Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The leafy sea dragon

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The leafy sea dragon, Phycodurus eques, is a marine fish in the family Syngnathidae, which also includes the seahorses. It is the only member of the genus Phycodurus. It is found along the southern and western coasts of Australia. The name is derived from the appearance, with long leaf-like protrusions coming from all over the body. These protrusions are not used for propulsion; they serve only as camouflage. The leafy sea dragon propels itself by means of a pectoral fin on the ridge of its neck and a dorsal fin on its back closer to the tail end. These small fins are almost completely transparent and difficult to see as they undulate minutely to move the creature sedately through the water, completing the illusion of floating seaweed.

Naked mole rat

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Weirdness factor: Almost totally blind, the naked mole rat is one of only two species of mammals that live in colonies with a caste system, like termites or ants. There’s one queen and sometimes hundreds of workers and soldiers — which are expected to sacrifice themselves in battle should a snake appear (and not lose its appetite). See it in: Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia (and Zoo Atlanta and the National Zoo).

Matamata turtle

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Weirdness factor: The knobby, gnarled matamata uses its huge mouth to suck in unsuspecting food sources as they pass by. In Spanish, matamata means “it kills, it kills.”

See it in: The Amazon River in Brazil, and in parts of Trinidad and Guyana (and the Honolulu Zoo and San Diego Zoo).

Aye-aye

The aye-aye is a kind of lemur, with large round ears that rotate independently. The aye-aye feeds using its long middle finger to scoop out grubs in tree bark. See it in Madagascar (and the Bristol Zoo Gardens) (Courtesy Bristol Zoo Gardens)

Tired of seeing run-of-the-mill lions, tigers, and bears? Then say "oh my!" to these oddball creatures at zoos and sanctuaries worldwide.

Aye-aye

Weirdness factor: Where to start? The aye-aye is a kind of lemur, with large round ears that rotate independently. How does it eat? There are no woodpeckers in Madagascar, but the aye-aye has evolved to feed like one, using its long middle finger to scoop out grubs in tree bark.

Proboscis monkey

The male proboscis monkey has a pendulous nose that is thought to amplify his calls to females (and his warnings to big-nosed rivals). See it in Borneo (and the Singapore Zoo) (Gavriel Jecan/Corbis)

Weirdness factor: The male proboscis monkey has a pendulous nose that is thought to amplify his calls to females (and his warnings to big-nosed rivals). The most dominant male usually has the biggest nose and can collect a harem of five to eight females.

Lizard with Two Tails

As if that’s not enough, another weird animal was captured in Malaysia: a two-tailed lizard:

Farmer Ahmad Mustafa caught the unusual green lizard with a split tail near his house last month in the northern state of Penang, the New Straits Times said in a report accompanied by a photograph of the strange reptile.

Fed a diet of worms, the lizard is now 5.9 inches long "and it has found a special place in Ahmad’s heart," the Times said.

Link

The Deep Sea Viperfish

The Deep Sea Viperfish

A Viperfish is a deep sea fish that can grow up to 60 cm in length. There are known 27 species of Viperfish and all of them have big teeth's that stick out there mouth. With these teeth's he is one of the most feared deep sea creatures. The Viperfish has a light giving organ that attracts his victims, just like a fishing lure. They are still a great mystery as all the other deep sea creatures.