The 'penis snake' and 9 other weird animals you never knew existed

If you wanted to swipe through pictures of all these animals, it would take you about eight years. That's assuming you spent 30 seconds on each picture and didn't stop to eat or sleep.

And guess what? Scientists keep discovering new and rare animal species almost every day, which makes this task seem almost impossible. It's as though an entire hidden world of animals exists out there, particularly in the ocean, where their existence remains undiscovered and unknown.

Among these animals, a few strange and weird ones stand out. These creatures will surprise you and might even make you do a double-take at first gaze. We promise you a bit of a "jump scare."

Here are a few of those animals:

The 'penis snake'

The penis snake [Mongobay] Pulse Nigeria

Atretochoana eiselti, is known as the "penis snake," apparently for its looks. Despite the name, this phallic-looking creature is neither a snake nor is it exactly what it seems. an aquatic amphibian that lives in the muddy waters of South America. Its body is long and slim, and it doesn't have any arms or legs. Instead, it uses its body to wiggle through the water. This limbless amphibian bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain part of the male anatomy which shall not be named.

Goblin Shark

Goblin shark [Briticanna] Pulse Nigeria

The goblin shark is a really strange creature that lives deep down in the ocean. What makes it stand out is its long, pointy nose, its jaw that can shoot out quickly to catch prey and of course, its devilish-looking face. This shark has skin that looks a bit like it's covered in wrinkles. Given the depths at which it lives, the goblin shark poses no danger to humans.

Pacu

Pacu [Quora] Pulse Nigeria

Ever seen a fish with human-like teeth? Say hello to the pacu. This weird creature is a freshwater fish with powerful jaws and square teeth, but they're actually mostly vegetarian. They eat fruits, nuts, and plants that fall into the water.

The human-like teeth of the pacu [Obertauern] Pulse Nigeria

Pacus can grow really big, and they're often found in rivers and lakes in South America.

Satanic leaf-tailed gecko

Satanic leaf-tailed gecko [ReptileDirect] Pulse Nigeria

The satanic leaf-tailed gecko is a creature found in Madagascar. It has a way of hiding from predators as it looks just like a dried-up leaf, making it easy to blend into the trees and rocks. It's like a master of disguise in the animal world.

Sea pen

Sea pen [Twitter] Pulse Nigeria

The sea pen is an ocean creature that looks like an old-fashioned quill pen. It's a soft coral that lives on the sea floor taking the shape of a pen; hence its name. The sea pen's body is long and flexible, and it stands upright like a feather pen stuck in the sand. It comes in different colours, like pink, orange, and yellow. When the currents in the water move, the sea pen sways gracefully, creating a beautiful underwater dance.

Aye-aye

Aye-aye [BBCWildlife] Pulse Nigeria

The aye-aye is an unusual creature that lives in Madagascar. It's a type of lemur, which is like a kind of primate. What makes the aye-aye special is its long, bony finger that it uses to tap on trees. The tapping helps the aye-aye find insects hiding under the bark. Its big eyes and ears make it easy to hunt at nighttime.

Silkie chicken

Silkie chicken [iStock] Pulse Nigeria

The silkie chicken is a breed of chicken that obviously stands out from the rest. What makes them special is their super soft feathers that feel more like fur or silk. They come in colours like black, white, and grey. Unlike most chickens, they have blue-black bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot, whereas most chickens only have four. Many chicken lovers keep this unusual breed as pets.

Sea lamprey

Sea lamprey [HighCountryNews] Pulse Nigeria

The sea lamprey is an ancient fish that lives in the oceans and freshwater systems. It has a round mouth filled with sharp teeth, arranged in many circular rows. This mouth helps the lamprey attach to other fish, using them as hosts.

Cantor's giant softshell turtle

Cantor's giant softshell turtle [turtlesurvival] Pulse Nigeria

Cantor's giant softshell turtle is called "giant" for a reason. It's one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world! What's special about this turtle is its smooth, soft shell that feels almost like rubber. It spends much of its time buried in the sand or mud at the bottom of rivers or lakes, buried and motionless, resurfacing only twice a day to breathe.

Long-wattled umbrellabird

Long-wattled umbrellabird [Oiseaux] Pulse Nigeria

This peculiar bird is found in the rainforests of Central and South America. It has a wattle hanging from its throat that resembles an umbrella. This wattle is especially prominent in males and is used in their courtship displays to attract females. When they're ready to impress, they inflate their wattle and make a deep, booming call that echoes through the forest.

Nature truly is filled with wonders!