10+ Brazilian animals that look like they came out of a Harry Potter movie

Brazil has the greatest biodiversity in the world, so it is to be expected that it is home to many strange and little-known species. Monkeys with hairstyles, snakes that run away from the creeping pattern and transparent frogs are just a few examples of what we can find in our dear country. So, meeting these different animals is almost like a trip to another planet, but without having to do all that space travel. Often, you don’t need to go further than your own garden, as they can be right next to you.

O awesome.club loves discovering new species from the animal world and has gathered some of the most unusual ones found in Brazil. Just look at the selection!

Like other species of its family, this animal is known as a snake, due to its elongated body. However, he is a lizard, as he has legs – or rather, rudimentary limbs. Bachia scaea was discovered in 2013, in Rondônia, and is endemic to the Brazilian Amazon Forest, that is, it is only found there. Despite its appearance, it is a small animal, about 7 cm long, and it also has another different feature: it can see even with its eyes closed, thanks to its semi-transparent eyelids.

Also known as glass frog or glass frog, it is found in the Amazon Forest and in the states of the South and Southeast of Brazil. This name was popularly adopted due to the lack of pigmentation in the skin, which makes it translucent and makes it possible to see its internal organs. Scientists have discovered that this transparency works as a camouflage, as these frogs acquire the color of objects around where they are positioned. Thus, they have the same coloring as a leaf or the bark of a tree, for example.

In the Tupi language, “tatarana” means similar to fire. Thus, the name taturana-cachorrinho, or taturana-cat, conveys that this is a hairy animal that makes you burn. The small caterpillar measures about 8 cm, lives throughout Brazil and has thorns similar to pet hair. Touch can cause burns, severe pain and even more serious problems, and treatment varies from a hot water compress to a specific serum for that case. As an adult, she becomes a moth and retains her venomous fur.

This is a peculiar animal, both in name and in appearance, being associated with the image of a reptile, which is why it is also known as the wing snake or flying snake. However, it is harmless, even the teeth are false. It lives all over Brazil, becomes a moth as an adult and has the strange habit of walking backwards or sideways when it lands. Also, the eyes are quite small, with a kind of antenna on the side, and is only seen during twilight.

There are about 250 species of electric fish, but the poraquê is the only one in the world that can give strong electrical discharges, which reach 860 volts. Although this value is four times stronger than a 220 V socket, this is not enough to kill a person, as the discharges last only 1 to 2 seconds. These animals reach 2.5 meters and live in small streams in the Amazon, in groups of ten.

These friendly amphibians are very small and colorful, measuring about 2.5 cm and can have blue, red, yellow, orange and even lime green skin. But make no mistake, it is precisely the color that indicates its poisonous nature. Since only a tiny dose can handle ten adults, so it is considered one of the most dangerous animals in the world. And that’s where the name comes from, as the Indians of the Amazon rainforest, where they are found, have long used this poison on the tip of their arrows to hunt or fight.

Also known as mother-of-the-moon or ghost bird, this bird is nocturnal and has a very sad song. He camouflages himself well in tree trunks and has a kind of peephole, which has a slit in the eyelid, which allows him to see even with his eyes closed. It appears in different species throughout the Brazilian territory, where it is the subject of several legends, thanks to its mysterious character.

For an ant, it is large, measuring about 2.5 cm. But for the power it has, it is quite small, as the venom of a sting can cause severe discomfort and the pain lasts for more than 24 hours. According to reports, this is the most painful sting of all ants in the Amazon region, and is also found in many other Brazilian states. In the Sahu-Apé village, in Amazonas, the Sateré-Mawé Indians go through a ritual in which they wear a glove with more than 100 tucandeiras and have to resist for about 30 minutes with their hand inside. Have courage, huh?

This nice little monkey, who seems to have a nice haircut and a very well-groomed beard, is endemic to Brazil and has a tail as long as its body, about 42 cm. It feeds only on seeds and, unfortunately, is seriously threatened with extinction, due to the deforestation of the tropical forests where it lives, between Pará and Maranhão. The cuxiús have a characteristic that differentiates their family, they use their hands to bring water to their mouths, hence the scientific name, Chiropotes, which means “the one who drinks with his hands”.

Exclusive to Brazil, this animal is found in the Atlantic Forest from the Northeast to the South of the country. Its name is a clear reference to its gift of camouflage, among the dry leaves of the trees. In addition, it is also known as bullfrog, due to its eyebrows, which look like horns. Its name could also be a reference to another feature, taking advantage of the disguise to stand still and wait for smaller animals to come close for it to attack, becoming almost really a plant and saving energy.

These animals are really different, don’t you think? Have you come across any peculiar animal in your city? Tell us in the comments!