11 animal sorcerers with real superpowers

These strange animals have incredible characteristics

Don’t believe in magic? Discover these creatures with amazing powers! Whether it’s just an impression or a real feat, they all do something that will arouse your curiosity…

Apogonidae (fish): spits fire

When swallowed by its sworn enemy, the apogonid, a zooplankton called Ostracod secretes a sudden burst of bioluminescent chemicals. This phenomenon causes the fish to light up, revealing it to other predators. It then has no choice but to spit out the Ostracode, giving the impression that it’s spitting out a fireball.

The pistol shrimp: creates a supersonic detonation

Don’t let its tiny size fool you: this shrimp packs quite a punch. Despite measuring 2.5 cm in length, this creature can emit an incredible 218 decibels (louder than a gunshot), just by snapping its claws together. This causes a brief hot spot at 5000 k, a flash of light and a shockwave that the shrimp uses to stun, kill its prey or break its shell.

The hummingbird: levitation

This little bird’s narrow, tapering wings and amazing articulations make it the only bird on Earth capable of hovering for long periods. They can also fly backwards and change direction almost instantaneously. The hummingbird can also make 52 wingbeats per second.

The rat-kangaroo: living without water

Human beings can barely survive three days without water. However, this little desert rat can survive without it for three years. How? Because it spends its time munching on seeds and other plants that contain moisture. They also conserve water by wandering underground during the day, emerging only in the cool of the night to search for food.

The sperm whale: holding its breath for 90 minutes

Most marine mammals need to surface regularly to breathe the oxygen that keeps us all alive. But not the sperm whale. Thanks to electrically-charged proteins in the blood, the sperm whale’s circulatory system transports and stores oxygen more efficiently. Armed with this particular protein, sperm whales can dive without running out of breath.

The Jesus Christ lizard: running on water

This Central American lizard loves to hang out in shrubs and trees near water, ready to pounce on any tasty insects that might pass by. If threatened, however, the little reptile will bolt at full speed, across the entire surface of a river or pond. This truly astonishing superpower comes from the complex movement of its hind legs and the unfolding of its flippers. Its low mass (2 grams for a newborn, 200 grams for an adult) and speed enable it to run on water, earning the feathered basilisk the nickname « the Jesus Christ lizard ». A man wishing to emulate the reptile’s feat would need to reach a speed of 110 km/h and have muscles 15 times more powerful than those of a normal man.

Turritopsis dohrnii: the immortal jellyfish

Turritopsis dohrnii is a tiny jellyfish that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and in the waters off the coast of Japan. Instead of dying when its life cycle comes to an end, this immortal jellyfish rejuvenates to become a polyp again, at any stage of its development, to begin its life cycle again naturally. After spending some time on the ocean floor, the jellyfish nicknamed « Benjamin Button » (in reference to the film) regrows its tentacles and begins life anew.

The mimetic octopus: a metamorphosis

Octopuses are not ferocious predators, so their first line of defense against their own predators is not to be spotted. Equipped with special skin cells that can change the apparent color, opacity and reflectivity of its epidermis, the octopus can blend in almost anywhere. Above all, it mimics the appearance and movements of over fifteen different species, including sea snakes, flying scorpion fish, flatfish, frogfish, brittle stars, giant crabs, shellfish, rays, sea anemones, jellyfish and mantis shrimp.

The gecko: walks on walls

The gecko’s ability to climb walls, stand upside down and « stick » to any surface is due to the adhesive lamellae present under the reptile’s fingers. These are called setae, and their adhesive forces are so great that a single finger can support the entire weight of the animal.

The tarsier: it has night vision

With enormous eyes – the largest of any mammal, relative to body size – it’s not surprising to learn that the tarsier has very keen eyesight and superb night vision. In addition to its highly developed vision, the tarsier can rotate its head up to 180 degrees!

The African hairy frog: it has Wolverine’s claws

The last animal on this list will really impress (and scare) you. African hairy frogs, commonly found in Cameroon, have the ability to break their toe bones and transform them into claws when they feel threatened. When a predator attacks, claws pierce the suction cups of this hairy frog, ready to defend itself. These claws aren’t made of Adamantium (an imaginary metal alloy), but they may have inspired Marvel to create the Wolverine character, don’t you think?

Do these beasts fascinate or frighten you?

Source photos : Distractify