What is the most terrible animal on earth. "Aye-aye", or Madagascar little hand
The list of the most terrible animals opens with “Viper Fish”. This deep sea predator, which can be found extremely rarely, because of its specific environment a habitat. Viper fish cannot tolerate sunlight, so during the day it drops to a depth of 3 km. Distinctive feature This creature has fang-like teeth protruding far beyond the mouth. Viper fish usually feed small fish or other sea creatures smaller in size. However, due to the fact that it is quite difficult to find prey in deep water, the viper fish for a long time can do without food.
This species of shark got its name due to its terrible, frightening appearance. The goblin shark lives in almost all seas at a depth of 200 meters. These monsters feed not only on a variety of fish, but even on their own smaller relatives. The goblin shark has 2 rows of teeth: one of which is designed to capture prey, and the second - directly for chewing food.
Another scary animal is the Naked Mole rat, which belongs to the family of burrowing rodents. They almost never appear on the surface of the earth. You can guess where the digger is operating only by a thin squeak and sand flying from the hole in all directions. Mole rats got their name due to the lack of hair on both the head and body. Naked mole rats have very poor eyesight, which they more than compensate for with a keen sense of smell and fast movements. Mole rats feed on tubers, roots of trees and flowers. However, animals living in captivity are happy to include in their diet fresh vegetables and fruits.
Long-horned sabertooth
The long-horned saber tooth is rightfully recognized as one of the most terrible sea predators, and although the size adult only 15 centimeters, this does not prevent the saber-tooth from instilling fear in all inhabitants depths of the sea. The fangs of a saber tooth can reach 7 centimeters, but this is half of its length. This monster lives in tropical waters at a depth of up to 700 meters, where it is easier for him to find prey, which the saber tooth requires quite often due to its exorbitant appetite. The saber tooth feeds on absolutely all living creatures that it can catch in the ocean.
The Madagascar bat is an amazing creature belonging to the order of primates; however, in appearance they are more reminiscent of a cat or squirrel. The little arm weighs about 3 kilograms, its maximum height is about 45 centimeters, but the animal’s tail can reach up to 60 centimeters in length. Distinctive feature of all Madagascar monkeys - the third toe on the front paws, which the animal needs to quench its thirst and eat food. Also, the arms have huge locator ears, thanks to which they are able to detect even the movement of larvae in the bark of a tree.
The European anglerfish, or as it is popularly called “monkfish”, is predatory fish, living on seabed. Monkfish got its name because of its unpleasant appearance. But despite this, the fish is quite edible, very tasty, and also without bones. It is especially popular in France. The body length of the monkfish can reach up to 2 meters.
Drop fish is one of the most amazing creatures that only nature could create. In appearance, the drop fish resembles a huge lump of jelly with a sad look of small eyes and drooping lips. The drop lives only in deep waters near Australia and Tasmania. This unique fish feeds on all living creatures that swim into its wide open mouth.
The wolf fish, also known as “striped catfish,” lives in the deep seas of the North Atlantic, but is increasingly being found in the cold seas of Russia. The lifespan of a catfish is about 20 years, during which it can grow up to 1.5 meters in length and gain about 20 kilograms of weight. Wolf fish usually feed on mollusks and crabs. The catfish has a very aggressive character, because of which it can bite an unwary fisherman or even attack its relative.
This sea monster is a representative of toad-shaped fish that live in the waters of the World Ocean. The danger posed by this creature is poisonous thorns which can cause considerable harm to humans. The body of this creature, unlike other fish, is covered not with scales, but with growths, which makes it so similar to a toad. The toadfish camouflages itself on the sandy bottom and becomes virtually invisible to surrounding creatures, so no hunt ends in failure.
Idiot
“Idiakant” closes the list of the most terrible animals in the world. A deep-sea fish that most often lives in tropical and temperate waters. Adult female can reach 50 centimeters in length, but males are an order of magnitude smaller: they barely grow to 7 centimeters. The frightening appearance of the idiot is given by the long fanged teeth protruding from the mouth of the fish and preventing it from closing its mouth. Idiacanth lures prey with the help of a special head appendage that glows in the dark.
The most terrible extinct animals Video
Animals (lat. Animalia) - a traditionally (since the time of Aristotle) distinguished category of organisms, currently considered as biological kingdom. Animals are the main object of study in zoology.
In everyday life, the terms “wild animals” and “domestic animals” often mean only mammals, sometimes only four-legged terrestrial vertebrates (mammals, reptiles and amphibians). Russian word“animal” is derived from “belly,” which previously meant “life, property.” In science, the term animals has a broader meaning, corresponding to the Latin Animalia (see above). Therefore, they say that animals, in addition to mammals, include a huge number of other organisms: fish, birds, insects, arachnids, mollusks, sea stars, all kinds of worms, etc.
Moreover, previously many heterotrophic protists were attributed to this kingdom and animals were divided into subkingdoms: unicellular Protozoa and multicellular Metazoa. Now the name “animals” in the taxonomic sense is assigned to multicellular organisms. In this understanding, animals as a taxon have more definite characteristics - they are characterized by oogamy, a multi-tissue structure, the presence of at least two germ layers, blastula and gastrula stages in embryonic development. Man belongs to the animal kingdom, but is traditionally studied separately. The vast majority of animals have muscles and nerves, and the groups that do not have them - sponges, lamellar, mesozoans, cnidosporidia - may have lost them a second time.
At the same time, in science the term “animals” is sometimes proposed to be used in an even broader meaning, meaning by animals not a taxon, but a type of organization - life form based on mobility.
Currently (Zhang, 2013), scientists have described more than 1.6 million species of animals (including more than 133 thousand fossil species; Zhang, 2013), most of which are arthropods (more than 1.3 million species, 78%), mollusks ( more than 118 thousand species) and vertebrates (more than 42 thousand species).
History of classification of the animal world
Aristotle for the first time, in his own separate work “On the Origin of Animals,” attempted to divide the living world into plants and animals. This was followed by the works of Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist and physician, the creator of a unified system of classification of flora and fauna (which brought him worldwide fame during his lifetime), which largely streamlined and generalized the knowledge of the entire previous period of development of biological science. Among Linnaeus's main achievements is the definition of the concept biological species, introduction into the active use of binomial (binary) nomenclature and the establishment of a clear subordination between systematic (taxonomic) categories. In addition, Carl Linnaeus is the author of the first hierarchical classification of living nature, which became the basis (basis) for the scientific classification of living organisms. He divided natural world into three “kingdoms”: mineral, plant and animal, using four levels (“ranks”): classes, orders, genera and species. The method of formation introduced by Linnaeus into the practice of taxonomy scientific name for each of the species (the so-called trivial names of the Latin nomina trivialia, which later began to be used as species epithets in the binomial names of living organisms) is still used (the previously used long names consisting of large quantity words, gave a description of the species, but were not strictly formalized). The use of a two-word Latin name - the genus name, then the specific name - made it possible to separate nomenclature from taxonomy. In Linnaeus's original scheme, animals were classified into one of three kingdoms, divided into classes Worms, Insects, Fishes, Amphibians, Birds and Mammals. Since then, the last four classes have been combined into one phylum, the chordates, while the remaining classes have been classified as invertebrates.
The diversity of the animal world of our planet is so great that it sometimes amazes and surprises with its richness and abundance. Among the creations of nature, there are not only cute and cute creatures. Meet rare specimens, which repel with their unattractive appearance, and are quite worthy of starring in horror films. The top 10 includes the most terrible animals in the world, the list of which is presented below.
10 Madagascar bat
Reveals the top ten ugliest living creatures Madagascan hand-footed, also known as aye-aye. This is very rare view animals listed in the Red Book. Aye-aye lives in tropical forests Madagascar. The length of the animal can reach no more than 45 centimeters, and it weighs about 3 kg. The tail exceeds the length of the body and is 60 cm. huge eyes and no less large bald ears. The animal feeds on insects, which it extracts from tree bark using its claws.
9 Drop fish
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The blob fish ranks ninth on the list of ugliest animals. The habitat of these individuals is considered to be the coasts of Tasmania and Australia, where they live at a depth of 600 to 1200 meters. The fish can reach 30 centimeters in length. The peculiarity of these sea creatures is the absence swim bladder, which helps other fish stay afloat. Instead of a bubble, this function is performed by the gelatinous body of a drop fish, which has a lower density than that of water. These marine inhabitants rarely move, waiting for the moment when the prey itself swims past.
8 Longhorned Sabertooth
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The eighth place among the most terrible animals is occupied by the long-horned sabertooth predatory fish. These are quite small individuals, reaching a length of 15 cm and weighing no more than 120 grams. The predator has a large head, and well-developed jaws with numerous, terrifying fangs. The fish's habitat is the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. They live at a depth of 500-700 meters. The sabertooth's diet consists of fish, squid and crustaceans.
7 Satan's leaf-tailed gecko
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The Satanic leaf-tailed gecko is one of the most unattractive living creatures on earth. They live mainly in Madagascar. A special feature of geckos is their protective painting, which can change and adapt to surrounding objects. Adults can reach a length of more than 30 centimeters. Lead forest dwellers exclusively night look life. They have huge eyes that do not have eyelids. Geckos use their tongue to clean their organs of vision. Animals feed on insects, which they get from the ground.
6 Matamata giant tortoise
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The sixth place among the ugliest animals in the world is the matamata giant tortoise. These bizarre individuals can reach a length of 50 cm and gain weight up to 15 kg. What makes the turtle unattractive is its triangular head with a proboscis and Long neck with numerous growths. Matamata is quite common; it chooses as its habitat standing water. The diet of the individual mainly consists of fish. It loves warmth very much, so it chooses bodies of water where the water has a temperature of at least +28 degrees. Under suitable conditions, it can live in captivity.
5 Goblin Shark
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In fifth place among the most terrible animals in the world is deep sea goblin shark. The largest individuals of this species can reach 4 meters in length and weigh 200 kg. Such sharks are common from Australian waters Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. They live at a depth of more than 200 meters. They feed on fish, squid and crabs. Goblin sharks have sharp and long front teeth, and their back teeth are adapted for crushing shells. Since the animal lives on great depth, then it does not pose a danger to humans, since the chances of encountering it at sea are negligible.
4 Monkfish
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The fourth place in the list of the most unattractive animals is fish. angler. The giant sea monster can reach a length of 2 meters and weigh up to 57 kg. Monkfish refers to edible fish. Dishes made from its meat are especially popular in France. The habitat of the monkfish is quite wide, but most often it can be found off the coast Atlantic Ocean. The depth at which sea creature Capable of living ranges from 18 to 550 meters. The animal feeds mainly on fish. The predator hides at the bottom, and when the prey swims up, it swallows it along with the water. Thanks to its arm-like pectoral fins, the anglerfish can quietly crawl up to its prey or even jump up, catching it by surprise.
3 Sea lamprey
2 Star-nosed
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To the very ugly creatures on the planet include star-nosed. The mammal of the mole family is capable of scaring away with its appearance anyone who meets on its way. It's all about the ugly growths on the animal's face, which together resemble a star. Hence the name star-nosed. These grow up underground inhabitants up to 13 centimeters in length. The weight of an adult, as a rule, does not exceed 85 grams. The growths on the animal’s face serve as an organ of smell. Using it, he determines the suitability of the product for food. You can meet the starfish in the east North America. Individuals lead active image life, both during the day and at night. They feed on earthworms, sometimes small fish.
1 Naked mole rat
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Tops the list of the most terrible animals naked mole rat. The ugly rodent has a number of features: it is not sensitive to certain types of pain and has good immunity to cancer cells. Life expectancy is on average 30 years. The body of a naked mole rat, including its tail, most often does not exceed 14 centimeters, and they weigh no more than 80 grams. Underground animals have very powerful, developed jaws, which help them bite into solid soil, and very acute hearing. Bare, wrinkled skin, on which there is practically no hair, has pink color sometimes with yellowish tints. Their habitat is considered to be dry savannas and semi-deserts of Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The mole rat feeds exclusively on root crops and does not drink water. These rodents live in colonies, which can consist of 80–300 individuals. The length of the tunnel occupied by one colony is 3-5 km.
The honor of naming the ten most terrible animals in the world fell to environmentalists. It is often difficult to remember such creatures even on Halloween without shuddering. The presence of a person on this list should not surprise anyone, because we cause the greatest harm to our nature.
Only people kill just for fun or just for no reason. Horror films are made about some of the living creatures mentioned, and some (thank God!) can only be seen on rare photographs, yes in encyclopedic articles.
Sabertooth. Some peoples call this monster “man-eating fish” and for good reason - it looks quite menacing. The monster's habitat is the depths of the ocean. The saber tooth itself is protected from enemies by armor-covered rough skin, and for attack, the fish has four straight and long teeth, similar to nails. Moreover, the teeth are so long that when the sabertooth closes its jaws, the lower pair of jaws must be placed in special sheaths on both sides of the fish brain. Thus, nature took care of its creation so that it would not get cut. Although appearance Quite frightening, the monster is small in length - only 15 centimeters. On a short body there is a large head. At a depth of 5 kilometers, it is quite difficult for a sabertooth to find prey, but if it comes into the hunter’s field of vision, the monster quickly pierces it with its teeth, again and again. And one more interesting fact about these fish - young individuals are so different from adults that scientists considered them different species for almost 50 years!
"Witchfish", or hagfish. This fish is considered one of the most unusual in the world. Today there are not many jawless fish species left, and the hagfish is one of them. " Witch fish" lives in the depths, feeding on small living fish, dead and dying. The hagfish is considered a nocturnal animal. They spend the day in the mud, leaving only part of their head outside. At night, the predator goes hunting. The hagfish slowly swims against the current, with its antennae-tentacles open and wide nostril, looking for the necessary vibrations. When attacking a weakened victim, the hagfish gnaws a hole in it, tearing off the skin and meat with the help of its teeth. At the same time, the “witch” can tie its body into a knot, pressing against the prey for support. Getting inside its victim through the eaten hole. hole or gills, the hagfish begins to eat the insides - first the liver, and then the muscles. large fish When attacked by a hagfish, only the skeleton and skin remain. There have even been recorded cases of hagfish attacking sharks. The witch fish is even known for the fact that it can curb its appetite - long time staying alive without food. This monster has also gained a reputation as the slimiest creature on the planet. Pores on the body secrete great amount viscous mucus that repels predators and helps the hagfish itself as a lubricant to carry out its deadly moves. In addition, the “witch fish” is the only one of all fish that can sneeze. It is due to this that mucus comes out of the single nostril. Hagfish live in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea large populations, up to 15 thousand individuals. Usually their size does not exceed 40 centimeters, although a record length of 79 centimeters was recorded near America. Hagfishes range in color from pink to reddish-gray. Surprisingly, these fish have a low mortality rate, which is why females lay eggs in small quantity. The fry are similar in appearance to adults, but initially have both male and female genital organs. The final choice of sex occurs with maturation, depending on the need in the population.
Aye-aye. This primate lives in Madagascar and is somewhat reminiscent of Dobby the house elf from Potter. Nature has endowed the animal with teeth similar to rodents and long middle finger, which he can obtain food for himself, like a woodpecker with its beak. The aye-aye is the largest of the nocturnal primates, choosing forest canopies for its habitat, its length reaches 1 meter. This primate's method of obtaining food is quite unusual: it knocks on wood, and to search for larvae in the required place, the animal gnaws a hole, reaching for the prey insect with its long middle finger. The aye-aye has a fluffy tail, like a squirrel, and its muzzle resembles a rodent, helped by its beady black eyes. The primate has large incisors that grow throughout its life. The aye-aye is an omnivore whose diet also includes nuts, fruits, mushrooms, seeds and nectar. The animal knows how to pick fruits from trees on the move. At one time, scientists disappointingly stated that the aye-aye had already become extinct, but in 1961 the animals were discovered again in Madagascar. Nevertheless, today these primates are under threat of extinction. Deforestation is also to blame for this. native environment, and the prejudices of local residents. The natives believe that aye-aye is a symbol of death, and those who meet it are in danger of imminent death. Today, there are only a few hundred individuals left on the planet, which they are trying to preserve by creating reserves specifically for them in Madagascar.
Giant squid. These animals can reach truly enormous sizes. Although science notes maximum length 13 meters, but, according to eyewitnesses, squids can be 20 meters long. These animals can float to the surface due to the presence of ammonium chloride solution in the body. The usual food for squids are deep-sea fish and their own smaller relatives. For hunting, monsters use jagged suckers on their two longest limbs. There have long been legends among sailors about giant squid, which are capable of grasping and sinking any ship, the prototype of the myth was the Norwegian legends about sea monster, "kraken".
Some peoples also call the idiot the black dragon fish. This long and unusually flexible fish lives at a depth of about 2 kilometers. The creature is a striking example of sexual dimorphism. Females reach a length of about 40 centimeters, they have small eyes and long teeth necessary for hunting. At the same time, the threatening fangs do not allow the mouth to close. The menacing appearance is complemented by the glow of the teeth. A special chin barbel, which is 2-3 times longer than the head, is responsible for coordinating movements. Males look completely different. Their length does not exceed 6 centimeters, they lack both teeth and antennae, and their intestines simply do not function. Nature has decided that the males have no need to feed - they float passively in the water column, attracting females with the light of their lights. The larval development of idiacants is also curious. In juveniles, the eyes hang on long stalks, which will become smaller as they mature. As a result, the organs of vision will be located in the eye sockets. Females are known for their ability to capture prey large sizes. The fact is that the skull of these fish can tilt up and back thanks to the flexible vertebra and muscle work. In this case, the lower jaw of the fish not only goes down, but also sharply moves forward. In such cases, in order to accommodate abundant prey, the heart, gills and aorta move away from the mouth into the body.
A vampire. This creature is endowed mystical properties, perhaps more than others. Numerous legends and myths are dedicated to them, which tell about blood-sucking demons. In fact the bats-Vampires exist, and are not the product of legends only. There are three species of such animals in Central and South America. The bats themselves have a wing span of 20 centimeters, and their body is small - the size of an adult's finger. It is unlikely that these “terrible” mammals would interest people so much if not for the fact that their main diet is blood. True, people have nothing to fear; the main objects for hunting are large cattle, big birds, horses and pigs. Incisors bats sharp, like incisors. With their help, vampires make small cuts in the skin of a sleeping animal. At the same time, blood constantly flows from the wound without clotting, as this is facilitated by substances contained in the saliva of mice. Saliva also contributes to numbness of the skin, as a result the animal does not wake up, as it simply does not feel the bite. A vampire, without regularly receiving the required portion of blood, quickly loses strength and can die of starvation in 2-3 days. These bats search for their victims using scents, sounds and echolocation. Few people know that vampires can not only fly, but also run quite quickly and deftly. They cover up to 2.2 meters per second.
Anaconda. This snake has quite a scary reputation. So, in Tamil, the name of the anaconda sounds like “anaikolra”, which literally means “killer of elephants”. When the first Spanish settlers saw this snake, they dubbed it “matatoro,” or “bull killer.” The anaconda is the heaviest in the world, reaching a weight of 250 kilograms. The snake's eyes and nostrils are located on the top of its head. This structure of the anaconda allows it to breathe and observe potential victims, while being almost completely located in the water. The gigantic strength of anacondas is known, which, despite their slowness, can defeat quite large animals, including small deer and crocodiles. To strangle their prey, anacondas wrap themselves around their body and begin to strangle them.
Wolf. Gray Predators for most of us are not as exotic as some of those mentioned above. The length of wolves from the nose to the tip of the tail is usually from 1.3 to 2 meters, while the tail itself makes up a quarter of the entire length. The wolf is built so as to easily carry the maximum long journeys and transitions. He has a narrow chest strong legs and back, which prevent fatigue from accumulating quickly. Wolves can move at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour over quite a long distance. During their pursuit of game, predators can accelerate up to 65 kilometers per hour. The main food of wolves is deer, elk, yaks and other ungulates. There are known cases when a pack of wolves killed a bison weighing more than a ton. Animals are scary with their strong jaws with sharp fangs and carnivorous teeth, which are specially created by nature for tearing meat and chewing it. The predator's jaws are so strong that it takes 6-8 bites to bite through an elk's thigh.
Tasmanian devil. Such a proportion of jaws to body length, and their strength, is not found in any other animal. The animal's bite force is the highest among mammals, even surpassing the lion in this indicator. The mammal from the marsupial family today lives only on the island of Tasmania, although it once lived on the Australian mainland. This is the largest of marsupial predators. The body length is from 50 to 80 centimeters, and the weight is up to 12 kilograms. Another name for the animal is “marsupial devil”. The animal's frightening fame was given by its capabilities - with its huge jaws it can easily bite through the largest bones. Lunch Tasmanian devil prefers to be among its own kind - at a public event up to 12 animals gather at once. During the feast, active communication also takes place. Scientists were even able to identify 11 different poses and 8 sounds with which these terrible animals communicate. An outsider hears ominous screams. The Tasmanian is quite voracious, eating about 15% of its body weight per day. The main diet consists of small animals and birds, insects, snakes and even tubers and roots. It is known that the most voracious individuals can also attack gullible tourists who naively accept dangerous predators for cute puppies.
Human. Human activity is the most dangerous for all living things around. We cut down forests and cultivate land, build dams, our factories pollute the atmosphere greenhouse gases, and water - waste. Basically, we just consume, without thinking about whether nature will have time to restore the damage caused to it. Over time, people turn into environmental debtors, spending far more resources than we are allotted. Today, 70% of the world's fish stocks are used by humanity, which casts doubt on the possibility of its natural restoration. 7 million tons of garbage end up in the seas and oceans every year. Industrial leaders, which include Russia, annually produce 400 million tons toxic waste. Today, people have already destroyed 65% of virgin forests, this process continues - every second 1.5 hectares of forest disappear under our influence. Is it any wonder that it is man who is the most scary creature for our blue and green planet?
Everyone loves animals - cats, dogs, hamsters and other cute animals, but you are unlikely to want to have one as a pet one of the creatures of nature presented in this collection. Not all creatures living on our planet look beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, but even the strangest and nastiest of them have the right to life, because evolution continues for millions of years, and each of these animals takes its own place under the sun (or in the depths of the ocean) .
The Ugly Animals Protection Society recently announced a competition for the most ridiculous and strange animal to become its mascot. Here you will find 12 “applicants” for this honorable position.
1. Drop fish
The Latin name of this sea creature is Psychrolutes marcidus (it is also called “psychrolute goby”). The blobfish lives off the coast of Australia and Tasmania, usually at depths of 600 to 1200 meters - its jelly-like body allows it to withstand enormous water pressure. Due to increasing cases of illegal fishing, this not very attractive sea creature is in danger of extinction.
2. Proboscis Monkey
The proboscis monkey (lat. Nasalis larvatus) lives on the island of Borneo, and in addition to its huge, ridiculous nose, it is known for its extremely shrill and nasty voice. Big nose only males can boast, for whom this physiological feature, as well as loud screams, is a way of attracting females during the mating period.
3. Two-clawed turtle (pig-nosed turtle, lat. Carettochelys insculpta)
These inhabitants of the fresh waters of Australia and New Guinea are the only representatives of their kind soft shell turtles, related to living fossil animals. A long nose, similar to a pig's snout, allows turtles to breathe while underwater.
4. One-humped jumping slug
At first glance, the slug that lives on the American continent and reaches six cm in length is unremarkable, but nature has rewarded it unique ability: When a slug senses danger, it can jump very high to avoid the threat.
5. Titicaca Whistler
This soft-bodied frog, living in Lake Titicaca, is the largest amphibian on Earth that never comes onto land. These animals grow up to 15 cm in length, and the structure of the surface of the skin allows the whistler to absorb oxygen directly from the water, so the frog appears on the surface only occasionally.
6. Axolotl
Under unusual name hiding a creature belonging to the amphibian class amphibian species. In fact, the axolotl is a neotenic larva, that is, these animals reach sexual maturity at the larval stage of development, without turning into an adult. In addition, axolotls are known for their ability to regenerate lost body parts.
By the way, translated from the Aztec language, axolotl means “ water toy" These unique animals live in the reservoirs of Mexico City, and currently their numbers are rapidly declining due to environmental degradation.
7. Bats
These winged mammals are considered one of the most disgusting-looking creatures of nature, which is why 18 species are vying for the title of mascot of the Society for the Protection of Ugly Animals. The photo shows one of the most prominent representatives order of bats - a large horseshoe bat.
8. Toad lizard
Strange creatures, more like ugly toads than lizards, are common in the area from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico to Guatemala and Central America.
Nature has endowed some of the species of toad-shaped (or, as they are also called, horned) lizards with interesting defense mechanism: when threatened, a reptile can squirt a small portion of its own blood from its eyes into a predator, which has a sharp, unpleasant odor.
9. Kakapo (owl parrot)
As a rule, when hearing the word “parrot,” many people imagine cute, bright birds capable of reproducing human speech. However, not all parrots can pronounce words, and, for example, kakapo, or owl parrots (lat. Strigops habroptilus), inhabiting the forests of New Zealand, do not even fly and do not have a particularly outstanding appearance.
10. Common river eel
The unsightly appearance of a resident of the fresh waters of Europe cannot mislead poachers - the meat of river eels tastes excellent, so Lately the predator is mercilessly exterminated - in 2008 european eel was included in the Red Book as a species on the verge of extinction.
11. Pubic louse
That's already more three million For years, these insects have lived side by side with people, or rather, in human hair. Few things in themselves can be more disgusting than finding such a “guest” in one’s hair, so humanity is taking all measures to protect itself from such a “neighborhood.” As a result, the number of lice around the world has sharply decreased, and scientists have sounded the alarm - one of oldest species may disappear from the face (and hair) of the Earth.
12. African dung beetle
An animal sacred to the ancient Egyptians, known as the scarab, spends its entire life literally in shit, or rather in elephant and bull dung. IN last years The population of African dung beetles has declined greatly, as as a result of improved sanitary conditions in cities, it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to find a suitable pile of dung, the quality of which scarabs are very demanding.
The beetles roll dung into balls and are able to travel quite significant distances with such “baggage”, and the dung is used not only as food, but also as an air conditioner - the evaporation of wet dung allows the scarab to effectively cool itself by climbing onto its ball.
By the way, earlier scientists discovered that in their movements dung beetles are able to navigate by Milky Way, Sun and Moon, so as not to go astray.
Full of cute and fluffy creatures. However, some representatives do not fit this description. Terrible animals are found both on land and in water, some of them have sharp fangs and teeth, others are parasites, and others look terrible but are actually harmless. Discover the 10 scariest and ugliest animals in the world.
Idiokanty
The Black Idiacanthus is a species of bioluminescent fish that lives in the deep waters of the oceans. Females of this species have sharp fangs and teeth, as well as a long antennae hanging from the chin, which contains photophores that produce light and act as a lure to attract prey. An adult female Idiacanthus can reach a length of about 60 cm and resembles eels. Males of this species are less intimidating than females. They are much smaller, without teeth or whiskers.
Lesser folded snout
The Lesser Folded Snout is a species of bat from the leaf-nosed family, distributed in the South and Central America. These little bats have big eyes, pointed snub nose And sharp teeth, which give them a terrifying appearance. Although they look scary, the lesser folded snouts pose no threat to humans. Their diet consists of insects and fruits found in tropical forests.
Long-horned sabertooth
Long-horned saber-tooth - scary deep sea fish with a large head, sharp fangs and prominent crests. Its lower fangs are so long that the fish cannot completely close its mouth. Extreme living conditions at great depths make it difficult for this species to find food. Adult sabertooths are aggressive hunters that typically suck prey into their mouths and then swallow it whole.
Large fangs allow them to hold prey (usually fish and shrimp) in their mouths. Despite its terrifying appearance, this relatively small fish (about 17 cm in length) does not pose a threat to humans.
Tapeworms
Sea devils are a group of bioluminescent fish that live in the deep waters of the oceans. Females of this species have a glowing "fishing rod" tip that hangs from their head and acts as a lure to attract prey. In some species, luminescence is the result chemical substances produced by symbiotic bacteria. These disgusting-looking fish have a huge mouth and terrifyingly sharp teeth set at an angle. The anglerfish can eat prey twice its own size. Males are significantly smaller than females.
Theraphosa Blonda or Goliath tarantula
This spider is one of the most large spiders in the world. Tarantulas use their fangs to capture and inject venom into their prey. The poison dissolves the insides of the prey, and the spider sucks out all the necessary nutrients, leaving skin and bones. They tend to eat small birds, snakes, lizards and frogs. These large, hairy, menacing spiders are quite aggressive creatures and will immediately attack if they feel threatened.
They use the hairs to make a loud noise to scare away potential predators. They are known to bite people if they feel threatened, but their venom is not fatal to humans.
Hauliods
Hauliodas are a genus of bioluminescent deep-sea sea fish, living in tropical and temperate waters. These fish have sharp fangs and teeth with which they bite through their prey. Their teeth are so long that they stick out when the fish's mouth is closed. Hauliodas have a long dorsal spine extending from the dorsal fin.
Photophores are used to lure prey within range and are distributed over the surface of the fish's body. Hauliods may look fierce, but they are small size does not pose any threat to people.
Giant isopods
The giant deep-sea isopod can reach lengths of up to 75 cm. It has a tough, segmented exoskeleton and seven pairs of legs that create a fearsome appearance. This animal is able to curl up into a ball to protect itself from predators. Lives on the ocean floor and feeds dead organisms, including whales, fish and squid. Giant isopods are capable of surviving long periods of time without eating.
Beech forktail
The beech forktail is a nocturnal butterfly with a rather strange appearance. It gets its name from the fact that its defensive position, in the caterpillar stage, resembles a "fork". They are harmless animals that use protective camouflage to hide or confuse predators. When butterflies feel threatened, they take a defensive position, which misleads other animals into thinking they are poisonous spider or other deadly insect.
Star-nosed
The star-nosed fish is a very unusual mammal that is named because of the star-shaped, fleshy tentacles around its nose. These tentacles are used to get acquainted with environment, identify prey and prevent soil from getting into the animal's nose when digging. Star-nosed bats live in wet soil temperate forests, swamps and meadows. These furry animals use sharp claws on their front paws for digging.
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