The Small Caribbean Jellyfish Can Learn Even Without a Brain
Research in 2023 showed that the small jellyfish (Tripedalia cystophora) uses clusters of its eyes and nerve cells to learn to avoid collisions with obstacles in its path (SN: 9/22/23). In the jellyfish’s natural environment, where the creature must avoid tree roots in murky waters, it is motivated to be a good learner.
The Predator Dinosaur’s Smile
The terrifying smile of Tyrannosaurus rex may be less intimidating than previously thought. Artistic depictions usually show the hungry reptile without lips, always revealing its pearly teeth. However, Tyrannosaurus rex might have had lips that kept rows of sharp teeth, similar to Komodo dragons, according to an analysis of dinosaur and modern reptile skulls and teeth (SN: 4/22/23, p. 6).
Birds Taking Revenge
Life in the city can be aggressive for birds. Municipalities around the world have placed spikes to prevent birds from roosting and defecating on light poles, buildings, and other structures. But some Eurasian magpies (Pica pica) and carrion crows (Corvus corone) in parts of Europe have found a way to take revenge on humans. They tear down anti-bird spikes and build nests with them (SN: 9/9/23, p. 4). Crows may use the spikes as humans do to ward off pesky birds.
The Pirate Spider
Pirates at sea might take pride in their spider counterparts on land. A type of carnivorous pirate spider in Costa Rica deceives its prey into walking the plank, directly into its grasp (SN: 10/7/23 & 10/21/23, p. 11). The spider, Gianoloris sicarius, casts a silk thread to snag the web-weaving spider trying to build its web. When the eight-legged victim rushes across its silk thread to secure the other end, the web-weaving spider meets an inevitable death before harmful plants.
Desperate Snow Flies
Snow flies (Chinoea spp.) have a weird way of surviving in the cold mountains and forests they inhabit. Researchers exposed several flies to subzero temperatures and amputated their limbs, but only when the limbs began to freeze (SN: 7/15/23, p. 14). The flies may shed limbs to prevent snow crystals from accessing the rest of their bodies.
A Self-Aware Fish
When it comes to mental prowess, this fish is not small. The blue cleaning fish (Labroides dimidiatus) can recognize itself in the mirror, and the fish can also identify a picture of itself among a group of images (SN: 3/11/23, p. 13). The discovery indicates that the fish forms a mental image of itself – similar to what humans do – and that self-awareness may be more common in the animal kingdom than previously thought.
Narrow-Gilled Sharks
Regulating body temperature in cold waters is a challenge even for the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini). To keep warm while hunting in the deep ocean, sharks employ a method usually seen in diving mammals: closing their gills (SN: 6/17/23, p. 10). Closing the gills retains heat in the body, preventing the sharks from becoming ice cubes.
A Snake with a Big Mouth
The African egg-eating snake redefines what it means to open its mouth wide. The Gans’ snake (Dasypeltis gansi) can open its mouth wider than any other snake relative to its size, according to laboratory experiments (SN: 10/7/23 & 10/21/23, p. 36). An egg-eating snake with a head width of 1 centimeter can swallow a cylinder with a diameter of 5 centimeters in its mouth. The reptile surpasses the previous record holder: the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus).
Disaster Dogs
The contaminated area of the Chernobyl nuclear field in Ukraine may be off-limits to humans, but other animals didn’t get the memo. Packs of wild dogs roaming the area since 1986 differ from dogs of similar breeds living outside the area (SN: 4/8/23, p. 15). Researchers say the differences may not be due to radiation. Whether radiation in Chernobyl has any effect on the dogs remains under investigation, but knowing their genetic makeup will help scientists uncover potential radiation harm.
Ants
Landscapes
Ants are considered skilled navigators who use local landmarks to navigate. But what do ants do when the world around them is almost flat and devoid of landmarks? The desert ants (Cataglyphis fortis) in the salt marshes of Tunisia take special measures. Workers build tall mounds over their nests so that scattered foragers can find their way home (SN: 7/1/23, p. 16).
These are some of the fascinating stories from the animal kingdom that captivated us in 2023. From smart jellyfish to vengeful birds, pirate spiders, desperate flies, self-aware fish, sharks with narrow gills, large-mouthed snakes, disaster dogs, and landscape ants. These stories may be astonishing and interesting, showcasing many of the amazing aspects of animals and their unique capabilities.
Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/animal-creature-research-discovery-2023
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