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
Latest about amazing animals
Bone collector caterpillar: The very hungry caterpillar of your nightmares
Bone collectors feast on dead and dying critters caught in a spider's web and then decorate themselves with the legs, wings and heads of their victims to avoid detection by their spider hosts.
Wandering salamander: The tree‑climbing amphibian with a blood‑powered grip
Wandering salamanders control their veritable grip by pumping blood into and draining it from translucent toes, as they glide and land on towering redwoods.
Plains viscacha: A rodent that builds vast underground cities and ovulates more than any other mammal
The plains viscacha looks a lot like a chinchilla, but it's known for building vast tunnels underground and for producing more than 300 eggs at one time.
Dracula parrot: The goth bird whose piercing screams echo through New Guinea forests
Pesquet's parrot, also known as a Dracula parrot, resembles a vulture and has a distinct scream — but its favorite food is figs.
Northern giant mouse lemur: The bug-eyed fluff ball with the biggest testicles of all known primates
If humans had a similar body ratio to the northern giant mouse lemur, their testicles would be the size of grapefruits.
Asian hermit spider: The arachnid that gets stronger after ejecting its own penis
Female Asian hermit spiders gobble up their partners after mating, so males detach their penises and sometimes offer up an amputated leg to escape.
Great potoo: The 'tree stump' bird with a haunting growl and can see with its eyes closed
Throughout the night, great potoos emit a loud, moaning growl that has earned the bird a mythical status, with some communities believing the sounds to be children calling for lost parents.
Sparklemuffin peacock spider: The spider with secret iridescent scales that busts a move to win a mate
This bedazzled arachnid woos its mate with a sexy thrusting dance.
