Top 10 Fantastic and Surreal Creatures

abgsedapmalam

This is a list of some of nature’s creations that simply defy human  imagination. Unlike the Little
Known Prehistoric Monster lists, this one  depicts only species that are alive today. They may not be as big or  scary, but these creatures are certainly fantastic and deserve more  attention than they usually get.


10
Olm
Proteus anguinus



This amphibian, native to the deepest, darkest caves of Europe (most  famously in Slovenia) and mistakenly identified in ancient times as a  “baby dragon” has to be one of the most bizarre animals in the world.  Completely blind, and lacking body pigmentation almost completely, the  olm lives in a very alien sensory universe. Despite being blind, it can  pick up both chemical and electrical  signals via receptors on its  entire body, which comes in handy to find the small invertebrates it  feeds upon. Completely aquatic, the olm has a soft, pale skin that  resembles somewhat that of a very pale human being, hence its local  nickname of “human fish”. There’s a second subspecies of olm, the black  olm, which is just as interesting but a tad less bizarre, since it has  eyes and lacks the pale complexion of its cousin.

9
Blanket octopus
Tremoctopus violaceus


There’s no such thing as a “normal octopus”. These extraordinary  animals look like they came from another planet, took a dip in our  oceans and liked it enough to stay. Among the many strange traits of  octopuses (octopi?) we could mention having three hearts, venomous  saliva, a hidden parrot-like beak, being able to change the color and  texture of their skin with incredible ease and speed (they are much  better at it than say, chameleons) and having “intelligent arms” that  don’t seem to need instructions from the brain to perform certain  actions.
That said, there are some octopi that are more bizarre than others.  The blanket octopus is one of them; for a start, the female is 40.000  times heavier than the male! The male is only 2.4 cms along and leads an  almost planktonic lifestyle while the female is big, spectacular and  over than 2 meters long. When it feels threatened, the female can also  extend a cape-like membrane between its arms that makes her look bigger  and badder than she really is. Finally, an interesting fact is that the  blanket octopus is immune to the deadly Portuguese Man’O War  “jellyfish”; as self defense, the clever octopus often tears off some  Man’O War tentacles and uses them as a weapon.

8
Glass frog
Centrolenidae


What makes these little Tropical American frogs so surreal is that  they have translucent skin, which basically makes them a living anatomy  lesson without even having to cut open the frog! Indeed, some of their  internal organs such as the heart, intestines and liver are perfectly  visible when you look at the frog’s underside. They are closely related  and behave similarly to the better known tree frogs.

7
Blobfish
Psychrolutes marcidus


This gelatinous deep water fish has a face that only its mother would  love (although those who truly admire Nature’s boundless and sometimes  macabre creativity will certainly appreciate it too). Found in the  oceans surrounding Australia and Tasmania, the blobfish leads a rather  passive life, feeding on whatever piece of detritus floats within its  reach. It lacks the muscular power of other fish and practically doesn’t  spend any energy while swimming thanks to its body being less dense  than water. Rarely seen alive, the blobfish is occasionally captured as  by-catch by fisherman’s nets. I strongly doubt it’s edible, though.

6
Assassin spider
Archaeidae


Don’t worry, arachnophobic Listverse readers! The assassin spider is  only 2 mm long and despite its name and creepy appearance, it is  completely harmless to humans. Its long “neck” has evolved specifically  to support the weight of its immense jaws, which are armed with venomous  fangs and act as deadly traps for other, smaller spiders that are its  main food.
5
Hatchetfish
Sternoptychidae


Viewed from the front, the hatchetfish looks otherworldly, and in a  way, it does live in a different world from ours. This deep water fish  is found in all the oceans except for the coldest regions, and, like the  olm and blobfish, spends its entire life in almost complete darkness.  The only life it sees is produced by living creatures, including itself,  via special “photophores” or light-producing organs on its sides, which  allow it to lure prey and to escape predators. As scary as it may look,  the hatchetfish poses no threat for humans, being only a few  centimeters long.

4
Hairy crab
Kiwa hirsuta


Also known as the “Yeti crab”, this crustacean is covered on what, at  first glance, appears to be fur, but is actually a dense covering of  setae, like those found in the legs of some shrimps. These setae seem to  function as a filter, detoxifying the water in which the creature  lives. This is very useful when your habitat is a deadly hydrothermal  vent that is constantly throwing poisonous minerals into the water. The  Yeti crab is blind and colorless and lives its entire life in darkness,  just like the olm, blobfish and hatchetfish. It seems that Nature sends  many of its most surreal creations to the places where humans are most  unlikely to see or reach them. Maybe because they will last longer that  way?

3
Leafy Sea Dragon
Phycodurus eques


This fish, closely related to the sea horse, survives by pretending  to be a floating bunch of sea weed. It swims very slowly, which adds to  the effect, and besides, its dorsal and pectoral fins (which do all the  swimming), are transparent and practically invisible. I strongly suspect  most predators don’t even know the leafy sea dragon exists at all!  These amazing little creatures have weird reproductive habits; the  female lays the eggs into the male’s body via a long tube, and the male  carries the brood until the baby dragons hatch. This fish is found in  the southern and western coasts of Australia.

2
Satanic leaf-tailed gecko
Uroplatus phantasticus


Evolution made this lizard looks so much like a decaying, dry leaf,  that it is seldom seen, let alone eaten, by any predators. It is found  only in Madagascar, where it shares the forests with other fantastic  reptiles. It is an insect eater and despite its infernal name, scary  eyes and defensive threat display (which it uses only when camouflage  doesn’t work, which is very rarely), it is completely harmless to  humans. Unfortunately, this incredible species is endangered due to  over-collecting for the pet trade, and the devastation of its natural  habitat (Madagascar’s forests have been reduced in a 90% and most of its  iconic species are either gone or in the edge of extinction).

1
Hemeroplanes caterpillar


Yes, a humble caterpillar is number one in this list and I think it  really deserves it. This is, in my opinion, a living masterpiece of  nature and although all animals are amazing, this has to be one of the  most awe-inspiring. Incredibly rare to see and found only in the rain  forests of Mexico and Central America, this little creature is usually  normal-looking and has rather drab colors, but if threatened by a  potential predator, it undergoes an incredible transformation; it hangs  from a branch with its hind legs, and inflates the front part of its  body, until it looks just like a small pitviper ready to inject its  deadly venom.
Not only does it mimic the triangular “head”, fierce eyes and shiny  scales perfectly, but it also pretends to “strike” at enemies (it’s just  a bluff, since it is not venomous or dangerous in any way). Surely,  many of its potential enemies (including some humans!) fall for this  incredibly accurate imitation and leave the caterpillar alone. As an  adult, the Hemeroplanes is a rather non-descript moth that has  absolutely nothing viper-ish about it. The Hemeroplanes caterpillar is  poorly known, and sadly endangered due to deforestation.

source