Amazing animals — A look at the weird and wonderful species that live on our planet
Latest about amazing animals
Wallace's sphinx moth: The long-tongued insect predicted by Darwin decades before it was discovered
By Megan Shersby published
Darwin and fellow naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace predicted the existence of Wallace's sphinx moth from an orchid with an extremely long nectar tube.
Takins: Strange, mountain-dwelling mammals with mythical golden fleeces
By Richard Pallardy published
These weird-looking stocky mammals roam Alpine zones and forested valleys in Asia, using their specially adapted split hooves help them traverse the steep, rocky terrain.
Mangrove leaf slug: The solar-powered mollusk that gobbles up sunlight then goes months without eating
By Sascha Pare published
This frilly slug lives in the mangroves of southeastern Asia and Australia, lounging in shallow pools of water and scraping up algae from which it gains the ability to photosynthesize.
Green-banded broodsac: The brain-hijacking parasite that creates disco zombie snails
By Megan Shersby published
This parasitic worm crawls into the eyestalks of snails, takes over its brain then pulsates to make the mollusk look like a dancing caterpillar.
Pacific lamprey: The jawless fish that survived 4 mass extinctions and sucks prey dry of blood and body fluids
By Sascha Pare published
Lampreys belong to an ancient group of fish called Agnatha that evolved 450 million years ago, predating both dinosaurs and trees.
Maned wolf: A strikingly beautiful South American canid
By Megan Shersby published
The maned wolf, a gorgeous canine from South America, is neither a wolf nor a fox, despite resembling both.
Hoff crab: The hairy-chested crustacean that farms bacteria on its hairs
By Megan Shersby published
The "yeti" crab is white and hairy, as its nickname suggests, and it thrives in hydrothermal vents in Antarctica's frigid waters.
Pom pom crab: The crustacean that uses anemones as boxing gloves
By Hannah Osborne published
These tiny crustaceans, also known as boxer crabs, use the venomous anenomes to protect themselves from predators and to eat with. They also wave them around while fighting with each other.
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