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    Terrifying Creatures From the Deep Sea

    Animals
    Lizard Fish
    Asher Flatt
    By IE Staff

    2:09 PM PST, November 15, 2018

    From nefarious-looking fish to poisonous eels lurking in the depths of the ocean, these deep sea creatures look otherworldly ... but they've all been found right here on Earth.

    1 / 56

    Red Handfish

    Auscape/Getty Images

    This critically endangered fish found in the waters of Tasmania uses its fins as "hands" and can even “walk” along the ocean floor.

    Big Chompers

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Roman Fedortsov of Murmansk, Russia, is a deep-sea fisher whose Instagram account is full of incredible fish, like this one.

    Chapstick Needed

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This guy looks like he needs some moisturizer for those red lips.

    The Sharpest Teeth

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This creature looks like a mix between an alien and a piranha.

    Tongue-Tied

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This fish looks like something straight out of an ‘80s horror movie.

    Stargazer

    Barcroft Media/Getty Images

    With the looks of a horror movie monster, the stargazer is a family of fish with eyes on the top of their head. It is found mostly buried in the mud and sand of Indo-West Pacific waters. 

    A Fish-Like Dragon

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This guy has eyes that look like they could hypnotize a person.

    Spotted

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This fish appears to need some orthodontic work.

    A Pointed Nose

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    One Instagram user commented that this fish looks like a "Knifehead" from the film "Pacific Rim."

    Frogfish

    Barcroft Media/Getty Images

    The creepy frogfish lives in any tropical or subtropical region; its camouflage helps lure prey to their death.


    Monster or Fish?

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Imagine coming across this guy while taking a nice swim...

    Nightmare Creatures

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Are they smiling or are they hungry? Either option is horrifying.

    Spider Hermit Crab

    ullstein bild/Getty Images

    This long-legged sea creature was photographed off Bonaire, an island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea.

    Frilled Shark

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Fedortsov noted that biologists caught this beast off the coast of Portugal.

    The Blob

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Where does it begin and where does it end?

    Otherworldly

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Fedortsov described this monster as an “unusual cod.”

    Wolffish

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Nicknamed “zombies” or the “undead” of fish because of their pallid color, the Atlantic wolffish are some of the scariest-looking fish in the sea.

    Viperfish

    Jérôme Mallefet

    From May to June 2017, a Museums Victoria crew of the RV "Investigator" went on an expedition off the coast of Australia and found some incredible creatures. 

    Lizard Fish

    Asher Flatt

    This deep-sea predator found by the "Investigator" crew has both male and female reproductive organs.

    Dragon Fish

    Jérôme Mallefet

    The dragon fish has the haunting ability to glow in the dark. The red dragon fish emits a red light to capture its prey.


    Rock Crab

    Asher Flatt

    This spiked fellow is definitely one of the sharpest creatures the "Investigator" crew found on their expedition.

    Southern Cut-Throat Eel

    CSIRO Australian National Fish Collection

    Found in the Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve by the "Investigator" crew, this eel dwells in frigid waters over 16,000 feet deep.

    Coffinfish

    Asher Flatt

    Also found in the Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve, the coffinfish lives worldwide on muddy or rocky sea floors.

    Sea Spider

    Robert Zugaro

    Arachnophobes beware: These creatures tread water rapidly and are found worldwide.

    Funky Hair

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Despite that fabulous head of green hair, this creature is not a member of an '80s punk band.

    Atlantic Spiny Lumpsucker

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    With perhaps the most hilarious deep-sea name, the Atlantic spiny lumpsucker has no scales and is instead covered in cone-shaped tubercles. This common species is found across the Canadian Arctic.


    Daggers for Teeth

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Those sharp, razor-like chompers look like they can do some seriously deadly damage.

    Snaggletooth

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    To say this fish has an overbite would be an understatement.

    Cyclops

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    You can never escape the eye of this creature.

    'Say Cheese!'

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This fish gives new meaning to the term “big mouth.”

    Nostrils or Eyes?

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    One Instagram user commented, “Definitely an alien.”

    Molva Molva

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This common ling is found in the northwestern and northeastern parts of the Atlantic, and in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea.

    Osedax Worm

    Maggie Georgieva

    Also known as the zombie worm or bone-eating worm, this slimy-looking creature was photographed by the RV "Investigator" crew.

    Blind Cusk Fish

    Asher Flatt

    The fish with no face is best viewed with an empty stomach.

    Prehistoric Creature

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Fedortsov captioned this, “Dinosaurs did not die off, they simply disguised.” This fish definitely looks like it swam out of "Jurassic Park."

    Eyes as Black as Night

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This looks like the ghost of a sea monster.

    The Thing

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This nightmare was caught in Morocco’s fishing zone and looks like a monster from a John Carpenter film.

    Halibut

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    This halibut looks like it’s seen better days. Part of the flatfish family, halibut have eyes on the end of stalks that pop out from their head. Halibut are found in eastern and western Atlantic waters.

    Big Eyes

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Fedortsov joked that these fish are what a person looks like the day after New Year’s Eve.

    Ghost Shark

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Found in the Southwest Pacific, this mysterious creature can grow up to 4 feet.

    Cow Boxfish

    @ht_impressions/Instagram

    This species of the boxfish family is found in Indo-Pacific waters and can grow up to nearly 8 inches in the wild.

    Skeleton Shrimp

    @ht_impressions/Instagram

    Found in oceans worldwide, these alien-esque crustaceans are also known as "ghost shrimps."

    Jawfish

    @ht_impressions/Instagram

    Most jawfish are small and reside in warmer sections of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. The jawfish featured here was photographed while breeding eggs in its mouth.

    Whiteface Waspfish

    Barcroft Media/Getty Images

    Native to the western Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, the whiteface waspfish has a max length of about 4 inches.

    Blenny

    @rafiamar_/Instagram

    This cranky-looking blenny was photographed in the Bahamas. 

    Maldives Monster

    @rafiamar_/Instagram

    With a face only a mother could love, this guy is quite the beast. He was photographed in the Maldives. 

    Yellow-Lipped Sea Krait

    Auscape/Getty Images

    Found in Indo-Pacific and Atlantic waters, this venomous sea snake is known for its black stripes and yellow nose.

    Tripod Fish

    Robert Zugaro

    The pectoral fins that extend from the body of a tripod fish help to detect any nearby predators. The fish are found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

    Stonefish

    Barcroft Media/Getty Images

    More like stone-cold killer, the stonefish is one of the most venomous fish in the world and is found in the Indo-Pacific.

    Pufferfish

    Barcroft Media/Getty Images

    Some pufferfish are extremely toxic, and in certain species, their liver and skin are poisonous to most animals when eaten. Most pufferfish live in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

    Flathead

    Barcroft Media/Getty Images

    The unusual-looking creature is found in the Indo-Pacific and feeds mainly on tiny fish and crustaceans.

    Vibrant Colors

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    The detailed design of this creature is majestic.

    Spotted Moray

    De Agostini Picture Library/Getty Images

    Quite often seen with its head coming out of a hole and the rest of its body hidden, this eel has a dangerous bite and is found in Western Atlantic and Eastern Atlantic waters.

    Atlantic pomfret

    @rfedortsov_official_account/Instagram

    Found in the Atlantic, Indian and South Pacific Oceans, this bug-eyed fish can grow to a little over 3 feet.

    Ribbon Eel

    @rafiamar_/Instagram

    Found in Indo-Pacific waters, the ribbon eel can grow to over 4 feet. 

    Rhino Scorpionfish

    @rafiamar_/Instagram

    This scorpionfish was photographed in Anilao, Philippines. Scorpionfish are found in Indo-Pacific waters. 

    tags:

    • fish
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