5 Pages. Despite their discovery back in 1879, these creatures mostly remain a mystery. This gives the fish the unofficial title of worlds ugliest animal. To find food, the aye-aye taps on trees to locate buried insects and then gnaws a hole in the wood so it can reach in with its long, skinny fingers to grab the tasty treat. Aug. 24, 2011. "How Devils Cry!" I really want to see one. mbarretdaw, As soon as I read the title of this thread I thought of the mantis shrimp. if they get damaged, and its a model organism for studying treatment and cures for degenerative diseases like cancer, heart disease and injuries such as third degree burns. Monsieur_Mictlan, Who can help but love the ocean sunfish (Mola mola and its relatives)?! "Cryptozoology A To Z: The Encyclopedia Of Loch Monsters Sasquatch, Chupacabras and Other Authentic Mysteries of Nature." Giant isopods feed primarily on carrion that finds its way to the cold, deep ocean floor, but they don't spend much time eating; one giant isopod in captivity didn't eat for over five years. How did this mountain lion reach an uninhabited island? Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: N. A. Naseer/www.nilgirimarten.com/naseerart@gmail.com. Dogs can grow to fairly large sizes, but this particular dog literally stands above all of the rest. Scientists believe the lips play a role in attracting a mate. Isopods are ancient creatures (theyve been on Earth, in one form or another, for 300 million years or so) with no backbones that have seven pairs of legs. These guys are native to chilly, deep waters and can grow to be quite large; in 2010, a remotely operated underwater vehicle discovered a giant isopod measuring 2.5 feet. Subscribe to our channel: http://goo.gl/9CwQhg. It reaches just 3.5 to 4 inches in length and lives in Argentina. The existence of these animals have always been speculated, but thanks to the internet and the concept of going viral, people can confirm these animals are real. Oxford University Press. The size of Tasmanian devils varies considerably, depending on diet, habitat and age, but large males can grow as long as 2.5 feet (80 centimeters) and weigh as much as 26 pounds (12 kilograms). Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Most of the time, the giant squid lives in waters so deep that we never see them, adding to their intrigue. Extra Credit: Why Do Animal Pupils Have Different Shapes? Trivia It is possible Hazel is named after her hazel-colored eyes Gallery Like a multi-stage rocket, this bizarre microscopic creature, Marrus orthocanna is made up of multiple repeated units, including tentacles and multiple stomachs. You probably won't see one as a guest judge on "American Idol" any time soon, but golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia)are the rock stars of the Amazonian rain forest. Nestrians (Nestri primus), are semi-aquatic monotremes that appeared in Ooops! Noah Is Gone. The "pard" was a swift big cat and probably the one we now call the "cheetah." The "leopard" was the bigger and more aggressive one that was similar to the pard but also similar to the lion and said to be the . The kids friends, not so much. Persey, How I lived so long and didnt, until recently, know such a bird existed is beyond me. About 8.7 million, new estimate says." Dive Deeper: Some Fish Can Count, But No One Knows Why. ABC-CLIO. Yashar Books. This particular specimen, Platybrachium antarcticum, flies through the deep Antarctic waters hunting the shelled pteropods (another type of snail) on which it feeds, according to the Marine Census of Life. Nationalgeographic.com. Social vs. medical egg freezing: Whats the difference? Can we bring a species back from the brink? There were three animals with similar names reputed to live in Africa in the Middle Ages: the pard, leopard, and camel-leopard. It produces milk for its young. It goes by quite a few other names, including the scaly-foot gastropod, scaly-foot snail, and even the sea pangolin. Today, its multilayered shell structure is inspiring stronger materials, from airplane hulls to military equipment. The animals each have to meet with the acceptance committee to see if they warrant a place on the ark - it seems only certain animals will be saved and unfortunately for the main characters of this film "Nestrian's" (fluffy neon animals with big snouts that walk on two legs and excrete a cloud of smoke when they are scared) haven't been selected It stores its finds within cheek pouches until it reaches the surface and then uses the gravel to mash up the food for eating a platypus has no teeth. It can grow up to six feet in length and weigh more than 220 pounds. Pard. The Nestrian (Nestri primus) is a mammal from Two by Two film. Some frogfish even use their camouflage not to hide, but rather, to mimic poison sea slugs. Although theyre called sea angels, these creatures are actually predatory sea snails. If you can imagine a creature that's a cross between a donkey and a zebra that walks like a giraffe, then you've got a pretty good mental picture of the okapi (Okapia johnstoni). Nope. How do I run one instance of an application? Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. Zazu vs. a real hornbill. Earlier this year, scientists created a draft genome sequence for the giant squid, in a bid to better understand it. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. "Giant Squid(Architeuthis dux)." July 2, 2010. These 15 specimens of Dendrogramma reflect two different species. No matter their appearance, one thing all species of frogfish have in common is their strange mode of locomotion. As for attracting dinner, this anglerfish uses its modified dorsal fin to lure in prey. (Feb. 2, 2014) http://www.arkive.org/dingiso/dendrolagus-mbaiso/, Associated Press. (Feb. 2, 2014) http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/530331/Scylla-and-Charybdis, Encyclopedia Britannica. This predatory bird, which is also known as the forest eagle owl, is found in a swath of south Asia stretching from India to Burma. (Feb. 3, 2014) http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/biodiversity/biodiversity/, Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security, 10 Incredible Dragons We'd Like to Meet (or Run From), 10 Crazy Facts You Didn't Know About Animal. The close-set eyes and broad, wedge-shaped head give rise to its more descriptive namefrog-faced softshell turtle. The nose and head quickly change that perception with a hooked snout, making it look more like a camel mixed with an elephant. Umich.edu. "Giant Squid." In fact, bombardier beetles have a skill that even blast-ended skrewts dont seem to have: rapid-fire. These are used for breathing and catching prey, but they can be withdrawn if the Christmas tree worm feels threatened. But perhaps their wildest adaptation of all is the ability to quite literally swallow, digest, and reuse stinging cells from prey. Animals Keep Evolving Into Crabs, Which Is Somewhat Disturbing, Some Fish Can Count, But No One Knows Why, Why Giant Prehistoric Insects Ruled Earth Before the Dinosaurs, 7 Incredible Octopus Facts That'll Make You Love Cephalopods, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. (Feb. 2, 2014.) In that spirit, here are 10 animal species so strange and wonderful that they seem make-believe. We asked you to create your own ideal island, and you did not disappoint. It was only discovered a little over a decade ago, back in 2007, but the curious sea cucumber has a survival tactic that points to its longtime evolution: bioluminescence to ward off predators. 2023 Atlas Obscura. All of the flamingo tongue snails color comes from the soft parts of its body, which envelop its shell. The saiga antelope looks like just another antelope if you start at the body. "History of Okapi." (Though it looks like its nothing but head and tail, the tail is fused dorsal and anal fins.) The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), also known as the "water monster" and the "Mexican walking fish," is a peculiar but versatile foot-long (30-centimeter-long) aquatic creature that can use its four stubby legs to drag itself along lake bottoms, or else swim along the surface. With a tail like a squirrel, eyes like an owl, and a face reminiscent of a raccoon, the aye-aye has quite the motley appearance. Feb. 2, 2014. http://ocean.si.edu/giant-squid, Quenqua, Douglas. And it has a special defense mechanism to keep predators from considering it as a meal. The blowfish is also one of the most poisonous animals on Earth. A deer with long vampire fangs? The male tufted deer, found in China and Myanmar, sports a pair of terrifying fangs that seem ready for a vampire movie. This bizarre-looking fish is also known as the Galapagos batfish and can be found at the bottom of the ocean. Instead, it uses its fins to walk on the seafloor. Thankfully, a nice human named Noah built an ark for them to take shelter in. The largest known individual was a whopping 19.7 inches long. In that spirit, here are 10 animal species so strange and wonderful that they seem make-believe. You love weird marine creatures. Share. But in 1873, scientists got their first inkling of a real-life creature that resembled this one, when a Newfoundland fisherman caught a large tentacle-laden sea animal inadvertently and sold it to an amateur naturalist, the Rev. What kind of animal is Finny in two by two? Elizabeth Banks' movie wastes little time . How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds, Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? Cocaine Bear takes the real-life animal - affectionately named Pablo Eskobear - and uses the ridiculous premise to turn it into a killing machine. Relatively little is known about the fish, which probably only come to the surface when they are injured or dying [source: NOAA]. Patrick J. Kiger Old cells hang around as we age, doing damage to the body. Although shark in name, these animals swim in a distinctly serpentine fashion, much like an eel. They live in burrows, often have four homes. The platypus is a forager that scoops up insects, larvae, shellfish, worms and gravel with its bill from the mud on the bottom of streams. The similarities between fact and fiction are striking. Not only that, but they also have pointy little horns. The antelope's rather large nose evolved to help it deal with filtering out dusty air in the summer and to warm cold air in the winter. Theres no other snail in the world armored like the Crysomallon squamiferum, which lives over hydrothermal vents deep in the Indian Ocean. Guards are knocked unconscious and their clothes stolen. However, its believed that giant isopods grow so large in order to withstand the pressure at the bottom of the sea. While axolotls survive in aquariums, water tanks and research labs, scientists are still hopeful that axolotls haven't completely vanished in the wild [source: Associated Press]. (Feb. 2, 2014) http://archives.dailynews.lk/2002/04/27/fea06.html, ScienceDaily. As the name would suggest, this animal is found mostly in the waters surrounding Japan, where they are considered a delicacy. Ancient lore is full of multi-limbed sea monsters such as the Scylla of Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey," which had 12 feet, six heads and a bark like a dog [source: Encyclopaedia Britannica]. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. Contrary to its cartoon counterpart, the actual Tasmanian devil is a slow, lumbering creature, not a frenetic whirlwind, though it is known to get loud and rowdy when eating in groups [source: ADW]. "How many species are we losing?" Even with exposure to the Internet, people will speculate that the photos have been edited or that the videos have been enhanced with CGI. The Adventure Continues Theyre not on Noahs list due to having the ability to breathe underwater. Set in the Genesis flood narrative, Dave is a Nestrian, a brightly coloured aardvark-like creature whose only skills seems to be making comfortable nests and secreting a foul-smelling cloud of blue gas whenever he gets emotional. Here are 10 weird animals you didn't know exist. In the 1950s, ornithologist George Morton Henry, author of a definitive volume on the birds of Sri Lanka, decided that the devil bird actually was the spot-bellied eagle owl (Bubo nipalensis blighi)[source: Eberhart]. Because the immense creature lives deep underwater, humans never saw a living one until 2006, when a research team in the Pacific Ocean south of Japan managed to hook a 24-foot (7.3 meter)-long specimen and pull it to the ocean surface [source: Smithsonian]. Cryptozoology has often informed us of animals that we cannot verify as being actually real, but mainstream news has at least made the following animals real and available to us all.First, we have Zeus, who was known as the tallest dog. (Feb. 2, 2014) http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/archive/permalink/the_duckbilled_platypus, National Geographic. Umich.edu. A giant prickly stick insect (Extatosoma tiaratum) at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. They mostly feed on squid, usually swallowing their prey whole. However, in 2014, researchers found they grow more . Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them describes the niffler as a mole-like creature with an affinity for stealing shiny objects. The little sea slug can absorb the stings of the tentacles and store the toxins to use for its own protection. Tales of mermaids, a race of half-human and half-fish hybrids that live in the ocean are a common sailor's tale. Scientists know more about space than the .css-3wjtm9{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#1c6a65;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-3wjtm9:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}ocean, according to Columbia Universitys Earth Institute. With a look that suggests a cross between a cockatoo and a bird of prey, the harpy eagle is one of the most distinct birds on the planet. The Giant Squid, Architeuthis dux, is absolutely the stuff of nightmares. Don't get your hopes up for reviving the dodo: Scientists haven't yet cloned a bird successfully, much less brought a bird species back from the dead. From pioneering the use of solar energy to helping to eradicating disease, here are just a few ways the 39th U.S. president has made the world a better place. From a talking tarantula to a mole with a many-fingered snout, nature is full of creatures with magical abilities. Some are so colorful and bizarre that they almost seem as if some overeager fabulist made them up. First described in 2014, the deep-sea creaturecomprising two closely related speciesfirst defied classification, preventing biologists from assigning it to an existing branch of the tree of animal life. I'm ashamed to admit I *just* realized a hornbill is a type of bird and not just a mean nickname Nala came up with. An Amur Leopard Cub lounges in a tree Shutterstock. The Japanese spider crab can reach 12 feet long if you count the leg span. Oh yeah, and this little dude lives in the pitch black waters of the mesopelagic zone. (Feb. 2, 2014) http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Ornithorhynchus_anatinus/, Animal Diversity Web. Therefore, marine scientists were excited when, in October 2013, the bodies of two oarfish including a 14-foot (4.6 meter)- long female with ovaries full of eggs were found off the coast of Southern California. nestrians Dave (voice of Dermot Magennis) and his son Finny (voice of Callum Maloney) are loveable and adaptable creatures called nestrians, who discover they're not on the list. Check out some of our favorite bonkers-but-real animals below, and if you know of an another that seems like it cant even be possible, tell us about it in the forums, and keep the conversation going! Blosoms owner realized something was special about her when she failed to produce a calf. Take, for example, the golden lion tamarin, whose lush, resplendent mane and scowling visage make it look like a miniature version of one of those late-1980s heavy metal rockers on MTV. Artists sometimes take a lot of creative liberties when creating animal characters, but others have similar behaviors as the real animals they're based on. The latter enables the scavenger to gnaw on the already dead carcasses of wombats, wallabies, sheep and rabbits, though devils also will eat insects, larvae, snakes and vegetation when the opportunity presents itself. Set in the times of the Biblical Flood, Dave is a Nestrian, a clumsy, silly-looking, brightly coloured creature whose only skills seems to be making comfortable nests and secreting a foul-smelling cloud of blue gas whenever he gets scared for his life. Its a Munnopsis isopod crustacean, and even scientists havent figured out more than that about this deep Southern Ocean denizen, yet. The creatures in Scamanders magical suitcaseand Rowlings imaginationmay be awe-inspiring, but the real world offers up creatures that are just as amazing. (Feb 2, 2014) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/science/earth/oarfish-offer-chance-to-study-an-elusive-animal-long-thought-a-monster.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0, Schokman, Derrick. Curators are realizing that returning looted artifacts isnt closing museumsits opening new doors. That creature has so many superpowers, I cant even get my head wrapped around it. Its bizarre coloration it has a brown body and legs and hindquarters covered with an array of horizontal black-and-white stripes enables it to disappear into its usual backdrop of dense vegetation and lighter-colored rotting leaves on the forest floor. He is an expert and quick builder, capable of building a small hut in a few hours. No need to look to the shadows for fantastical beasts, the real ones are unbelievable enough as is. Looks like something a child with a big imagination might draw. The craziest part about this is that Ludo is only 17 months old and hasnt stopped growing yet.Big Jake currently holds the record as the tallest horse. However, its multilayered shell structure is inspiring stronger materials, from airplane hulls military! Snail in the waters surrounding Japan, where they are considered a delicacy a mole with a hooked snout Nature! Names reputed to live in Africa in the waters surrounding Japan, where they are considered a delicacy Rico.... 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