Active studies of the underwater world began relatively recently—not even 100 years ago—after scientists were able to invent things like sonar, scuba equipment, bathyscaphes, and even orbital satellites. The depths of the sea have revealed countless surprises. The diversity of life forms is simply astonishing, even though a lot of them look quite unsettling.
Meet the most terrifying, strange, and alien-looking deep-sea creatures that humanity has discovered.
1. Angler fish
Discovered in 1930, these bizarre ocean dwellers prefer the darkest waters where the sunlight can never reach them. Angler fish use a special appendage that glows on their forehead to lure their prey. Thanks to its special metabolism and extremely sharp teeth, it can eat anything it comes across, even if the victim is many times larger. Its mating rituals are also quite bonkers. Given the extremely harsh conditions and rarity, the male, who is ten times smaller than the female, attaches himself to the flesh of his chosen one and makes the “transfer” through the blood.
2. Pelican eel
This fish, with its absurdly large mouth and tiny body, resembles a creature from a horror movie. Its massive, pelican-like jaws can open wide enough to swallow prey much larger than itself. Unlike other eels, this one uses its mouth as a giant sack to gather food from the murky depths of the ocean. It also has a bioluminescent tail that it uses like a glowstick to lure in unsuspecting prey. Although it looks intimidating, it’s actually a master of stalking, relying on the darkness and its glowing appendage to do all the work for it.
3. Vampire squid
Despite its fearsome name, the vampire squid is not a predator. This otherworldly creature, which lives in the oxygen-poor depths of the ocean, has a pitch-black body and eerie webbed arms that glow in the dark. Instead of feeding on live prey, the vampire squid feasts on dead plankton, feces, and other particles that drift from the upper parts of the ocean. Equipped with light-producing organs called photophores, the vampire squid puts on a dazzling show to confuse predators and slip away into the abyss.
4. Viperfish
This predator is a deep-sea fish with a giant lower jaw and fang-like teeth. Like the anglerfish, the viperfish has a glowing organ that lures its prey. If this lure works, the fish pounces on its prey and chomps it with its teeth. Viperfish hang around at a depth of about 1,500 m, and researchers believe that in the wild, these creatures can live up to 15–30 years, while in captivity, they can barely survive a few hours.
5. Giant isopod
Think of this creature as the deep-sea cousin of the pill bug, but much larger and more armored. Often found on the seafloor at depths over 600 m, giant deep-sea isopods can grow up to 20 inches long. They feed on the remains of dead whales, fish, and squid, scavenging for anything that falls to the ocean floor. Their incredible ability to go without food for long periods makes them uniquely adapted to the nutrient-poor environment of the deep sea.
6. Red-toothed triggerfish
The red-toothed triggerfish is an intriguing marine species that sports distinctive bright red “fangs,” giving it a festive appearance reminiscent of a Halloween costume. Despite its striking look, this fish primarily feeds on plankton and sponges, showcasing that it is more of a cosplay nerd than a formidable, bloodthirsty predator.
7. Japanese spider crab
If filmmakers were to create a movie about a giant crab attacking people, it might resemble the Japanese spider crab named “Big Daddy,” the widest crab on Earth. Scientists measured it at an impressive 3.11 meters across from leg to leg, making it the largest crustacean recorded in captivity.
8. Sea spider
Sea spiders are basically just that—spiders of the sea. There are as many as 1,300 species that live in all seas and oceans. To be fair, technically, sea spiders are not spiders, and the only thing they have in common with terrestrial spiders is that they are arthropods and share some features, but these horrifying creatures split up so long ago due to evolutionary crossroads.
