The Top 10 Strangest Species In The United States, According To The Brothers Wild
The USA is full of bizarre and wonderous creatures, but we've ranked the following species to be the most unusual!
#1: Sea Lemon
You read that correctly! A Sea Lemon is a real thing, it's actually a species of sea slug, part of a scientific order of commonly known as Nudibranchs.
These odd creatures are most commonly found along the Pacific Coast of the US. In their typical habitat, these species can be relatively easy to locate in tide pools, during low tide times. One of the stranger facts about Sea Lemons is that they're extremely small eyes are only able to tell the difference between light and dark, they rely almost entirely on their rhinophores (the small horns protruding from their head in the image above) to navigate. Unlike the majority of Nudibranchs, Sea Lemons can grow to fairly large sizes, getting to roughly the size of an adult human's hand!
#2: Amphiuma
At first glance, this may appear to be an eel or even a fish, but this aquatic creature is actually a species of salamander! There are three types of Amphiuma: Three-toed, Two-toed, and One-toed. All of which are rarely seen and all live in the Southeast. These interesting species of salamander are very opportunistic predators, feeding on pretty much anything they encounter that can also fit in their mouths, even other Amphiumas! But by far the strangest thing about the Amphiuma is their miniature legs! They don't even measure one inch in length. This is likely why they primarily hunt in the mud, so their short legs can propel them forward easily!
#3: Thornscrub Vine Snake
Ever heard of this snake? We didn't think so! The Thornscrub Vine Snake is an odd looking snake from extreme South-central Arizona and Mexico. It's range within Arizona is limited to the Patagonia, Pajarito, and Atascosas Mountains. This snake is commonly referred to as the "Ghost Species" because it is so rarely encountered. Secreting an oily substance from the cloaca (similar to the rectum of the snake) that has a very foul smell, deterring predators when feeling threatened and they hunt from elevated perches in trees, mimicking a slender tree branch in the wind!
#4: Ice Worm
Possibly the strangest species on this list, these worms tunnel through the ice of glaciers feeding on snow algae and bacteria. In order to move through the ice, Ice Worms use small bristles on their bodies known as Setae to grip the ice and pull themselves along. These species require cold temperatures to survive. If temperatures reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit or more their bodies will literally melt and liquify! However it also can't get too cold as they can freeze to death too! As a result, it isn't yet known if or how they survive frigid winters and successfully reproduce. They have been found to number in the billions in the glaciers where they inhabit. What a strange creature!
#5: White-nosed Coati
Hailing from the same family as Raccoons, the White-nosed Coati is a specially adapted hunter of it's Sky Island habitat in both Arizona and a small area of New Mexico near the Gila National Forest, with their range extending all the way to Northwestern Columbia. What makes this species unique is it uses a tail half as long as it's body for balance, allowing it to easily climb trees and avoiding predators as they forage for prey.
#6: Brahminy Blind Snake
Blind Snakes are typically small, secretive creatures having very shiny, smooth scales ideal for tunneling and poor eyesight allowing them to only differentiate between light and dark, with some species having no eyes at all! But what's interesting about this specific species is they are not native to the USA, originating from SE Asia and Africa. This is the ONLY parthenogenetic species of snake, meaning they are all females. They can reproduce whenever conditions are favorable, with no need to find a mate. However they are very vulnerable to changes to their environment such as a natural disaster or human development, resulting in survival outlooks being bleak. All individuals are literally clones of their mother, with no varying traits between them that would allow some to cope better with changes or adaptions.
#7: 'Akiapola'au (pronounced ah-kee-ah-POH-LAH-OW)
How would this bird live in the USA? Well this species has made a home in Hawaii, as one of it's most unique and endangered endemic bird species! Exhibiting one of the most unusual feeding techniques in all the bird world, they use their lower mandible as a chisel to cut open the hole in the tree. Then using their downward curving lower mandible to extract the insect or larvae they're targeting! Additionally these beautiful birds are one the most endangered birds as a result of habitat loss and avian disease spread by invasive mosquitos.
#8: Oarfish
This is the world's longest bony fish, growing to lengths up to 56 feet and weighing in excess of 600 pounds! However these Oarfish are extremely rare to be seen alive. This fish has little to no muscle mass as they're a deep sea creature where there is almost no current to swim against. So when it floats to the surface it simply can't handle the shallow turbulent waters, and it ends up dying, usually washing ashore. What's super unique about Oarfish is how they've been mentioned in folklore for generations, that if one washes ashore it precedes a deadly earthquake or tsunami! An ancient omen of the deep!
#9: Chuck-will's-widow
This isn't a species of owl, but it's certainly nocturnal! This bird belongs to a group of birds known as NIghtjars! During the day, they're almost impossible to see as their camouflage allows them to blend perfectly into the forest floor amongst the leaf litter and dead branches. They have a very strange hunting style, soaring across the night sky with their overly large mouth open wide to engulf insects as well as the occasional bat or bird!
#10: Hellbender
The largest amphibian in the USA and third largest in the world, this salamander can reach incredible sizes, up to 29 inches in length and 5.5 pounds! Fully aquatic, found only in cold, fast flowing, low sediment rivers and streams. What makes this species so interesting is they have been dated back 40 million years, with little changes from the way they look today! With a uniquely interesting hunting style, they locate their prey by foraging and opening their large mouths and sucking their prey in whole!
That's our list! These animals are some of the coolest and most unique species in the USA, but the world over! Whether invasive, endangered, alien like, or simply spectacular these creatures are so much more than they appear. Across the country you can find all these and many more by exploring our amazing lands and learning more about the natural world!
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