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 known for their bright colors, white stripes, and association with sea anemones. Clownfish are among the few animals that can change sex 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. The 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 ...