Topic – Animals with No Eyes

Animals with No Eyes

Did you know there are some animals that have no eyes?

Kaua‘i Cave Wolf Spider

Most spiders have eight eyes, but the Kaua‘i (say it like this: cow-wa-ee) cave wolf spider has none! This spider lives inside dark caves in only one place—Kaua‘i Island in Hawaii. The Kaua‘i cave wolf spider is an endangered animal. That means there are very few left, and they could all die off if people do not work hard to protect them.

This spider does not make a web to catch food. How does it hunt with no eyes? It uses its sense of smell to hunt insects. When the spider finds one, it bites the insect with its fangs. Fangs are sharp teeth that squirt poison.

Texas Blind Salamander

The Texas blind salamander lives in dark underwater caves in only one place in Texas. Like fish, this animal uses gills to breathe underwater. Most fish have gills that are inside slits on the fish’s head. A Texas salamander’s gills are on the outside of its body.

This salamander eats shrimp and tiny snails. How does it know when there is a meal nearby? When shrimp and snails move in the water, they make the water around them move. The Texas blind salamander can feel the water moving and can tell where the movement is coming from. Scientists think this animal also uses smell to hunt its next meal.

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