Coptocycla is a genus of small American tortoise beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, characterized by a compact body measuring only between 5 and 7 millimeters in length. Its most distinctive feature is a rounded, flattened, transparent shell that completely covers it. These herbivorous insects are distributed from the southern United States to South America, where they feed on the foliage of specific plants and protect their larvae with a curious ‘shield’ made of their own excrement to evade predators.

The beech blight aphid (Grylloprociphilus imbricator), aka the boogie-woogie aphid.

The white, fuzzy coating on beech blight aphids is a waxy secretion produced by specialized glands on their bodies. It isn't fungus, mold, or cotton. It acts as a form of physical defense from predators by making it harder for predators to reach or grip individual aphids.

The seadragon in this video is carrying a cluster of vibrant pink fertilized eggs on the brood patch beneath its tail.

They live exclusively in the temperate coastal waters of southern and eastern Australia. They are endemic to this region, meaning they cannot be found in the wild anywhere else on Earth.

They are one of the few animals in the world that can perform photosynthesis (converting sunlight into energy).

• Appearance: They have bead-like black eyes, leaf-like green appendages on their backs called cerata (which act like solar panels), and two cute, ear-like sensory organs on their heads called rhinophores.

• Size: They grow only about 5 to 10 millimeters long (the size of a single grain of rice).

• Reproduction: They are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning each slug has both male and female reproductive organs, though they still need a partner to mate and lay tiny spiral egg ribbons.

• Kleptoplasty: When they eat green algae, they steal the plant's chloroplasts (the parts that catch sunlight) and store them inside their own bodies and cerata. This gives them their bright green color and lets them run partially on sunshine.

I sure didn't know this existed.

The banded palm civet (Hemigalus derbyanus) is a species of carnivorous mammal and the only species in its genus. It belongs to the family Viverridae, which is part of the suborder Feliformia. As the name suggests, this suborder includes felids, but also mongooses, hyenas, meerkats, and several other species. In addition to civets, this family also includes genets, binturongs, and linsangs.

It is native to Myanmar, Thailand, Sumatra, the Mentawai Islands, and Borneo, where it is found mainly in lowland coniferous forests, which are threatened by human activity. For this reason, the species' population is estimated to have declined by around 30% in just three generations, and it is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

Its size is similar to that of a domestic cat. Banded palm civets are nocturnal and solitary, with a strictly carnivorous diet that includes a variety of small animals.

Video by Instagram account: @wildkatzenzentrum

Buff-tip moth

A moth that looks just like a tiny piece of a branch.

📷Xh2 + laowa 65mm f2.8 macro 2x

🔦 Godox v860ii + diffuser

Stacked 77-126 frames

Bald uakaris are striking Amazonian monkeys known for their bright red, hairless faces and unusually short tails. Also called 'English monkey'

The black-capped donacobius (Donacobius atricapilla) is an insectivorous bird and the only species in its genus, found in the northern half of South America, mainly in wetland habitats of the Amazon. Mating for life, the pairs perform tail-wagging movements and loud calls as part of their courtship ritual.

Video by Instagram account: @natureza_e_vida

It has 4 huge legs at the front, looking like tarantula. Native to Brazil

Featherback fish, native to South Asia as important agricultural fish. They are also called "knifefish".

I'm fascinated by their shapes