Swollen Mantis Shrimp

Invertebrates > Crustaceans

The Swollen Mantis Shrimp (Neogonodactylus oerstedii), also known as the Caribbean smashing mantis shrimp, is a formidable, highly pugnacious stomatopod crustacean endemic to the warm shallow waters of the Western Atlantic and Caribbean basin. Operating as a...

Coral Razorfish

Fish > Bony Fish

The Coral Razorfish (Aeoliscus strigatus), often known as the jointed razorfish or shrimpfish, is a bizarre, compressed marine teleost belonging to the family Centriscidae. Inhabiting sheltered coral lagoons and patch reefs across the vast Indo-West Pacific, this...

Marbled Shovel-nosed Frog

Amphibians > Frogs & Toads

The Marbled Shovel-nosed Frog (Hemisus marmoratus), also called the marbled snout-burrower, is a subterranean anuran native to open savannas, river floodplains, and seasonal marshes throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Renowned across vertebrate morphology for its unique...

Spider-tailed Horned Viper

Reptiles > Snakes

The Spider-tailed Horned Viper (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides) possesses arguably the most astonishing, sophisticated morphological adaptation for caudal luring in the entire animal kingdom. Endemic to the rugged limestone and gypsum mountains of western Iran, this...

Tufted Coquette

Birds > Hummingbirds

The Tufted Coquette (Lophornis ornatus) is a gem-like, diminutive hummingbird native to the humid lowland forest borders and river basins of the Guiana Shield in northern South America. Weighing barely more than a large bumblebee, this exquisite avian marvel is...