There are numerous creatures that live in the sea. All of us are familiar with the dangerous sharks and stingrays. But not many know of the scariest creatures that are present in those deep waters. These creatures live at the depths of the sea and usually never come to the surface due to which there have been very less sightings. There are only a few such creatures known to man. There might be several species whose existence is not even known. Let me enumerate ten of the scariest sea creatures here.
1.Stargazer Fish
Photo by Paul Flandinette
Named due to the presence of the eyes on the top of their heads making it look like they are staring at the sky. Not only is the eyes, their mouth also is placed upward. Their scientific even means “speckled one who aims at the stars” (when put together in an order that makes sense). They cover themselves in the sand which they are similar in color to at the bottom of the sea and ambush their prey when it passes by. These creatures are venomous, having two large venomous spines. Some species also produce electric shocks. They use these spines to stun prey and ward off predators. Just imagine this creature jumping out all of a sudden.
2.Frilled Shark
Though humans rarely see it, the Frilled shark is mainly seen in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. This eel-like shark was first discovered in the 19th century, but was first seen recently in 2004. Considered to be an old species, it is not as well developed as the other common sharks. It has been commonly confused with sea serpents due to its eel-like appearance. This creature has a whopping 7500 pointed teeth, each tooth having three pointed projections. These teeth are usually used to help consume cuttlefish, octopi, squid, and even other sharks. As for reproduction, their gestation period is also insane coming in at up to 78 months (six and a half years!). If this shark isn’t scary, then what is? 3. Gulper Eel
This eel is also called the Pelican eel due to its mouth resembling the beak of the pelican. It may also be called the Umbrella Mouth Eel because of the way its mouth looks when it is open. The mouth is bigger than its body and opens wide enough to enclose fish bigger than the eel, however, they mainly eat small crustaceans. The end of the tail gives off a bioluminescent, pinkish glow which is used to attract potential prey. They grow up to 2.5 feet long. Like most other eels, they use their tails for movement. These eels live deep in the ocean-to be exact, about 3000 metres below the surface. Still not scared? Keep reading, and you just might be! 4.Fangtooth Fish
The Fangtooth Fish, also known as the Ogrefish,is a quite small creature which grows up to a mere 7.1 inches, can seem very scary due to the appearance of their mouths. Compared to the body, they have very huge teeth which protrudes out of the mouth. These fang like teeth have given the fish their name. Due to the teeth, they can never close their mouth, even though they also have special pockets in their jaws for their teeth to slide into. These creatures live about 5000 metres below the surface of the sea, so deep that no human could possibly go there without getting crushed due to the pressure. Humans have, in fact, kept deeper dwelling Fangtooth Fish alive and well in less pressurized areas above sea level, showing us that their adaptability is quite high. 5.Pacific Viperfish
Also called Sloan’s Viperfish, The Pacific Viperfish, like the Frilled Shark, closely resembles eels. These fish have teeth similar to that of the Fangtooth Fish: large and protruding out of the mouth which makes it so they are unable to close their mouths. These creatures can grow up to one foot in length. These fish are usually present at the deeper areas of the sea, but might swim up to the shallow areas at night as food will be more in the shallow areas. They mainly eat smaller fish and crustaceans. They have glowing bellies which attract the prey. They also have hinged skulls which can turn upwards to capture higher up prey. When there is less than a sustainable amount of food, the viperfish doesn’t worry due to it’s slow metabolism. 6. Humpback Anglerfish
Photo by: NOAA Photo Library
The Humpback Anglerfish’s common names also include the Common Black Devil. This anglerfish, like the 200 other species of anglerfish, has the illicium – a long, weird antenna on top of its head which has a glowing tip which its prey is attracted to. With its jagged teeth and oddly shaped head, it is a very scary looking creature. Black in colour, the female of the species grow to be much bigger than the males. These fish, like the others in the list are found in the depths of the ocean, about 1500-5000 metres deep and are found in all the oceans. Though most humans do not eat the anglerfish, it is considered a delicacy in Japan and is said to be similar to lobsters in taste and texture. 7. Giant Spider Crab
This has to be one of the creepiest creatures on the list because it looks like a creature in one of those fictional horror movies. These monstrous crabs grow up to 12 feet in length and 19 kgs in weight. Found usually in waters near Japan, they have also earned the alternative common name, Japanese Spider Crab. They are also another Japanese delicacy. These creatures are strong and due to the small body and extremely long legs, they pretty much resemble spiders which make them look even spookier. Their claws are so sharp and powerful that they can easily amputate your finger or toe. The best part about them is that they can live up to 100 years. As if they weren’t scary enough... 8. Giant Isopod
Almost all of us would have seen a louse or a beetle right? Imagine that creature being bigger than your hand. How creepy is that? Coming in lilac and brown, they have been known to vary in size from around 3.1 inches to 19.7 inches and can weigh up to 2.5kgs. They can also curl up to form a ball like the armadillo. They have seven pairs of legs,(!!!) one of which one is placed on the sides of the mouth. Thankfully, they live 550 to 7020 feet in depth (and maybe even deeper). The Giant Isopod can go for a very long time, up to five whole years, without eating, but when they do, they eat! These creatures are relatively harmless but creepy looking. 9. Goblin Shark
This is an ancient species of about 125 million years old, and is usually present near the ocean floor. Pinkish in colour, the shark has a long snout. The jaws of this shark can protrude up to the snout when it is capturing its prey. The prey of this terrifying creature includes stingrays, mollusks, crabs, and other low-lying animals. There are numerous nail shaped teeth in its jaws. It can grow up to 6 meters in case of a female and 4 metres in case of a male. The reproduction process has yet to be confirmed because a pregnant Goblin Shark has yet to be found by humans. Though a little sluggish, it has a very fast reflex when capturing the prey. 10. Giant Squid
Photo by: Youtube
Any creature with eight arms can be freaky, but if it is a squid which is about 13 metres in size, it can just put your heart in your mouth out of fear. These squids can grow up to 18 metres in length and have been rumoured to be able to eat large fish including the smaller species of whales. The longest mantle (non-tentacle part of a squid) length recorded is about 2.25 meters, and the longest tentacle length is five meters! Prey is captured and brought up to the squid’s mouth with its two feeding tentacles or grasping tentacles. (Either name is fine.) GIant Squids’ eyes are roughly one foot in diameter, or about the size of a dinner plate. Try to picture that in your mind! It will send chills up the spine.
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