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A group blog composed of scientists, show hosts and producers, Correlations is the official blog of WIRED SCIENCE. Tips, questions or comments? E-mail us at correlations@kcet.org.

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Liz Burr

is the Interactive Project Manager for WIRED SCIENCE Digital.

Damon Gambuto

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Tamsin Gray

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Chris Hardwick

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Clifford Johnson

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Sheril Kirshenbaum

is a marine biologist at Duke University.

Tara C. Smith

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Michael Tobis

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Ziya Tong

is a host and field producer for WIRED SCIENCE.

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01.12.08

Aliens on Earth or Name that Creature :: Answers

by Ziya Tong Department: Earth

If you weren't able to guess, here are the answers to the mystery creatures!

The Hymenopus coronatus or Orchid Mantis is named after the flower that serves as its camoflage. They're found in rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia and are truly some of the most photogenic insects I've ever seen. Honestly, they look like they're posing in every shot! Another mantid that didn't make it into this list but I was itching to post on is the Devil Flower Mantis or Idolomantis diabolica. Check out this fantastic image by Igor Siwanowicz. He does some stunning macro-lens photography.

This little guy is the Star-Nosed Mole which is found in Eastern Canada and the north-eastern U.S. They have large clawed forelimbs for digging through the dirt and 22 star-shaped appendages that sprout out from their noses to sniff and feel for food. They're also said to be the fastest eating mammal in the world. It only takes the mole about 25 milliseconds to find out if the food before them is actually edible. It takes me at least 2 minutes to sniff out left-overs in the fridge. You can check out slow-motion video of the critter in action at the star-nosed mole theatre.

Short-nosed echidnas or Tachyglossus aculeatus are found in New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia. The one in this photo is a baby. So cute. Echidna's are monotremes, which means that they're egg-laying mammals. (The only other montotreme is the Platypus). After hatching they're carried around in their mother's pouches, much like marsupials, and are fed through specialized skin patches that exude a pink milk. After about 55 days, they start growing long prickly spines, and move into burrows. They have quite a long life-span and can live for more than 50 years!

The Phillippine Tarsier or Tarsius syrichta is one of the smallest primates in the world, and as you can probably guess, it lives in the Phillippines. It has huge eyes, looks a little like Yoda, and has a head that moves like an owls - up to 180 degrees. According to Wikipedia, the species is believed to be about 45 million years old, and is one of the oldest continuously living land-species in the Phillippines. Which makes it that much sadder that they are currently listed as an endangered species.

The Blobfish or Psychrolutes marcidus is a deep sea creature that lives at depths where the pressure is several dozen times higher than that found at sea level. Found in the waters off Tasmania and Australia, they get their name from their gelatinous appearance. Being a deep sea blob though is pretty handy; having a density that is slightly less than water allows them to effortlessly float just above the sea floor and swallow edible prey that drifts by.

Tags: animals, answers, bizarre, creatures, game, insects, weird