Science Time: Some of the Strangest Creatures Found in the Ocean

John Summers • Contributor

Jul 22, 2024 11:00 PM EDT

Look, I love all living beings - even spiders and mice. I think every creature has it's purpose and they are all beautiful in their own unique way. That being said, some of the creatures lurking in the ocean are pure nightmare fuel! It's bad enough that we know less about our very own oceans than we do about outer space, but if what's waiting for us beyond the stars is half as creepy as what's lurking in the deep I suggest we stay on this planet!

In this listicle, Imgur user Midgarmerc has curated for us some of the weirdest, creepiest, most bizarre creatures you can imagine. From the 36 feet long Oarfish to the Vampire Squid or a creature called "The Black Swallower" that can literally swallow pray 10 times his own size, these creatures are sure to give you nightmares, or at least keep you from swimming in the ocean for the foreseeable future.

01
MolaMola

via Midgarmerc

These giant weirdos can weigh up to 5000 lbs. and are the largest bonefish
02
Red-Lipped Batfish

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Batfish are not good swimmers; they use their highly adapted pectoral fins to "walk" on the ocean floor.
03
Pink See-Through Fantasia

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Apparently only just discovered in 2007. Goes to show how big the Ocean is
04
Squidworm

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The 10 tentacle-like appendages on the squidworm's head are longer than its whole body and are used to collect food from the water.
05
Sarcastic Fringehead

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When two fringeheads have a territorial battle, they wrestle by pressing their distended mouths against each other, as if they were kissing. This allows them to determine which is the larger fish, which establishes dominance
06
Barreleye

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Yes it is see-through Yes you can see its brain.
The two green orbs are actually the eyes (what looks like the eyes is actually the nose)
07
Blobfish

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Unjustly voted the world's ugliest animal. He only looks like that when you take him out of the water. In his natural habitat (in the deep deep ocean) he looks quite normal
08
Goblinshark

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Sometimes called a "living fossil", it is the only extant representative of the family Mitsukurinidae, a lineage some 125 million years old. They use their long snouts to track electric signals from prey.
09
Salp

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These little guys eat all the carbon in the water, helping the planet.
10
Bobbit Worm

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Growing up to 10 feet in length, they can break a fish in half with the force of their blow.
Also nightmare fuel
11
Pink Jellies (Ctenophora)

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The rainbow of colors is not due to bioluminescence, but rather light scattered from the moving cilia used by the comb jellies to move through the water.
12
Lamprey

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These things are as bad as they seem. they use their teeth to latch on and suck your blood. of the 38(!) types of lamprey that exist only 18 are actually parasitic.
13
Angler Fish

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Just… look at it! like… why?
14
Giant Squid

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They're real and sperm whales love eating them.
15
Frilled Shark

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This seldom seen shark inhabits the depths of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Scientists speculate that it captures its prey by bending its body and lunging forward like a snake while proceeding to swallow its victim whole.
16
Vampire Squid

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With the largest eyes (proportionally speaking) of any animal in the world, this deep sea creature is born to live in the depths. And no, it doesn't suck blood, in fact its tentacles barely have suckers at all. The name actually comes from its intensely red eyes and cloak like webbing.
17
Big Red Jellyfish (Tiburonia granrojo)

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Rather than tentacles this deep sea jellyfish uses a series of fleshy "feeding arms" to capture its prey.
18
Coffinfish

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These deep sea hunters are something of a cross between pufferfish and anglerfish. Although they lure their prey using a fleshy protrusion they are capable of puffing themselves up when threatened.
19
Giant Isopod

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The Isopod is permanently constrained to creeping along the bottom of the ocean, primarily the cold, dark waters of the North Atlantic and the Arctic Circle.
20
Stargazer

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With both their eyes and mouth located on top of their head, these fish bury themselves in the sand and leap upwards to attack their prey as it swims by. Moreover many species are electric and capable of delivering lethal shocks.
21
Chimaera

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Not to be confused with the Chimera of Greek mythology, these creatures are also known as ghost sharks, and although they used to reside throughout the world's oceans, today they are mostly confined to deep water.
22
Amphipod

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Although these tiny crustaceans are usually no longer than an inch, deep down on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, about 6 km beneath the waves, they can grow up to 1 foot in length.
23
Pacific Blackdragon

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This deep sea predator got its name for a reason. Because most of its prey are bioluminescent, their stomach is designed to prevent light from radiating through.
24
Gulper Eel

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Also known as the pelican eel, this is probably one of strangest looking creatures lurking in the deep. With an enormous mouth it is capable of swallowing things much, much larger than itself.
25
Snaggletooth or stareaters

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That is a big NOPE for me
26
Hatchetfish

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Not to be confused with the freshwater hatchetfish found in many home aquariums this species was named after the distinctive hatchet shape of its body. Living at extreme depths it has two tubular eyes that point upward enabling it to catch food falling from above.
27
Grenadier

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One of the more abundant bottom dwellers, grenadiers have been estimated to make up about 15% of the deep sea population and found at depths of up 6km there are few other creatures that can survive in such hostile environments.
28
Blue Ringed Octopus

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Although it may not be as physically imposing as some of the other creatures on this list, the blue ringed octopus is easily one of the most dangerous animals in the ocean. It's venom is extremely potent and because there is no antivenin, it is certainly a good idea to steer clear.
29
Viperfish

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While during the day it stays in deep water, at night it has been known to venture into shallower territory and into the nets of deep sea fishermen. They don't survive very well in captivity, however, so not much is known about them.
30
The Black Swallower

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Also known as the great swallower, the capacity of this little monster to engulf and digest things significantly larger than itself should not be underestimated. In fact, it can consume prey over 10 times its own mass.
31
Oarfish

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The common name oarfish is thought to be in reference either to their highly compressed and elongated bodies, or to the now discredited belief that the fish "row" themselves through the water with their pelvic fins. it's the longest bony fish alive, growing to up to 11 m (36 ft) in length.
32
Just a cute sea turtle

via Midgarmerc
33
Oh wait, that's his mouth!

via Midgarmerc