July 4/2018

Feature:
5 Animal Rebels Who Break the Rules
“...1. Aye Aye 
The aye aye, a lemur native to Madagascar... uses... echolocation while hunting. The aye aye... also holds the title of world’s largest nocturnal primate... the aye aye acts as a primate woodpecker. Aye ayes tap on the wood of trees to find insects & larvae, using their long, thin middle fingers to scoop out the tasty treats.
...Aye ayes are endangered, as they are considered bad omens & symbols of death in their native Madagascar.

2. Solenodon
While the solenodon, found primarily in Hispanola & Cuba, is not the only mammal that injects venom, it is the only one to do so using its teeth... the solenodon’s saliva is venomous, & it is a neurotoxin that is very similar to that of certain snakes. Solenodons are a cranky creatures who will bite quickly, unexpectedly & often...
These creatures existed alongside dinosaurs, & thus exhibit many primitive mammal characteristics... Their venom is thought to be a remnant of old mammalian species that have since died out...

3. Platypus
...Some of the platypus’ more well-known oddities create the creature’s confusing look- a duck’s bill, beaver’s tail, mammal’s body, & amphibian’s reproductive system. The platypus is one of just 2 egg-laying mammals in existence!
What may be less well-known is that the platypus is also venomous. Male platypuses have spurs on their hind legs to inject venom... they are one of the few venomous mammals in the world. And...the platypus has evolved to have no stomach.

4. Immortal jellyfish
One of the most basic animal rules is that, ultimately, every creature must die. But this jellyfish has other ideas. The immortal jellyfish is currently the only known animal to be able to flout death. After reaching sexual maturity, if these creatures become injured, ill or old, they can return to the polyp stage- effectively, the organism’s youth. This is done through the cell developmental process of transdifferentiation, which transforms cells into different types of cells.
... It isn’t actually completely immortal, as it can fall prey to predators or disease before it has reached sexual maturity, never making it back to the polyp stage.

5. Leafy sea slugs
The leafy sea slug uses plants become part-plant, part-animal, looking very much like a leaf that moves.
These sea slugs use a straw-like structure to suck the chloroplasts from algae for

camouflage & photosynthesis. The creatures can... become solar-powered for certain lengths of time by storing the chloroplasts for months on end. Some sea slugs have been known to use photosynthesis for up to a year after only a few feedings. This process...is called kleptoplasty. Essentially, the animals eat algae to start functioning- not to mention looking- like a plant.”

Laura Burge

July 30/2017

care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

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