The top ten evolutionary "weirdos" in nature, each one more outrageous than the other (Part 2)

Ailsa Harvey

Walking fish

The gills of the Mexican axolotl are feather-like strips that grow from its head.

In the waters of Mexico, there lives a strange and fascinating creature - the Mexican axolotl, also affectionately called the "Mexican walking fish". When they swim in the water, the long feathery gills on both sides of their heads sway with the waves, like feathers floating in the water, becoming their most eye-catching symbol. However, when they slowly descend to the bottom of the water and stretch out their four legs to walk, you will truly realize that this is not an ordinary fish, but an amphibian with a unique lifestyle.

Although the Mexican axolotl looks like a fish, it is actually an amphibian. However, unlike many amphibians, the Mexican axolotl did not completely get rid of the aquatic environment during its growth. They retain gills throughout their lives and can breathe freely in the water, which is not common in other amphibians. This unique physiological feature comes from the fact that they have undergone a reverse evolutionary process called "larval continuation", which allows them to remain in the larval state and become the aquatic form they are today.

In Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City, these amphibians, which can reach up to 30 centimeters in length, live leisurely. They feed on small insects, worms, mollusks and crustaceans, creating a colorful underwater world. However, with the invasion of foreign fish species and water pollution, these creatures that once stood at the top of the food chain are facing an unprecedented survival crisis. We hope that humans can take more measures to protect these unique creatures and allow them to continue to swim freely in the water in the future.

Pregnant male

The gestation period for male seahorses is 10 to 25 days.

In most plants and animals, females bear the brunt of the offspring, but seahorses, pipefish, and pipefish subvert this convention and let males bear the offspring. Among these special members of the family Syngnathidae, seahorses are unique in that they carry their offspring in an intact brood pouch, while the other two keep their offspring attached to the outside of the body and fed through body tissue.

What benefits does this unique way of reproduction bring to these species? Scientists point out that males take on the task of breeding, allowing females to focus more on laying eggs, thereby increasing the reproduction rate of the species. In addition, this way of sharing parenting responsibilities also helps to balance the physical consumption of both parties, improve the survival rate of offspring, and jointly contribute to the continuation of the species.

Parasitic spouse

Female anglerfish glow; the light comes from bioluminescent bacteria and attracts mates and prey

In the darkness of the deep sea, female anglerfish become the shining star of this mysterious realm with their unique luminous charm. These lights come from the luminous bacteria in their bodies, which not only cover the anglerfish with a coat of light, but also become a weapon to attract mates and prey.

Yet the male is dwarfed by the dazzling female, which can be up to 60 times longer and 500,000 times heavier than the male, making the difference in appearance almost impossible to believe they could be the same species.

During the mating season, the behavior of male anglerfish is even more bizarre. Like a parasite, they will tightly bite the side of the female fish and merge with it to obtain the nutrients they need to survive. This parasitic relationship allows male fish to escape the hard work of swimming and foraging, and even causes their eyes, fins and some organs to gradually degenerate.

This seemingly incredible reproduction method is actually a unique survival strategy given to anglerfish by nature. Because male fish are small and require limited nutrients, they can easily attach themselves to female fish, and their only task is to provide reproductive cells at critical moments to continue the life of this unique species.

The rock weta, which can grow up to 10 centimeters in length, is a giant in the insect world. As the world's largest frost-resistant insect, the rock weta of New Zealand has an amazing ability to survive. They can freeze 80% of their bodies and still be full of energy after thawing.

These amazing creatures live in the cold mountains of New Zealand's South Island and have a unique ice nucleating agent in their blood. This substance acts as the opposite of antifreeze and promotes freezing. Although water in the body crystallizes outside the cells, the rock weta cleverly prevents ice crystals from forming inside the cells, thus protecting itself from damage.

In the cold winter, when the temperature drops below -10℃, the rock weta enter a dormant period of up to 5 months. At this time, their biological functions slow down and their physiological needs decrease, allowing these insects to survive longer in extreme environments and show strong vitality.

The pictures in this article are from How it works magazine