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The sea contains untold numbers of strange and bizarre creatures. It is said that we know more about our
own solar system than we know about our oceans.
Indeed, some creatures of the sea can seem more alien than anything you can imagine.
But even worse, some of them can seem more frightening than your worst nightmare.
Chimaeras are cartilaginous fish related to the sharks and rays, and are sometimes called ghost sharks or
rabbitfishes. For defense, most chimaeras have a venomous spine located in front of the dorsal fin.
This strange cartilaginous fish uses its long snout to scan over the sea floor for the electrical impulses of
its prey that bury in the muddy sea floor, just like a metal detector. Like other chimaeras (such as ghost
and elephant sharks), these animals lay horny egg cases in which their young are left to develop,
potentially for up to one year.
A Viperfish is a deepwater fish with long, needlelike teeth and hinged lower jaws.
The pelican eel.
They emit blinding flashes of light as it attacks prey. It is believed that this highly maneuverable squid
uses bright flashes to disorientate potential prey. These flashes may also serve to illuminate the prey to
make for easier capture as well as a courtship and territorial display.
The Colossal Squid, sometimes called the Antarctic or Giant Cranch Squid, is believed to be the largest
squid species.
The ocean sunfish or common mola is the heaviest bony fish in the world, with an average weight of 1000
kilograms.
The stargazers have eyes on top of their heads (thus the name). They are venomous; they have two large
poison spines situated behind the opercle and above the pectoral fins. They can also cause electric shocks.
Typified by large heads with large mouths and eyes, grenadiers (rattails) have slender bodies that taper
greatly to a very thin caudal peduncle or tail.
This large species has a rounded head and a mouth which faces forward to catch squid and fish that swim
up off the seafloor. As in most other rattails, the males of this species have a special drum machine on
their swim bladder that is used to attract females. They have to be careful though, as other fish like morid
cods have hydrophones on their swim bladders to hunt down the sources of such noises.
Oarfish are large, greatly elongated, pelagic Lampriform fish.
The megamouth shark is an extremely rare and unusual species of deepwater shark. Discovered in 1976,
only a few have ever been seen, with 39 specimens known to have been caught or sighted as of 2007 and
three recordings on film.
Fangtooths, also known as ogrefishes, are deepsea, ferociouslooking beryciform fish.
Sea robins are bottomfeeding scorpaeniform fishes.
The Firefly squid.
The lizardfish.
And I have no idea what these things are. Does anyone know?