01FishPsychrolutes species
Blobfish
Its soft deep-sea body can lose its shape after capture and rapid decompression.
Read Blobfish profileThe complete collection
24 ugly animals: names, pictures and groups
Browse the complete list by animal group, then open any profile for facts about the feature that stands out, the job it may perform and the habitat where it makes sense.
Look past the first reaction
An unusual face often combines several useful traits. The aye-aye listens, gnaws and probes to reach food hidden inside wood.
Browse by animal group
Different bodies solve different problems
About this list
What counts as an ugly animal?
There is no scientific category or objective ranking of ugly animals. This collection brings together species that people often describe as strange or unattractive because of a noticeable face, body shape, skin texture or proportion.
Each animal is included because the feature behind that reaction leads to a useful biological question. The list explains what the feature may do, where the animal lives and why appearance alone can be misleading.
All 24 animals
Names, pictures and the feature that stands out
Each complete profile identifies the animal precisely, explains what its unusual features do and places those features in the habitat where they make sense.
01Fish
02MammalDaubentonia madagascariensis
Aye-aye
Large ears, growing incisors and a thin middle finger help it find food inside wood.
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03MammalCondylura cristata
Star-nosed mole
Twenty-two fleshy rays turn its nose into an exceptionally sensitive touch organ.
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04FishMitsukurina owstoni
Goblin shark
A long snout senses prey, while rapidly extending jaws bring that prey into the mouth.
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05MammalHeterocephalus glaber
Naked mole-rat
Sparse hair, loose skin and front teeth that close outside the lips suit life in tunnels.
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06FishCeratioidei
Deep-sea anglerfish
A luminous lure and a large mouth help it find and seize scarce prey in darkness.
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07AmphibianAmbystoma mexicanum
Axolotl
It normally keeps its larval form as an adult, including its feathery external gills.
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08MammalNasalis larvatus
Proboscis monkey
The adult male's enlarged nose is part of the species' visual and vocal signalling.
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09MammalSaiga tatarica
Saiga antelope
Its enlarged nose helps condition cold air and filter dust across the open steppe.
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10MammalCacajao calvus
Bald uakari
A bare, richly supplied face produces the vivid red colour used in social assessment.
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11MammalHypsignathus monstrosus
Hammer-headed bat
The male's broad muzzle and enlarged voice box help produce resonant courtship calls.
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12AmphibianTelmatobius culeus
Titicaca water frog
Loose skin folds increase the surface available for gas exchange in cold, high-altitude water.
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13AmphibianNasikabatrachus sahyadrensis
Purple frog
A compact body, strong limbs and pointed snout fit a life spent mostly underground.
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14ReptileChelus fimbriata and Chelus orinocensis
Mata mata turtle
Fringed skin and a rough shell break up its outline among leaves on the riverbed.
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15ReptileMacrochelys temminckii
Alligator snapping turtle
A ridged shell provides camouflage, while a worm-like tongue lure draws fish close.
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16AmphibianAndrias davidianus
Chinese giant salamander
Its flattened body and folded skin support an almost entirely aquatic life.
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17BirdGymnogyps californianus
California condor
A bare head is easier to keep clean when the bird feeds inside large carcasses.
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18FishLophius piscatorius
Monkfish
A flattened body, camouflage and a very wide mouth suit an ambush hunter on the seabed.
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19MammalMirounga leonina
Southern elephant seal
The adult male's inflatable nose amplifies calls and makes his size more conspicuous.
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20MammalMyrmecophaga tridactyla
Giant anteater
A long snout and tongue reach deep into ant and termite nests without the need for teeth.
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21MammalPhacochoerus africanus
Common warthog
Tusks are tools and weapons, while thick facial pads offer protection during clashes.
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22MammalMops condylurus
Angolan free-tailed bat
Broad ears, wrinkled lips and long narrow wings belong to a fast aerial insect hunter.
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23AmphibianBreviceps fuscus
Black rain frog
Its rounded body and short powerful limbs are built for digging, not long jumps.
Read Black rain frog profile
24BirdGallus gallus domesticus
Dong Tao chicken
Its remarkably thick legs are a domestic breed trait shaped by selective breeding.
Read Dong Tao chicken profileHow to use this collection
Start with the feature, then find the habitat
A large mouth means something different on a deep-sea predator than it does on a river turtle. A useful explanation identifies the animal before assigning a function.
Use each profile to move from appearance to anatomy, habitat, behaviour and conservation. Related profiles show where similar-looking features evolved for different reasons.