- What is with calling animals something that they’re really not?
We’re constantly finding new, wonderful, and strange forms of life on our planet. But you don’t need all those new discoveries to be astonished at the variety of animals crawling, hopping, and flying on Earth.
In fact, you’ve probably never even heard of most animals that exist somewhere right now. Some of those creatures are, as you might expect, pretty mind-bogglingly bizarre.
Here’s a collection of nine weird animals that we would bet you haven’t heard of — at least not very often.
1. Panda Ant
It’s easy to see why the panda ant is called a panda ant. Except not really, because it’s not an ant.
This thing is a wasp.
Panda “ants” are actually a species of wingless wasps living in the forests of Chile. They lay their eggs into the living larvae of other insects — including ants and other wasps.
2. Sunda colugo
Sunda colugo is also known as the Sunda flying lemur. And like the panda ant, its name is a complete misnomer.
This creature neither flies nor is it a lemur. It has a large skin membrane that it can use to glide from tree to tree, but it can’t actually fly.
Colugos are related to lemurs, but actual lemurs they are not. This 10-inch-long, 2-pound little freak of nature lives in the jungles of southeast Asia, feeding on soft plant parts and fruit.
3. Blue Parrotfish
Finally, an accurate name. The blue parrotfish is indeed really, really blue.
This beautiful tropical fish (with a funny face) lives in the coastal coral reefs around the U.S., the Caribbean, and South America. And, according to scientists, they are “professional sand suckers.”
They spend 80% of their time slurping up algae from rocks on the bottom of the sea. Blue parrotfish even have teeth in their throats (not their mouths) that they can use to grind rocks into sand.
4. Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko
We can’t really blame you if you didn’t know the satanic leaf-tailed gecko existed. That’s how they like it — the lizards look exactly like withered leaves.
These strange geckos live only in a small strip of forests on the island of Madagascar. During the day they pretend to be dead leaves, while at night they venture out looking for bugs to eat.
But why are they called “satanic?” Well, some scientists thought they look like Old Nick, with their red eyes and two horn-like protrusions.
5. Pacu
On first look, there’s nothing too bizarre about the pacu. But things get weird once you look into its mouth.
Are those human teeth?
Indeed, this relative of the piranha has a set of chompers that look disturbingly human. Legend has it that is uses those teeth to bite the testicles of hapless male swimmers.
Don’t worry, though. The pacu is mostly a plant-eater, so it’s after different kinds of nuts.
6. Long-Wattled Umbrellabird
Some of the animals on this list have had misleading names, but you can’t say that about the long-wattled umbrellabird. The most distinguishing feature of this species’ males is the very long wattle of feathers at their throats.
But enough about the wattle. Just look at the pompadour on this bird!
It looks like John Travolta from Grease. I bet these birds love rockabilly.
7. Asian Giant Softshell Turtle
The Asian giant softshell turtle is a pretty sad animal. To begin with, it’s not that giant, even though they can weigh around 200 pounds.
Also, what kind of turtle has a soft shell? There’s just missing there.
Honestly, this thing looks like someone took a turtle and deflated it.
But despite its looks, this turtle is pretty fearsome. It’s a carnivorous ambush predator that spends 95% of its life motionless buried in underwater sand, emerging only twice a day to take a breath.
8. Hummingbird Hawk-Moth
The hummingbird hawk-moth is named after three different animals. Can you guess which one of them it actually is?
It is a moth. What, did you think it’d be none of them? That’s just too much.
The “hummingbird” in the name comes from its flight and feeding behavior. Buzzing about, this inch-long moth looks pretty much like a hummingbird.
No idea where the “hawk” comes from, though.
9. Penis Snake
The penis snake is not a snake. Instead, it’s a caecilian, a worm- or snake-like amphibian distantly related to frogs.
Neither is it a penis. But it really looks like one.
Just look at it. It’s like someone’s trouser snake slithered off for a vacation.
Officially, the penis snake is called Atretochoana eiselti. But it’s much better known by its nicknames, which include “manaconda” and the “floppy snake,” in addition to penis snake.
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