No animal can be said to be the scariest, as what may look scary and creepy to some might just look adorable to others. While some can be dangerous and venomous, others can be as harmless as a fly.
Here is a list of the top 15 known scary-looking animals recorded worldwide.
1. Japanese Spider Crab
The Japanese spider crab is the largest arthropod. It is a species of marine crab and is the biggest one in the waters around Japan. The adults can reach about 3.7 to 4 meters making it the largest leg-span of any arthropod.
The Japanese name is taka-ashi-gani, which means “tall legs crab”.
2. Black Flying Fox
The black flying fox also known as the black fruit bat is among the largest bats in the world but is considerably smaller than the largest species in its genus, Pteropus. Their wing span is over one meter. The black flying fox is a native of Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
3. Goliath Tigerfish
Goliath Tigerfish also known as giant tigerfish, or Mbenga, is a very large African predatory freshwater fish. They have 32 sharp teeth and can weigh over 49kg.
4. Giant Marine Isopod
A giant marine isopod is any of the almost 20 species of large isopods in the genus Bathynomus. They grow up to 40 cm long. Its 14 legs help it explore the ocean floor. It is a bottom-dwelling scavenger that eats dead and decaying organic matter like fish carcasses and other debris.
5. Emperor Scorpion
One of the world’s largest scorpions with weight of about 30 g. The emperor scorpion lives for six to eight years. Its body is black, but like other scorpions, it glows pastel green or blue under ultraviolet light.
6. White-Shouldered Bat
White-shouldered bats are a South and Central American bat species. These small bats have large eyes, a pointed pug nose, and sharp teeth that give them a menacing appearance. Although they may look scary, they don’t pose any threat to humans. Their diet consists of insects and fruit found in tropical forests. Their name is been driven by the white patches found on their shoulders.
7. Fangtooth Fish
Fangtooth Fish are scary deep sea fish with a large head, sharp fangs and scales. Its bottom fangs are so long that the fish can not close its mouth completely. Adult fangtooth fish are aggressive hunters that typically suck prey into their mouths and swallow them whole. Their large fangs keep prey, typically fish and shrimp, from escaping their mouths. Despite their frightening appearance, these relatively small fish (about 7 inches in length) are no threat to humans.
8. Goliath Bird-Eater Spider
The Goliath bird eater is one of the largest spiders in the world. These large, hairy, formidable-looking spiders are aggressive and will attack if they feel threatened. They are capable of using the bristles on their legs to make a loud hissing noise to ward off potential threats. Goliath spiders have been known to bite humans if disturbed, however, their venom is not deadly to humans.
9. Star-Nosed Mole
The star-nosed mole is a very unusual-looking mammal, it got its name from the star-shaped, fleshy tentacles around its nose. The tentacles help it to feel its surroundings, identify prey, and prevent soil from entering the animal’s nose when digging. The sharp talons on their front feet are used for digging into the moist soil.
10. Aye-Aye
The Aye-Aye is the world’s largest nocturnal primate. It has rodent-like teeth that grow perpetually, and a creepy middle finger that is long, thin and skeletal in appearance.
11. Gharial
Gharial equally known as the fish-eating crocodile or gavial are among the longest of all living crocodilians. Mature females are 2.6 to 4.5 m long, and males 3 to 6 m. It is also known for its narrow, elongated snout and sharp, interlocking teeth.
12. Ghost Shark
Ghost sharks are not sharks, but specialist deep-water fish that have the slowest evolving genome of all known invertebrates – with a ghost-like appearance!
13. Giant Centipede
Giant centipedes are the largest living centipedes reaching up to a foot long. They are venomous and able to take down birds, bats, frogs and rats. They are orange-bodied insects that have yellowish legs, and black or dark blue heads, each is equipped with a pair of modified legs on the last segment to mimic the antennae found on their heads. They typically grow up to 8 inches in length.
14. Hammerhead Bat
The hammer-headed bat, also known as the hammerhead fruit bat and big-lipped bat, is one of the most creepy bat species around. They’re a type of megabat, just like flying foxes.
15. Inland Taipan
The inland taipan is the most venomous snake in the world and is native to Australia. The venom of one bite is strong enough to kill 100 men.
