The most terrible animals in the world - names, descriptions and photos. The most terrible animals in the world

Animal world The planet is extremely rich and is divided into 5 kingdoms: protozoa, bacteria, fungi, animals and plants. Each kingdom, in turn, is divided into types, and types into classes. There are currently about 2 million various representatives fauna. Among them there are predators and herbivores, living on land and in water, large and small, rare and ubiquitous, fast and very slow. There are also examples that horror movie directors would be happy to invite to shoot. Today we will introduce you to the ugliest inhabitants of the planet. So, meet: the most terrible animals in the world.

Photo source: lemur.duke.edu

This rare representative of the order of prosimians and the suborder of lemurs, found only in Madagascar, is rather funny in its ugliness. The tiny animal received its unusual name (ay-ay) thanks to the sounds it makes when it senses danger. An overseas miracle lives in bamboo forests, in the trees, rarely descending to the ground. The length of the body of the aye-aye, covered with black-brown hair, is up to 42 cm, weight is about 3 kg. Strange lemurs have thin limbs with long fingers, sharp claws, a bushy tail and big head with round eyes and bald ears. Little arms are long-lived animals, their life expectancy is 24-26 years. However rare individuals live to this venerable age. In its homeland, aye-aye is considered a harbinger of death and is mercilessly exterminated by the local population. Today this animal is on the verge of extinction.

Photo source: sharemylesson.com

So unusual name This creature, belonging to the mole family, received for its sense of touch - 22 pink tentacle growths made of skin, which are located on its muzzle and resemble a star. Unusual animal lives in the eastern part North America, in damp forests, meadows and marshy areas. Animals don't fall into hibernation, they are able to dive underwater and dig tunnel holes up to 270 m long. The mole has a small body, the length of which is 12-15 cm, and the weight is 80 grams. The tail, which has the property of increasing in diameter - no more than 8 mm, is used by the star-nosed fish as a store of fat. Oddly enough, these animals can easily be called the fastest predators. In just a second, the sensitive star appendage can detect up to 5 hunting objects. It takes the tiny voracious mole only a quarter of a second to eat its prey.

Photo source: meetup.com

Strange nosed monkeys belong to the order of marmosets and inhabit the tropical forests of the island of Borneo (Kalimantan). The huge fleshy nose gives the animal a comical and ugly appearance. In males it is much larger than in females. Males use this olfactory organ in the fight for the attention of their ladies. In addition, the prominent nose of the stronger sex becomes filled with blood and increases in size when the monkey is irritated or wants to scare the enemy.

Proboscis animals are quite large animals, their body length reaches 150 cm (including the tail), and their weight is 24 kg. These representatives of the marmoset order settle in small groups near river banks. Amazing creatures - excellent swimmers, capable of traveling more than 20 m underwater. Interestingly, the island’s aborigines often call these monkeys “Dutch,” since the colonizers of Borneo have the same large noses and big bellies.

Photo source: e360.yale.edu

This bird, belonging to the order of vultures of the New World, is a relict species, whose age is more than one million years. Since the Pleistocene era, these huge birds have inhabited the entire territory of North America. Currently, the California condor is an endangered representative of the fauna world; it is no longer found in nature. In 1987, the last 22 birds were captured and sent to the Los Angeles and San Diego zoos for breeding.

The California condor is a real giant. The length of its body, covered with black feathers, is 125 cm, and its huge wingspan is 3 meters. In flight, the condor is capable of reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h, using air currents to save energy. Depending on the bird’s mood, the skin of its bald head can change color from bright pink to yellow.

Photo source: ocean.si.edu

These marine mammals belong to the seal family and are its largest representatives, reaching a length of 5 meters. The weight of an adult male is 2.5 tons! The weight of the skin alone is about 120 kg, and the fat layer is 665 kg. Females are three times smaller and lighter than males. A distinctive feature of males is a large fleshy growth in the upper part of the muzzle, which can grow up to 28 cm. This peculiar “trunk” is a resonator of reproduced sounds and attracts females during the rutting period.

In nature, there are 2 species of elephant seals, one of which lives in the Northern Hemisphere globe(the coast of Mexico and California), and the second - in the South (Antarctica). Animals migrate over vast distances - up to 5 thousand kilometers.

Photo source: kids.nationalgeographic.com

The next participant in the “Most Scariest Animals” rating is the goblin shark. The only representative of the genus Scapanorhynchus lives in the ocean at a depth of about 1,000 m. For its terrifying appearance, beak-shaped a long nose and its jaws extending forward, this shark is also called a goblin. The ugly creature reaches a length of 3.7 meters and weighs about 210 kg. The skin of Scapanorhynchus is almost transparent, and capillaries and blood vessels are visible through it, which gives the fish an unusual pink color. The shark does not have a swim bladder; its functions are performed by the liver, the size of which makes up 25% of the total body weight.

The biology of this sea ​​predator very little has been studied. The first specimen was discovered in 1897 Japanese shores. Since then, only 45 specimens have been examined.

Photo source: sciencewows.ie

The amphibian got its name for its unusual purple smooth skin. This strange creature with a large, squat and almost round body about 8 cm long, short legs turned outward and a tiny head with a pointed nose reminiscent of a pig's snout, it was discovered quite recently - in 2003. Nevertheless, its ancestors inhabited the planet 180 million years ago! The purple frog lives only in Western India on an area of ​​14 km2. The amphibian spends its entire life in burrows underground at a depth of 1.2-3.5 m, coming to the surface only during the monsoons - for 2 weeks, when it is time to mate. The bizarre frog is listed in the Red Book, and it is also included in the official twenty “Ugliest Animals on the Planet”.

Photo source: pixelbirds.co.uk

The bat, unlike others, belongs to the order Chiroptera. Like all members of the family, the horseshoe bat is small in size (5-7 cm). The span of the wide rounded wings is 33-42 cm. The hind limbs have extremely sharp claws, with the help of which the animal excellently moves along ceilings upside down. These mammals cannot walk on a horizontal surface. They feed on insects (flies, grasshoppers, butterflies, mosquitoes) and their larvae.

Horseshoe bats differ from other relatives not only in their amazing appearance. As you know, the bats capable of echolocation, generating ultrasound and receiving the reflected echo. These animals can perceive sounds with a frequency of up to 100 thousand hertz. However, the method of creating and amplifying sounds among members of the family is different. Thus, the horseshoe bat emits pulses that have a constant frequency. To do this, the animal uses its nostrils, surrounded by cartilaginous growths shaped like a horseshoe.

Photo source: chababs.com

Real nightmare for those who are afraid of mice and rats. The sight of this creature, which is at the top of the tops “The most terrible animals in the world,” causes only disgust: a hairless body about 10 cm long, covered with folded skin, a pin-shaped head and huge, protruding incisors. This miracle of nature lives in East Africa, forming colonies underground.

The naked mole rat has several unique qualities. Firstly, in a mammal cold blood. It is able to adjust body temperature to the temperature environment. Secondly, small underground dweller He feels absolutely no pain and is able to live without oxygen. But the most important thing is that diggers live up to 30 years without aging! Their body has a dual defense mechanism that controls cell growth. Hairless babies are even resistant to cancer! Scientists around the world are researching this incredible property, since the same genes are involved in the human body as in the naked mole rat.

Photo source: pinterest.co.uk

Nature clearly wanted to joke when she created this ugliest creature in the world. The amazing structure of the body makes the drop fish unlike any of the inhabitants of the sea. There is a disgusting creature in ocean waters Australia and Tasmania, at a depth of up to 1,200 m. The body of this fish, which is 70 cm long and weighs 10 kg, has no scales, and the tail and fins are very small. The body, which does not have muscles and a swim bladder, resembles a gelatinous mass, since the fish’s body produces a gel-jelly. Amazing creation it simply floats with the flow or lies on the bottom, waiting for food to swim into its open mouth.

Inimitable inhabitant ocean depths dubbed the saddest fish on the planet. This was facilitated by round eyes, downturned corners of the mouth and a big nose, very similar to human. And it is not surprising that the blob fish has long been at the top of the world’s “most terrible animals” ratings.

That's all for us. We are very glad that you visited our website and spent a little time to gain new knowledge.

Join our

Sometimes among the animals you come across quite strange specimens, which perhaps especially impressionable people should not look at.

The purple frog is a species of large ground frog that was discovered in 2003. It looks like a piece of purple jelly-like mass. The frog is notable for its small head and trunk. It is often found in the Western Ghats.

The goblin shark got its name for its bizarre appearance: the muzzle of this shark ends in a long beak-like outgrowth, and its long jaws can extend far. The largest known specimen reached a length of 3.8 meters and weighed 210 kg.

The Hawaiian ash bat is an animal with short, rounded ears and a yellow-brown mouth that resembles a cow's. She lives on the islands of Hawaii, in humid and places at an altitude of 4 thousand m above sea level.

The new sucker-footed bat is a new species discovered by scientists in Madagascar. It has suction cups, which are located on the hind legs, and thumbs, with which the mouse grabs onto smooth and shiny surfaces.

A hairless mouse has very thin, one might say, translucent skin, and its entire body is covered with wrinkled folds. Only big ears remain smooth.

The frogfish reaches a maximum length of 40 cm. This creature can survive in different conditions, because NASA in 1997 chose among other animals to send into space. There, the influence of microgravity was studied on a frog fish.

The almiqui - a black, brown or dark brown nocturnal animal - has short legs, an elongated head, tiny eyes, a mobile nose, and its skin glands secrete a smell reminiscent of a goat.

The ancient Japanese shark lives at depths of more than 600-1000 meters. Reminds me of a huge eel with needles in its mouth. It has practically not changed over many millennia of its existence.

Rattails or Grenadiers - and this is something from the realm of “horror films”...

Drop fish - very unusual creature, which can be seen at least from her photograph. It lives in deep waters off the coast of Australia and Tasmania.

This turtle's name Matamata means "I kill" in Spanish. And indeed, it seems that she can kill with just her appearance - a creature with a flat head and a neck covered with numerous bulges, warts, and humps...

The armadillo (armadillo) has short legs with sharp claws, with the help of which it obtains food for itself: ants, beetles, caterpillars. It also feeds on carrion and plants.

The larva of the coridal, or vislocryl, has a truly terrible appearance under an electron microscope. The coridal lives in northern and central America, Australia and Africa. And men's and women's individuals can be up to 12.5 cm long.

Angler also known as "poor man's lobster", anglerfish, angelfish. This fish species lives in the northwestern Atlantic coastal zone.

The echidna looks like a hedgehog. Like another “Australian”, the platypus, lays eggs, but feeds its offspring with milk. The echidna has two layers of fur - one for warmth and the other for protection.

An elephant seal can gain weight up to 4 tons. Its diet consists of fish, squid and other marine life. They call him Elephant because he mating season the cat inflates its nose, and it becomes like a trunk.

The aer-aer or Madagascar bat is the world's largest nocturnal primate, native to Madagascar and living primarily in the tropical forest.

The Russian wheat aphid has very short, rounded horns and is pale green in color. This aphid is found in all seasons in western Kansas and within 50 miles of the Colorado border. The length of the aphid is only 2 mm.

The hatchet fish got its name because of its body shape. The eyes of the hatchet fish are located on the top of the head, its length does not exceed 15 centimeters.

These unusual warthogs have a barrel-shaped body, a large head adorned with six facial warts, and huge curved dog-like fangs... Reaching 150 kilograms in weight...

The Muscovy duck is a large native bird of Mexico, Central and South America. It has dark brown or black plumage, with white spots on its head and wings.

The naked mole rat resembles a tiny walrus. It has a tubular body, covered with wrinkles, and hairless. It feeds on roots and root crops, seeds and small plants.

The proboscis monkey is different big nose and a big belly. It feeds on seeds, leaves and green fruits. Unlike other primates, it does not use its tail for grasping, but only for balance.

The hagfish is a fish that has a long, eel-like body with a paddle-like tail. Color varies from pink to pale gray, sometimes with dark spots.

The frilled lizard belongs to the family of lizards called "dragons." Lives mainly in dry forests in the northwestern and northern parts of Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The nose of a soft-shelled turtle serves as a kind of breathing tube. It helps her breathe while underwater or buried in the ground. Its shell is soft, leathery, and its paws are webbed.

The food of the star-nosed mole is aquatic insects, worms and mollusks. The mole swims well, and most of its habitat is under water. It has waterproof fur, scaly paws and a thick, long tail.

Yeti crab. This is a new species of crab discovered in the southern part Pacific Ocean in 2005. Its claws are covered with long, pale yellow hair. This crab is unusually large, with specimens reaching 15 cm in length. Lives at a depth of 2 thousand meters.

The tarsier's eyes are large and motionless, but its head can rotate almost unlimitedly. The tarsier's arms and legs are longer than those of most primates. It feeds on insects, birds, lizards and bats.

The Komondor is a rather unusual breed of dog. Belongs to the Hungarian Shepherd Dogs. Her body is covered with thick white fur, which curls and resembles dreadlocks. The height of dogs at the withers is 70-80 cm and more. Weight 35-60 kg.

SNAP TOOTH- a mammal from the order of insectivores, divided into two main species: the Cuban slittooth and the Haitian. The animal is relatively large compared to other types of insectivores: its length is 32 centimeters, its tail is on average 25 cm, the weight of the animal is about 1 kilogram, and its body is dense.

MANED WOLF. Lives in South America. The long legs of the wolf are the result of evolution in matters of adaptation to the habitat; they help the animal to overcome obstacles in the form of tall grass growing on the plains.

AFRICAN CIVET- the only representative of the genus of the same name. These animals live in Africa open spaces with high grass from Senegal to Somalia, southern Namibia and in the eastern regions South Africa. The size of the animal can visually increase quite significantly when the civet raises its fur when excited. And her fur is thick and long, especially on the back closer to the tail. The paws, muzzle and tail end are completely black, most of the body is spotted.

MUSKRAT. The animal is quite famous due to its sonorous name. It's just a good photo.

PROCHIDNA. This miracle of nature usually weighs up to 10 kg, although larger specimens have also been observed. By the way, the length of the echidna’s body reaches 77 cm, and this is not counting their cute five to seven centimeter tail. Any description of this animal is based on comparison with the echidna: the legs of the echidna are higher, the claws are more powerful. Another feature of the echidna’s appearance is the spurs on the hind legs of males and the five-fingered hind limbs and three-fingered forelimbs.

CAPIBARA. Semi-aquatic mammal, the largest of modern rodents. It is the only representative of the capybara family (Hydrochoeridae). There is a dwarf variety, Hydrochoerus isthmius, which is sometimes considered as a separate species (lesser capybara).

SEA CUCUMBER. HOLOTHURIA. Sea egg pods, sea ​​cucumbers(Holothuroidea), a class of invertebrate animals such as echinoderms. Species eaten as food are common name"trepang".

PANGOLIN. This post simply could not do without him.

HELL VAMPIRE. Mollusk. Despite its obvious similarity with octopus and squid, scientists have identified this mollusk as a separate order Vampyromorphida (lat.), because it is characterized by retractable sensitive whip-shaped filaments.

AARDVARK. In Africa, these mammals are called aardvark, which translated into Russian means “earthen pig.” In fact, the aardvark is very similar in appearance to a pig, only with an elongated snout. The structure of the ears of this amazing animal is very similar to that of a hare. There is also a muscular tail, which is very similar to the tail of an animal such as a kangaroo.

JAPANESE GIANT SALAMANDER. Today it is the largest amphibian, which can reach 160 cm in length, weigh up to 180 kg and can live up to 150 years, although the officially registered maximum age giant salamander is 55 years old.

BEARDED PIG. IN different sources The bearded pig is divided into two or three subspecies. These are the curly bearded pig (Sus barbatus oi), which lives on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra, the Bornean bearded pig (Sus barbatus barbatus) and the Palawan bearded pig, which live, as the name suggests, on the islands of Borneo and Palawan, as well as on Java , Kalimantan and the small islands of the Indonesian archipelago in South-East Asia.

SUMATRAN RHINO. They belong to the odd-toed ungulates of the rhinoceros family. This type Rhinoceroses are the smallest of the entire family. The body length of an adult Sumatran rhinoceros can reach 200–280 cm, and the height at the withers can vary from 100 to 150 cm. Such rhinoceroses can weigh up to 1000 kg.

SULAWESI BEAR COUSCUS. An arboreal marsupial living in the upper tier of the plains tropical forests. The fur of the bear cuscus consists of a soft undercoat and coarse guard hairs. Coloration ranges from gray to brown, with a lighter belly and limbs, and varies depending on the geographic subspecies and age of the animal. The prehensile, non-haired tail is approximately half the length of the animal and serves as a fifth limb, making it easier to move through the dense tropical forest. The bear cuscus is the most primitive of all cuscus, retaining primitive tooth growth and structural features of the skull.

GALAGO. Its large fluffy tail is clearly comparable to that of a squirrel. And his charming face and graceful movements, flexibility and insinuation, clearly reflect his cat-like traits. The amazing jumping ability, mobility, strength and incredible dexterity of this animal clearly show its nature as a funny cat and an elusive squirrel. Of course, there would be a place to use your talents, because a cramped cage is very poorly suited for this. But, if you give this animal a little freedom and sometimes allow him to walk around the apartment, then all his quirks and talents will come true. Many even compare it to a kangaroo.

WOMBAT. Without a photograph of a wombat, it is generally impossible to talk about strange and rare animals.

AMAZONIAN DOLPHIN. Is the largest river dolphin. Inia geoffrensis, as scientists call it, reaches 2.5 meters in length and weighs 2 quintals. Light gray juveniles become lighter with age. The Amazon dolphin has a full body, with a thin tail and narrow muzzle. A round forehead, a slightly curved beak and small eyes are the characteristics of this species of dolphin. Occurs Amazonian dolphin in rivers and lakes Latin America.

MOONFISH or MOLA-MOLA. This fish can be more than three meters long and weigh about one and a half tons. The largest specimen of the sunfish was caught in New Hampshire, USA. Its length was five and a half meters, there is no data on weight. The shape of the fish’s body resembles a disk; it was this feature that gave rise to the Latin name. The moon fish has thick skin. It is elastic, and its surface is covered with small bony projections. The larvae of fish of this species and young individuals swim in the usual way. Adults large fish swim on their sides, quietly moving their fins. They seem to lie on the surface of the water, where they are very easy to notice and catch. However, many experts believe that only sick fish swim this way. As an argument, they cite the fact that the stomach of fish caught on the surface is usually empty.

TASMANIAN DEVIL. Being the largest of modern predatory marsupials, this animal is black in color with white spots on the chest and rump, with a huge mouth and sharp teeth has a dense physique and a stern disposition, for which, in fact, he was called the devil. Emitting ominous screams at night, massive and clumsy Tasmanian devil looks like little bear: the front legs are slightly longer than the hind legs, the head is large, the muzzle is blunt.

LORI. Feature Loris have large eyes that may be bordered by dark circles; there is a white dividing stripe between the eyes. The face of a loris can be compared to a clown mask. This most likely explains the animal's name: Loeris means "clown".

GAVIAL. Of course, one of the representatives of the crocodile order. With age, the gharial's muzzle becomes even narrower and longer. Due to the fact that the gharial feeds on fish, its teeth are long and sharp, located at a slight angle for ease of eating.

OKAPI. FOREST GIRAFFE. Traveling around Central Africa, journalist and African explorer Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904) repeatedly encountered local aborigines. Having once met an expedition equipped with horses, the natives of the Congo told to the famous traveler what they have in the jungle wild animals, very similar to his horses. The Englishman, who had seen a lot, was somewhat puzzled by this fact. After some negotiations in 1900, the British were finally able to purchase parts of the skin of the mysterious animal from the local population and send them to the Royal Zoological Society in London, where the unknown animal was given the name “Johnston's Horse” (Equus johnstoni), that is, it was assigned to the equine family . But imagine their surprise when a year later they managed to get a whole skin and two skulls of an unknown animal, and discovered that It looked more like dwarf giraffe since the Ice Age. Only in 1909 was it possible to catch a living specimen of Okapi.

WALABI. TREE KANGAROO. The genus of Tree kangaroos - wallabies (Dendrolagus) includes 6 species. Of these, D. Inustus or the bear wallaby, D. Matschiei or Matchisha's wallaby, which has a subspecies D. Goodfellowi (Goodfellow's wallaby), D. Dorianus - the Doria wallaby, live in New Guinea. In Australian Queensland, there are D. Lumholtzi - Lumholtz's wallaby (bungari), D. Bennettianus - Bennett's wallaby, or tharibin. Their original habitat was New Guinea, but now wallabies are found in Australia. Tree kangaroos live in tropical forests mountainous regions, at altitudes from 450 to 3000m. above sea level. The body size of the animal is 52-81 cm, the tail is from 42 to 93 cm long. Wallabies weigh, depending on the species, from 7.7 to 10 kg for males and from 6.7 to 8.9 kg. females.

WOLVERINE. Moves quickly and deftly. The animal has an elongated muzzle, a large head, with rounded ears. The jaws are powerful, the teeth are sharp. Wolverine is a “big-footed” animal; its feet are disproportionate to the body, but their size allows them to move freely through deep snow cover. Each paw has huge and curved claws. Wolverine is an excellent tree climber and has keen eyesight. The voice is like a fox.

FOSSA. The island of Madagascar has preserved animals that are not found not only in Africa itself, but also in the rest of the world. One of the rarest animals is the Fossa - the only representative of the genus Cryptoprocta and the largest carnivorous mammal, living on the island of Madagascar. The appearance of the Fossa is a little unusual: it is a cross between a civet and a small puma. Sometimes the fossa is also called the Madagascar lion, since the ancestors of this animal were much larger and reached the size of a lion. Fossa has a squat, massive and slightly elongated body, the length of which can reach up to 80 cm (on average it is 65-70 cm). The fossa's paws are long, but quite thick, with the hind paws being higher than the front paws. The tail is often equal to the length of the body and reaches up to 65 cm.

MANUL approves of this post and is here only because he has to be. Everyone already knows him.

PHENEC. STEPPE FOX. He assents to the manula and is present here insofar as. After all, everyone saw him.

NAKED MORAVARY gives the Pallas's cat and fennec cat pluses in their karma and invites them to organize a club of the most fearful animals in RuNet.

PALM THIEF. Representative of decapod crustaceans. The habitat of which is West Side Pacific and tropical islands Indian Ocean. This animal from the family of land crayfish is quite large for its species. The body of an adult reaches a size of up to 32 cm and a weight of up to 3-4 kg. For a long time it was mistakenly believed that with its claws it could even split coconuts, which he then eats. To date, scientists have proven that crayfish can only feed on already split coconuts. They, being its main source of nutrition, gave the name palm thief. Although he is not averse to eating other types of food - the fruits of Pandanus plants, organic substances from the ground and even their own kind.

The name of this fish in Latin sounds too boring, so it’s easier to call it FISH WITH A TRANSPARENT HEAD. She has a transparent head through which she can see with her tubular eyes. The head, through which the fish watches for prey, helps protect the eyes. First opened in 1939. Lives on significantly great depth, therefore has not been fully studied. In particular, the principle of fish vision was not entirely clear. She was supposed to have great difficulty due to the fact that she could only look up. Only in 2009 was the structure of the eye of this fish fully studied. Apparently, when trying to study it earlier, the fish simply could not tolerate the change in pressure.

ECHIDNA. Well, that's all.

LESS RED PANDA. Today the red panda is in natural environment habitats can only be found in the mountain bamboo forests of the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan, northern Burma, Bhutan, Nepal and northeast India.

SIFACA. Monkey of the Indriidae family. Relatively new kind primates, opened only in 2004. Silky sifakas live in the eastern part of the island of Madagascar. The area is approximately 2.2 thousand square meters. km. The distribution area is limited in the north of the island to the Marojejy Massif region, and in the south it reaches Anjanahari. Adult individuals have a body length with a head from 45 to 55 cm, a tail 45-51 cm long. Weight is 5-6.5 kg.

SLOTH. Very interesting view mammals, having a number distinctive features that make it unlike any other existing look. It lives mainly in Central and South America.

PLATYPUS. In principle, everyone knows it. But this photo deserves attention...

ANT-EATER. It won't surprise anyone either. But the shot is great...

TARSIER. A small mammal from the order of primates, the very specific appearance of which created a somewhat ominous aura around this small animal weighing up to one hundred and sixty grams. So, indigenous people Indonesia and the Philippine Islands had an absurd connection appearance tarsier with the tricks of evil spirits. However, many of our contemporaries, who see the tarsier for the first time in its native habitat, remain amazed by its non-standard appearance.

MARGAY. From these "relatives" wild cats distinguished by body size and proportions, as well as lifestyle. For example, margay is very similar to himself close relative- an ocelot, which, moreover, is quite often found in the same place where the margay lives. It is not difficult to distinguish these cats - the ocelot is noticeably larger, since it prefers to hunt on the ground, and the margay has longer legs and tail, due to life mainly in trees.

MUDJOPPER. Found in intertidal areas and in areas such as tropical swamps formed by mangrove trees. Mudskippers especially like to settle in places where fresh water meets the sea. And although from a scientific point of view they are fish, many perceive them as amphibians. Well, in a way it is.

HERBIVORE DRACULA. Bats (“Sphaeronycteris toxophyllum” lat.) This species lives in the north of South America (Amazon River basin and mountains). These bats, oddly enough, are herbivores.

BELT-TAIL. The habitat of belted tails extends to the rocky regions of Africa, which have arid climate, mainly on the southern side of the Sahara Desert. In addition, belted tails live in certain numbers on the island of Madagascar. There are more than forty species of belttails in the world. The sizes of belt-tails vary quite widely and range from 12 to 70 centimeters in length. The entire body of the belt-tail is covered with rectangular plates - scales, which cover the bony base of the reptile.

In my opinion, a modest fellow.

PURPLE FROG. Some animals have managed to adapt to these, at first glance, very difficult conditions and have even learned to benefit from the changing seasons. So the indigenous Indian purple frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis), which as a species was discovered quite recently - in 2003, uses the monsoon time to its advantage - to continue its kind.

ISOPOD. Giant isopod woodlice, approximately 30 cm long, live at sea depths of about 1.6 km.

SUN BEAR. The Malayan biruang bear, or, as it is also called due to its characteristic color, the sun or honey bear, lives in India, Myanmar, as well as on the islands of Borneo, Java and Sumatra. It is of quite great interest to both zoologists and amateurs. wildlife, since this species is one of the smallest, most aggressive and smallest representatives of the entire bear family. By the way, it was precisely the threatening small number of this genus that became the reason for the inclusion of biruangs in the Red Book.
An adult sun bear has a very difficult character. However, quite a lot of interest in his person is caused not at all by his habitat, and not by his character, but by his stunning appearance, which immediately catches the eye from any photograph.

TIBETAN FOX. Found in Tibet, northwest India and northern Nepal at high altitudes.

JELLYFISH. Just giant jellyfish.

GOLDEN TIGER. This is what tigers with a similar color are called. The reason for the unusual color is that one of the genes did not work. Count like an albino...

AY-AY. ARM POD. Madagascar monkey or aye-aye, a mammal of the suborder of prosimians; the only representative of the family of arms. Body length 40 cm, tail 60 cm. The head is large, the muzzle is short; The ears are large and leathery. The tail is fluffy. The coat color ranges from dark brown to black.

GUYDAK. Large gastropod weighing up to one and a half kilograms. Found off the west coast of the USA. From under the thin fragile shell of the guidac (about 20 cm in length) protrudes a “leg” that is three times larger than the shell. English name this mollusk (geoduck, gweduck) appeared in late XIX century, is derived from the name of these mollusks in the language of the Nisqual Indians (which is why it is pronounced “guidak”) and means “deep-digging” - these mollusks really bury themselves quite deeply in the sand.

MARSPAL WOLF. Is extinct marsupial mammals and the only representative of the thylacine family. This animal is also known as the “marsupial tiger” and “Tasmanian wolf”. At the beginning of the Holocene and the end of the Pleistocene, the marsupial wolf was found on the Australian mainland and the island of New Guinea. About 3,000 years ago, Aboriginal settlers brought the wild dog dingo to the island, as a result of which the marsupial wolf disappeared from the area. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. Tasmania was considered the main habitat of the marsupial wolf, but in the thirties of the 19th century, mass extermination of the animal began, which was mistakenly considered a destroyer of domestic sheep. In addition, the thylacine was credited with hunting poultry and exterminating game caught in traps. Most of these legends turned out to be untrue.

STARBEARER. Insectivorous mammal mole family. Externally, the starfish differs from other members of the family and from other small animals only in its characteristic stigma structure in the form of a rosette or star of 22 soft, fleshy, mobile bare rays. In size, spade-shaped forelimbs, thick velvety fur (black or dark brown) it is similar to the European mole.

The number of different animals on our planet is large and each species has its own specific characteristics. There are incredibly large and powerful animals, and there are small and fragile ones. Along with this, there are very cute ones that make you want to touch them, stroke them, and there are those who are rejected by their mere appearance, they are so terrible. We have compiled a list of top 10 most terrible animals in the world living both on land and underwater.

10. Madagascar crayfish

Very rare creature, listed in the Red Book, which is also called ai-ai. Based on the name, it becomes clear that the little arm lives on the island of Madagascar. It cannot be found outside its boundaries; it feeds on insects, picking them out of the ground and tree bark thanks to its powerful claws. She has huge, wide-set eyes, sparse hair on her head and completely hairless ears, which altogether makes it impossible to confuse her with any other creature.

9. Drop fish

Among the top 10 most terrible animals, one cannot do without the blob fish, the appearance of which leaves nothing to be desired. It lives exclusively off the coast of Australia, as well as Tasmania, located at a depth of 500 to 1000 meters. It differs from other fish in the anatomy of its body; it does not have a swim bladder, but it has a fat-like, slimy coating. Often she does not move, but remains in one place, waiting for the prey to come closer to her.

8. Long-horned sabertooth

Although the creature reaches a length of no more than 15 centimeters, this is enough for it to terrify itself. He has an extremely disproportionate body - a very small tail and body, and an overly large head, as well as a mass of sharp fangs, which are frightening.

7. Satan's leaf-tailed gecko

Another permanent resident of Madagascar, who has the ability to change his color, adapting to his environment. The gecko is only awake at night, spending its time hunting. It feeds only on insects, which it tracks using its eyelidless eyes.

6. Matamata giant tortoise

One representative of the turtle world was also included in the list of the top 10 most terrible animals in the world. Matamata has a very long neck, which is completely covered with some growths, as well as a head that resembles a triangle in shape. The creature is found quite often, feeds on fish and lives most often in reservoirs with well-heated water.

5. Goblin Shark

Individuals of this species of shark can reach up to 4 meters in length. Apart from their far from attractive appearance, they are distinguished from the rest of their relatives by their love of depth. They live and hunt below two hundred meters under water, and although they have two rows of dangerous long teeth, they are not a threat to humans, because they never swim to the shore.

4. Monkfish

An underwater giant, from which various exclusive dishes are prepared in France. It is most often found in waters Atlantic Ocean. It can reach a length of up to 2 meters, the depth of residence ranges from 18 to 600 meters. Monkfish, as a rule, lies on the bottom and waits for the fish to swim above it, after which it makes a jerk and swallows it along with the water.

3. Sea lamprey

2. Zvezdnos

Thanks to its unique olfactory organ, the star-nosed bat also made it onto the list. special kind moles that have disgusting-looking growths on their faces. With their help, the animal finds food for itself, and then determines whether it is suitable to be eaten or not.

1. Naked mole rat

The naked mole rat deservedly takes its place at the top of the list of the most repulsive creatures in its appearance. This is a rodent whose body is devoid of any vegetation. It is completely bald and has a pink skin color with an unpleasant yellowish tint. It lives underground and has long, strong front teeth, with which it successfully chews even the strongest, hardened soil.

Great "Park" Jurassic period” taught us two important things: not to rely on zoo security, and definitely not to grow dinosaurs in test tubes. Millions of years ago, when the human race itself was still in the project, the Earth was ruled by great and dangerous predators. Today, many of them have evolved into socially acceptable creatures, but at that time even a giant sloth was capable of tearing a lion in half, and an encounter with a crocodile could cost even a Tyrannosaurus rex's head!

Currently, the largest bears on the planet are considered Polar bear and Alaskan Kodiak. Both animals seem like a sketch of Winnie the Pooh compared to the ancient giant Arctodus, whose weight reached a ton. This incredible bear lived during the times Ice Age, about 11,700 years ago.

Megalodon

The length of a great white shark can reach 9 meters, which makes meeting one in the ocean a very unpleasant surprise for any diver. But megalodon grew to a whopping 20 meters - if it were alive today, sailing would be a very, very dangerous activity.

Elasmotherium

The prehistoric cousin of the rhinoceros, Elasmotherium, weighed four tons and had a horn one and a half meters long. The unicorn from the virgin's worst nightmares disappeared only at the end of the Ice Age, so that our distant ancestors had the pleasure of seeing it with their own eyes.

Titanboa

Are you afraid of snakes? Then this Godzilla of the reptile world should just make you shiver. Thirty-meter snakes slithered across the planet about 60 million years ago, remaining unrivaled hunters of deep jungles and river backwaters.

Gigantopithecus

These primates lived approximately 9 million years ago and could well be the ancestor of modern man. King Kong of the prehistoric era grew to a height of five meters and a weight of several centners: in comparison with this monkey, any stories about the Yeti seem like ridiculous tales.

Deinosuchus

And here is the crocodile’s great-grandfather, the great Deinosuchus. It's not the biggest on our list, but it's definitely the most dangerous. Why? Yes, because the main source of food for Deinosuchus was tyrannosaurs!

Megatherium

Modern sloths are nothing more than cute and useless little animals who spend all their time in a sweet slumber. Scientists are still puzzling over how these animals could have originated from a giant megatherium, the length of which from head to tail was 10 meters and its weight reached 4 tons. Paleontologists have found that megatherium walked on two legs and fed on tree leaves.