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The alligator gar is a massive fish that lurks in the freshwater lakes and swamps of Southern America.
They can grow up to 8.5 feet long and weigh up to 327 pounds, making them formidable predators with two rows of sharp, fang-like teeth.
Despite their tough, overlapping scales and poisonous eggs that protect them from natural predators, overfishing and habitat destruction have caused their numbers to dwindle. Similarly, the sea lamprey, a primitive eel-like creature found in the Atlantic Ocean, uses its rows of sharp teeth to latch onto other fish and parasitically leech their blood.
Lampreys have been around for over 450 million years and are only around three and a half feet long, but are still horrifying. Despite their lack of natural predators, lampreys are not commonly eaten by humans except for a group in the Netherlands.
The pangolin, an armored mammal, resembles an armadillo and eats around 70 million ants and termites per year, making them important for regulating insect populations.
However, they are hunted extensively for their meat and scales, which are believed to have medicinal properties in some cultures. Finally, the hodzin, a striking bird found in Colombia, is a ruminator and digests food with the help of bacterial fermentation, producing a putrid odor that can last up to 45 hours.
The Chinese giant salamander is another fascinating creature that dwarfs even the largest frogs, growing up to six feet long and weighing over 100 pounds.
