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It's official: The world's ugliest animal

This creature is even more unsightly than the scrotum frog.
Written by Mark Halper, Contributor
blobfishgreenpeace.png
Butt ugly. The blobfish (above) is even more uncomely than the Canadian blue-grey taildropper slug, which sheds its rump and slithers away while predators feast on discarded derriere.

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Unattractive queen: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the ugliest of them all?"

Mirror:"You might be unsightly oh three-warted dish, but you cannot rival that slimy 'ole fish."

It's official: Psychorolutes marcidus, aka the blobfish, has beaten some stiff competition to become the world's ugliest animal, the British Science Association declared.

In a vote announced at the British Science Festival, Psycho, or Blobby or whatever endearing nickname you want to give him, is now the mascot of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, which partners with the U.K.'s National Science and Engineering Competition.

Hats off to Blobby, considering he was up against the scrotum frog, the dung beetle, the pig-nosed turtle and other uncomely creatures - see a collection of videos promoting each candidate here. He even beat back a challenge from pubic lice, according to the BBC. Popular scientist Brian Cox noted:

“I support the ugly animal campaign, there are too many people trying to save cute animals. They get all the press, and all the attention. Ugly animals are more deserving than cute animals. So I think it is a superb campaign.”

Biologist Simon Watt, president for life of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, agrees. "We are so mammal centric," he said in a video earlier this year promoting the competition. "We are boring when it comes to the animals that we are interested in. The vast majority of life out there is dull and ugly."

Watt's personal choice was the Canadian blue-grey taildropper slug, which sheds its rear end so that predators can enjoy a meal of keister while the slug slips away.

According to the public, the blobfish is even more butt ugly.

Photo is from Greenpeace

But is Samsung's new smartwatch even less aesthetically pleasing?

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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