8 of the Scariest Animals for Pure Nightmare Fuel

Scariness is subjective, both in general and in the animal kingdom: some people are terrified of spiders, others are afraid of rabbits. However, certain features can make an animal look more threatening, such as a huge mouth, sharp teeth or enormous size.

Let's take a look at a few scariest animals in the world and the physical characteristics that make them so intimidating.

1. Yes, yes

The aye-aye ( Daubentonia madagascariensis) actually looks quite cute, with his big eyes, koala-like nose and big ears. That is, until it starts eating.

Unlike other primates, the aye-aye's incisors grow continuously, just like those of a rat. What makes aye-ayes truly fearsome animals, however, are their fingers. Aye-ayes have very long, thin fingers, which they use to locate wood-boring insect larvae.

They also use their fingers for something else: according to a 2022 article published in the Journal of Zoology, "This animal inserts the entire length of its extra-long, skinny, and highly mobile middle finger into the nasal passages and then licks the nasal mucus collected."

As the world's largest nocturnal primate, aye-ayes only emerge at night - imagine them landing on their rodent-like teeth and spider-like fingers in the darkness!

2. Humpback anglerfish

If you've seen 'Finding Nemo', you know the fearsome humpback anglerfish ( Melanocetus johnsonii). Marlin and Dory's encounter with an anglerfish is even scarier than their encounter with a group of sharks. (Even the New York Times calls anglerfish "creepy.")

These deep-sea predators use a glowing ball protruding from their heads to lure prey. When they suddenly open their large mouths, the rapid movement creates a suction that pulls the prey into their large mouths, where they are then trapped by large teeth that function like bars in a cage.

3. Japanese spider crab

Afraid of spiders? You don't want to encounter the Japanese spider crab ( Macrocheira kaempferi).

The story continues

A 3.11 meter long Japanese spider crab named Big Daddy holds the Guinness World Record for the widest crustacean ever found. Big Daddy's 1.43 meter long legs were also the longest crab legs ever.

For comparison: the largest spider - the Goliath spider ( Theraphosa blondi) of South America - has a leg span of 28 centimeters.

4. Asian giant hornet

Known as the 'murder hornet', the Asian giant hornet ( Vespa mandarin) mainly kills honey bees, but multiple stings from this fearsome animal can also be fatal to humans. In Japan, giant hornets kill 30 to 50 people every year.

A single sting isn't fatal, but it doesn't feel good: entomologist Masato Ono told National Geographic in 2010 that the pain was "like a hot nail through my leg." Beekeeper Conrad Bérubé told the New York Times in 2020 that the hornets were able to sting him through his bee suit, and "it was like red-hot thumbtacks were being driven into my flesh."

Also known as the northern giant hornet, these insects are the world's largest hornets, growing up to 5 centimeters in length.

5. Goblin shark

Most people consider sharks to be scary animals. And deep-sea creatures tend to look a bit creepier than their higher-altitude counterparts. So a deep-sea shark is undoubtedly a scary animal.

Mitsukurina owstoni looks so bizarre that its common name is goblin shark. This 'living fossil' has an extremely long snout and jaws with sharp teeth that extend when it feeds. They can grow up to six meters in length and are the only species of the 125 million year old Mitsukurinidae family.

Despite their strange appearance, goblin sharks pose no threat to humans. They live in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean and are rarely seen by humans. Their diet consists of deep-sea squid, other fish and crustaceans.

6. Komodo dragon

With a length of 3 meters, Komodo dragons ( Varanus komodoensis) are the largest lizard species alive today and some of the creepiest animals in the world. Its enormous size (adults weigh about 300 pounds or 135 kilograms), forked tongue and long, sharp claws contribute to its fearsome appearance.

The bite of the Komodo dragon is fatal, but that is not due to its razor-sharp teeth. The venomous bite, which inhibits blood clotting, can kill large prey, including livestock and other Komodo dragons.

Although attacks on humans are rare, Komodo dragons are extremely dangerous and have killed humans.

7. Reef rockfish

The most terrifying creatures may be the ones you are not to see.

The Australian reef stonefish is the most poisonous fish in the world, but what makes it so dangerous is its ability to camouflage itself. The reef rockfish looks exactly like a rock or piece of coral - that is, if rocks and coral could look angry. His mouth is stuck in a perpetual frown.

The reef stonefish hides among the rocks, then ambush its prey and quickly gobble up unsuspecting fish and crustaceans. When threatened, the reef stonefish raises its dorsal fin spines, which are packed with venom.

8. Human bot fly

What's scarier than maggots coming out of your skin? It's something from horror movies. The scientific name for this phenomenon is myiasis, and it's more common than you might think.

At first glance the human bot ( Dermatobia hominis) just looks like a pretty big fly. It is 15 millimeters long, about twice the size of a typical housefly.

But these scary animals are parasites that lay their eggs on mosquitoes, knowing that the mosquitoes will suck the blood of mammals. When they do, the eggs burrow into the mammals' skin, where they feed for five to 10 weeks before emerging from their host and continuing their life cycle.

The human bot fly of Central and South America is the best-known insect that sneaks its larvae into humans, but it is not the only one that can cause myiasis - and humans are not the only victims. Other animals that house these creepy creatures include dogs, rabbits and livestock.

Original article: 8 of the scariest animals for pure nightmare fuel