The Most Fantastic Animals You've Never Heard Of

In 1941, Swedish naturalist Einar Pettersson-Skämtkvist discovered an entirely new order of mammals (Rhinogradentia) on the the isolated South Pacific archipelago of Hi-yi-yi. Further research was carried out by German naturalist Harald Stümpke in the 1950's. According to Stümpke, the Rhinogrades, also known as Snouters, were a class of animials that had evolved to use their facial features -- usually the nose -- for numerous functions normally carried out by other appendages. For instance, the Suctorial Snout Leaper (Hopsorbinus aureus) used its long, flat nose to spring itself backwards great distances (see images above), and another snouter (Otopteryx volitans) actually used its over-sized ears for gliding (see image below).

Unfortunately, in 1957, the entire island chain was destroyed by earthquakes and tsunamis triggered by nearby testing of atomic weapons. In addition to Stümpke's sketches, there are a few stuffed specimens that are presently kept for study in a Japanese research center. However, it is believed that there are no longer any live individuals.