These Real-Life ‘Unicorns’ All Have One Horn

All animals have their special characteristics and features. Some are known for, or even named after, a certain feature. That’s true for many of the animals on this list. The following animals share the characteristic of having just one horn. Some animals listed here use their horn to protect themselves, while others use them to hunt and kill prey. Interestingly, a few of the animals on this list have baffled scientists for decades. They can’t figure out why these animals have a horn! Keep reading to discover animals with one horn and what they use them for.

Contents

1. Indian Rhinoceros 2. Rhinoceros Beetle 3. Cassowary 4. Horned Silkworm 5. Unicornfish 6. Rhino-Horned Lizard 7. Narwhal

1. Indian Rhinoceros

<p>The Indian </p>
<p>rhinoceros’</p>
<p> horn can grow as big as 25 inches. </p>
<p class= — The Indian

rhinoceros’

horn can grow as big as 25 inches.

©iStock.com/Stefan Rotter

The Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) makes the list due to the large horn on its snout. Its horn can measure 8 to 25 inches in length and is a mixture of keratin and hair. Incidentally, a human’s fingernails are also made out of keratin! This rhino has a few purposes for its single horn.

It uses its single horn to intimidate predators and threats. These rhinos have a mild nature and want to avoid a battle. So, they lower their heads to the ground and charge in the general direction of a predator to show dominance. The threat could be another rhinoceros or perhaps a tiger. In many cases, the other animal is scared off by the charging rhino. They are fast and tough! But if the predator remains, the rhino uses its single horn to defend itself against attack. Its horn is a sharp, effective defensive weapon.

Rhinos rub their horn on the ground and on trees, which scrapes away a soft exterior layer of the horn, leaving sharp edges behind. Not surprisingly, its horn can cause serious or deadly injury to another rhino or a tiger. Indian rhinos sometimes use their one horn for digging in the hard soil in search of vegetation to eat. It’s also used to dig into dry creek beds in search of water. Female rhinos use their horn to direct their young calves through their grassland habitat.

2. Rhinoceros Beetle

<p>When competing to win over a female, male rhinoceros </p>
<p>beetles</p>
<p> use their horn to fight against each other. </p>
<p class= — When competing to win over a female, male rhinoceros

beetles

use their horn to fight against each other.

©iStock.com/rawintanpin

A rhinoceros beetle gets its name from the large, single horn on its head. This insect has a brown or gray exterior and can measure up to six inches long. It lives in areas all over the world except the continent of Antarctica. This insect is also known as the Hercules beetle because of its great strength. They can lift twigs, vegetation, and other objects over 800 times their size! What do these beetles use their horn for? Well, it has a few purposes. Male rhinoceros beetles use their horn to fight other males when competing for females. In addition, these beetles use their horn to dig through piles of leaves and other debris on the ground. If a rhinoceros beetle feels threatened, it can use its horn to dig into the soil and hide until the threat is gone.

3. Cassowary

<p>It is thought that the cassowary uses its horn to move through dense vegetation.</p>
<p class= — It is thought that the cassowary uses its horn to move through dense vegetation.

©iStock.com/Henry Soon

The first thing you notice about a cassowary is the bright blue, red, and purple of the skin on its neck. The second thing you notice is the large horn atop its head. This horn is also called a casque. It has an inner layer of soft, spongy material and an outer layer of keratin. If you were to squeeze its horn, it would be soft in its middle portion. How exactly does the cassowary use its one horn?

The answer: Scientists are not sure. One theory is that this bird bends its head and uses its horn to move through the dense vegetation and huge leaves in its tropical forest habitat in Australia. Another theory is that a cassowary’s horn is a sign of the maturity or dominance of a bird. Both males and females have this single horn, though females usually have a larger one. The cassowary does not need to use its horn as a defense mechanism due to its powerful weapon: the claw. Its strong, dagger-like nails can slice open a predator in a flash.

4. Horned Silkworm

<p>The horned silkworm uses its horn to protect itself from predators. </p>
<p class= — The horned silkworm uses its horn to protect itself from predators.

©Matt Jeppson/Shutterstock.com

The horned silkworm is a brightly colored caterpillar measuring around three inches in length. This caterpillar turns into a silkworm moth. It has one horn on the tail end of its body. Though it appears to be a sharp horn, it is very soft and bendable. This one horn serves an important purpose for this small insect. As you may have guessed, this caterpillar is at risk of being gobbled up by many predators. Birds, spiders, and paper wasps are just a few of the animals that eat horned silkworms. Its horn serves as a sign for predators to keep away. A predator may be deterred by what it thinks is a sharp horn that will hurt if it tries to eat the silkworm. Horned silkworms are therefore often successful in deterring predators.

5. Unicornfish

<p>Instead of using their horn to be aggressive, unicornfish use the spines on their tailfin.</p>
<p class= — Instead of using their horn to be aggressive, unicornfish use the spines on their tailfin.

©Miroslav Halama/Shutterstock.com

There are several species of Unicornfish. Some of those species have a horn growing out of the front of their head. From a side view, the horn of this fish somewhat resembles a nose. Though these fish are named after an imaginary creature, they are very real! Its horn can be as long as 2.5 inches. However, keep in mind that this fish’s body can be two feet long or more. They live in warm, tropical waters off the coasts of Africa and Hawaii. Specifically, they have a coral reef habitat. So, why does a fish need a horn in the ocean?

Unfortunately, scientists have not been able to figure out why Unicornfish have a horn. They know these fish don’t use their horn aggressively. Instead, they have spines on their tail fins that they use to defend themselves. They are called tail blades because they are very sharp. Unicornfish can also change color, which can help them blend into their environment when a predator approaches. Although the practical purpose of its horn is unclear, it has given this fish a distinctive name.

6. Rhino-Horned Lizard

<p>The rhino-</p>
<p>horned lizard</p>
<p> uses its horn to either dig for insects or intimidate predators. </p>
<p class= — The rhino-

horned lizard

uses its horn to either dig for insects or intimidate predators.

©Przemyslaw Skibinski/Shutterstock.com

The rhino-horned lizard is a small reptile measuring several inches long, including its tail. This animal has one horn on the end of its nose, which is about two-thirds the length of its head. It lives in the trees of Sri Lanka. Like other animals on this list, scientists are not in agreement on the purpose of this lizard’s horn. It may help these creatures to dig for, capture, and kill the insects in their diet. Or it may discourage predators from catching this lizard and eating it. No matter its purpose, the one horn on a rhino-horned lizard is its most notable feature.

7. Narwhal

<p>A </p>
<p>narwhal’s</p>
<p> horn is actually a tooth!</p>
<p class= — A

narwhal’s

horn is actually a tooth!

©iStock.com/dottedhippo

When you think of a whale, you probably don’t picture one with a spiraled horn sticking out of the front of its head. But that’s exactly what a narwhal looks like. As a note, its one horn is actually a tooth! But, since it looks a lot like a horn, the narwhal has made the list! Its horn can be up to ten feet in length. Furthermore, these sea creatures can grow to more than 17 feet long and weigh 4200 pounds. They live in frigid, Arctic bodies of water around Greenland, Russia, Norway, and Canada.

The narwhal’s tusk is highly innervated and sensitive to its environment. Recent research shows that narwhals use their tusks to manipulate and sometimes stun prey. Once the narwhal finds a squid or fish to feast on, it sometimes smashes into it with its horn. This stuns the prey long enough for the narwhal to capture it. In addition, a male narwhal uses its horn aggressively when battling with other males for a female during the breeding season. Though it’s mostly males that have this horn, some female narwhals have them, too.

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