Some animals on Earth are so weird and wonderful that they seem to have come from a sci-fi movie. They have features or abilities that are unlike anything else in nature and make us wonder how they evolved. Here are some examples of animals that look straight out of a sci-fi movie.
1. Mimic Octopus
Mimic octopuses are masters of disguise that can change their shape, color, and behavior to imitate other animals. They can mimic more than 15 different species, including sea snakes, lionfish, stingrays, crabs, and jellyfish. They use this ability to avoid predators, confuse prey, or communicate with other octopuses. Mimic octopuses are found in the Indo-Pacific region and were only discovered in 19981.
2. Star-Nosed Mole
Star-nosed moles are moles that have a star-shaped organ on their snout that contains 22 fleshy tentacles. This organ is used for touch and smell and is one of the most sensitive in the animal kingdom. It can detect seismic vibrations, electric fields, temperature changes, and chemical gradients in the soil or water. Star-nosed moles use this organ to find their food, which consists of worms, insects, mollusks, and small vertebrates. They can identify and eat their prey in less than a quarter of a second, making them one of the fastest foragers on Earth. Star-nosed moles have dark brown fur, small eyes, large claws, and a thick tail. They live in wetlands and moist forests of eastern North America2.
3. Axolotl
Axolotls are a type of salamander that can regenerate almost any part of their body, including limbs, tail, spinal cord, heart, and brain. They can also accept transplants from other individuals without rejection. Axolotls have the ability to undergo metamorphosis and become terrestrial adults, but they usually remain in their larval form throughout their lives. This is called neoteny, and it allows them to retain their gills and aquatic lifestyle. Axolotls have a wide range of colors, from albino to black, and some have spots or stripes. They are native to Mexico, where they are endangered due to habitat loss and pollution3.
4. Blobfish
Blobfish are deep-sea fish that live at depths of 600 to 1,200 meters (2,000 to 3,900 ft), where the pressure is 60 to 120 times higher than at sea level. They have no bones or muscles and their flesh is mostly a gelatinous mass with a density slightly less than water. This allows them to float above the sea floor without expending energy on swimming. Blobfish have a large head with a drooping nose, small eyes, and a frowning mouth. They feed on crustaceans and other edible matter that drifts in front of them. Blobfish rarely encounter humans, but when they do, they look very different from their normal appearance. This is because the sudden change in pressure causes their bodies to collapse and lose their shape2.
5. Aye-Aye
Aye-ayes are a type of lemur that have a unique way of finding and extracting food. They use echolocation to tap on tree branches and trunks with their long middle finger and listen for hollow sounds that indicate the presence of insects or grubs inside. Then they use their sharp teeth to gnaw a hole in the wood and insert their finger to scoop out the prey. Aye-ayes have large ears, bushy tails, yellow eyes, and black or dark brown fur. They are nocturnal and solitary animals that live in the rainforests of Madagascar. They are considered a bad omen by some locals who believe they can curse people by pointing their finger at them.
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