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The 12 Ugliest-Looking Animals Ever

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Author Linnea H, BSc Sociology

Goblin shark
Head of a goblin shark with jaws extended . Image via Dianne Bray / Museum Victoria, CC BY 3.0 AU https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en, via Wikimedia Commons

The natural world is full of surprises, and not all of them are what we might conventionally call beautiful. Indeed, some creatures are less about majesty and more about peculiarity, featuring appearances that could be considered the opposite of aesthetically pleasing. This article takes a closer look at 12 of the ugliest-looking animals ever, highlighting the fascinating science and unique characteristics that make these creatures so special.

Let’s dive into the world of these unusually unattractive creatures!

1. Naked Mole Rat

mole
Naked mole . Image via Uploaded by Jedimentat44 on flickr., CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Credit: Buffenstein/Barshop Institute/UTHSCSA

2. Northern Stargazers (Zombie Fish)

Zoombie fish
Zombie fish might look scary and gross but they help feed plants and animals around them as decay. Image via Rickard Zerpe, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

3. Queensland Tube-Nosed Bat

Scary tube nosed bat
They have a long tail and make a distinctive whistling call while in flight. Image via Gabor Csorba, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons

4. Pacific Lamprey

A Pacific lamprey with its mouth turned to the camera. Image by Dave Herasimtschuk, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

5. Goblin Shark

Goblin shark
Head of a goblin shark with jaws extended . Image via Dianne Bray / Museum Victoria, CC BY 3.0 AU https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en, via Wikimedia Commons

6. Bearded Sea Devil

Bearded sea devil
Sea devils are 3 inches long. Dr Nigel R. Merrett, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

7. Shoebill Stork

Shoebill Stork vs Crocodile
The Shoebill also known as Whalehead or Shoe-billed Stork.

8. Promachoteuthis Sulcus Squid

Promachoteuthis
underside of Promachoteuthis sulcus. Image via Animal bliss, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

9. Star-Nosed Mole

Star nosed mole
Their noses are hairless. Image via US National Parks Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

10. Visored Bat

Scariest Animals Ever
A visored bat have a wide mouth and bulging golden-brown eyes. Image Via (Guilherme Siniciato Terra Garbino/AMODSS/Facebook)

11. Wolf Fish

Woldfish swimming
Wolffishes have a large head and a long tapered body. Image by Paul Gorbould via Flickr.

12. Huntsman Spiders

Huntsman Spider
Huntsman spiders feed at night mainly on insects. Image via Vengolis, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Let me know which one you thought was the Ugliest-Looking Animal of the list in the comments!

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