Look closely at almost any animal and you can find clues about how it survives. An eagle has sharp talons for grabbing prey. A duck has webbed feet that help it move through water. A polar animal may have thick fur for insulation, while a fish has fins that make swimming easier. These body parts … Read more
A dolphin, eagle, crocodile, salmon, and frog may look completely different, but they have one important thing in common: they are all vertebrates. Vertebrates are animals connected by a basic body plan that includes a backbone or vertebral column at some stage of development. From there, however, their lifestyles can become dramatically different. Some breathe … Read more
A whale, a house cat, and a bat look very different, yet scientists place all three in the same major group: mammals. Meanwhile, a butterfly and a crab may seem unrelated at first glance, but both belong to an enormous group of animals called arthropods. So how do scientists decide which animals belong together? The … Read more