Fish that live at great depths are called. Scary and terrible deep sea fish

These animals hide on a variety of ocean depths. Photos and videos of the inhabitants of the seabed may surprise you.

1. Lizard Shark

This shark lives thousands of meters below the surface of the water, but sometimes it surfaces. Perhaps to remind us how unusual the inhabitants of the ocean are. This rarely seen shark inhabits the depths of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Scientists believe that it catches its prey by bending its body and lunging forward, like a snake when attacking, to swallow the victim whole.

2. Deep-sea eel with a mouth like a pelican

An eel with a pelican's head. You can meet this creature at a depth of about one thousand meters; its body length reaches two meters. Bigmouth is probably one of the strangest looking deep sea creatures lurking in the depths of the ocean. With a huge mouth, the pelican is capable of swallowing things much larger than its own size.

3. Saberfish

Despite having such an aggressive-sounding name (its teeth, in proportion to its body, are the largest of any ocean creature), the Sabretooth is quite small and harmless to humans. Horrifying looking, but safe. This is one of the deepest sea animals. A fish with monstrous fangs was discovered at a depth of more than 5,000 meters, where the pressure is 500 times higher than on Earth. A person in such conditions would be flattened like a pancake.

4. Viper fish from Pacific Ocean

While during the day the viper fish remains in the depths, at night it moves to shallower territory, often getting caught in nets sea ​​fish akov. They do not survive in captivity, but this way they were studied in more detail. With its appearance, the viper fish fully deserves a place on the list sea ​​monsters. The Pacific viperfish lives at depths of over one thousand meters and attracts prey with an insidious light.

5. Monkfish

Named after its methods of searching for prey, the angler fish, or angler, uses the fleshy appendage protruding from the top of its head as bait to attract its prey. The monkfish lives at a depth of 2000 meters and attracts its prey in a similar way, using light, like the viper fish. The only difference is that the strange glowing antenna comes out of his head. This makes him look like the scary predator from the cartoon Finding Nemo.

6. Stargazer fish or seabird

The astrologer buries itself in the sand and waits for its prey. Its head always remains up and its eyes look up, and its body structure is ideal for this hunting technique. These fish make their way underground in the sand and leap upward to attack their prey as it swims by. In addition, some varieties are electric and are capable of shocking the victim.

7. Giant Spider Crab

This is the largest crab existing on the planet. It lives approximately 300 meters below sea level, and its claws grow over three meters long.

8. Giant isopod

You can see this arthropod with a 30-centimeter body at a level of more than 2000 meters under water. First and foremost, he is a scavenger with a ferocious appetite.

9. Goblin shark or goblin shark

Little is known about this deep sea creature, as only a few specimens have ever been caught by fishing boats, but those rare sightings have been enough to earn it a fearsome reputation. With a prominent snout and retractable jaws, physical characteristics goblin sharks are worthy of its name. The goblin shark reaches up to 3.5 meters in length and lives more than 1,300 meters below the sea surface.

10. Giant squid Architeuthis

Rarely seen by humans, the giant squid has become the stuff of legends over the centuries. It lives deep underwater, its only real enemy is the sperm whale. In fact, these two giants are known for their deep naval battles, and their bodies are often found with signs of mortal combat. The length of this giant squid reaches 18 meters, which is equivalent to a six-story building.

11. Blind lobster Dinochelus ausubeli

This lobster was discovered only in 2007 in the depths of the ocean near the Philippines.

12. Large Mouth Shark

Since opening in 1976, this extremely rare view The deep-sea shark has rarely been spotted by humans and there is as yet no agreement in the scientific community as to how to actually classify it. The most distinctive feature is her gaping mouth, which largemouth shark used to swallow plankton and fish. The pelagic largemouth shark grows up to 5.5 meters, and the rare deep-sea animal feeds on plankton.

13. Giant marine polychaete worm

The length of an adult predator can reach an incredible 2-3 meters, and its appearance will make you truly terrified.

14. Dragon fish

Despite the fact that it lives at depths of almost two kilometers, the dragon fish is born from eggs actually on the surface of the ocean. Like many other deep-sea creatures, she eventually becomes capable of creating her own light, using a technique known as bioluminescence, and then retreats into the depths. One of the many light-emitting photophores can be found on the barbel attached to the lower jaw, which the dragonfish most likely uses to search for food.

15. Vampire Squid

With the most big eyes(in proportion to the body) than any animal in the world, it is deep-sea sea ​​creature born to live in the depths. And despite the name, the vampire does not suck blood; in fact, its tentacles do not have suction cups. The squid's name comes from its intensely red eyes and cape.

16. Big red jellyfish

This is amazing big jellyfish can grow over one meter in length and has a distinctive red coloration. Instead of tentacles, deep sea sea ​​jellyfish uses a series of fleshy “arms” to capture its prey.

17. Drop fish

Primarily found in the deep waters off Australia and New Zealand, the blobfish lives at depths of more than 1,200 meters. The pressure here is several dozen times higher than at the surface, so its body is a gelatinous mass.

18. Coffin fish

Reminiscent of pink balloon, these deep sea hunters are something of a cross between a dogfish and a monkfish. Although they lure their prey using bloat, they also transform into a ball when threatened.

19. Chimera fish

To avoid being confused with a chimera from Greek mythology These creatures are also known as phantom sharks, and although they live in all layers of the oceans, today they are mainly limited to the deep sea level.

20. Amphipod

Although these tiny crustaceans are usually no larger than an inch, in the depths of the Pacific Ocean floor, about 6 kilometers from the surface, they can grow up to 30 centimeters in length.

21. Dumbo the Octopus

Named after the elephant in the Disney film, this octopus isn't quite as terrifying as the frillied shark, but it looks just as scary from the outside.

22. Snaggletooth

There's no way to describe this deep sea creature without using some "very ugly" words. Like several other species on this list, due to living in such depths, the snaggletooth is capable of creating its own light and uses this ability to search for prey.

23. Axefish

To avoid confusion with the freshwater carnegiella found in many home aquariums, this species is named because distinctive shape bodies in the form of an axe. Living at extreme depths, the fish has two tubular eyes that point upward to make it easier to catch food coming from above.

24. Opisthoproct

Also known as ghost fish, these strange-looking creatures are similar to hatchet fish in that they have two upward-pointing eyes to better locate prey. Their distinguishing feature, however, is their transparent head.

25. Grenadier fish

One of the more outstanding deep sea inhabitants The grenadier is estimated to make up about 15 percent of the deep sea population. Grenadiers can be found at depths greater than 6 kilometers; there are few other creatures that can survive in such a hostile environment.

26. Blue-ringed octopuses

Although it may not look as physically imposing as some of the other creatures on this list, the blue-ringed octopus is one of the most dangerous animals in the ocean. Its poison is extremely powerful and there is no antidote for it.

27. Black Crookshanks

The Black Crookshank is famous for its ability to swallow prey that is much larger than itself. It is small in size, but can actually swallow prey ten times its own weight.

In the depths of the seas and oceans, a completely different world reigns: special flora and fauna, represented by many varieties, have not yet revealed half of their secrets to humanity. Every year, thanks to developing technologies, scientists are able to explore new areas and discover unique species of deep-sea animals.

The creatures that live in little-explored waters often amaze with their appearance - not always cute, but certainly entertaining and mysterious. We invite you to immerse yourself in a strange and wonderful underwater kingdom with its extravagant inhabitants.

1. Moonfish (Mola-mola)

The sunfish (sunfish, headfish) is the largest in the world bone fish. The laterally flattened and somewhat elongated body shape, combined with an impressive size, produces strong impression In addition, many individuals of this species reach three meters, if you calculate the distance between the fins. This huge fish is found in all oceans located in tropical and temperate climate. The giant feeds on zooplankton, and also, most likely, small fish and algae.

2. Giant isopod

The giant isopod, without a doubt, can be called one of the strangest creatures encountered by man in the underwater world. Known to science as Bathynomus giganteus, it belongs to the group of crustaceans, being the largest member of the Bathynomus family, related to shrimp and crabs.

3. Pelagic megamouth shark

It is difficult to describe the largemouth shark better than its name does - a shark with a huge mouth. Its streamlined head is somewhat lost behind the scale of its protruding jaws. The shark's body is decorated with white spots covering the tips of the fins, as well as a dark triangle at the throat. Average length This strange sea creature is 4.5 m, although scientists have discovered specimens larger than five meters. The largemouth shark weighs about 750 kg.

4. Long-horned sabertooth

Known to the scientific world as Anoplogaster Cornuta, this fearsome creature lives in the deep waters of many of the world's oceans. Sabertooth got its eloquent name because of the very impressive appearance of its fanged mouth. The teeth of this fish are considered to be the longest in proportion to body size among all sea inhabitants. For its grotesque appearance, the saber tooth earned the nickname “ogre fish.”

5. Hauliod (viperfish)

One of the most violent underwater predators is the hauliod. His teeth are so large that they do not fit into his mouth, curving down to his eyes. It is believed that such a formidable weapon helps the fish inflict critical wounds on its victims while chasing them at high speeds. This creepy-looking creature has a long dorsal fin topped with a photophore, a light-producing organ.

6. Grenadier fish

This species lives just above the seabed. Slowly swimming along its surface, the fish looks for live prey for food, although it turns out that it is not at all averse to tasting underwater carrion. In addition to its rather impressive appearance, the grenadier has the ability to secrete a specific chemical compound with an extremely pungent odor. So it’s really not easy to get close to this small underwater monster.

7. Deep Sea Glass Squid

Extremely curious species can be found at mid-ocean depths, where rays of light reaching through the water column in combination with the translucent bodies of underwater inhabitants create a spectacular camouflage for the latter. For even better camouflage, some creatures, such as the glass squid, have acquired bioluminescent organs located under their eyes.

8. Monkfish (football fish)

In addition to its interesting appearance, the monkfish also has other interesting features. For example, the males of this fish attach themselves to the body of a much larger female and spend most of their lives in this position. While the lady takes care of her harem, gets food and builds a nest, the task of her many husbands is only to fertilize.

9. Pacific Black Dragon

Female Pacific black dragons grow up to 61 cm in length and have rather menacing-looking fangs, as well as a small beard. In comparison with their impressive female friends, males cannot boast of their size (about 8 cm), teeth, mustaches or beards. They don’t even have a stomach, so they are not destined to eat in their short lives. The only mission of the brownish male Pacific black dragon is to have time to mate with the female, who then also uses the body of her former friend as bait for prey.

10. Largemouth (pelican fish)

The long body of the pelican fish turns into an equally long tail with a light-producing organ at the end. On average, this ancient inhabitant of the seas can grow up to 80 cm. Its habitat is the waters of tropical and temperate climates.

This article contains a selection of the most unusual inhabitants world ocean. Of course, these amazing representatives underwater world You're unlikely to catch it while fishing. Even if you have special fishing gear available, purchased on the website. In addition to fishing products, you can read a lot here interesting articles about fishing and learn useful tips, which will be useful to every fisherman.

Ambon scorpionfish

Opened in 1856. Easily identified by its huge “eyebrows” - specific growths above the eyes. Able to change color and shed. Conducts a “guerrilla” hunt - camouflaging at the bottom and waiting for the victim. It is not uncommon and has been quite well studied, but its extravagant appearance simply cannot be ignored!

Psychedelic frog fish

Opened in 2009. Very unusual fish- the caudal fin is curved to the side, the pectoral fins are modified and look like the paws of land animals. The head is large, the widely spaced eyes are directed forward, like in vertebrates, due to which the fish has a peculiar “facial expression”. The color of the fish is yellow or reddish with sinuous white-blue stripes diverging in different directions from the eyes blue color. Unlike other fish that swim, this species moves as if jumping, pushing off the bottom with its pectoral fins and pushing water out of the gill slits, creating jet thrust. The tail of the fish is curved to the side and cannot directly direct the movement of the body, so it oscillates from side to side. The fish can also crawl along the bottom using its pectoral fins, moving them like legs.

Rag picker

Opened in 1865. Representatives of this type of fish are notable for the fact that their entire body and head are covered with processes that imitate algae thalli. Although these processes are similar to fins, they do not take part in swimming and serve for camouflage (both when hunting shrimp and for protection from enemies). It lives in the waters of the Indian Ocean, washing southern, south-eastern and south-western Australia, as well as northern and eastern Tasmania. It feeds on plankton, small shrimp, and algae. Having no teeth, the rag picker swallows its food whole.

Moon fish

Opened in 1758. The laterally compressed body is extremely high and short, which gives the fish an extremely strange appearance: it resembles a disk in shape. The tail is very short, wide and truncated; the dorsal, caudal and anal fins are interconnected. The skin of the moonfish is thick and elastic, covered with small bony tubercles. The sunfish can often be seen lying on its side on the surface of the water. An adult sunfish is a very poor swimmer, unable to overcome strong currents. It feeds on plankton, as well as squid, eel larvae, salps, ctenophores and jellyfish. It can reach gigantic sizes of several tens of meters and weigh 1.5 tons.

Broad-nosed chimera

Opened in 1909. Absolutely disgusting looking jelly fish. It lives on the deep bottom of the Atlantic Ocean and feeds on mollusks. Extremely poorly studied.

Cloaked

Opened in 1884. These sharks look much more like a strange sea snake or eel than their closest relatives. In the frilled shark, the gill openings, of which there are six on each side, are covered with skin folds. In this case, the membranes of the first gill slit cross the throat of the fish and are connected to each other, forming a wide skin blade. Along with the goblin shark, it is one of the rarest sharks on the planet. No more than a hundred specimens of these fish are known. They have been studied extremely poorly.

Coelacanth Indonesian

Opened in 1999. A living fossil and probably the oldest fish on Earth. Before the discovery of the first representative of the coelant order, which includes the coelacanth, it was considered completely extinct. Time of divergence of two modern species coelacanth is 30-40 million years old. No more than a dozen were caught alive.

Hairy monkfish

Opened in 1930. Very strange and scary fish that live on the deep bottom, where there is no sunlight - from 1 km and deeper. To lure the inhabitants depths of the sea uses a special luminous growth on the forehead, characteristic of the entire order of anglerfish. Thanks to its special metabolism and extremely sharp teeth, it can eat anything it comes across, even if the prey is many times larger and is also a predator. It reproduces no less strangely than it looks and eats - due to its unusual harsh conditions and the rarity of fish, the male (ten times smaller than the female) attaches himself to the flesh of his chosen one and transmits everything necessary through the blood.

Blob fish

Opened in 1926. Often mistaken for a joke. In fact, this is a completely real species of deep-sea bottom-dwelling marine fish of the psycholute family, which on the surface takes on a “jelly” appearance with a “sad expression.” It has been poorly studied, but this is enough to recognize it as one of the most bizarre. The photo shows a copy from the Australian Museum.

Smallmouth macropinna

Opened in 1939. Lives on quite great depth, therefore poorly studied. In particular, the principle of fish vision was not entirely clear. It was believed that she must experience very great difficulties due to the fact that she can only see up. Only in 2009 was the structure of the eye of this fish fully studied. Apparently, when trying to study it earlier, the fish simply could not tolerate the change in pressure. The most notable feature of this species is the transparent, dome-shaped shell that covers the top and sides of its head, and the large, usually upward-pointing, cylindrical eyes that lie underneath this shell. A dense and elastic covering shell is attached to the scales of the back at the back, and on the sides to the wide and transparent periocular bones, which provide protection for the organs of vision. This covering structure is usually lost (or at least very badly damaged) when fish are brought to the surface in trawls and nets, so its existence was not known until recently. Under the covering shell there is a chamber filled with a transparent liquid, in which, in fact, the eyes of the fish are located; The eyes of living fish are bright green and separated by a thin bony septum, which, extending backwards, expands to accommodate the brain. In front of each eye, but behind the mouth, is a large rounded pouch that contains an olfactory receptor rosette. That is, what at first glance appears to be eyes in photographs of live fish is actually an olfactory organ. Green color caused by the presence of a specific yellow pigment in them. It is believed that this pigment provides special filtering of light coming from above and reduces its brightness, allowing the fish to discern the bioluminescence of potential prey.

Despite the fact that water occupies 70% of the surface of our planet, the oceans remain a mystery to humans. No more than 5% of the world's oceans have been explored, the rest of it is beyond human knowledge. But several interesting information nevertheless, it was possible to obtain, for example, what creatures live deep under water, where it does not penetrate sunlight.
1 place. Bathysaurus

This lizard-headed creature is very reminiscent of long-extinct dinosaurs in a reduced form. This similarity is probably why it got its name. Bathisaurus lives in the seas of tropical and subtropical climates at depths from 600 to 3500 meters and reaches a length of 50-65 cm. It is considered the deepest predator, a mini-killer machine that devours everything that gets in its way. Bathysaurus even has teeth on its tongue. By the way, this monster is a hermaphrodite, i.e., it has both male and female sexual characteristics.

2nd place. Angler

This is probably the ugliest creature in the world; when you see it, you can’t help but be scared. There are about 200 species of deep-sea monkfish, most of them found in the Atlantic Ocean. Some of these creatures grow up to a meter, and they lure prey with a glowing tail. Their mouth is so large and their body is so flexible that they can swallow prey twice their size.

3rd place. frilled shark

This prehistoric creature lived and hunted well back in the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth. People very rarely have the opportunity to see this formidable predator, since the frilled shark prefers to stay at a depth of 1500 meters, where it hunts mainly for cephalopods.

4th place. Fish - drop

This fish somewhat resembles a person with an unhappy expression on his face, upset by his ugliness. It lives mainly off the coast of Tasmania at a depth of 800 meters and feeds on mollusks and sea ​​urchins. The blob fish does not have an air bubble, and its body consists of a jelly-like substance, slightly denser than water, which allows it to easily move along the seabed.

5th place. Pisces - Leo

According to some reports, the lion fish appeared in the Caribbean Sea relatively recently, and became a real disaster for the local inhabitants. Unfamiliar with this type of fish, many try to taste it, and as a result they themselves become prey. These fish have poisonous spines, so the only one who can eat a lion fish is another lion fish, since they are not only predators, but also cannibals.

6th place. Fish - viper

This deep-sea fish is known as one of the most ruthless predators of the seabed. She is easily recognized by her large mouth with huge sharp fangs. In fact, the teeth are so long that they don't fit in her mouth and reach her eyes. Like the monkfish, the viperfish lures its prey with its glowing tail and pierces it with its terrible teeth. Her body is so flexible that she is able to swallow victims larger than herself.

7th place. Woodlice eating tongue

8th place. Sac-eater, or black eater

This fish, up to 30 cm long, lives in the seas of a subtropical climate. It got its name because of its elastic stomach, which can accommodate fish four times the size of the bagworm. The lower jaw has no bony connection to the skull, and there are no ribs on the stomach. All this helps the fish swallow food.

9th place. Macropinna Microstoma

This small fish is known for its transparent head, inside of which there are green eyes. It lives in the cool waters of the Pacific and Northern Arctic Ocean at a depth of 200 to 600 meters.

10th place. Sea bat

This is a bottom-dwelling fish, very reminiscent of a stingray, lives mainly in warm waters seas and oceans at depths from 200 to 1000 meters. She has big head and a small tail, the body itself is practically absent. The bat does not know how to swim, and crawls along the bottom with reluctance. Basically, he just lies there and waits for the food to swim up to him.

Seas and oceans occupy more than half the area of ​​our planet, but they are still shrouded in mysteries for humanity. We strive to conquer space and are looking for extraterrestrial civilizations, but at the same time, only 5% of the world's oceans have been explored by humans. But this data is enough to be horrified by what creatures live deep underwater, where sunlight does not penetrate.

1. Common chauliod (Chauliodus sloani)

The Chauliod family includes 6 species of deep-sea fish, but the most common of them is the common hauliod. These fish live in almost all waters of the world's oceans, with the exception of cold waters. northern seas and the Arctic Ocean.

Chauliodas got their name from the Greek words “chaulios” - open mouth, and “odous” - tooth. Indeed, these relatively small fish (about 30 cm in length) have teeth that can grow up to 5 centimeters, which is why their mouth never closes, creating a creepy grin. Sometimes these fish are called sea vipers.

Howliods live at depths from 100 to 4000 meters. At night they prefer to rise closer to the surface of the water, and during the day they descend into the very abyss of the ocean. Thus, during the day, fish make huge migrations of several kilometers. With the help of special photophores located on the hauliod's body, they can communicate with each other in the dark.

On the dorsal fin of the viper fish there is one large photophore, with which it lures its prey directly to its mouth. After which, with a sharp bite of needle-sharp teeth, the hauliods paralyze the prey, leaving it no chance of salvation. The diet mainly includes small fish and crustaceans. According to unreliable data, some individuals of hauliods can live up to 30 years or more.

2. Long-horned sabertooth (Anoplogaster cornuta)

The long-horned sabertooth is another fearsome deep-sea predatory fish, living in all four oceans. Although the saber tooth looks like a monster, it grows to a very modest size (about 15 centimeters in length). The head of the fish with a large mouth occupies almost half the length of the body.

The long-horned sabertooth got its name due to its long and sharp lower fangs, which are the largest in relation to body length among all fish known to science. The terrifying sight of a saber tooth earned him unofficial name- "fish-monster".

Adults can vary in color from dark brown to black. The younger representatives look completely different. They are light gray in color and have long spines on their heads. The sabertooth is one of the deepest-sea fish in the world; in rare cases, they descend to depths of 5 kilometers or more. The pressure at these depths is enormous, and the water temperature is about zero. There is catastrophically little food here, so these predators hunt for the first thing that gets in their way.

3. Dragonfish (Grammatostomias flagellibarba)

The size of the deep-sea dragon fish absolutely does not fit with its ferocity. These predators, which reach a length of no more than 15 centimeters, can eat prey two or even three times its size. Dragon fish live in tropical zones of the World Ocean at depths of up to 2000 meters. The fish has a large head and a mouth equipped with many sharp teeth. Like the Howlyod, the dragonfish has its own bait for prey, which is a long whisker with a photophore at the end, located on the fish's chin. The hunting principle is the same as for all deep-sea individuals. Using a photophore, the predator lures the prey to maximum close quarters, and then with a sharp movement inflicts a fatal bite.

4. Deep sea anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius)

The deep-sea anglerfish is rightfully the ugliest fish in existence. There are about 200 species of anglerfish, some of which can grow up to 1.5 meters and weigh 30 kilograms. Because of its creepy appearance and bad character, this fish was nicknamed the monkfish. live deep sea anglerfish everywhere at a depth of 500 to 3000 meters. The fish has a dark brown color, a large flat head with many spines. The devil's huge mouth is strewn with sharp and long teeth, curved inward.

Deep-sea anglerfish have pronounced sexual dimorphism. Females are tens of times larger than males and are predators. Females have a rod with a fluorescent appendage at the end to attract fish. Anglers spend most of their time on seabed, burrowing into sand and silt. Due to its huge mouth, this fish can completely swallow prey that is twice its size. That is, hypothetically, a large individual anglerfish could eat a person; Fortunately, there have never been such cases in history.

5. Bagworm (Saccopharyngiformes)

Probably the strangest inhabitant of the deep sea can be called the bagmouth or, as it is also called, the pelican-shaped largemouth. Due to its abnormally huge mouth with a bag and a tiny skull in relation to the length of the body, the bagmouth looks more like some kind of alien creature. Some individuals can reach two meters in length.

In fact, bagmouths belong to the class of ray-finned fish, but these monsters do not have too many similarities with the cute fish that live in warm sea backwaters. Scientists believe that the appearance of these creatures changed many thousands of years ago due to their deep-sea lifestyle. Bagmouths have no gill rays, ribs, scales or fins, and the body is oblong with a luminous appendage on the tail. If not big mouth, then the bagmouth could easily be confused with an eel.

Bagworms live at depths from 2000 to 5000 meters in three world oceans, except the Arctic Ocean. Since there is very little food at such depths, bagmouths have adapted to long breaks in eating, which can last more than one month. These fish feed on crustaceans and other deep-sea brethren, mainly swallowing their prey whole.

6. Giant squid (Architeuthis dux)

The elusive giant squid, known to science as Architeuthis dux, is the world's largest mollusc and is thought to reach a length of 18 meters and weigh half a ton. On this moment A live giant squid has never yet fallen into human hands. Until 2004, there were no documented cases of encountering a living giant squid, and the general idea of ​​these mysterious creatures was formed only from the remains washed ashore or caught in fishermen’s nets. Architeuthis live at depths of up to 1 kilometer in all oceans. In addition to their gigantic size, these creatures have the largest eyes among living creatures (up to 30 centimeters in diameter).

So in 1887, the largest specimen in history, 17.4 meters long, washed up on the shores of New Zealand. In the next century, only two large dead representatives of the giant squid were discovered - 9.2 and 8.6 meters. In 2006, Japanese scientist Tsunami Kubodera managed to capture on camera a living female 7 meters long. natural environment habitat at a depth of 600 meters. The squid was lured to the surface by a small bait squid, but an attempt to bring a live specimen on board the vessel was unsuccessful - the squid died from multiple injuries.

Giant squids are dangerous predators, and their only natural enemy is adult sperm whales. There are at least two described cases of fight between squid and sperm whale. In the first, the sperm whale won, but soon died, suffocated by the giant tentacles of the mollusk. The second battle took place off the coast South Africa, then the giant squid fought with the baby sperm whale, and after an hour and a half fight, he still killed the whale.

7. Giant isopod (Bathynomus giganteus)

Giant isopod, known to science, like Bathynomus giganteus, is largest species crustaceans. The average size deep-sea isopods range from 30 centimeters, but the largest recorded specimen weighed 2 kilograms and was 75 centimeters long. By appearance giant isopods similar to woodlice, and like the giant squid are a consequence of deep-sea gigantism. These crayfish live at a depth of 200 to 2500 meters, preferring to bury themselves in silt.

The body of these creepy creatures is covered with hard plates that act as a shell. In case of danger, crayfish can curl into a ball and become inaccessible to predators. By the way, isopods are also predators and can feast on a few small deep-sea fish and sea ​​cucumbers. Powerful jaws and strong armor make the isopod a dangerous opponent. Although giant crayfish love to feast on live food, they often have to eat the remains of shark prey that fall from upper layers ocean.

8. Latimeria chalumnae

The coelacanth, or coelacanth, is a large deep-sea fish whose discovery in 1938 became one of the most important zoological discoveries of the 20th century. Despite its unattractive appearance, this fish is notable for the fact that for 400 million years it has not changed its appearance and body structure. In fact, this unique relict fish is one of the oldest living creatures on planet Earth, which existed long before the appearance of dinosaurs.

Coelacanth lives at a depth of up to 700 meters in the waters of the Indian Ocean. The length of the fish can reach 1.8 meters and weigh more than 100 kilograms, and the body has a beautiful blue tint. Since coelacanth is very slow, it prefers to hunt great depths where there is no competition with more fast predators. These fish can swim backwards or belly up. Despite the fact that the meat of the coelcanth is inedible, it is often the target of poaching among local residents. Currently ancient fish is in danger of extinction.

9. Goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni)

The deep sea goblin shark, or goblin shark as it is also called, is the most poorly studied shark to date. This species lives in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean at a depth of up to 1300 meters. The largest specimen was 3.8 meters long and weighed about 200 kilograms.

The goblin shark got its name due to its eerie appearance. Mitsekurina has movable jaws that move outward when bitten. The goblin shark was first accidentally caught by fishermen in 1898, and since then 40 more specimens of this fish have been caught.

10. Hell Vampire (Vampyroteuthis infernalis)

Another relict representative of the sea abyss is a one-of-a-kind cephalopod-detritus feeder, which has external resemblance, both with squid and octopus. Yours unusual name The hellish vampire got it thanks to his red body and eyes, which, however, depending on the lighting, can be blue. Despite their terrifying appearance, these strange creatures grow to only 30 centimeters and, unlike other cephalopods, eat exclusively plankton.

The body of the hellish vampire is covered with luminous photophores, which create bright flashes of light that scare away enemies. In case of exceptional danger, these small mollusks turn their tentacles along the body, becoming like a ball with spikes. Hellish vampires live at depths of up to 900 meters, and can thrive in water with an oxygen level of 3% or lower, critical for other animals.