10 Strange Sea Creatures Discovered That Will Surprise You About The Vast Ocean

Each year, scientists keep discovering new creatures from the deep sea that make us feel smaller and smaller.

The ocean spans 70% of the world, it's only natural that it's home to millions of organisms. And, of that percentage, we have only investigated 20%, leaving the remaining 80% untouched. This indicates that there are many species that people are unaware of and have never seen. So, each year, scientists find new deep-sea species that make us feel smaller and smaller.

#1. Dumbo Octopus.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

When you look at its huge ears, it's simple to see why this octopus acquired its name. They are rarely seen since they reside up to 13,000 feet below the surface. Snails, worms, and other microscopic invertebrates that reside at the same depth make up their diet. Their arms are quite small and webbed, which allows them to swim much faster than the average octopus.

#2. Footballfish.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

This fooballfish was discovered in 1985 by accident by deep-sea fishermen in California. That protrusion on its head functions similarly to a fishing rod in assisting them to entice and catch their prey. It's noteworthy to note that female footballfish can grow to be up to ten times larger than male footballfish. Because they reside 2,000 to 3,300 feet down in the ocean, where food supplies are limited, this fish eats whatever fits in their mouth.

#3. Barreleye Fish.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

This fish is very unique in that it has a transparent dome at the top of its head through which two green orbs can be seen. It dwells in the twilight zone of the water, where natural light declines, and this is where the unique eyes appear. They can detect prey silhouettes and catch them off guard. It's only 15 cm long and eats mostly zooplankton, according to what scientists have discovered in its stomach.

#4. Atolla Jellyfish.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

This jellyfish, sometimes known as crown jelly, is considered the queen of its family. That's because its shape resembles a little crown on its head. It is also easily identified due to its red hue, which is not visible in deep seas with no light. In fact, at depths of nearly 1,000 meters, it appears completely dark, allowing it to hide from predators.

#5. Pineapple Fish.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The fish's color combination inspired the unusual moniker. One of the most amazing facts about this species is that it can produce a green light on its mouth, which turns red as the fish ages. It is primarily found in shallow coastal reefs, but it will occasionally venture into farther offshore areas. Once again, this species is primarily found in Australia.

#6. Pacific Viperfish.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

This species, sometimes known as Sloane's viperfish, is easily identified by its long, fang-like teeth. It was originally a dark silver-blue tint, with hexagonal colored patches on the sides. It lives at a depth of 500-2,500 meters during the day, but at night, it moves to shallower waters of less than 600 meters. It is usually found in Australia, and it survives on eating smaller fish.

#7. Deep Sea Shark.

Source: Facebook

Trapman Bermagui also discovered this 650-meter-deep rough-skinned shark in the deep water. While many people mistook it for a generic shark, the Australian man assured everyone that this was not the case. He said that this shark is also known as an endeavor dog shark, and that they catch them throughout the winter.

#8. A Transparent Creature.

Source: Youtube

When a video of someone cradling this transparent creature went viral, everyone was perplexed. The tiny creature was absolutely transparent, and you could shine a light through it. Nobody recognized the species until a previous identical video of a man holding a monster called Cystisoma appeared. They reside in low-light habitats 600-1,000 meters below sea level.

#9. The Tuna With Huge Bites.

Source: Facebook

When a professional fisherman captured this tuna, he discovered massive bite marks all over its body. Because they were so spherical, some people assumed they couldn't be from another fish or shark. Trampman Bermagui, the man who caught the tuna, claimed that they were created by the cookiecutter shark. This particular shark kills its prey by taking massive bites.

#10. Atlantic Sturgeon.

Source: Facebook

This unusual sturgeon is a member of the old Acipenseridae family. The fact that this species possesses 5 rows of bone plates instead of scales is very astonishing. These plates are there to defend the animal from potential predators. And it's the reason why this sturgeon wasn't devoured by a swarm of seagulls after washing up on the beach.

How many decades, if not centuries, do you believe it will take humanity to learn everything there is to know about the deep sea? If you're looking for more amazing animal facts, come to our homepage right now!