The animal world is full of surprises, with some creatures being more eye-catching than others because of their strange looks or unusual nature.
When I first saw a picture of this weird “penis snake,” I thought it was a joke. But, to my surprise, it turned out to be a real animal. So, let’s dive into the story behind the viral image that has left thousands of people in shock.
Throughout history, anything shaped like a phallus has grabbed attention and sparked curiosity. A few years ago, images of a strange-looking creature started making the rounds online, leaving many people scratching their heads in disbelief.
With its unique appearance, this mysterious animal quickly earned nicknames like the “penis snake,” “blind snake,” or the “man-aconda.”
But no, it’s not what you think.
Even though it looks a lot like a snake, this creature is actually called *Atretochoana eiselti*. It’s not a snake at all, but an amphibian, more closely related to a salamander. It’s also the largest known lungless tetrapod, which means it breathes through its skin instead of lungs.
This rare animal lives in the waters of the Amazon in Brazil and was hard to find for a long time. It was first discovered by Sir Graham Hales during an expedition with Sir Brian Doll in the late 1800s.
However, it wasn’t officially described until 1968. After more research, scientists reclassified it in 1996, giving it its own unique genus, *Atretochoana*.
In 2011, this species was rediscovered in the Amazon region. It lives only in the Amazon River and its largest tributary, the Madeira River in Brazil. The “penis snake” has only been found in this area and nowhere else in the world.
The viral pictures that blew up the internet a few years ago actually came from 2011. That’s when a whole family of these phallic-shaped creatures was found at the bottom of the Madeira River in Brazil. They were discovered when the river was drained during work on a hydroelectric dam.
Julian Tupan, a biologist working with the Santo Antonio Energy company on the dam, explained that not much is known about these lungless, limbless amphibians.
“Out of the six we collected, one died, three were released back into the wild, and two were kept for study,” he told *Estadao*, according to the U.K.’s *The Sun*.
Tupan pointed out that these “snakes” aren’t dangerous and are unlikely to show any aggressive behavior.
“Even though they look like snakes, they’re not reptiles; they’re more closely related to salamanders and frogs. We think the animal breathes through its skin and probably eats small fish and worms, but that hasn’t been proven yet.
“The Amazon is full of surprises when it comes to reptiles and amphibians. There’s still a lot more to discover.”
The most popular photo, which Julian Tupan shared on Instagram, shows an adult female *A. eiselti* that’s just under 40 inches long.
Even though these creatures are fascinating, there’s still a lot we don’t know about them. One mystery that puzzles researchers is their diet. Scientists think these phallic-shaped animals might eat small fish, worms, and other aquatic invertebrates, but more research is needed to confirm this.
Wikipedia Commons / Tobias von AnhaltAnother mystery about these creatures is how they breathe, as scientists haven’t confirmed the method yet. When the six specimens were discovered in 2011, it made things even more puzzling. What’s especially interesting is where they were found— in cold, fast-flowing water with limited oxygen. Since warmer water holds less oxygen, their ability to live without lungs is even more remarkable.
Based on these findings, scientists believe this species might be widespread across the Brazilian Amazon and could even extend into Bolivia.
Nature constantly surprises us with its endless wonders. From the deepest oceans to the tallest mountains, the natural world is full of amazing things waiting to be discovered.
Share this incredible story on Facebook with your friends and family to spark their curiosity and get them talking about the wonders of nature!
Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly’s granddaughter is all grown up and has inherited her grandmother’s beauty
Grace Kelly was a Hollywood film star who never left the spotlight in the 1950s. She didn’t last longer than six years in the industry, but those years she spent were legendary.
She got into the world of acting at the age of 20 and became a bomb.
She starred in adventure romance Mogambo alongside Clark Gable and Ava Gardner which earned her a Golden Globe for best-supporting actress.
We thought that was all until she gave a show the following year. She won yet another award for Best supporting actress in The Country Girl.
During her career, her movies were majorly comedy musical High Society starring alongside Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and three Alfred Hitchcock movies Dial M for Murder; To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant, and Rear window.
At the age of 26, Grace left the spotlight because of her marriage to Prince Rainier III and become Princess of Monaco.
We all knew if she remained in the industry she could have been among the top as within six years she had two Golden Globes and Academy Award to her name and 11 successful movies.
She retired from the spotlight because of her marriage to the prince and went on to have three wonderful children, Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Albert II.
Kelly tragically passed away at the age of 52 after a car accident. She had a stroke and lost control of the vehicle. Stephanie, her youngest daughter was with her at that moment, and luckily she was able to survive the accident.
Kelly is said to have a total of 11 grandchildren and they so much remind us of the Philadelphia-born.
Camille Gottlieb is one of the grandchildren of Kelly born by Grace Kelly’s youngest child Princess Stephanie of Monaco and Jean-Raymond Gottlieb.
The 20-year-old has two older half-siblings, Pauline Ducruet and they look so much like their grandmother.
Camille seems to be a better replica of her grandmother as she has blond hair and blue eyes.
Going through her Instagram account with over 70,000 followers, we can’t help but see her grandmother’s piercing blue eyes. She looks so beautiful and reminds us of the legendary Grace Kelly. May her soul rest in peace.
The report says she’s not quite eligible for the throne as she was born when her parents weren’t married and her birth was a secret.
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