People consider many animals as “weird animals” due to their unique characteristics, behaviors, or appearance. Here we show you a few of them:
The Axolotl
Let’s address some common questions about these guys:
What does an axolotl look like?
Like the photo above. The axolotl is a type of salamander and has four legs and a long tail. Its body can grow up to 30 cm in length. It has a pinkish-gray color and feathery gills on its sides.
Where is the axolotl from?
The lakes of central Mexico. That’s how it earned its name “the Mexican salamander or the Mexican walking fish”.
What does the axolotl eat?
They are carnivorous, mostly eating worms, insects, and small fish.
Are axolotls friendly?
Yes, they can be very friendly toward humans.
Are axolotls endangered?
Yes, the axolotl is critically endangered. Fewer than 100 individuals remain in the wild. It’s all due to the destruction of its habitat, pollution, and the introduction of non-native fish that prey on the axolotl. To try to conserve the species breeding programs have been set up.
Some fun facts about the axolotl
The axolotl is most well-known for its ability to regenerate lost body parts, including its spinal cord, heart, and brain. They are neotenic, meaning they retain their juvenile features into adulthood and remain aquatic throughout their life.
Axolotls have been the subject of extensive research in the fields of developmental biology and regenerative medicine due to their regenerative abilities. Studies on axolotls have provided insight into the mechanisms of tissue regeneration. These studies have potential applications in the treatment of human disorders such as spinal cord injuries and heart disease.
Read more about them here!
The Blobfish
You may be asking yourself, shouldn’t this fish look like a pink big glob? The answer is: that it depends. If you see him outside his habitat, yes, it will look like that infamous pic that earned him “the world’s ugliest animal”. But if you see him underwater it will look like the photo above.
“The fish only looks like a miserable, pink lump when it has been torn from its home, and suffered devastating tissue damage due to the rapid depressurization as it was dragged to the surface. In its natural habitat—thousands of feet underwater—the misunderstood blobfish looks like a normal fish. “
– National Geographic.
The most famous queries about this animal are:
What does blobfish look like underwater?
Like the photo above. But actually, it depends on which fish you are referring to when saying “blobfish”. Most commonly, people refer to the Psychrolutes marcidus, the one pink in color with a body that gives it the appearance of a blob, or as if it has been “melted” when taken out of the water. Even underwater, its body is quite fragile as it relies on the water pressure to hold its shape. Its fins are small, nearly non-existent. It can grow up to 30 cm in length and weigh up to 2 kg.
But the word “blobfish” could be used to refer to the whole family Psychrotidae. Which contains 40 species of toadfish and sculpins.
What do blobfish eat?
Blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus) feed on small crustaceans and other small sea creatures that live on the sea floor. The blobfish does not have a swim bladder, which most fish have to help them control their buoyancy. So it is not able to swim actively. Instead, it passively drifts along with the currents, waiting for food to come within reach.
Where do blobfish live?
Off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania at depths of 600 to 1200 meters.
Are blobfish endangered?
The blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus) is not endangered. Instead, it’s a bycatch species, caught unintentionally during the fishing of other species. Consequently, overfishing and deep-sea habitat destruction may impact blobfish populations.
Although the blobfish is not classified as endangered, the deep-sea habitat it inhabits confronts numerous threats arising from human activities like deep-sea trawling, mining, and pollution. The deep sea is additionally susceptible to climate change and ocean acidification. As a result, there is a need for conservation initiatives to safeguard the deep-sea ecosystem and its inhabitants, including the blobfish.
To know more about this creature read this post!
The Frilled Shark
The frilled shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus) is a deep-sea shark that has a long, eel-like body that can reach up to 2 meters in length and a frill of skin around its neck that gives it its name. It is considered a “living fossil” as it is a very ancient species that has changed little over time.
Where do frilled sharks live?
You can find the frilled shark in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Primarily, in deep waters at depths between 600 and 1500 meters.
How many frilled sharks are left?
The exact number of frilled sharks (Chlamydoselachus anguineus) left in the wild is unknown. However, the species is considered very rare and has been listed as “near threatened” by IUCN.
Studying the frilled shark is challenging due to its rare nature and deep-sea habitat, resulting in limited knowledge about its population size or trends. Commercial fishing operations targeting other species unintentionally capture it as a bycatch species. Furthermore, deep-sea fishing operations catch the frilled shark, as some countries consider it a delicacy.
The IUCN has cited the lack of data on the species as a major concern. More research is needed to better understand the population status of the frilled shark. As well as to develop conservation measures to protect it.
What do frilled sharks eat?
The frilled shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus) is an ambush deep-sea predator that uses its frilly gills to sense prey in the dark waters where it lives. Due to the lack of data about this species, not much is known about its feeding habits and behavior. However, its diet is thought to consist of other deep-sea species such as lantern sharks, ratfish, and various species of bony fish, as well as cephalopods like octopuses.
It has a long, flexible jaw with needle-like teeth arranged in a circular pattern, which allows it to capture and hold onto slippery prey such as eels and squids. It has a unique jaw mechanism that allows it to open its mouth very wide and swallow prey whole.
To know more about them go here!
Other “weird” animals
More animals some people see as “weird animals” for one reason or another are:
The Giant Tube Worm
A deep-sea worm that lives in hydrothermal vents, it has a tube-like body that can reach up to several meters long and survive in extreme temperatures and pressures.
The Anglerfish
A deep-sea fish that has a large head and a protruding jaw filled with sharp teeth. It also has a bioluminescent lure on its head that it uses to attract prey. This is what probably comes to mind when thinking about weird animals!
The Goblin shark
A rare species of shark that has a long, flattened snout. It uses its snout to sense its prey in the deep sea.
The Sea Pen
A colonial marine invertebrate that resembles a feathery pen, they are found in shallow waters, they are composed of many small polyps that can retract into a hard, protective skeleton. This can be considered when thinking about weird animals!
The Sea Pig
A deep-sea sea cucumber that has a plump, pig-like body and many short, stumpy legs.
As you know, some of these species are at risk of extinction. To know about some organizations dedicated to conservation click here and support the animals!