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!
An 82-year-old woman was caught shoplifting in a supermarket store
An 82-year-old woman was caught shoplifting in a supermarket. “Please don’t call the police, I don’t want my grandchildren to know”. What happened to her afterward is unbelievable…
The number of people who struggle to make ends meet is way higher that we can even imagine. Not being able to provide for the family is an issue many struggle with, especially these days when the entire world is facing crisis in terms of lack of electricity and inflation. The prices of the basic products get higher and the number of businesses that are forced to shut down grows bigger. Finding a job isn’t as easy it once was. Life is hard for many, especially those who are unable to work because of various reasons.
One 82-year-old grandma was left to take care of her grandchildren. Sadly, because of her age, there was nothing she could do in order to get food. The little money she had wasn’t enough, so she was forced to do something she wasn’t proud of, steal food from a local shop at Via Casilina in Ferentino, Frosinone, Italy.
When an employee spotted her putting canned food in her bag, they confronted her. The grandma was scared and begged them not to call the police. “Please don’t call the cops; I don’t want my grandkids to know,” she kept repeating.
She then explained that she struggled to provide food for her grandchildren as tears rolled down her face.
The store manager was deeply touched by her story. Not only he didn’t call the police, but he let her take anything that she needed. He even told her to stop by whenever she needed food.
“Come grab what you need anytime you want; a few euros don’t matter anything to me,” he said.
We are glad there are still people there as considerate and as caring as this market owner.
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