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African hippos sweat a redish colour so they can cool off in the hot african heat.https://www.neatorama.com/2011/06/22/six-seriously-strange-animal-adaptations/

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wood frogs freeze their blood to survive. Their heart stops beating. They can survive weathers as low as -80.

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Bone worms dissolve the bones of dead sea life to use as its food.

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Despite their spiky features, short-horned lizards are preyed upon by a number of creatures, including hawks, roadrunners, snakes, lizards, dogs, wolves, and coyotes. Consequently, beyond their natural camouflage, they have adapted a pair of remarkable talents. In order to ward off hungry predators, short-horned lizards are capable of inflating their bodies up to twice their size, resembling a spiny balloon. And if this proves insufficient, some species employ one of the animal kingdom’s most bizarre defensive mechanisms: they shoot blood from their eyes.  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/s/short-horned-lizard/

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Generally, when you’re being attacked by something that wants to eat you, the last thing you want to do is let them get a taste of your delicious, delicious blood to further entice them. But for critters that aren’t as tasty as us humans, this rule applies less and less. In fact, the Texas horned lizard has blood that tastes so gross that it voluntarily gives predators a taste just to show them that they won’t find any pleasure snacking on the lizard. As if that weren’t strange enough though, the source of the lizard’s blood buffet is even weirder …it launches its fluid sample straight from its eye. Even if the taste of the little critter’s blood wasn’t enough to turn away a potential predator, this horrifying scene certainly is!

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I write a lot about animals for Neatorama and that's because I'm always reading about them. The coolest thing about the vast variety of critters is that there are so many and each has evolved their own strange adaptations to survive in their own niche of the planet. With each animal trying to carve out its own special place in the world, it's not too surprising that there are some that had to dig a little harder and have ended up adapting in very strange ways. These six creatures might not seem too strange at first, but just wait until you read more about their bizarre adaptations. I'd like to give a special thanks to The Proceedings of the Ever So Strange and The Book of Animal Ignorance, both of which greatly contributed to the information in this article.

1. The Texas Horned Lizard's Blood Shooting Defense

Generally, when you're being attacked by something that wants to eat you, the last thing you want to do is let them get a taste of your delicious, delicious blood to further entice them. But for critters that aren't as tasty as us humans, this rule applies less and less. In fact, the Texas horned lizard has blood that tastes so gross that it voluntarily gives predators a taste just to show them that they won't find any pleasure snacking on the lizard. As if that weren't strange enough though, the source of the lizard's blood buffet is even weirder ...it launches its fluid sample straight from its eye. Even if the taste of the little critter's blood wasn't enough to turn away a potential predator, this horrifying scene certainly is! Source Image via randomtruth [Flickr]

2. The Hippopotamus' Blood Sweat

Being the most deadly animal in Africa, the hippo doesn't have much to worry about in terms of predators. Sure, an occasional lion, croc or hyena might munch on the babies, but once these river monsters grow up, they're pretty much at the top of the food chain. That's why their biggest defenses aren't against other creatures, but against the ravaging African sun and disease-causing bacteria. While rolling around in the mud can work as a natural sunscreen, it's simply not enough when the majority of their day is spent wading through the river. Instead, hippos have developed their own natural sunscreen, which oozes out of their pores in a shocking, bright red color. This strange secretion has earned the appropriately horrific nickname of "blood sweat," although it contains neither bodily fluid. Instead, it is made up of a number of highly acidic compounds that absorb ultraviolet light, preventing sunburn, and that inhibit the growth of bacteria. While we usually think of the blood sweat as bright red, it actually comes out clear, turns red and then fades to brown as it becomes exposed to the air. Source Image via Hrosi.org

3. The Komodo Dragon's Filthy, Disgusting Mouth

Being stuck on an island with no natural predators, the Komodo dragon already has a good evolutionary hand, growing to become the largest living lizards on earth, reaching almost 10 feet long. But as many lizards will be happy to tell you, "size doesn't matter," so the Komodos also evolved a quite nasty way to bring down their prey.

To start with, the Komodos have two small venom glands in their lower jaw that can release toxins that can cause swelling, lowered blood pressure, reduced blood clotting , paralysis, shock, hypothermia and extreme pain. But that's not enough for these foul lizards. They also have some of the all-around most disgusting mouths of any animal on earth. In fact, their saliva contains E. coli, Staphylococcus, Providencia and other deadly bacteria. Each dragon may have up to 57 different strains of bacteria in their mouth at any given time! While Komodos don't have any problems hunting smaller animals on their island with a simple bite of the neck and maybe a quick tail whip, they also have it easy when hunting larger creatures like water buffalo (or, occasionally, humans). In fact, the dragon will simply bite the buffalo and then follow it around for a day or two until the prey succumbs to the venom and infections resulting from the Komodo bite. Scientists still don't know how the dragons survive with so much nasty stuff in their mouths and they can't run experiments on the captive populations, because the bacteria die out on dragons that aren't wild. Source Image via Mats Stafseng Einarsen [Wikipedia]

4. The Pistol Shrimp's Shooting Claw

Unless you have some sort of rare phobia, chances are, you've never found shrimp all that intimidating. If you met the pistol shrimp though, you might change your mind. This crazy crustacean has one disproportionately large claw with two interlocking parts in place of pinchers. When he pulls it back and releases the pressure built up in his claw, it releases a wave of bubbles that contain so much energy that they are as hot as the surface of the sun. The resulting shock waves knock out predators and prey for the shrimp, making his life pretty chill for a small shrimp in the big ocean. Source Video Link

5. The Anglerfish's Extreme Sexual Dimorphism

By now, most of you are at least a little familiar with the anglerfish and its strange dangling light orb. Heck, we even sell a cute anglerfish nightlight in the Neatoshop. But what you might not know is that you've probably only ever been introduced to the female anglerfish. While plenty of animals display sexual dimorphism to some level, it's never been quite as drastic as the differences between the male and female anglerfish. In fact, when scientists first discovered the male anglerfish, they thought he was some kind of parasite that fed off of the female ...and in a way, they were right. The male anglerfish is drastically smaller than the female and he does not have a glowing lure on his head and many are so stunted that they can't eat at all, which means he has to find a female ASAP if he wants to survive. So the male quickly finds a female, bites down on her side and releases an enzyme that dissolves the skin of his mouth and a little of her body so the two can fuse together. Slowly the male atrophies until all that is left of him is a pair of gonads which release sperm whenever the female's hormones announce that eggs are being released. Scientists have found some anglerfish females with as many as 8 pairs of male gonads attached to their side. In a small handful of anglerfish species, things can get even weirder if a male can't find a mate. In these cases, the male will start growing and increase drastically in size, eventually becoming a female himself. Source Image via Dr Tony Ayling [Wikipedia]

6. The Spotted Hyena's Strange Sex Organs

If you're a mother, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that giving birth is no picnic -but just be thankful you aren't a spotted hyena mother. These poor creatures have a vagina that is fused shut, so intercourse, urination and birth are all performed through the female's massively large clitoris. The strange organ matches the male's penis in both size and hardness. Scientists are still struggling to understand why the female hyena would have evolved this trait. It certainly doesn't seem beneficial given that one out of every ten births results in the death of the mother and that almost every first-born cub suffocates during birth. On the upside, while birth may be a serious challenge for female hyenas, they are one of only a handful of creatures that live in a matriarchal society, so at least they have that trade off going for them. Source Image via Budgiekiller [Wikipedia] Obviously, there are tons more weird animals with strange adaptations, but these articles have to stop at some point, so maybe I'll share more with you guys in a future article down the road. Like always though, feel free to share your knowledge relating to the subject in the comments.

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Profile for - Member Since Dec 31st, 1969

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Six Seriously Strange Animal Adaptations

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I write a lot about animals for Neatorama and that’s because I’m always reading about them. The coolest thing about the vast variety of critters is that there are so many and each has evolved their own strange adaptations to survive in their own niche of the planet.

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Boone Goodgame

Hagfish are long and vermiform, and can exude copious quantities of a milky and fibrous slime or mucus from some 100 glands or invaginations running along their flanks.[10] The species Myxine glutinosa was named for this slime. When captured and held, e.g., by the tail, they secrete the microfibrous mucus, which expands into up to 20 litres (5¼ US gallons) of sticky, gelatinous material when combined with water;[11] one litre of slime has about 40 milligrams of mucus and proteins.[12] If they remain captured, they can tie themselves in an overhand knot, which works its way from the head to the tail of the animal, scraping off the slime as it goes and freeing them from their captor. This singular behavior may assist them in extricating themselves from the jaws of predatory fish or from the interior of their own prey, and the sliming might act as a distraction to predators.[12]

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Tube Worms can turn toxic water into food. They are technically bags of bacteria, and they feed off of hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the ocean. They are surrounded by complete darkness due to the depth, and the internal bacteria uses the toxic hydrogen sulfide in the water to produce energy.

https://www.businessinsider.com/these-7-animals-have-crazy-adaptations-to-help-them-to-survive-in-their-habitats-2016-7#tubeworms-turn-toxic-water-into-food-6

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The Tropical Pitcher plant (Nepenthes) is a carnivorous plant with a pitcher-like shape that can not only capture insects, but also other small prey like lizards, mice, and birds. The rim of the picher shaped plant is coated in a slippery substance which keeps the prey from getting out. Inside is a sticky liquid that slowly digests the prey. https://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=32342

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African bullfrogs create mucus "homes" to survive the dry season. The African bullfrog lives in the savanna of Africa, where it gets very hot and dry. When a frog is out of the water, mucus on its skin helps it breathe by dissolving oxygen from the air.
https://www.crittersquad.com/fact-sheets/african-bullfrog-fact-sheet/

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When a horned lizard feels threatened by a predator, its final defense response is to shoot blood from these flooded sinuses and out its eye sockets. As a result, the predator is often frightened and flees. The lizard also uses this mechanism to remove foreign particles from the surface of its eyes.
https://asknature.org/strategy/eyes-squirt-blood/

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Regal Horned Lizard Phrynosoma solare - AskNature

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This is one of three horned lizard species that squirt blood from their eyes.

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Male anglerfish are incredibly small and weak, some even so weak they do not have the ability to eat. Their only hope for survival is finding a female mate. When they find one, they fuse into her side, and almost entirely dissolve into an organ that releases sperm when eggs are being released. In a some anglerfish species, if the male does not find a mate, he begins to grow drastically in size and eventually becomes a female himself.
https://www.neatorama.com/2011/06/22/six-seriously-strange-animal-adaptations/

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Wood Frogs are able to freeze their bodies during winter to survive the cold weather. These frogs stop breathing and they freeze solid. They are able to thaw and come back to life after winter. https://www.businessinsider.com/these-7-animals-have-crazy-adaptations-to-help-them-to-survive-in-their-habitats-2016-7#wood-frogs-freeze-their-bodies-1

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Tubeworms can turn toxic water into food. They live 8,000 feet below the surface and are surrounded by toxic gas and acid. The bacteria inside the tubeworms uses the toxic hydrogen sulfide as energy to create carbohydrates.
https://www.businessinsider.com/these-7-animals-have-crazy-adaptations-to-help-them-to-survive-in-their-habitats-2016-7#tubeworms-turn-toxic-water-into-food-6

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The Tropical Pitcher Plant is a carnivorous plant that is shaped like a pitcher and has a pool of water in it. The plant uses nectar to lure insects onto it then when they land on the plant they slip into the pool of water. The insects drown and die in the pool and are broken down and digested by enzymes released into the water by the plant. https://www.thoughtco.com/carnivorous-plants-373605

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Cuttlefish can physically adapt to their environment around them (structural adaptation). This organism can change the color of their skin. They do this by detecting how much light is being absorbed in the environment, then mimicking it themselves with their pigment to blend right in. They also have the ability to change the appearance of their texture. https://www.wildlifexteam.com/about/blog/7-strange-bizarre-animal-adaptations.html

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Because of its resemblance to ET the Extraterrestrial from the 1982 film this salamander has been dubbed the “ET salamander." Found in the rainforests of Ecuador, this salamander has one truly incredible adaptation—it has no lungs. Rather, it “breathes” through its skin, absorbing oxygen from the air around it.
https://listverse.com/2013/06/14/10-rare-animals-with-bizarre-adaptations/

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There is five families of the Notothenioid fish that freeze proteins in their blood. In order for them to survive in the cold water the proteins in their blood turn to ice crystals.

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Kangaroo rats have adapted to survive in the desert without ever taking a sip of water. Instead, they get all the moisture they need from the seeds that they eat. These critters also have incredible hearing and can jump up to nine feet, which helps them avoid predators. https://www.businessinsider.com/these-7-animals-have-crazy-adaptations-to-help-them-to-survive-in-their-habitats-2016-7

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I found that wood frogs freeze their bodies in the winter to stay alive. When they do this they stop breathing and their heart stops beating. https://www.businessinsider.com/these-7-animals-have-crazy-adaptations-to-help-them-to-survive-in-their-habitats-2016-7#wood-frogs-freeze-their-bodies-1

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the pisol shrimp has a very cool adaptation where when he sees prey he uses his claw as a gun. He opens his claw and shuts it so fast that it shoots a wave that stuns his prey for him to then kill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkY_mSwboMQ

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Kangaroo rats can live in the desert with needing to drink any water, Instead of getting water, the moisture from the seeds that they eat provides enough water for them to survive in the desert. They can also jump incredibly high, which lets them avoid predators.

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These strange creatures look like a combination of a Zebra & Giraffe. They live in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it’s always hot and filled with carnivorous predators. 

They have three fascinating adaptations in order to thrive: 

First, they have scent-glands on their feet to more easily mark their territory. Second, they have infrasonic cells, which allows them to communicate with calves without predators hearing their call. Finally they have long 14-18 inch tongues which they use to wash their face & eyes! 

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Ms. Ostarch- Alaskan Tiny Wood Frogs partially FREEZE their bodies instead of hibernate for the winter. By the time winter rolls around, most frogs have gone through 10-15 freeze-thaw cycles allowing them to accumulate large amount of glucose inside their cells. https://www.dogonews.com/2015

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Ms. Ostarch- Alaskan Tiny Wood Frogs partially FREEZE their bodies instead of hibernate for the winter. By the time winter rolls around, most frogs have gone through 10-15 freeze-thaw cycles allowing them to accumulate large amount of glucose inside their cells. https://www.dogonews.com/2015