Ancient inhabitants of the deep sea. Deep sea fish of the world's oceans
You won't believe that such strange people exist deep sea creatures. They come in all shapes and sizes, and they are all quirky. It's like they're alien creatures that somehow ended up on Earth! Have you seen these deep sea creatures before? Here are 25 of the strangest creatures discovered that live deep underwater.
25. Jellyfish Marrus orthocanna
This animal is actually a colony of several polyps and jellyfish. When they are connected to each other, the orange gas that passes through them resembles the breath of fire.
24. Mantis crab
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This strange and colorful crustacean is quite unique! The mantis crab's eyes have 16 color receptors (humans only have 3), which means that these crustaceans have extremely developed color vision!
23. Ophiura (Basket Star)
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Strange looking" Starfish", the brittle star is distinguished by the presence of a fifth middle tentacle, which branches out further and further, forming a net resembling a basket. To catch prey, these stars spread out their tentacles.
22. Tardigrades
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Also known as water bears, these microscopic creatures have long, plump bodies with flat heads. They are virtually indestructible and are said to survive in outer space!
21. Giant tube worms
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These strange creatures were completely unknown to the world until scientists studying hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean discovered them nearby. Unlike other living things, they do not need light to survive: they are adapted to darkness and feed on bacteria.
20. Sixgill Shark
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One of the most interesting deep sea sharks, the sixgill shark is unique because of its six gills because unlike other sharks that have five gills, this shark has six! They are also more common than other sharks, but don't worry, this creature rarely poses a threat to humans.
19. Atlantic Catfish
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This fish gets its name from its appearance: it boasts two protruding teeth that resemble wolf fangs. Fortunately, these creatures are harmless to humans and live in the Atlantic Ocean.
18. Omar Dread Claw
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The Terror Claw lobster was discovered in 2007. Its claws are noticeably different from those of most lobsters, which is how it gets its name. Researchers and scientists are still not sure about the purpose of the claw.
17. Giant isopod
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The giant isopod is closely related to shrimp and crabs. This isopod became so huge because of deep-sea gigantism, a phenomenon where deep-sea sea creatures grow larger than their shallow-water relatives.
16. Fish Stargazer
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This fish uses a special coloring - camouflage - to blend into the sand, exposing only its eyes. As soon as she senses her prey nearby, she sends out an electric shock to stun and capture it. This fish can be found in the Atlantic Ocean.
15. Barrel-eyed fish
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Most unique feature this fish is hers transparent head. The barrel-shaped eyes can rotate in the head to look straight or upward.
14. Largemouth eel
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The first thing anyone can notice is the huge mouth of this eel. The mouth opens and closes freely, and can swallow animals much larger than the eel itself!
13. Dumbo the Octopus
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This octopus gets its name from its pectoral fins, which resemble ears. Disney character Dumbo. Octopuses live at depths of at least 4,000 meters and can likely dive deeper, making this creature the deepest-sea dweller of all octopuses.
12. Viper fish
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The viper fish is one of the most ferocious predators in deep sea waters. This fish is easily recognized by its large mouth and sharp fang teeth. Their teeth are so long that they don't even fit into their mouths.
11. Largemouth shark
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Since its discovery 39 years ago, only 100 of these have been sighted, making this shark virtually non-existent after earning the title of Alien Shark. Largemouth sharks do not pose a threat to humans because they feed by filtering plankton.
10. Monkfish (angler fish)
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There are more than 200 species of anglerfish, most of which live in the dark depths of the Atlantic and Antarctic oceans. This fish gets its name from its long dorsal spine, which resembles a fishing rod.
9. Goblin Shark
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When it comes to appearance, this shark is the strangest of them all. It has a flat, protruding snout that resembles a sword. Her ancestry goes back to Cretaceous period, which was on Earth about 125 million years ago.
8. Chimera
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Discovered in the ocean at a depth of 1200 meters, chimeras are among the most unique fish living in the depths. They have no bones in their body: the entire skeleton consists of cartilage. To search for food, they use special sensory organs that respond to electricity.
7. Drop fish
Photo: ommons.wikimedia.org
In 2013, the Blobfish was named the World's Ugliest Animal. Blobfish can be found throughout ocean floor in the deep waters of Australia.
6. Giant squid
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The giant squid is the largest invertebrate in the world, the size of a bus! Despite such an impressive size, scientists have had no luck finding traces of them, except for dead carcasses caught by fishermen.
5.Long-horned sabertooth
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The Longhorn Sabertooth has the longest teeth for a fish, compared to its body size. This fish is only 15 cm long and has very large teeth!
4. Vampire squid
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Vampire squids are quite small, about the size of a football. This squid gets its name from its blood-red color. Fun fact: Vampire squids do not release ink; instead, their tentacles secrete a bioluminescent sticky mucus.
3. Dragon fish
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deep sea Sea Dragon lives at a depth of 1,500 meters and gets its name because of its long, thin, dragon-like body. The Dragon Fish has a large head and sharp teeth, as well as a growth on the lower part of the chin, which the dragon uses to grab prey.
2. Frilled Shark
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Known as a living fossil, the Frilled Shark belongs to one of the oldest families of sharks. Her ancestors lived 300 million years ago! These sharks are found all over the world, but are rarely seen. The most noticeable feature of this shark is its rows of inward-facing teeth.
1. Giant Crab Spider
Photo: flickr
The giant crab spider is the largest of the known species crabs and can live up to 100 years! Its legs can reach a length of 4.5 meters, and its uneven skin allows the crab to easily blend into the seabed. Pretty awesome!
The drop fish that
It is a deep-sea bottom fish living at depths of 600 meters.
Blobfish
is a deep-sea fish that lives in deep waters near Australia and Tasmania. Extremely rare in humans and considered critically endangered.
The appearance of this strange and extremely interesting fish quite quirky. On the front of the fish's snout there is a process that resembles a big nose. The eyes are small and set near the “nose” in such a way that it creates external resemblance with a “human” face. The mouth is quite large, its corners are directed downwards, which is why the face of the drop fish always seems to have a sad and despondent expression. It is thanks to its expressive “face” that the blob fish firmly holds first place in the ranking of the strangest sea creatures.
An adult fish grows up to 30 cm. It lives at depths of 800 - 1,500 m. The body of the fish is a watery substance with a density less than that of water. This allows the blob fish to “fly” above the bottom without wasting energy on swimming. Its lack of muscles does not prevent it from hunting small crustaceans and invertebrates. In search of food, the fish hovers above the ocean floor with an open mouth, into which food is stuffed, or lies motionless on the ground, hoping that rare invertebrates will swim into its mouth.
The blobfish has been poorly studied. Although it has been known for quite some time in Australia as “ Australian scalpin"(Australian bull) there is very little detailed information about her life. Interest in fish has increased in Lately due to the fact that it has become increasingly caught in trawl nets adapted for catching deep-sea crabs and lobsters. Although trawl fishing in the Pacific and Indian Oceans is limited, this ban is aimed only at preserving existing coral reefs, and in deep sea places ocean is allowed. Therefore, biologists argue that trawling can significantly reduce the population of blobfish. There are calculations that say that doubling the current number of fish requires from 5 to 14 years.
This slow growth in numbers is associated with another interesting feature drop fish. She lays eggs directly on the bottom, but does not leave her clutch, but lies on the eggs and “hatches” them until the young emerge from them. Such reproduction is not typical for deep-sea fish, which lay eggs that rise to the surface and mix with plankton. Other deep-sea creatures, as a rule, descend to greater depths only at sexual maturity and remain there until the end of their lives. The drop fish does not leave its kilometer depth at all. The newly born fish remain under protection for some time. adult until she gains enough independence to live alone.
Amazing creatures live on great depth ocean. Of all the deep-sea creatures, sea devils, or anglerfish, live the most amazing lives.
These creepy-looking fish, covered with spines and plaques, live at a depth of 1.5-3 km. The most notable feature of the monkfish is the fishing rod that grows from the dorsal fin and hangs over the predatory mouth. At the end of the fishing rod there is a glowing gland filled with luminescent bacteria. Sea devils use it as bait.
The prey swims towards the light, and the angler carefully moves the fishing rod towards its mouth, and at some point very quickly swallows the prey. In some species, the fishing rod with a flashlight is located directly in the mouth, and the fish, without bothering too much, simply swims with its mouth open.
Externally, bats are very similar to stingrays. They are also characterized by a large round (or triangular) head and a small tail, with an almost complete absence of a body. The largest representatives of pipistrelle bats reach half a meter in length, but in general they are somewhat smaller. In the process of evolution, the fins have completely lost the ability to support the fish afloat, so it has to crawl along the seabed. Although they crawl with great reluctance, as a rule they spend their leisure time simply lying passively on the bottom, waiting for their prey or luring it with a special bulb growing directly from their heads. Scientists have determined that this bulb is not a photophore and does not attract prey with its light. On the contrary, this process has a different function - it spreads a specific smell around its owner, which attracts small fish, crustaceans and worms.
live sea pipistrelles everywhere in the warm waters of the world's oceans, without swimming into the cold waters of the Arctic. As a rule, they all stay at depths of 200 - 1000 meters, but there are species of pipistrelle bats that prefer to stay closer to the surface, not far from the shores. People are quite familiar with pipistrelle bats, which prefer surface waters. The fish is of no gastronomic interest, but its shell has become very attractive to people, especially children. Sun-dried fish leaves behind a strong shell, reminiscent of a turtle. If you add pebbles inside it, you get a decent rattle, which has been known to residents of the eastern hemisphere living on the ocean coast since ancient times.
As you would expect, the bats’ shell serves as protective clothing from larger ones. deep sea inhabitants. Only strong teeth strong predator can break the shell to get to the meat of the fish. In addition, it is not so easy to spot a bat in the dark. In addition to the fact that the fish is flat and blends into the surrounding landscape, the color of its shell follows the color of the seabed.
Lancet fish
or simply lancetfish– large oceanic predatory fish, which is the only living representative of the genus Alepisaurus (Alepisaurus), which translated means “h Yeshua lizard" It got its name from the word “lancet” - medical term, synonymous with scalpel.
With the exception of the polar seas, lancefish can be found everywhere. However, despite its wide distribution, information about this fish is extremely scarce. Scientists are able to get an idea of the fish only from a few specimens caught along with tuna. The appearance of the fish is very memorable. It has a high dorsal fin that extends almost the entire length of the fish. It is twice as tall as the fish, and looks like the fin of a sailfish.
The body is elongated, thin, decreasing closer to the tail and ending with a caudal peduncle. The mouth is big. The mouth slit ends behind the eyes. Inside the mouth, in addition to numerous small teeth, there are two or three large sharp fangs. These fangs give the fish the terrifying appearance of a prehistoric animal. One species of lancefish has even been named as " alepisaurus ferocious”, which indicates a person’s wariness towards fish. Indeed, looking at the mouth of a fish, it is difficult to imagine that the victim could be saved if it fell into the teeth of this monster.
The lancet fish grows up to 2 m in length, which is quite comparable to the size of the barracuda, which is considered potentially dangerous to humans.
Necropsies of the caught fish provided some insight into the lancefish's diet. Crustaceans were found in the stomach, making up the bulk of plankton, which is in no way associated with a formidable predator. Probably, the fish chooses plankton because it is not able to swim quickly, and it simply cannot keep up with fast prey. Therefore, squid and salps dominate its diet. However, the remains of Opa, tuna and other lancets were also found in some individuals of lancet fish. Apparently it ambushes faster fish, using its narrow profile and silver body coloring to camouflage itself. Sometimes a fish gets hooked while sea fishing.
Lancefish is not of any commercial interest. Although the meat is edible, the fish is not used as food due to its watery, jelly-like body.
Bagswallow this fish is named for its ability to swallow prey that is several times larger than itself. The fact is that it has a very elastic stomach, and there are no ribs in the stomach that would prevent the fish from expanding. Therefore, he can easily swallow a fish four times his length and 10 times heavier!
So, for example, not far from the Cayman Islands, the corpse of a bagworm was discovered, in the stomach of which were the remains of a mackerel 86 cm long. The length of the bagworm itself was only 19 cm. That is. he managed to swallow a fish 4 times longer than himself. Moreover, it was mackerel, known as mackerel fish, which is very aggressive. It is not entirely clear how such a small fish coped with a stronger opponent.
Outside Russia, the bagworm is called " black eater" The body of the fish is uniformly dark brown, almost black, in color. The head is medium size. The jaws are very large. The lower jaw does not have a bony connection with the head, so the open mouth of the bagworm is capable of accommodating prey much larger than the head of the predator. On each jaw, the front three teeth form sharp fangs. With them, the black eater holds the victim when he pushes it into the stomach.
Swallowed prey may be so large that it is not immediately digested. As a result, decomposition inside the stomach releases a large number of gas, which drags the sac swallow to the surface. In fact, the most famous examples of the black eater were found precisely on the surface of the water with swollen bellies that prevented the fish from escaping to the depths.
The bagworm lives at a depth of 700 - 3000 m. Watch the animal in its natural conditions habitat is not possible, so very little is known about its life. These are known to be oviparous fish. Most often it is possible to detect egg clutches in winter in South Africa. Juveniles are often found off Bermuda from April to August and have more light shades, which disappear as the fish grows older. Also, larvae and young sacs have small spines, which are absent in adult fish.
Opisthoproctus lives on great depths up to 2,500 m in all oceans, with the exception of the Arctic. Their appearance is unique and does not allow them to be confused with other deep-sea fish. Most often, scientists pay attention to the unusual large head of the fish. There are large eyes on it, which are constantly turned upward, from where sunlight comes. It is worth noting that quite recently, at the end of 2008, an opisthoproctus was caught near New Zealand, which had as many as 4 eyes. However, it is known for sure that vertebrates with 4 eyes do not exist in nature. Further study of the find made it possible to determine that in fact there are only two eyes, but each of them consists of two parts, one of which is constantly directed upward, and the second looks downward. The lower eye of a fish is capable of changing the viewing angle and allows the animal to inspect environment from all sides.
The body of the opisthoproctus is quite massive; its shape resembles a brick covered with large scales. Near anal fin The fish has a bioluminescent organ that acts as a beacon. The belly of the fish, covered with light scales, reflects the light emitted by the photophore. This reflected light is clearly visible to other opisthoprocts, whose eyes are directed upward, but at the same time it is invisible to other deep-sea inhabitants, which have “classic” eyes located on the sides of their heads.
It is believed that opisthoprocts are solitary and do not gather in large flocks. They spend all their time at depth, at the border of light penetration. To feed, they do not make vertical migrations, but look for prey at the top against the background of the dissecting sunlight. The diet consists of small crustaceans and larvae that are part of zooplankton.
Very little is known about fish reproduction. It is assumed that they spawn directly in the water column - throwing eggs and sperm directly into the water en masse. Fertilized eggs drift at shallower depths and, as they mature and become heavier, they sink to a depth of a kilometer.
As a rule, all opisthoprocts small size, about 20 cm, but there are species reaching half a meter in length.
- deep-sea fish that lives in tropical and temperate zones at depths from 200 to 5,000 m. It grows up to 15 cm in length, reaching 120 g of body weight.
The sabertooth's head is large, with massive jaws. The eyes are small compared to the size of the head. The body is dark brown or almost black, strongly compressed on the sides, and as compensation for not big eyes there is a well-developed lateral line running high on the back of the fish. In the mouth of the fish, two long fangs grow on the lower jaw. In relation to body length, these teeth are the longest among known to science fish These teeth are so large that when the mouth is closed, they are placed in special grooves in the upper jaw. To achieve this, even the fish's brain is divided into two parts to make room for fangs in the skull.
Sharp teeth, curved inside the mouth, nip in the bud the possible escape of the victim. Adult sabertooths are predators. They are hunting small fish and squid. Young individuals also filter zooplankton from the water. In a short period of time, a saber tooth can swallow as much food as it weighs. Despite the fact that not much is known about these fish, we can still conclude that sabertooths are quite ferocious predators. They live in small flocks or alone, making vertical migrations to dark time days for hunting. Having had enough of their time, the fish descend to greater depths during the day, resting before the next hunt.
By the way, perhaps it is the frequent migration to the upper layers of water that explains the good tolerance of low pressure sabertooths. Fish caught near the surface of the water can live in an aquarium in running water for up to one month.
However, despite its formidable weapon in the form of huge fangs, saber teeth often become prey for larger ocean fish, which descend to the depths to feed. For example, the remains of saber teeth are constantly found in caught tuna. In this they are similar to hatchet fish, which also make up a significant portion of the tuna diet. Moreover, the number of finds suggests that the population of saber-tooths is quite significant.
Juvenile sabertooths are completely different from adult fish, which is why at first they were even classified as a different genus. They are triangular in shape and have 4 spikes on their heads, which is why they are called “horned”. Juveniles also have no fangs, and the color is not dark, but light brown, and only on the belly there is a large triangular spot, which will “stretch” over time over the entire body.
Saber teeth grow quite slowly. Scientists suggest that the fish can reach 10 years of age.
Hatchetfish
– deep-sea fish found in temperate and tropical waters world ocean. They got their name from the characteristic appearance body, resembling the shape of an ax - a narrow tail and a wide “axe-body”.
Most often hatchets can be found at depths of 200-600 m. However, they are known to be found at depths of 2 km. Their body is covered with light silvery scales that bounce off easily. The body is strongly compressed laterally. Some hatchet species have a pronounced expansion of the body in the area of the anal fin. They grow up to large sizes– some species reach a body length of only 5 cm.
Like other deep-sea fish, hatchet fish have photophores that emit light. But unlike other fish, hatchets use their ability to bioluminescence not to attract prey, but, on the contrary, for camouflage. Photophores are located only on the belly of the fish, and their glow makes the hatchets invisible from below, as if dissolving the silhouette of the fish against the background of the sun's rays penetrating to the depths. The hatchets regulate the intensity of the glow depending on the brightness of the upper layers of water, controlling it with their eyes.
Some species of hatchetfish gather in huge flocks, forming a wide, dense “carpet”. Sometimes it becomes difficult for water vessels to penetrate this layer with their echolocators, for example for precise definition depths. Scientists and navigators have been observing such a “double” ocean floor since the mid-20th century. Large cluster hatchet attracts some large ocean fish to such places, including commercially valuable species, such as tuna. Hatchets also form a significant part of the diet of other larger deep-sea inhabitants, such as deep-sea anglerfish.
Hatchetheads feed on small crustaceans. They reproduce by throwing eggs or laying larvae, which mix with plankton and, as they mature, sink to depth.
Orsky chimeras
- deep-sea fish, the oldest inhabitants among modern ones cartilaginous fish. Distant relatives modern sharks.
Chimeras are sometimes called "a" ghost-cools" These fish live at very great depths, sometimes exceeding 2.5 km. About 400 million ago, the common ancestors of modern sharks and chimeras split into two “orders.” Some preferred habitats near the surface. The other, on the contrary, chose great depths as its habitat and evolved over time to modern chimeras. Currently, science knows 50 species of these fish. Most of them do not rise to depths higher than 200 m, and only rabbit fish And rat fish were not seen deep underwater. These small fish are the only representatives of home aquariums, which are sometimes simply called " catfish ».
Chimeras grow up to 1.5 m, however, in adult individuals, half of the body is the tail, which is a long, thin and narrow part of the body. The dorsal fin is very long and can reach the very tip of the tail. What gives chimeras a memorable appearance are their pectoral fins, which are huge in relation to their body, giving them the appearance of a clumsy, strange bird.
The habitat of chimeras makes them very difficult to study. Very little is known about their habits, reproduction, and hunting methods. The accumulated knowledge suggests that chimeras hunt in much the same way as other deep-sea fish. In complete darkness for successful hunt What is important is not speed, but the ability to find prey literally by touch. Most deep sea creatures use photophores to attract prey directly to their huge jaws. Chimeras, to search for prey, use a characteristic open, very sensitive lateral line, which is one of distinctive features these fish.
The skin color of chimeras is varied and can range from light gray to almost black, sometimes with large contrasting spots. For protection from enemies, color at great depths is not of fundamental importance, therefore, for defense against predators, they have poisonous spines located in the front part of the dorsal fin. It must be said that at depths of over 600m. Such a fairly large fish does not have many enemies, with the exception of particularly voracious large female Indiancanths. Great danger For young chimeras, they are represented by their own relatives; cannibalism is not a rare phenomenon for chimeras. Although most The diet consists of mollusks and echinoderms. Cases of eating other deep-sea fish have been recorded. Chimeras have very strong jaws. They have 3 pairs of hard teeth that can blend with enormous power, grinding hard shellfish shells.
based on materials from inokean.ru
Deep waters are the lowest level of the ocean, located more than 1800 meters from the surface. Because only a small amount of light reaches this level, and sometimes no light at all, it was historically believed that there was no life in this layer. But in fact, it turned out that this level is simply teeming with in different forms life. It turned out that with each new dive to this depth, scientists miraculously find interesting, strange and outlandish creatures. Below are ten of the most unusual of them:
10. Polychaete Worm
This worm was caught this year from the ocean floor at a depth of 1,200 meters off the north coast of New Zealand. Yes, it may be pink, and yes, it may reflect light in the form of a rainbow - but despite this, the polychaete worm can be a ferocious predator. The "tentacles" on its head are sensory organs designed to detect prey. This worm can twist its throat in order to grab a smaller creature - like an Alien. Fortunately, this type of worm rarely grows more than 10cm. They also rarely come across our path, but are often found near hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor.
9. Squat Lobster
These unique lobsters, which look quite scary and resemble headcrabs from the game Half-Life, were discovered on the same dive in which they were discovered polychaete worm, but at a greater depth, approximately 1400 meters from the surface. Despite the fact that squat lobsters were already known to science, they had never seen this species before. The squat lobsters live at depths of up to 5,000 meters and are distinguished by their large front claws and compressed bodies. They can be detritivores, predators, or herbivores that feed on algae. Not much is known about individuals of this species; in addition, representatives of this species were found only near deep-sea corals.
8. Carnivorous Coral or Carnivorous Coral
Most corals receive nutrients from photosynthetic algae that live in their tissues. This also means that they must live within 60 meters of the surface. But not this species, also known as the Harp Sponge. It was discovered 2,000 meters off the coast of California, but only this year scientists confirmed that it is carnivorous. Shaped like a candelabra, it stretches along the bottom to increase in size. It catches small crustaceans with tiny Velcro-like hooks and then stretches a membrane over them, slowly digesting them with chemicals. In addition to all its oddities, it also reproduces in a special way - “sperm packets” - see those balls at the end of each appendage? Yes, these are spermatophore packets, and from time to time they swim away to find another sponge and reproduce.
7. Fish of the Cynogloss family or Tonguefish (Tonguefish)
This beauty is one of the tonguefish species that are usually found in shallow estuaries or tropical oceans. This specimen lives in deep waters, and was caught from the bottom earlier this year in the Western Pacific Ocean. Interestingly, some tonguefish have been observed near hydrothermal vents spewing sulfur, but scientists have not yet figured out the mechanism that allows this species to survive in such conditions. Like all bottom-dwelling tonguefish, both of its eyes are located on the same side of its head. But unlike other members of this family, its eyes look like sticker eyes or scarecrow eyes.
6. Goblin Shark
Goblin shark is true strange creature. In 1985, it was discovered in the waters off the east coast of Australia. In 2003, more than a hundred individuals were captured in northeastern Taiwan (reportedly after an earthquake). However, other than sporadic sightings of this nature, little is known about this unique shark. This is a deep-sea, slow-moving species that can grow up to 3.8 meters in length (or even more - 3.8 is the largest that has ever been seen by humans). Like other sharks, the goblin shark can sense animals with its electro-sensing organs, and has several rows of teeth. But unlike other sharks, the goblin shark has both teeth adapted for catching prey and teeth adapted for cracking the shells of crustaceans.
If you're interested in watching her catch prey with that mouth of hers, here's a video. Imagine an almost 4-meter shark rushing at you with such jaws. Thank goodness they (usually) live so deep!
5. Flabby Whalefish
This brightly colored specimen (why need bright colors when colors are useless if you live where light can't penetrate) is a member of the unfortunately named "soft-bodied whalefish" species. This specimen was caught off the east coast of New Zealand, at a depth of more than 2 kilometers. In the lower part of the ocean, in the bottom waters, they did not expect to find many fish - and in fact it turned out that the soft-bodied whale-like fish did not have many neighbors. This family of fish lives at a depth of 3,500 meters, they have small eyes, which are actually completely useless given their habitat, but they have a phenomenally developed lateral line that helps them sense the vibrations of the water.
This species also does not have ribs, which is probably why the fish of this species look “soft-bodied”.
4. Grimpoteuthys (Dumbo Octopus)
The first mention of Grimpoteuthys appeared in 1999, and then, in 2009, it was filmed. These cute animals (for octopuses, anyway) can live about 7,000 meters below the surface, making them the deepest-dwelling species of octopus known to science. This genus of animals, so named because of the flaps on either side of the bell-shaped heads of its members and never seeing sunlight, may number more than 37 species. Grimpoteuthys can hover above the bottom using jet propulsion, based on a siphon-type device. At the bottom, grimpoteuthis feeds on snails, mollusks, crustaceans and crustaceans that live there.
3. Vampire Squid
The hellish vampire (Vampyroteuthis infernalis name literally translates as: vampire squid from hell) is more beautiful than terrible. Although this species of squid does not live at the same depths as the squid that ranks first on this list, it still lives quite deep, to be exact at a depth of 600-900 meters, which is much deeper than the habitat of ordinary squid. In the upper layers of its habitat there is some amount of sunlight, so it has evolved the largest eyes (in proportion to its body, of course) than any other animal in the world, in order to capture as much as possible more light. But what is most amazing about this animal is its defense mechanisms. In the dark depths where he lives, he releases a bioluminescent "ink" that blinds and confuses other animals while he swims away. This works amazingly well precisely when the waters are not lit. Typically, it can emit a bluish light that, when viewed from below, helps it camouflage itself, but if spotted, it turns around and wraps itself in its black robe... and disappears.
2. Eastern Pacific Black Ghost Shark
Found in deep water off the coast of California in 2009, this mysterious shark belongs to a group of animals known as chimeras, which may be the most ancient group fish that have survived to this day. Some believe that these animals, which evolved from sharks about 400 million years ago, only survived because they lived at such great depths. This specific type The shark uses its fins to "fly" through the water, and males have a pointed, bat-like, retractable sex organ that protrudes from its forehead. It is most likely used to stimulate the female or attract her closer, but very little is known about this species, so its exact purpose is unknown.
1. Colossal Squid
The colossal squid truly deserves its name, measuring 12-14 meters in length, which is comparable to the length of a bus. It was first "discovered" in 1925 - but only its tentacles were found in the stomach of the sperm whale. The first complete specimen was found near the surface in 2003. In 2007, the largest known specimen, measuring 10 meters in length, was caught in the Antarctic waters of the Ross Sea and is currently on display at the National Museum of New Zealand. The squid is believed to be a slow ambush predator that feeds big fish and other squids attracted by its bioluminescence. The most terrifying fact known about this species is that sperm whales have been found to have scars that were left by the hooked tentacles of the colossal squid.
+ Bonus
Cascade Creature
Strange new look deep sea jellyfish? Or maybe a floating whale placenta or a piece of garbage? Until the beginning of this year, no one knew the answer to this question. Heated discussions about this creature began after this video was posted on YouTube - but marine biologists have identified this creature as a species of jellyfish known as Deepstaria enigmatica.
The depths of the sea have now remained the most inaccessible and mysterious part of our planet. It is there that researchers and tourists have not yet been able to penetrate; it is there that marine animals can feel safe from curious people. At the same time, the depths of the ocean hide their inhabitants quite reliably, although we were able to meet some of the most terrible ones.
1. European anglerfish(Lophius piscatorius)
If you ask someone to describe an anglerfish, the easiest way to do it is to call it a “mouth with a tail.” It seems that his mouth smoothly turns into a tail, and his body is basically absent. Moreover, all the fish are covered with various outgrowths and growths, which help it camouflage among the sand and thickets of aquatic vegetation. They are distributed in the Atlantic Ocean from the Black Sea to the North Sea at depths of 18-550 m.
The dimensions of the anglerfish are impressive - up to two meters long and weighing more than 20 kg. But his method of obtaining food is striking. The first rays of the anglerfish's dorsal fin have changed in the process of evolution, turning into a kind of bait that fluoresces in the darkness of the depths. Now he lies quietly in ambush, waving the bait in front of his nose. The naive fish swims up and then the terrible jaws instantly open, drawing water with all the living creatures into the bottomless stomach of the anglerfish. Angler fish eggs are spawned in real layers almost a meter wide and up to nine meters long. The eggs are light and rise to the surface, where the fry gradually eat off and sink, reaching the bottom and the required dimensions by 5-6 years.
Interestingly, in France angler is a popular dish, but for Jews, due to the lack of scales, it is not kosher.
2. Viperfish (Chauliodus sloani)
There are 6 species of howloids that live in warm tropical waters. The fish are small, only up to 35 cm, but their appearance can drive even the most persistent (including) into hysterics. Viper fish are found at depths of up to four kilometers, although more often from 500 to 1000 meters. At night they rise almost to the very surface, and during the day they sink deep to the bottom. The body of the fish is covered with large scales and luminous areas, which are used for communication. In addition, one of the rays of the dorsal fin, like that of the anglerfish, is turned into bait.
But main feature The fish is distinguished by its disproportionately large head in relation to the body, equipped with long sharp teeth. She is able to lean far back, and her jaw, like a snake’s, can move forward and down. As a result, marine life three times larger becomes its victims. Howloids also have a specific structure of the esophagus; the entire body is focused on holding any prey that comes along! Indeed, in the habitats of the viper fish, hunting is not abundant, and the howloid can live 12 days on one victim.
3. Alepisaurus
The species was first described in 1741 by Steller during the Kamchatka expedition. And then the researchers got a fish carcass that washed up on the shore. Later, with the expansion of fishing, fish began to be caught more often, and more material became available for research. It was possible to establish that the size of the fish reaches 2 meters and 8 kilograms, they have huge teeth and a high dorsal fin. All fish seem swiftly strong, thanks to their flattened, slender body and narrow, elongated head. Like many deep-sea predators, Alepisaurus makes large vertical movements behind its victims.
4. Long-horned sabertooth (Anoplogaster cornuta)
For almost 50 years, scientists believed and accepted the juveniles of these fish as a separate species. Young and adult saber-tooths are radically different from each other – in color, body shape, and arsenal of teeth. With age, light, triangular fish with a spiky head become black, large-headed, toothy predators with the longest teeth in relation to the body among fish. And these fish are considered the deepest, found in five kilometer depth and at the same time easily tolerate normal pressure, surviving in ordinary aquariums. Yes, but long scary predators only 15 cm.
5. Dragonfish (Grammatostomias flagellibarba)
Another tropical one deep sea predator. It is helped to cope with the problem of obtaining food at kilometer depths by a luminous decoy appendage, large sharp teeth and the ability to literally put itself on the victim. Moreover, the size of the fish does not exceed 15 centimeters.
6. Largemouth (Eurypharynx pelecanoides)
At a depth of a kilometer you can find perhaps the strangest fish - largemouths. Their skull bones were almost completely reduced, and the entire skeleton underwent significant changes. The lower jaw took on the appearance of a large bag, reminiscent of a pelican, and the body itself most closely resembles a long whip up to 2 meters long. Just like others sea inhabitants these depths, largemouths are aggressive and capable of swallowing quite big catch.
7. Atlantic giant squid / Architeuthis dux
In 1887, the largest specimen of a giant squid was caught off the coast of New Zealand - 17.5 meters long, of which the tentacles alone accounted for 5 meters. Sometimes these squids are called record holders among mollusks in terms of size, but their other relatives are in the lead here - colossal squid. Both species are associated with many legends; they are credited with violent battles with sperm whales, dragging ships and submarines under water; these squids are called krakens.
8. Giant isopod crayfish (Bathynomus giganteus)
This creature was discovered by chance by oil workers in the Gulf of Mexico at a depth of 2.6 km. It simply stuck to one of the geological sensors and was then brought to the surface. Giant sea woodlice reach 0.45 m in length and 2 kg in weight. The first of its 7 pairs of legs evolved into jaws, and a strong chitinous cover provides reliable protection for the body. The appearance of the isopod crayfish is truly prehistoric.
9. Frogfish (Brachionichthyidae melanostomus)
This kind sea anglers differs in that it has practically lost the ability to swim, but deftly moves along the bottom with the help of modified pectoral fins. It has a small body, up to 12 cm, covered with poisonous shoots and spines, capable of swelling and absorbing very large prey. Which, like all fish of this family, is lured by a luminous “fishing rod”.
10. Hell Vampire (Vampyroteuthis infernalis)
This cephalopod has features of both squid and octopus. This is one of the most amazing animals. The hellish vampire holds several records at once. Its eyes, 2.5 cm, are the largest in the animal world relative to the body (30 cm). It lives at the greatest depth (400-1000 m) among all cephalopods, where there is no light and a vanishingly low concentration of oxygen.
Thanks to the copper content in the blood, it is possible to supply the body with those crumbs of oxygen that are in the water. Due to the high ammonia content in the tissues, an ideal body density comparable to that of sea water, which provides excellent buoyancy and does not require additional energy. The mollusk is completely covered with photoreceptors and uses light for complex communication, to disorient the victim and the attacker. Unlike its shallower counterparts hellish vampire does not use ink for protection, it releases a mucous suspension with luminous balls into the attackers' faces, while it hides nearby in the darkness.
11. Long-nosed chimera (Harriotta raleighana)
All chimeras have very distinctive noses to some degree, but the long-nosed chimera has a particularly intricate nose. This benthic deep-sea predator lives at depths of 200-2600 m and, thanks to the aerodynamic shape of its nose and body, is capable of reaching enormous speeds. In addition, they have a large poisonous spine, which is usually folded into a recess on the back, and in case of danger rises up.
12. Frilled shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus)
The rare relict shark reaches 2 meters in length and lives in near-bottom areas at depths of 400-1200 meters. The shark got its name from the folds of skin covering the gill slits. The body of the fish is elongated, serpentine, like other sharks there are a huge number of curved teeth and a brutal appetite. Another feature is ovoviviparity, and “pregnancy” can last up to 2 years.
And one more sea creature, a real crab-eater:
Almost the entire surface of the Earth has been studied by humans. But the depths of the sea hold mysteries that are revealed gradually. With the advent of opportunities to dive deeper into the abyss, we find unusual deep-sea creatures there. We would like to present some of them to you. Not all of them are beautiful to look at, but they cannot be denied their originality.
Jellyfish Atoll- a rather predatory creature that lives at depths where the sun’s rays do not penetrate, not to mention underwater swimmers. Its peculiarity is the ability to glow bright red. This happens when the jellyfish senses danger is approaching.
Blue Angel- Very small creature, which easily fits in the palm of a person. It has an amazing shape and color color: looks like a floating angel, or a miniature dragon, blue on top and silver underneath. This camouflage helps him protect himself from predators, both in water and in the air. An angel can easily float to the surface of the sea by swallowing an air bubble.
Another sea creature- Sponge-harp. As the name suggests, it is shaped like a harp, which clings to sea mud and uses its upper sticky tips to catch small prey.
Funny octopus Dumbo got its name due to its resemblance to the baby elephant from the Disney cartoon, although it is much smaller in size than an earthly mammal. When an octopus swims, it waves its fins, which are exactly like elephant ears. There is very little information about it, since its habitat is very deep.
In the cold depths of the sea oh lives the hairy Yeti crab. Its claws are covered with fur, making the crab look like Bigfoot. Living at great depths, where there is no light, made the yeti completely blind.
Strange fashionista fish The pipistrelle bat lives at a depth of 200 meters. She does not know how to swim, but only moves her shell-covered body along the bottom, using her fin legs to move. She is called a fashionista for the bright red color of her slightly protruding lips, making her look quite funny.
Handsome slug Felimare Picta lives among. What makes it extravagant is the coloring and shape of the body: the rich blue-yellow color of the body, framed by a frill. It does not have its own house (like an ordinary mollusk), because it uses a special remedy for protection - acidic sweat secreted throughout the body. It is unlikely that anyone would want to get involved with such prey.
IN Atlantic Ocean mollusk lives which was nicknamed "Flamingo Tongue". He is inseparable from his shell, which he carefully guards own body, and into which he hides in case of danger.
Seahorses whose bodies are “seated” with many leaves, they are called deciduous dragons. They are one of the best masters of mimicry. The leaves do not interfere at all and do not help it swim; the dragon moves with the help of two small fins.