David Fleetham / Painted frogfish (Antennarius pictus) with first dorsal spine and lure extended to attract prey. Dumaguete, Philippines.

Peter Schwarz/ BIA / Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) head closeup, Hesse, Germany

Brent Stephenson / Salvin's albatross (Thalassarche salvini) flying at sea, closeup of head. Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, September. Vulnerable species.

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) Idar-Oberstein, Hunsruck, Germany, January. Meetyourneighbours.net project

Jabruson / Low angle shot of a herd of Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) feeding in the Rutshuru River, before the slaughter of the hippos in the region during the overthrow of President Mobutu Sese Seko i...

Jabruson / Low angle shot of a herd of Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) in the Rutshuru River, before the slaughter of the hippos in the region during the overthrow of President Mobutu Sese Seko in the mi...

Juan Carlos Munoz / Iberian pig close-up of hind legs and tail, Sierra de Aracena Natural Park, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain, Europe. Breed used to produce Iberico ham / Jamon Iberico

Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Cape gannet (Morus capensis) covered in oil, during rehabilitation at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) South Africa, November 2011

Alex Mustard / A close up of the eye of a Tassled wobbegong shark (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon) illuminated with light from a snoot tube, Batanta Island, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Alex Mustard / The skin of a Tassled wobbegong shark (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon), showing the rough placoid scales, commonly called denticles. These scales have the same structure as the shark's teeth and are as roug...

Alex Mustard / Portrait of a green iguana (Iguana iguana) amongst grass. Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Alex Mustard / Portrait of Male Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) showing teeth. Adams River, British Columbia, Canada, October.

Konrad Wothe / Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) male in zoo, face portrait, West Africa

Roland Seitre / Rufous night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) portrait, Noumea, New Caledonia

Claudio Contreras / California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) feather detail, IUCN Critically Endangered, captive.

Jan Hamrsky / Phantom midge larva (Chaoborus flavicans) head detail, Europe, October, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Great diving beetle (Dytiscus marginalis) female, Europe, September, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Great diving beetle (Dytiscus marginalis) refilling its air supply under the wing cases, Europe, September, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Darner dragonfly nymph (Aeshnidae) feeding on mayfly nymph, Europe, July, controlled conditions

Jan Hamrsky / Darner dragonfly nymph (Aeshnidae) feeding on mayfly nymph, Europe, July, controlled conditions

Franco Banfi / Detail of Bearded fireworm (Hermodice carunculata) Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Detail of Spirograph worm (Sabella spallanzani) Stupiste Out dive site, Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Detail of Bearded fireworm (Hermodice carunculata) Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Octopus (Octopus vulgaris) with eggs, Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Eye detail of Tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon) Cendana Jetty, Waigeo island, Raja Ampat, Irian Jaya, West Papua, Indonesia, Pacific Ocean

Franco Banfi / Eye detail of Vermicular coralcod (Plectropomus oligacanthus) Raja Ampat, Irian Jaya, West Papua, Indonesia, Pacific Ocean

Franco Banfi / Vermicular coralcod (Plectropomus oligacanthus) Raja Ampat, Irian Jaya, West Papua, Indonesia, Pacific Ocean

Franco Banfi / Beaked coralfish (Chelmon rostratus) Raja Ampat, Irian Jaya, West Papua, Indonesia, Pacific Ocean

Theo Bosboom / Cladonia moss with Trailing azalea (Loiseleuria procumbens)and fungi, Asbyrgi, Iceland, June

Theo Bosboom / Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) close-up, De Bruuk, the Netherlands, May

Theo Bosboom / Close up of leaves (probably of purple moor grass) and bubbles captured in the ice, Deeler Woud Nature Reserve, the Netherlands, January

Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Closeup of Mexican burrowing python (Loxocemus bicolor) tasting air with tongue, head portrait, Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas. Captive, occurs in Central and South America.

Joel Sartore / Photo Ark / Closeup of Mexican burrowing python (Loxocemus bicolor) tasting air with tongue, head portrait, Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas. Captive, occurs in Central and South America.

Roman Willi / Closeup of Common black hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) juvenile feeding on frog whilst perched in branch, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. February.

Maxime Aliaga / Sunda island pitviper (Trimeresurus insularis) closeup, Komodo island, Komodo national park, Indonesia