The Oddest Animals From Around The World

MOUSE LEMUR

Family: Cheirogaleidae

Habitat: Bush and scrub forests of Madagascar

Fun Fact: Mouse lemurs are the smallest primates in the world. 

PEACOCK MANTIS SHRIMP

Family: Odontodactylidae

Habitat: Warm water near reefs around the world

Fun Fact: The peacock mantis shrimp has the fastest recorded punch of any animal, punching at 50 mph. 

FRILLED SHARK

Family: Chlamydoselachidae

Habitat: Throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Fun Fact: Scientists believe the frilled shark captures food by bending and lunging forward like a snake and than swallowing its prey whole. 

COMMON AGAMA

Family: Agamidae

Habitat: Villages of Sub-Saharan Africa

Fun Fact: Male common agama get their red-and-blue Spider-Man look only during their mating season. Once the season is over, they return to a brown color. 

PROBOSCIS MONKEY

Family: Cercopithecidae

Habitat: Costal areas of Borneo

Fun Fact: When one of these monkeys is trying to attract a mate, it makes a pouty face.

ORCHID MANTIS

Family: Hymenopodidae

Habitat: Rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia 

Fun Fact: As the orchid mantis gets older and continues to molt, the color of the insect starts to match more closely with the surrounding vegetation.

DUMBO OCTOPUS

Family: Opisthoteuthidae

Habitat: Deep waters of the Northwest Atlantic

Fun Fact: These sea creatures were named for their likeness to the classic Disney elephant.

TAKAHE

Family: Rallidae

Habitat: New Zealand and surrounding islands

Fun Fact: The takahe was believed to be extinct in 1898, but an extensive search party rediscovered the bird in 1948. 

YETI CRAB

Family: Kiwaidae

Habitat: Hydrothermal vents if the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge

Fun Fact: Scientists believe this creature, which was first discovered in 2005, is blind due to the lack of pigmentation in its eyes. 

LARGE HAIRY ARMADILLO 

Family: Dasypodidae

Habitat: Grasslands of South America

Fun Fact: Thanks to the giant hairy armadillo's ability to adapt, it is not in danger of extinction like some other armadillos. 

TREEHOPPER

Family: Membracidae

Habitat: Every continent except Antarctica

Fun Fact: Treehoppers are known to form mutualistic relationships with ants, wasps and geckos. 

KODKOD

Family: Felidae

Habitat: Rainforests of Chile 

Fun Fact: At only five pounds, the kodkod is the smallest cat in the Americas, and also has the smallest distribution. 

INDIAN GHARIAL 

Family: Gavialidae

Habitat: Rivers of India

Fun Fact: The Gharial's snout becomes thicker and shorter as the animal ages. 

CUSCUS

Family: Phalangeridae

Habitat: Rainforests of Australia and New Guinea

Fun Fact: Cuscuses conduct all of their mating on tree branches. 

KIWI

Family: Apterygidae

Habitat: Forests of New Zealand

Fun Fact: Kiwis are the only birds with nostrils on the ends of their beaks, and one of the few fliers with highly a developed sense of smell. 

HAGFISH

Family: Myxinidae

Habitat: Temperate seas around the world

Fun Fact: Hagfish can tie themselves into knots. They do this to remove the slime they secrete. 

CHINESE GIANT SALAMANDER

Family: Cryptobranchidae

Habitat: Mountain streams and lakes of China

Fun Fact: The Chinese giant salamander is known as an "infant fish" in Chinese because of the crying noises it makes that are similar to those of a human child.

KAKAPO

Family: Strigopidae

Habitat: The forests of New Zealand islands

Fun Fact: These nocturnal parrots were not always flightless. Once the kakapo moved to an island with limited predators, the birds adapted and lost their ability to fly.