Tweet
Recently discovered animals number in the thousands. Thus far, 1.8 million unique species have been documented; it’s estimated that more than ten million species remain to be found. Most newly discovered creatures are minute organisms of little interest; some, however, are creatures of immense interest, which simply eluded us for quite some time. The following list is comprised of ten such animals.
Lousiana Pancake Batfish
Yeti Crab
Red-bearded Titi
Pinocchio Frog
Lesula
My favorite is the last one - Lesula.
What is your fav of these animals?
Lousiana Pancake Batfish
Belonging to the Ogcocephalidae family of batfish, the Louisiana pancake batfish is a bizarre looking creature native to the Gulf of Mexico. The species was discovered in 2010, during the cleanup process following the infamous oil spill in the gulf, which affected every kind of batfish. The Louisiana pancake batfish’s name comes from its shape, which quite closely resembles that of a horrendously prepared pancake. The strange manner it has of moving along the ocean floor is described as being similar to the way a bat crawls. The pancake batfish feeds on invertebrates, which it uses chemical lures to capture.
This rather snuggly looking crustacean was discovered in 2005 in the South Pacific Ocean. Given the presence of a substantial quantity of silky blond setae, its discoverers were quick to dub it the ‘yeti crab’. The unusual little decapod reaches an average length of around fifteen centimetres (just under six inches) and lives around hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean. It is for this reason that the fur-like setae contain filamentous bacteria, which allow the creature to detoxify poisonous substances emitted in the water by vents. It has been speculated that the yeti crab may actually feed on such bacteria – but it is generally believed to be a carnivore.
The red-bearded titi is a small primate discovered in the Colombian section of the Amazon Rainforest in 2008. Unfortunately, the story of the discovery is not all happy, as it appears the adorable bearded little things are critically endangered, with an estimated surviving population of less than 250. The red-bearded titi, like many primates, shares a surprising number of characteristics with humans. One such characteristic is that they mate for life – an uncommon habit in the primate world. A typical couple has a baby every year, and males are responsible for a majority of the infant’s care. Couples have often been seen sitting together on tree branches with tails intertwined.
Found in the remote Fuja Mountains of Indonesia, the Pinocchio frog is a strange little creature which was only discovered by accident in 2010, after wandering into a research camp and perching itself atop a bag of rice. The animal’s most obvious distinctive feature is the odd protuberance on the front of its face – most often referred to as its nose. The strange nose-like thing is a feature which only the males have, and becomes erect when they are making excited calls, returning to its standard position when they are not. The exact purpose of the ‘nose’, and the frogs’ ability to manipulate it, is as yet unknown.
The lesula is a remarkable new species of African monkey discovered in 2007. It was discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is the second new species of African monkey discovered in nearly three decades. The monkey was first seen (by non-locals) in 2007 by John and Terese hart of Yale University’s Peabody Museum of Natural History, in the home of a primary school teacher in the town of Opala. The most visible characteristic which makes the lesula so unusual is its startlingly human face. A slightly less obvious characteristic are the bald patches on the monkey’s hindquarters and genital region, both of which are coloured a vibrant blue.
What is your fav of these animals?
it was more of a joke...
Comment