Weirdest Sea Creatures
The sea is an unknown environment that is filled with odd, and interesting creatures out there. However, down in the chilly, dark and high-pressure environment of the deepest trenches of the ocean, is home to some of the strangest and most alien-like animals you’ll ever come across. Get ready to immerse yourself in 12 of the weirdest sea creatures that will surprise and puzzle you at the same time.
1. Blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus)
You have probably heard of the blobfish being referred to as the world’s ugliest animal and for good reason. Located between the two major islands of the Pacific Ocean, Australia and New Zealand, this fish has no hard body covering, although its body shape suggests it is a fish. When it is out of water, it looks like an unshaped, deflated mass; however when a pressure is applied, like that which is exerted under water, it is shaped more or less normally. Although it has none of the characteristics of a traditional looking fish, the blobfish is inoffensive and rather intriguing.
2. Vampire Squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis)
Simply known as the ‘vampire squid from hell’ this creature surely lives to its name. It is located in the oxygen minimum level of the ocean, has red wings, and large red eyes connected to them by webs that form a cape like structure. Contrary to it hunting its prey alive, it gathers marine garbage for its diet.
3. Dumbo Octopus (Grimpoteuthis)
Also called Dumbo due to its link to Disney’s elephant, this cute but squishy octopus has fins on its head that look like ears. Dumbo octopus is located in the abyssal zones of the world’s ocean, and it has rather funny-looking fins with which it swims.
4. Goblin Shark (Mitsukurina owstoni)
This ‘living fossil’ is one of the creepiest sharks in the deep sea. The goblin shark has an elongated snout and a number of electroreceptors it uses to sense the environment and a protruding jaw used to seize the prey. Dwelling in depths exceeding 4000 feet, it rarely comes into contact with man but remains an interesting example of a predator.
5. Leafy Sea Dragon (Phycodurus eques)
Most resembling seaweed than a fish, the leafy sea dragon is arguably one of the best camouflages known to exist in the vast ocean. Living in the along the south eastern part of Australia it camouflage with its complex limbs to mimic the kelp forests as well as live among them for protection form its predators.
6. Giant Isopod (Bathynomus giganteus)
Good for starters a giant isopod is like a woodlouse but much bigger, only unlike the typical rodent-sized isopod, this one is small dog-sized. These are bottom dwellers which feed on carcasses of the water animals. Due to their prehistoric look they are among the most mysterious organisms of the world ocean.
7. Barreleye Fish (Macropinna microstoma)
The crew and researcher caught this deep-sea fish, and while it is not the ugliest fish in the world, it is certainly as odd as can be. With a clear head the scientists can observe the tubular eyes, which are capable of moving within the skull, thus enabling the creature to look upwards as well as forwards. This adaption assist it in locating it’s prey while at the same time remaining unseen in the dept.
8. Frilled Shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus)
In fact, the frilled shark looks much more like an eel than a shark does, with a cigar-shaped body and multiple lines of sharp, slender teeth. Tagged as the living fossil, this specie has been in existence over eighty million of years. Certainly, watching this creature swim is quite horrifying due to the slow, almost snake-like movement of this really massive creature.
9. Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus)
Small, colorful and lucent, these marine worms bear the appearance of miniature Christmas trees. These birds are native to Coral Reefs and are able to stretch their showy, feathery streamers to feed on tiny plankton. Nonetheless, their appearance is weird, but they are very important in the habitat of the sea.
10. Sea Pen (Pennatulacea)
Called as such because of the colony of polyps that make it, this sea pen looks like a vintage quill pen. It lives in the deep sea and fixes itself on the sea bottom and gently moving back and frothing it catches small foods with its tentacles.
11. Pelican Eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides)
This habitat of this fish is very deep in the waters and is famous for its greatly enhanced mouth which can contain food even bigger than the fish itself. The pelican eel as it can be seen from the name originates from the pelican but this is not a dangerous fish in any sense of the word.
12. Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
It may be a freshwater fish but this distinctive looking creature deserves an honorable mention as it resembles a sea monster. Also referred to as the ‘Mexican walking fish’, this is a type of salamander that never develops to a more adult form. It can also recover its limbs, and as such is considered to be one of the true freaks of nature.
Why Are These Creatures So Strange?
Such intense conditions of the ocean are applied on the inhabitants in perhaps the most fascinating ways. Often these seen adaptations are caused by crushing pressures in the deep sea, or the need to blend in with the environment in waters filled with predators and it results in odd appearances.
Conclusion
The ocean is truly rich in many odd and really fascinating creatures and phenomenon that remained to be the center of discovery for many scientists as well as other enthusiastic people out there. Sifting through mind-boggling marine anatomy, these 12 strange aquatic animals represent how much of the ocean remains unexplored.
FAQs
1. Why so many sea creatures look so weird?
Because of pressure, lack of light and scarce resources, these animals are forced to exhibit strange behaviors.
2. Are any of these creatures presents a threat to man?
Some of the animals that are viewed as dangerous are not really dangerous must of these creatures are inoffensive.
3. In what environ can I find these animals?
Of these creatures, most inhabit the deep sea and may only occasionally be witnessed; however, these animals can best be observed in aquariums or documentaries.
4. What is the most unattractive sea animal?
This one is usually the crown holder when it comes to the ugliest animal with the blobfish taking the crown in the gelatinous-sack look.
5. Why do deep-sea creatures seem so rare and unknown?
Large parts of the oceans are inaccessible by technology making most marine species unknown or scarcely researched.