G is for Ghost Bat

Look out, vampire bat, there's a new paranormal bat in town.

The ghost bat!

No, this is not a photo of cotton balls. I swear, the ghost bat is a fearsome creature. (Stop being so adorable!)

The ghost bat is so named because its wings are translucent, giving it a frightening appearance when it is flying. Really, it is terrifying! Don't be fooled by the fuzziness!

F is for Fanfin Seadevil

"Devil" is in the name of this evil looking fish, another one of those deep-sea creatures that, until recently, was unknown.

The Fanfin Seadevil is a species of anglerfish. If you're not familiar with the family, that strange protrusion from the front of this guy's head is actually a lure. The anglerfish uses this lure to, well, lure little fishes right into his mouth.

Unlike other anglerfish, the fanfin lacks the bioluminescent bulb on his lure.

To us, the seadevil looks quite red. And he is red. You would think that would make him a poor hunter, since the fishes that would see the lure would clearly pick out the monstrosity at the end of the line. However, at the depths of the ocean that we find Mister Devil, the wavelength for the color red is very poorly reflected. Therefore, he is essentially invisible.

If it were me, I'd rather not know what my impending death looked like, anyway.

E is for Elephant Shrew

So, it's really easy to find creepy, strange organisms in the bathypelagic region of the ocean, and I feel like I've been cheating so far with this blogfest.

Today, I bring for your "aww"ing pleasure, the weirdly adorable elephant shrew.

Which is neither an elephant, nor a shrew. Silly English-speakers.

The elephant shrew is native to the southern region of Africa, and consists of many different species, none of which are very common to any particular area. Much like shrews, the elephant shrew is insectivorous, and much like elephants, they leave behind a wake of destruction wherever they go.

Well, a mini-wake. They are, in fact, more closely related to African elephants than they are to shrews.

Several species of elephant shrews will create paths and tunnels through the underbrush, and will spend the day trolling back and forth through these shrew-sized walkways, hunting for insects. When threatened, they will also use these routes as an obstacle-free escape route.

But don't underestimate the awesomeness of the plain old shrew just because they didn't make the cut yet; some of them are so venomous--yes, like a snake-- that a drop of their venom can kill up to 200 mice!

Photo courtesy of J. Makalintal

D is for Dumbo Octopus

Isn't he adorable?

The dumbo octopus, so named for his odd nose-like projection and unusually large "ear" flaps, is a deep sea critter, hovering around 3000-4000 meters below sea level. While they are predominantly pelagic, meaning they bob about smack in the middle of the water --away from shore and away from the sea bottom--they will approach the sea floor to hunt crustaceans and other small fish. Unlike other octopi, the dumbo octopus will consume its prey whole.

The genus of dumbo octopi (Grimpoteuthis) can grow up to 6 feet long and weigh in at a massive...13 pounds. But typically they are much smaller than that. Grimpoteuthis is among the rarest of the octopi, and is losing species left and right... mostly to other genera, as we learn more about them.

Photo from “The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss” by Claire Nouvian/Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

C is for Coconut Crab

No, folks. This is not Photoshopped. That is a giant crab stealing your garbage. But don't worry, this beast is native to islands in the Indo-Pacific region.

The coconut crab, so named because it can crush a coconut with its bare claws, can grow up to three feet wide, including leg span. It is the largest land arthropod, and according to Wikipedia, given today's atmospheric conditions is likely at the size limit for how large an arthropod living on land can grow.

Small comforts, right?

Well, if it makes you feel any better, the coconut crab is predominantly frugivorous, meaning that it isn't just cracking those coconuts to intimidate the humans so keen on driving the poor bugger into extinction. Fleshy fruits are his choice diet, however they will also scavenge on dead animals and pick off slow and weak baby tortoises. They are also keen on stealing shiny objects from people's tents. I haven't found a good reason as to why.

Coconut crabs are nocturnal, living in self-made burrows during the day to protect them from predators (ha!), and lurking the beaches and streets by night.

Well, it turns out these guys are in danger of becoming endangered. Their meat is considered a delicacy, much like lobster is. But who really wants to chase one of these buggers down?

Somehow, this beast is closely related to the hermit crab. You know, that little thing you keep in way-too-small enclosures with sponges, some colored rocks and assorted shells for him to grow into? Baby coconut crabs, with soft shells, will climb into shells of other organisms, and adolescents will use coconut shells to protect their soft abdomens. Adults, when they molt, will stay hidden for up to a month while their exoskeleton hardens.

Coconut crabs have caught on in Japan as popular pets, and guides for their care include how to open their strong pincers if you get pinched (just tickle them and they'll release you, but otherwise they will hold on forever).

Heel, Fido! Get off the neighbor's palm tree!

Images courtesy of cryptomundo.com

B is for Blobfish

I don't know any animal whose name describes them so perfectly.

It's a fish.

And it looks like a blob.


And it is really, really ugly.

Why so serious? Oh, right. You're endangered.

But you have to feel a little sorry for this miserable-looking creature who, unlike the axolotl, has no reason to smile. The blobfish, which has spent the majority of its time on earth minding its own business, floating at depths in the ocean deep enough that your own sea-level adapted head would implode, is facing extinction. Deep-sea fishing is the culprit behind this evolutionary disaster's impending doom.

The blobfish, which lives off the coast of south-eastern Australia at depths up to 800 meters (that's about half a mile), trolls around with crabs and lobsters, content with the fact that, being as ugly as it is, no one would want to eat it.

Well, that part is true. But a destructive fishing method, called trawling, indiscriminately pulls up blobfish and arthropods alike. While many species have the advantage of spreading their populations far and wide, that is not the case for this sad creature. Since the blobfish is isolated to this one tiny area of the world, it is unlikely that migration will aid their dwindling populations.

A is for Animal

For this challenge, I bring you creatures. The scary, the smelly, the slimy and the sweet.

Today's critter is a little bit slimy, and a little bit sweet.


The axolotl is a species of salamander. Unlike other salamanders, the axolotl is the epitome of neoteny. Meaning it never undergoes metamorphosis. Metamorphosis allows the waterborn salamanders to adapt to life on the land, in which they'll lose their gills and become more.. well, lizard-like, only returning to the water to lay their eggs. The axolotl, however, never goes through this process. It retains its adorable baby-axolotl features, including gills, which sentences it to a life underwater while all its salamander cousins scurry about freely in the Overworld.

One thing it has over its salamander bretheren...

The axolotl can smile.
And a salamander will never make as cute an amigurumi. (A is for Axolotl Amiguri)

courtesy of crafster.org