Predaciousness 667 



ber of animals whose methods of capturing and devouring their prey 

 may vary greatly. Amoeba, Paramecium, and other protozoa may cap- 

 ture a variety of living organisms for food. Hydra and other coelenterates 

 may devour aquatic organisms. The Portuguese man-of-war (Fig. 93) 



Fig. 329. — Praying mantis, a predacious insect of the order Orthoptera. 



may prey on fish and crustaceans. Planarlans may feed on mollusks, 

 arthropods, etc.; squids capture fish; starfish capture oysters and other 

 animals (Fig. 328) ; dragonflles (Fig. 205) may destroy flies and mos- 

 quitoes; certain Insects (praying mantis [Fig. 329], ground beetles, lady- 

 bird beetles [Fig. 297] aphis lions, etc.) may destroy other insects, many 



