From wolverine frogs and boxing crabs ... to exploding ants and machine-gun beetles … here are (16) of the weirdest animal defense mechanisms Subscribe to Epic Wildlife http://goo.gl/6rzs5u Let's Connect -- http://www.epicadamwildlife.com/ -- http://www.facebook.com/epicadamwildlife -- http://www.twitter.com/epicwildlife -- http://gplus.to/epicwildlife #8 Iberian Ribbed Newt This is the largest species of European newt, and is known for its defensive strategy that involves a good degree of self-mutilation. It’s known for having sharp ribs which can puncture through its skin. The amphibian will then simultaneously start secreting poison from glands on its body. Coated with that poison, the ribs can potentially inject the toxins into the mouth of its attacker. The newt’s skin heals quickly and without infection, thanks to a superior immune system. #7 The Nose Knows Hooded Seals are marine mammals that can attain some impressive sizes, weighing some 900 pounds (410 kg). Translated from Greek, their generic name means ‘bladder-bearer’. That’s a reference to the peculiar structure found only on the males. They have a nasal cavity called a hood located near the top of their noggin. It’s a sac that the seal will inflate and deflate whenever they feel threatened while swimming. Experts say the animals use the pinkish balloon as a way to warn off hostile species that are competing for food resources. About the size of the seal’s head, the bizarre-looking membrane is also used to establish dominance, as well as for attracting females. #6 Bombardier Beetle The insect is well named for its unusual method of self defense. Its stomach serves as a type of reaction chamber, where two chemical compounds are mixed to create a boiling hot spray that can be directed at predators. Experts say the noxious fluid is emitted from the tips of the critter’s abdomen with a distinct ‘popping’ sound. The stinking, scalding spray can accurately aim the spray in a wide range of directions, according to the species. Did you know that these little beasts are also known as ‘machine gun beetles’? That’s due to their rapid-fire capability, the popping sound … and because when the fluid is ejected, it’s hot enough to generate a kind of ‘gun smoke’. #5 Hairy Frog A little bit of false advertising, since this amphibian from Central Africa isn’t really hairy. It gets that name from the thin, hairlike strands of skin that males develop on their body during the breeding season. When threatened, it will create retractable claws by breaking the bones in its toes and shoving them through the skin. It’s still unclear just how those claws retract, but experts say they might later pull back into the toe pads. This animal is sometimes identified as the Wolverine Frog since its defense mechanism resembles that of the Marvel Comics character. #4 Exploding Ants Several species of carpenter ants located in Southeast Asia are known to engage in the act of suicidal altruism. The official term for that behavior is ‘autothysis’ (aw-TOE-thih-sis). That’s where animals will take one for the team, as it were. If it seems like the tide of battle is turning for the worse, these ants contract their abdomens, which causes their poison-filled mandibles to rupture. Attackers in the vicinity are sprayed with a corrosive, chemical irritant that can immobilize them. The self-sacrifice is a lethal measure to protect the greater good. But experts say that it can only be used once. #3 Big Bee Death Ball One of the strangest defense mechanisms on the list might involve some insects we think of as rather ordinary, so we’re giving it the number one position. Japanese honey bees will take on giant hornets (which are almost sting-proof), by adopting a ‘strength in numbers’ strategy. Around 500 of the bees will pile onto a hornet that invades the hive. Then, vibrating their flight muscles, they generate intense heat approaching some 47 degrees Celsius (117 F). The temperature is lethal to the hornets, and to some of the bees as well. After nearly an hour, the hornets will have been taken out. While some bee lives are sacrificed, the hive survives thanks to the blazing hot bee ball of death. #2 Hagfish These ancient creatures have physiology that’s not found in any other living creature: They have no jaws and no vertebral column. Over the past 300 million years, the animals have remained mostly unchanged. But that’s given them time to develop some unusual ways to defend themselves. If captured by a predator, the hagfish can secrete a gooey slime-like mucus that will expand into 20 liters (5 gallons) of gelatinous material when combined with the water. The slime clogs up the gills of predator fish, making it difficult for them to breathe. They can also tie themselves into an overhand knot to avoid capture. Thanks to those defense mechanisms, the Hagfish is rarely targeted by predators. 1...