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      Strange Looking Creatures

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      The Anfield Warrior
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      Re: Strange Looking Creatures
      Reply #23: Jun 02, 2010 03:21:10 pm
      A star-nosed mole:





      Looks kinda cute when its standing up though. No? :laugh:

      A French Tickler Gerbil..???
      Adryan
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      Re: Strange Looking Creatures
      Reply #24: Jun 07, 2010 03:25:59 pm
      Bird dung crab spider



      This spider has one of the most effective camouflages of all animals; its body is covered on blobs and warts that give it the appearance of a fresh piece of bird excrement; it often produces a small thread of white silk and sits on it so that it looks like the white stains caused by bird droppings falling onto leaves. And as if this was not amazing enough, it also smells like poop. This camouflage has a double function; it makes the spider a rather unappetizing prey for most animals (especially birds themselves), and it serves as a lure for the small, excrement-loving insects which are the spiderā€™s favorite prey. These spiders are found in Asia, from Indonesia to Japan.

      Argyrodes colubrinus



      Usually known as the Whip Spider, although this name is also used for another arachnid and could lead to confusion. Found in Australia, this spider has a long, thin abdomen similar to a snakeā€™s body, hence its species name colubrinus, which means ā€œsnake-likeā€. Its unusual appearance is, again, an example of camouflage. By looking like a small twig caught in spider silk, it escapes notice by most predators, and is less easily spotted by its prey. The whip spider belongs to the same family as the dangerous black widow. It is not known how potent the whip spiderā€™s venom really is, but it is usually regarded as harmless due to its docile nature and short chelicerae (fangs).

      Scorpion-tailed spider



      So named because of the femaleā€™s weird abdomen, ended in a ā€œtailā€ similar to that of a scorpion. When threatened, the scorpion-tailed spider arches this tail as a scorpion would. Only the female has a tail; the male looks more like an ordinary spider and is much smaller. These creatures are, again, found in Australia and they seem to be completely harmless. They spin circular webs and are often found in colonies, although each female spider has its own web and doesnā€™t venture into those of other females.

      Bagheera kiplingi



      This spider was named Bagheera kiplingi after Bagheera, the black panther character in The Jungle Book, and the bookā€™s author Rudyard Kipling. It was seemingly named because of itā€™s panther-like agility, which is common to all jumping spiders. However, while all the other known jumping spiders are predators, Bagheera is almost completely vegetarian, feeding almost exclusively on acacia buds and nectar. They use their agility to escape the aggressive ants that usually protect acacia trees from other animals. Occasionally, the Bagheera spider feeds on ant larvae, and even, if very hungry, on other Bagheeras (itā€™s still a spider, after all!) Funnily enough, there is a chapter in The Jungle Book in which, during a period of food scarcity, Bagheera the panther claims that he hopes he could be a vegetarian!

      Assassin spider



      Iā€™ve already introduced this spider in the surreal animal list, but it just has to be in this one too. Found in Madagascar and parts of Africa and Australia, these bizarre predators have long necks designed to support the weight of their enormous jaws, and they feed almost exclusively on other spiders, hence their name. Despite their fearsome appearance and name, they are completely harmless to humans. An interesting note is that these spiders are survivors from the age of dinosaurs! Perhaps thatā€™s why they look so alien nowadays?

      Argyroneta aquatica



      Known usually as the Water Spider or Diving Bell Spider, it is the only completely aquatic spider in the world. It is found in Europe and Asia, from the UK to Siberia, and lives in ponds, slow moving streams and shallow lakes. Since it cannot take oxygen directly from water, the Water Spider builds an underwater retreat with silk, and fills it with air it carries from the surface (by trapping air bubbles in the hairs that cover its body and legs). Once filled with air, the silk retreat becomes bell shaped and has a silvery shine, hence the spiderā€™s name (Argyroneta means ā€œsilvery netā€). The spider spends most of its time inside the bell, and only has to replenish the air once in a while. It feeds on whatever aquatic invertebrate they can capture, including backswimmers, water striders and diverse larvae; they also hunt tadpoles and small fish occasionally.

      Spiny Orb Weaver



      Rather than being a single species, horned spiders, also known as Spiny Orb Weavers, are a genus that includes as many as 70 known species, with many more yet to be discovered. They are found all around the world and are completely harmless despite their frightening appearance; the horns and spines are supossed to be a deterrent to birds. These spiders are also noted for adding small silk ā€œflagsā€ to the edges of their webs. These flags make the web more visible to small birds, which can then steer away before becoming entangled on the web. Horned spiders are found all around the world, often in gardens and near houses.

      Maratus volans



      Yet another Australian species. Commonly known as the Peacock spider, due to the brightly colored, circular flap in the maleā€™s abdomen. Just like an actual peacock, the male of this diminutive species raises this flap like a colorful fan and uses it to catch the femaleā€™s attention (they have extremely acute eyesight, as do most jumping spiders); it also vibrates its hind legs and abdomen for a more dramatic effect. Another common trait with the peacock is that the male Maratus will sometimes court several females at the same time. Until recently, it was thought that the male peacock spider was capable of gliding through the air; according to some, it would extend the flap when leaping, and therefore increase its jumping distance, hence its name (volans means ā€œflyingā€). Today we know that the flap is for display purposes only. But that doesnā€™t make it any less awesome.

      Myrmarachne plataleoides



      This spider is an incredible example of Batesian mimicry, when one animal deters potential predators by ā€œdisguisingā€ as an unpalatable or dangerous animal of another species. In this case, it is a jumping spider that looks like a Weaver Ant. The Weaver Ant is noted for its painful bite and also because they produce two different chemicals that increase the pain in the bite wound. They are very aggressive ants and the effects of their bite can last for several days. Many birds, reptiles and amphibians avoid these ants.

      On the other hand, the Myrmarachne spider is harmless and shy; however, it pretends to be just as tough by looking and walking almost exactly as a Weaver Ant; its cephalothroax (the front section of a spiderā€™s body) is modified so that it looks like the distinct head and thorax of an ant, and it has two black spots that mimic the antā€™s eyes. Its forelegs mimic the antā€™s antennae, so the spider looks as if it had only six legs, like an actual ant. Myrmarachne plataleoides is only found in India, China and South Eastern Asia, but is not the only ant-mimicking spider; many other species are found around the worldā€™s tropics and they imitate many different kinds of aggressive ant.

      Happy face spider



      No kidding. This is a real animal, closely related to the black widow spider and found in the rainforests of Hawaii, where it is known as nananana makakiā€™I. It is not known to be dangerous to humans in any way. The strange patterns in the spiderā€™s yellow abdomen often take the form of a smiling face, although in some individuals the markings are less obvious or even absent. Some happy face spiders can actually have markings reminiscent of a frowning or screaming face!
      Although this is not the only spider with face-like markings, it is certainly the one with the most notorious one. Unfortunately, it is the only spider in this list considered as endangered, due to its limited range and the reduction of its natural habitat.

      King Vulture



      Vultures are usually seen as dull, ugly, black birds. The King Vulture, however, is a colorful creature. Its body is white on the top and black on the bottom, while its head is covered with colors ranging from red, orange and yellow to blue and purple. It also has a wattle on its head. They do not have a voice box, but they still can make low noises. According to Mayan mythology, these birds were the messengers of the gods. And when you look at one, you can see why. [Image Source]

      Japanese Spider Crab



      The largest living Arthropod, this huge crab has legs that can reach up to 4 meters (13 feet) in length and 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in weight! They are also said to live up to a hundred years. Enjoy your nightmares!

      Sea Spiders



      These spider-like creatures live in various depths of marine bodies. Their most notable characteristic, other than their habitat, is their huge legs (at least compared to their bodies). They have no respiratory system: instead, they use diffusion to survive. The largest of these belong to the Colossendeis colossea species.

      Whip Scorpions



      These frightening Arachnids have large pedipalps (pincers) and a ā€œwhipā€ at the end of their abdomen. More notably, these creatures can spray various chemicals from their abdomen, including formic acid (CH2O2), chlorine, and a mixture of acetic acid (C2H4O2) and octanoic acid (C8H16O2), depending on the species. The last spray has a vinegar-like smell, hence their alternate name, ā€œVinegarroonsā€. Similar creatures include Whip Spiders (also known as Tailess Whip Scorpions) and Micro Whip Scorpions.

      Upside-down Catfish



      As their name states, these African fish are often found swimming upside-down. It is thought they do this so they can reach food on the waterā€™s surface, such as insect eggs. Their coloration is also reversed: unlike most fish, their belly is darker than their top. This is to give them camouflage from predators from above. They are popular aquarium fish and might be available at your local pet shop.

      Water Bears



      These tiny, caterpillar-like creatures are some of the most amazin creatures in existence. They can live practically anywhere, from hot springs to arctic regions. More amazingly, these things can enter a cryonic state that makes them almost impervious to environmental hazards. They can briefly survive temperatures of over 150 degrees Celsius as well as near-absolute zero temperatures. They can withstand massive pressures, radiation, and even the deadly vacuum of space. Their metabolism also grinds to a near halt. They are most frequently found on mosses, lichens, and other damp places.

      Vampire Moth



      Not all butterflies and moths drink nectar! The vampire moth literally drinks blood! It uses its proboscis to pierce the skin of its target and drink the creatureā€™s blood. And yes, they occasionally bite humans! Fortunately, they do not cause any known diseases. Only the males bite.

      Megalopyge Opercularis



      These moths are very furry, especially as a caterpillar. Known by several names, such as the pussy moth/puss caterpillar, the southern flannel moth, and the asp caterpillar, this moth is said to look like a Persian cat as a caterpillar. They may look ā€œpettableā€ as a caterpillar, but do NOT touch it! Like many caterpillars, these insects have a defense mechanism: those hairs are actually venomous spines. Touching one will not kill you, but it will HURT and cause a rash! First-aid is recommended if you accidentally make contact with one of these caterpillars. It uses its fur as its cocoon.

      Giraffe Weevil



      As you might expect, these weevils have a long, slender neck (only the males have this long neck, though). These long necks help the weevils in building nests. They are also quite colorful, being mostly black with a red body.

      Dwarf Sperm Whale



      The Sperm Whale is a mighty creature. It is the largest of the tooth whales, dives to incredible depths, and is known to eat massive squids. However, this species is the smallest known whale. It is not much bigger than a human adult in length. This creature can also expel a reddish substance to ward off predators (which can also be done by a similar species, the Pygmy Sperm Whale).

      Cnemidophorus Uniparens



      These lizards might look normal on the outside, but on closer investigation, a surprising fact is revealed: some species, such as the New Mexico Whiptail, consist entirely of females. They undergo Parthenogenesis, which is embryo fertilization without a male, to produce new offspring. Despite this, however, these lizards still ā€œmateā€ to increase fertility.

      Andean Cock-of-the-rock



      The females of this species of bird are normal enough, but the males have an odd crest that looks like a large, red/orange bulge. Its feathers consist of reds/oranges in the front, black near the bottom, and a bit of grey. They are national bird of Peru.

      Coconut Crab



      The largest living arthropod to dwell on land (weighing up to 4.1 kilograms (9 pounds)), this hermit crab is known to climb trees and eat coconuts. Unlike other hermit crabs, only the juveniles wear shells. The older youngsters often wear coconut shells. They come in a variety of colors, such as orange and blue. They are rumored to steal shiny objects.

      Hairy Frog



      This African frog gets its name from the hair-like structure found on the sides of males. These hairs are used to increase the rate that the frog absorbs oxygen, since the males spend long periods of time guarding their eggs. Another impressive fact about these frogs is that they have retractable claws made of bone (as opposed to keratin). However, to get these claws out, the frog must break a bone nodule first. Ouch!

      Barreleye Fish



      Although this fishā€™s existence has been known for quite some time, it was only this year that scientists fully understood how bizarre it is. These fish have a mostly black body with a transparent head (which was unheard of until recently, since it always shattered while the fish was being brought up to the surface). Although it has two indentions in the front of its head, those are NOT its eyes: its eyes are the green spheres in its transparent head. These eyes can be used to look above for food or look forward when it is stalking its prey.

      50 Foot Snake

      Watch at your own risk.

      The largest dead snake ever found, over 50 feet.
      Bpatel
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      Re: Strange Looking Creatures
      Reply #25: Jun 07, 2010 03:32:55 pm
      Dmasta
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      Re: Strange Looking Creatures
      Reply #26: Jun 07, 2010 05:36:40 pm
      Dead my arse you b***ard. :D

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