Animal Species found in the tropics
Anaconda
The anaconda has several adapted traits that allow it to survive successfully in a rainforest environment. Another adaptation they have is the patterns on an anaconda's body. The greenish tinge to their scales and their mottled pattern make for effective camouflage which helps the anaconda hide from predators. Spotting on the anaconda also helps the snake blend into muddy waters, a perk for when the snake is attempting to catch a meal. The spotted pattern allows the snake to lie and wait stealthily for animals to come closer without being identified. The snakes eyes and nostrils are on top of their head, allowing them to lay underwater while continuing to ambush their prey. Anacondas can also stay underneath water for up to ten minutes without breathing. The anaconda is most comfortable in water, and if it stays on land for an extended period of time, will become infested with ticks. An adaptation to ward off parasited is a horrendous smells the anaconda emits, which effectively gets rid of any bugs on it. Another adaptation the anaconda has is its teeth and jaw. The shape of an anaconda's teeth are pivotal in its capturing of prey. While small, an anaconda's teeth are curved and extremely sharp. Once a prey becomes trapped within an anaconda's extremely strong jaw, there's no escaping from its teeth. This allows for the snake to coil its body around its prey. An anaconda has stretchy ligaments within its jaw, which helps the snake open its mouth wide. Since anacondas have mobile ligaments, they can easily swallow larger prey, such as jaguars. They keep their prey inside of them for weeks, even months, meaning once they have caught a prey, the will not have to eat for an extended period of time. Lastly, like all snakes, the anaconda has an excellent sense of smell; snakes smell by sticking out their tongue. This can assist the snake in finding prey, or avoiding a potential predator.
Jaguar
Jaguars have several adaptations that allow them to be one of the most successful creatures in the tropical rainforests. Firstly, jaguars have jaws and a large head equipped for piercing the skull of their prey with their canines. Unlike every other large cat, who attack at the neck, jaguars often kill their prey with a single bite to the back of the head. As the jaguar is extremely fast, together their attack method, their sharp teeth and claws, and their speed the jaguar is an unstoppable force on the forest floor. Another adaptation jaguars have is that they are primarily nocturnal, with high activity levels at dusk and dawn when the majority of the tropical rainforest species would be asleep. Another adaptation jaguars posses is the fact they are exceptional swimmers. Because tropical rainforests are usually full of flooded swamp areas, this adaptation comes in handy when they are trying to catch food or simply cool off. Jaguars also have a unique spotted pattern called rosettes which consists of a spot within a spot. This creates a phenomenal source of camouflage for the jaguar. Lastly, the jaguar has a long tail which keeps them balances when they are running, making sharp turns, and climbing, three uncommon things for a jaguar to do in the forest. Jaguars also have rough padded paws to help add traction when running and climbing.
Keel Billed TOucan
The keel billed toucan has many adaptations that make it successful in surviving in its biome. For one, the keel billed toucan has a long, light beak that takes up 1/3 of its body. The bill is made out of keratin which is what allows it to grow so long, but at the same time be so lightweight It is designed to reach, pick, break apart, and eat almost every tropical fruit in a rainforest, which is good, as the toucan's only source of food in that level of the forest is fruit. Another adaptation the toucan posses is its four toes on each foot; two which face forwards and two which face backwards. This is designed to give it better grip on branches, perching spots, as well as climb tree, which are what the toucan spends the majority of its time doing. Another adaptation the keel billed toucan has is it brightly coloured feathers which surprisingly help it blend into its surroundings and avoid predators. Lastly, the toucan has phenomenal eyesight. This allows it to spot predators far before they spot them, which gives the keel billed toucan time to fly into the air and stay a safe distance away from them.
Poison Dart Frog
Poison dart frogs have many adaptation that allow them to live in their biome successfully. For one, their colouration is a warming sign to all animals to stay away, as they are very poisonous. In a thriving ecosystem with millions of species of animals that would happily eat a frog, the colouration of this create saves its life. The colour isn't all talk. Another adaptation they have is their fatal poison on and in their skin, which can kill small animals like birds and mice. This is a defensive adaptation that keeps the frog alive. Another adaptation is that poison dart frogs have small adhesive pads on their toes consisting of a groove that runs right around the pad. This helps the frog to climb vertically up objects such as trees to escape from a predator. The poison dart frog has adapted to living in a rainforest. These frogs require moist skin, as adult frogs breath through their skin and lungs and would be unable to do so without moisture.
Orangutan
Orangutans possess many adaptations that help them live successfully in their habitat. Orangutans spend almost all of their day in the tree canopy, so they have adapted to live in the trees. The arm length of an Orangutan is just over two meters, which allows them to hang on to branches and support themselves. Orangutans also possess a more fully opposable big toe and a highly mobile hip, which helps them to move around in the canopy easily. Another adaptation shown by Orangutans is the replacement of sharp claws by flattened nails. Biologists believe that this adaptation led to the development of highly sensitive pads on the fingers and toes. This allows for Orangutans to use separate power and precision grips, and possess separate control of all their fingers.
Plant species found in the tropics
Bengal bamboo
Bengel bamboo has many adaptations that make it suited to live in the tropical rainforest biome. Firstly, bamboo is extremely adapted to its climate. Bamboo does very well in a moist environment with a lot of precipitation. It requires a lot of water so the excessive rain of the rainforest is perfect. The bengel bamboo plant prefers temperatures between 20- 30 degrees Celsius, and can thrive in areas with very little sunlight when they are young. These are all adaptations a plant would have to make to survive successfully in the tropics. The bengal bamboo grows extremely quickly, which is beneficial due to the fact as the plant grows older it requires more and more sunlight. Growing tall quickly allows it to reach more sunlight at a rapid pace.
coconut tree
The coconut tree has several adaptations that allow it to live successfully in its biome. Firstly, the coconut tree survives happily in shady locations, but will grow quickly once a surrounding tree falls down and exposes sunlight. Another adaptation the coconut tree possesses is its ability to tolerate extreme humidity and summer heat. The coconut tree also has a flexible trunk as well as large fronds with slender leaves which make it extremely wind-resistant. The trunk is sturdy but flexible, supported by many long roots that will keep a coconut palm alive after tipping over or leaning.
The actual coconut of the tree has adaptations as well. First, the coconut is buoyant, which helps it become dispersed great distances to populate and sprout in seemingly less than ideal conditions. Also, the fruit is protected well by its hard covering, which prevents water inside of the fibrous cavity. Lastly, coconut seeds are able to immediately germinate; they require no dormancy in order to create new coconut trees.
The actual coconut of the tree has adaptations as well. First, the coconut is buoyant, which helps it become dispersed great distances to populate and sprout in seemingly less than ideal conditions. Also, the fruit is protected well by its hard covering, which prevents water inside of the fibrous cavity. Lastly, coconut seeds are able to immediately germinate; they require no dormancy in order to create new coconut trees.
Strangler figs
Strangler figs have several adaptations that make them fit for life in the tropical rainforest. Firstly, strangler figs start their lives off as epiphytes; plants that do not grow in the soil in their first stages of life. This is beneficial to the plant as on the ground level of the rainforest there is very little light and a huge amount of competition for water and nutrients meaning that the majority of plants that start off on the ground have to adapt or die. The strangler fig has adapted by using other trees to get itself up to the canopy where there is light. Another adaptation the stangler fig has is in its name. Once the strangler fig sprouts roots, it begins to use them to strangle the tree is was previously growing off of. It also competes with the host tree for nutrients and water. The strangler fig uses a lot of these adaptations to become able to grow into a strong healthy plant.
Mangrove forests
The mangrove tree has many adaptations that allow it to survive in the tropical rainforest biome. Firstly, many mangrove species have leaves with glands that excrete salt. Some mangrove trees can also tolerate the storage of large amounts of salt in their leaves, which is discarded when the salt load is too high. Mangroves can also restrict the opening of their stomata, which allows the mangrove tree to conserve its fresh water, an ability vital to its survival in a salt water environment. Another adaptation mangroves have is their ability to turn their leaves to reduce the surface area of the leaf exposed to the hot sun. This enables them to reduce water loss through evaporation. Another adaptation the mangrove tree has its its far reaching, exposed roots. This is an important feature for living in the topics, as these roots provide structural support in soft rainforest soil. These roots also stop the intake of a lot of the salt from the water before it reaches the plant. One adaptation of the seeds of the mangrove is the fact they are buoyant, which acts as a metod of dispersal to avoid the crowding of young plants.
Kapok trees
The kapok tree has many adaptations that make it suitable for life in the tropical rainforest biome. Firstly, broken or cut off limb stubs heal over, a good adaptation against infection and decay of the whole tree. Another adaptation the kapok tree has is its buttressed root system, which helps provide moisture and support for the mature tree. The buttresses, which can extend out over 30 feet from the main trunk, allow the tree to resist all but the most forceful hurricanes. They also serve to store moisture, providing a reserve water supply for the kapok during periods of extended drought. Lastly, when the kapok is young, the trunk develops pointy, conical spines about an inch to an inch and a half long, which earn the young kapok the name "monkey no climb". The spines serve to protect the young trees against animals.