Source: National Geographic
Psychedelic Sea Slug
Like other sea slugs, this new species,Phyllodesmium acanthorhinum, is strikingly colorful. Found in the waters off Japan, this inch (2.5-centimeter) long creature is considered a missing link between sea slugs that eat corals and those that eat coral relatives.
Artistic Pufferfish
For 20 years, divers off Japan had noticed perfect circles about six feet (two meters) wide on the ocean floor. In 2014, they found the artist: A new species of pufferfish, whose males wriggle in the sand to create a circular nesting site and attract females.. interesting!!
Bone-House Wasp
The bone-house wasp, discovered in eastern China, uses dead ants to protect its nest. Chemicals emitted from the ant bodies create a safety net for Deuteragenia ossarium, throwing off predators and parasites searching for tasty wasp larvae.
“Chicken From Hell”
Anzu wyliei was a north american dinosaur with several bird-like features, including feathers, hollow bones, and a beak. Nicknamed the “Chicken from Hell,” the Cretaceous-era creature was 11 feet (3 meters) long and weighed 500 pounds (225 kilograms)….the name is just classic..lol…
Live-Birthing Frog
Instead of laying eggs like most frogs, Limnonectes larvaepartus, from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, gives birth to live tadpoles. Of more than 6,000 frog species, it’s the only one known to do this…
Mushroom-Like Mystery
These animals surpass the new-species title—they belong to an entirely new phylum.Dendrogramma enigmatica and D. discoids are tiny animals that look like mushrooms and are likely related to jellyfish. They were discovered on the seafloor off Victoria, Australia.
Giant Stick Insect
At 9 inches (23 centimeters) long, the stick insect Phryganistria tamdaeoensis is a giant among bugs. The new critter appears to be quite common in its native Vietnam, but had escaped the notice of scientists until last year
Cartwheeling Spider
When faced with danger, the agile Cebrennus rechenbergiof Morocco uses a somersaulting technique to escape quickly across the hot sand.
Christmas Plant
This red-and-green plant, Tillandsia religiosa, has long been known to the inhabitants of Morelos, Mexico, where it’s used as a Christmas decoration. But these high-living bromeliads—often found on cliffs and vertical walls—were only officially described by scientists in 2014
Parasitic Plant
Long, bumpy branches of Balanophora coralliformis, which parasitizes other plants, have a coral-like appearance. Found in the Philippines, the plant was described as endangered almost immediately after its discovery
