25 Animals You Probably Didn't Know Exist

From purple grogs to hawk moths, here's a list of 25 animals that most people have never seen in their lifetimes.

1. Ocean Sunfish

With a shapeless body, oddly placed fins and a giant eye on each side, the ocean sunfish looks like a child's drawing of a fish. And if this fish looks small in pictures, it's actually 11 feet tall, making it the size of two humans.

They can also weigh up to 5,000 pounds, as National Geographic reports, so you probably won't fry one up for a cookout.

Ocean sunfish feast on algae, zooplankton and — surprisingly — jellyfish.

As their appearance suggests, they look clumsy and awkward when they swim through the water. Still, the ocean sunfish can live for up to a decade, so they've found some way to survive in harsh ocean environments.

2. Glass Frog

On the top, the glass frog looks just like any other green tree frog.

But when you look at this frog from underneath, you'll see the frog's internal organs as if you were looking at a dissection model. This incredible translucent skin gives the glass frog its name, as the Rainforest Alliance points out.

If you want to see this frog in person, you'll have to go to the zoo or visit a forest in Central or South America. The glass frog is so small that it only lays 30 eggs at a time. Like other frogs, the glass frog survives on a diet of insects — which is probably all that this small frog can handle.

3. Goblin Shark

The goblin shark might be one of the most horrifying creatures that we've ever found in the ocean.

In fact, the Florida Museum notes that we don't know much about the goblin shark because it lives in the deep sea amongst all the other strange creatures.

The goblin shark has a set of pointy teeth that juts out from its face and a grey "bill" that resembles a snout. Few people have seen the goblin shark in person — in fact, only one zoo in Japan has ever displayed this fish.

Despite its rarity, records of the goblin shark trace all the way back to 1898 — possibly even 1889, although the nature of that fossil has been debated.

Goblin sharks use their extended jaws to catch fish, crabs, squid and other prey on the sea floor. Like other types of fish, the goblin shark often picks up parasites as it swims through the ocean.

4. Shoebill

Have you ever met a bird that eats crocodiles?

It sounds like something out of a fantasy novel, but the shoebill eats crocodiles, turtles and fish that other birds wouldn't dare to touch.

The shoebill's favorite food is lungfish — in fact, their unusual beaks evolved specifically to make it easier for them to eat this species. The shoebill can also clamp its bill together to attract mates, as Britannica reports.

When you look at the shoebill, the first thing you notice is the massive, cartoonish bill. Combined with the large eyes, the shoebill looks like a drawing of a bird — not a real living animal.

They're also about four feet tall, so if you meet one in person, you'll just have to crouch down to look it in the eye.

5. Pink Fairy Armadillo

The pink fairy armadillo looks like a cute, furry creature that you would love to snuggle with.

Unfortunately, pink fairy armadillo sightings are so rare that researchers don't know much about them.

They spend most of their time underground and only come out at night, as the Smithsonian Institute reports.

Researchers do know that the pink fairy armadillo has a pink shell due to the blood vessels near the surface.

This armadillo is only six inches long, making it the world's smallest armadillo species. Unlike regular armadillos, pink fairy armadillos are covered in fur and have a shell that covers only their upper body.

6. Red-Lipped Batfish

Pucker up, because the red-lipped batfish looks like it wants a kiss. The red-lipped batfish has a flat body, spindly legs and bright red "lips" that look like someone just applied lipstick.

While this fish has small legs, it actually uses its flat, angular body to move across the ocean floor. The red-lipped batfish preys on small insects and crustaceans that it finds in the sea.

You'll only find the red-lipped batfish in Galapagos, as the Galapagos Conservation Trust reports. They can lurk at depths up to 76 meters and frequently hide in coral reefs.

The red-lipped batfish itself isn't currently at risk, but increased pollution and rising temperatures could threaten this species' habitat in the near future.

7. Hummingbird Hawk Moth

At first glance, the hummingbird hawk moth looks just like a hummingbird. In fact, when you look again, you still think that you're seeing a hummingbird.

This unique moth has a similar body shape, fluttering wings and a long tongue that allows it to suck the nectar out of flowers. Currently, you'll find four different species of these moths in North America, so you just might see one in person.

The U.S. Forest Service notes that hummingbird hawk moths emit a hum as they fly through the air. They hover in front of the flowers instead of landing on them to collect the nectar — just like a hummingbird.

However, when you look closer, you see the antennae, black eyes and furry body that indicate the presence of a moth.

8. Mantis Shrimp

There's over 450 species of mantis shrimp in the ocean, as the Great Barrier Reef Foundation reports, and they come in a wide range of colors.

Mantis shrimp are famous for their intelligence, brilliant coloring and incredible eyes that detect colors that humans can't see with the naked eye. They also socialize with other mantis shrimp and protect shrimp in their communities.

Mantis shrimp have different hunting styles. Some mantis shrimp spear their prey, making it easier for them to catch soft prey like squid and fish.

Other mantis shrimp club their prey, allowing them to eat harder creatures like clams and crabs. Most shrimp grow anywhere from 10 to 30 centimeters, but one shrimp grew to nearly 50 centimeters long.

9. Sun Bear

The sun bear's lanky body, dog-like face and yellow patch on its chest make this bear unlike anything else in the animal kingdom.

Unfortunately, as the IBA reports, we don't know much about sun bears. They seem to live solitary lives, except for the cubs, which stay with their mothers until they're fully grown.

Once the bears grow up, it's uncommon for researchers to spot them with other bears.

In the wild, sun bears eat a variety of fruits, insects and the occasional plant. And they love honey just like Winnie the Pooh. Some zoos have sun bears on display, so contact your local zoo to see if they're one of the few.

10. Lyrebird

While the lyrebird's body looks ordinary enough, this bird has a long, sweeping tail with different colors and textures.

Like a peacock, the male lyrebird expands its tail feathers to create a fan. The tails of female lyrebirds are less impressive, but they still have long tails with luxurious brown feathers.

The Australian Museum points out that you'll have to visit south-eastern Australia if you want to see the lyrebird in the wild.

These birds live in forests and usually don't travel far from home. Similar to parrots and mockingbirds, lyrebirds can mimic sounds that they hear in the wild — even manmade sounds like car engines.

11. Axolotl

You've probably seen axolotls in zoos or knew someone who had one as a pet.

However, many people don't know that axolotls are actually unevolved salamanders that never leave the larval stage.

Unlike fully grown salamanders, axolotls never transition to living on land — they stay in the water for their entire lives.

Tragically, as the World Wildlife Foundation reports, axolotls are nearly extinct in the wild. You're more likely to see them in a pet store than you are in the wild.

Axolotls come in black, brown and white, and they all have feathery gills on the side of their heads that look like tentacles.

Incredibly, axolotls have the ability to regrow body parts and even internal organs.

12. Parrotfish

The parrotfish gets its name from the hard beak that resembles a bird's beak.

Their beaks might look strange, but they're actually an evolutionary feature that allow parrotfish to eat hard coral.

When parrotfish eat coral, they get the algae and bacteria inside the coral, organisms that live outside of the coral and calcium carbonate from the coral itself.

As the Smithsonian reports, parrotfish have an impressive 1,000 teeth inside their giant beaks.

They're also some of the world's strongest teeth, so they can take on just about anything. Do you think that your teeth would withstand a diet of hard coral?

13. Purple Frog

The purple frog doesn't look like a frog at all — it looks like a round blob.

But despite the tiny eyes and scrunched-up nose, the purple frog is a member of the same species as bullfrogs and red-eyed tree frogs.

Scientists discovered the purple frog in India in 2003, as the Zoological Society of London reports. Since then, researchers have noted that habitat loss could make the purple frog an endangered species.

Even if you go to India, you probably won't see a purple frog in person. Purple frogs spend most of their lives underground and only emerge during breeding season to mate and lay their eggs.

14. Japanese Spider Crab

These aren't the snow crabs that you'll find on your dinner plate. At 12 feet wide, the Japanese spider crab is the largest crustacean on the planet.

Despite their massive size, Japanese spider crabs are only a fraction of an inch wide according to National Geographic. Most eggs are destroyed or eaten by other sea creatures.

While they look like movie monsters, Japanese spider crabs actually prefer to scavenge for dead food instead of hunting live prey.

You'll find these crabs in the sea around Japan, often dwelling at depths of 1,600 feet or more.

15. Jerboa

At first, it looks like the jerboa somehow keeps itself upright with its massive hind legs. However, when you look closely, the jerboa has tiny front legs like a T-rex.

Some jerboas also have tall ears that look like they belong to a rabbit, as Britannica points out, and a long, narrow tail with a tuft at the end.

Some jerboas are only two inches long, while others reach lengths of six inches. Not all jerboas have the famously long ears, but the ones that do look like a caricature of a mouse.

Jerboas use their long tails to keep them upright when they walk or jump.

16. Blue Dragon

If you spotted a blue dragon in the ocean, you'd think that you saw a vibrantly colored fish — or even a tiny dragon.

The blue dragon is actually a sea slug that evolved to match the ocean's hues, making it easier to hide from predators.

While the blue dragon looks delicate, the American Oceans Campaign points out that it's deadly to a number of types of prey.

In fact, the blue dragon's favorite food is the Portuguese man o' war. When the blue dragon eats the man o' war, it stores the venom in its body to make itself even more dangerous.

The blue dragon has special skin that protects it from the venom — but it won't protect you if you come across one.

17. Comb Jellies

Comb jellies look like delicate wisps of tissue.

In fact, the UC Museum of Paleontology reports that researchers have discovered only two comb jelly fossils, suggesting that they're too delicate to be preserved.

Comb jellies come in a variety of shapes and colors, and some species even glow like a string of lights.

Like other jellyfish — and humans, too — comb jellies are made mostly of water. Instead of stingers, they use sticky cells to capture their prey.

While some comb jellies float through the ocean, one species hangs out at the bottom of the ocean with other deep-sea creatures. This makes it even harder for researchers to learn about these enigmatic jellies.

18. Ankole-Watusi Bull

You can't miss the giant horns on the Ankole-Watusi bull. Some bulls have giant cone-shaped horns that stick out horizontally.

Others have more traditional horns, but they're still bigger than anything you'd find on a regular steer. The Livestock Conservancy notes that some livestock owners breed specific types of Ankole-Watusi bulls just for their horn sizes.

Centuries ago, the Ankole-Watusi bull emerged as a cross between Indian and Egyptian cattle. Like regular cattle, Ankole-Watusi bulls come in a variety of colors, including dark red, brown, black and white.

Many bulls have speckled coats like dairy cattle. If you want to see the Ankole-Watusi bull yourself, see if you can find a farm or breeder in your area that houses these bulls.

19. Markhor

Like most goats, markhors have fur and hooves, live in the mountains and use their horns to fight for mates.