Interesting and Unbelievable Facts

Assassin bugs are true bugs with more than 7,000 species . All these species are carnivores that feed on insects and other small animals. The most famous assassin bugs are kissing bugs, wheel bugs, bee assassins, three-legged bugs, feather-legged bugs, and masked hunters.  Assassin bugs use various hunting techniques to capture their prey, while different species may develop specific strategies. However, the most common hunting method is acting as ambush predators . Assassin bugs usually wait for their prey and strike with lightning speed when an insect comes within reach. An assassin bug species specializes in hunting stingless bees by manipulating their defenses , which increases its hunting success rate. Stingless bees use sticky resins around their nests as protection against predators. However, the assassin bug deliberately coats its legs with the resin to lure bees to its striking range. The success rate of this method is 75% compared to less than 30% in bugs that don’t use ...

Mantis shrimp are marine crustaceans that primarily reside in the warm, shallow waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. However, some species may live in sub-Antarctic waters.  The name "mantis shrimp" is a misnomer, as it is neither a shrimp nor a praying mantis. This name is due to the mantis shrimp's resemblance to both these animals. The mantis shrimp is a stomatopod, whose closest living relatives are crabs , lobsters, and true shrimp. There are over 400 known mantis shrimp species . The size of these species varies, ranging from tiny animals of nearly 2.5 cm (1 inch) in length to zebra mantis shrimp reaching around 38 cm (15 inches). Zebra mantis shrimp are the largest among mantis shrimp Mantis shrimp are divided into two groups depending on their hunting techniques. The “smashers” use their club-like front legs to smash hard shells of their prey. The “spearers”, on the other hand, have spiny claws to kill soft-bodied animals . Peacock mantis shrimp, belonging t...

Clownfish are marine fish, present in the Indo-Pacific region. These reef fish are famous for their bright colors, white stripes, and relationship to sea anemones. Clownfish are one of few animals that can change gender after birth . Every clownfish in a group is born male. In every group, the largest and most dominant fish becomes female, while the next biggest male becomes her breeding partner. If the female clownfish in a group dies or is removed, her partner becomes female. Afterwards, the next largest fish takes the role of a dominant male fish and this cycle continues. Various clownfish species differ in their colors and number of white stripes. These fish naturally have orange, yellow, brown, or, black skin colors, while the number of stripes is from zero to three. Red saddleback clownfish is famous for having no stripes during adulthood. Common clownfish, depicted in the animated film “Finding Nemo,” have three white stripes. ( Source ) Adult red saddleback clownfish are witho...

Pallas’s cat, also known as manul, is a small wildcat native to the steppes and grasslands of Central Asia and its surrounding areas. Mongolia and Russia have the highest population of Pallas’s cats. The range of these wildcats is from China and Mongolia in the east to Iran in the west. The IUCN status of Pallas’s cat is “ Near Threatened .” These cats have become extinct in Azerbaijan and Armenia . Additionally, they are endangered or near threatened in countries like China, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Mongolia, and Kyrgyzstan. The main reason behind their declining population is hunting due to the cat’s skin, fat, meat, and organs. ( Source ) Pallas’s cat has thick and long fur that protects its body from freezing conditions of its native steppe and grassland region. The dense fur also makes the cat look bigger than its actual size. Apart from the fur, its snowshoe-like paws and thick tail also assists the cat to withstand the freezing mountain climates. Pallas’s cat is named after ...

A hippo or hippopotamus is a big semi-aquatic mammal, present in sub-Saharan Africa. Hippos are among the largest land animals , behind only elephants and white rhinos. Adult male hippos are bigger than other rhino species.  There are two hippo species : common hippos and pygmy hippos. Common hippos live throughout sub-Saharan Africa , while pygmy hippos are limited to areas of West Africa. Pygmy hippos are smaller than common hippos and both have slightly different food choices. However, both species have many similar features.  Hippos spend their lives on land and in shallow waters. However, they are the closest living relatives of whales , the marine mammals. Hippos are the only extant animals that share the DNA sequence of whales. ( Source ) Hippos protect their skin during intense sunlight using an extraordinary skin secretion , known as blood-sweat. The name is due to the red and orange colors of this unique natural sunscreen. This oily substance provides four advantage...

The lion ( Panthera leo ) is a large big cat, second only to tigers in size. They survive in various types of habitats including savannas, grasslands, open woodlands, etc.  Lions were once present in vast areas of Asia , Africa, and Europe . Currently, their range is limited to sub-Saharan Africa (African lions), and Gir National Park in India (Asiatic lions).  Lions can sleep up to 20 hours a day, one of the longest durations among big cats. Lions hunt during dusk and dawn, the time when their prey is less active. Therefore, long sleeping hours during the day enable them to conserve energy for hunting at the right time.  A lion can produce the loudest roar of any big cat , up to 114 dB. This roar can reach  as far as 8 kilometers (5 miles) away. Lions are the most social big cats . They live in groups, known as pride, containing 5 to 30 members. Comparatively, other big cats are primarily solitary. ( Source )  These social mammals form groups, known as pride...