animals, animals, animals

Paying homage to the wonderful, unusual and diverse world of animals. I make no claim to content ownership. Sources are credited (with links) whenever possible — on both unique posts & re-blogs. Any post will be removed upon request (please provide URL link to the post/page). Enjoy! Email: animalworldtumblrblog@gmail.com Twitter: @animalworldtoo


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OLM Eyeless Cave Salamander (Proteus anguinus) “human fish” This odd cave salamander lives in the Balkans where it dwells in the cave systems that criss-cross this south east corner of Europe. Many moons ago, when a particularly heavy rain broke they would spew forth from the caves. The locals thought that they were the young of humans or of enormous serpents living deep in the systems… baby dragons… The Olms body adapted remarkably to the lightless surrounds.  It has a whitish-pinkish appearance as it has very little need for colour in the black belly of the earth. The Olm has no eyes, as again why waste energy on growing eyes when there is no light to see by. It is covered in sensors that pick up vibrations of anything that moves in the water.  Incredibly the Olm is also covered in taste buds, like a great big autonomous tongue flopping and lolling around the cave trying to taste out prey. The Olm has developed electrical receptors, detecting the minute electrical pulses that living animals emit. So if anything does happen to plop into the dank darkness of an Olm’s cave, you can be assured that this chap will find it. It has been noted by learned types that some Olms have even gone six years without a meal. So the Olm has become a master at energy conservation. They don’t even have the energy for a bit of bonking, no need for all that strenuous to-ing and fro-ing, egg producing and what not, no that would be silly. The Olm wait about 14 years before they even think of doing anything carnal, and they may even live for over a hundred years to make sure they do have a wee one. Fact Source: http://weirdimals.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/the-olm/ Other Photos you might enjoy: Christmas Tree Worm Anglerfish Blue Lipped Clams

OLM Eyeless Cave Salamander (Proteus anguinus) “human fish”

This odd cave salamander lives in the Balkans where it dwells in the cave systems that criss-cross this south east corner of Europe. Many moons ago, when a particularly heavy rain broke they would spew forth from the caves. The locals thought that they were the young of humans or of enormous serpents living deep in the systems… baby dragons…

  • The Olms body adapted remarkably to the lightless surrounds.
  •  It has a whitish-pinkish appearance as it has very little need for colour in the black belly of the earth.
  • The Olm has no eyes, as again why waste energy on growing eyes when there is no light to see by.
  • It is covered in sensors that pick up vibrations of anything that moves in the water.
  •  Incredibly the Olm is also covered in taste buds, like a great big autonomous tongue flopping and lolling around the cave trying to taste out prey.
  • The Olm has developed electrical receptors, detecting the minute electrical pulses that living animals emit. So if anything does happen to plop into the dank darkness of an Olm’s cave, you can be assured that this chap will find it.
  • It has been noted by learned types that some Olms have even gone six years without a meal.
  • So the Olm has become a master at energy conservation.
  • They don’t even have the energy for a bit of bonking, no need for all that strenuous to-ing and fro-ing, egg producing and what not, no that would be silly.
  • The Olm wait about 14 years before they even think of doing anything carnal, and they may even live for over a hundred years to make sure they do have a wee one.

Fact Source: http://weirdimals.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/the-olm/

Other Photos you might enjoy:

Christmas Tree Worm

Anglerfish

Blue Lipped Clams

Notes

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    It is blind because it has adapted to the dark conditions in caves.
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