
The animal world is full of surprises, with some creatures being more eye-catching than others because of their strange looks or unusual nature.
When I first saw a picture of this weird “penis snake,” I thought it was a joke. But, to my surprise, it turned out to be a real animal. So, let’s dive into the story behind the viral image that has left thousands of people in shock.
Throughout history, anything shaped like a phallus has grabbed attention and sparked curiosity. A few years ago, images of a strange-looking creature started making the rounds online, leaving many people scratching their heads in disbelief.
With its unique appearance, this mysterious animal quickly earned nicknames like the “penis snake,” “blind snake,” or the “man-aconda.”
But no, it’s not what you think.
Even though it looks a lot like a snake, this creature is actually called *Atretochoana eiselti*. It’s not a snake at all, but an amphibian, more closely related to a salamander. It’s also the largest known lungless tetrapod, which means it breathes through its skin instead of lungs.
This rare animal lives in the waters of the Amazon in Brazil and was hard to find for a long time. It was first discovered by Sir Graham Hales during an expedition with Sir Brian Doll in the late 1800s.
However, it wasn’t officially described until 1968. After more research, scientists reclassified it in 1996, giving it its own unique genus, *Atretochoana*.
In 2011, this species was rediscovered in the Amazon region. It lives only in the Amazon River and its largest tributary, the Madeira River in Brazil. The “penis snake” has only been found in this area and nowhere else in the world.
The viral pictures that blew up the internet a few years ago actually came from 2011. That’s when a whole family of these phallic-shaped creatures was found at the bottom of the Madeira River in Brazil. They were discovered when the river was drained during work on a hydroelectric dam.
Julian Tupan, a biologist working with the Santo Antonio Energy company on the dam, explained that not much is known about these lungless, limbless amphibians.
“Out of the six we collected, one died, three were released back into the wild, and two were kept for study,” he told *Estadao*, according to the U.K.’s *The Sun*.
Tupan pointed out that these “snakes” aren’t dangerous and are unlikely to show any aggressive behavior.
“Even though they look like snakes, they’re not reptiles; they’re more closely related to salamanders and frogs. We think the animal breathes through its skin and probably eats small fish and worms, but that hasn’t been proven yet.
“The Amazon is full of surprises when it comes to reptiles and amphibians. There’s still a lot more to discover.”
According to a paper published in the Brazilian scientific journal *Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi: Ciências Naturais*, one of these creatures found in the riverbed was photographed extensively. Some of the animals were released back into the Madeira River, while others were sent to the Emilio Goeldi Paraense Museum in Belem, Brazil.
The most popular photo, which Julian Tupan shared on Instagram, shows an adult female *A. eiselti* that’s just under 40 inches long.
Even though these creatures are fascinating, there’s still a lot we don’t know about them. One mystery that puzzles researchers is their diet. Scientists think these phallic-shaped animals might eat small fish, worms, and other aquatic invertebrates, but more research is needed to confirm this.

Another mystery about these creatures is how they breathe, as scientists haven’t confirmed the method yet. When the six specimens were discovered in 2011, it made things even more puzzling. What’s especially interesting is where they were found— in cold, fast-flowing water with limited oxygen. Since warmer water holds less oxygen, their ability to live without lungs is even more remarkable.
Based on these findings, scientists believe this species might be widespread across the Brazilian Amazon and could even extend into Bolivia.
Nature constantly surprises us with its endless wonders. From the deepest oceans to the tallest mountains, the natural world is full of amazing things waiting to be discovered.
Share this incredible story on Facebook with your friends and family to spark their curiosity and get them talking about the wonders of nature!
Young people make fun of a poor old lady on the bus until the voice of a homeless man interrupts them

There are some stories that captivate your attention… We cordially encourage you to read one more moving story.Mary, an elderly woman, finds it challenging to ascend the bus’s steps due to her weakened physical condition.Just when she was about to give up, she felt a solid hand catch her elbow and hold her up.However, her smile swiftly changed to shame when she turned to thank him.Timothy, a tall, thin man with an untidy appearance and appearance of homelessness, was the owner of the hand.Mary instinctively withdrew her arm and gave a stiff “thank you.”Timothy merely grinned pitifully.Rejection was nothing new to him; it was just part of who he was.

Mary’s occupation of two bus seats made him think of his own mother, who would have been embarrassed to see him in such a manner.Timothy took a seat by himself near the back of the bus.Closing his eyes, Timothy leaned back and considered his daughter Daisy.He kept thinking about how she continued to cling to him even after everything in their lives had crumbled.His wife Valery had been diagnosed with stage four cancer two years prior.Timothy was devastated when Valery passed away despite having spent all of her money on medical care.

Following Valery’s passing, Timothy’s world collapsed.Due to his frequent absences to take care of her, he lost his work, and in order to pay off the obligations, they had to sell their property.He moved into a ramshackle one-bedroom flat in a crumbling building with Daisy.Daisy’s circumstances were deemed inadequate by child welfare workers, who promptly took her away.Timothy’s only comfort now that he was homeless was a bus ticket to see his daughter at her house.

The loud, teasing voice of a teenager startled Timothy out of his reverie.”Driver, have a look at this!The boy pointed at Mary and mumbled, visibly inebriated, “This lady should pay for TWO tickets.”His friend interrupted, making fun of her for occupying two seats.With trembling hands, Mary gripped her handbag while the other passengers turned away, refusing to assist her.Mary was told to get out of her seat by the first teen, who gave her a punch to the chest.Mary calmly remarked, “Young man, there are plenty of other free seats,” despite her trepidation. The second teen, though, was not content.Approaching her with an alcoholic breath, he demanded that Mary vacate her seat.
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