| aurora australis |
bands of light that appear in the skies at night near the South Pole; southern lights. |
| black widow |
a small spider of North and South America. The female has a shiny, black body with a red mark on her underside and a poisonous bite. |
| bluefish |
a fish that lives in mild Atlantic waters of the North and South American coast. Bluefish are blue and are caught for sport or food. |
| boa constrictor |
a large snake that lives in the tropical areas of Central and South America. Boa constrictors are pale brown with darker marks and are not poisonous. They kill their prey by winding around it and squeezing it until it cannot breathe. |
| Bolivia |
a country in western South America. La Paz is the capital of Bolivia. |
| Brazil |
a country in eastern South America. Brasilia is the capital of Brazil. |
| Burkina Faso |
a country in West Africa that is south of Mali and north of Ghana. The country used to be called Upper Volta. The capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou. |
| cacao |
a South American tree with yellowish flowers and reddish brown seeds. [1/2 definitions] |
| caiman |
a large reptile that is related to the crocodile and alligator. Caimans live in tropical areas of North and South America. |
| capybara |
a large, furry rodent that has no tail. Capybara live near rivers, lakes, or other watery areas in forests or grassy regions of South America. Capybara are related to guinea pigs, mice, and squirrels, but they are much larger. Despite their size, they eat only plants. |
| Caribbean |
a sea that is an extension of the Atlantic Ocean bordered by the West Indies and Central and South America. [1/3 definitions] |
| Caribbean Sea |
an extension of the Atlantic Ocean bordered by the West Indies and Central and South America. |
| Central America |
the piece of land that connects North America with South America. Central America has seven countries. |
| Chile |
a country in southern South America. Santiago is the capital of Chile. |
| China Sea |
see "East China Sea," "South China Sea." |
| chinchilla |
a small mammal from the mountains of South America. Chinchillas are rodents closely related to guinea pigs. They have very soft fur and live in tunnels called burrows. Sometimes they are kept as pets. |
| coati |
a small furry mammal with a long snout and a long ringed tail. Coatis are related to raccoons and live mainly in trees. They eat fruit and small animals such as lizards. They are found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. |
| cockatoo |
a crested parrot that is mostly white. There are several kinds of cockatoos. They are found in Australia and in some South Pacific islands. |
| Colombia |
a country in northern South America. Bogota is the capital of Colombia. |
| Congo |
Republic of the Congo, formerly known as the French Congo; a country in Central Africa, south of Gabon and north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Brazzaville is the capital of the Republic of the Congo. [2 definitions] |
| continent |
one of the earth's seven major areas of land. The continents are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. |