There are many beautiful animals on our planet, creatures so finely adapted to their niche, so unique in their evolution, that they inspire you. Placobdelloides jaegerskioeldi is not one of those animals.
Better known, to the extent that it’s known at all, as “the hippo butt leech,” the Placobdelloides is actually a fairly crafty little bloodsucker. See, a hippo’s hide is thick, tough, and impossible for a leech to grip onto, except in and around the butthole. So, by evolving to cling to a hippo’s poop chute, it has carved out a strong niche for itself no other creature can invade, or really even wants to.
They’ve even evolved to hang on tight; hippos are not noted for their cleanliness or daintiness, no matter the lies the Walt Disney Corporation might tell you. And to be fair, despite the fact that there can be dozens of these things at the end of the tour, hippos are so violent and endure so much damage, some butthole leeches are barely noticeable.
That said, they do reproduce using “traumatic insemination,” i.e. stabbing each other with their penises. So don’t be too impressed by their ability to survive; even if you can get past their taste for hippo ass, these guys are still plenty disgusting on their own merits.
(Via Wired)