From an alien-looking fish, to a leafy sea dragon, down to leaping fish that can live on lands, these sea creatures are not only amazing, but are truly strange-looking! Below is a list showing the World”s 10 most strange sea creatures.
Leafy Sea Dragon
Its name will perhaps chill one to death. However, its look will never scare anyone. A remarkably beautiful sea creature, having a number of long, leaf-like appendages, thus getting its name. A relative of seahorse and pipefish, the leafy sea dragon (Phycodurus equess) sports a long, pipe-like snout, and can reach 20–24 cm long. (8–10 in). that it uses to feed. It inhabit the coastal waters of Australia. The leafy sea dragon’s leaf-like appendages serves as camouflage, aiding this vulnerable sea creature to blend in with seaweed. It feeds on zooplankton, shrimps and larval fish. It can live from 5-10 years.
Sunfish
The ocean sunfish (Mola mola), s another very unique sea creature most likely many have never heard before. Considered the world”s heaviest bony fish, adults average about 1,000 kg! This strange fish lives in tropical and temperate regions around the world feeding on various jellyfish, small fish, squid, crustaceans, and eel grass. It has a flattened shape, rough skin texture and silver-gray in color.
Blobfish
This unique, but disgusting-looking deep sea fish inhabits the coastal waters of Australia and Tasmania. The blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus), lives at depth of about 800 meters, where the pressure is about 80 times higher than at sea level. No wonder, it is rarely seen by human and the only way to catch one is by bottom trawling using nets. Having a gelatin-like flesh with a lighter density ratio than water, the blobfish floats just above the sea bed expending less energy on swimming.
Frogfish
This bizarre-looking fish absolutely fits its name. Its appearance resemble that of a cross between a frog and a fish. Found in almost all tropical and subtropical waters around the world, frogfish eat small fish, crustaceans, and even each other. They vary in sizes from as small as five cm to some larger species who grow up to 38 cm. These strange creatures vary in colors, from brown, black, yellow, red, orange, white, green, purple or blue. Their strange color, shape and skin textures aid them to escape predators as well as to lure potential meal. They hardly move that much, instead use their highly developed leg-like pelvic and pectoral to walk along the ocean floor in search for meal.
Barreleye
Another unique sea creature, one may think have come from another planet. Barreleyes is a small deep-sea fish having a dome-shaped, transparent head, full of very transparent scales; and large, telescopic eyes that are generally gazed upwards to spot the presence of potential prey. Inhabiting tropical-to-temperate waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, barreleyes have small toothless mouth, a pointed snout, and small spineless fins. Barreleyes feed on small fish and jellyfish.
Leaping Blenny
The Leaping Blenny (Alticus saliens), is such a very energetic saltwater fish. These unusual sea creatures are found in the Pacific Ocean, particularly in Cook Islands and Society Islands. They are found mostly in damp shallow spots of pitted limestone. A remarkable feature of these fish is their ability to leap from place to place when disturbed and can survive outside of water. The Leaping Blenny averages about eight cm long. They have 14 – 15 soft, elongated dorsal fins, 26 – 27 anal soft rays, and two anal spines. They are oviparous, meaning they lay demersal eggs that hatch outside the body.
Crocodilefish
The Crocodilefish (Cymbacephalus beauport), also known as De Beaufort”s flathead, is a non-migratory bottom-dwelling flathead species. It is found in the tropical waters in the western Pacific regions, the Red Sea, Palau, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Borneo, and the Philippines. They have elongated bodies marked with irregular green markings, nine or 10 dorsal spines, 11 anal soft rays, large pelvic fins, and no anal spines. They can measure up to 70 cm length. Crocodilefish are piscivore (fish eater) and a specialized predator feeding on other species and crustaceans.
JellyNose Fish
Another strange fish on the list, the jellynose fish or the tadpole fish, are small, bottom-dwelling, deep-water fish. These incredibly rare sea creatures are found in the Pacific coast of Central America, Caribbean Sea, and the Indo-pacific oceans. They have a long, gelatinous bodies that can reach two meters in length. They have large heads, a bulbous snout, small teeth, very long tails, and very small caudal fins. These unique fish are normally brown to black in color.
Viperfish
This is one sea creature you would avoid seeing on the waters, harmless or not, its fearsome appearance would make you froze. Viperfish (Chauliodus sloani), inhabits tropical waters of the major oceans living at depths between 457.2 to 2743.2 m. One of the fearsome predators of the deep, they can easily be distinguished by their hinged skull, large bulldog-like mouth and razor-sharp, fang-like teeth. These large teeth are used to immobilize its prey. Viperfish are about 15.0 to 25.0 cm long and can weigh up to 23 g. They are carnivorous feeding on crustaceans such as hermit crabs, shrimp, squid, and consume other little fish.
Hairy Angler
Our last entry on the list is an odd-looking fish that was accidentally discovered by BBC film crew while doing the documentary film The Blue Planet. Making its home at depth over 1,000 meters below the ocean”s surface, they are found in the Indo-Pacific, western North Atlantic and eastern Atlantic oceans. They have small eyes, large dorsal fins, huge mouth, and a stretchable stomach capable of swallowing prey bigger than their size. Their bodies are covered with sensory spines and hairs which help in sensing water vibrations created by possible prey. Hairy-anglers eat fish and crustaceans.
I can just imagine the many other fish species that are yet undiscovered up to now by mankind.
They are indeed unique. I really thought that the leafy sea dragon was a leaf until I saw the picture closer. The others would be interesting to see except the carnivorous ones of course.
These sea animals so to speak are very rare and queer indeed. This is the first time that I see them. What a bunch of strangest sea creatures you have had.
Whoa ang cute naman nin blob fish and sun fish! I want mameng though – the large fish which is larger even than human! 🙂
Strange looking sea creatures indeed! The leafy sea dragon is nice to look at but the blobfish gives me the creeps.
Very strange looking fishes, indeed! The blobfish is so icky looking 😀 but I like the leafy sea dragon. 🙂 so cute
oh my gosh! these are pretty creepy looking animals…I can't even stare at them…lol!
The hairy angler looks very mean and scary!
super natuwa naman ako dun sa leafy dragon. parang gusto ko siya ilagay sa aquarium ko. Dun sa transparent na fish sana pati iniisip niya nababasa din hehe,… naisip ko tuloy panu kayapag ganyan ang tao?
For me the Barreleye is the most strangest yet amazing fish creature listed here.
Those bizarre-looking sea creatures are for my eyes only… They are so unique but I will never hold them even once especially the HAIRY ANGLER. Yuck!!!
Amongst the sea animals featured here Kuya, I've seen the leafy sea horse in Singapore's Sentosa Aquarium. They all look amazing and some ferocious too. I don't think I ever want to be anywhere near the rest with fangs as sharp as a samurai sword! hahaha
Ria C
I still find them adorable though. How did you ever get to compile these?
I still find them adorable though, kahit na strange-looking. How did you ever get to compile these?
blobfishes may be weird but at some point, it's quite a unique pet. 🙂
wow those are indeed very unique sea creatures! have seen blogfish and frogfish on tv before but the rest I only knew them from this blog! thanks!
the blobfish definitely looks horrible.. I think you should add octopuses since they tend to eat their tentacles while they protect their eggs which can be really weird..
So I was like smiling the whole time reading your post like a kid lol! Meeting new world's strangest sea creatures. Leafy sea dragon is really beautiful.
wow! I thought I already got an idea of the most uniquely beautiful sea creatures until I read this! they all look so fascinating! will view them again and marvel at the beauty of creation 🙂
Strange sea creatures, indeed!!!
They look scary, just like the ones we see in the movies. Woooo!
Creepy and strange! The Barreleye looks sad. 🙁
The hairy angler fish looks bizarre, but I want to keep one as a pet. 😀
Im curious about the Sun Fish..
As Ive heard reports of it recently, a huge fish, really remarkable.
Its nice to put a name to these fishes, some I only see in the TV or movies
OMG! the Hairy Angler looks the scariest! Afraid. Although, i appreciate the facts you so early researched, Paps! Another wonderful educational piece. 🙂
those are really strange sea creatures…i have no idea about these until i read here, so another interesting post! 🙂 will let my boy to read this, he might be interested. 🙂
When it comes to animals, I have to admit that I'm more at awe with sea creatures. Unlike animals on land, I feel like sea creatures, especially those in deeper waters, are like aliens. Haha! And there are more unique sea creatures we haven't discovered yet!
These are freaky looking fish. MY kids love the blobfish the most. I always call my kids whenever I am reading your blog KUya hehehe.
they're kind of creepy looking, but it's pretty awesome to know there are sea creatures like this. I wonder if there are creatures in the sea that haven't been discovered yet?
looking at those pictures reminds me of my underwater activities before, I saw a lot and different types of sea creatures. I miss those times.(
leafy see dragon looks yummy to eat haha i can see it as a lettuce but kidding aside the whole lists is amazing!!
That viperfish sure looks deadly, certainly wouldn't like to meet one while in the water.
Whooaaa! I find them fascinating idol, hehe! How I wish they are all present in Manila Ocean Park!
Scary looking naman si Angler at Blobfish. Whew!!!
These animals are totally amazing! Though some of them looks scary!
They are really strange looking water creatures. The barreleye is very interesting. It looks like it pass through an extray machine that you got to see what inside. I find it cool.
Yikees! The blobfish, barreleye and viperfish looks so scary.
That blobfish is scary! But I really like seeing different and unbelievable fish photos. LOL! Just because we're in to that kind of business. I used to think Lionfish was the most interesting one, but not after seeing this. 🙂
love the leafy sea dragon! i've seen one at the Underwater World few years ago.
Ang cute ng leafy sea dragon! sana may pink color din 🙂
a good way to keep away from enemies. hehehe…they look scary…but amaze in that leafy dragon