by Scariness is subjective, both in general and in the animal kingdom: Some people are afraid of spiders, others are afraid of rabbits. However, certain features can make an animal appear more threatening, such as a huge mouth, sharp teeth or enormous size.
Let’s take a look at some of these scariest animals around the world and the physical characteristics that make them so intimidating.
1. Aye-Aye
the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) looks very cute, with big eyes, koala-like nose and big ears. That is, until he starts eating.
Unlike other primates, the aye-aye’s incisor teeth grow continuously, like a rat. What really scares animals, however, are their fingers. Aye-ayes have very long, thin fingers, which they use to find wood-boring insect larvae.
They also use their fingers for something else: According to a 2022 article published in the Journal of Zoology, “This animal inserts the entire length of its extremely long, thin and highly mobile middle finger into the nasal passages and then he speaks the nasal mucus. collected.”
As the world’s largest nocturnal primate, it only comes out at night – imagine it’s rodent teeth and spidery fingers in the dark!
2. Humpbacked Blackfish
If you’ve seen “Finding Nemo,” you’re familiar with the creepy-crawly sea fish (Melanocetus johnsonii). Marlin and Dory’s encounter with anglers is even more intense than their encounter with a group of sharks. (Even the New York Times calls sea fish “fluffy.”)
These deep-sea predators use a ball of glue that extends from their head to attract prey. When they suddenly open their large mouths, the rapid movement creates a suction that draws the prey into their large mouths, where they are then caught by large teeth that act as bars on cages.
3. Japanese Spider Crab
Afraid of spiders? You won’t want to run into the Japanese spider crab (Macrocheira kaempferi).
A 10-foot (3.11-meter) Japanese spider crab named Big Daddy holds the Guinness World Record for the widest crustacean ever discovered. Big Daddy’s 4 feet 8.5 inches (1.43 meters long) legs were also the longest crab legs ever.
In comparison, the largest spider – the Goliath spider (Theraphosa blondi) of South America — has a leg span of 11 inches (28 centimeters).
4. Asian Giant Hornet
Known as the “murder hornet,” the Asian giant hornet (Vespa Mandarin) mostly kills honey bees, but multiple stings from this terrible animal can also be fatal to humans. In Japan, bighorns kill 30-50 people every year.
No sting is fatal, but it doesn’t feel good: entomologist Masato Ono told National Geographic in 2010 that the pain was “like a hot nail through my foot.” Beekeeper Conrad Bérubé told the New York Times in 2020 that the horns were able to stare him through his bee suit, and “it was like red-hot sets being driven into my flesh.”
Also known as the northern giant hornet, these insects are the largest hornets in the world, growing up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) in length.
5. Goblin Sharks
Most people consider sharks to be scary animals. And deep-sea creatures tend to look sharper than their high-altitude counterparts. So, a deep sea shark is bound to be a scary animal.
Mitsukurina owstoni Its common name seems to be goblin shark. This “living fossil” has a very long snout and jaws of sharp teeth that extend when fed. They can grow up to 20 feet (6 meters) long and are the only species of the 125 million year old Mitsukurinidae family.
Despite their strange appearance, Goblin sharks are not a threat to humans. They live in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean and are rarely seen by humans. The diet consists of deep sea squid, other fish and crustaceans.
6. Komodo Dragon
At 10 feet (3 meters) long, Komodo dragons (Comodoensis Varanus) are the largest species of lizard alive today and some of the most wiry animals in the world. Its enormous size (adults weigh about 300 pounds or 135 kilograms), forked tongue and long, sharp claws add to its terrifying appearance.
The Komodo dragon’s bite is deadly, but not because of its razor sharp teeth. Its venomous bite, which inhibits blood clotting, can kill large prey, including cattle and other Komodo dragons.
Although attacks on humans are rare, Komodo dragons are extremely dangerous and have killed people.
7. Reef Stone Fish
The scariest creatures may be yours don’t look.
The Australian reef stonefish is the most venomous fish in the world, but what makes it so dangerous is its ability to camouflage itself. The reef stonefish looks exactly like a rock or piece of coral – that is, if rocks and coral looked angry. His mouth is stuck in a perpetual frown.
The reef stonefish hides among the rocks, then stalks its prey, quickly swooping down on unsuspecting fish and crustaceans. When threatened, the reef stonefish raises its dorsal fin spines, which are full of venom.
8. Human Bot Fly
What could be scarier than the maggots coming out of your skin? It’s the stuff of horror movies. The scientific name for this phenomenon is myiasis, and it is more common than you might think.
At first glance, the human bot flies (Dermatobia hominis) simply seems to fly quite large. It is 0.6 inches or 15 millimeters long, about twice the size of a typical house fly.
But these creepy animals are parasites that lay their eggs on mosquitos, knowing that the mosquitos will draw the blood of mammals. When they do, the eggs burrow into the mammal’s skin, where they feed for 5 to 10 weeks before emerging from their host and continuing their life cycle.
The human bot fly in Central and South America is the insect most famous for injecting its larvae into humans, but it is not the only one capable of miiiasis – and the victims are not individuals. Other animals that feed on these terrifying creatures include dogs, rabbits and livestock.
Original article: 8 of the Scariest Animals for Pure Nightmare Fuel
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