The Galapagos Islands are justifiably renowned for the many strange and wondrous creatures that soar, slither and crawl here, and only here. Understandably, the archipelago’s endemic terrestial species are its most famous: giant tortoises, marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, and the like. Yet there are plenty of equally fascinating, unique-to-the-Galapagos creatures just below the ocean’s surface. In fact, 15% of the species of fish found in the Galapagos are endemic. Take the Galapagos batfish (Ogcocephalus darwini), for example. What makes this little guy truly bizarre (aside from its garish red lips), is its habit of using its highly-adapted pectoral fins to walk along the ocean floor rather than swim. Oh, and since it’s a type of anglerfish, its dorsal fin juts out of its forehead and acts as a sort of lure for its prey, including smaller fish and crustaceans.
Check it out:
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