Category: Invertebrates
While similar in some ways to earthworms, leeches differ in other distinct ways – for example, leeches do not have bristles and have a sucker at each end of their body. Most leeches live in freshwater, though there are terrestrial and saltwater exceptions. They are well known for their adaptation of blood-sucking, though not all species of leech feed this way. Of the ones that do, some species are able to store more than five times their body mass of blood in their digestive system.
It’s an ant’s world. We’re just living in it.
Do humans truly dominate the world? The Argentine ant may have something to say about that. Many ants are known for their large colonies, but the Argentine ant, named for its South American origins takes this to a whole other level. Due to inadvertent introduction by humans, the Argentine ant has spread to all continents except Antarctica. There are now three known super-colonies of these ants: one in Europe (the largest, covering 3,700 miles), one in California (560 miles), and another on the west coast of Japan. Ants are often territorial, but amazingly, ants belonging to the super-colonies recognize one another: if you were to introduce a super colony ant from Japan to one from Europe or California, they will recognize each other as friends!
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
