Athenaeum of Epiphanies, Oddities, and Wonders

Amazing Animalia

Who doesn't love animals to some degree? We're not counting angsty adolescent boys—they'll grow out of it. The correct answer is nobody. Many ancient civilizations have worshiped different kinds of animals, and a good amount of modern ones too; a large portion of fairy- and folktales center around animals or half animals. This might be because we can't escape them completely, no matter what we try, and so we might as well welcome them into our lives. It might be because they remind us of the unexplored wilderness and the places man can't go, which appeals to our curious nature. Or it might be that we see something of ourselves in animals, and so want to understand them as a method of learning more about ourselves. Or, of course, it could be all three. Either way, let’s indulge that instinct for a while.

Aquatic Creatures

This is not a type of starfish, as you might expect. A basket star is actually in the family Euryalidae. They can be up to 70 cm in length with a disk diameter of 14 cm. Many of them live deep in deep sea habitats or cold water, but some live in shallow tropical reefs. They can live up to 35 years in the wild.

A member of the parrotfish genus Scarus. Found on coral reefs in shallow water in the tropical and subtropical parts of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. They usually forage in a group of 500 individuals for spawning and deterring predators while feeding. The males are a vivid blue color in order to deter predators and attract mates.

The firework jellyfish can be as small as 1 inch or as large as 1 foot across. Their neon pink and gold tentacles look like fireworks when light is shone on them. The firework jellyfish has largely been found in the Pacific, Indian, and South Atlantic oceans.

The kitefin shark can grow up to 6 feet, though most are around 4 feet long. The largest luminous vertebrate on record, they have a soft glow due to the hormone melatonin. They have large eyes made for seeing in low light conditions.

Ramisyllis multicaudata is a species of polychaete worm in the family Syllidae. They have 1 head, and hundreds of rear ends. They are relatively small, ranging from half an inch to one and a half inches in length. when placed linearly, all branches together could reach up to 30 meters.

A sea pig is a type of sea cucumber that lives in the deepest and coldest part of the ocean, as far as four miles from the surface. They grow to be 4-6 inches in length and their skin contains a toxic chemical called holothurin, which is poisonous to other creatures.

The Antarctic strawberry feather star is a deep-sea invertebrate with a strawberry-like body and 20 arms. Its arms are feathery and can be up to 8 inches long. Basically picture the face hugger from aliens.

A species of porpoise that reaches a maximum body length of 150 cm (4.9 ft). The vaquita is currently the most severely endangered animal in the world, with there being less than 10 left in 2025.

Furry Beasts

Also known as a mouse deer. They are solitary or live in loose groups or pairs, and feed almost exclusively on plants. Chevrotains are the smallest hoofed mammal in the world, with an average length of 45 cm and an average height of 30 cm.

Living in high trees with a herbivorous diet, the average group size is eight individuals. The golden langur is one of the most endangered primate species of India and Bhutan. The length of the body ranges from 20-30 inches, while the tail is 28-39 inches in length.

The nilgiri marten is about 22–26 inches long from head to vent, with a tail of 16–18 inches, and weighs about 4.6 lb. They mainly inhabit the Shola grasslands and southwestern Ghats montane rain forests. They feed on small mammals and large insects.

An Australian mammal that feeds almost exclusively on termites. Numbats are naturally found only in areas with eucalyptus forests. There are estimated to be fewer than 1,000 individuals left in the wild.

Birds

A flightless bird native to the tropical forests of New Guinea. They are very wary of humans and are capable of inflicting serious, even fatal injuries. They can reach 2 meters in height and almost 200 pounds in weight, making them the third tallest and second heaviest living bird.

With a height of four feet and a wingspan of seven feet, harpy eagles live in the jungles of South America. They have a diet of small to medium mammals, which they carry to their nest in treetops to eat. You can identify the nesting tree of a harpy eagle by the scattered bones at the bottom.

The kakapo, also known as the owl parrot or owl-faced parrot, is a species of large, nocturnal, ground-dwelling parrot native to New Zealand. They can grow to be about two feet long and are the world's heaviest parrot. They are also one of the longest living birds, with a lifespan of up to 100 years.

Potoos are sometimes called poor-me-ones, after their haunting calls. They nest on top of tree stumps, blending into the bark. Their single egg is laid directly on top of the stump. They live mainly in humid forests in the Americas, though some sub-species can live in dry forests as well.