The strangest animals on the planet

Our planet is amazingly diverse. Different environmental conditions give rise to different characteristics in creatures of all shapes, colors, scents, and sizes.

The environment plays a crucial role in shaping the evolutionary trajectory of a species. The environment determines the availability of resources such as food, water, shelter and a partner, which in turn affects the survival and reproduction of individuals.

The evolution of strange or unusual traits in creatures can occur due to a variety of factors, including genetic mutations, natural selection, and genetic drift.

Organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on their genes to the next generation. Natural selection acts on traits that enhance an organism's fitness in its environment, leading to the accumulation of beneficial traits over time... Thank you Darwin.

Here is a list of freakishly strange creatures found in different places around the world:

1. Atlantic glaucous
   

   Glaucus atlanticus, also known as the blue dragon, is a species of sea slug found in the open ocean, particularly in warm waters such as the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. It is a pelagic species, meaning it lives on the surface of the water and can often be found floating upside down, using its bright blue underside to blend in with the surface of the water.

2. Barreleye fish
   

   Macropinna microstoma, also known as the barreleye fish, is a deep-sea fish found in the Pacific Ocean, particularly in the waters off the coast of California. The most striking feature of the barreleye fish is its transparent, fluid-filled head, which contains its eyes and other sensory organs. The eyes are encased in a transparent, fluid-filled dome that allows them to rotate and point upwards, giving the fish a vertical field of view that is essential for spotting prey above them. Fish eyes are also incredibly sensitive to light, capable of detecting the faint bioluminescence emitted by deep-sea creatures.

3. Scotoplanes, the sea pig
   

   Sea pigs are a group of deep-sea creatures that belong to the sea cucumber family, which are echinoderms related to starfish and sea urchins. They are found in all of the world's oceans and are typically found at depths of 1,000 to 6,000 meters. Sea pigs are named for their distinctive appearance, resembling a plump, pink sausage with numerous tube-like feet on the underside.

4. Babirusa
   

   Babirusa is a type of wild pig native to the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi, Togian, Sula and Buru. There are four subspecies of babirusa, all of which are characterized by their unique appearance, including long, upward-curving tusks that can grow up to 17 inches long in males. Babirusas are known for their unique tusks, which are actually modified canine teeth that grow upward through the top of the snout and curve toward the head.

5. The Axolotl
   

   The axolotl is a type of salamander native to Mexico. It is also known as the Mexican salamander or Mexican walking fish, although it is not a fish but an amphibian. The axolotl is known for its unique ability to regenerate lost body parts, including limbs, spinal cord, and even parts of its brain. The axolotl has a distinctive appearance, with frilly external gills that allow it to breathe underwater, and a broad head with large eyes.

6. Tardigrade
   

   Tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss pigs, are a group of microscopic water-dwelling animals known for their remarkable ability to survive in extreme conditions. Tardigrades can be found in a variety of aquatic environments, including freshwater, marine, and even in mosses and lichens. Tardigrades are known for their unique anatomy, which includes a segmented body, four pairs of clawed feet, and a distinctive "head" region with a pair of eyes and a mouth.

7. Star-nosed Mole
   

   The star-nosed mole is a small burrowing mammal found in the humid lowlands of eastern North America, from southern Canada to the eastern United States. It gets its name from its distinctive nose, which is covered in 22 fleshy, pink, star-shaped tentacles that are used to detect and identify prey.

8. Sunfish
   

   The sunfish, also known as the mola mola, is a large, peculiar-looking fish found in temperate and tropical waters around the world. It is the world's largest bony fish, with adults reaching up to 3.3 meters (11 ft) in length and weighing up to 2,300 kg (5,000 lb). Ocean sunfish have a unique flattened body shape with a truncated caudal fin and no visible dorsal fin. They are silvery gray in color and have a rough texture to the skin due to small tooth-like structures called denticles.

9. Red-lipped batfish
   

   The Galapagos batfish, also known as the red-lipped batfish, is a species of fish that is native to the Galapagos Islands, which lie off the coast of Ecuador in South America. They are known for their distinctive appearance, with bright red lips and a flattened, somewhat "ugly" face. This fish is typically found in rocky or sandy areas near the coast at depths ranging from 3 to 76 meters (10 to 250 feet). They are a slow-moving species that uses their modified fins to "walk" across the ocean floor.

10. Glass frog
    

    Glass frogs are a group of small, semi-translucent frog species found in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. They get their name from their unique appearance, which includes a mostly transparent body that allows their internal organs to be visible from the outside.

11. Blobfish
    

    The puffer fish is a species of deep-sea fish found in the coastal waters of Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania. It is known for its unique appearance, which includes a soft, gelatinous body and a large head with a drooping, puckered mouth. These fish live at depths of around 600 to 1,200 meters (2,000 to 4,000 ft), where the water pressure is many times greater than at the surface. Their soft, drop-like bodies are actually an adaptation to this high-pressure environment, allowing them to remain buoyant without the need for a swim bladder.

12. Portuguese man-of-war
    

    The Portuguese man-of-war is a marine animal that is often mistaken for a jellyfish, but is actually a type of siphonophore, which is a colony of specialized organisms that work together as a single entity. It is found in warm, tropical, and subtropical waters around the world, and is known for its distinctive, brightly colored appearance. This animal has a gas-filled bladder, called a pneumatophore, which allows it to float on the ocean's surface. Beneath the pneumatophore are tentacles that can extend up to 30 meters (100 ft) in length and are used to capture small fish and planktonic organisms. These tentacles are lined with stinging cells called nematocysts, which can cause a painful, sometimes dangerous sting to humans and other animals.