Depending on the beholder's preferences, the term 'scary animals' could apply to predators, creepy crawlies, or even creatures with odd appearances. There are, however, some frightful creatures that aren't just scary-looking; they also possess terrifying features.
5 Scary Animals and Their Terrifying Features
Bot Fly
Terrifying Feature: Grows its larvae in human flesh
The botfly is one of the most terrifying insects on the globe, despite having an adorable bumblebee appearance.
It is most famous for laying its eggs on mosquitoes, which subsequently transmit the larvae to other types of flesh, including human flesh.
The larvae, which develop inside the flesh, can result in skin diseases and ulcers.
It is frequently seen in South and Central America. Adults don't eat, but larvae consume their host's blood cells.
Vampire Finch Bird
Terrifying Feature: Sucks the blood out of their prey, which are other birds
The dark-feathered vampire finch resides on the Galápagos Islands and is unlike other finches in that it consumes the blood of other birds instead of seeds, which is how most people think of finches.
It is rumored that the vampire finch will nibble on the wings and tails of booby birds until it has enough blood to consume. The boobies, strangely enough, don't appear to care at all. The vampire finches weigh 71 ounces and have a petite size of about one inch. Its diet includes seeds, nectar, insects, and other birds' blood.
Star-Nosed Mole
Terrifying Feature: Alien-like face tentacles
Star-nosed moles have 22 pink tentacles that extend from their faces, giving them the appearance of frightening creatures from a distant world. The 100,000 nerve fibers in these tentacles make their "stars" the most sensitive touch organ of any mammal.
They can feed quicker than any mammal on earth and have enormous, shovel-like claws, which is another horrifying trait.
They exclusively eat tiny insects, fish, worms, and other invertebrates because they are small, measuring 4.6 inches long.
Hairy Frog, also known as Wolverine Frog or Horror Frog
Terrifying Feature: Unusually hairy frog and retracting claws
The hairy frog, commonly known as the wolverine frog, lives in Central America and resembles a werewolf in appearance.
The upper thighs of the male have structures that resemble hair. In reality, these "hairs" are arteries and skin, which can be employed to absorb additional oxygen.
When threatened, this frog's claws extend after piercing the toe bones, which is another peculiar trait of it.
The claws retract as the frog unwinds, and new toes grow. Its diet consists of slugs, beetles, spiders, grasshoppers, and myriapods.
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Hagfish
Terrifying Features: Two-horned teeth, suffocating sticky slime
Hagfish are unusual and unsettling creatures that look like eels. They lack jaws, but they can eat squid, shrimp, hermit crabs, bony fish, shark, and whale flesh with their two-horned teeth.
They are the only known species of animal with a skull devoid of vertebrae.
They emit a gooey slime when threatened or captured, clogging the gills of their predators and causing them to suffocate if they don't let go of the hagfish.
It can reach lengths of 19.7 inches and is widespread around the globe.
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