Beware the Toothpick Fish!

No, seriously. Beware the toothpick fish. Better known as the candiru of the Amazon basin, this nasty little translucent parasite has a worse reputation than the piranha.

The candiru hunts down fish by following the scent of ammonia being exhaled by the fish's gills. Once the candiru has found the ammonia source, it latches on to the flesh and digs its way in until it hits an artery. Then it goes to town with its razor teeth. The host fish is unable to dislodge the candiru due to the umbrella-like array of spines it uses to lodge itself firmly in place. The attack lasts for several minutes before the candiru detaches and goes on its merry way. The host fish rarely survives the attack.

Well, guess what happens when a human pees in the water and there's a candiru lurking nearby? It's a case of horrific mistaken identity. The attack ensues just as outlined above, only the candiru has to dig further into the...nether regions...of the hapless victim to strike gold.

Sleep well tonight. The world can be a very ugly place.

Thanks for the nightmares, Martha. I now have one more reason not to go swimming in the Amazon River.

Photo source: Oregon Piranha Exotic Fish Exhibit

So Much Effort, So Little Time

The cicada is always good fodder for this blog, as is anything that metamorphoses from a nasty little monster into a winged monster.

Robert took these photos of an emergent cicada while in Louisiana, US. I didn't know that these bugs can live for years as larvae underground, only to emerge as glorious flying insects and then die four weeks later.

Can you imagine living most of your life as a hideous troll of a teenager, and then only having a few years left as an actual adult? Oh, wait. I know quite a few people like that. I'll go ask them.

Thanks for the photos, Robert.

Ethereal Ratfish

This story was sent to me by Julia, banno, and Ida. You're looking at an albino ratfish. Albinism is very rare to find in adult fish. They get gobbled up too quickly. This one was pulled out of the Puget Sound in Washington state, US. They occur one in about seven million. Those are some long odds.

I've posted on the ratfish before. But this one has such an ethereal quality to it. It's almost...almost pretty.

BTW, this fish was yanked out of the water with a net, but was whisked off to an aquarium, where she will no doubt live a long, fruitful life of being stared at by ichthyologists.

Thanks, Julia, banno, and Ida. You've got the Ugly Eye (a rare gift).

Photo source: Seattle Times

Snot Otter - Hellbender

This has been a few days in the making. I am so, so glad that they didn't simply name this monster the 'Giant American Salamander' or some such. No. Instead, it is known as the Hellbender or Snot Otter (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). You really couldn't ask for better names. This amphibian should be very proud of itself. Not many newt cousins get that kind of respect.

These crayfish eaters are native to the Apalachian Mountains of the North American east. The longest one of record was 2 1/2 feet, and they've been known to live as long as 29 years. The Snot Otter is truly an epic creature.

I want one. I'm considering returning to my childhood dream of becoming a herpetologist, if for no other reason than to study them.

Photo source: Hellbenders.org

Rock Snot

Chris sent me this article on an algae plague that is running rampant across many parts of the globe. I know, I know, algae isn't an animal, but this is Ugly Overload and I am an equal opportunity purveyor in ugly beings.

This algae (Didymosphenia geminata), has been dubbed 'rock snot'. You can't ask for a better name for this invasive plant. It's posing a real threat to many aquatic ecosystems, since it smothers food supplies to insects, which in turn may endanger fish populations. The real kicker is that there is no real way to stop it. Algae is a single-celled, noxious organism that can be spread from pond to stream to lake with ease.

Rock snot. I think I used to call my brother that. I think I also used to call him a single-celled, noxious organism. Life comes around full circle some times.

Thanks for the link, Chris.

Photo source: MSNBC

Demon Eyes with an Extra Leg

Geoffrey took a trip from his native Germany to Australia. While there he encountered this lady at a zoo. This is the first time I've ever posted on a wallaby.

Geoffrey caught her at just the right moment: demon eyes, distractingly cute face and curled paws hinting at the evil within. But it's the second shot that seals the deal. That extra leg protruding from her belly would be more than a little disconcerting if I didn't know that she was a marsupial.

Thanks for the photos, Geoffrey.

Mixed Blessing

Most of us recall that scene in E.T. when Elliott frees all of the frogs slated for dissection in his biology class. As a lad I cheered that moment, though I later had to do the dirty deed in the eighth grade.

Well, those days are now over, or, at least, greatly reduced. Hiroshima scientists, as reported at Pink Tentacle, have developed a see-through frog. This new creature will allow scientists to study the progress of various illnesses and diseases in the hapless frog without having to kill and dissect it. Why cut it open when you can see the blood vessels and organs right before your eyes?

Talk about a mixed blessing. If I'm one of these frogs, I'm feeling releaved that I won't have to suck in some ether and end up under the scalpel. On the other hand, what's all this talk about illnesses and diseases? Elliot's job might not be over.

Thanks for the article, Arachnophile.

Photo source: Pink Tentacle

Purple Mark and Tons of Legs

I have never encountered one of these, for which I am very, very grateful. You're looking at a top view of the house centipede.

Poor Victorya has been besieged by a swarm of these monstrous pests in her Manhattan apartment. Though Victorya is happy to let spiders share her pad, she has no such inclination when it comes to the house centipede. As she put it, when you smash one it leaves a "purple mark and tons of legs stuck to the wall." Yummy.

Keep up the good fight, Victorya. We're all rooting for you. I hope purple matches your decorating scheme.

Thanks for the photo, Victorya.

Photo source: University of Nebraska