The fauna of our planet will never cease to amaze us with the presence of amazing creatures of the most unusual shapes and colors. Some of them are so whimsical that it seems that nature created them in a playful mood. We present to your attention another selection of the most amazing, unusual, little-known or rare creatures from different parts of the globe.

 

Lizard Pinocchio

Proboscis anole, commonly known as Pinocchio's lizard (Pinocchio lizard)

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Proboscis anole, commonly known as Pinocchio's lizard (Pinocchio lizard)

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Proboscis anole, commonly known as Pinocchio's lizard (Pinocchio lizard)

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Proboscis anole, commonly known as Pinocchio's lizard (Pinocchio lizard)

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The proboscis anole is commonly known as the Pinocchio lizard because the males have an unusual outgrowth on their head that looks like a very large nose. This "nose" is not a functional organ, at least the researchers suggest so. It serves as a testament to the good health and genetics of the male, and is probably used to attract females.

The mystery is still how the anole moves its “nose” in different directions, since there are no muscles or bones in the process. There is only one version on this score, the "nose" moves with an increase in blood flow.

It lives in the subtropical highland forests of Ecuador in the Western Andes region. The length of the lizard is from 8 to 14 cm. They hunt for a large number of different insects, including beetles, caterpillars, flies, beetles and hymenoptera. Plant material consumed includes flower petals, pieces of wood, and seeds.

It leads an incredibly secretive lifestyle, which is facilitated by effective disguise, excessive slowness of the animal and the nightly daily routine. It is almost impossible to notice anoles in their natural habitat, they literally merge with the forest.

The view was discovered only in 1953. As a result of subsequent expeditions, not a single individual was found. A few years later, the species was declared extinct. In 2005, more than 50 years later, in the Ecuadorian forest, biologists accidentally saw a lizard with a huge nose, slowly moving along a branch. At first, the amazing reptile was mistaken for a new species, but after studying the archives, it became clear that it was the same extinct proboscis anole. After that, the reptile was seen 2 more times: in 2008 and 2013.

Unfortunately, there is absolutely no data on the size of the population of Pinocchio lizards, so it is difficult to speculate why anoles were seen only a few times after the 1950s: either because of excessive stealth, or because of a very small population.

 

Garden eels

Garden eels (garden eels)

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Garden eels (garden eels)

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Garden eels (garden eels)

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Garden eels (garden eels)

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Garden eels are small eels that live in burrows on the sea floor. They get their name from their habit of sticking their heads out of their burrows while most of their bodies remain hidden. Since they tend to live in groups, many eel heads "growing" from the bottom of the sea resemble plants in a garden. They vary greatly in color depending on the particular species. The largest species reaches about 120 cm in length, but most species do not exceed 60 cm.

Most garden eels live in the Indo-Pacific region, but some species are also found in the warmer parts of the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. Thousands of garden eel colonies can reach an area of ​​​​half a hectare.

Garden eels are smaller than other types of eel (only half an inch in diameter), but what they lack in size they make up for in muscle. Garden eels use their wiry, muscular tail to dig into the sandy seafloor and then secrete a slimy slime that acts like cement to keep their burrows from collapsing.

Garden eels spend their entire lives in vertical sandy burrows, which they themselves built, sticking out only their head and upper body to the surface. When threatened, they hide completely in their burrows.

 

Steel shiny starling

Greater blue-eared starling

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Greater blue-eared starling

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Greater blue-eared starling

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Greater blue-eared starling

Female red cardinal | flickr.com

Greater blue-eared starling

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Greater blue-eared starling has plumage of blue-green hues with a metallic sheen. It is common in Central and East Africa and feeds on insects and fruits.

The steely shiny starling reaches a size of about 35 cm. It lives in open forest and sometimes feeds on insects that disturb grazing livestock. Life expectancy reaches 12 years.

 

Quall

Speckled marsupial marten, or eastern quoll (eastern quoll)

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Speckled marsupial marten, or eastern quoll (eastern quoll)

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Speckled marsupial marten, or eastern quoll (eastern quoll)

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Speckled marsupial marten, or eastern quoll (eastern quoll)

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Speckled marsupial marten, or eastern quoll (eastern quoll) – an animal the size of a small cat, the muzzle is pointed, like a rat. The color of the fur varies from black to yellowish brown, and white spots cover the entire body, with the exception of the fluffy tail, which has a white tip. This species is listed in the IUCN Red List with the status of "endangered".

Quolls were once common in southeastern Australia, but as a result of uncontrolled extermination, their numbers began to decline, and now they have practically disappeared on the continent. However, they are still common in Tasmania (this is an island and an Australian state, which is located 240 km south of the Australian mainland).

Quolls are found mainly in moist rainforests, in river valleys, although until the 30s of the 20th century they could often be found in gardens and even attics of suburban houses. The way of life is solitary and nocturnal. They usually hunt on the ground, but they are good at climbing trees.

The main food of the quoll is insect pests. After the colonization of Australia, they began to hunt poultry, rabbits, rats and mice and were exterminated by farmers for ruining poultry houses. The main food competitor of the quoll is the Tasmanian devil, as well as foxes introduced by humans, feral cats and dogs.

 

Gaboon viper

Gaboon viper or cassava (Gaboon viper)

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Gaboon viper or cassava (Gaboon viper)

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Gaboon viper or cassava (Gaboon viper)

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Gaboon viper or cassava (Gaboon viper)

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Some species of snakes, such as the Gaboon viper, are able to retain their feces for over a year. One hypothesis (the "adaptive ballast" hypothesis) states that they can do this because the extra weight near their rear can help anchor their lower body to the ground during impact.

Gaboon viper or cassava (Gaboon viper) is a venomous snake from the genus of African vipers. Distributed in tropical and subtropical rainforests, in secondary forests, in savanna woodlands in Western, Central, South, and East Africa. Prefers wet habitats.

This is one of the largest and thickest vipers, reaching a length of 1,8 meters, and according to some reports, more than 2 meters. The girth of the body is up to 47 cm. The head is very large and wide, triangular in shape, delimited from the body by a narrow neck. A characteristic detail of the head: raised shields between the nostrils in the form of horns, especially clearly visible in individuals from the western part of the range. The coloration of the whole body imitates the forest litter of withered leaves.

The diet mainly consists of rodents (mice, rats), to a lesser extent other mammals, birds, lizards and frogs.

This viper stands out for its calm character, rarely reacting to external stimuli – for this reason, cases of attacks on humans are rare. Despite this, a snake bite is a serious danger. Without immediate medical attention, the toxins in cassava venom cause a number of systemic disorders in the body that can be fatal. For treatment, standard sera against the poison of this particular species are used.