The chupacabra or chupacabras is a legendary creature, or cryptid, in the folklore of parts of the Americas. The name comes from the animal's reported vampirism—the chupacabra is said to attack and drink the blood of livestock, including goats.
Mantis shrimp are carnivorous marine crustaceans of the order Stomatopoda. Stomatopods branched off from other members of the class Malacostraca around 340 million years ago. Mantis shrimp typically grow to around 10 cm (3.9 in) in length, while a few can reach up to 38 cm (15 in). A mantis shrimp's carapace covers only the rear part of the head and the first four segments of the thorax. Varieties range in colour from shades of brown to vivid colours, with more than 520 species of mantis shrimp known. They are among the most important predators in many shallow, tropical and subtropical marine habitats. However, despite being common, they are poorly understood, as many species spend most of their lives sheltering in burrows and holes.
Martin William Kratt is an American zoologist, educational nature show host and YouTuber. A grandson of musical-instrument manufacturer William Jacob Kratt, Sr., he and his younger brother Chris grew up in Warren Township, New Jersey, and together created the children's television series Kratts' Creatures and Zoboomafoo, as well as Be the Creature, which runs on the National Geographic Channel and Knowledge Network. They are the main characters on the animated TV series Wild Kratts, which airs on PBS Kids. The other show he created is called Wild Alaska Live. Martin holds a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Duke University. They also appear as themselves in the Odd Squad episode "Night Shift".
Empusidae is a family of plant-mimicking mantises, consisting of 10 genera, in two subfamilies. Unlike many other mantis families, the Empusidae are a monophyletic lineage. Empusidae mantises are ambush predators, with mouthparts adapted to feeding on other insects and small animals. The majority of Empusidae species are distributed throughout Africa, but they are also found in Southeast Asia and in the southern parts of Europe.
Christopher Frederick James Kratt is an American biologist, educational nature show host and YouTuber. A grandson of musical-instrument manufacturer William Jacob "Bill" Kratt, he and his older brother Martin grew up in Warren Township, New Jersey, and together created children's television series Kratts' Creatures, Zoboomafoo, and Be the Creature, as well as Wild Kratts. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Carleton College. Chris co-hosts all of his educational childhood programs with his older brother Martin Kratt.
PBS Kids Go! is a defunct educational television brand used by PBS for programs aimed at early elementary-age children, in contrast to the younger, preschool target demographic of PBS Kids. Most PBS member stations aired the PBS Kids Go! block on weekdays during after-school hours, generally 3-6 pm depending on local station scheduling. In addition to the block, there was a PBS Kids Go! section on the PBS Kids website which featured games, videos, and other activities that were geared toward older kids. The brand was used on air and online for nearly nine years from 2004 to 2013.
Zoboomafoo is a live-action/animated children's television series that originally aired on PBS from January 25, 1999, to November 21, 2001. It was formerly shown in public television and was regularly shown on Sprout until 2012. A total of 65 episodes were aired. A creation of the Kratt Brothers, it features a four-(later five)-year-old talking lemur named Zoboomafoo, performed by Canadian puppeteer Gord Robertson, and mainly portrayed by a lemur named Jovian, along with a collection of returned animal guests.
Be the Creature is a TV series created by the Kratt Brothers, in which they immerse themselves in the lives of different animals around the world, living alongside them to experience their natural behaviors and habitats firsthand. The show combines adventure and education, offering insights into the lives of wildlife through the brothers' close encounters.
Martin William Kratt and Christopher Frederick James Kratt are American zoologists, educational nature show hosts and YouTubers. Sons of musical instrument manufacturer William King "Bill" Kratt, the brothers grew up in Warren Township, New Jersey and together created children's television series Kratts' Creatures, Zoboomafoo, Be the Creature, and Wild Kratts.
Kratts' Creatures is a half-hour children's television series that originally ran on PBS during the summer of 1996. The first in a series of programs produced by the Kratt Brothers, Chris and Martin Kratt, Kratts' Creatures was made to be the first wildlife show aimed specifically towards young children. It featured the Kratt Brothers as they traveled worldwide, exploring different animals and their habitats. They received assistance from their friends Allison Baldwin and Ttark, an animated anthropomorphic dinosaur. The show ran for one season on PTV from June 3, 1996, to August 9, 1996, with 50 episodes, with reruns continuing to air until June 9, 2000. Due to its popularity, the show inspired an unofficial spin-off, Zoboomafoo, created by the Kratts, which premiered on January 25, 1999.
Hymenopus coronatus is a mantis from the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. It is known by various common names, including walking flower mantis, orchid-blossom mantid and (pink) orchid mantis. It is one of several species known as flower mantis, a reference to their unique physical form and behaviour, which often involves moving with a “swaying” motion, as if being “blown” in the breeze. Several species have evolved to mimic orchid flowers as a hunting and camouflaging strategy, “hiding” themselves in plain view and preying upon pollinating insects that visit the blooms. They are known to grab their prey with blinding speed.
The Predator, also known as Yautja, is the titular extraterrestrial species featured in the Predator and Alien vs. Predator science fiction franchises, characterized by its trophy hunting of other "challenging" species for sport. First introduced in the film of the same name, the creatures returned in the sequels Predator 2 (1990), Predators (2010) and The Predator (2018), and the prequel Prey (2022), as well as the crossover films Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007). In 2023, the species was licensed to Adult Swim to appear officially in the seventh season of the animated series Rick and Morty, introducing the Skin Thieves clan.
"Teacher's Pet" is the fourth episode of the first season of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The episode originally aired on The WB on March 24, 1997, attracting 2.0 million viewers. The episode was written by co-executive producer David Greenwalt and directed by Bruce Seth Green. Xander and the other high school boys fall for a substitute teacher who has the aspects of a killer preying mantis.
Flower mantises are praying mantises that use a special form of camouflage referred to as aggressive mimicry, which they not only use to attract prey, but avoid predators as well. These insects have specific colorations and behaviors that mimic flowers in their surrounding habitats.
Ambush predators or sit-and-wait predators are carnivorous animals that capture their prey via stealth, luring or by strategies utilizing an element of surprise. Unlike pursuit predators, who chase to capture prey using sheer speed or endurance, ambush predators avoid fatigue by staying in concealment, waiting patiently for the prey to get near, before launching a sudden overwhelming attack that quickly incapacitates and captures the prey.
Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They have triangular heads with bulging eyes supported on flexible necks. Their elongated bodies may or may not have wings, but all Mantodea have forelegs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey; their upright posture, while remaining stationary with forearms folded, has led to the common name praying mantis.
Wild Kratts is an live action/animated comedy educational children's television series that uses a hybrid of live action and Flash animation. The series was created by the Kratt brothers, Chris and Martin. The Kratt Brothers Company and 9 Story Media Group produce the show, which is presented by PBS Kids in the United States and by TVOKids in Canada. The show's aim is to educate children about species, biology, zoology, and ecology, and teach kids small ways to make big impacts. It has ties to the Kratts' previous shows, Kratts' Creatures and Zoboomafoo, and contains numerous characters from the latter. Spanning over twelve years, Wild Kratts is the longest running program made by the Kratt Brothers. It was also the last show to premiere on the PBS Kids Go! block before the block was discontinued in 2013 in favor of making PBS Kids aimed at all children young and old alike.
Splash and Bubbles is an American animated children's television series created by John Tartaglia. The series debuted on PBS Kids on November 23, 2016, after Wild Kratts: Creatures of the Deep Sea. It is produced using motion capture that blends with animatronic interfaces which enables the crew to make animation.
