There are millions of different animal species living on Earth, with new ones being discovered all the time. Each week, we take a closer look at some of the amazing animals wandering, flying or swimming about, zooming in on the amazing adaptations that help them survive and thrive, from the bottom of the ocean to the highest mountain peaks.
Discover more amazing animals
—Animal quiz: Test yourself on these fun animal trivia questions
—Evolution: Facts about the processes that shape the diversity of life on Earth
—32 of the world's smartest animals / loudest animals / most dangerous animals
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Paralvinella hessleri: The yellow worm that lives in acid and fights poison with poisonThese deep-sea worms, which are 1% arsenic, are only found at the hottest hydrothermal vents in the western Pacific.
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Pallas's cat: One of the world's oldest felines that stands on its bushy tail to keep its paws warmPallas's cat is a small wild cat native to Central Asia with short legs and dense fur, making it look bigger than it really is — but the yelps it makes in stressful situations betray its size.
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Headless chicken monster: The deep sea cucumber with tubular feet for gobbling sedimentThis swimming sea cucumber looks like a chicken carcass, eats poop floating in the water and uses defecation as a means of propulsion.
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Aye-ayes: The strange nocturnal lemurs with long, creepy fingersAye-ayes are remarkable thanks to their extra-long, bony middle fingers, which they use to locate grubs and pick their noses.
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Virginia opossums: The American marsupials that have barely changed since the time of the dinosaursVirginia opossums are the only marsupial species in North America.
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Colugo: The 'flying lemur' that doesn't fly and isn't a lemurThis big-eyed rainforest mammal looks like a cross between a bat and a squirrel. It glides between treetops using a furry membrane that connects its limbs.
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Kākāpō: The chonky parrot that can live almost 100 yearsThis flightless nocturnal parrot is only found in New Zealand.
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Japanese quail: The bird with weird sperm foam, a post-sex strut and a spot in space historyMale Japanese quails produce a strange seminal foam that appears to enhance the chances of successfully fertilizing an egg.
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Dwarf sperm whale: The 'pint-size whales' that gush gallons of intestinal fluid when surprisedThe smallest species of whale tricks its predators by gushing gallons of red fluid into the water when under attack.
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