Halloween Creatures 

Naturalists are never at a loss for frightening, even “ghoulish” (to “regular” people) stories - and, as you'll see, have no need for sci-fi!. With Halloween just around the corner, I’d like to highlight several creatures whose names, colors or habits associate them with this holiday.  Some, such as Thailand’s fanged, bird-eating frog and the skin-feeding caecilian, are relatively new discoveries. 

Halloween Crab, Gecarcinus quadratus

Bright orange color and brilliant eye-spots on a round carapace lend this crab a pumpkin-like appearance.  Highly terrestrial, it lives along forest edges from Mexico to southern South America, returning to the sea only to reproduce.  Studies have shown that Halloween Crabs recycle vast quantities of dead leaves, in their ecosystems.

I havw kept this species in terrariums, and have found them to be quite interesting After a time, many give up their nocturnal ways to forage by day.  

Taita African Caecilian, Boulengerula taitana

Caecilians are the least-studied of the amphibians, so surprises are to be expected.  But even seasoned herpetologists were shocked by what can only be described as the “nightmarish” feeding behavior of this species.  

Young Taita African Caecilians feed upon their mother’s skin - in "feeding frenzy" style, no less! Apparently undisturbed by such behavior, the female grows new skin every few days!  

Greater False Vampire Bat, Megaderma lyra

My uncle, a zoologist, has worked with Common Vampire Bats, Desmodus rotundus, in captivity, and has slept beneath nets to avoid their “attention” in the tropics…but he tells me that they are quite shy. Not so the massive False Vampire Bat, which swoops out of the night to carry off mice, frogs, birds and smaller bats (Australia’s Spectral Bat has similar habits). My uncle came across a hollow tree where one roosted in Costa Rica - the floor below was littered with parrot feathers and and the skulls of rodents, frogs and smaller bats. 

Fanged Frog, Limnonectes megastomias

Horned and African Bullfrogs, popular in the pet trade, are known for using their tooth-like odontoid processes (extensions of the jaw bone) to inflict wounds on careless owners.  But a recently-discovered frog in Thailand sports even longer teeth, and uses them to ambush a unique food – birds!  Males also employ the teeth to slash at one another during mating disputes.  Not your average "smiling" pond denizen!

Fire Salamander, Salamandra salamandra

Clad in Halloween colors and with a spooky back-story, this salamander was rarely seen by people in it's native range (Europe to N. Africa), as it nearly always stayed within dead logs . When logs were burned for fuel, the salamanders emerged, seemingly “from the fire”, and crawled away.  In time, Fire Salamanders became associated with witchcraft, and are likely the species people had in mind when telling of “witches’ brews”. Their skin toxins do contain a complex mixture of unique chemicals…maybe these were sampled for actual use in poisoning enemies?

Fire Salamanders make very personable pets, being far more responsive than many amphibians.  My uncle's pair is over 30 years old, and others have kept them for 5 decades.  

Tailless Whipscorpion, Damon variegatus

Not true scorpions, these bizarre arachnids, an arachnophobe’s nightmare, are classified in the Order Amblypygi.  In their natural habitat (central and southern Africa), Tailless Whipscorpions are, despite their formidable appearances, very secretive. Despite this, their immense pedipalps ("pinchers") give pause to even the most die-hard arachnid enthusiasts. As you can see from the photo, however, most adjust to careful handling (note: I learned to do this from experts...do not handle without proper training!) 

Goblin Shark, Mitsukurina owstoni

The huge, extendible jaws of this deep sea predator, and the odd muscle that sucks food towards them, seem to have sprung from the imagination of a science fiction writer. Living at depths of 600 – 4,000+ feet, the Goblin Shark has been found in far-flung locations world-wide, and little is known of its natural history.

Rose's Ghost Frog, Heleophrynidae rosei

Nothing scary about this little fellow…except for the fact that it lives only within several miles of habitat on South Africa’s Table Mountain, and is in rapid decline!  Ghost Frogs are the most ancient of what are termed “modern” Anurans (frogs), having diverged from their closest relatives some 160 million years ago. Large toe pads and extra skin folds (for oxygen absorption) suit the Ghost Frog for life near fast-moving streams. Its eggs (if such are produed) have, as of yet, not been found.

Eastern Hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis

Saddled with such a name, as well as the alternative of "Snot-Otter, the Eastern Hellbender seemed a natural for this article. 

However, it is inoffensive, and indeed it (and us!) should be frightened of those who have removed and/or polluted so much of it's habitat. Today it is an extremely rare creature. Happily, zoos and conservation organizations are helping it via captive breeding programs and habitat protection. 

As a child, I was fascinated by this lagrest of North America’s salamanders, and was shocked when so many books reported that most considered it “from hell” and would reportedly cut a fishing line rather than reel one in. I'd like to have such troubles when I go fishing! 

My uncle had the good fortune to work with Hellbenders, and even to see their 5-foot-long relative, the Japanese Giant Salamander, in its native land. I wonder what reaction this behemoth would cause in the average angler!

Thanks for reading...please write in with any questions and enjoy Halloween, Haiden

Photos:

Halloween Crab: By Charles J. Sharp - Own work, from Sharp Photography, 

Greater False Vampire Bat: image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Aditya Joshi

Fanged Frog: David S. McLeod