World’s Strangest Creatures
March 3, 2020
Tess Murray
I have loved flowers that fade, Within whose magic tents Rich hues have marriage made With sweet unmemoried scents: A honeymoon delight, A joy of love at sight, That ages in an hour My song be like a flower!.

I have loved airs that die Before their charm is writ Along a liquid sky Trembling to welcome it. Notes, that with pulse of fire Proclaim the spirit's desire, Then die, and are nowhere My song be like an air!.

Die, song, die like a breath, And wither as a bloom; Fear not a flowery death, Dread not an airy tomb! Fly with delight, fly hence! 'Twas thine love's tender sense To feast; now on thy bier Beauty shall shed a tear.

- Robert Bridges
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Our world is full of beautiful, diverse species and incredibly unique forms of life that can be found in the most unlikely places. Our world is also full of strange and unusual creatures that are beautiful in their own way… well, maybe. Here are some of our favorite under-appreciated creatures we are lucky enough to share our world with.

 

Giant Isopod

 

Getty Images/ AFP/ Christophe Archambault

 

A giant isopod refers to numerous species of oversized isopods that are found in abundance in cold, deep water of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Some can grow up to 20 inches long and weight around 3-5 pounds.

 

 

Orchid Mantis

 

Getty Images/ Entertainment/ Shirlaine Forrest

 

Other than the butterfly family, this strange creature is among the most beautiful insects out there. It is among the species of the flower mantises, which both look like and copy the flowers they come across.  Their colors can change, ranging from white and yellow, to pink and brown.

 

Spider Crabs

 

Getty Images/ Boston Globe/ Tom Herde

 

This super creepy spider crab is Japanese and is known as the taka-ashi-gani in Japan, which translates to ”tall legs crab”.  Their legs can reach up to 12 feet in length, and weigh as much as 42 pounds. It looks like something that could attack all of Japan in a Godzilla movie.

 

 

Mantis Shrimp

 

Getty Images/ AFP/ Alex Ogle

 

The Mantis Shrimp may appear to be a cross between a crayfish and a parrot, but it’s not to be disturbed. It moves extremely fast, so much so that they actually boil the water surrounding them. The shockwaves they produce are so strong that they can kill their prey.

 

Frogmouth

 

Getty Images/
Christian Science Monitor/ Melanie Stetson Freeman

 

Frogmouths are found in the Western Ghats mountain range of Sri Lanka and South India. They live in the dense undergrowth of tropical forests, and are very difficult to spot due to their grey-brown feathers.  What makes them uniquely strange is their rather oversized head.

 

 

Platypus

 

Getty Images/ Fairfax Media Archives/ Kenneth Stevens

 

This creature is so weird that the first scientists to have discovered them back in 1799 actually believed them to be fake and that they were made from sewing a variety of animals together. However, this is a real animal. It’s got the feet of an otter, the tail of a Beaver, and the bill of a duck.  They were once hunted for their fur, but they are now protected.

 

Coconut Crabs

 

Getty Images/ AFP/ WILLIAM WEST

 

These tropical looking coconut crabs are a species of the hermit crab.  They mostly live on the coasts of the Indian Ocean and the central Pacific Ocean.  They eat mainly fleshy fruits and seeds, however they also consume dead animals.  Their only known predators are other coconut crabs and humans.

 

 

Frilled Shark

 

Getty Images/ News/ Awashima Marine Park

 

The frilled shark is one of the most rarely seen animals out there. It can be found in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and depths of 5,000 feet. Although it is considered to be a prehistoric animals, it is still living, and is seen as a rare living fossil.  It’s got an eel-like body and 300 teeth in 25 rows, allowing it to rip through prey like nothing.

 

Assassin Bug

 

Getty Images/ Barcroft Media/ Sijori Images

 

These alien like predators are in the same family as the plant-eating Shield Bug, however their favorite victims are ants and bees. They are best known for their ninja-like skills, including the ability to coat themselves with ant carcasses to disguise themselves.

 

 

Pangolin

 

Getty Images/ AFP

 

There are eight different species of the Pangolin that can be found in both Africa and Asia. They are the most heavily trafficked mammals in the world, and are highly endangered. They appear similar to pine cones and ancient Armadillos, with long tongues, and stink glands so bad, they can be compared to skunks.

 

Bocydium Globulare

 

Getty Images/ News/ Patrick Landmann

 

This Brazilian treehopper belongs to the treehopper family, and has very strange features similar to a helicopter. They can be found throughout the world, however are most dominant in South America, Africa, Asia, North America, and Australia.

 

 

 

Axolotl

 

Getty Images/ AFP/ RONALDO SCHEMIDT

 

The Axolotl is also known as the Mexican Walking Fish. It is highly endangered, and nearly went extinct in 2010.  They are often used for research due to the ability to regenerate limbs.