NEXT UP: 10th seed common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) vs. 2nd seed green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) #2018MMM
The clever octopus reached Round 2 by suffocating and enveloping cookie cutter shark. #sneakattack#2018MMM
(Speaking of clever, check out this @MerriamWebster video if you want to impress all your friends by knowing the *multiple* correct plurals of 'octopus'!) #2018MMM#etymology
Categorized as 'Least Concern' by @IUCNRedList, the S. American coati ranges broadly in forested habitats throughout....you guessed it: S. America. On the slopes of the Andes it can live at altitudes of up to 2500m (~8000ft), but is more commonly found in lowlands. #2018MMM
The coati's great adaptations include the long, flexible nose & strong claws it uses to forage on the forest floor, & the ringed tail it uses for balance when arboreal. The tail = about half its overall length of ~100cm (39.5in, or roughly 3 stoats). #stoatsasmeasurement#2018MMM
The coati's competitor tonight, the aye-aye, is......unusual looking. Due to its squirrel-like tail and continuously growing incisors, it was initially classified by naturalists as a rodent. #2018MMM