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6 Animals With Funny Names You've Probably Never Heard Of

From the Pink Fairy Armadillo to the Fried Egg Jellyfish, these animals have some of the strangest names in the animal kingdom. Learn what makes them so unique.

By Amiah Taylor
Jan 10, 2024 2:00 PM
clown Nudibranch
(Credit: Joe Belanger/Shutterstock)

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Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” however, he had probably never heard of a fried egg jellyfish or a penis snake. Whether it’s the depths of the sea, the rivers of Brazil, or the trees of New Zealand, there are animals abound with frightening, silly, and downright unusual names. Of all the species surviving and thriving on our great planet, here are six animals with strange names.

1. Pink Fairy Armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus)

Pink fairy armadillos are in good company with their strange name. Many types of armadillos have unusual monikers, like their distant relative, the screaming hairy armadillo. Pink fairy armadillos are solitary creatures that live in central Argentina, particularly in dry grasslands, deserts, and sandy plains. Weighing in at a quarter pound, they are the smallest living armadillos, growing up to 6 inches. Pink fairy armadillos have trouble walking on flat surfaces and use their oversized claws to burrow through the earth and bury themselves.  


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