The 10 weirdest new species of 2012

A mushroom named after SpongeBob, a sneezing monkey, and a blue tarantula top this year's list of Earth's most bizarre residents

The newly discovered Rhinopithecus strykeri monkey
(Image credit: Thomas Geissmann/Fauna & Flora International)

It's estimated that Earth is home to at least 8 million living species, and every year scientists add 15,000 to 20,000 new discoveries to that tally. But thousands of species are threatened with extinction, too, thanks to habitat destruction, climate change, and other factors. For the past five years, in an effort to bring attention to the biodiversity crisis, the International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE) at Arizona State University has worked in conjunction with biologists worldwide to cobble together the newly added animals and plants they find most interesting. More than 200 organisms were nominated, but only a few were selected. In no particular order, here are this year's 10 strangest additions to the world's living things:

1. The SpongeBob SquarePants mushroom

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