Biologists are competing to find the cutest animal species

 By 
Neha Prakash
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

If anyone knows cute, it's a biologist.

Following their highly successful #JunkOff, biologists are now using Twitter to compete in a #CuteOff, sharing pictures of tiny and adorable creatures from all parts of the animal kingdom.

The worldwide discussion began when scientists Anne Hilborn -- who was also responsible for the animal genitalia social media takeover -- and Marcella J. Kelly sparked a debate over bat-eared foxes and baby bears.

OMG -@AnneWHilborn's bat -eared foxes may be even cuter than @BenCAugustine's baby bears @whapavt https://t.co/HqU9lFglYH— Marcella J. Kelly (@marcellajkelly) August 31, 2015

Before long, Twitter was a breeding ground of squee-worthy, and very unexpected (we're looking at you, baby spiders), images. So stop obsessing over those passé puppies and cliché cats, and meet the new cutest animals on the Internet.

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