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Amazing sea creatures. Unusual sea animals

The waters of the World Ocean occupy more than 70% of the entire surface of planet Earth, however, today the inhabitants of the depths of the ocean remain the least studied by ichthyologists due to difficult access to their habitat. In the lower layers of the seas and oceans there are many of the most deep sea fish and creatures that surprise and sometimes simply shock with their appearance or way of life. A significant part of them was discovered relatively recently, and many have yet to come to the attention of researchers of the deep sea.

general characteristics

Deep-sea fish live on the slopes and in the ocean floor, within 200-6000 m of the depth of the World Ocean. About 2000 of these are known, and those that live below 6000 m, there are about 10-15 varieties, which is 2% of the total number of the most deep sea creatures.

Description

Among the creatures that live on the ocean floor, there are those that are completely blind or, conversely, have sharp eyesight to track prey, which is due to the constant darkness in these layers of water. Since the seabed is mostly muddy, many living organisms are characterized by a specific body structure for convenient and fast movement - a flat body, long legs, the presence of needles or huge claws.

Some creatures may be distinguished by the presence of bioluminescence as illuminated body parts (processes, fins, tails). This method of adaptation to the environment provides some opportunities for successful life activities, for example, it can serve as bait for prey, as illumination in dark waters. It is often used for camouflage seabed or to scare away predators.

The closer to the bottom of the ocean, the stronger the pressure becomes and the temperature of the water decreases, and there is significantly less food for food. All these factors significantly influenced the structural features of some fish species. In these places you can find the most unusual inhabitants of the ocean, which have huge mouths and heads, the size of which can be several times greater than the length of their own body.

Rating of the most common types

The list of TOP 10 deep-sea fish includes the most incredible and unusual representatives of the deep sea. The appearance of many of them is so unusual that they resemble aliens from other planets. However, this list is much wider and can be supplemented with other equally interesting specimens due to the great diversity that live in the depths of the World Ocean.

Another name - goblin shark - was obtained due to the unusual shape of the head: there is a beak-like outgrowth and long jaws extending forward. Also has an unusual pink color due to the proximity of blood vessels to the surface of the skin.

It lives deeper than 200 m in almost all oceans, the maximum diving depth is 1300 m, the diet consists of crabs, fry and squid. Catching prey is carried out by extending its jaws and swallowing it along with water.

There are several rows of teeth - separately for hunting prey and splitting the strong shells of various crustaceans.

The length of males is 2.4-3.7 m, females - 3.1-3.5 m. The maximum parameters known to researchers were 3.8 m in length and 210 kg in weight.

This is a representative of the ghostly black cat sharks that live in the north of the Atlantic Ocean, can be found at a depth of 600-1900 m. The first description by specialists dates back to 1979.

Most often caught in nets off the coast of Japan, they have large eyes and are distinguished by a large head, small fins and tail.

The average length of a female is 76 cm, the largest known value size, which is documented, is 85 cm.

According to versions of some researchers, it is considered the deepest-sea fish in the world, since there is an officially known case of catching a specimen of this genus of the erugine family from the ship "John Eliot".

Research work was carried out on the ship, during which fish were brought on board from a depth of 8370 m. This happened near the trench in Puerto Rico.

In the works of many ichthyologists, Bathysaurus is considered as the most deep sea species of all those thoroughly studied to date.

Its habitat is located at a level of 3500 m, its body is elongated (almost 65 cm). There is also the name “fierce head”, which was given to him for his unattractiveness and threatening appearance.

It is also called pelican fish (Eurypharynxs pelecanoides), sac-eater, black eater, black crab-eater, belongs to the order of sac-mouths. Closest relatives are eels.

The specific structure of the body - a huge mouth and a short body - makes it possible to swallow prey many times larger than the size of the predator itself. Crookshanks have no scales, no ribs, and no air bladder.

The length of individuals varies from 4.8 cm (the smallest representative of the suborder) to 161 cm, the maximum recorded specimen reached 2 m.

In 1939, Wilbert Chapman made the discovery and description of what is probably one of the most interesting deep-sea fish. And only in 2004 the world saw photographs depicting macropinna, which surprised many, since the fish has a transparent head.

Distributed in waters Pacific Ocean near the coasts of Canada, the USA and Japan at a depth of 500-800 m, the largest individuals live much lower.

The body length is about 15 cm, covered with large scales, and the fins are massive. The head is protected by a transparent dome-shaped shell; inside there are cylindrical eyes in a separate chamber. Green colour. Well-developed ocular muscles ensure the movement of the eyes from a vertical to a horizontal position, which makes it possible to productively monitor and capture prey.

Another name sounds like “monkfish”, obtained due to terrifying appearance. They live in the eastern region of the Atlantic Ocean at a depth of up to 550 m, are considered commercial, because of their white dense meat, dishes with it are widely popular in national cuisine France.

Individual specimens up to 2 m and weighing 57.7 kg can be found, the average length is 1-1.5 m. The body is without scales, everything is covered with skin growths and tubercles. The monkfish is interesting because it has a rod-like growth on its head with a luminous bait at the end to attract prey; its luminescence is provided by specific bacteria that live with this monster in symbiosis.

It is found in almost all areas of the oceans in deep layers at a level of 500-5000 m. It has relatively small dimensions - weight 120 g and length up to 15-18 cm. It looks terrifying - a powerful head with 4 sharp fangs. The teeth are located on both jaws, resemble construction nails, and protrude forward.

The sabertooth is a predator that, when catching a prey, copes with it in almost a matter of seconds, biting it several times in a row with its needle-teeth. When the jaw is closed, the lower teeth fit into a sheath on either side of the brain.

It is interesting to know that in 2008, environmentalists put the saber tooth first on the list of the 10 most terrible animals on the planet.

It lives at a depth of 200-1000 m and has some resemblance to a stingray, as it has a large head and a small tail. Their shell is similar in strength to that of a turtle and serves as protection against sea predators.

Almost does not swim, moves along the bottom on fins adapted to environmental conditions, which over time have become similar to the limbs of land animals.

Soft-bodied whalefish (Flabby Whalefish)

Considered one of the deepest living species, its habitat is at 3500 m and below. The length reaches 40 cm, and in appearance they resemble the cetacean family.

Habitat: the lower layers of the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans up to 1450-1570 m. It has a snake-like body of dark brown color up to 2 m long.

The name was obtained due to the presence of 6 skin folds - gill slits. The hunt is almost like that of snakes - the shark bends its body and makes a lightning-fast leap forward towards the victim. Strong, long jaws allow you to reliably squeeze prey, as several rows of sharp teeth help hold it.

It is probably fair that it is considered the most bizarre of the deep-sea specimens, since it has unusual shape bodies.

The underwater world is mysterious and unique. It contains secrets that have not yet been solved by man. We invite you to get acquainted with the most unusual sea creatures and plunge into the unknown depths water world and see her beauty.

1. Atoll Jellyfish (Atolla vanhoeffeni)

Extraordinary beautiful jellyfish Atolla lives at such depths where sunlight does not penetrate. In times of danger, it can glow, attracting large predators. Jellyfish do not seem tasty to them, and predators eat their enemies with pleasure.

This jellyfish is capable of emitting a bright red glow, which is a consequence of the breakdown of proteins in its body. Usually, large jellyfish- dangerous creatures, but you should not be afraid of the Atoll, because its habitat is where no swimmer can reach.

2. Blue Angel (Glaucus atlanticus)

This very tiny mollusk rightfully deserves its name; it seems to float on the water surface. To become lighter and stay at the very edge of the water, it swallows air bubbles from time to time.

These unusual creatures have an unusual body shape. They are blue above and silver below. It is not for nothing that nature has provided such camouflage - the Blue Angel remains unnoticed by birds and sea predators. A thick layer of mucus around the mouth allows it to feed on small poisonous inhabitants seas.

3. Harp sponge (Chondrocladia lyra)

This mysterious marine predator has not yet been sufficiently studied. The structure of its body resembles a harp, hence the name. The sponge is inactive. It clings to the sediment of the seabed and hunts by gluing small underwater inhabitants to its sticky tips.

The harp sponge covers its prey with a bactericidal film and gradually digests it. There are individuals with two or more lobes, which are connected in the center of the body. The more blades, the more food the sponge will catch.

4. Dumbo Octopus (Grimpoteuthis)

The octopus got its name because of its resemblance to the Disney hero, Dumbo the elephant, although it has a semi-gelatinous body of rather modest size. Its fins resemble elephant ears. He waves them around as he swims, which looks quite funny.

Not only the “ears” help to move, but also the peculiar funnels located on the octopus’ body, through which it releases water under pressure. Dumbo lives at very great depths, so we don’t know much about him. Its diet consists of all kinds of mollusks and worms.

Octopus Dumbo

5. Yeti Crab (Kiwa hirsuta)

The name of this animal speaks for itself. A crab covered with white shaggy fur actually resembles Bigfoot. It lives in cold waters at such depths where there is no access to light, so it is completely blind.

These amazing animals grow microorganisms on their claws. Some scientists believe that the crab needs these bacteria to purify the water from toxic substances, others suggest that the crabs grow their own food on the bristles.

6. Short-snouted pipistrelle (Ogcocephalus)

This fashionable fish with bright red lips can't swim at all. Living at a depth of more than two hundred meters, it has a flat body covered with a shell and fin-like legs, thanks to which the short-snouted bat slowly walks along the bottom.

It obtains food using a special growth - a kind of retractable fishing rod with an odorous bait that attracts prey. The discreet coloring and spiked shell help the fish hide from predators. Perhaps this is the funniest animal among the inhabitants of the world's oceans.

7. Sea slug Felimare Picta

Felimare Picta is a species of sea slug that lives in Mediterranean waters. He looks very extravagant. The yellow-blue body seems to be surrounded by a delicate airy frill.

Felimare Picta, although a mollusk, does without a shell. And why does he need her? In case of danger, the sea slug has something much more interesting. For example, acidic sweat that is released on the surface of the body. It's really bad luck for anyone who wants to treat themselves to this mysterious mollusk!

8. Flamingo tongue clam (Cyphoma gibbosum)

This creature is found on the western coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Having a brightly colored mantle, the mollusk completely covers its plain shell with it and thus protects it from negative influence marine organisms.

Like common snail, “Flamingo tongue” hides in its shell in case of impending danger. By the way, the mollusk received this name due to its bright color with characteristic spots. It prefers poisonous gongonaria as food. While eating, the snail absorbs the poison of its prey, after which it becomes poisonous itself.

9. Leafy sea dragon (Phycodurus eques)

The sea dragon is a true virtuoso of mimicry. It is all covered with “leaves”, which help it appear invisible against the backdrop of the underwater landscape. It is interesting that such abundant vegetation does not help the dragon move at all. Only two tiny fins located on its chest and back are responsible for its speed. The leaf dragon is a predator. It feeds by sucking prey into itself.

Dragons feel comfortable in the shallow waters of warm seas. And these sea inhabitants are also known as excellent fathers, because it is the males who bear the offspring and take care of them.

10. Salps (Salpidae)

Salps are invertebrates Marine life, which have a barrel-shaped body, through the transparent shell of which internal organs are visible.

In the ocean depths, animals form long chains of colonies, which are easily broken even by a minor wave shock. Salps reproduce by budding.

11. Piglet squid (Helicocranchia pfefferi)

This strange and little-studied underwater creature resembles “Piglet” from the famous cartoon. The completely transparent body of the piglet squid is covered age spots, the combination of which sometimes gives him a cheerful look. Around the eyes there are so-called photophores - organs of luminescence.

This mollusk is leisurely. It's funny that the piggy squid moves upside down, which is why its tentacles look like forelocks. He lives at a depth of one hundred meters.

12. Ribbon moray eel (Rhinomuraena guaesita)

This underwater inhabitant is quite unusual. Throughout its life, the ribbon moray eel is capable of changing sex and color three times, depending on the stages of its development. So, when the individual is still immature, it is colored black or dark blue.

You won't believe that such strange deep-sea creatures exist. They come in all shapes and sizes, and they are all quirky. It's like they're alien creatures that somehow ended up on Earth! Have you seen these deep sea creatures before? Here are 25 of the strangest creatures discovered that live deep underwater.

25. Jellyfish Marrus orthocanna

This animal is actually a colony of several polyps and jellyfish. When they are connected to each other, the orange gas that passes through them resembles the breath of fire.

24. Mantis crab

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

This strange and colorful crustacean is quite unique! The mantis crab's eyes have 16 color receptors (humans only have 3), which means that these crustaceans have extremely developed color vision!

23. Ophiura (Basket Star)

Photo: wikimedia commons

Strange looking" Starfish", the brittle star is distinguished by the presence of a fifth middle tentacle, which branches out further and further, forming a net resembling a basket. To catch prey, these stars spread out their tentacles.

22. Tardigrades

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Also known as water bears, these microscopic creatures have long, plump bodies with flat heads. They are virtually indestructible and are said to survive in outer space!

21. Giant tube worms

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

These strange creatures were completely unknown to the world until scientists studying hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean discovered them nearby. Unlike other living things, they do not need light to survive: they are adapted to the dark and feed on bacteria.

20. Sixgill Shark

Photo: wikimedia commons

One of the most interesting deep sea sharks, the sixgill shark is unique because of its six gills because unlike other sharks that have five gills, this shark has six! They are also more common than other sharks, but don't worry, this creature rarely poses a threat to humans.

19. Atlantic Catfish

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

This fish gets its name from its appearance: it boasts two protruding teeth that resemble wolf fangs. Fortunately, these creatures are harmless to humans and live in the Atlantic Ocean.

18. Lobster Terrible Claw

Photo: wikimedia commons

The Terror Claw lobster was discovered in 2007. Its claws are noticeably different from those of most lobsters, which is how it gets its name. Researchers and scientists are still not sure about the purpose of the claw.

17. Giant isopod

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The giant isopod is closely related to shrimp and crabs. This isopod became so huge due to deep-sea gigantism, a phenomenon where deep-sea sea creatures grow larger than their shallow-water relatives.

16. Fish Stargazer

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

This fish uses a special coloring - camouflage - to blend into the sand, exposing only its eyes. As soon as she senses her prey nearby, she sends out an electric shock to stun and capture it. This fish can be found in the Atlantic Ocean.

15. Barrel-eyed fish

Photo: wikimedia commons

The most unique feature of this fish is its transparent head. The barrel-shaped eyes can rotate in the head to look straight or upward.

14. Largemouth eel

Photo: wikimedia commons

The first thing anyone can notice is the huge mouth of this eel. The mouth opens and closes freely, and can swallow animals much larger than the eel itself!

13. Dumbo the Octopus

Photo: wikimedia commons

This octopus gets its name from its pectoral fins, which resemble the ears of the Disney character Dumbo. Octopuses live at depths of at least 4,000 meters and can probably dive deeper, making this creature the most... deep sea inhabitant among all octopuses.

12. Viper fish

Photo: wikimedia commons

The viper fish is one of the most ferocious predators in the deep sea waters. This fish is easily recognized by its large mouth and sharp fang teeth. Their teeth are so long that they don't even fit into their mouths.

11. Large Mouth Shark

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Since its discovery 39 years ago, only 100 of these have been sighted, making this shark virtually non-existent after earning the title of Alien Shark. Largemouth sharks They do not pose a threat to humans because they feed by filtering plankton.

10. Monkfish (angler fish)

Photo: wikimedia commons

There are more than 200 species of anglerfish, most of which live in the dark depths of the Atlantic and Antarctic oceans. This fish gets its name from its long dorsal spine, which resembles a fishing rod.

9. Goblin Shark

Photo: wikimedia commons

When it comes to appearance, this shark is the strangest of them all. It has a flat, protruding snout that resembles a sword. Its ancestry dates back to the Cretaceous period, which was on Earth about 125 million years ago.

8. Chimera

Photo: wikimedia commons

Discovered in the ocean at a depth of 1,200 meters, chimaeras are among the most unique fish found in the deep. They have no bones in their body: the entire skeleton consists of cartilage. To search for food, they use special sensory organs that respond to electricity.

7. Drop fish

Photo: ommons.wikimedia.org

In 2013, the Blobfish was named the World's Ugliest Animal. Blobfish can be found all over the ocean floor in the deep waters of Australia.

6. Giant squid

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The giant squid is the largest invertebrate in the world, the size of a bus! Despite such an impressive size, scientists have had no luck finding traces of them, except for dead carcasses caught by fishermen.

5.Long-horned sabertooth

Photo: wikimedia commons

The Longhorn Sabertooth has the longest teeth for a fish, compared to its body size. This fish is only 15 cm long and has very large teeth!

4. Vampire squid

Photo: wikimedia commons

Vampire squids are quite small, about the size of a football. This squid gets its name from its blood-red color. Interesting fact: Vampire squids do not release ink, but instead their tentacles secrete a bioluminescent sticky goo.

3. Dragon fish

Photo: wikimedia commons

The deep sea dragon lives at a depth of 1,500 meters and gets its name from its long, thin, dragon-like body. The Dragonfish has a large head and sharp teeth, as well as a growth on the underside of its chin, which the dragon uses to grab prey.

2. Frilled Shark

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Known as a living fossil, the Frilled Shark belongs to one of the oldest families of sharks. Her ancestors lived 300 million years ago! These sharks are found all over the world, but are rarely seen. The most noticeable feature of this shark is its rows of inward-facing teeth.

1. Giant Crab Spider

Photo: flickr

The giant crab spider is the largest of the known species crabs and can live up to 100 years! Its legs can reach a length of 4.5 meters, and its uneven skin allows the crab to easily blend into the seabed. Pretty awesome!

The drop fish that

It is a deep-sea bottom fish living at depths of 600 meters.

Blobfish

is a deep-sea fish that lives in deep waters near Australia and Tasmania. Extremely rare in humans and considered critically endangered.

The appearance of this strange and extremely interesting fish is very bizarre. On the front of the fish's snout there is a process that resembles a big nose. The eyes are small and set near the “nose” in such a way that it creates external resemblance with a “human” face. The mouth is quite large, its corners are directed downwards, which is why the face of the drop fish always seems to have a sad and despondent expression. It is thanks to its expressive “face” that the blob fish firmly holds first place in the ranking of the strangest sea creatures.

An adult fish grows up to 30 cm. It lives at depths of 800 - 1,500 m. The body of the fish is a watery substance with a density less than that of water. This allows the blob fish to “fly” above the bottom without wasting energy on swimming. Its lack of muscles does not prevent it from hunting small crustaceans and invertebrates. In search of food, the fish hovers above the ocean floor with an open mouth, into which food is stuffed, or lies motionless on the ground, hoping that rare invertebrates will swim into its mouth.

The blobfish has been poorly studied. Although it has been known for quite some time in Australia as “ Australian scalpin"(Australian bull) there is very little detailed information about her life. Interest in fish has increased in Lately due to the fact that it has become increasingly caught in trawl nets adapted for catching deep-sea crabs and lobsters. Although trawl fishing in the Pacific and Indian Oceans is limited, this ban is aimed only at preserving existing coral reefs, and is allowed in the deep ocean. Therefore, biologists argue that trawling can significantly reduce the population of blobfish. There are calculations that say that doubling the current number of fish requires from 5 to 14 years.

This slow growth in numbers is associated with another interesting feature drop fish. She lays eggs directly on the bottom, but does not leave her clutch, but lies on the eggs and “hatches” them until the young emerge from them. Such reproduction is not typical for deep-sea fish, which lay eggs that rise to the surface and mix with plankton. Other deep-sea creatures, as a rule, descend to greater depths only at sexual maturity and remain there until the end of their lives. The drop fish does not leave its kilometer depth at all. Once born, the juvenile fish remains under the protection of an adult for some time until it gains sufficient independence for a solitary life.

Amazing creatures live in the great depths of the ocean. Of all the deep-sea creatures, sea devils, or anglerfish, live the most amazing lives.

These creepy-looking fish, covered with spines and plaques, live at a depth of 1.5-3 km. Most notable feature monkfish- this is a fishing rod that grows from the dorsal fin and hangs over the predatory mouth. At the end of the fishing rod there is a glowing gland filled with luminescent bacteria. Sea devils use it as bait.

The prey swims towards the light, and the angler carefully moves the fishing rod towards its mouth, and at some point very quickly swallows the prey. In some species, the fishing rod with a flashlight is located directly in the mouth, and the fish, without bothering too much, simply swims with its mouth open.

Externally, bats are very similar to stingrays. They are also characterized by a large round (or triangular) head and a small tail, with an almost complete absence of a body. The largest representatives of pipistrelle bats reach half a meter in length, but in general they are somewhat smaller. In the process of evolution, the fins have completely lost the ability to support the fish afloat, so it has to crawl along the seabed. Although they crawl with great reluctance, as a rule they spend their leisure time simply lying passively on the bottom, waiting for their prey or luring it with a special bulb growing directly from their heads. Scientists have determined that this bulb is not a photophore and does not attract prey with its light. On the contrary, this process has a different function - it spreads a specific smell around its owner, which attracts small fish, crustaceans and worms.

Sea pipistrelles live everywhere in warm waters the world's oceans without swimming in the cold waters of the Arctic. As a rule, they all stay at depths of 200 - 1000 meters, but there are species of pipistrelle bats that prefer to stay closer to the surface, not far from the shores. A person is quite familiar with bats, which prefer surface water. The fish is of no gastronomic interest, but its shell has become very attractive to people, especially children. Sun-dried fish leaves behind a strong shell, reminiscent of a turtle. If you add pebbles inside it, you get a decent rattle, which has been known to residents of the eastern hemisphere living on the ocean coast since ancient times.

As one would expect, bats use the shell as protective clothing from larger deep-sea inhabitants. Only strong teeth strong predator can break the shell to get to the meat of the fish. In addition, it is not so easy to spot a bat in the dark. In addition to the fact that the fish is flat and blends into the surrounding landscape, the color of its shell follows the color of the seabed.

Lancet fish

or simply lancetfish- a large oceanic predatory fish, which is the only living representative of the genus Alepisaurus (Alepisaurus), which translated means “h Yeshua lizard" It got its name from the word “lancet” - a medical term synonymous with a scalpel.

With the exception of the polar seas, lancefish can be found everywhere. However, despite its wide distribution, information about this fish is extremely scarce. Scientists are able to get an idea of the fish only from a few specimens caught along with tuna. The appearance of the fish is very memorable. It has a high dorsal fin that extends almost the entire length of the fish. It is twice as tall as the fish, and looks like the fin of a sailfish.

The body is elongated, thin, decreasing closer to the tail and ending with a caudal peduncle. The mouth is big. The mouth slit ends behind the eyes. Inside the mouth, in addition to numerous small teeth, there are two or three large sharp fangs. These fangs give the fish the terrifying appearance of a prehistoric animal. One species of lancefish has even been named as " alepisaurus ferocious”, which indicates a person’s wariness towards fish. Indeed, looking at the mouth of a fish, it is difficult to imagine that the victim could be saved if it fell into the teeth of this monster.

The lancet fish grows up to 2 m in length, which is quite comparable to the size of the barracuda, which is considered potentially dangerous to humans.

Necropsies of the caught fish provided some insight into the lancefish's diet. Crustaceans were found in the stomach, making up the bulk of plankton, which is in no way associated with a formidable predator. Probably, the fish chooses plankton because it is not able to swim quickly, and it simply cannot keep up with fast prey. Therefore, squid and salps dominate its diet. However, the remains of Opa, tuna and other lancets were also found in some individuals of lancet fish. Apparently she ambushes more fast fish, using its narrow profile and silver body coloring to camouflage. Sometimes a fish gets hooked while sea fishing.

Lancefish is not of any commercial interest. Although the meat is edible, the fish is not used as food due to its watery, jelly-like body.

Bagswallow this fish is named for its ability to swallow prey that is several times larger than itself. The fact is that it has a very elastic stomach, and there are no ribs in the stomach that would prevent the fish from expanding. Therefore, he can easily swallow a fish four times his length and 10 times heavier!

So, for example, not far from the Cayman Islands, the corpse of a bagworm was discovered, in the stomach of which were the remains of a mackerel 86 cm long. The length of the bagworm itself was only 19 cm. That is. he managed to swallow a fish 4 times longer than himself. Moreover, it was mackerel, known as mackerel fish, which is very aggressive. It is not entirely clear how such a small fish coped with a stronger opponent.

Outside Russia, the bagworm is called " black eater" The body of the fish is uniformly dark brown, almost black, in color. The head is medium size. The jaws are very large. The lower jaw does not have a bony connection with the head, so the open mouth of the bagworm is capable of accommodating prey much larger than the head of the predator. On each jaw, the front three teeth form sharp fangs. With them, the black eater holds the victim when he pushes it into the stomach.

Swallowed prey may be so large that it is not immediately digested. The resulting decomposition inside the stomach releases large amounts of gas, which drags the sac swallow to the surface. In fact, the most famous examples of the black eater were found precisely on the surface of the water with swollen bellies that prevented the fish from escaping to the depths.

The bagworm lives at a depth of 700 - 3000 m. It is not possible to observe the animal in its natural habitat, so very little is known about its life. These are known to be oviparous fish. Most often it is possible to detect egg clutches in winter in South Africa. Juveniles from April to August are often found off Bermuda and have lighter shades that fade as the fish mature. Also, larvae and young sacs have small spines, which are absent in adult fish.

Opisthoproct lives at great depths up to 2,500 m in all oceans, with the exception of the Arctic. Their appearance is unique and does not allow them to be confused with other deep-sea fish. Most often, scientists pay attention to unusual big head fish. There are large eyes on it, which are constantly turned upward, from where sunlight comes. It is worth noting that quite recently, at the end of 2008, an opisthoproctus was caught near New Zealand, which had as many as 4 eyes. However, it is known for sure that vertebrates with 4 eyes do not exist in nature. Further study of the find made it possible to determine that in fact there are only two eyes, but each of them consists of two parts, one of which is constantly directed upward, and the second looks downward. The lower eye of a fish is capable of changing the viewing angle and allows the animal to inspect environment from all sides.

The body of the opisthoproctus is quite massive; its shape resembles a brick covered with large scales. Near the anal fin of the fish there is a bioluminescent organ that acts as a beacon. The belly of the fish, covered with light scales, reflects the light emitted by the photophore. This reflected light is clearly visible to other opisthoprocts, whose eyes are directed upward, but at the same time it is invisible to other deep-sea inhabitants, which have “classic” eyes located on the sides of their heads.

It is believed that opisthoprocts are solitary and do not gather in large flocks. They spend all their time at depth, at the border of light penetration. To feed, they do not make vertical migrations, but look for prey at the top against the background of the dissecting sunlight. The diet consists of small crustaceans and larvae that are part of zooplankton.

Very little is known about fish reproduction. It is assumed that they spawn directly in the water column - throwing eggs and sperm directly into the water en masse. Fertilized eggs drift at shallower depths and, as they mature and become heavier, they sink to a depth of a kilometer.

As a rule, all opisthoprocts are small in size, about 20 cm, but there are species that reach half a meter in length.

- a deep-sea fish that lives in tropical and temperate zones at depths from 200 to 5,000 m. It grows up to 15 cm in length, reaching 120 g of body weight.

The sabertooth's head is large, with massive jaws. The eyes are small compared to the size of the head. The body is dark brown or almost black, strongly compressed at the sides, and in compensation for the small eyes there is a well-developed lateral line running high on the back of the fish. In the mouth of the fish, two long fangs grow on the lower jaw. In relation to body length, these teeth are the longest among known to science fish These teeth are so large that when the mouth is closed, they are placed in special grooves in the upper jaw. To achieve this, even the fish's brain is divided into two parts to make room for fangs in the skull.

Sharp teeth, curved inside the mouth, nip in the bud the possible escape of the victim. Adult sabertooths are predators. They hunt small fish and squid. Young individuals also filter zooplankton from the water. In a short period of time, a saber tooth can swallow as much food as it weighs. Despite the fact that not much is known about these fish, we can still conclude that sabertooths are quite ferocious predators. They live in small flocks or alone, making vertical migrations at night to hunt. Having had enough of their time, the fish descend to greater depths during the day, resting before the next hunt.

By the way, perhaps it is the frequent migration to the upper layers of water that explains the good tolerance of low pressure sabertooths. Fish caught near the surface of the water can live in an aquarium in running water for up to one month.

However, despite their formidable weapon in the form of huge fangs, sabertooths often become prey for larger ocean fish that descend to the depths to feed. For example, the remains of saber teeth are constantly found in caught tuna. In this they are similar to hatchet fish, which also make up a significant portion of the tuna diet. Moreover, the number of finds suggests that the population of saber-tooths is quite significant.

Juvenile sabertooths are completely different from adult fish, which is why at first they were even classified as a different genus. They triangular shape, and there are 4 spikes on the head, which is why they got the name “horned”. Juveniles also have no fangs, and the color is not dark, but light brown, and only on the belly there is a large triangular spot, which will “stretch” over time over the entire body.

Saber teeth grow quite slowly. Scientists suggest that the fish can reach 10 years of age.

Hatchetfish

- deep-sea fish found in temperate and tropical waters of the world's oceans. They got their name from the characteristic appearance body, resembling the shape of an ax - a narrow tail and a wide “axe-body”.

Most often hatchets can be found at depths of 200-600 m. However, they are known to be found at depths of 2 km. Their body is covered with light silvery scales that bounce off easily. The body is strongly compressed laterally. Some hatchet species have a pronounced expansion of the body in the area of the anal fin. They grow up to large sizes– some species reach a body length of only 5 cm.

Like other deep-sea fish, hatchet fish have photophores that emit light. But unlike other fish, hatchets use their ability to bioluminescence not to attract prey, but, on the contrary, for camouflage. Photophores are located only on the belly of the fish, and their glow makes the hatchets invisible from below, as if dissolving the silhouette of the fish against the background of the sun's rays penetrating to the depths. The glow intensity of the hatchets is adjusted depending on the brightness upper layers water, controlling it with your eyes.

Some species of hatchetfish gather in huge flocks, forming a wide, dense “carpet”. Sometimes it becomes difficult for water vessels to penetrate this layer with their echolocators, for example for precise definition depths. Scientists and navigators have been observing such a “double” ocean floor since the mid-20th century. Large concentrations of hatchet fish attract some large ocean fish to such places, including commercially valuable species, such as tuna. Hatchets also form a significant part of the diet of other larger deep-sea inhabitants, such as deep-sea anglerfish.

Hatchetheads feed on small crustaceans. They reproduce by throwing eggs or laying larvae, which mix with plankton and, as they mature, sink to depth.

Orsky chimeras

- deep-sea fish, the oldest inhabitants among modern cartilaginous fish. Distant relatives of modern sharks.

Chimeras are sometimes called "a" ghost-cools" These fish live at very great depths, sometimes exceeding 2.5 km. About 400 million ago common ancestors modern sharks and chimeras were divided into two “orders”. Some preferred habitats near the surface. The other, on the contrary, chose great depths as its habitat and evolved over time to modern chimeras. Currently, science knows 50 species of these fish. Most of them do not rise to depths higher than 200 m, and only rabbit fish And rat fish were not seen deep underwater. These small fish are the only representatives of home aquariums, which are sometimes simply called " catfish ».

Chimeras grow up to 1.5 m, however, in adult individuals, half of the body is the tail, which is a long, thin and narrow part of the body. The dorsal fin is very long and can reach the very tip of the tail. What gives chimeras a memorable appearance are their pectoral fins, which are huge in relation to their body, giving them the appearance of a clumsy, strange bird.

The habitat of chimeras makes them very difficult to study. Very little is known about their habits, reproduction, and hunting methods. The accumulated knowledge suggests that chimeras hunt in much the same way as other deep-sea fish. In complete darkness, what is important for successful hunting is not speed, but the ability to find prey literally by touch. Most deep sea creatures use photophores to attract prey directly to their huge jaws. Chimeras, on the other hand, use a characteristic open, very sensitive lateral line to search for prey, which is one of the distinctive features of these fish.

The skin color of chimeras is varied and can range from light gray to almost black, sometimes with large contrasting spots. For protection from enemies, color at great depths is not of fundamental importance, therefore, for defense against predators, they have poisonous spines located in the front part of the dorsal fin. It must be said that at depths of over 600m. this one has quite a few enemies large fish not so many, with the exception of particularly voracious large female Indiancanths. Great danger For young chimeras, they are represented by their own relatives; cannibalism is not a rare phenomenon for chimeras. Although most of the diet consists of mollusks and echinoderms. Cases of eating other deep-sea fish have been recorded. Chimeras have very strong jaws. They have 3 pairs of hard teeth that can bite with great force, crushing the hard shells of mollusks.

based on materials from inokean.ru

The selection presents a wide variety of living creatures that inhabit the depths of the sea: strange and unusual, creepy and frightening, colorful and incredibly cute. Many of them were opened quite recently.

Marine "flycatcher"

These shell-like predators live in deep-sea canyons near California. In terms of their hunting method, they are somewhat similar to carnivorous plants; they attach themselves to the bottom and calmly wait until the unsuspecting prey swims into the gaping mouth. This way of eating prevents them from being too picky about food.

Shark pedestrian

It was discovered off the coast of Halmahera Island (Indonesia). the new kind a shark that “walked” along the bottom in search of prey, exactly like a lizard. Unusual fish a relative of the bamboo shark, it grows up to 70 cm in length. She hunts mainly at night, and her dinner becomes small fish and invertebrates. And, by the way, this is far from the only fish that “walks” along the seabed. Representatives of the bat and lungfish families can walk on fins.

Christmas tree

Lovers marine fauna and divers call this the colorful inhabitants of the Pacific and Indian Ocean. In fact, it is a tubular polychaete marine worm, its Latin name is Spirobranchus giganteus.

Neither fish nor...

This is a mollusk and it does not fit at all into the idea of what gastropods should actually look like. Tethys fimbria are quite large, about 30 cm long, their almost shapeless translucent body is decorated with bright processes irregular shape. Tethys are common in the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, where they slowly glide along the seabed.

Pugaporcinus

If there was a competition for the title of “weirdest worm,” Pugaporcinus would easily beat out all the other participants. These unusual inhabitants ocean depths better known in narrow circles as “flying buttocks”. Their existence became known only recently, in 2007. The creature is no larger than a hazelnut.

Tripod fish

Bright distinctive feature This fish consists of long thin pectoral fins, with which it rests on the seabed and stands in anticipation of prey. It is not surprising that the name of this fish is Brachypterois grallator or simply tripod fish. Scientists still know little about them, since the creatures live at depths from 1000 to 4500 meters. The length of the fish is about 30-35 cm.

Thaumatikht Axel

These representatives of the order of anglerfish were discovered not so long ago, and were named after the Danish prince Christian Axel, who died in the middle of the last century. Axel is considered one of the strangest and most unattractive creatures, although not many people like to live at a depth of 3500 meters (just remember the Internet star - the blob fish). They reach a length of 50 cm, or rather, scientists were able to meet fish of this size. In the creature's mouth there is a special gland with glowing bacteria. To start hunting, the fish simply needs to open its mouth and potential victims will swim towards the light source.

Moonfish

Bat

A fish from the ray-finned family of the same ugly anglerfish. Widely distributed in warm tropical and subtropical seas, except the Mediterranean. Lives at depths of up to 100 meters.

Sea spiders

These harmless creatures live in almost all waters with normal salinity. Like ordinary spiders, their body is relatively small from 1 to 7 cm, but the leg span can be up to 50 cm. sea spiders there are about 1000 species.

Mantis crab

This colorful creature has unique vision and moves with incredible speed, but most of the time the true predator hides in coral reefs at depths from 2 to 70 meters. Sometimes it is called a fighting cancer or even a terrorist cancer. Officially, he is a mantis crab. Why becomes clear at first glance. The segments of the jaws of these crayfish are bent at an angle, like those of mantises. Just like insects, crayfish are able to instantly throw a limb forward, much faster than a person blinks.

Giant underwater pipe

Pyrosomes or fireworms are tiny sea creatures somewhat similar to jellyfish, they are only a few millimeters long, but when united in a giant colony, they create huge translucent tubes up to several meters long. It’s also worth remembering that they are capable of bioluminescence. Imagine a huge underwater tube glowing in the night - a breathtaking sight.