great-and-small

When you look at this picture do you see a tantalizing worm perched on a rocky outcropping? If so, you might not make it very long as a fish! This is the head of a juvenile alligator snapping turtle, a species that uses a neat little trick called “lingual luring” to catch unsuspecting fish. The tongue of the alligator snapper has evolved to mimic the appearance of a worm, and this turtle will sit perfectly still for hours while holding its mouth open, waiting for a fish to take the bait. How cool is that?!