You’re walking on a forest path, admiring the walls of trees alongside you. The fresh air, the chirping birds, the crunch of moss and fallen leaves underneath your feet, the distant gurgling of a stream. It’s paradise on earth. A moment of stillness. A time for…what in the heck is that?!

Strange is an understatement, but calling it weird is mayhaps rude. Fact is—Mother Nature has created a plethora of different living beings, and you’ve now come across not one, not two, but dozens of them! The Instagram page @strangest_wildlife has been sharing, well, the strangest bits of wildlife. 

From fluffy to spiky to utterly adorable, and to those that look like your sleep paralysis demon, this page has ‘em all, and we at Bored Panda are privileged to be sharing them with you, our dearest little Pandas. Make sure to vote on your favorites and leave your comments below! Let’s enter this forest of feverish daydreams! 

#1 The Long-Eared Jerboa Is A Nocturnal Mouse-Like Rodent With A Long Tail, Long Hind Legs For Jumping, And Exceptionally Large Ears. Very Little Is Known About The Species

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Some call them mistakes, Bob Ross calls them happy accidents, but this Instagram page just went the direct route—World’s Strangest Wildlife. It leaves no room for debate as to what you’ll be getting, but the actual critters may leave you more than thoroughly intrigued. 

From land to sea, the page is dedicated to sharing “the most rare, beautiful, and strangest creatures and plants of the world,” as said in the bio. So far, they’ve accumulated 5,690 followers eager to get their dose of Mother Nature’s experimental laboratory of secretive creations. 

Although these creations may seem intriguing, albeit a little unusual, one must not forget that nature is never black and white; there are a lot of secretive behaviors that wildlife partake in whilst we’re sitting at our desks at work, unaware of the magic. 

#2 Puss Mouth Catepillar: The Larvae Of The Puss Moth Caterpillar Is Said To Resemble A Persian Cat, Contributing The “Puss” To The Name Of This Intimidating Caterpillar

If the off-putting appearance of this insect were not enough, it also happens to be one of the most toxic caterpillars in North America

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#3 Quokka: Deemed The World’s Happiest Animal, The Quokka Is Also Known As The Short-Tailed Scrub Wallaby

It is a small macropod about the size of a domestic cat. It is the only member of the genus Setonix. Like other marsupials in the macropod family (such as kangaroos and wallabies), the quokka is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal

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Fact Animal, authored by Dan Sharp, a UK-based animal expert, enthusiast and researcher, has made a list of 101 of the greatest animal facts, so I think these will pair very nicely with all of the strange and wondrous pictures you’re already enjoying. 

Can you believe that the loudest animal in the world is a mere 2 cm long (0.78 inch) prawn? The pistol shrimp is capable of snapping its claw shut so rapidly that it creates a bubble which collapses to produce a sonic blast, louder than a Concorde’s sonic boom. The shock wave can reach 230 decibels, which is louder than the sound of a gunshot.

#4 Dumbo Octopus

The name "dumbo" originates from their resemblance to the title character of Disney's 1941 film Dumbo, having a prominent ear-like fin which extends from the mantle above each eye. There are 15 species recognized in the genus. Prey include crustaceans, bivalves, worms and copepods. The average life span of various Grimpoteuthis species is 3 to 5 years

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#5 The Sarcastic Fringehead, Neoclinus Blanchardi, Is A Small But Ferocious Fish Which Has A Large Mouth And Aggressive Territorial Behavior, For Which It Has Been Given Its Common Name

When two fringeheads have a territorial battle, they wrestle by pressing their distended mouths against each other, as if they were kissing. This allows them to determine which is the larger fish, which establishes dominance

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#6 The Red-Lipped Batfish Or Galapagos Batfish Is A Fish Of Unusual Morphology Found Around The Galapagos Islands And Off Peru At Depths Of 3 To 76 M (10 To 249 Ft)

Red-lipped batfish are closely related to rosy-lipped batfish, which are found near Cocos Island off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. This fish is mainly known for its bright red lips. Batfish are not good swimmers; they use their highly adapted pectoral fins to "walk" on the ocean floor. When the batfish reaches maturity, its dorsal fin becomes a single spine-like projection (thought to function primarily as a lure for prey). Like other anglerfish, the red-lipped batfish has a structure on its head known as illicium. This structure is employed for attracting prey

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What if I told you that the world’s deadliest animal isn’t a shark, bear, or tiger, but a mere mosquito? According to the World Health Organization, 725,000 people are killed each year by mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever. 

To prevent yourself from falling prey to these annoying buzzing critters, Mass.gov recommends using insect repellents any time you are outdoors, wearing long-sleeved clothing, repairing damaged window and door screens so those pesky buggers can’t get in, and removing any standing water sources from around your home, so they can’t breed. 

#7 Frogmouth Bird: They Are Named For Their Large Flattened Hooked Bill And Huge Frog-Like Gape, Which They Use To Capture Insects

Their flight is weak. They rest horizontally on branches during the day, camouflaged by their cryptic plumage. Up to three white eggs are laid in the fork of a branch, and are incubated by the female at night and the male in the day

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#8 Mary River Turtle: The One With The Green “Mohawk” Hair (Actually Algae) Is An Australian Species That Split From Other Living Species About 40 Million Years Ago

It has special organs in its cloaca that allow it to draw oxygen from the water. It can stay underwater for up to three days

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#9 The Okapi Is A Giraffid Artiodactyl Mammal Native To The Northeast Of The Congo In Central Africa

Although the okapi bears striped markings reminiscent of zebras, it is most closely related to the giraffe. The okapi and the giraffe are the only living members of the family Giraffidae. It has a long neck, and large and flexible ears. Its coat is a chocolate to reddish brown, much in contrast with the white horizontal stripes and rings on the legs and white ankles

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Getting back to interesting animal facts: Flamingos are not pink. They are born gray; however, their diet of brine shrimp and blue-green algae contains a natural pink dye called canthaxanthin that makes their feathers pink. Wish we as humans could just eat something and change color–oh wait, we can!

Eating too many carrots can turn your skin orange. “Carrots can, in fact, cause an orangish yellow skin pigmentation,” says Dr. Lady Dy, a dermatologist with the Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. “It’s called carotenemia and is often most noticeable on thick skin like the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet.” 

The orangish-yellow discoloration is a result of excess beta-carotene in the blood. Other foods that can cause increased pigmentation include squash, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and even dried apricots. All these foods are high in beta-carotene. So if you’ve always wanted to be a Simpsons character, there is still hope for you! 

#10 Harpy Eagle: The Harpy Eagle (Harpia Harpyja) Is A Neotropical Species Of Eagle

It is also called the American harpy eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan eagle, which is sometimes known as the New Guinea harpy eagle or Papuan harpy eagle. It is the largest and most powerful raptor found throughout its range, and among the largest extant species of eagles in the world. It usually inhabits tropical lowland rainforests in the upper (emergent) canopy layer

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#11 Black And Rufous Elephant Shrew: One Of The 17 Species Of Elephant Shrew Found Only In Africa

The Black And Rufous Elephant Shrew,(Rhynchocyon Petersi) The Black And Rufous Sengi, Or The Zanj Elephant Shrew, is native to the lowland montane and dense forests of Kenya and Tanzania. Like other members of the genus Rhynchocyon, it is a relatively large species, with adults averaging about 28 cm (11 in) in length and 450-700 g (1.0-1.5 lb) in weight

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#12 Lowland Streaked Tenrec: They Are Endemic To Madagascar

These unusual insectivores form a rather diverse. Tenrecinae resemble a cross between a shrew and a hedgehog: their snouts are long and pointed, while the coat exhibits spines. The Lowland streaked tenrecs are distinguished by two main features: the first is a rather long, black colored nose, which is longer than that of other small sized insectivores, including hedgehogs, mice and shrews; the other feature is black colored coat, displaying yellow stripes and bright yellow spine crests, located over the top of their head and acting as a mean of self-defense against predators

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The last interesting fact about the animal kingdom comes from McGill University. Back in 1996, it was found that koalas have a lot more in common with us humans than meets the eye. Their fingerprints very closely resemble those of humans, which is exceptionally interesting as koalas are evolutionarily distant from humans. 

It turns out that fingerprints are an excellent example of convergent evolution, or different species developing similar traits independently from each other. They seem to serve two purposes: First, they aid in grip; Second, they increase the sensitivity of touch, allowing for a finer level of perception. 

Police aren’t exactly worried about koala bank robbers, but it is possible that koala fingerprints could be found incidentally at a crime scene and be mistaken for a human’s, making it pretty difficult to find a match. Good thing koalas can’t read, otherwise this might lead to an increase in bank robberies. Tough times for us all, innit? 

#13 The Emperor Tamarin, Also Known As The Brockway Monkey, (Saguinus Imperator)

Species of tamarin allegedly named for its resemblance to the German emperor Wilhelm II. It lives in the southwest Amazon Basin, in east Peru, north Bolivia and in the west Brazilian states of Acre and Amazonas. The fur of the emperor tamarin is predominantly grey colored, with yellowish speckles on its chest. The hands and feet are black and the tail is brown. Outstanding is its long, white mustache, which extends to both sides beyond the shoulders

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#14 This “Troll-Haired” Bug Is One Of The Coolest-Looking Insects We’ve Ever Seen

The tiny unidentified creature, which is only 5 millimeters long, was found in the Suriname rainforest by ecologists who discovered 60 new species on a research expedition in 2012. This photo of the planthopper was featured on National Geographic. The bug’s wild “hairdo” is actually waxy secretions from its abdomen that are thought to be a defense mechanism to distract predators from its more vulnerable parts, according to conservation biologist Trond Larsen. “It could be that they fool a predator into attacking the wrong part of the insect, and the wax breaks off while the insect jumps to safety,” The rainforest in southern Suriname is “among the most remote and unexplored tracts of rainforest left on the earth."

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#15 Maratus Volans: Commonly Known As The Peacock Spider, Due To The Brightly Colored, Circular Flap In The Male’s Abdomen

Just like an actual peacock, the male of this diminutive species raises this flap like a colorful fan and uses it to catch the female’s attention (they have extremely acute eyesight, as do most jumping spiders); it also vibrates its hind legs and abdomen for a more dramatic effect. Another common trait with the peacock is that the male Maratus will sometimes court several females at the same time. Until recently, it was thought that the male peacock spider was capable of gliding through the air; according to some, it would extend the flap when leaping, and therefore increase its jumping distance, hence its name (volans means “flying”). Today we know that the flap is for display purposes only. But that doesn’t make it any less awesome

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Regardless of it all, the strange facts and the strange-looking creatures, there’s charm in that strangeness. Isn’t it wonderful that there are so many different species, different colors, different shapes and sizes? It definitely makes for a more interesting world for aliens to visit! 

Dear Pandas, please enjoy the rest of the list, and don’t forget to vote for your favorites! Are there any other creatures that you know of that didn’t make the list? Leave them in the comments below and I shall see you in the next one! 

#16 The Atlantic Wolffish Is Also Known As The Seawolf, Atlantic Catfish, Ocean Catfish, Devil Fish, Wolf Eel

Numbers of the Atlantic wolffish are diminishing rapidly thought to be due to overfishing, they live in cold waters and have a natural antifreeze in their blood

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#17 A Salp (Plural Salps) Or Salpa (Plural Salpae Or Salpas) Is A Barrel-Shaped, Planktonic Tunicate

It moves by contracting, thus pumping water through its gelatinous body. Salp jet propulsion is one of the most efficient in the animal kingdom. The salp strains the pumped water through its internal feeding filters, feeding on phytoplankton

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#18 The Aye-Aye Is A Lemur, A Strepsirrhine Primate Native To Madagascar That Combines Rodent-Like Teeth And A Special Thin Middle Finger To Fill The Same Ecological Niche As A Woodpecker

It is the world's largest nocturnal primate, and is characterized by its unusual method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward slanting incisors to create a small hole in which it inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out. This foraging method is called percussive foraging. The only other animal species known to find food in this way is the striped possum. From an ecological point of view the aye-aye fills the niche of a woodpecker, as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within

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#19 Barreleyes, Also Known As Spook Fish Are Small Deep-Sea Argentiniform Fish Found In Tropical-To-Temperate Waters Of The Atlantic, Pacific, And Indian Oceans

These fish are named for their barrel-shaped, tubular eyes, which are generally directed upwards to detect the silhouettes of available prey; however, according to Robison and Reisenbichler, these fish are capable of directing their eyes forward, as well. Their eyes are enclosed within a large transparent dome of soft tissue

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#20 Mantis Shrimp Or Stomatopods Are Marine Crustaceans, The Members Of The Order Stomatopoda

Most species can grow to around 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length, though a few species reach up to 38 cm (15 in). The largest ever caught has a length of 46 cm (18 in) in the Indian River near Fort Pierce, Florida of USA. They sport powerful claws that they use to attack and kill prey by spearing, stunning, or dismemberment. In captivity, some larger species are capable of breaking through aquarium glass with a single strike

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#21 Hydrocynus Goliath, Also Known As The Goliath Tigerfish, Giant Tigerfish, Or Mbenga, Is An African Predatory Freshwater Fish

This large-toothed, highly predatory fish grows to a length of 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) and a weight of 15.5 kilograms (34 lb). A number of incidents have been reported in The Congo of this fish attacking humans. This seems to be the result of disturbances and flashing objects in the water that makes the fish mistake a human for a large fish. This reputation, combined with its strength, has earned it an almost mythical status among anglers, and it has been called the "greatest freshwater gamefish in the world. According to locals living near the river, the evil spirit "mbenga" would enter the fish and make it attack people

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#22 Crocodile Icefish

It is unique in the animal world thanks to its astonishingly clear blood. The fish has no scales, and its blood contains no haemoglobin, the substance that makes blood red. The rare icefish can flourish in part because of the high oxygen content of the cold waters of the Southern Ocean. It has also developed the ability to use blood plasma to circulate oxygen through the body

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#23 The Angler Fish Is Perhaps One Of The Most Fascinating And Bizarre Sea Creatures Known To Man

Not only known for its wily predation techniques (re: possessing a spine that grows its own glowing fleshy mass, which the fish wiggles about to lure in other predatory sea creatures that it will ultimately devour), the angler fish’s mating habits are rather unique. When scientists first discovered the angler, for instance, they noticed that almost all of those observed were female…and that these specimens had what appeared to be some sort of parasitic growth attached to their lower parts. Turns out that those “parasites” were actually just greatly reduced male angler fish, whose puny size means that the male angler fish’s sole objective in life is to find and mate with a female. Once they do find a female partner, male anglers quickly bite into the female’s skin and thus fuse them together–so much so that all that is discernible of the male angler fish are two globular growths on the female’s skin: its gonads. From this point on, the male’s life literally depends on its female host, as they share a circulatory system. And, well, just about everything else. When the female is ready to mate, the male pays his dues by providing her with sperm on the spot so that she might impregnate herself

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#24 Flower Mantises Are Those Species Of Praying Mantis That Mimic Flowers

Their coloration is an example of aggressive mimicry, a form of camouflage in which a predator's colours and patterns lure prey. Most species of flower mantis are in the family Hymenopodidae. Their behaviour varies, but typically involves climbing a plant until they reach a suitable flower, and then staying still until a prey insect comes within range. Many of these mantises have deimatic displays to startle or put off potential predators

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#25 This Strange Fish (Yes, It Is A Fish!) That Looks More Like A Gigantic Rock Or Fossil Is Actually The Heaviest Known Bony Fish In The World

The Mola Mola, as the Ocean Sunfish is also known can grow up to 1.8 – 3.3m (5.9- 10.8 ft) and can weigh a staggering 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs)! Native to temperate and tropical waters around the World, this Pelagic fish can swim to depths of about 600 m (2,000 ft). This monster of a fish is seemingly docile towards humans and many divers have enjoyed the company of the Ocean Sunfish while Scuba diving. The fish however is not so loved by boaters as there have been instances of sunfish colliding with boats while surfacing causing significant damage to the boats. Ocean Sunfish can even jump out the water at the surface up to a height 10 feet (3 meters) in the air and land with a splash to shake off parasites that infest their skin

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#26 Pacu: A Common Species Of Omnivorous South American Freshwater Fish That Appear To Have Human Teeth

They are related to the piranha. Pacu and piranha do not have similar teeth, the main difference being jaw alignment; piranha have pointed, razor-sharp teeth in a pronounced underbite, whereas pacu have squarer, straighter teeth, like a human, and a less severe underbite, or a slight overbite. Additionally, full-grown pacu are much larger than piranha, reaching up to 0.9 m (3 feet) and 25 kg (55 pounds) in the wild

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#27 Umbonia Spinosa

These thorn bugs are related to cicadas, and use their beaks to pierce plant stems to feed upon their sap. Their strange appearance still poses many questions to scientists

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#28 The Panda Ant

The Mutillidae are a family of more than 3,000 species of wasps (despite the names) whose wingless females resemble large, hairy ants. Found in Chile, they are known for their extremely painful stings, hence the common name cow killer or cow ant. Black and white specimens are sometimes known as panda ants due to their hair coloration resembling that of the Chinese giant panda

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#29 The Tufted Deer Is A Small Species Of Deer Characterized By A Prominent Tuft Of Black Hair On Its Forehead And Fang-Like Canines For The Males

It is a close relative of the muntjac, living somewhat further north over a wide area of central China northeastern Myanmar and have been recently seen in Afghanistan after it last appearance 60 years ago. Although suffering from overhunting and habitat loss, this deer is not considered to be endangered. It is restricted to forested mountain habitat up to 4500 m above sea level, making study difficult

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#30 Deep-Sea Hatchetfishes Are Small Deep-Sea Mesopelagic Ray-Finned Fish

There are about 45 species of hatchetfish that vary in size from one to six inches. They are most well known for their extremely thin bodies that resemble the blade of a hatchet and ability to create their own light through a process called bioluminescence. These special light-producing organs are known as photophores, which run along the length of the body. Scientists predict that they can adjust the intensity of their lights to make them nearly invisible from predators. Hatchetfish are found in most temperate waters around the world and at depths ranging from 180 to 1,370 metres

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#31 The Venezuelan Poodle Moth

Very little is known about this moth but it is a possible new species of moth discovered in 2009 by Dr. Arthur Anker of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela. It bears similarities to the Muslin Moth, but most likely belongs to the lepidopteran genus Artace

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#32 Theridion Grallator, Also Known As The Happy Face Spider, Is A Spider In The Family Theridiidae

Its Hawaiian name is nananana makakiʻi (face-patterned spider). Certain morphs have a pattern resembling a smiley face or a grinning clown face on their yellow body. Each spider has a unique pattern, and the patterns differ from island to island. Some lack markings altogether. The variation is possibly a kind of camouflage against birds, their only natural enemies of significance, to counteract pattern recognition by predators. As the pattern may change according to what food the spider has eaten. It is very small, hides during the day, and is thus not a significant prey item for any species of predator, it is more likely that the bizarre variety of patterns serves no significant adaptive purpose at all

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#33 Cute Or Strange?

The bat-eared fox is a species of fox found on the African savanna, named for its large ears, which are used for thermoregulation. Fossil records show this canid to first appear during the middle Pleistocene, about 800,000 years ago

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#34 Native To A Remote Region Of China, This Tiny Mammal, Known As The Ili Pika, Doesn't Know It's A Member Of An Endangered Species, And Neither Do Most People

Rarer, and some would argue cuter, than the panda, there are less than 1,000 of these teddy bear-like creatures living in the Tianshan mountain range in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China, says conservationist Li Weidong. It was photographed for the first time in two decades last year (2014)

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#35 Shoebill Bird: The Shoebill Also Known As Whalehead Or Shoe-Billed Stork, Is A Very Large Stork-Like Bird

It derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill. Although it has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified in the order Ciconiiformes, its true affiliations with other living birds is ambiguous. The adult is mainly grey while the juveniles are browner. It lives in tropical east Africa in large swamps from Sudan to Zambia

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#36 Brahmin Moth Caterpillar

From the family of insects called Brahmaidae, it’s hard to imagine why such a bizarre looking thing exists, or what possible reason it has to look like this in its caterpillar stage. Some believe that the spindles on their heads help them blend in with the twigs and small branches found of foliage. Certainly, when they are moths, they are perfectly camouflaged for trees. Also, once they turn into moths, they have a wingspan that can reach up to 20cm (just over 7 inches)

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#37 A Nudibranch Is A Group Of Soft-Bodied, Marine Gastropod Mollusks Which Shed Their Shells After Their Larval Stage

They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms. Currently, about 2,300 valid species of nudibranchs are known. Nudibranchs are often casually called sea slugs, but many sea slugs belong to several taxonomic groups which are not closely related to nudibranchs

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#38 The Thorny Dragon Or Thorny Devil Is An Australian Lizard, Also Known As The Mountain Devil, The Thorny Lizard, Or The Moloch

This is the sole species of genus Moloch. The thorny devil grows up to 20 cm (8.0 in) in length, and it can live for up to 20 years. Most of these lizards are coloured in camouflaging shades of desert browns and tans. These colours change from pale colours during warm weather and to darker colours during cold weather. These animals are covered entirely with conical spines that are mostly uncalcified

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#39 Meet The Snake-Mimicking Butterfly (Dynastor Darius)

While this slick master of disguise may show off impeccable imitation skills, prior to taking on this serpentine appearance it was simply a furry, nondescript caterpillar, and it looked pretty much how you would expect any old caterpillar to look.To enter into the pupal stage, D. darius must form a chrysalis to kickstart its metamorphosis into a snake-mime. The protective case in which the butterfly larva liquefies itself does bear a strong resemblance to the carnivorous reptiles, much like the galled face of a Metapod. The pods hang from leaves in the forests of Trinidad for up to 13 days. While the insect changeling is immobile this sly animal trickery can ward off potential predators, such as birds, fooling them into thinking that the unmoving pod is the head of a potential predator

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#40 Fan Horned Beetle

This small family has not been well studied in Australia and as a result little is known of their biology and ecology. There are only 6 species of Rhipiceridae in Australia and all belong to the genus Rhipicera. Adults range in size from 10 to 25 millimetres in length and can be recognised by their large fan-like antennae. The antennae of males are unusual in that they have more than 20 segments and arise from small knob-like prominences. Most species are grey-black in colour with white spots on the elytra and pronotum, formed by patches of hair

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#41 Mexican Salamander(Axolotls) Or A Mexican Walking Fish, Is A Neotenic Salamander, Closely Related To The Tiger Salamander

Although the axolotl is colloquially known as a "walking fish", it is not a fish, but an amphibian. Axolotls are unusual among amphibians in that they reach adulthood without undergoing metamorphosis. Instead of developing lungs and taking to land, the adults remain aquatic and gilled. As of 2010, wild axolotls were near extinction due to urbanization in Mexico City and consequent water pollution. They are currently listed by CITES as an endangered species and by IUCN as critically endangered in the wild, with a decreasing population. Axolotls are used extensively in scientific research due to their ability to regenerate limbs. Axolotls were also sold as food in Mexican markets and were a staple in the Aztec diet.

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#42 The Capybara Is The Largest Rodent In The World

Close relatives are guinea pigs and rock cavies, and it is more distantly related to the agouti, chinchillas, and the coypu. Native to South America, the capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near bodies of water. It is a highly social species and can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals, but usually lives in groups of 10–20 individuals. The capybara is not a threatened species and is hunted for its meat, hide and also for a grease from its thick fatty skin which is used in the pharmaceutical trade.

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#43 Pink Sea Through Fantasia Is An Incredible Creature That Was Only Recently Discovered

It is a previously unknown species of free swimming sea cucumber. The aptly named Pink Sea Through Cucumber was found in the Celebes Sea. This is a remote area of the western Pacific Ocean. The area is bordered by the Sulu Archipelago, Mindanao Island of the Philippines, the Sangihe Islands, Sulawesi, and by Indonesia. The Pink Sea Through Fantasia was discovered dwelling at a depth of approximately 8,200 ft. (2,500 m.). The amazing creature was discovered by a team of scientists and underwater photographers. They were from the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration. The experts were working in conjunction with others on a research expedition. Virtually no data is available on this creature to date

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#44 Feather Stars Are Invertebrates (Class Crinoidea) Of The Phylum Echinodermata

The arms, which have feathery fringes and can be used for swimming, usually number five. Feather stars use their grasping “legs” (called cirri) to perch on sponges, corals, or other substrata and feed on drifting microorganisms, trapping them in the sticky arm grooves. Feather stars occur chiefly on rocky bottoms in shallow water. They are most abundant from the Indian Ocean to Japan, where Tropiometra is the commonest genus. Antedon is the best known genus in the Atlantic

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#45 Devil’s Flower Mantis: These Mantises Are Very Good At Mimicking The Flowers They Sit On

They will wait completely still until prey arrives, which they will then snatch right up. They like to eat flies, moths, butterflies and beetles. Thousands of these insects are sold as pets every year!

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#46 Long Horned Orb Weaver Spider

This is the type of creature that’s cool to see in photos but you never want to see in your home. The long-horned orb weaver spider has eight eyes and long, horn-looking spines protruding from its abdomen. This particular spider can be found in the forests and fields of Asia

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#47 The Pallas's Cat (Otocolobus Manul), Also Called Manul, Is A Small Wild Cat With A Broad But Fragmented Distribution In The Grasslands And Montane Steppes Of Central Asia

It is negatively affected by habitat degradation, prey base decline, and hunting, and has therefore been classified as Near Threatened by IUCN since 2002. The Pallas's cat is about the size of a domestic cat. The combination of its stocky posture and long, dense fur makes it appear stout and plush

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#48 Zebra Duiker Is A Type Of Small Antelope

It can be found only in the certain parts of West Africa: in the eastern parts of Liberia, on the Ivory Coast and in the Sierra Leone. Zebra duiker prefers a life in dense vegetation of rainforests. Number of zebra duiker declined for 30% compared to original population due to extensive habitat loss and hunt in the last couple of years. Local people hunt zebra duiker because of its meat. These animals are listed as vulnerable. If the current tempo of extinction continues, they will soon become endangered

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#49 Mwanza Flat Headed Agama Lizard Or The Spider-Man Agama, Because Of Its Coloration, Is A Lizard In The Family Agamidae, Found In Tanzania, Rwanda, And Kenya

It lives in semideserts and can often be seen in the heat of the day basking on rocks or kopjes. The male's head, neck, and shoulders are bright red or violet, while the body is dark blue. The female is mostly brown and is difficult to distinguish from female agamas of other species. The species has become a fashionable pet due to its coloration, which resembles the comic-book superhero Spider-Man

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#50 Can You Spot The Gecko?

Satanic Leaf tailed gecko (Uroplatus phantasticas) There are few geckos as bizarre and as fascinating as the satanic leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus phatantasicas), also referred to as “Phants” for short. These geckos' remarkable ability to mimic a leaf has captivated reptile hobbyists for decades. Originally described by George Albert Boulenger in 1888, Uroplatus phantasticas occurs in the tropical forests of the central to north east coast of Madagascar

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#51 Everyone, Meet Bocydium Globulare

Better known as the Brazilian treehopper, B. globulare excels at living a solitary life, hanging out on the leaves of glory bushes, and head-sphering its way into your nightmares. The first thing you may notice about the treehopper is the odd antenna-like round appendages on its head. They look like eyes, but they are simply ornamental and without a real function. Although it’s possible that the globe-like appendages are there to deter predators

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#52 The Flemish Giant Is A Semi-Arch Type Rabbit With Its Back Arch Starting In Back Of The Shoulders Giving A "Mandolin" Shape

The body of a Flemish Giant Rabbit is long and powerful, with relatively broad hindquarters. The fur of the Flemish Giant is known to be glossy and dense. When stroked from the hindquarters to the head, the fur will roll back to its original position. Bucks have a broad, massive head in comparison to does, and can take 1.5 years to reach full maturity. Flemish Giant Rabbits weigh 15 pounds on average, though the biggest ones can weigh up to 22 lb, and the longest one on record (in fact, holding the record for the longest rabbit in the world of any kind), measured about 32 inches long

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#53 The World's Smallest Species Of Snake, With Adults Averaging Just Less Than Four Inches In Length, Has Been Identified On The Caribbean Island Of Barbados

The species, which is as thin as a spaghetti noodle and small enough to rest comfortably on a U.S. quarter. L. carlae is thought to feed primarily on a diet of termites and ant larvae. Threadsnakes are oviparous, laying eggs to reproduce. The female of this snake species produces only one large egg at a time. The emerging offspring is about half the length of the mother

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#54 The Kakapo Is A Critically Endangered Species With Only About 125 Left

It has finely blotched yellow-green plumage, a distinct facial disc of sensory, vibrissa-like feathers, a large grey beak, short legs, large feet, and wings and a tail of relatively short length. A combination of traits make it unique among its kind; it is the world's only flightless parrot, the heaviest parrot, nocturnal, herbivorous, has a low basal metabolic rate and no male parental care, and is the only parrot to have a polygynous lek breeding system. It is also possibly one of the world's longest-living birds

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#55 Members Of The Genus Cephalotes, Often Called "Turtle" Ants, Are More Or Less Living Corks, Their Heads Shaped To Perfectly Seal Off The Entrance To The Colony

Rather than constructing one of their own, these ants typically colonize the abandoned tunnels of wood-boring beetles, their plug-faces adapted to just the right size for just the right beetle burrows. In addition to their highly specialized headgear, some Cephalotes are also adapted for gliding, their aerodynamic bodies allowing them to swoop back to their home tree should they fall from its higher branches

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#56 The Glass Frog

Yes, you can see its unborn offspring THROUGH ITS FLESH. While the general background coloration of most glass frogs is primarily lime green, the abdominal skin of some members of this family is translucent. The internal viscera, including the heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract, are visible through this translucent skin, hence the common name

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#57 The Gerenuk Is A Long-Necked Species Of Antelope Found In Dry Thorn Shrubland And Desert In The Horn Of Africa And The African Great Lakes Region

The Gerenuk, Litocranius Walleri, Also Known As The Waller's Gazelle. The word gerenuk comes from the word in the Somali language, Garanuug, meaning "giraffe-necked". Gerenuk are sometimes also called the giraffe-necked antelope

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#58 The Maned Wolf Is The Largest Canid Of South America

Its markings resemble those of foxes, but it is not a fox, nor is it a wolf, as it is not closely related to other canids. It is the only species in the genus Chrysocyon (meaning "golden dog"). This mammal is found in open and semi-open habitats, especially grasslands with scattered bushes and trees

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#59 The Thorny Dragon Or Thorny Devil Is An Australian Lizard, Also Known As The Mountain Devil, The Thorny Lizard, Or The Moloch

The thorny devil grows up to 20 cm (8.0 in) in length, and it can live for up to 20 years. Most of these lizards are coloured in camouflaging shades of desert browns and tans. These colours change from pale colours during warm weather and to darker colours during cold weather. These animals are covered entirely with conical spines that are mostly uncalcified. The thorny dragon also features a spiny "false head" on the back of its neck, and the lizard presents this to potential predators by dipping its real head. The "false head" is made of soft tissue

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#60 An English Angora Rabbit

The Angora rabbit is a variety of domestic rabbit bred for its long, soft wool. The Angora is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, originating in Ankara (historically known as Angora), present day Turkey, along with the Angora cat and Angora goat. The rabbits were popular pets with French royalty in the mid-18th century, and spread to other parts of Europe by the end of the century. They first appeared in the United States in the early 20th century. They are bred largely for their long Angora wool, which may be removed by shearing, combing, or plucking

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#61 A Tarsier Is A Small Primate, Weighing Around 150g

It has remarkably large eyes, each one the same size and weight as its brain. A tarsier's hindlimb length is the result of elongation of the foot's tarsal bones, unique among mammals. This clever adaptation gives it the longest hindlimbs of any mammal relative to body length, without loss of dexterity. There are fewer than ten species of tarsier, all similarly adept at leaping and clinging. Once attached to tree they can be incredibly difficult to remove. Once widespread, tarsiers were once found in North America, Europe and Asia. Today their range is restricted to the forested archipelagos of southeast Asia

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#62 An Independent Researcher Has Described A Spectacular Red, White, And Blue Crayfish Just In Time For The Fourth Of July

The new species, named Cherax pulcher, was first discovered in Japanese pet shops by Christian Lukhaup before he finally tracked down the animal to creeks in remote West Papua, Indonesia. "These creeks aren't named on any map so they're really not easy to find. It also didn't help that the tribal locals were really protective," Christian told the Mirror. "Once I'd found some crayfish inside a cave, I turned around and saw them standing there with bows and arrows pointing at me. I had to put them down. It seems, the tribes relate the crayfish with pregnancy, and they thought if I took them no women would have children again." Eventually, though, he was able to gather some specimens and describe the species in a recent paper published in ZooKeys in May. Lukhaup found that the males of the species were more brightly colored than the females and gave the species the name Pulcher, which means beautiful in Latin

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#63 Glaucus Atlanticus (Common Names Include The Sea Swallow, Blue Angel, Blue Glaucus, Blue Dragon, Blue Sea Slug And Blue Ocean Slug) Is A Species Of Small, Blue Sea Slug, A Pelagic Aeolid Nudibranch, A Shell-Less Gastropod Mollusk In The Family Glaucidae

These sea slugs are pelagic: they float upside down on the surface tension of the water, where they are carried along by the winds and ocean currents. Glaucus atlanticus is camouflaged: the blue side of their body faces upwards, blending in with the blue of the water. The silver/grey side of the sea slugs faces downwards, blending in with the silvery surface of the sea

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#64 The Malayan Tapir, Also Called The Asian Tapir, Is The Largest Of The Five Species Of Tapir And The Only One Native To Asia

The animal is easily identified by its markings, most notably the light-colored patch that extends from its shoulders to its rear end. The rest of its hair is black, except for the tips of its ears, which, as with other tapirs, are rimmed with white. This pattern is for camouflage; the disrupted coloration makes it more difficult to recognize it as a tapir, and other animals may mistake it for a large rock rather than prey when it is lying down to sleep. When they are born, the babies are striped

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#65 The Saiga Antelope Is A Critically Endangered Antelope That Originally Inhabited A Vast Area Of The Eurasian Steppe Zone

Today, the dominant subspecies is only found in one location in Russia and three areas in Kazakhstan. It is extinct in People's Republic of China and southwestern Mongolia. It was hunted extensively in Romania and Moldova until it became extinct in those regions in the end of the 18th century

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#66 The Ornate Horned Frog (Ceratophrys Ornata) Is One Of Several Species Of Horned Frogs Native To The Tropical And Montane Rain Forests

A few species of Ceratophrys can be found in more arid regions. Native to Northern Argentina, Uruguay and the Rio Grande do Sul region of Brazil, these carnivorous amphibians become very large. Their current popular name of "Pac-man Frog" eloquently describes their appearance when they lunge at prey: they appear to be all mouth. These frogs have exceptionally fast growth rates: within two weeks of hatching they have metamorphosed into their adult frog form. Ornates have round, plump body shapes with little demarcation between their wide head and body. Their mouths are as wide as their heads and are equipped with strong gripping jaws and a wide, pink fleshy tongue

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#67 The Proboscis Monkey Or Long-Nosed Monkey, Known As The Bekantan In Indonesia, Is A Reddish-Brown Arboreal Old World Monkey That Is Endemic To The Southeast Asian Island Of Borneo

This species co-exists with the Bornean orangutan. The monkey also goes by the Malay name monyet belanda ("Dutch monkey"), or even orang belanda ("Dutchman"), as Indonesians remarked that the Dutch colonisers often had similarly large bellies and noses. This species of monkey is easily identifiable because of its unusually large nose

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#68 Indian Purple Frog Is A Frog Species Belonging To The Family Sooglossidae

It can be found in the Western Ghats in India. Names in English that also have been used for this species are purple frog or pignose frog. With its closest relatives in the Seychelles, Nasikabatrachus is thought to have evolved separately for millions of years. Its discovery also adds to the evidence that Madagascar and the Seychelles separated from the Indian landmass sometime well after the breakup of Gondwana had started

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#69 Yeti Crab

Kiwa hirsuta is a crustacean discovered in 2005 in the South Pacific Ocean. This decapod, which is approximately 15 cm (5.9 in) long, is notable for the quantity of silky blond setae (resembling fur) covering its pereiopods (thoracic legs, including claws). Its discoverers dubbed it the "yeti lobster" or "yeti crab"

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#70 The Three-Horned Chameleon, Also Known As Johnston’s Chameleon, Is An East-African Species, Endemic To Uganda, Rwanda And The Drc

Males and females can easily be differentiated by the presence or absence of this chameleon’s three characteristic horns. As with most chameleons, this species is capable of changing their coloration. Camouflage is one of the known factors which regulates chameleons coloration

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#71 Bush Babies, Also Called Galagos, Are Small, Saucer-Eyed Primates That Spend Most Of Their Lives In Trees

At least 20 species of galago are known, though some experts believe many are yet to be discovered. Also known as nagapies, which means “night monkeys” in Afrikaans, all galagos are considered nocturnal

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#72 The Mata Mata Is Strictly An Aquatic Species But It Prefers Standing In Shallow Water Where Its Snout Can Reach The Surface To Breathe

The Mata Mata inhabits slow moving, blackwater streams, stagnant pools, marshes, and swamps ranging into Northern Bolivia, Eastern Peru, Ecuador, Eastern Colombia, Venezuela, The Guianas, and Northern and Central Brazil

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#73 Tardigrades (Also Known As Waterbears Or