25 Strangest Deep Sea Creatures Discovered

Posted by , Updated on March 23, 2024

You will not believe some of the strangest deep sea creatures that exist. These creatures come in all shapes and sizes but they are all bizarre. It’s like they are alien beings that somehow ended up on Earth! Have you seen these deep sea creatures before? Check out the 25 Strangest Deep Sea Creatures Discovered.

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25

Marrus Orthocanna

Marrus_orthocannahttp://www.aquariumofpacific.org

This one animal is actually a colony of multiple polyps and medusas. When attached to one another, the orange gas that goes through them resembles a breath of fire.

24

Mantis Shrimp

mantis shrimphttps://aqua.org

This strange and colorful shrimp is actually pretty unique! Mantis shrimp have 16 color receptors in their eyes; humans only have 3, meaning they have extremely strong color vision!

23

Basket Star

Basket_starhttp://www.realmonstrosities.com

A strange looking type of sea star, the basket star is characterized by having 5 central arms that branch further and further forming a mesh like basket. They unfurl their arms to catch their prey.

22

Tardigrades

water bearhttp://www.livescience.com

Also known as water bears, these microscopic creatures have long plump bodies with scrunched up heads. They are practically indestructible and have even been said to survive in outer space!

21

Giant Tube Worms

tube wormshttp://www.seasky.org

This strange creature was completely unknown to the world until scientists that were studying hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean found them living nearby. Unlike other living things, they do not need light to survive; they’ve adapted to the darkness and get their nutrition from bacteria.

20

Sixgill Shark

Six-gill_sharkhttp://www.seasky.org/deep-sea/sixgill-shark.html

One of the more interesting deep water sharks, the Sixgill Shark is unique for its six gills, because unlike other sharks that have 5 gills, this shark has 6! They also have the widest distribution when it comes to sharks, but no worries, this shark is rarely a threat to humans.

19

Atlantic Wolffish

Atlantic_wolffishhttp://oceana.org

This fish got its name from its immediate appearance; it has two large teeth that stick out and resemble wolf teeth. Luckily, these fish are harmless to humans; they live in the Atlantic ocean.

18

Terrible-Claw Lobster

terrible clawhttp://www.realmonstrosities.com

The Terrible-Claw Lobster was discovered in 2007. The claws are noticeably different from most lobster claws thus their name. Today, researchers and scientists are still unsure about the function of the claws.

17

Giant Isopod

giant isopodhttp://www.aquariumofpacific.org

The Giant Isopod is closely related to shrimps, crabs, and roly-polys. This isopod became so large because of deep sea gigantism, which is when deep sea creatures grow to become larger than their shallow water relatives.

16

Stargazer Fish

Uranoscopus_headhttp://www.theinertia.com

This fish uses camouflage to blend in with the sand, leaving only its eyes on the outside. Once it senses its prey nearby, it sends an electric shock to stun and capture the prey. This fish can be found in the Atlantic Ocean.

15

Barreleye

barreleyehttp://www.strangeanimals.info

The most unique feature on this fish is its transparent head. The barrel shaped eyes can rotate in the head to point either forward or straight up.

14

Gulper Eel

gulper eelhttp://www.seasky.org

The first thing everyone can notice is this eel’s huge mouth. The mouth is loosely hinged and can fit animals much larger than the eel itself!

13

Dumbo Octopus

dumbo octopushttp://oceana.org

This octopus got its name from its pectoral fins that resemble the Disney character Dumbo’s ears. They live at a depth of at least 13,100 feet and could probably go deeper, making it the deepest living of all octopuses.

12

Viperfish

viperfishhttp://www.seasky.org

The Viperfish is one of the fiercest predators in the deep seas. This fish is easily recognized by its large mouth and sharp fang-like teeth. Their teeth are so large that they don’t even fit inside the mouth.

11

Megamouth Shark

Megamouth_shark2http://sharkopedia.discovery.com

Since it discovered 39 years ago, only 100 of these sharks have been seen, thus earning the name Alien Shark, implying it is almost nonexistent. Megamouth sharks are not a threat to humans as they are filter feeders, relying on plankton to fill them up!

10

Anglerfish

angler fishhttp://animals.nationalgeographic.com

There are more than 200 species of anglerfish, most of which live in the murky depths of the Atlantic and Antarctic oceans. This fish got its name from the extended piece of dorsal spine that resembles a fishing pole.

9

Goblin Shark

goblin sharkhttp://www.sharks-world.com

Of all the sharks this one is one of the strangest when it comes to looks. It has a flat protruding snout that resembles a sword. Its ancestry goes back to Cretaceous period, which is around 125 million years ago.

8

Chimaera

chimaerahttp://oceantoday.noaa.gov

Found 4,200 feet deep in the ocean, Chimaeras are one of the most unique fish of the deep sea. They do not have any bones in their body; their entire skeleton is made of cartilage. They use sensory organs that detect electricity to find its food.

7

Blobfish

BlobFishhttp://www.discovery.com

In 2013, the Blobfish was named the World’s Ugliest Animal. The Blobfish can be found in the deep waters of Australia floating along the ocean floor.

6

Giant Squid

Giant_squid_display_at_Kelly_Tarltons_Underwater_Worldhttp://animals.nationalgeographic.com

The Giant Squid is the largest invertebrate in the world; they are about the size of a bus! Despite their size, scientists haven’t had any luck in finding them other than the dead carcasses that are caught by fisherman.

5

Fangtooth Fish

fangtoothhttp://www.seasky.org

The Fangtooth Fish has the largest teeth for a fish when compared to the overall size of its body. At only 6 inches (15 cm), this fish has some big teeth!

4

Vampire Squid

vampire squidhttp://www.aquariumofpacific.org

The Vampire Squid is pretty small, around the size of a football. This squid got its name from its blood red color. Cool fact, vampire squids do not ink; instead, the tips of their tentacles release bioluminescent sticky mucus.

3

Dragonfish

dragonfishhttp://www.seasky.org/deep-sea/dragonfish.html

The deep sea dragonfish lives 5,000 feet deep; it gets its name from its long slim dragon-like body. The dragonfish has a large head and sharp teeth, and an outgrowth  at the bottom of its chin that it uses to capture its prey.

2

Frilled Shark

frilled sharkhttp://sharkopedia.discovery.com

Known as living fossils, the Frilled Shark belongs to one of the most ancient families of sharks. Their ancestors go back 300 million years! They live all around the world but are rarely ever seen. The most notable feature on this shark is their rows of backward facing teeth.

1

Giant Spider Crab

giant crabhttp://www.tnaqua.org

The Giant Spider Crab is the largest known species of crabs and can live up to 100 years old! Their legs can span 15 feet, and the crab’s bumpy skin allows it to easily blend in with the sea floor. Pretty cool!



Photos: 25. wikimedia commons (public domain), 24. Jens Petersen, Odontodactylus scyllarus1, CC BY-SA 3.0, 23. wikimedia commons (public domain), 22. Schokraie E, Warnken U, Hotz-Wagenblatt A, Grohme MA, Hengherr S, et al. (2012), SEM image of Milnesium tardigradum in active state – journal.pone.0045682.g001-2, CC BY 2.5, 21. University of Washington; NOAA/OAR/OER., Expl2366 – Flickr – NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0, 20. wikimedia commons (public domain), 19. Tim Evanson, Atlantic wolffish, CC BY-SA 2.0, 18. wikimedia commons (public domain), 17. Copyright: OpenCage, Bathynomus doederleinii, CC BY-SA 2.5, 16. The image created by © Yuriy Kvach / See license below, Uranoscopus head, CC BY-SA 3.0, 15-12. wikimedia commons (public domain), 11. FLMNH Ichtyology, Megamouth shark2, CC BY-SA 4.0, 10-8. wikimedia commons (public domain), 7. Inosipmax, BlobFish, CC BY-SA 4.0, 6. Michael Zimmer from Cairns, Australia, Giant squid display at Kelly Tarltons Underwater World, CC BY-SA 2.0, 5-3. wikimedia commons (public domain), 2. OpenCage, Frilled shark head2, CC BY-SA 2.5, 1. flickr (public domain)