The ocean is home to many strange creatures. Most of which even scientists rarely have the opportunity to see.
Below are living creatures stranger than science fiction novels discovered by scientists in the deep sea.
9. Blood red jellyfish
Researchers from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) discovered a blood-red jellyfish. This is a completely new and unnamed jellyfish species.
This jellyfish was discovered just off the coast of Newport, Rhode Island at a depth of about 700m.
8. Glass octopus
Researchers from the Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) have discovered a rare glass octopus. This strange creature’s body is almost completely transparent, showing only its cylindrical eyes, optic nerves and digestive tract.
The glass octopus was discovered off the coast of the remote Phoenix Islands.
The barrel-eye fish (Macropinna microstoma) has a transparent head, revealing the brain, teeth, bridge of the nose and especially the two eyeballs.
This strange creature was discovered by MBARI scientists at a depth of about 650m in the Monterey underground canyon.
6. Transforming fish
A female, bright orange whalefish was discovered at a depth of approximately 2,013 m off the coast of Monterey Bay, California.
This fish has up to three different shapes from juveniles (tornadoes), males (bignose fish) and females (whale) that change shape from juveniles to adult females.
5. Rainbow Ctenophore – Rainbow Ctenophore
This strange living creature was discovered in an active volcano under the Vailulu sea of the Pacific Ocean.
The 7 rainbow-colored sparkles in the comb jellyfish’s body actually don’t glow, they are just rows of eyelashes. When they encounter waves, they refract light like the colors of a rainbow. These eyelashes glow in the dark as the jellyfish moves through the water.
4. Venus Flytrap Anemone
These strange creatures use sharp tentacles and tiny venomous hooks to inject their prey when they are trapped in a beautiful pink trap similar to a fly trap on the ground.
3. Cosmic Jellyfish – Cosmic Jellyfish
This brightly colored jellyfish belongs to the family Rhopalonematidae. They have gonads attached to separate tubes running along their bodies.
This jellyfish was found by biologists at a depth of 3,000 m below Utu Canyon in the Samoa National Marine Sanctuary. At that time, the jellyfish seemed motionless and waiting for food.
2. Hydroid with an Unfortunate ‘Head’
A lone hydra was found at a depth of 3,770 meters when biologists explored the Mount Leoso area, which lies between the boundary of the exclusive economic zone of Samoa and the Cook Islands.
1. The crested fish has legs
This legged crested fish was the group’s favorite discovery. This creature is extremely special, not only does it look like it almost walks on two small legs, but it also has two “horns” in front of its mouth.