Do you think superpowers are confined only to movies? Well, to prove you wrong, we bring to you our today’s article, 20 animals with Superpowers. Some of these are so unique that it feels almost unreal and as if it has come straight out of the screen. Without further delay, let’s get to know some strange superpowers that exist in the animal kingdom.
Animals with Superpowers
1) Axolotl
Super Power: Deadpool of the Animal Kingdom
Axolotls can grow to be rather large, measuring between 9 and 12 inches, but their remarkable capacity for regeneration is probably what makes them most intriguing.
They can correctly and seemingly indefinitely regrow limbs, as well as their spinal cord, jaw, tail, skin, and even portions of their brain, all without leaving any scars. Axolotls have incredible healing abilities that surpass those of any other creatures in the animal kingdom, thanks to their pluripotent cells.
2) Basilisk Lizard
Super Power: Sometimes running on water is better than swimming
On their hind feet, basilisk lizards have special toes that consist of fringes of skin-like scales that stretch out in the water. They vigorously pump their legs when running on water, slapping their feet forcefully against the ground.
This creates tiny pockets of air that keep them floating. Basilisk lizards are capable of running many meters on water. But eventually, gravity will win out, after which they have to rely on their swimming abilities.
3) Cardinal fish
Super Power: Creates fireworks in the deepest, darkest ocean
The cardinal fish, while feeding on planktons, happen to swallow some bioluminescent creatures called Ostracods. These microorganisms produce light as a defense mechanism by combining two chemicals, luciferin and luciferase.
When the cardinal fish regurgitates, it appears to be casting a Patronus. (Photo by BBC Earth.) pic.twitter.com/mBjInfLCBc
— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) January 30, 2017
Cardinal fishes spit out Ostracods to divert the attention of nearby predators and escape in the process.
4) Immortal Jellyfish
Super Power: Omnipotent being; thinks he is God.
The following animal can legitimately be described as physiologically immortal because it has championed aging and death. After achieving sexual maturity, they can reverse their life cycle fully around and start anew at the infantile stage.
Though the process may seem endless, in nature, the jellyfish often becomes prey in their sedentary stage (medusa stage) before they can transform into a polyp (mobile stage).
5) Horned Lizard
Super Power: It’s not the horns; it’s the eyes.
Next up on our list of Animals with superpowers we have a desert resident, the Horned Lizard. Although the horned lizard’s spiky skin can be somewhat terrifying, it is by no means its most potent weapon.
This lizard has an extraordinarily unusual defense strategy: to fend off predators, it spurts blood from its eyes. Additionally, their blood carries a canine deterrent, and when the coyote or dingo is your main predator, having the ability to squirt blood from your eyes is more helpful than some tiny horns.
6) Lion Fish
Super Power: Pretty fins for a pretty sting
The lionfish is a stunning and amazing tropical fish with long, flowing fins and deadly spiky tentacles. The 18 poisonous spines of lionfish can pierce human skin and administer a terrible but non-lethal sting.
Rarely are these spines employed for food hunting; they are only used for defense. Due to the lack of a natural predator, lionfish have become invasive in several parts of the world and are a concern for environmentalists.
7) Mimic Octopus
Super Power: Jellyfish? No. Lionfish? No. Sea snake? Nope. Octopus? Probably yes.
Making yourself appear strong and fierce when in reality, you are weak is the primary underlying principle behind the Mimic Octopus’ mimicking ability. The mimic octopus contains chromatophores, or color-changing cells, covering its skin, just like many other cephalopods.
By changing their bodily color, these cells enable them to blend with their surroundings. With the help of this, the Mimic Octopus can impersonate almost 15 other water species, such as jellyfish, lionfish, and sea snakes, scaring off potential predators or fooling prey.
8) Pangolin
Super Power: Bowling out predators
Made of keratin, the protein that makes up human fingernails and a rhino’s horns, keratin makes up the thick covering of protective scales that covers pangolins.
Pangolins ball up when they feel frightened, using their scales as protection from predators. Even lions cannot scratch or bite them. However, even such a superpower has failed against humans, who have made this animal the most trafficked animal in the world.
9) Pistol Shrimp
Super Power: License to go armed, anytime and anywhere
The Pistol shrimp does deserve a position in the list of Animals with superpowers. The pistol shrimp gets its name from its snapping of claws using powerful muscles, which creates a loud noise that resembles a gunshot.
The shockwave acts like a “Sonic boom,” almost over 250 decibels that can not only stun prey but also scare out predators. It also creates an air bubble, reaching a boiling water temperature.
10) Mantis Shrimp
Super Power: the One-Punch Man of the Sea
Mantis shrimp may be attractive to look at, but you shouldn’t try to pounce on one outside a bar because they can swing their claws at rates of up to 80 kph or around the speed of a 22-caliber bullet.
These blows have the power not only to hurt approaching predators but also to crack open clams, break crab claws, and occasionally even break aquarium glass. It is indeed one among the many animals with superpowers.
11) Electric Eel
Super Power: A shocking superpower indeed!
Electric eels, which are a form of knife fish, are well known for having the ability to deliver a powerful electric shock of up to 600V. They are powered by electrolytes, a battery-like collection of voltage-creating cells.
An electric eel may produce hundreds of volts and currents up to 1 A by simultaneously discharging all its electrolytes. This current causes intense stinging pain, which forces the intruder to retract immediately.
12) Leaf Insect
Super Power: Universal champion of the game Hide and Seek
The Leaf Insect, much to its name, is a born master of camouflage. It’s a perfect ninja of the animal kingdom, as it is almost impossible to detect them.
A body completely resembling a natural leaf, sometimes with some slightly rotten edges, makes the leaf insect a perfect example of an animal with superpowers. Not only do they look like leaves, but they also behave like one, totally motionless but swaying here and there with the wind.
13) Lyrebird
Super Power: Confuses people with a camera, a chainsaw, a car alarm, or a dog’s bark
Australia has some of the craziest collections of animals that add a few more feathers to the animal kingdom’s crown. The Lyrebird, a ground-dwelling bird, possesses the world’s most astounding capacity for sound imitation.
These songbirds put on amazing sound performances as a part of their courtship ritual. They don’t, however, limit themselves to imitating other bird species. Nothing appears too difficult for the liar bird; they even know how to teach each other new sounds.
Artificial noises like camera shutters, rifle shots, car alarms, dog bark, and even chainsaws are among the uncountable sounds they can imitate.
14) Peregrine Falcon
Super Power: Was it the Flash? No, that was a Peregrine Falcon.
Cheetahs, as the fastest animal in the world, have become obsolete. Let us get used to the Peregrine Falcon instead. The aerodynamic and thin, slender body of the peregrine falcon facilitates swifter flight.
When a peregrine falcon dives toward its prey, it tucks its wings against its body to form an aerodynamic teardrop shape, which minimizes air resistance.
This is ideal for quickly striking lightning speeds on unsuspecting birds and small mammals. These incredible birds can dive at speeds of up to 240 mph. They normally travel between 40 and 56 mph when flying straight.
15) Ironclad beetles
Super Power: A living armored vehicle
The typical insect would crush under your foot, possibly without you even noticing it. However, the Ironclad beetle is a glaring exception. Ironclad beetles can withstand being stomped on as well as being run over by a car.
It is a little insect that can support around 39,000 times its weight thanks to its skeleton. It does this in part by developing a very robust exoskeleton. The high protein ratio in its chitin and protein cross-links between its exoskeleton molecules, like a thick woven fabric, makes these beetles so durable and hardy.
16) Bombardier beetle
Super Power: A walking powder keg
One of nature’s most fascinating creatures that can be counted among animals with superpowers is the bombardier beetle. When attacked, they protect themselves by exploding inside of themselves and shooting out hot, noxious chemicals that are as hot as boiling water.
Because of their stinging spray, even giant frogs and apex insectivores tend to keep a safe distance from these beetles. Just before launch, the irritating chemical is created by combining the contents of two different glands.
One contains hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide, while the other has a combination of enzymes.
These are catalases and peroxidases, which, when combined with hydrogen peroxide, produce oxygen gas and water and release a large amount of heat energy, which causes a burning sensation.
17) Tardigrades
Super Power: Took toughness to a cosmic level.
The tardigrades, tiny eight-legged organisms often known as water bears, have been predicted to be the planet’s final survivors.
These creatures have been discovered in the most hostile terrestrial settings, but also in common areas like moss and lichens, and also in areas of daily human activities, like car parking.
Tardigrades can survive for years in a dormant state known as cryptobiosis, which allows them to withstand extreme conditions like cold and pressure, radiation, dehydration, and lack of food or moisture.
They even can survive in space and are currently residing on the moon, though their fate is currently unknown.
18) Horned Dung Beetle
Super Power: Super-man? No, probably Super-insect!
Next up on our list of animals with superpowers we have the Horned Dung Beetle. Believe it or not, Dung beetles are the strongest creatures on the planet, leaving behind even large mammals like the elephant.
He shapes the dung into a useful transportable ball with the aid of his powerful front legs and specially modified mouthparts.
Then, while standing on his head, the beetle propels it into reverse using its hind legs. A dung ball can be moved by the beetle across a distance of up to 75 yards, 40 times his weight, and equivalent to a human pushing a car across a field.
They are immensely helpful in the ecosystem, as they help in transporting the dung from one part of the forest to the other and also disperse seeds passed out with the dung by the animal in the process.
19) Sea Cucumber
Super Power: Can melt away in an instant!
The next organism in our list of animals with superpowers is the Sea cucumber. These creatures are known to have two impressive traits. First of all, when threatened, they spill their guts which are designed to trap the attacker with their sticky organs.
Also, the discharged insides make an easy supper for the predator, which gives the sea cucumber a chance to escape. Second, the tissue of sea cucumbers is rich in a substance called collagen that can switch between a liquid and solid state and back again.
This gives them the power to liquefy their bodies and pour them into a crevice in a rock, where they can solidify themselves again.
20) Archerfish
Super Power: Capable of competing in archery in the Olympics
The archer fishes have a remarkable skill that qualifies them for our list of animals with superpowers. This small predator has mastered the ability to draw its prey down from the surface above by hurling brief, quick spurts of water from its mouth.
The Archerfish has a marvelous accuracy and resides in brackish waters of estuaries and mangroves in Southeast Asia, Australia, and Polynesia. These brief but powerful water bursts are enough to bring their prey down from a leaf or a branch above.
In conclusion, the remarkable world of animals never ceases to amaze us with its diverse array of superpowers. From the astonishing strength of the dung beetle to the incredible regenerative abilities of the axolotl, nature has bestowed these creatures with extraordinary adaptations.
By studying and understanding the mechanisms behind these superpowers, scientists have made great strides in fields such as medicine, engineering, and robotics. The prospect of harnessing these abilities for the benefit of humanity holds immense potential.
However, as we continue to explore and exploit the animal kingdom, it is crucial that we do so responsibly and ethically, ensuring the preservation of these incredible species and their habitats.
Ultimately, the awe-inspiring superpowers exhibited by animals serve as a reminder of the boundless wonders that nature has to offer, urging us to protect and appreciate the extraordinary biodiversity that surrounds us.
Here, we conclude our article on the 20 Animals with Superpowers. Stay tuned for many more crazy facts about the nature around us.
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A zoology student turned writer. Nature has always been a magnet to me, and to unearth some of its secrets through my articles is my prime intention. If not engaging myself with nature and anime content, you can always find me going through some Bengali classics or filling the air with some soulful Tabla beats. An artist, trying to throw some colors to my blank canvas of life.