From bugs that will detach a leg, to ants that explode, here are 10 self-destructive
animals….
10.
Leaf-Footed Bugs
One of the main reasons animals purposefully injure themselves is to escape danger.
The Coreidae family of insects, more commonly known as leaf-footed bugs, do this quite effectively,
and it's actually extremely common for them to do it to save themselves.
Their legs often get caught by predators looking for a meal, and their hind legs tend to be
highly decorated with enlarged femurs designed to be used as weapons when fighting over a
mate or against something bigger.
When this isn't enough, though, leaf-footed bugs are able to detach their legs- a process
known as autotomy.
In 2016, a team of researchers collected samples of nine different species of the insect and
found that between 7.9 and 21.5 percent of them had missing legs.
This isn’t proof of autotomy in itself, so they then took specimens back to the lab
where they simulated a predator holding on to a leg, and saw the bugs purposefully detaching
them at the same leg joint.
In some species, they found, it's only the females that have the ability, but in others,
it's both males and females that use this as an evasive technique.
9.
Crayfish
Crayfish are a popular crustacean that are eaten around the world, but for some, the
idea of being on the dinner plate has led them to extreme measures to get away.
In 2018, a video went viral that showed a crayfish as it was being cooked alive in a
restaurant in China.
It managed to get out of the water and onto the side of the pot, before using its claw
to sever a damaged limb, and then scuttling across the table to its freedom.
One of the diners adopted the crayfish and gave it a new home in his aquarium.
It’s amazing it survived the ordeal at all!
This is, of course, an ability that Crayfish use in the wild to escape predators or to
remove parts of their claws that are no longer able to function correctly.
They are then able to re-grow their claws over several sheds, to get one that’s almost
as good as new.
8.
Malaysian Worker Ant
All species of ants work together for the betterment of their colony- whether this be
by collecting food, or taking care of the new generations…
But the Malaysian worker ant, that lives in the jungles of Borneo, has developed a unique
way of protecting the others- it can make itself explode!
The species has small mandibles and is unable to sting, so predators may see them as easy
prey.
When the ants feel threatened they raise their rears up as a warning that is filled with
a poisonous sac.
If the aggressor still doesn't back off, a few ants will bite down on it, angle their
rears as close as possible towards it, and flex so hard that their abdomens explode.
This releases a bright yellow, sticky, and toxic substance that apparently smells like
curry.
This will at least be irritating to the predator, but in many cases will immobilize the victims
and prevent them from causing any harm to the wider colony.
A powerful deterrent!!
This toxic explosion also kills the ant who sacrifices itself to protect its own.
7.
Deer Mice
Deer mice live across North America, and can be found across a wide range of habitats-
usually choosing to live high up, or in hollow trees.
They have multi-colored tails, and their overall coloration looks deer-like, which is where
they got their name from.
They are fairly easy to keep in captivity because they like to keep themselves clean.
Because of this, they are regularly used in laboratory experiments but are also known
carriers of various viruses such as hantavirus and Lyme disease.
The rodents are important prey for animals like snakes and owls, so have a defense mechanism
seen in a few other mouse species- they can detach their tails.
It's the easiest part of the mouse for a predator to catch when chasing after them, and field
mice are able to shed either part of their tail or the whole thing.
Following the detachment, a partial replacement will grow to replace lost functionality, but
the newly grown one will never be as strong as its original.
6.
Termite Tar Baby
Termites are known for their love of chewing through wood and, in some cases, even concrete….
Something that makes them responsible for at least 5 billion dollars worth of damage
every year in the US alone….
But there are a couple of things about these insects that you might not be aware of.
First is the question of what exactly a termite is.
For a long time, it was thought that they were related to ants, but recent DNA analysis
has shown that they are actually a type of cockroach- which explains why termites and
ants are often seen battling each other.
Some species of termite also have an unusual defense mechanism, known as autothysis.
This is a form of suicide for the greater good, that prevents invaders from causing
further damage, and the termites do this by releasing a tarry secretion.
Often, termites will be overrun by ants, and to prevent their advance, the soldier termites
can rupture a gland in their neck, which causes a very sticky substance to be released.
If done within the tunnels of the nest, this can block the path and incapacitate the ants,
meaning that they need to find an alternate route.
It can even prevent any further attack on the nest because many ants would perish in
the attempt, and may decide it’s no longer worth it.
5.
The Brown Antechinus
The Brown Antechinus is a small mammal that can be found in eastern and south-eastern
Australia- in regions such as Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.
They live in the dense undergrowth of forests where they use fallen trees to build their
nests and forage for food.
They typically grow to up to an inch long and have coarse grey-ish and brown fur.
It’s because of their mating habits, though, that this animal has become one of the most
well-known self-destructive species.
Females have a breeding season for about 3 months each year, during which they will birth
one litter.
Often, the females will die after rearing their first litter, because they become more
vulnerable to predators, but they can go on to survive for two or three years.
The males, however, will only breed once in their lives.
It's thought that a combination of the energy required to compete with other males for a
mate in the first place, along with heightened levels of stress, cause their immune systems
to stop working.
They all die in the 11th or 12th month of their life by parasites in the blood and intestine
or liver infections.
This actually has an evolutionary reason behind it because, for all intents and purposes,
their genes have already been passed on and are no longer needed.
If they were to survive longer, they would compete with the newborns and females for
food, which would severely reduce the number of youths that would make it to adulthood
the following year.
4.
Aphids
Aphids live in colonies called ‘galls' and are another species that will, under certain
circumstances, sacrifice themselves for the protection of the others.
Their main predators are ladybugs, especially ladybug larvae who love nothing more than
to gorge on the delicious aphids.
This can prove to be a dangerous move, though, because when they approach a gall, aphids
start to pour out and attach themselves to the invader by their jaws and legs.
They then start to secrete large amounts of waxy and sticky substances from their bodies,
which quickly solidifies and glues the ladybug to the plant… along with all the aphids.
Eventually, everything that has gotten stuck will die, and the colony will go on to live
another day.
It's not just any aphids that exhibit this behavior, though, as a study has shown that
the ones that do this are ‘menopausal'.
In other words, they are the elders of the colony and no longer have the ability to reproduce.
In one last act, they sacrifice themselves to protect their offspring.
Invading predators aren’t the only reason aphids do this, either.
Japanese researchers have discovered that a species of gall aphid will do this when
there is a hole in the gall.
To prevent it losing its structural integrity, aphids will cling on to the hole, secrete
the sticky substance and turn their own bodies into a patch to fix it.
3.
Salamander
Salamanders are lizard-like amphibians that can be found predominantly across the northern
hemisphere, from North America to Europe, Russia, and China.
They live in wet environments, with some species spending their entire lives underwater, and
some have vivid colorings to warn predators of their toxins, which can be extremely potent.
Warnings aren’t always enough, however, and particularly when laying their eggs, salamanders
may have to fight to defend themselves.
If things don’t go entirely to plan, they can surrender their tails to the enemy, which
will continue to twitch and give them a chance to escape.
Luckily for salamanders, within hours of this happening, the cells at the site of the wound
begin to rearrange themselves, a cap forms over the site, and then a new tail begins
to grow.
This process regenerates everything, such as tissue and blood vessels, and even nerve
endings.
This ability isn’t reserved for just the tail, either.
They can regenerate virtually any part of their body in the same way, even entire legs.
One of the most curious things about this process to researchers is how their bodies
know exactly what to grow back.
If a foot is missing, only a foot will grow back- and this suggests some form of positional
memory within the cells.
They hope that by understanding this process further, similar techniques could be used
in humans to heal from injuries.
2.
Ananteris Scorpions
Ananteris scorpions are a set of 64 rare species that can be found in South America.
Very little is actually known about them, except for their unique colorations and a
behavior that seems surprising for a scorpion—it's ability to detach its own tail.
This has been seen in 14 of the species and is more common in males than females.
When they are held by their tails they sever the high up joints, which releases the tail
and allows them to escape.
The tail continues to twitch, reacts to contact, and even attempts to sting.
This is, however, a death sentence for the scorpion.
The immediate problem is that it loses its ability to sting prey, and it's much more
difficult to find food.
The other problem is that the part of the tail that is detached includes part of its
digestive system and its anus.
This means that once the tail is released, the scorpion can no longer defecate.
They have to stick to small meals and are only able to survive a few more months- which
means they are able to mate again before succumbing to their injuries.
Dark stuff!!
1.
Spiders
Spiders are the worst nightmare for many people, and the more you look into their behavior,
the worse they seem to become!
Take their mating rituals, for example.
You’ve probably heard about some species’ cannibalistic tendencies, but things go way
further than that.
Female velvet spiders, for example, will regurgitate food for her new hatchlings to give them some
initial sustenance, before offering her entire body to the newborns to feed on.
Males have their own sacrificial reproductive tricks, too, that ensure they are the ones
to father the children.
They have two organs used for sperm transfer, known as pedipalps, which they use one after
another during mating.
Some species will break off these organs while still inside the female, which forms a copulatory
plug and prevents any other males from trying their luck.
Other species, upon using the second pedipalp, will simply die- and hang off the female in
an act which is also effective at preventing any other potential suitors.
Some spiders don’t go to such extremes to attract a mate.
Instead, they provide her with a nuptial gift, such as severing their own leg for her to
feed on.
If the taste is to her satisfaction, she’ll become receptive to their advances and be
ready to make spiderlings.