In the strange animals category, the Okapi and Coatimundi (which has the advantage of being really cute, also smart and dexterous) spring immediately to mind. Quick searching reveals that the Coati is related to the Cacomistle, which is just fun to say. Pangolins look kind of like ambulatory pinecones, but are probably already on your list.
If you want to get really obscure, there are a ton of weird things that only exist as fossils now, like Marrella Splendans, Opabinia Regalis (5 eyes! Bitey snout!), Anamalocaris, Wiwaxia, etc. Those are all Cambrian critters from the Burgess Shale, and all look like oversized bugs from space.
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21/6/10 15:42 (UTC)In the strange animals category, the Okapi and Coatimundi (which has the advantage of being really cute, also smart and dexterous) spring immediately to mind. Quick searching reveals that the Coati is related to the Cacomistle, which is just fun to say. Pangolins look kind of like ambulatory pinecones, but are probably already on your list.
If you want to get really obscure, there are a ton of weird things that only exist as fossils now, like Marrella Splendans, Opabinia Regalis (5 eyes! Bitey snout!), Anamalocaris, Wiwaxia, etc. Those are all Cambrian critters from the Burgess Shale, and all look like oversized bugs from space.