By Diego Campbell “Fauna” is a strange word. It refers to animals in a specific location. “Fantastic” can mean different things, but in this case, it means “seeming more appropriate to the imagination than to reality.” Over the past few months I’ve been writing about all types of strange, you-wouldn’t-believe-it-unless-you’ve-seen-it, kinds of animals. But this article has a very specific focus; it’s looking at animals that appear so unusual, you’d think they came from a magical land rather than a rainforest (ironically, they do in fact set up shop in the tropics.) A lot of animals are incredible, but few are as fantastic as these. Northern Glass Frog- Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni There are fewer frogs as transparent as the glass frogs, a word here which doesn’t mean having easily perceived emotions. The Northern Glass Frog is a small light-green frog with an underside that can become see-through. When the underside is clear, it’s possible to see the small amphibian's veins and organs. Not many animals can boast a visible beating heart like these guys. The purpose of the clear skin is simple: camouflage. The tropical rainforests in Central and South America these frogs like to call home are also home to plenty of predators. To protect themselves while they sleep, glass frogs divert red blood that keeps their skin opaque, a word here which means not transparent, into their livers. This makes their skin as transparent as a dewdrop. It’s almost like they cast a magic spell of invisibility on themselves. This unique skill gives them great chances of survival and gives humans a chance to learn how to prevent blood clots. Rhinoceros Snake- Gonyosoma Boulengeri The Rhinoceros Snake, also known as the Vietnamese Long Nosed Snake, is your typical subtropical rainforest snake, save for one small detail: a long scaly protrusion at the end of its head. This “horn” was such a defining feature that every title this animal has references it in some way. However, scientists aren’t actually sure if the horn serves any evolutionary purpose. These snakes are nonpoisonous rat eaters, but they will still go for anything as small as lizards or birds. Another name for this snake happens to be the Green Unicorn. With a horn and name like that, it isn’t hard to imagine this reptile as a legendary beast worthy of a quest or two. Orchid Mantis- Hymenopus Coronatus
Would you believe me if I said this is one of the fastest predators in nature? Surprisingly, the Orchid Mantis, or walking flower mantis, is pretty quick on the draw. They have to be if they want to catch the pollinators they depend on for food. Orchid Mantises have something called “aggressive cryptic mimicry,” a term here which means it not only looks like a normal orchid flower, it appears to pollinators as a larger and more attractive one. When a bee, butterfly, cricket, or beetle get too close to the pretty colors, the mantis strikes with blinding speed. Spiky hairs on its forelegs allow it to catch large insects, even if they are three times bigger than the mantis. They can be found in tropical forests of Southeast Asia and carry no poison or venom. However, their bites can still cause some skin irritation in humans, so the next time you are visiting Indonesia and want to stop and smell the orchids, make sure you take a good look at them first. Conclusion A magical frog, a unicorn snake, and a walking flower mantis. Who knew the tropics had so many crazy critters? I mean seriously: is there a portal to a fantasy world hidden in the trees or something? Anyway, they all made nice little additions for the series that I’ve had so much fun writing. I’ve always loved animals, and getting the chance to write about some of the most bizarre beasts was a great opportunity to express that love. However, with a hanging head and heavy heart, I regret to report that this is the final animal article I will be writing for The Halo. Don’t be sad, though. While I was doing research for all these animals, I saw tons of other strange creatures scattered around the internet. There must be countless more somewhere out there around the world. Even though this trilogy is complete, I encourage you to be on the lookout for awesome animals wherever you go. It’s a wonderful world out there, and we share it with some fantastic creatures.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
StaffLearn more about the people behind the stories by clicking the button below. Archives
October 2023
Categories |