Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
Axolotl is an amphibian that lives in Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco, near Mexico City. It is Mexico's national animal. It is a type of salamander that doesn't experience metamorphosis. They look like juveniles for the rest of their lives. How do they reproduce if they are forever young?
At some point, the only adult attribute they develop is the ability to breed. What makes the Mexican walking fish unique is its ability to heal itself2. It can regenerate body parts like the limbs, eyes, and some parts of the brain. Unfortunately, they are critically endangered because of human activities.
Dementor Wasp (Ampulex dementor)
Scientists recently discovered the dementor wasp in southeast Asia. They are flying insects that turn cockroaches into zombies. They do this by injecting the belly of cockroaches with venom, which turns the roach into a passive zombie.
It turns them into zombies by blocking the receptors of the neurotransmitters of octopamine. Octopamine is involved in the initiation of spontaneous responses. Blocking it makes cockroaches incapable of controlling their movements.
Pangolin (Pholidota)
A pangolin is a solitary and nocturnal animal covered by an armor of scales. It hides under its scaly armor when confronted by a predator. It rolls into a ball and uses its sharp scales and tail to attack whenever it is touched. Pangolin's scales are made of keratin.
It has a small head and a long tail. Despite its lack of external ears, the pangolin has excellent hearing. It also has no teeth and grinds food with its gizzard-like intestines. To aid its digestion, it consumes small stones and sand. These unique features make it one of the most trafficked mammals in the world.
