Strange creatures of our planet. Unusual animals you didn't know about. Little slow loris
Some are sad that dragons exist only in fairy tales, and there are no unusual animals left on earth. However, here is a list of the most unusual animals on the planet that debunk this statement.
Leafy sea dragon. This saltwater fish is a relative of the seahorse and lives in the waters of western and southern Australia. Usually the sea dragon can be found in shallow waters, where the water warms up quite well. A distinctive feature of the animal is the processes on the body and head, which resemble leaves and serve for camouflage. In the water, the dragon moves with the help of a fin, which is located on the crest of the neck, and the dorsal fin near the tip of the tail is also used. The animal's fins are completely transparent. The dragon is not so small - it can grow up to 45 cm. Interestingly, the leafy sea dragon is the official emblem of the state of South Australia.
Biruang or Malayan bear. This mammal belongs to the bear family. The biruang lives in Indochina and Indonesia. This bear has a stocky figure with a short but wide muzzle. The biruang's ears are short and round in shape. On the high limbs there are huge paws with large curved claws. The bear's feet are bare and its fangs are small. The fur of the biruang is smooth, hard and short, the color is black, turning into roan yellow. On the chest of the animal there is usually a spot resembling the rising sun. Biruang is nocturnal, but during the day it sleeps or sunbathes in trees, where it builds a nest-like home for itself. This animal is noteworthy in that it is the smallest representative of the bear family, and is also very rare. The length of the biruang does not exceed one and a half meters, the height is no more than 70 cm, and the weight is from 27 to 65 kg.
Komondor. This breed of dog is also called the Hungarian Shepherd. It lives everywhere, as it is a domestic animal. When keeping a dog, you cannot do without special care for its coat, because its length can reach almost a meter. The wool should not be combed, but as it grows, the strands simply need to be separated, otherwise the hair will become matted. This Hungarian Shepherd has an impressive size, being one of the largest dogs in the world. The height at the withers of males can exceed 80 cm, and the long white hair, rolled into laces, further increases the visual size of the animal. Feeding a Komondor is not as difficult as it might seem. Like any other herding dogs, they are completely unpretentious and require about 1 kg of food per day.
Angora rabbit. This is a mammal from the rodent breed. This rabbit is distributed everywhere as this animal is also a domestic animal. The Angora rabbit looks truly impressive; in some specimens the fur reaches 80 cm in length. It is very valuable and is used to make many useful things, including scarves, stockings, gloves, and even just fabrics. Women like to breed Angora rabbits, which is why the animal is also called “ladies' rabbit”. Its average weight is 5 kg, its body length is up to 60 cm, and its chest circumference is 38 cm. Rabbits should be brushed every week; if the fur is not taken care of, it will quickly lose its appearance, becoming simply disgusting.
Little panda. This animal of the raccoon family lives in China, Nepal, Burma and India. This panda cannot be found west of Nepal. The animal lives in mountain forests with bamboo at an altitude of 2 to 4 kilometers above sea level with a temperate climate. The fur of the red panda is red or hazel on top, and dark or reddish-brown, even black, below. The hair on the back has yellow tips. The panda's paws are glossy black and its tail is red. The head of the animal is light, while the muzzle is almost white, near the eyes there is a pattern similar to a mask. The red panda's lifestyle is predominantly nocturnal. During the day, covered with her tail, she sleeps in her hollow. If the animal senses danger, it quickly climbs the tree. Their movement on earth is awkward and slow, but in the trees they move quickly. But pandas still feed on the ground, choosing young leaves and bamboo shoots. The length of the red panda is 51-64 cm, and it is worth adding a long (28-48 cm) tail. Its weight is from 3 to 4.5 kilograms. These animals prefer a solitary lifestyle. The female allocates herself a territory of 2.5 square kilometers, and the male - twice as much.
Sloth. This non-toothed mammal lives in South and Central America. The sloth is known to everyone for its habit of living - almost all the time it hangs on a branch with its back down, while spending 15 hours every day sleeping. All behavior of animals and their physiology are designed for the most severe energy savings, since their diet includes exclusively low-calorie leaves, the digestion of which takes up to a month. A well-fed sloth can concentrate 2/3 of its weight on food in its stomach. In order to reach leaves from a large area while remaining motionless, animals have a long neck. In an active state, their body temperature is 30-34 degrees, but in a resting state it is even lower. Since animals are absolutely helpless on the ground, they do not like to get down from the trees; this process is also energy-consuming. Sloths still sometimes find themselves on the ground in order to fulfill rare natural needs (this happens several times a week thanks to their huge bladder), as well as to move to other trees. You can often see these animals gathering in the forks of huge trees in groups, this allows them to save energy, and it is also possible that the animals lazily mate. The body weight of sloths ranges from 4 to 9 kg, and their length is about 60 centimeters. Interestingly, the animals are so slow that fire butterfly settlements are often found in their fur.
Imperial tamarin. This prehensile-tailed monkey lives in the rain forests of the Amazon basin, as well as in Peru, Bolivia and northwestern Brazil. The special feature of the tamarin is immediately visible - it is a special white mustache that hangs in two strands to the shoulders and chest. There are nails only on the big toes of the hind legs, while the rest have claws. These monkeys spend the bulk of their lives in trees, where larger species of primates cannot reach. Tamarins do not live alone, but in groups of 2-8 individuals. Moreover, each member has its own rank, and at the top of the hierarchy there is always an old female. It is not surprising that with such a “matriarchy” the males carry the cubs. The body length of monkeys is only about 25 cm, while their tail can reach 35 cm. Adults weigh no more than 250 grams.
White-faced saki. This broad-nosed monkey lives in rainforests, arid forests, and savannas of the Amazon, Suriname, Venezuela and Brazil. The animal has a black coat color, and the front of the heads, throat and forehead of males are almost white. Sometimes the head may have a reddish tint. The tail of monkeys is fluffy and long, but does not have grasping functions, and the fur is soft and thick. Females have the standard uniform brown color for all. There are light stripes around their mouth and nose. Males can weigh up to 2 kg, females slightly less. The body length of monkeys is about 30 cm, and the tail is up to half a meter. White-faced sakis spend their entire lives in trees. They rarely descend into the lower tiers of the tropical forest, only in search of food. Monkeys are active both at night and during the day. If they are in danger, animals escape with the help of long jumps, with the tail acting as a balancer.
Tapir. This large equid eats grass and lives in Central America, as well as warm places in South America and southeast Asia. Tapirs are remarkable because these mammals are quite ancient - tapir-like animals lived 55 million years ago. The closest modern relatives of these animals are other equids - rhinoceroses and animals. The front legs of animals are four-toed, and the hind legs are three-toed. The toes have small hooves that help them move on wet and soft ground. The size of tapirs depends on their species, usually their length is about two meters, the height at the withers does not exceed a meter. The weight of the animals ranges from 150 to 300 kg. Tapirs living in forests are extremely fond of water. Their main food is berries, leaves and fruits. The tapir has few natural enemies, but the main danger comes from humans who hunt these harmless animals for their meat and skin.
Hagfish. This animal of the jawless class lives in the seas of temperate latitudes, while sticking to the bottom. Hagfish can be found even at a depth of 400 meters, and its length reaches 80 cm. If the water salinity is less than 29%, then the animals stop feeding, and salinity below 25% is fatal to them. Interestingly, the hagfish's mouth does not contain a suction disc, but is surrounded by only two antennae. These animals bite into the skin of the victim with horny teeth, and enzymes are injected that dissolve proteins. The prey of hagfishes are weakened invertebrate and vertebrate animals and carrion. You can often find fish skeletons covered with skin, inside of which lives a hagfish that has eaten all the insides. In Japan and some other countries, hagfish are successfully used as food.
Star-nosed. This mole-family mammal feeds on insects and is found in the United States and Canada. Externally, the starfish differs from its fellow members of the family only in its characteristic stigma in the form of a rosette or star of 22 fleshy and mobile bare rays. The size of this mole also differs little from the usual European one; the animal’s tail is relatively long, reaching 8 cm, and is covered with sparse hair and scales. When the starfish is busy searching for food, the rays of its stigma are in constant motion, with the exception of the two middle-upper ones, which always look forward and do not bend. But when a mole eats, its rays are pulled together into a small group, and while eating, the animal holds the food with its front paws. In order to drink, the star-nosed fish has to immerse both its whiskers and the entire stigma in water for 5-6 seconds.
Nosach. This monkey of the marmoset family can only be found on the island of Borneo, where it has chosen coastal areas. The most distinctive feature of the animal, of course, is its large nose, similar to a cucumber. However, this trait is inherent only in males. The upper part of the proboscis monkey is colored yellowish-brown, and the lower part is white. The hairless face is red, the arms, legs and tail are gray. The size of these monkeys is usually from 66 to 75 cm, the length of the tail is approximately equal to the length of the body. Males weigh from 16 to 22 kg, while females weigh half as much. Proboscis monkeys love and know how to swim; they jump into the water directly from trees; monkeys can swim up to 20 meters under water. They are considered the best swimmers among primates.
Small cape-bearer. Many people have heard about armadillos, but do you know about caped bats? This mammal of the edentate family has chosen the steppes and savannas of Central and South America. The uniqueness of the frilled bears is that they are the only modern mammals today whose body is covered on top with a shell formed by dermal ossifications. The shell includes shoulder, pelvic and head shields, as well as a number of hoop-like stripes that encircle the body both from above and from the sides. The parts of the shell are connected to each other by flexible connective tissue, which allows the entire shell to remain mobile. Frilled armadillos can be only 12 cm long, but the giant armadillos belonging to this family reach a length of a meter. The length of the tail of these animals varies from 2.5 cm to 50 cm. Frilled bats can hold their breath for up to 6 minutes, as they have voluminous respiratory tracts and serve as a reservoir for air. Thanks to this, animals easily cross bodies of water; often they simply walk along the bottom. The weight of the heavy shell can be compensated for by the air taken in, so the armadillo also has the ability to swim.
Axolotl. This larval form of an amphibian plant of the Ambystomaceae family lives in the mountain ponds of Mexico. A special feature of the axolotl is 6 shaggy and long branches, 3 growing on each side of the head. In fact, these are not decorations, but gills. Periodically, the larva, pressing them to the body, shakes them, thereby freeing itself from organic residues. The axolotl's swimming is facilitated by its wide and long tail. This amazing animal can breathe with both gills and lungs. If there is a sufficient amount of oxygen in the water, the axolotl uses the lungs, in which case the gills partially atrophy over time. The total length of the amphibian reaches 30 cm, their lifestyle is measured, and they try not to expend a lot of energy on their actions. This predator prefers to lie quietly in ambush at the bottom, waiting for prey and occasionally making raids to the surface for air.
Aye-aye or Madagascar little hand. This largest animal of all nocturnal primates lives in Madagascar. The aye-aye occupies the same ecological niche as woodpeckers. This species was discovered quite recently; it numbers only a few dozen individuals, and is therefore extremely rare. Especially aye-ayes are brown in color with white speckles, have a fluffy large tail, and, as already noted, like woodpeckers, feed on larvae and worms. Initially, because of the large teeth of these primates, it was assumed that they fed like rodents. Aye-ayes weigh about 2.5 kg, their body length is 30-37 cm, and their tail can reach 16 cm.
Alpaca. In Peru, Bolivia or Chile, at an altitude of 3.5-5 kilometers you can see this unusual animal of the camel family. The main thing in alpaca is wool, which has as many as 24 shades. It is much lighter in weight than sheep, and is not inferior in quality. Up to 5 kg of wool is sheared from one individual once a year. The alpaca does not have front teeth, so the animal is forced to collect food with its lips and chew it with its side teeth. Alpaca is very inquisitive, good-natured and intelligent. The animal's height reaches 86 cm, and its weight ranges from 45 to 77 kg. Once upon a time, the Indians believed that in order to bless an alpaca's wool, it was necessary to tear out its heart. Despite the barbaric roots of this custom, there are still cases of killing these gentle animals in this way.
Tarsier. These animals live in Southeast Asia, mainly on the islands, and they belong to the primates. Their feature is their long hind legs and large head, which can turn almost 360 degrees. Tarsiers have good hearing, their fingers are very long, and are bare and round. Primates have gray or brown soft fur. But most of all they stand out for their eyes, which have a diameter of up to 16 mm. If you project them onto a person’s height, it will be the size of an apple. The animals themselves are quite small, their height is from 9 to 16 cm. But the tail can significantly exceed the length of the body, reaching up to 28 cm. The weight of a tarsier ranges from 80 to 160 grams. Once upon a time, these animals played an important role in the superstitions and mythology of the peoples of Indonesia. Due to the peculiarities of the rotation of the animal’s head, people for a long time believed that it was not attached to the body at all, therefore, a collision with them was dangerous, since the same fate could await a person.
Dumbo Octopus. This peculiar octopus is a cephalopod. He lives in the depths of the Tasman Sea, and his size is small, about half the palm of a man. The octopus' nickname comes from the name of the baby elephant Dumbo, a famous cartoon character. Everyone mocked him because of the large size of his ears, but the octopus has a pair of long and oar-like fins that resemble ears. The individual tentacles of the animal are connected by a flexible and thin membrane called the umbrella. It is this, together with the fins, that serves as the octopus’s main engine. Thus, Dumbo Octopus moves in a similar manner to jellyfish, pushing water out from under the umbrella.
Frilled lizard. This animal lives in the dry steppes and forest-steppes of Australia and New Guinea. The lizard can have different colors - from yellow-brown to black-brown. She has a very long tail, which makes up 2/3 of the entire length of her body. The most noticeable feature of the animal is the fold of skin around the head, similar to a collar and adjacent to the body. This formation contains many blood vessels. The frilled lizard itself has strong limbs and sharp claws. The length of the lizard reaches 801-00 cm, while females have significantly modest sizes. Sensing danger, the animal opens its mouth and protrudes its bright collar, which can be 30 cm from the body. The lizard stands on its hind legs, begins to hiss and beat its tail on the ground. However, such a terrifying appearance does not at all characterize the character of the animal.
Narwhal. This unusual unicorn mammal lives in the waters of the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic. It is not known exactly why the narwhal needs its tusk, because it does not seem to pierce the ice crust with it. The fact is that the narwhal’s tusk is a very sensitive organ; with its help, the animal measures temperature, pressure and the relative concentration of suspended particles in the water. By crossing their tusks, narwhals most likely clear them of growths, thus helping each other. The animals stand out for their size - their length is from 3.5 to 4.5 meters, the height of only newborns is about 1.5 meters. Males can weigh up to one and a half tons, and females can weigh about 900 kg. At the same time, fat makes up about a third of the weight of animals. Narwhals have pectoral fins and their suckers are dark in color, making the animals similar to beluga whales. But in adult individuals, gray and brown spots appear on a light background of the body, which can merge. Narwhals only have two upper teeth. The left one develops in males into a tusk, which weighs up to 10 kg, is 203 meters long and twists in a left-hand spiral, while the right tooth usually does not erupt. In rare cases (0.2%), males may also develop a right tusk, or females may develop a tooth hidden in the gums.
Madagascar suckerfoot. This chiropteran mammal, as the name suggests, is found only in Madagascar. The animal is only 6 cm in length and weighs 8-10 grams, while the tail can reach 5 cm. Interestingly, the ecology and biology of the suckerfoot is poorly understood. Scientists suggest that rolled palm leaves serve as a refuge for them, to which they stick with their suction cups. They are the special characteristics of animals. Rosette suckers are located directly on the skin at the base of the big toes, as well as on the soles of the hind limbs. All caught suckers lived near water. These animals are protected by law, as their species is very vulnerable.
Dwarf marmoset. This primate is one of the smallest and belongs to the broad-nosed monkeys. The marmoset lives in South American countries - Ecuador, Peru, Brazil. An adult weighs no more than 120 grams. The primate's nostrils are directed forward, which is unusual, but the nose is quite large and wide. In captivity, the marmoset feels great; to keep it, you just need to keep a constant temperature of 25-29 degrees and high humidity of 60%.
Drop fish. The scientific name for it is Psychrolutes marcidus. The fish lives in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans, preferring greater depths (about 2800 meters). In such places, the pressure is usually several ten times higher, so the gel-like composition of the body with a density lower than that of water helps the fish maintain viability and swim with little energy consumption. The body length of the drop fish can reach 65 cm, although it does not have muscles, it is quite content with the prey that swims around it.
Platypus. This waterfowl can only be found in Australia. Instead of an ordinary mouth, this animal is equipped with a beak, thanks to which it can, however, feed like birds in the mud. The body of the platypus is usually 30-40 cm in length, while the tail is 10-15 cm in size. The weight of the animal is no more than 2 kg, with females being about 30% smaller. Few people know that the platypus is one of the few poisonous mammals. Although the poison is not fatal to humans, it can cause a severe headache, and swelling forms at the site of the bite, which will gradually grow. As a result, the pain may persist for many days or even several months.
Shoebill or royal heron. This bird of the order locusts can only be found in Africa. Although the shoebill's neck is not very thick and long, the bird's head is quite large with a small crest at the back. The heron's beak is wide, it seems to be swollen. At the very tip of the beak there is a hanging hook. Typically, the shoebill's plumage is dark gray; on the back, unlike the chest, there is powdery down. The bird's legs are black and long, its tongue is short. The glandular stomach is quite large, but there is no muscular stomach at all. The size of the bird is quite large - in a standing position its height reaches 90 cm, while the wing length is 65-69 cm. The Shoebill leads an advantageous sedentary lifestyle - it usually stands motionless, with its beak pressed to its chest. Food for the bird is various animals that live in the water - fish, frogs, turtles and small crocodiles.
Incredible facts
Looking at some representatives of the animal world, it is impossible not to be amazed at the imagination and ingenuity of Mother Nature.
Here are some examples of the most unusual and strange animals on our planet:
The most unusual animals
1. Angora rabbit
The Angora rabbit is one of the oldest breeds of rabbits, named after the capital of Turkey - the city of Ankara. These cute animals look like real fluffy clouds with ears, and were popular pets among the royal families of France in the 18th century.
2. Star-nosed
This unusual mole, native to North America, has a strange, fleshy nose. At the end of its muzzle there are 22 moving pink tentacles, which are very sensitive and are used by it as a kind of antenna. The mole also sports scaly paws and a thick, fluffy, water-repellent tail, where fat reserves are stored.
3. Aye-aye
The aye-aye is a rodent-like animal that lives in Madagascar. With squirrel-like teeth and a slender middle finger, the aye-aye forages for food from trees.
4. Pink Spadefish
Unlike most fish, this pink spadefish uses its fins to literally walk along the bottom of the sea. A strange species was discovered in Tasmania, Australia, but scientists found only four representatives.
5. Striped Tenrec
If you could cross a bumblebee and a hedgehog, they would probably end up with a striped tenrec. Found in Madagascar, this bristly animal is covered in stripes of yellow and brown spines, which they use to attack enemies.
6. Pacu fish
Pacu fish are related to piranhas and are distinguished by human teeth. Pacu feed mainly on plants and nuts, but there have been cases where they have bitten off the testicles of men.
7. Gerenuk
The gerenuk, also known as the giraffe gazelle, is a species of long-necked antelope that lives in the deserts of eastern Africa. Its thin and long neck helps it reach leaves that other antelopes cannot reach. Moreover, they are able to stand on their hind legs and become even taller.
8. Cassowaries
These flightless birds are among the most dangerous creatures in the world. Cassowaries take the defense of their territory very seriously, and in case of danger they will brutally deal with you with their razor-sharp claws. They can reach 2 meters in height.
Unusual animals of the world
9. Giant isopod
The giant isopod, which looks like a woodlice or Colorado potato beetle, grows to 19-37 cm in length and reaches a weight of about 1.7 kg. These incredible creatures live underwater at depths of 170 to 2000 meters. They lead a solitary life and are scavengers, feeding on dead whales, squid and fish. But they are also adapted to long periods of fasting, going without food for up to 8 weeks.
10. Snakehead
This scary-looking fish is called a snakehead. It has an insatiable appetite, eating almost all the fish in a pond or lake and even its own young. In addition, the snakehead can crawl on the ground and remain on land for up to 3 days in search of new food sources. Once they are on the ground, they are capable of eating any small animals in their path. There have even been cases of snakeheads attacking people.
11. Saiga
The saiga or saiga antelope is one of the world's oldest mammals, living on Earth along with saber-tooth tigers and woolly mammoths 250,000 years ago. Although at one time they were considered extinct, they are now often referred to as living fossils.
12. Australian snake-necked turtle
Looking at it, it looks like someone passed a snake through a turtle. This species of turtle has a neck so long that they cannot pull it back into its protective shell. However, they have a secret weapon, releasing a foul-smelling liquid when in danger.
13. Dumbo the Octopus
Grimpoteuthis, or as it is also called the octopus Dumbo, looks like the famous Disney character - the flying elephant Dumbo and is distinguished by funny ears. It lives at depths of 900 – 4900 meters below sea level and is considered the deepest-sea octopus ever discovered. There were cases when representatives of grimpoteuthys were found at a depth of 7000 meters.
14. Proboscis
The proboscis monkey is a medium-sized monkey that can only be found in the rainforests of Borneo. Male proboscis monkeys are the largest monkeys in Asia, and with their large, fleshy noses, they are probably the most unusual mammals.
15. Scorpion flies
From a distance, these insects look like ordinary dragonflies, but if you look at them under a microscope, you will see a real scorpion tail. Fortunately, it does not sting and is presented to females as a gift.
Unusual animals (photo)
16. Water deer
This miniature deer resembles a vampire when viewed closely, thanks to its large, curved, saber-shaped fangs that reach up to 8 cm in length. However, there is no need to worry, these deer are quite harmless and there have been no cases of them attacking people.
17. Blue Parrotfish
This strange but wonderful fish is considered a delicacy in many countries around the world. In Polynesia it is served raw and was once considered a "royal food". They are classified as parrotfish that are able to envelop themselves in clear mucus to protect themselves from predators. Males can grow up to 120 cm in length.
18. Red-lipped damselfish
It looks like this fish has decided to wear bright red lipstick. Red-lipped fish live at a depth of 30 meters in the Galapagos Islands. Interestingly, they are better suited to walking on the seabed rather than swimming. When the fish reaches maturity, it begins to use its dorsal fin to lure prey.
19. Axolotl
Axolotl refers to the larvae of the Mexican Ambistoma or Tiger Ambistoma. The larvae of this species do not undergo metamorphosis, and the adults remain aquatic and have gills. The axolotl is highly valued by scientists for its ability to regrow new limbs and even body parts, including a spine and part of the brain if they are lost.
20. Cyclops Shark
The Cyclops shark is one of the strangest creatures discovered by scientists in 2011. A large eyeball is the result of a disorder called cyclopia, which also occurs in humans. Researchers have found Cyclops shark embryos several times, but the fact that they have not been found outside the womb suggests that Cyclops sharks do not survive in the wild.
How many amazing creatures live with us on the planet! We know very little about some of them, and for some, acquaintance with humans becomes fatal, since after the discovery of some species of animals they began to exterminate them. And yet, we hope that the rare and amazing animals of planet Earth, which will be described in the article, will remain an adornment of our world for a long time.
named ay-ay
In Madagascar, there lives a creature that is classified as a prosimian - the aye-aye or the aye-aye. This is the most amazing animal in the world and, moreover, the rarest in number (only 50 individuals). When the researcher Pierre Sonner first discovered it, he decided that it was a rodent, since the teeth of the arm are very similar to those of a squirrel.
The animal grows up to 44 cm, but its fluffy tail grows much longer than its body - up to 60 cm. And the most amazing thing about the little arm is the middle fingers of its forelimbs. This is something the animal cannot do without.
With it, the little arm cleans its fur, drinks water (after dipping its finger in it and then licking it) and, most importantly, obtains food. She taps the bark of the tree with her finger and, having found a suitable place, gnaws the bark. Then the little hand lowers its finger into the hole in order to prick the larva onto the claw and send it into the mouth. In captivity, even after receiving a bowl of sweet syrup, the little hands turn it over, gnaw a hole in the bottom, and then drink the syrup using their irreplaceable finger.
Tarsier - owner of the largest eyes
Some researchers believe that the most amazing animals in the world are tarsiers. The appearance of these crumbs is amazing. Their body length does not exceed 15 cm, but their eyes are 16 mm in diameter. If such proportions were translated into human height, then our eyes would be the size of an apple!
The tarsier can rotate its head almost 360°. And animals are able to communicate using ultrasound. These tiny primates are nocturnal, hunting insects, while they deftly jump onto a branch, throwing back their hind legs like a frog. And long fingers with flattened pads help them hold on and not fall.
The snapping turtle is a dinosaur that has survived to this day.
We are accustomed to the fact that turtles are slow and harmless creatures, but the vulture turtle will force us to change our established opinion. Outwardly, this most amazing animal in the world looks like a dinosaur that has survived to this day. And her character is not honey!
This inhabitant of US freshwater rivers can grow up to 1.5 m and weigh 80 kg. It is decorated with a “beak”, very similar to the beak of the bird of the same name, and on the tongue this creature has a small, constantly moving process, very similar to a worm. By the way, it is used by the turtle to catch it by burying itself in the mud and opening its mouth.
The turtle's shell is crowned with three saw-like bone ridges, and the tail is only slightly shorter in length than the crocodile's. If we add here the numerous warts that cover its neck and chin, as well as the algae covering its shell, then the appearance of the snapping turtle is very unattractive. But she can survive underwater for 50 minutes and has very sharp eyesight.
Blob fish
The depths of the ocean are home to many bizarre and little-studied creatures. And the blobfish, an inhabitant of the deep sea, can easily be classified as “the most amazing animal in the world.” This gelatinous, sedentary lump actually only vaguely resembles a fish. And almost human dissatisfaction is completely surprising.
The body of the fish is only 30 cm long, it is devoid of scales and covered with mucus, and the massive head is decorated with a process similar to a drooping nose. The huge mouth of this “beauty” has lips twisted in a displeased and disgusted grimace.
The blob fish does not like to swim. Although her jelly-like body is lighter than water and can float calmly in the depths of the ocean, she more often just lies motionless on the bottom and patiently waits for all sorts of small creatures to swim into her mouth.
By the way, this sea blob incubates its eggs until fry emerge from them. And even after that, she continues to take care of them.
Copepod - the strongest creature on the planet
And in the water column live tiny blind crustaceans, whose body length does not exceed 10 mm - these are the strongest and
The wonderful world of these multicellular organisms is being closely studied by Danish scientists. They found that copepods are capable of covering a distance of 50 cm in a second, which is five hundred times the body length of this creature. If a person had such capabilities, he could easily jump a kilometer! This is power! Copepods are 10 or even 30 times stronger than any animal and even a machine.
When jumping, copepods reach speeds of up to 6 km/h, and if these figures are translated into human parameters, it turns out that a person with a height of 170 cm could accelerate to a speed of 1000 km/h. Like this!
There are also spiders among the crabs
In the Pacific Ocean near the shores of Japan lives the most amazing animal in the world - the spider crab. It weighs almost 20 kg, and the size of its body together with its paws reaches 4 m. True, the body itself is only 35 cm. This crab is classified as a long-livers, it is believed that it can live up to 100 years!
Our arthropod giant is so huge that if he wanted to walk along the shore, he could easily step over the van with vacationers. Fortunately, these crabs live only at a decent depth - up to 300 m. And only in order to lay eggs they rise to a depth of fifty meters.
By the way, if a spider crab loses one of its monstrous legs, then it grows back and becomes longer with each molt.
A miracle of nature - a fish with a transparent head
The most amazing animals on the planet have in their ranks and such a miracle as Creatures like her cannot be found in the whole world. Her head is covered with a transparent shell and filled with liquid inside. And the fish’s eyes are inside this “aquarium” and can only look up, in the same place where they should be; the fish’s nostrils are located.
This unreal creature was discovered only in 1939, as it lives at great depths (up to 800 m). But only in 2004 were scientists able to study the life of this amazing animal in more detail.
They discovered that the fish, having seen an object suitable for hunting from below, becomes vertical, causing its eyes, which are in a special liquid, to turn, allowing it to take a closer look and then eat it.
Frilled armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus)
This amazing animal lives on the dry plains of central Argentina, covered with thorny bushes and cacti.
Photo source: www.reddit.com/user/DonkeyGraves
Photo source: www.ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fried_Armadillo
Little hand (Daubentonia madagascariensis)
This mammal of the order of semi-monkeys of the family of bats can be found on the island of Madagascar. 
Photo source: www.animalsadda.com
Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
Any fashion model will envy the legs of this wolf. Thanks to such long limbs, the height at the withers of this wolf can reach 90 centimeters. This animal lives in the steppes of South America, and its long legs help the wolf to view the surrounding landscapes over the grass. 
Photo source: imgur.com
Tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus)
Native to southern China, this tufted deer is notable for its tusks.
Photo source: zoochat.com
A deep-sea octopus found at depths of up to 6 km. 
Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum)
This "rabbit" is the Patagonian hare and the fourth largest rodent in the world (after the capybara, beaver and porcupine).
Photo source:
Naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber)
This rodent lives in the savannas of African countries: Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. Mole rats live in colonies, which sometimes reach 300 individuals. The social structure of colonies is similar to the structure of social insects (ants, termites). The colony is headed by a female and several fertile males. The remaining individuals are workers. Animals of this species have an unprecedented life expectancy for small rodents - 26 years.
Photo source: wikipedia.org
Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)
This unusual dolphin, without a beak and with a flexible neck, lives in the Indian Ocean. 
Photo source: imgur.com
Gerenuk (Litocranius walleri)
This African antelope has an exceptionally long neck and legs. 
Photo source: imgur.com
Dugong dugon
This aquatic mammal is the only representative of the dugong family of the sirenian order.
Photo source: wwf.org.au
Babyrousa babyrussa
An unusual feature of this animal of the pig family is its tusks. In males, the upper canines grow through the skin of the upper jaw, curving upward and backward. In old cleavers, their tips even grow into the skin of the forehead. 
Photo source: oregonzoo.org
Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox)
The Fossa is a predatory mammal from the family of Madagascar predators. Previously, individuals of this species were mistakenly classified as members of the cat family due to their external resemblance to a puma. 
Starburst (Condylura cristata)
A North American mole with twenty-two star-shaped skin growths on its face. 
Photo source: synapsebristol.blogspot.com
Malayan woolwing (Galeopterus variegates)
A mammal of the woolly wing order, capable of flying from tree to tree over a distance of about 100 meters. 
Photo source: identi.info
Zebra duiker (Cephalophus zebra)
A small artiodactyl of the bovid family, the height at the withers of which does not exceed 50 cm. The animal lives in West Africa. 
Photo source: imgur.com
The Kiwa hirsuta crab lives in the thermal waters of the South Pacific Ocean. The limbs of this representative of decapods are covered with bristles resembling fur. 
Photo source: oceanleadership.org
Wonderful bird of paradise (lat. Lophorina superba)
A bird of the passerine family that has fantastically unreal plumage.
Photo source: nationalgeographic.com
The deep-sea fish Psychrolutes marcidus, found off the coast of Australia and Tasmania, is the most bizarre fish on the planet. 
Photo source: coloribus.com