T. Rex Leech
A new leech king of the jungle, Tyrannobdella rex—or "tyrant leech king"—was discovered in the remote Peruvian Amazon, National Geographic News reported in April.
The up-to-three-inch-long (about seven-centimeter-long) leech has large teeth, like its dinosaur namesake Tyrannosaurus rex. What's more, the newfound critter's "naughty bits are rather small," noted study co-author Mark Siddall, curator of invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
For these reasons and more, the bizarre bloodsucker is an editors' pick for one of the oddest new species of 2010.
Get the full story: "'Tyrant King' Leech Discovered, Attacks Orifices."
Ten Weirdest New Animals of 2010: Editors' Picks
A fish with "hands," a T. Rex leech, and a self-cloning lizard are among National Geographic News's picks for the weirdest new species in 2010.
