Why is this animal unusual?
It’s a real animal that everyone has seen and almost nobody has studied. No specimen was collected, so everything we “know” comes from a handful of photographs.
Why does it look like that?
The fluff is made of fine, hair-like scales. In moths, a furry coat can help keep the body warm on cool nights – and it may even muffle the sound waves that hunting bats use to find them.
Strangest biological feature
Those feathery antennae. In moths like this, males typically use them to pick up the scent of a female from far away.
Why is it strange?
Experts looking at the photos think it belongs to a group of fuzzy moths found across the Americas. But without a specimen, nobody can say whether it’s a known species or a brand-new one.
Interesting behavioral facts
Unknown. Honestly. That’s part of the charm.
Records held
Possibly the most famous animal that science has never officially described.
