As abyssal fauna is called the entire set of animals that populate the deep sea. They are extremely surprising creatures that have been forced to adapt to a harsh environment where sunlight does not reach. They have monstrous aspects, large mouths, huge and sharp teeth, they are transparent or bioluminescent, etc. Find out more about the Animals of the Deep in this article.
The Animals of the Deep Sea
The ocean floor, which reaches a known depth of 11.000 kilometers, is a territory not yet fully explored, where there are secrets and mysterious-looking creatures that seem to be taken from a science fiction film. Animals with dazzling colors, unimaginable anatomies, bodies endowed with superpowers with the ability to withstand enormous pressure or extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. The beings that live there are some of the most unique that we can find in the sea.
Below we show you a list with a brief review of just a portion of the strange creatures that populate the ocean floor and that are so unusual that even science itself is not even able to study them in detail given the inhospitable nature of the deep sea. .
Eel shark
The eel shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus) is considered a "living fossil", since it is one of the oldest species on the planet, which has hardly changed throughout its evolutionary process since prehistoric times. It stands out for being an elongated and enormous creature, which reaches an average of 2 meters in length, despite the fact that specimens that reach up to 4 meters have been known.
Its jaw, which has 25 rows of 300 teeth, is particularly strong, which enables it to ingest large prey. On the other hand, it has 6 gill holes, when it comes to swimming it does so with its mouth open and its diet consists of fish, squid and sharks.
Fanfin Anglers
The «Fanfin Anglers» (Caulophryne jordani), is a fish that belongs to the Caulophrinidae family and has a very peculiar physical appearance. It usually measures from 5 to 40 centimeters and has a huge mouth with sharp and terrifying teeth. This balloon-shaped creature is equipped with sensitive organs similar to spines that are useful for detecting the movement of its prey. Likewise, its antenna is used to attract and catch its prey.
Goblin Shark
The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is another of the creatures of the deep ocean that surprise us the most. This variety can reach a size of up to two and three meters, however, and stands out for its jaw, full of very sharp teeth, as well as the appendage that protrudes from its face. Despite this, what most characterizes this being is its ability to project its jaw forward when opening its mouth. Their diet consists of teleost fish, cephalopods, and crabs.
Dumbo Octopus
Under the name "Dumbo octopus" the animals of the ocean depths that are part of the genus Grimpoteuthis, which is in turn part of the order of the octopods, are usually called. This name is received from one of the physical features of these creatures, which have two fins on their heads, just like Disney's famous flying elephant.
However, on this occasion, the fins are helpful for the Dumbo octopus to propel itself and swim. This being lives between 2.000 and 5.000 meters deep and its diet consists of worms, crustaceans, snails, copepods and bivalves, which is possible thanks to the propulsion generated by its siphons.
Blobfish or Drop Fish
The drop fish, also known as the smudge fish (Psychrolutes marcidus), is one of the ocean floor creatures that shows a gelatinous appearance since it lacks muscles and soft bones. It lives at depths of about 4.000 meters and has received the first prize as "ugliest fish on the planet" according to the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. It usually measures about 30 centimeters long. This curious animal is sedentary, lacks teeth and only feeds on those prey that come close to its mouth.
Fangfish or Anoplogaster
The Anoplogaster, is a fish of the only genus of the Anoplogasteridae family. They are usually 10 to 18 centimeters long and exhibit teeth that are out of proportion when compared to the rest of their body. The anoplogaster does not have the ability of bioluminescence, but its way of hunting is based on remaining still on the ocean floor until a potential prey approaches and recognizes it through its senses.
black devil
The black devil (Melanocetus johnsonii) or abyssal anglerfish is a variety of fish that measures 20 centimeters in length and feeds primarily on crustaceans. It lives in the sea depths ranging from 1.000 to 3.600 meters, and can even reach 4.000. It presents an aspect that is considered fearsome, in addition to a gelatinous physiognomy. This fish stands out for its bioluminescence, since it has a "lamp" that serves to illuminate its gloomy environment.
Viper fish
Now we will talk about the viper fish (Chauliodus danae), which is an elongated abyssal fish of about 30 centimeters in length, which can reach depths of about 4.400 meters. What is most amazing about this animal is its pointed teeth like needles, with which it attacks its prey after attracting them with the bioluminescent photophores or light organs located throughout its body.
Pompeii Worm
The Pompeii worm (Alvinella pompejana) is about 12 centimeters long. It has tentacles on its head and has a hairy appearance. It is usually found attached to the walls of hydrothermal vents of volcanic origin in ocean trenches. A curious fact about this creature is that it can withstand temperatures of up to 80 ºC while alive.
water bear
These tiny micro-animals of 1 millimeter in length have surprising resistance. They can stay alive in temperatures of almost absolute zero (-273ºC) and up to temperatures of 180ºC and tolerate levels of radiation 1.000 times more powerful than those endured by most animals. They can even return to life after staying dry for a decade and to top it off they are the first known creatures that could survive the vacuum of space.
The Salps
Salps are marine beings that can become the key to combating climate change. These gelatinous-bodied creatures, when moving, pump water through their internal filters while feeding on plankton. Through this process, the salps trap carbon from the water and accumulate it in their excrement, which goes to the bottom of the sea.
dragon fish
The dragon fish (Stomias boa) exhibits a flattened and prolonged body, about 30 to 40 centimeters in length. Its mouth, of enormous dimensions, has long and sharp teeth, so much so that certain specimens are not able to close their mouths completely.
The Barreleye or Goblin Fish
What we recognize as two small prominences on his face… are not his eyes! His eyes are made up of two huge globes located inside his translucent head. The goblin fish can see through its head so that no predator can sneak up on it.
rainbow jellyfish
The rainbow jellyfish does not usually produce these light effects by bioluminescence, nor does it have a disco ball inside. It is its organelles or extremities that, after breaking down the light, produce this beautiful rainbow.
sea spider
If you thought that the sea was free of spiders, you were not right since there are more than 1.300 varieties of sea spiders. Although they are named that way because of their similarity to terrestrial arachnids, they are not related.
bobbit worm
The bobbit worm is a creature that can grow up to 3 meters in length and strike with such force that it can cut a fish in half.
Flower Hat Jellyfish
These jellyfish feed on small fish and can grow or shrink depending on the availability of food in their environment.
Sea Dragon
These fish are related to seahorses. They are slow-moving and thanks to their leaf-like appendages they can camouflage themselves and thus protect themselves from predators.
Marrus Orthocanna
It is one of the rarest living organisms in the world. This creature is made up of a colony of individuals fused together by a kind of column that is common to all of them and that serves to keep them together. It operates as a single living being.
flamingo snail
Many people who collect their shells think they have pretty spots. However, the spots are not part of its shell but of its very flesh, so if the snail dies, its beautiful camouflage also perishes.
atolla
This variety of jellyfish that resembles a UFO is colorful and exotic. Like most jellyfish, it does not have respiratory, circulatory, digestive or central nervous systems.
Sarcastic Fringehead
This variety of fish is very territorial and is regularly found hidden within objects on the ocean floor. When their territory is invaded, they open their huge mouths to scare away their enemies.
glass squid
These beautiful squids are completely translucent. There are 60 classes of glass squid species making them one of the largest families of squid.
sea butterfly
Although they look like butterflies, they are not, they are actually sea snails that can float and swim in the water thanks to two kinds of fins that they have been able to develop.
squidworm
This worm has more than a dozen tentacles on its head, each of which can be longer than its own body, they can surround its mouth and it uses them to collect food.
Pink Sea Cucumber
This species of sea cucumber is typical of high seas regions and is so translucent that you can see its digestive system.
Terrible Lobster Claw
Its discovery took place in 2007 and its characteristics are so strange that it was necessary to create a new family of lobsters so that it could be classified.
Venus Flytrap, Sea Anemone
This sea anemone is called the Venus Flytrap because of its resemblance to the insectivorous plant, which feeds on the beings that are trapped in its “mouth”.
Mola Mola
The Mola Mola is also known as sunfish and is the largest bony fish on the planet. It usually weighs up to 2.200 kilograms.
Red-Lipped Batfish
This variety of fish are not great swimmers but use their fins to "walk" along the seabed.
nudibranch
It is one of the 3.000 known varieties of sea slugs, but the Nudibranch is one of the craziest looking.
Lasso Eel
The lasso eel is part of the terrifying moray eel family. They are male at birth, but as they mature they form female organs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkgrc1rm26M&ab_channel=FilipendulaUlmaria
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