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]. NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition / Flickr. With a name like flamingo tongue snail, and the flamboyant coloration to match, you might think this Cyphoma gibbosum has a shell worthy of collecting. "Cryptozoology A To Z: The Encyclopedia Of Loch Monsters Sasquatch, Chupacabras and Other Authentic Mysteries of Nature." Can we bring a species back from the brink? Instead, the octopus changes its color and size. Then there's the axolotl, which uses its stubby legs to crawl along the bottoms of lakebeds, and the dingiso, a tiny kangaroo-like creature that hops around on tree branches instead of on the ground. Rafiki vs . Klipspringer, eastern and southern Africa. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied English and economics. University of New Hampshire. Its super-senses also make it a lethal hunter. (Feb. 3, 2014) http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Okapia_johnstoni/, Animal Diversity Web. Looking something like a boss from an old school Nintendo video game, the star-nosed mole lives in eastern North America and makes use of its strange flanged face to feel its away around the tunnels it digs. In that spirit, here are 10 animal species so strange and wonderful that they seem make-believe. While they appear to be blue and white through and through, the sea slug often floats on its backside to improve its camouflage. A flood is coming. You love weird marine creatures. Aug. 9, 2009. 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]. It was worshipped as the manifestation of the Aztec god, Xolotl, it typically spends its whole life in a forever young, larval tadpole form, it can regenerate its limbs and organs (heart, lungs, eyes, brain, etc.) Robobee is in the hive Female blue ants paralyze mole crickets with their stings and then lay their eggs on them, ensuring that the newborn larvae have a fresh meal. Strangely enough, this form of sea life is neither a squid, nor an octopus, despite its appearance. If it gets sick, or even stressed, it just reverts into its younger self so it can get strong and mature again, bouncing between youth and adulthood forever. tralfamadore, Hydropotes inermis more people need to know about these saber-toothed deer. 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 . 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. Their shapes, colors, and sizes vary spectacularly: Timema cristinae, a stick insect native to North America, is only half an inch (1.3 centimeters) long, while Phryganistria chinensis Zhao, found in China in 2014, is a staggering 24.6 inches (62.4 centimeters) long. 15 of the Strangest Animals in the World and Where to See Them. Because the tiny nudibranch lacks a shell, it instead protects itself with bright camouflage, meant as a warning signal. It looks like an aroused stallion got dismembered by a big clam. alboss. But was this a real animal? She lives in the Philly suburbs with her partner, her black cat, and towers upon towers of books. However, in 2014, researchers found they grow more . Sometimes it can feel like nature is taking its cues from a hyperactive 12-year-old with a big imagination, or that all the alien creatures we need already exist right here on Earth. These animals are real to the touch, and we can imagine that a brand new slew of legends and myths will be written with these giants of the animal kingdom in mind.Our Social Media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRichest.orgTwitter: https://twitter.com/TheRichest_ComInstagram: http://instagram.com/therichestFeaturing:Biggest house catTallest dogBiggest rabbitTallest horseTallest cowBiggest stingrayBiggest wildcatBiggest crabBiggest spiderLongest snakeMusic Track: Diva Girl Audionetwork.comFor more videos and articles visit:http://www.therichest.com/ Pinterest. Real-Life Animal: Tarantulas (Family: Theraphosidae), Size: 4.75 inches (12 centimeters) long; up to 11-inch (28-centimeter) leg span, IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern to Critically Endangered. All rights reserved. One of the most fascinating aspects of the box crabs life cycle is its mating habits, which literally redefine what it means to be swept off your feet. They have been experiencing significant habitat loss, with their population reduced by 25% over just the past 14 years. Animal Diversity Web. whale Nightmare Fuel: Why Giant Prehistoric Insects Ruled Earth Before the Dinosaurs. A star-nosed mole can identify, catch, and finish eating its prey in less than a quarter of a secondmaking it the world's fastest-eating mammal. In addition to the horrifying appearance the hair gives them, when threatened, they can break the bones in their fingers to push out as claws to defend themselves. With about 2.7 billion DNA base pairs, its genome is about 90 percent the size of the human genome. (Feb. 2, 2014) http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/album/ItemViewer.aspx?itemid=823415&suppress=N&imgindex=6, Okapi Conservation Project. 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. Can we bring a species back from the brink?, Video Story, A journey of the senses through Abu Dhabi, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. An Amur Leopard Cub lounges in a tree Shutterstock. But that macabre fantasy creature turns out to have a real-life cousin. It is the largest bony fish, at four meters or more! The golden creature is real! Real-Life Animal: Star-nosed mole ( Condylura cristata) Range: Canada and the United States of America Size: 7.6 inches (19.3 centimeters) long IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern Fantastic. This has resulted in many people getting a nasty sting. And theyre just the creepiest arachnids ever, which is quite an achievement. Svenna, They look like actual dinosaurs. Technically, they are physonect siphonophores, which are related to the Portugese man owar. Can you get any cuter than this? rozanna, When first I saw these strange creatures writhing on a large piece of driftwood cast upon a desolate beach, I wondered if it were an alien encounter. They can grow up to 13 feet in length and spend most of their time in deep waters near the seafloor looking for food. These crustaceans, which sort of resemble a massive woodworm, are carnivores and usually feed on dead animals that fall down from the oceans surface. VA. Another easily named animal, the blobfish lives in the deep waters around Australia and New Zealand and has adapted to its environment by evolving into a gelatinous mass of flesh with a density just above that of water. 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. Finny is an aquatic aardvark-like creature known as a Nestrian and Dave's son. Extatosoma tiaratum is endemic to Australia. Like a multi-stage rocket, this bizarre microscopic creature, Marrus orthocanna is made up of multiple repeated units, including tentacles and multiple stomachs. 10 The Mexican Walking Fish -The Adorable Mexican Walking Fish is seriously threatened with extinction because of habitat destruction and water. Unfortunately, these magnificent creatures are critically endangered due to logging and agricultural expansion that are destroying their habitat [source: National Geographic]. Real-Life Animal: Stick insects (Order: Phasmida), Range: Global, mainly in the tropics and subtropics, Size: Up to 24.6 inches (62.4 centimeters) long. When threatened, it can retract its mantle flaps, exposing its true shell. Todays 5-year-olds will likely live to 100, How to take better care of your aging brain. When threatened, the beetle can produce a noxious spray that can reach temperatures of 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) and can fly at predators at up to 22 miles an hour (10 meters per second). Its named for its red lips, which make it appear to be wearing lipstick. "10 Real Animals That Seem Make-believe" Pretty metal. laurelkastner, PEACOCK SPIDERS ARE AWESOME. Spending most of its life underground, the purple frog only comes to the surface for roughly two weeks every year, during the monsoon season, to mate. "Dingiso (Dendrolagus mbaiso)." These 15 specimens of Dendrogramma reflect two different species. Doggos, cat babies, and all creatures that just have a good spirit are welcome. 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. One of which is seeing colors that we humans cannot even imagine that are in existence! kmarley38, How about some love for the rock hyrax? In that spirit, here are 10 animal species so strange and wonderful that they seem make-believe. The diminutive creatures, whose bodies can stretch to nearly 9 inches (22 centimeters) in length plus a tail of up to 13.5 inches (34 centimeters), have a striking mane of lush, golden fur, which frames a gray-black face with startlingly anthropomorphic features. The frilled shark, Chlamydoselachus anguineus, is one of the gnarliest looking creatures in the sea. According to the Nestorians, Christ essentially exists as two persons sharing one body. This stellar nose lets the mole "see" its environment with remarkable detail and hunt for small invertebrates underground with startling efficiency. They live in burrows, often have four homes (fancy!) (Feb. 2, 2014) http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/170779/dragon, Harrison, John. (Feb. 2, 2014) http://archives.dailynews.lk/2002/04/27/fea06.html, ScienceDaily. 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. In the ancient world and right up through the Middle Ages, people told tales of monstrous giant reptiles called dragons, which sometimes sported bat wings and barbed tails, and wreaked carnage by breathing fire [source: Encyclopaedia Britannica]. Moses Harvey. Lets nerd out over them together. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? A giant prickly stick insect (Extatosoma tiaratum) at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. On land, you might be familiar with their cousin, the pill bug. His divine and human natures are completely distinct and separate. They live in African grasslands. digitaldraco, I was deciding between thorny devils which shoot blood out of their eyes; gastric brooding frogs, which swallow their eggs and regurgitate them as babies; and the peacock mantis shrimp which can shatter fish tanks by clamping its inch long claws. The blue ants sting is less pleasant: The Australian Museum says that blue ant stings are rare but can happen, and they cause burning pain and swelling. The result? Tales of mermaids, a race of half-human and half-fish hybrids that live in the ocean are a common sailor's tale. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. (Feb. 2, 2014) http://www.arkive.org/dingiso/dendrolagus-mbaiso/, Associated Press. "Giant Squid." Blosoms owner realized something was special about her when she failed to produce a calf. Sadly, their numbers are declining due to loss of habitat, hunters and a low birthrate [source: Arkive]. Fantastic beasts and where you found them. Read This Next: Animals Keep Evolving Into Crabs, Which Is Somewhat Disturbing, Researchers with the Census of Marine Zooplankton first discovered the squidworm in 2007 during a cruise in a remotely operated vehicle some 1.8 miles underwater. Javan rhinos are the most threatened among rhinos. Raw: Giant Squid Makes Rare Appearance in Bay. 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. The fish is indigenous to the Xochomilco network of lakes and canals around Mexico City, but those waters have become so polluted due to urban sprawl that a 2013 study from Mexico's National Autonomous University failed to turn up any specimens after four months of searching. 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. Social vs. medical egg freezing: Whats the difference? No tarantula living or dead has gotten as big as the fictional acromantula, however, which reportedly has a leg span of 15 feet (4.6 meters). "The naturalist's miscellany - Platypus Anatinus." Russ Hopcroft / University of Alaska Fairbanks, Cocaine Bear Isnt the Only Animal Getting High, Team Uncovers Major New Truths About the Legendary Giant Squid, This Jurassic Deep Sea Creature Looks Like a (Terrifying) Starfish with Razor Teeth. As for attracting dinner, this anglerfish uses its modified dorsal fin to lure in prey. It turns out, however, that the real-life creature that resembles them most closely, the giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne), actually isn't a snake but rather the largest bony fish in the sea. The stunned staff couldn't help but give her the apt nickname of Pikachu. Inermis more people need to know about these saber-toothed deer, at four meters or more &. Octopus, despite its appearance resulted in many people getting a nasty.... 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