• Question: what is you favourite animal (only because of the adaptation)?

    Asked by left4halo4 to Christine, Edd, Jess, Nicolas, Zara on 22 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Zara Gladman

      Zara Gladman answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hi left4halo4, great question! 🙂

      The first one I could think of that has a really cool adaptation is the four-eyed fish: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-eyed_fish

      It has eyes that let it see above the surface of the water, and underwater at the same time! This means the fish can keep a look out for predators or food at the same time…. handy!

    • Photo: Edward Codling

      Edward Codling answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Some of the coral reef fish I have come across are incredible.

      I like the Leafy Sea Dragon – this looks like something made by my 2 year old son out of paper!
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leafy_sea_dragon
      It has evolved to look like seaweed as a camouflage mechanism. (This fish is also related to the seahorse!)

      I also like the porcupinefish which has evolved a great defence mechanism – it looks quite harmless but when it feels threatened it inflates itself to look like a spiky football to deter predators!
      http://www.itsnature.org/sea/fish/porcupine-fish/

    • Photo: Jessica Chu

      Jessica Chu answered on 22 Jun 2011:

      I really like the big African elephants 🙂 will be amazing to see one out there in the wild!!

      Amazing Adaptation: Majority of the skull is honeycombed with sinuses to minimize weight.

      Tusks are elongated and grow throughout the lifetime. They are used for carrying and gathering food as well as weapons.

      Six consecutive sets of two upper and two lower molars are produced throughout their lifetime.

      Trunk is an elongation of the nose and upper lip. The adult?s trunk contains 150,000 muscles. It is used for eating, drinking, dust, water bathing, and communication.

      Sense of smell is highly sophisticated; they are believed to locate underground water by smelling the earth above.

      Vision is poor. Long lashes and eye lids protect the eyes from dust.

      Hearing is acute

      Ears are used to help cool body down and control blood circulation.

      More information here: http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2007/shah_rach/

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