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All animals have their own characteristics and characteristics. Some of them are famous or even named after a specific feature. This is true for many of the animals on this list. The next eight animals have one horn.
Some of the animals listed here use their horns to protect themselves, while others use them to hunt and kill prey. Interestingly, some of the animals on this list have baffled scientists for decades. They cannot understand why these animals have a horn! Read on to learn about the eight animals with one horn and what they use it for.
# 8 Indian rhino
Indian rhino (Rhino unicorn) makes the list because of the large horn on the muzzle. Its horn can be 8 to 25 inches long and is a mixture of keratin and hair. By the way, human nails are also made from keratin! This rhino has multiple targets for one horn.
He uses his single horn to intimidate predators and threats. These rhinos are gentle in nature and want to avoid battles. So, they lower their heads to the ground and throw themselves in the general direction of the predator to show their superiority. The threat could be another rhinoceros or possibly a tiger. In many cases, another animal is frightened by an attacking rhino. They are fast and cool! But if the predator remains, the rhino uses its single horn to defend itself from attack. Its horn is a sharp and effective defensive weapon.
Rhinos rub their horns against the ground and trees, scraping off the soft outer layer of the horn, leaving sharp edges behind. Unsurprisingly, its horn can cause serious or fatal injury to another rhino or tiger.
Indian rhinos sometimes use their single horn to dig in hard soil looking for vegetation to eat. It is also used to dig in dry stream beds in search of water. Female rhinoceroses use their horn to guide their young through the meadows.
# 7 Rhinoceros beetle
The rhinoceros beetle gets its name from the large single horn on its head. This insect is brown or gray in appearance and can grow up to six inches in length. Inhabits all over the world, except Antarctica. This insect is also known as the Hercules beetle due to its great strength. They can lift branches, plants, and other objects up to 800 times their size! What are these beetles using their horn for? Well, he has several goals.
Male rhinoceros beetles use their horn to fight other males, competing for females. In addition, these beetles use their horn to dig piles of leaves and other debris on the ground. If the rhinoceros beetle senses a threat, it can use its horn to burrow into the soil and hide until the threat is gone.
# 6 Cassowary
The first thing you notice about a cassowary is the bright blue, red and purple skin color on its neck. The second thing you notice is a large horn on his head. This horn is also called a helmet. It has an inner layer of soft spongy material and an outer layer of keratin. If you squeezed its horn, it would be soft in the middle. How exactly does a cassowary use its single horn?
Answer: Scientists are not sure. One theory is that this bird tilts its head and uses its horn to navigate through dense vegetation and huge leaves in its rainforest habitat in Australia. Another theory is that the cassowary’s horn is a sign of maturity or bird dominance. Both men and women have this single horn, although women usually have a larger one.
# 5 Horned silkworm
The horned silkworm is a bright caterpillar about three inches long. This caterpillar transforms into a silkworm. It has one horn on the tail of its body. Although it looks like a sharp horn, it is very soft and flexible. This horn serves an important purpose for this little insect.
As you may have guessed, this caterpillar is at risk of being eaten by many predators. Birds, spiders and paper wasps are just a few of the animals that eat the horned silkworm. Its horn serves as a sign for predators to stay away. The predator can be scared off by what it considers a sharp horn, which will hurt if it tries to eat the silkworm. Is the horned silkworm tricking many predators into leaving them alone? Yes! This is why the population of this silkworm continues to thrive.
# 4 Fish unicorn
There are several types of unicorn fish. Some of these species have horns growing on the front of their heads. Look at this fish from the side and the horn looks like a nose! Although these fish are named after fictional creatures, they are very real! Its horn can reach 2.5 inches in length. But keep in mind that the body of this fish can reach two feet in length or more. They live in warm tropical waters off the coast of Africa and Hawaii. In particular, they have coral reef habitats. So why does a fish in the ocean need a horn?
Unfortunately, scientists have not been able to figure out why the unicorn fish has a horn. They know that these fish do not use their horn aggressively. Instead, they have spikes on their tail, which they use for protection. They are called tail blades because they are very sharp.
Unicorn fish can also change color, which helps them blend in with their surroundings when a predator approaches. While its practical purpose is unclear, its horn gave this fish a cool name!
# 3 Rhino lizard
The horned lizard is a small reptile several inches long, including its tail. This animal has one horn at the end of this creature’s nose, which is about two-thirds of the length of its head. Inhabits the trees of Sri Lanka.
Like other animals on this list, scientists have not agreed on the purpose of this lizard’s horn. It can help these creatures dig up, trap and kill insects in their diet. Or it could discourage predators from catching this lizard and eating it. Regardless of its purpose, a single horn in a rhino lizard is its most notable feature.
# 2 Saola
Have you ever heard of Saol? The answer is probably no. This is because the saola, also called the Asian unicorn, is very rare. This little deer can only be found in Vietnam. Its existence was discovered just three decades ago in 1992.
While most deer have two horns or antlers, the saola has only one short horn between the ears on the crown. Because of the rarity of this mammal, it is very difficult for scientists to study it. So, the purpose of its one horn is unknown. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has included saolu on the endangered list.
# 1 Narwhal
When you think of a whale, you probably can’t imagine it with a spiraling horn sticking out from the front of its head. But this is what a narwhal looks like. Note that his horn is actually a tooth! But because it looks a lot like a horn, the narwhal made it to the list!
Its horn can reach ten feet in length. In addition, these sea creatures can grow to over 17 feet in length and weigh 4,200 pounds. They live in cold arctic waters around Greenland, Russia, Norway and Canada.
Its one horn contains millions of nerve endings that guide the narwhal through arctic waters as it searches for squid, crabs, fish and other prey. This foraging method is a type of echolocation that uses its horn to sense what it is in its dark environment.
When a narwhal finds a squid or fish, it sometimes bumps into it with its horn. This stuns the prey long enough for the narwhal to catch it. In addition, the male narwhal uses its horn aggressively when fighting other males for the female during the breeding season. Although mostly males have this horn, some female narwhals also have it.
Next: 11 species of extinct shark
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