Handfish

Handfish are any anglerfish within the family Brachionichthyidae, a group which comprises five genera and 14 extant species. These benthic marine fish are unusual in the way they propel themselves by walking on the sea floor rather than swimming.Handfish grow up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long, and have skin covered with denticles (tooth-like scales), giving them the alternate name warty anglers. They are slow-moving fish that prefer to 'walk' rather than swim, using their modified pectoral fins to move about on the sea floor. These highly modified fins have the appearance of hands, hence their scientific name, from Latin bracchium meaning "arm" and Greekichthys meaning "fish".

Like other anglerfish, they possess an illicium, a modified dorsal fin ray above the mouth, but it is short and does not appear to be used as a fishing lure.The second dorsal spine is joined to the third by a flap of skin, making a crest.

Pinocchio frog

Pinocchio frog is the informal name for a tree frog (most likely a member of the genus Litoria).^[1] The frog also goes by the name Spike-Nosed Tree Frog.^[2] It was discovered in the Foja Mountains of Papua (province), Indonesia, by Conservation International and the National Geographic Society during a 2008 expedition.^[3][4] Paul Oliver, a herpetologist, spotted it accidentally.^[5] The frog is named for its Pinocchio-like nose.Discovered July 25.The Pinocchio frog has the ability to enlarge and inflate its 'nose'. It inflates when the male frog is calling out, and it goes down when the frog is calm and quiet.^[1][3][4] As a part of the family Hylidae, the Pinocchio frog's diet consists primarily of insects. They are also found high above ground, according to Paul Oliver. He believes this because when he spotted the frog, he did not see any more so he supposed they were up in the trees.^[5] The Foja Mountains are their ideal habitat, especially due to the rain forest and abundance of trees.^[6]

Grimpoteuthis

Grimpoteuthis, also called Dumbo Octopus, is a genus of pelagic umbrella octopus that live in the deep sea. Prominent ear-like fins protrude from the mantle just above their lateral eyes. They have a U or V shaped shell in their mantle which gives them a bell shaped appearance. Some species are short, squat and yellow, while others resemble a jellyfish with one big brown walking shoe. Some have suckers, in addition to spines, on all 8 webbed arms while others look like a regular octopus with the addition of blue or other coloured "ears". These octopuses are commonly nicknamed "Dumbo octopuses" or "Dumbo octopods" or even " Dumboes " in reference to how the ear-like fins protruding from the top of their head-like bodies resemble the ears of Walt Disney's flying elephant Dumbo. There are at least 13 species recognized in the genus,^[1] each having a different aspect from all the others. These features could be larger ears or different colours. As these animals live at the bottom of the sea they have a very small food supply. Prey include crustaceans, bivalves, worms and copepods. The average life span of various Grimpoteuthis species is 3 to 5 years.

All species of Grimpoteuthis are bathyal creatures, living at extreme depths of 3,000 to 4,000 metres (9,800 to 13,100 ft) with some living up to 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) below sea level, which is the deepest of any known octopus.^[3] They are some of the rarest of the Octopoda species. They have been found worldwide in the waters of New Zealand, Australia, Monterey Bay, Oregon, Philippines, Martha's Vineyard, Papua New Guinea and Azores. They can flush the transparent layer of their skin at will, and are pelagic animals, as with all other cirrate octopuses. The largest Dumbo octopus ever recorded was 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) in length and weighed 5.9 kilograms (13 lb).^[4] The average size for most species is 20–30 centimetres (7.9–12 in) in length. The average weight is still undetermined.

Golden lion tamarin

The golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia, Portuguese: mico-leão-dourado Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈmiku leˈɐ̃w̃ dowˈɾadu]), also known as the golden marmoset, is a small New World monkey of the family Callitrichidae. Native to the Atlantic coastal forests of Brazil, the golden lion tamarin is an endangered species with an estimated wild population of about 3,500 individuals spread between four places along southeastern Brazil, and a captive population maintained at about 490 individuals among 150 zoos.The golden lion tamarin gets its name from its bright reddish orange pelage and the extra long hairs around the face and ears which give it a distinctive mane.^[7] Its face is dark and hairless. It is believed that the tamarin gets its hair color from sunlight and carotenoids in its food.^[8] The golden lion tamarin is the largest of the callitrichines. It is typically around 261 mm (10.3 in) and weighs around 620 g (1.37 lb). There is almost no size difference between males and females. As with all New World monkeys, the golden lion tamarin has tegulae, which are claw-like nails, instead of ungulae or flat nails found in all other primates, including humans. Tegulae enable tamarins to cling to the sides of tree trunks. It may also move quadrupedally along the small branches, whether through walking, running, leaping or bounding.This gives it a locomotion more similar to squirrels than primates.

Platypus

The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic egg-laying mammalendemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth. The animal is the sole living representative of its family (Ornithorhynchidae) and genus (Ornithorhynchus), though a number of related species have been found in the fossil record. The first preserved platypus body was thought to have been a fake, made of several animals sewn together,^[3] when it was first looked at by scientists in 1799.^[4]

The unusual appearance of this egg-laying, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed mammal baffled European naturalists when they first encountered it, with some considering it an elaborate hoax. It is one of the few species of venomous mammals: the male platypus has a spur on the hind foot that delivers a venom capable of causing severe pain to humans. The unique features of the platypus make it an important subject in the study of evolutionary biology and a recognisable and iconic symbol of Australia; it has appeared as a mascot at national events and is featured on the reverse of its 20-cent coin. The platypus is the animal emblem of the state of New South Wales.^[5]

Until the early 20th century, it was hunted for its fur, but it is now protected throughout its range. Although captive breeding programs have had only limited success and the platypus is vulnerable to the effects of pollution, it is not under any immediate th

                                                                                                                  -Xavier karki

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