There are various species of animals around the world. While we commonly encounter many animals, these are just a fraction of the diverse species yet to be discovered worldwide. The number of animal species recorded in our country alone reaches approximately 18,052. Indeed, among these various species, many animals are fascinating and have even more peculiar ecosystems. Now, let’s look at a select few animals with attractive appearances and strange names.
Goblin Shark
The goblin shark is a species of shark that belongs to the family Mitsukurinidae and lives in the deep sea. It is characterized by a long organ extending from the forehead that resembles a goblin. Despite its terrifying appearance, fitting to its name, the shark’s actual temperament is relatively mild. While its jaw is unique, it is difficult to distinguish from an ordinary shark when the jaw is closed, and contrary to its appearance, it is known that its bite is not strong enough to cause fatal injuries to humans.
Maned Wolf
The maned wolf is a wolf with a distinctive mane on its back. It has a relatively short body, but its long legs are so unique that they look awkward at first glance. Its ears are large and triangular, and its face resembles that of a fox rather than a wolf. Its body color is reddish-brown, and its abdomen is slightly lighter. It is a solitary creature that hides in bushes or thickets during the day and hunts for mice, birds, insects, and fruits at night.
Babirusa
The babirusa is a wild pig that inhabits the Moluccas. It is also called a deer pig in the native language. Compared to other wild pigs, it has long legs and four distinctive tusks, two prominently grown from its lower jaw. Its skin is almost exposed due to a lack of hair and has many wrinkles. It has a gray body color, inhabits humid forests near rivers or lakes, and is nocturnal. It is now an animal at risk of extinction due to hunting.
Blue Dragon Sea Slug
The blue dragon sea slug is a species of mollusk belonging to the sea slug family. It is better known as the blue dragon than the blue dragon sea slug. It is also called the most beautiful mollusk in the world due to its colorful and cute appearance. It has an unusually brilliant blue color, but as you can guess from its vibrant color, it is poisonous. As the name “blue dragon” suggests, this creature is often borrowed in various subculture designs.
Dumbo Octopus
The dumbo octopus is an octopus belonging to the umbrella octopus family. The name dumbo octopus comes from its resemblance to Dumbo, the baby elephant. Unlike typical octopuses, it does not move by squirting water for propulsion and does not squirt ink, a characteristic of octopuses. Despite its appearance, it is a considerably giant octopus, with the largest specimen found estimated to be over 9.8 feet. Unlike typical octopuses, it does not care for its eggs and habitually drops large eggs with a hard shell into the deep sea.
Superb Bird-of-Paradise
The superb bird-of-paradise is a bird species belonging to the passerine family Paradisaeidae, distributed in the highlands of New Guinea, above 3,280 feet. Looking at this bird, it’s hard to find anything special. However, when the male courts the female, it shows the pose many have encountered as a meme. It spreads its black feathers on its back and turquoise feathers on its chest to form a funnel shape, then hops around and dances, creating a scene that looks like a cartoon.
Pangolin
The pangolin is a peculiar animal that is a mammal but has a back shell. The length of the body is up to approximately 35 inches, and the size of the tail is about 20 inches. The upper part of the body, from the forehead to the end of the tail, is covered with dark-colored scales, and the underside has no scales and only light-colored hair. Like armadillos, which have a similar appearance and ecology, pangolins are also under threat of extinction. It is easy to catch and has good meat, making it a delicacy. It is also widely used as a medicinal herb.
Dugong
The dugong is a species of sea cow. Its habitat is shallow seas with coral reefs spanning Africa, the Red Sea, Australia, and the Pacific and Indian Ocean coasts. Currently, most individuals are known to inhabit the area around Australia. As it is a strictly herbivorous creature and moves very slowly, it does not harm humans. It has the characteristic of feeding its young on the sea surface, and this sight was mistaken for a mermaid when discovered by ancient sailors.
Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko
The satanic leaf-tailed gecko is a species of gecko native to Madagascar. The creature is hard to find due to its excellent camouflage, looking like a fallen leaf. It has a variety of colors and is also nocturnal. Adult sizes are about 6 inches long, including the tail. It has many long thorns on the head and body. Some have notches in the tail to mimic decaying leaves. This phenomenon is more often observed in males.
Barreleye Fish
The barreleye fish is considered peculiar among deep-sea fish with strange appearances. Its length ranges from 6 inches up to 17 inches. It inhabits the sea at a depth of 9,800 feet. It is mainly found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The distinctive feature of this fish is that its eyes are inside its head, and the greenish spherical parts are the eyes. The parts that look like eyes just above the mouth are the nostrils. The field of view is quite broad since the round eyes can rotate at various angles.
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