turtle 5 , Yellow slider 141 from North America, is one of the world’s biggest freshwater turtles. It lurks in the mud at the bottom of rivers and lakes. female alligator snapping turtle 8 leaves the water in The Chinese soft-shelled turtle 6 has a nose like a snorkel, spring to lay eggs, whereas the male spends most of his time and spends most of its time in the water. Turtles and tortoises at the bottom of rivers or lakes. Sea turtles, including the breed by laying eggs. Freshwater kinds, such as the painted loggerhead 9 , dig nests in sandy beaches. After hatching, turtle 7 , lay theirs in holes not far from the water’s edge. The the young turtles dig their way to the surface and then scuttle towards the sea. It is a dangerous time, and many are caught by predators before they reach the water’s edge.

Saddle shape allows tortoise to raise its head Reptiles ❯ Turtles and tortoises 11 Hermann’s tortoise SCALE 10 Red-footed to rtoise Sharp jaw for cutting through food Pancake tortoise 13 12Aldabra giant tortoise Bow Scales on sprit tortoise shell show growth rings Tortoises are close relatives of turtles, but Hermann’s tortoise 11 , for example, has a lifespan of 50 years, while the Aldabra giant tortoise 12 from coral they have stronger legs and spend all their lives on land. islands in the Indian Ocean can survive for more than two Like turtles, tortoises breed by laying eggs. Most of centuries. One recently died in captivity at the astonishing them are vegetarian, although some, including the South age of 255. Most tortoises have high shells, which predators American red-footed tortoise 10 , also eat small animals find hard to break. The African pancake tortoise 13 is and dead remains. Tortoises are famous for being slow, but almost flat, which allows it to hide in rocky cracks to avoid 142 to make up for this, they can be amazingly long-lived. The

14 Galápagos tortoise Shell with 15 Radiated tortoise vertical streaks Elongated tortoise Reptiles ❯ Turtles and tortoises 16 Indian starred tortoise Knobbly shell Serrated hinge-back tortoise 17 Spur -thighed tortoise Wood turtle Leopa 18 Desert tortoise rd tortoise predators. It has the tiniest families, as it lays just one egg have shells with raised knobs, but the lumpiest shell belongs 143 at a time, although it usually breeds several times each to the Indian starred tortoise 16 , which has star-like year. Galápagos tortoises 14 live on islands in the Pacific markings that hide it in dry grass. The spur-thighed Ocean. They are as large as the Aldabra giant tortoise, and tortoise 17 from Europe and North Africa has bony often have shells with a saddle-shaped front. This lets them projections on its hind legs. It lays up to 20 eggs at a time, stretch their necks high up to munch prickly cacti, their while the desert tortoise 18 , found in small burrows in primary food. Radiated tortoises 15 , from Madagascar, the deserts of North America, lays as few as four eggs.

Lizards 1 Emerald skink Reptiles ❯ Lizards Slender toes for Cape girdled lizard climbing trees SCALE Green anole Shiny, beadlike 2 Gila monster scales Desert horned lizard 3 Asian water monitor 4 Madagascar day gecko There are more than 4,000 lizard species in Toes with sharp claws for climbing the world, more than all other reptiles put together. Most of them hunt small animals, and most lay eggs, although of the few lizards with a poisonous bite. Fortunately, it is a some give birth to live young. The emerald skink 1 preys slow mover, so attacks on people are very rare. The fierce on insects. It spends most of its time on tree trunks, while Asian water monitor 3 grows up to 2 m (61⁄2 ft) long. A the heavy-bodied Gila monster 2 stays on the ground. good swimmer, it hunts all sorts of animals, from fish and 144 Found in North American deserts, the Gila monster is one frogs to crabs. The Madagascar day gecko 4 is mostly found on trees and belongs to a family of lizards famous for their “sticky” toes. Like other geckos, it can cling to almost

Frilled lizard5 6 Sandfish skink Reptiles ❯ Lizards Frill opens like an umbrella Long, flattened tail Strong back legs used in swimming built for speed Knight anole 7 Green basilisk La rge psammodrom us Spiky crest 8 Marine iguana Rough-scaled plated lizard Viviparous lizard Wonder gecko any surface, and can even hunt upside down. When faced by “swimming” through it. The green basilisk 7 from 145 with danger, many lizards shed their tails. This distracts Central America has the most impressive escape trick of their enemies while they run away. The Australian frilled all. Standing on its back legs, it runs over the surface of lizard 5 has a different technique to protect itself. It stands lakes and streams, before swimming away from the predator. its ground and opens up its frill, making it look much more Found in the Galapagos Islands, the marine iguana 8 is threatening than it really is. The North African sandfish the only lizard that feeds in the sea. It uses its blunt jaws to skink 6 dives for safety, disappearing into the desert sand tear seaweed from underwater rocks.

9 Common leopard ge 10 Slow worm Berber skink So 11 Common scaly foot Reptiles ❯ Lizards ard lomon Islands skink Med cko iterranean gecko 12 Green iguana Italian wall liz on gecko Moorish 13 Parson’s chamele Tail can wrap Colorado desert fringe-toed lizard around branches SCALE Fringe-toed lizard Geckos are widespread in warm parts of the looks like a snake with tiny leg flaps, Both these lizards world, where there are plenty of insects for them to hunt. hunt insects and spiders, finding their prey on the ground. One of the most popular reptile pets, the common leopard The Central American green iguana 12 is a much bigger gecko 9 from South Asia is easy to look after. This small reptile, with a spiky crest. Although it looks dangerous, gecko has an amazingly loud call for an animal just 20 cm it feeds mainly on plants and often climbs high up trees. (8 in) long. The slow worm 10 , from Europe, has no legs Chameleons are even better climbers and hardly ever come 146 at all while the common scaly foot 11 , from Australia, to the ground. Parson’s chameleon 13 from Madagascar

Western banded ge 14 Tokay gecko Reptiles ❯ Lizards cko Yellow-spotted night lizard Green-striped tree dragon 15 African fat-tailed gecko Body fat in tail used as a food reserve 16 Jackson’s chameleon 17 Red tegu is the largest chameleon. It creeps along branches using hunts indoors. African fat-tailed geckos 15 live in deserts. 147 its feet and its tail and catches insects by shooting out its Unlike other geckos, they do not have sticky toes, and rarely unbelievably long, sticky tongue. Like other chameleons, climb. Jackson’s chameleon 16 lives in East Africa. The its eyes swivel in all directions, and it can change colour males of this species are identified by the three horns on to match its background or to show its mood. The tokay their snouts. The red tegu 17 is one of the biggest lizards gecko 14 gets its name from its harsh “to-kay” call. This in South America. A predator and a scavenger, it sometimes large gecko from Southeast Asia lives in houses and often steals chickens from farms.

KOMODO DRAGON Like a creature out of a horror film, the Komodo dragon lurches over the ground in search of carrion and live prey. The world’s largest lizard, it has a poisonous bite, and can smell food more than 5 km (3 miles) away by flicking out its forked tongue. It can swallow small prey whole and knock down bigger animals with a swipe of its powerful tail, killing them with a bite to the throat.