Animals 41 - 45 in our '50 incredible animals' series

Hi everyone,

41. Ghost shark

So first of all, this is a real animal and not a horror movie! Ghost sharks, often referred to as chimaeras, include around 50 species. They mostly live in the deep ocean and are seldom seen, hence the name.
They can be found all over the world. Some species have a large range, for example, the rabbit fish which inhabits the entire northern Atlantic Ocean, or a small range, like the Galapagos Ghost shark which only lives in the waters around the Galapagos. Not much is known considering their population status however they are currently not considered threatened. It is assumed that they reproduce in the same way as most sharks. Not much else is known about ghost sharks. They are as mysterious as their name suggests!

42. Sea pig

Again, this is a real animal! But it is not in any way like a pig (I have no idea why they called it a sea pig). It is a type of sea cucumber, that lives in the ocean depths. Their bodies are filled with water and are so fragile that they can disintegrate if brought up to the surface (probably due to the pressure difference). Because they can't be taken anywhere to be studied, very little is known about the sea pig. Food is scarce on the ocean floor, so they will eat whatever they can find! Not unlike pigs, maybe that's where the name comes from?

Apart from that, not much is known about sea pigs. We don't even know how long they live or how they mate. Conservation status is also unknown, however, they have no known predators because their skin is covered in poison! They will also protect baby crabs, seemingly without getting anything in return!

43. Great Potoo

This bizarre-looking animal is a large nocturnal bird native to tropical regions in America. They are a lot like owls: hunting with a similar technique, are nocturnal and are of similar size and shape. They are monogamous, meaning that they mate for life, raise and care for their chicks together and protect the same territory. The great potoo is about 50 cm tall and weighs 350-650 Kg. Their wingspan can reach up to 83.8 cm! A rather interesting fact is that both males and females are identical. This means that researchers have a very hard time working out who does the hunting and who looks after the chicks. Potoos are shy and will quickly disappear if they feel like they’re in danger. They are well camouflaged and can be overlooked even if you are almost right in front of them. This has led to quite a few internet memes of potoos pretending to be a tree stump!

44. Chinese giant salamander

Chinese giant salamanders are strange-looking creatures. They are territorial and live in rivers and lakes where the water is clear. They breed between July and September and only when the water temperature is 20°C. Chinese giant salamanders feed on most small animals that live in their territories. This includes everything from insects to fish. They have very bad eyesight and rely on vibrations to hunt. They hunt in the evening and at night when the water is cooler.
Unfortunately, these animals are at risk, due to human activity (mining for example). They are estimated to have lost 90% of their habitat before the year 2000. Dams also mean that the rivers where they live can dry up. They face many other threats as well. At the moment, there are less than 50 000 individuals left in the wild but a population of 2 million farmed animals. They are considered a delicacy and are also used in Chinese medicine.

45. African clawed frog

African clawed frogs are aquatic frogs that live in (surprise, surprise!) Africa. Their name comes from the sharp claws on their back legs. They are rather small, ranging from 5-12 cm. African clawed frogs are not naturally aggressive but may be if they feel threatened. They have a wide diet, eating anything they can find. Their behaviour is rather bizarre for instance, they will sometimes eat their own skin! They are also another example of an animal that can change its sex and they can also mate with any other individual, regardless of sex. To read more about LGBTQ+ animals, click here. Luckily, these animals are classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Your Green World Blog Team💚

Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/animal/chimaera
https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2019/07/03/everything-need-know-sea-pigs/
https://justbirding.com/great-potoo-facts/
https://animalia.bio/great-potoo
https://www.thezoologicalworld.com/african-clawed-frog/#African_clawed_frog
https://www.britannica.com/animal/platanna

Image:
This image, owned by gailhampshire (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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