An easy way to describe the red-lipped batfish is by thinking of your oldest living cousin who wears too much makeup and combining that with, well, a fish. This hilarious sea creature can be found mostly around the Galapagos Islands off Peru and tends to stay in depths of up to 250 feet. It’s mostly known for the obvious bright red lips on its face, and also for being a terrible swimmer.
Red-lipped batfish live off of small fish and invertebrates, including shrimp, crabs, worms, and mollusks. They are quite harmless to humans and spend most of their time staring hilariously into the abyss. Scientists believe that their large forehead is actually a feature that attracts prey.
Japanese Spider Crab
For the first nightmare-fueling creature on this list, we present to you the Japanese spider crab. This massive creature's legs can reach up to 12 feet and can weigh up to 42 pounds as an adult. You can find them in the deep, dark depths of the ocean, usually from 500 feet below the surface.
Japanese spider crabs were discovered in 1836, and are notoriously hard to catch. Still, many citizens love using them as food and often cook them — when they can catch them, for their crab meat. They can live up to 100 years and will eat just about anything from fish to plants. Despite their terrifying look, they are fairly gentle as long as they don't feel threatened.
Star-Nosed Mole
The star-nosed mole is another addition to the nightmarish animals found on this list, and might as well originate from the 1982 horror film, "The Thing." The Star-nosed mole is basically a hamster-sized mole that has all the normal bells and whistles of this digging species. What makes it so unique and terrifying, is its incredibly bizarre nose, which contains over 25,000 sensors that can discover seismic activity.
Despite being completely blind, the star-nosed mole has very adapted sense abilities, thanks to its star-shaped nose. It can collect about five times more data than a human hand, and is known for being one of the world's fastest eaters. It might be gross, but you can't deny that this mole is extremely capable.
Lowland Streaked Tenrec
Many people claim that the lowland streaked tenrec is the horrible result of what Pikachu from Pokemon would look like in real life. This unique rodent can be found in Madagascar and is mostly known for having long and sharp hair-like bristles that resemble that of a hedgehog. The lowland streaked tenrec has built up various mutations and adaptations over the millenniums, as it evolved to survive in the Madagascan rainforests.
There are currently 37 officially discovered species of the tenrec on the island of Madagascar. If you ever come across one of these, it would be best to leave it alone. Their bite is quite painful, and you don't want to get stabbed by their extremely sharp spikes.
Helmeted Hornbill
Don't worry, this bird didn't get a big boom-boom on his head, it's actually just one of its unique features. The Helmeted Hornbill can be found mostly in the Malay Peninsula and is widely known for this exotic bulge that sits on the top of its beak. Experts claim that this casque accounts for about 10% of the bird's weight.
Unfortunately, the Helmeted Hornbill's special casque also makes it a target for hunters and poachers, who managed to turn it into a critically endangered species. The locals use this unique feature and turn it into art and jewelry, while others view it as a spiritual talisman. There have been tens of thousands of these birds killed annually. Hopefully, the trend will end soon, before it's too late.