Top 15 Weirdest Animals in the World
#6 Red-Lipped Batfish (Ogcocephalidae)
Facts
- Class: Fish
- Order: Anglerfish (Lophiiformes)
- Family: Batfish (Ogcocephalidae)
- Distribution: Worldwide, except the Mediterranean Sea
- Habitat: Deep sea
Kisses! Why does this fish wear bright red lipstick?
The sea bat (more specifically, the red-lipped sea bat) looks like it has dressed up for a grand celebration: it sports a kissy mouth in the absolute trendy color of squeaky bright red! Perhaps this creature wants to distract from its biggest weakness: it is a terribly poor swimmer. While other fish glide gracefully through the water, the sea bat appears more like a sinking stone in open water.
Biologists still don't know exactly why the lips are so vividly red. The most widely accepted theory suggests that the striking color is meant to attract the attention of females during mating rituals. However, kissing in the sea is not on the agenda – that's left to us humans!
A Walk on the Ocean Floor: Fins as Legs
Since swimming is quite exhausting for them, the sea bat has developed a clever trick: it walks on land! Over the course of evolution (the long-term adaptation of nature), its pectoral and abdominal fins have transformed into little legs. When you observe this creature on the ocean floor, it appears as if a small crab or lizard is leisurely strolling across the sand. This method of movement is extremely rare in the fish kingdom.
The Built-in Fishing Rod: How Does the Sea Bat Hunt?
As a member of the order of batfish, the sea bat has yet another very clever trick up its sleeve. On its forehead sits a small, retractable antenna – known as Ilicium. This acts like a built-in fishing rod. The sea bat sits completely still on the ocean floor, extends its fishing rod, and releases chemical scents. Small crabs, clams, and tiny fish are magically drawn to the smell. Once the prey is close enough to its red kissy mouth, the sea bat quickly opens its mouth and sucks in the food.
Next to spot 7: The animal with the vacuum cleaner nose!
On the next page, we travel to the icy steppe. There lives an animal that looks like a living comic character from Star Wars. Its gigantic, trunk-like nose may look quite funny, but it saves the animal's life in winter. Click ahead now and get to know the mysterious Saiga antelope!
Sources:
- The Genera of Batfishes (Family Ogcocephalidae) (https://www.jstor.org)
- Dietary Analysis of Batfishes (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae) in the Gulf of Mexico (https://aquila.usm.edu)
- Table of Contents:
- 0. Introduction
- 1. Longhorn Cowfish
- 2. Glass Frog
- 3. Sawfish
- 4. Fried Egg Jellyfish
- 5. Streaked Tenrec
- 6. Red-Lipped Batfish
- 7. Saiga
- 8. Spook Fish
- 9. Clearwing Moth
- 10. Musk Deer
- 11. Dugong
- 12. Blue Ocean Slug
- 13. Giant Isopod
- 14. Leafy Seadragon
- 15. Leaf-Tailed Gecko
