Nature's Little Shop of Horrors

October 30, 2008 by wilcoxclynn

Ah, it's time for witches to fly and werewolves to howl. In light of All Hallows' Eve, I thought I'd share a few horror stories from the natural world. So sit down and have a candied apple or some baked pumpkin seeds and enjoy some real terrifying tales that show that even mother nature has a dark side. Here's my list of the top five in nature's little shop of horrors:

5. Arachnophobia is quite possibly the most common specific fear. Well, can you really blame people when images like the one to the right are posted all over the net? Meet the Golden Orb spider, enjoying the very bad luck of a chestnut-breasted Mannikin (from The Cairns Post). The image is enough to give even the slightest arachnophobic chronic nightmares.

Golden Orb spiders, however, are not that dangerous to us - they're just huge. They aren't particularly toxic, especially compared to the other species of spiders in Australia, where the delightful image came from. No, their trick isn't to kill instantly, it's to spin a really, REALLY strong web - one even a decent sized bird can't escape from. When their meal tires, they feast. So while this spider is freakishly-large and their webs can be up to 6 meters across, it doesn't spin a web strong enough to catch a person in - so it only makes it to #5 on the list.

4. Mind-control may seem like a science-fiction myth, but there's evidence that the parasitic protozoa _Toxiplasma gondii_ is capable of just that. It's been shown to alter the brains of rats, making them attracted to cat urine instead of afraid of it, so the parasite can reach its final host.

What's so bad about a cat parasite that voodoo mind controls rats? It is found in 50% of the human population as well. If it can alter the brain of a rat, what's to say it can't affect the human brain, too?

In fact, there is research which suggests just that. One study found that people in areas with higher rates of T. gondii infection scored higher on average for neuroticism, and infection has been linked to schizophrenia because _Toxoplasma_ responds to haloperidol, an antipsychotic. It has even been wondered whether the distribution of T. gondii could explain differences in cultural aspects that relate to ego, money, material possessions, work and rules (see article in Live Science). The idea that this little protozoan might have us under parasitic manipulation lands _Toxoplasma_ at #4 on my list.

3. Anything earning the name "Diablo Rojo" (Red Devil) has to make it somewhere on a list of terrifying creatures. It's known to attack at night, even unprovoked, either solo or in groups, and drag people down to the terrible depths of the sea. What is this evil creature?

The Humboldt Squid. These giants grow up to 7 feet long and can weigh a staggering 100 pounds. Attacks on humans are reported frequently in the Sea of Cortez, where Mexican fisherman gave the beasts their colorful nickname for the rapid, intense changes in skin color the squid exhibit. Humboldt squid hunt near the surface at night, taking advantage of the dark to feed on more plentiful prey - which puts them in the same waters as people. Humboldts are highly agressive and attack anything they think they can defeat - including fishermen and recreational divers. They've even attacked deep-sea cameras with such ferocity that they rendered them useless. Their man-eating reputation and aggressive disposition get the Humboldt Squid to #3 on my list.

2. If you're to think about the scariest things in the Amazon river, what comes to mind? Piranhas? Anacondas? Well, if you're a guy, you might be a little more bothered by #2 on my list: the Candiru.

The Candiru, or "penis fish" as it was so aptly called on _Grey's Anatomy_, is a tiny freshwater catfish with a maximum size around six inches. Of course, it's size only maters relative to where it ends up.

The Candiru is a parasite which burrows into fish gills and feeds off of their blood. However, it hunts its prey by following an ammonia trail, and unfortunately, it has been known to make a few mistakes. When the little swimmer accidentally follows human urine instead of fish excretions to the source, men in particular can end up with a nasty reminder not to pee in the pool, or at least, not to pee in the Amazon.

The fish burrows into the human urethra just like it would a fish's gills, and because of its spiny body, it can't be removed except through surgery. Which isn't great for the fish, either, since there's no evidence it can live inside humans. Of course, even the most enthusiastic Ichthyologist probably isn't thinking about the plight of the poor, confused catfish right at that moment. Its peculiar choice of human infiltration is the stuff of Maxim nightmares, landing the Candiru at #2 on my list.

1. This might not be your #1, but anyone who knows me knows that I'm terrified of moths. I get really, really, REALLY freaked out by them (especially big ones), much to the twisted amusement of some very freakishly talented moth-catching jerks. I don't know if I watched "Silence of the Lambs" too young or what, but moths are the only thing I'm completely and irrationally afraid of. I mean, they're harmless! Right?

RIGHT?
(cue eerie music)

Maybe my fear isn't so irrational after all. Meet a new species of Calyptra, found recently in Siberia - one of two new species of Vampire Moth. No, really. They drink blood. The moths are related to the vegetarian Calyptra thalictri. Entomologist Jennifer Zaspel at the University of Florida speculates that this blood-sucking relative represents a new evolutionary direction.

"We see a progression from nectar feeding and licking or lapping at fruit juices to different kinds of piercing behaviors of fruits and then finally culminating in this skin piercing and blood-feeding," said Zaspel. She plans to map the genomic differences between the vampire moths and their close relatives, to see the genetic changes that led to blood-sucking behavior.

Of course, the moths wouldn't drink blood for no reason - there must be some upside to becoming a vampire. But only male moths have evolved bloodthirsty habits, and there's no apparent health benefit to them directly. So what's driving their bloodlust? Zaspel hypothesizes that the blood serves as a 'sexual gift' to the female, providing a nutritional boost to young larvae that feed on leaf-rich, but sodium-poor, diets. So the moths might have turned nosferatu to get laid - lovely.

Check out the National Geographic article here, and a good one by Zooillogix here about these new species.

If a moth can become a vampire, who knows what else is on its evolutionary way to becoming a living nightmare? Since it's my worst fear come to life, the blood-sucking moth is #1 on my list.

Of course, there are plenty of other freaky creatures out there, so I give honorable mentions to the Irukandji Jellyfish and the Frilled Shark. That's all... for now! Have a ghoulishly good time this weekend! Happy Halloween!

More Blogs By Me!