十大恐怖之極又母性氾濫的動物(下)

wberry Poison Dart Frog

5.草莓箭毒蛙

The Scare Factor: At first glance, these amphibians don't seem dangerous; in fact, you can even call them "cute." But if you try to sink your predator's teeth into a strawberry poison dart frog… Well, let's just say it might be the last thing you'll ever do. Also, even if you survive, you'll have to deal with paralysis, tissue death and other unpleasant side effects of toxins present in this frog's skin.

恐怖指數：一眼望去，這些兩棲動物似乎無害；事實上，你甚至覺得它們很漂亮。但是如果你膽敢去招惹它的話，那好吧，那將會是你在世界上做的最後一件事情。當然，假使你僥倖存活，你也要處理麻醉、組織死亡的問題，以及來自箭毒蛙皮膚毒素的負面影響。

The Care Factor: Granted, females of this species aren't very productive, since they can only lay up to five eggs at a time. However, they make up for it with parental habits unusual for frogs: The mother deposits each egg at a separate location, comes back to them every few days, and feeds them unfertilized food eggs. (To be fair, this is done to prevent the tadpoles from cannibalizing each other, but you still have to give Mom points for going through all that trouble.) Once the tadpoles hatch, they're left on their own to grow and terrorize predators with their brightly-colored skins of death.

愛心指數：當然，這類雌性毒箭蛙並不多產，一次僅能產五個卵子。然而，它們會彌補自身與其他平常的蛙類的不同：雌性毒箭蛙會將每一個卵子分別放置，過一段時間再來看它們，給它們餵食未受精的卵子。（公平地說，這樣做是爲了蝌蚪互相蠶食。但你仍要給雌蛙一點分數，以稱讚它們以此度過那樣的困境。）一旦蝌蚪開始孵化，雌蛙就會離開，讓幼蛙獨立成長，並用自己色澤光亮、蘊含毒素的皮膚嚇退捕食者。

er Whale

4.殺人鯨

The Scare Factor: "Killer" sounds about right for this powerful marine animal. As predators of whales, seals, and even great white sharks, killer whales managed to propel themselves to the top of the ocean food chain, and stay there. The fact that their intelligence rivals ours is worrisome too; what if they eventually figure out how to use their flippers to walk on land? (For now, let's be thankful evolution works really, really slowly.)

恐怖指數：對最兇猛的海洋動物來說，"殺手"是它最合適的稱謂。作爲白鯨、海豹、甚至是大白鯊的天敵，殺人鯨努力地擠上海洋食物鏈的頂端，並穩居不下。它們的智力可與人類相競爭，這是一個堪憂的事實。最終如果它們想出如何用腳蹼在陸地上行走，將會怎樣呢？（那麼暫時，讓我們感謝進化之緩慢吧！）

The Care Factor: Then again, Mother Nature probably wanted to downplay the orcas' fearsome reputation, seeing as she made "Momma's Boys/Girls" out of killer whale calves. In particular, studies have found that male orcas stay with their mothers well into their 30s to boost their chances of survival. The same goes for female orcas, though to a much lesser extent. Makes you wonder whether orca moms grumble about their adult children, too.

愛心指數：其次，大自然可能想淡化虎鯨這種嚇人的名聲，因此讓幼虎鯨成爲媽媽疼愛的小寶貝兒。特別是，雄虎鯨會在它們的媽媽身邊停留30年，以提高它們的生存機率。雌虎鯨也同樣會這樣，即使只有很小一部分會這樣。這讓你想知道這些虎鯨媽媽是否也會對她們的成年孩子發牢騷。

us

3.海象

The Scare Factor: Seriously, would you want to be anywhere near a walrus? Even if it can't skewer you with its distinct tusks (which, by the way, have been known to kill polar bears), you can still get squished under its 4,400 lb frame if you're unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. (Like some of their own calves, for instance.)

恐怖指數：說真的，你會願意靠近海象嗎？即使它不能用獨特的獠牙刺穿你（順便說一下，它的獠牙是殺死北極熊的利器），但如果你很不幸地在錯的時間和地點裏出現，仍會被它4400磅的體重給壓扁。（就像一些它們自己的孩子）

The Care Factor: Fortunately, walrus mothers know the extent of their Powers of Squish. They let their calves sit on their backs to protect them from predators, and from other lumbering walruses who don't know any better. Also, they nurse their children 'til the latter are two years old, while teaching them valuable life skills like hunting for food – and maybe being nice to the other walruses.

愛心指數：幸運的是，海象媽媽熟知自己能壓扁的力量範疇。它們讓它們的幼兒坐在自己的背上，保護它們免受捕食者的傷害，也保護它們不被那些一無是處的笨重海象壓到。同時，它們把它們的孩子照料到兩歲，教它們一些有價值的生存技巧，比如獵食和更友好地與其他海象相處。

ire Bat

2.吸血蝙蝠

The Scare Factor: If Dracula had a real-life incarnation other than Vlad Tepes, he'd be a vampire bat. As their name implies, vampire bats feed exclusively on blood – which includes that of humans. Even if they don't have the ability to turn victims into soulless, bloodthirsty creatures like themselves, vampire bats are infamous for spreading rabies wherever they live.

恐怖指數：如果德拉庫拉除了費德拉·特彼斯之外還有一個真實化身的話，那就是吸血蝙蝠。正如它們的名字所暗示的那樣，吸血蝙蝠專以血液爲食，其中也包括人類的血液。儘管它們不能給受害者造成致命的傷害，像吸血蝙蝠這樣的嗜血生物卻因他們在其生存的地方傳播狂犬病而臭名昭著。

The Care Factor: Because blood is surprisingly scarce as a food source, vampire bat mothers have to make up for it by regurgitating congealed blood for their hungry, helpless pups. This goes on for several months, until the pups become old enough to hunt on their own. If a pup loses his mother too early, he can expect to be well-cared for by his mother's roostmates, since vampire bats are known to adopt orphans. Who knew these unholy creatures are capable of something so noble?

愛心指數：因爲血是極其稀有的一種食物種類，雌吸血蝙蝠必須吐出凝結的血液來餵養它們的幼兒，直到幼兒成長到可以自己獵食爲止，這樣的狀況需持續幾個月。如果一個幼兒過早的喪失了它的母親，它有望由它母親的室友所照料，因爲吸血蝙蝠向來因收養孤兒而著稱。誰會知道這些罪惡的生物從事着如此高貴的事呢？

ig

1.土蚣

The Scare Factor: Earwigs get their name from their alleged habit of burrowing into people's ears. While "alleged" is in that previous sentence for a reason, there's no denying that these insects are unsettling to look at – what with their resemblance to cockroaches wielding "pincer derrieres" and all.

恐怖指數：土蚣這一名稱源於傳聞中它們鑽入人耳的習性。雖說是傳聞，但當人們看向那些與蟑螂有着相似的"鉗子臀部"的昆蟲時，無疑會感到不安。

The Care Factor: Generally, solitary insects aren't skilled in the parenting department. The earwig's an exception, though; the mother takes care of her 40 to 45 eggs by warming, protecting, and clearing them of fungi. She also feeds them her own saliva and regurgitated food, until they molt for a second time and are ready to take off on their own. In case she dies before her offspring are fully grown, she still "takes care" of them by letting them feed on her corpse. Now that's a hardcore mother!

愛心指數：通常來說，獨居的昆蟲不會在撫育兒女這一環節中死亡，而土蚣卻是個例外。土蚣媽媽通常用孵化、保護、清理卵上的真菌的方式來照料四十至五十個卵，它也用自己的唾液及嚼碎的食物來餵養幼兒，直到它們第二次蛻皮或可以自己蛻皮爲止。假使在她的後代完全長大之前土蚣媽媽死了，它仍然會通過它的屍體來餵養幼兒，這是真正的鐵桿母親！