Creature Feature: ¡Saludos Amigos!
Greetings friends! I recently took a holiday away from the weather of Michigan and settled for a week at Cozumel Island, Mexico. I realized during my visit that the world is full of unique wildlife that in many cases can only be found in one particular region of the globe. I wanted to expand beyond the borders of the American Midwest and introduce some of the animals I came across whilst in Mexico. ¡Vamos!
Praying mantis
Let’s start off with a creature that we can observe here in the States. Over 2400 species of mantises have been found in temperate and tropical regions throughout the world. These are primarily ambush predators that live for about a year, laying their eggs in the fall and hatching in the spring.
I observed this little one in the above photo swaying back and forth as it crawled across the table. There are several reasons as to why a mantis would break out into a “dance”. Some of them include attracting a mate, being intimidating, orienteering, preparing to jump, etc. Based on its size and shape, it's likely that this insect was in its nymph stage - an immature form of an insect that has not finished metamorphosis yet. A mantis will molt several times before it achieves its adult form.
Black Spiny-tailed iguana
A lizard whose native range stretches throughout Mexico and Central America, including some islands in the Caribbean Sea. They are excellent climbers that prefer rocky environments, but will also dwell in grassy and forested areas as well. Rocks are the favored environment for the iguanas due to the amount of crevices that are available to hide in. I even came across one hiding within the cracks of some sealed Mayan ruins; it looked straight out from an Indiana Jones movie.
These iguanas are mostly herbivores, but will consume animal life if the opportunity arises. One cool fact about this iguana is that it is known to rest on and eat the fruits of the manchineel tree. This is significant because this is one of the most toxic trees on the planet! Its white sap contains toxins that can be found on all parts of the tree.
One of my favorite wildlife photos from the trip. I’d like to imagine that the iguana is vibing to nature, happy as a clam.
Caribbean hermit crab
Hermit crabs are unique to other crabs in a couple of ways. One significant difference is their need to use unoccupied shells for protection. Although some parts of their body are tough, their abdomen is actually quite soft and lacking the calcium carbonate and chitin that gives crabs their hardened shell. As they grow, they must seek out new shells that are a snug-fit to the current size of their abdomen.
While some may connect this animal to aquatic environments, this type of hermit crab is largely terrestrial, which means they live on land. Their gills are modified so that they can breathe air, but they will need to return to a water source to keep their gills wet and damp. You can find these little ones across the West Indies in the Caribbean, stretching from the southern tip of Florida to the northern coasts of Venezuela.
American crocodile
Our last feature for the month also happens to be the biggest of all the creatures observed on the holiday! While they do look similar, there are a couple of ways to separate alligators and crocodiles. One way is by taking note of the shape of their mouth. When closed, an alligator’s teeth can only be seen from its upper jaw while crocodiles teeth can be seen from both parts of the jaw. A second way is by color, with alligators typically having a darker hide while crocodiles have a duller greenish-gray.
Can you spot the juvenile crocodiles swimming in this small pool?
An American crocodile’s preferred habitat includes any water source that has a higher amount of salinity (salt) compared to freshwater. This makes places such as mangrove swamps, lagoons, and brackish lakes and ponds an ideal place for a crocodile to live. They are able to survive in these environments due to salt glands that lie underneath the tongue. These glands are responsible for separating the excess salt from the water the crocodile ingests. It is a nifty mechanism that is used in other reptiles, birds, and some fish. While the can grow to over six meters long, the average American crocodile will likely grow between three and four meters long.
Julio the Crocodile.
That’s a wrap on this month’s Creature Feature. I encourage you all to create your own adventure, and see what discoveries you will make this year!
Submitted by Zach Mork, naturalist, December 2022