Amidst the tropical streams and rivers of Central and South American rain forests live some of the most extraordinary creatures of our planet: the Jesus Christ lizards. Next to lizards that look like miniature dragons and that don’t need sex, these lizards more properly known as basillisks may be even more spectacular: they have the seemingly miraculous ability to run across water!
On the western coasts of Central and South America lives a fascinating bird with turquoise blue feet! It is the aptly-named blue-footed booby. Males of this magnificent bird species try to impress females by showing off their fabulous feet and stamping them on the ground in a dance-like fashion. Male boobies even make a whistle noise to further get the females attention.
A male and female blue footed booby during their courtship ritual
Wow, this plant certainly is one of the most bizarre-looking plants on our planet. It is the Hydnora africana, a parasitic plant that grows almost completely underground on the roots of shrubby plants in the arid desert regions of southern Africa. The only part that rises above the desert sand is its fleshy flower that looks more like the head of a blind snake!
Hydnora africana is one of the most bizarre looking and worst smelling plants on our planet!
Ow, did I tell you already it smells like feces too? In this way it attracts carrion and dung beetles, its natural pollinators. The salmon-red flower traps the beetles that enter, only to release them when the flower is fully opened.
Hydnora africana. Photograph: Martin Heigan
The tiny pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world. Measuring only some 13 centimeters (5in), this tawny colored primate is as big as a soda can! They have long hair on their heads and chests, giving the appearance of a mane, and a huge tail that can be as long as their body.
Pygmy marmoset twin clinging on to a finger. Photograph: Frösö Zoo
Glass frogs are beautiful frogs with a semi-transparent skin
Among the many weird and fascinating amphibians on our planet, very special are the Glass Frogs. This amazing frog family has a transparent skin, allowing you to view inside its small body. They are so transparent that it almost looks as if they melt into the leaves and become one with them.
The barreleye has extremely light-sensitive eyes that can rotate within its transparent, fluid-filled head. Photograph: {link:http://www.mbari.org/}MBARI{/link}
Even the phrase “seeing is believing” is not enough when looking at this astonishing fish! Meet Macropinna microstoma, commonly known as the “barreleye”. Barreleye fish have a transparent head with large internal eyes that are able to look upward. Living at depths of 600 to 800 meters below the surface, these ultra-sensitive eyes help these fish search for the faint silhouettes of prey overhead.
The proboscis monkey with its giant nose
With their large pendulous nose, giant bellies, and permanent erect penis, the proboscis monkey has one of the most unusual appearances of all primates. Their most distinctive trait is their large protruding nose. Although females already have a very large nose for a primate, the nose of males is so long it often hangs over their mouth, exceeding 10cm in length. Why males have such a large nose is still a matter of dispute but may be a form of sexual selection, with females preferring males with large noses because the nose amplifies vocalisations.
A gliding lizard looks like a miniature version of a dragon
This amazing looking creature may appear to be a miniature dragon, but is actually a gliding lizard. These lizards use their wings to fly from tree to tree which enables them to quickly get away from predators. Oddly enough, the wings are just a very well rearranged rib cage. By elongating their extended movable ribs, spanning the large flap of skin between their limbs, these arboreal reptiles can glide distances of over 60 meters.
Imagine an organism that has four hearts, one nostril, no eyes, no stomach but with teeth on its tongue! This may seem like a creature from another world, but a fish with all these attributes exists. It is the hagfish, one of the most primitive fish on our planet.
Hundreds of hagfish swimming around a oilpipe. Photograph: Jones/SERPENT
Pistol shrimps are fascinating crustaceans that have a very special way of hunting. By an extremely rapid closing of their oversized claw, the shrimp produce a loud snapping sound that stuns their prey. The noise made by the pistol shrimp is not caused by the claws hitting each other – as scientists used to believe – but by a jet of water created by the impact that shoots out at 100 km/h.
The pistol shrimp stun their prey by snapping their large claw
The platypus is one of the most fascinating species on our planet. Not only because this mammal lays eggs, is venomous and has a bill like a duck, but because it is the most evolutionary distinct mammal that exist today.
A platypus underwater. Photograph: Peterarnold/BIOS
The platypus (Ornithorhycnhus anatinus) is a very remarkable species and is the most evolutionary distinct mammal alive today. Platypus are endemic to Australia and are widespread in the countries’ eastern states. They occupy a wide range of habitats and climates, but are dependent on river streams and bodies of freshwater.
Hi, I'm Jolle Jolles, the guy behind Mudfooted! With a great curiosity for natural history, Mudfooted.com is my journal where I report about our weird and fascinating natural world. Learn more...
