Super Nature Encyclopedia

258 Pages·2012·90.8 MB·English

by  DK Publishing

ENCYCLOPEDIA

s m i t h s o n i a n
ENCYCLOPEDIA
100
THE MOST INCREDIBLE
CREATURES ON THE PLANET
Derek Harvey
CONTENTS
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FASTEST S P RI
AMAZING ANIMAL
ANATOMY ATHLETES
MAMMALS 18 MAMMALS 110
BIRDS 46 BIRDS 132
REPTILES 60 REPTILES 144
AMPHIBIANS 74 AMPHIBIANS 000
FISH 82 FISH 148
INVERTEBRATES 88 INVERTEBRATES 156
RECORD-BREAKERS 106 RECORD-BREAKERS 168
DK LONDON DK INDIA
Senior Designer Senior Editor Senior Art Editor Senior Editor
Ina Stradins Angeles Gavira Devika Dwarkadas Soma B. Chowdhury
Designers Editors LONDON, NEW YORK, MELBOURNE, Art Editors Editors
David Ball, Alison Gardner, Anna Hall, Kim Bryan, Jemima Dunne, Wendy Horobin, MUNICH, AND DELHI Suhita Dharamjit, Suefa Lee,
Peter Laws, Fiona Macdonald, Francis Wong Janet Mohun, Steve Setford, Laura Wheadon Parul Gambhir, Neha Pande
DK Picture Library Editorial Assistant Managing Art Editor Managing Editor Rakesh Khundongbam, Managing Editors
Liz Moore Lili Bryant Michelle Baxter Camilla Hallinan Vaibhav Rastogi Rohan Sinha,
Jacket Designers Jacket Editor Art Director Publisher DTP Designers Alka Thakur Hazarika
Laura Brim, Silke Spingies Manisha Majithia Philip Ormerod Sarah Larter Rajesh Singh Adhikari, Production Manager
Production Controllers Production Editor Associate Publishing Arvind Kumar, Tanveer Zaidi Pankaj Sharma
Erika Pepe, Alice Sykes Victoria Khroundina Publishing Director Director Consultant Art Director DTP Manager
US Editor Margaret Parish Jonathan Metcalf Liz Wheeler Shefali Upadhyay Balwant Singh
LIVING PLANET 6 EVER-CHANGING ANIMALS 10 ANIMAL LIFESTYLES 14
ALL SHAPES AND SIZES 8 BODY MATTERS 12
O S T DEVOTED MOTH
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LIFE SUPERNATURAL
STORIES SENSES
MAMMALS 172 MAMMALS 220
BIRDS 188 BIRDS 234
REPTILES 196 INVERTEBRATES 236
FISH 198
INVERTEBRATES 200
RECORD-BREAKERS RECORD-BREAKERS
216 248
Smithsonian Enterprises: First American Edition, 2012
GLOSSARY
Vice President Carol LeBlanc Published in the United States by DK Publishing, 250
Director of Licensing Brigid Ferraro 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
Licensing Manager Ellen Nanney Copyright © 2012 Dorling Kindersley Limited
Smithsonian
Product Development All rights reserved INDEX
Institution 253
Coordinator Kealy Wilson 12 13 14 15 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
001—183047—Sep/2012
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LIVING PLANET BOREAL FOREST
The dense forests of the
far north are made up
mainly of conifer trees.
In the short summer there
is plenty to eat, but food
is scarce in the long, cold
Life began in Earth’s oceans about 3.5 billion years winter. Some animals
CULTIVATED LAND
hibernate in winter,
ago. It has since spread, in a spectacular number of
Nearly one-tenth of the others migrate south.
different forms, to every corner of the planet. Among
Earth’s land area is used
8.5%
the host of animals that inhabit land and sea there are for farming. Cultivated
land supports plant
some true superstars of nature that boast amazing
crops and domesticated
abilities, incredible bodies, and fascinating lifestyles.
animals, together with
wild species that have
managed to survive
alongside humans.
9.5%
SAVANNA
Tropical savanna grassland is hot all
year round, but there are distinct dry
and wet seasons. A few trees and
shrubs offer some shade. On the
African savanna, grazing animals
such as wildebeest and zebra
follow the rains in search of
fresh grass, preyed on by
lions and other carnivores. 10%
POLAR ICE
The polar regions—the Arctic
Ocean around the North Pole,
and Antarctica around the
South Pole—are mostly
covered by thick ice. Many
polar animals use thick
layers of fur, feathers, or
fat to keep out the cold,
11%
while some fish have
antifreeze in their blood.
TROPICAL FOREST
The lush, evergreen forests near
the equator are home to at
least half of the world’s plant
and animal species. Often
called “jungles,” these forests are
17%
always warm and wet. Their
flowers, fruits, and leaves are a
rich source of food. Animals live
at every level, from the tops of the
tallest trees to the dark forest floor.
The world’s biomes TEMPERATE FOREST OCEAN LIFE
Biologists divide the world into “biomes,” Broadleaved, deciduous trees flourish Earth is a watery
regions with similar landscapes, climates, in mild (temperate) climates. Summers 71% world, with vast
and wildlife. The figures below show
are warm, winters cool, and rain falls oceans covering
how much of the Earth’s land surface
year-round. Birds, bears, deer, and nearly three-
each biome occupies. 29%
small mammals thrive in such forests. quarters of its
surface. Shallow seas
near land, especially
7%
around coral reefs, are
TEMPERATE GRASSLAND rich in wildlife. Animals
that live out in the open ocean
Cooler than savanna, temperate
must be strong swimmers to move around in the currents.
grasslands also have less rainfall and
In the deepest ocean, up to 7 miles (11 km) below the
so cannot support trees or shrubs.
surface, animals must cope with total darkness, very cold
They are home to large grazing
temperatures, and pressures that would crush a human.
animals such as bison and antelope.
6%
MEDITERRANEAN
Regions with a Mediterranean-
style climate have short, wet,
mild winters and long, dry
summers. Shrubs, short trees,
and cacti and other drought-
resistant plants grow on their
6%
rugged landscapes. Animals
include wild goats, lynx,
jackals, boar, and vultures.
TUNDRA
The flat, treeless tundra lands
5.5% surrounding the Arctic are
free of ice, but below the
surface layer the soil is
always frozen. The tundra
comes alive with flowers
and insects in the summer,
and many birds and
mammals migrate there to
feed and breed.
DESERT
Places with less than 10 in
(25 cm) of rain a year are
called deserts. They are N
usually hot—up to a O
I
scorching 120°F (50°C) T
19.5%
C
by day—and either
U
rocky or covered with D
shifting sand. Desert O
animals can survive on R
T
very little water. Many are
N
active at night, when it is cooler.
I
7
ALL SHAPES AND SIZES
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SPINELESS INVERTEBRATES
About two-thirds of all known animal species
are invertebrates. Invertebrate groups
include cnidarians, mollusks, echinoderms,
sponges, worms, and arthropods. These
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mollusks. However, many invertebrates are
so inconspicuous or tiny that we never
notice them. A lot are found only in the
ocean. Others, such as insects, live on land
and are common worldwide.
Echinoderms
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