Some animals can change the color of their bodies to match the color of their surroundings. This special skill allows them to blend in with the environment to either have a better chance against predators or to ambush prey. For the same purpose, nature has given some of its creatures another ability—to be almost fully invisible.
Here are 15 crazy animals with transparent bodies.
1. Juvenile Cowfish (Lactoria fornasini)
Cowfish can be found swimming happily in coral reefs. They move quite slowly, which would normally hinder their survival rate. But they’ve developed a cool defense mechanism: their juvenile bodies are translucent until they reach adulthood, and thereafter, they become light yellow with many bluish-white spots.
2. Portuguese Man O’ War (Physalia physalis)
This strange marine organism looks like a jellyfish. When the animal is in danger, its long tentacles can squirt poison. And the poison isn’t your regular “ouchie,” as this blob is deadly to both marine life and humans.
3. Ghost Shrimp (Palaemon paludosus)
The ghost shrimp live in the freshwater of the southeastern United States, mainly in lakes, and feed on plankton. Aside from that, they just look really nifty.
4. Salps, aka “Sea Grapes”
These sea creatures are not only translucent, but they also have the power of photoluminescence. Their bodies have a gelatinous structure, which earned them the moniker “sea grapes.” Salps usually move in colonies that form long chains, but they can also detach and go solo.
5. Glass Frogs (Centrolenidae family)
The back of these amphibians is translucent with a light-green tint. Their abdomen and chest are almost as clear as water, allowing you to see their internal organs, including the heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract.
