Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Herons of North America make their homes in marshy wetlands, swamps, rivers and lakes. They are drawn to these environments because of their diet, which consists of fish, aquatic insects, frogs, turtles and crustaceans. Birds in the heron family are physically adapted to be efficient hunters. Their graceful body types enable them to patiently pursue and swiftly capture their prey.
While most shelled animals live in the water, there are a few that live on land. Some have soft shells, while others have very hard, rock-like ones. Animal shells, also known as exoskeletons, or outside skeletons, serve two purposes: defense and structural support for muscles. Discovered turtle shells dating back 220 million years are a testament to how hard and resilient some animal shells can be.
The octopus is an eight-legged, carnivorous mollusk that commonly inhabits coral reefs under the sea. Its legs contain pairs of tentacles, which are used for catching and trapping prey. The octopus uses its hard beak to kill the prey, sending a nerve poison into its body that kills and softens the flesh.
A terrapin is used to describe different species of aquatic turtles, but there is a species of turtle called the diamondback terrapin. Because these turtles are aquatic, they coexist with fish in the wild and sometimes in captivity.
The reptile category includes snakes, tuataras, crocodiles, alligators, turtles and lizards. Some of these are carnivores and eat meat, some are insectivores and eat insects, some are herbivores and eat plants, and a few are omnivores, eating meat and plants.
Along the beaches of the world, many people spend time combing the shoreline in search of seashells. These shells are typically the former exoskeletons of mollusk creatures like clams, mussels, snails and other shell fish. Shells are created from proteins and calcium carbonate in association with their mollusk counterparts.
There are more than 300 species of turtles distributed across the world on every continent except Antarctica, and environment conditions their diet. Technically speaking, a true turtle lives a largely aquatic life, which leads to a diet of aquatic plants and animals. Tortoises are land-bound animals and terrapins spend time in both environments, leading to land-based diets. Turtles are generally omnivorous, but some species can be exclusively herbivores while others are exclusively carnivorous.
The spotted turtle can be found on the Atlantic coast of the United States and make great pets for reptile lovers. They are small, semi-aquatic turtles that eat a fairly varied diet and are easy to take care of.
Green sea turtles are aquatic creatures with long lifespans that can range up to 50 years. Green turtles can also be dark brown or have yellow spots. The diet of the green sea turtle reflects a number of anatomical, geographical and developmental factors.
Mayflies come in many different varieties, however, the larva or juvenile stage of the insect behaves very similarly. The larvae eat algae throughout their development, which can last anywhere from two months to two years.
Ardea herodias, known as the Great Blue Heron, is the largest heron in North America. In the Florida Keys and the Caribbean, there is a white morph of Ardea herodias known as the Great White Heron, which was formerly considered a different species. Likewise, a white-headed morph called the Wurdermann's Heron was once considered a separate species, but now is lumped in with Ardea herodias. These magnificent, long-legged, long-necked wading birds are common to marshes, wetlands, salt ponds, mangroves and sea shores, and their diet consists of smaller creatures normally found in these ecosystems.
