Horseshoe Crab

Image: la-blue-eyez via Flickr

I have always found Horseshoe Crabs to be exceptionally strange and peculiar animals. Looking at them, it's really difficult to understand where all their body parts are and how it all fits together. It looks like a mystery wrapped in an enigma covered in a shell. Indeed, that all engulfing shell doesn't help matters. Neither does their lifestyle of ploughing through the mud and sand at the bottom of shallow seas. But things actually get weirder when you find out more. Good. Let's do that then.

Slow Worm

Image via Wikipedia

The slow worm is a legless reptile. Isn't that basically the very definition of a snake? Hmm... A closer look at the slow worm reveals that it looks sort of... wrong, for a snake. Sure they look kinda angry, but they lack that psychopathic, psychotic, all round psycho stare that snakes have. It's like snakes will kill you in a terrible way, whereas slow worms would be more friendly and just beat you up and break your nose or something.

A Wonderful/Worrisome World of Worms

Image: Wikipedia WORMS!!! Where would your mind wander were you to hear the word "worms" wailed wildly like some roar for war? After turning round and asking "wherefore art thou weirdo?" you may well cast your thoughts toward the earthworm. And who could blame you? Earthworms are the classic worm, the one we all know, the one we most often come across. Or maybe you would go for the rather more macabre leech? Get some blood sucking and catharsis in there. And who could blame you? At least it's better than some of the other things worms can get up to.

Dobsonfly

Image: Wikimedia
Male Eastern Dobsonfly

Oh. My. Gosh.

What on earth is this thing? It's huge! It has gigantic wings! It has massive... ANTLERS coming off its face! Has someone had a nightmare that's come to life or what?

Humboldt Squid

Image: Wikipedia

Also known as Jumbo Squid, Humboldts are large, powerful squid found in the Humboldt Current in the eastern Pacific Ocean, all along the entire west coast of South America and up to California. They can weigh 50 kilograms (100 lb) and reach about 1.75 metres (5.7 ft) in length, and that doesn't include the tentacles. They are usually found at depths of around 200 to 700 metres (660–2,300 ft), spending the day in the deep and dark, rising at night to feast. And boy do they feast!

Their incredible hunger is surely part of what has led to a reputation of aggression and danger surrounding the Humboldt Squid. Of course, the attacks and injuries don't help either. But they are also known as Diablo Rojo, Red Devil. Surely that's a bit much? Or is it...

Aye-Aye

Image via Wikipedia

Dear oh dear oh dear. What do we have here then, ay? I thought lemurs were supposed to be cute and cuddly, with bright, feisty eyes and long, fuzzy tails. Who let Freddy Krueger in?