Burrower Gallery

Electric catfish (Malapterurus electricus)

Electric catfish (Malapterurus electricus), feeds mostly on fish that it stuns by electric shocks. It is capable of discharging 300 to 400 volts in defence and to prey. Origin: Nile River system, Lakes Chad and Turkana, Niger River system and rivers in West Africa

Actinopterygii, African, Burrower, Eats Fishes, Edible, Electric Organ, Freshwater, Gamefish, Lake Chad Species, Lake Life, Malapteruridae, Malapterurus, Male Tends Young, Mouth Brooder, Nile River Species, Nocturnal, Potamodromous, Predator, River Life, Siluriformes, Stuns Prey, Subsistence Fisheries, Tropical

Smashing mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus), New South Wales, Australia

Smashing mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) usually lives in a burrow with only the head revealed. It is an aggressive predator and this one might be on the hunt. The back legs with their feathery skirts, the pleopods, are used for swimming and fanning the gills. Its strike is potent and can break a finger bone if handled. North Solitary Island, New South Wales, Australia

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Nutria (Myocastor coypus)

Nutria (Myocastor coypus), pair in a pond. Native to South America, they have colonised much of the world after escaping from fur farms and are considered one of the world 100 most dangerous alien species as they cause erosion and destroy vegetation that native animals depend on. Okayama Prefecture, Japan