Page 154 - It Can't Be True! Animals! - Unbelievable Facts About Amazing Animals (DK)

154

What’s the

SIZE MATTERS

oddest couple?

Males of many species are bigger

than females. In elephant seals

this size difference is massive.

However, in other animals it’s

At 8 cm (3 in) long, the the other way round.
female golden silk spider
can be six times the size
of the tiny male. Females
have evolved to be larger
so they can lay more
The enormous male,
eggs and make strong called the beachmaster, is
webs to catch insects the dominant partnerof
to nourish them. A female up to 50 small females.
elephant seal
is one-fifth
of the male’s
weight.

The tiny females lose
one-third of their body
weight while suckling
their seal pups. They
don’t eat for a month
while nursing.

Southern elephant seals are the largest
species of seal. Males measure up to 5 m
(16 ft) long and can weigh 3,000 kg (6,600 lb).
By contrast, their female partners may be only
3 m (9 ft 10 in) long and weigh just 600 kg
(1,323 lb). The Antarctic waters provide a rich
diet of fish and squid to maintain their blubber.

154-155_310219_Do_opposites_attract.indd 154 14/10/2019 12:40