IN THE last 250 years, scientists have identified more than 2 million species of creatures. Here is a list of seven lesser-known, beautiful animals and insects, each with special talents.
Born to run -- on water?
As lizards go, the tree-dwelling Central American basilisk is a real cutie. When confronted with danger, the basilisk doesn't head for the hills like other critters. It leaps into the water and runs across the surface! Scientists have recently used slow-motion video cameras to study these gravity-defying lizards. As their feet plunge down into the water, a pocket of air is created around the feet for support. But they have to keep moving -- if they stop, they're sunk!
A living Pikachu?
When it comes to cute Pokemon, Pikachu is No. 1. And on a scale of rodent cuteness, the pika might rank just as high. Pikas are rock-dwellers and live on mountainsides in cool areas of Canada, America and Europe. And like Pikachu, these little guys sound adorable when they squeak! As cold weather approaches, pikas store poisonous plants in their burrows to eat during the winter. The poison acts as a preservative to keep the leaves fresh during the long, cold months.
Nature's stained-glass windows
The glasswing butterfly of Central and South America gracefully floats through the air from one flower to another, feeding on nectar. Its see-through wings are like miniature stained-glass windows and help to keep the butterfly safe from hungry predators by enabling it to blend into any background. The Spanish name for this butterfly is espejitos, which means "little mirrors," since its wings can sometimes reflect the sunlight. Like all insects, butterflies have six legs -- but on this guy it might not look that way. It's easy to see the back four legs, plus the two antennae and a feeding tube (proboscis) on its head. But the front pair of legs on adult butterflies are usually so small they are invisible.
Liar, liar
Of the 10,000 species of known birds, the lyrebird is one of the most remarkable. Recognized by its spectacular plume of tail feathers, the lyrebird also has one of the loudest birdcalls in the world. But it's not these features that make the lyrebird so special. These ground-dwelling birds from eastern Australia have the amazing ability to imitate the sounds of more than two dozen other birds. It truly is a "liar" bird. In fact, the lyrebird can mimic just about any sound it hears, including noises from the human world such as a chain saw, automobile alarm, musical instruments, or the ring of a cellphone.
A pink warning
Animals usually display bright colors for two reasons. One is to attract a mate; another is to warn a predator to back off. This second explanation is exactly the message the shocking-pink millipede sends to neighborhood animals looking for fast food. This millipede, which was only discovered by scientists last year in Thailand, contains poison in its body. With its flattened shape it may look like a centipede, but it's not. Like all millipedes, it has two pairs of legs per body segment, whereas centipedes have one pair.
Moon moth
At the end of the original (1967) Doctor Dolittle film, the doctor flew off into the moonlight on the back of a beautiful, giant luna moth. Yes, luna moths do exist, and they are beautiful, nocturnal creatures, but only in Hollywood do you find them that big! Nevertheless, with a 5-inch wingspan, luna moths are one of the largest in North America. They live along the eastern coast and are easily recognized by their vivid colors and long tails. Amazingly, they have no mouths, do not eat, and only live for a week.
Leaping lemur
If it hops like a kangaroo but looks like a monkey, it could only be a rare and beautiful Coquerel's sifaka lemur of Madagascar. Madagascar is the world's fourth-largest island, and most of its plants and animals are found nowhere else. This includes some 80 species of lemurs, which are primates like humans and apes. Since most lemurs only come out at night and have a haunting stare, biologist Carolus Linnaeus believed they looked like spirits and named them lemur, which means "ghost" in Latin. Like cats, lemurs have tissue over their retinas that causes their eyes to shine eerily at night.
