Diversity is the very essence of our planet.
From animals to plants, there are so many species/varieties of all kinds of remarkable creatures that exist on this plant.
Some even look strikingly different from the rest of the clan, enough to make us believe that they are an alien life form that belong on a completely different planet. Just like these creatures:
1. The Peacock Spider
Unlike some other spiders, the peacock spider is extremely beautiful to look at. These spiders are native to Australia and their striking patterns and coloring make them hard to miss out on. Though, they are very small in size, measuring around 3-5 mm.
2. The Glaucus Atlanticus
This unusual blue species of sea slug looks pretty and harmless but, in reality they are quite deadly. In fact, they eat poisonous jellyfish. Also, don’t even try to touch this creature because if you do, they’ll unleash a sting that is more potent than the jellyfish they ate. They can be found in the east and south coasts of South Africa, European waters, the east coast of Australia, and Mozambique.
3. The Panda Ant
Okay, firstly this creature is not an ant, it’s actually a wasp. And, it’s not particularly a deadly creature but, it is capable of delivering a seriously painful sting. These wasps prefer living by themselves and not in colonies. They can be found in Argentina and Chile.
4. The Red-Lipped Batfish
The unique batfish with red lips lives in the deep waters near the Galapagos Islands. Wondering, why the red lips? Scientists believe that the red lips could be an attempt for the batfish to attract a mate.
5. The Blue Parrotfish
The blue parrotfish spends almost 80% of its time searching for food like algae or small organisms found in the sand. The weirdest thing about this fish is its striking deep blue colour and a yellow spot on the head that fades away with age. Want a glimpse of this species? Visit the western Atlantic (from Maryland in the US to Bermuda, the Bahamas and south to Brazil).
6. The Halitrephes Jelly
The halitrephes jelly looks mesmerizingly gorgeous, all thanks to its colourful appearance. This jellyfish was first spotted by a scientist during an exploration mission on the E/V Nautilus, 4,019 feet below sea level in the Revillagigedo Archipelago off Baja California, Mexico.
7. The Peacock Mantis Shrimp
The peacock mantis shrimp is technically not a shrimp, it’s a stomatopod (a distant relative to a shrimp) to be more precise. And, they can pack a punch and can use their dactyl clubs to punch faster than a .22-caliber bullet. They are native to the epipelagic seabed across the Indo-Pacific, ranging from Guam to East Africa.
8. The Leafy Sea Dragon
There are many strange creatures out there that we have no clue about and this includes the leafy sea dragon. Their bizarre appearance helps them blend with their surroundings and they typically live between seaweed and kelp in the waters off south and east Australia. Here’s another fun fact, just like the seahorses, the males are responsible for incubating the eggs.
9. The Proboscis Monkey
Unlike other monkeys, the proboscis monkey has a long, hanging nose which is extremely useful for the males as they use it to attract mates. Experts believe that the nose helps to amplify the monkey’s call- the louder they are, the more they are likely to attract female companions. This creature can be found only in the jungles of Borneo, close to the islands rivers, swamps, and mangroves.
10. The Insulamon Palawanense Crab
The insulamon palawanense crab, is one of the most spectacular looking crabs in the world, courtesy its bright purple and red colouring. This crab was discovered near the Philippine island of Palawan where they dwell in the freshwaters.
11. The Dugong
The dugong can be found in the warm coastal waters of East Africa to Australia where they typically prefer grazing underwater grasses. This creature can stay below the surface for six minutes and are very slow-moving.
12. The Aye-Aye
The aye-aye is a lemur that are native to the island of Madagascar. They have rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow and a special thin middle finger. The aye-aye is similar to a woodpecker, as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within. Also, it is the world’s largest nocturnal primate.
13. The Star-Nosed Mole
The star-nosed mole has a nose that’s in the shape of a star and is ringed by 22 rays which helps in locating food. The mole is blind although, it’s considered to be one of the world’s fastest eaters and “can find and gobble down an insect or worm in a quarter of a second.”
14. The Glass Frog
The glass frog has transparent and translucent skin which means you can literally see the internal viscera, including the heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract through the skin. They mostly live in trees and they come out only during mating season. You can find them in humid montane forests throughout Central and South America including Belize, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama.
15. The Long-wattled Umbrella Bird
The long-wattled umbrellabird is considered rare and they are commonly known as Pájaro Bolsón, Pájaro Toro, Dungali and Vaca de Monte. They are often found on the Pacific slopes of south-west Colombia and western Ecuador, but occasionally are found at lower altitudes.
Are you as fascinated as I am?