There are approximately 8.7 million animal species discovered so far and the Animalia kingdom is very diverse in nature. These animal species are known to humans but there are many incredible things that are still hidden from humans. We will discuss the 10 crawling animals in the world,
Crawling Animals
1. Snail
Snail is a mollusc that belongs to the class Gastropod. As of now thousands of species of snail species are known to humans and adapted to life on the ground. Snails are belived to have appeared approximately 500 million years ago and hence termed as one of the oldest animals on the Earth. It will grow around 0.04 inches to 12 inches in length and weighs around 2 pounds.
The largest snail in the world is the Giant African land snail. Talking about the appearance, it can appear in different colors such as yellow, orange or red and inconspicuously coloured will be white, grey or brown, however that depends on the habitat. The avarage lifespan is 3 to 7 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity.
2. Lizard
Lizards are also one of teh crawling animals that used to crawl on land and walls of the house. It belongs to the reptile family and other members in the family including snakes, turtles, crocodiles and alligators. Lizards are cold-blooded which means they cannot control their own body temperature and it is controlled by the surroundings. The skin of the animals is made of scales which is again common in reptiles. Lizards smell with a special organ known as Jacobson’s organ ad it is situated on the roof of their mouth.
3. Snake
Snakes are also reptiles and currently, 2900 species of snakes are known to humans till now that exist across th globe. Just like lizards, snakes are also cold-blooded which means surroundings control the temperature of the body of the species and it is seen that they lie under the sun to increase the temperature of the body. There are different types of snake species that live in cold climates used hibernate in the winter to avoid the cold temperatures. The species live everywhere and are seen in deserts, ponds, rivers, forests, oceans, streams and lakes. The body of snakes are also covered in scales and they are waterproof.
4. Ant
Ants are social animals and currently, 12.000 species of ants are known to humans seen across the globe. There are numerous ant species which is belived to be discovered and exist on the planet. The best part of these crawling animals is that they improve the quality of soil and eliminate parasites and unwanted insects from the gardens. It can reach upto 0.03 to 2 inches in length, however that depends on the ant species.
Talking about the appearance, ants have large heads and come with elbowed antennae, strong jaws and narrow waists. Ant species have three pairs of legs and only queen and male ant species have wings. The avarage lifespan of ant species varies from several weeks to a few years that depending on the role in the colony and species. The queen ant can service upto 30 years in the wild.
5. Butterfly
Butterflies belong to an order of insects called Lepidoptera. The term Lepidoptera means ‘scaly wings’ and these wings are covered with thousands of tiny scales. The best part is that butterflies exist in all kinds of climates and temperatures. There are different types of butterflies that help nature in two ways, one by pollination of flowers and they also act as a meal for frogs, bats, birds and lizards. During pollination, butterflies will carry pollen from flower to flower so that they can reproduce. The avarage life span of butterfly species is 4 weeks.
Also Read: 10 Beautiful Types of Yellow Butterflies In The World
6. Crab
Crabs are invertebrate animals that belong to the crustacean family. As of now, 4500 species of crabs are known to humans and they prefer to thrive in the coastal areas of salty, fresh or brackish water. Crabs vary in size and the smallest crab species is Pea Crab which can grow upto 0.27 to 0.47 inches in length. The largest crab species is the Japanese Spider Crab which has a leg span of 12 feet (claw to claw). It is also known as decapods because they have 10 legs and the first pair of legs are modified into claws which are known as chelae. The avarage lifespan of the crab is between 3 and 4 years.
7. Moth
Moths are insect species that belong to the order Lepidoptera. These are less colourful species of butterflies and currently 150.000 species of moths identified across the globe. These species thrive in regions of forests, fields, meadows, agricultural fields and across human settlements. The total wingspan of the moth ranges from 0.11 to 12 inches. The species is active during the night and the body is dark coloured in nature. The adult moth avarage lifespan is 1 to 4 weeks, howvever, males have a longer lifespan than females.
8. Crocodile
Crocodiles are also one of the crawling animals listed under reptiles seen in the regions of Australia, Africa, America and Asia. As of now, 23 species of crocodiles are known to humans and most of them are endangered because of poaching. The closest relative of crocodiles is birds and dinosaurs. It is believed that crocodiles lives on Earth for almost 240 million years and they appeared at the same time when dinosaurs were there on the planet. It is also listed as of the biggest animals in the world.
One of the heaviest animals and largest crocodile species is Saltwater Crocodile which can reach 13-18 feet in length and weigh up to 2200 pounds. The smaller crocodile species is the Dwarf Crocodile that can reach upto 5 feet in length and weigh up to 40-70 pounds. The avarage lifespan of crocodiles is 50-60 years in the wild. There are some species of Crocodiles that can live more than 80 years.
9. Lobster
Lobsters are an invertebrate that belongs to the crustacean family. As of now, 9 lobster species are known to humans that can be seen across all the oceans over the world. It can grow upto 0.8 to 3.25 feet in length, howvever, that vary from species to species. Lobsters are divided into two groups namely clawed and spiny.
The Clawed lobsters are identified by claws and seen in cold waters, however, Spiny lobsters have long antennas and it is seen in could be found in the tropical (warm) waters. Lobsters are also 10 legged creatures similar to shrimps and crabs that are considered their closest relatives. The avarage lifespan of Lobsters is upto 100 years in the wild.
10. Spiders
Spiders are also one of the popular crawling animals that comes in different shapes and sizes. As of now, 30,000 different species of spider are known to humans, however, it is belived that many more needs to discover. The giant huntsman spider is the biggest spider in the world with a legspan of 12 inches. Spiders differ from insects in terms of legs where spiders have eight legs instead of six. The avarage lifespan of spiders vary with different species, however, almost all of them live about two years in the wild.
Also Read: 10 Types Of Spiders in New Jersey
These are the most popular crawling animals in the world. Kindly share and do post your comments.
