Related: List of world's weirdest amphibians unveiled
BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Blind salamanders,
legless amphibians with tentacles on their heads and ghost frogs whose favorite
haunt is a human burial ground are just a few of the world's weirdest and 10
most endangered amphibians creatures, according to the Zoological Society of
London.
Amphibians that made the EDGE Amphibian conservation
and fundraising list are considered by the society to be the most evolutionarily
distinct and globally endangered, aka EDGE, species. They have few close
relatives in the tree of life and are genetically unique, along with being on
the verge of extinction.
"These animals may not be cute and cuddly, but
hopefully their weird looks and bizarre behaviors will inspire people to support
their conservation," said Helen Meredith, EDGE Amphibians conservationist in
England.
Species that are evolutionarily distinct are one of a
kind, said Arne Mooers of Simon Fraser University in Canada.
"We can't afford to lose these ones, because they are
so different from everything else," said Mooers, who works with scientists as
part of the EDGE of Existence program. "If we lose these, then we lose a big
chunk of the total variation," he said, referring to overall biodiversity.
The alien-looking amphibians come in all sizes, from
the Chinese giant salamander to the Gardiner's Seychelles frog that's smaller
than a thumb nail, and in all colors, including the Malagasy rainbow frog and
the pale Olm salamander that dwells in limestone caves.
The Chinese giant salamander, with a nose-to-rump
length of up to nearly six feet (1.8 meters), tops the list as the highest
conservation priority, Meredith said. One threat has been hunting. Locals and
others use hooks to capture the burrowing salamanders for their skin, considered
a delicacy by some.
Another chart-topper is the purple frog,
Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis. The purple-pigmented frog wasn't discovered until
2003, because it stays hidden beneath about 13 feet (four meters) of earth for
most of the year, feeding on termites.
(Agencies)
