Content
- Deep Sea Animals: The Abyssal Zone
- Deep Sea Animals: Characteristics
- 10 animals that live under the sea and photos
- 1. Caulophryne jordani or fanfin fisherman
- 2. Snake shark
- 3. Dumbo octopus
- 4. Goblin shark
- 5. Black Devil Fish
- 6. Bubblefish
- 7. Dragon fish
- 8. Fish-ogre
- 9. Pompeii worm
- 10. The viperfish
- Deep Sea Animals: More Species
At abyssal fauna you can find animals with surprising physical characteristics, worthy of horror movies. The abyssal beings of the deep sea live in darkness, in a world little known to human beings. They are blind, have large teeth and some of them even have the ability to bioluminescence. These animals are impressive, very different from the more usual ones, and don't let anyone be indifferent to their existence.
In this article by PeritoAnimal, we'll talk about animals that live under the sea, explaining how the habitat is, the characteristics, and we will also show you 10 examples with images and another 15 names of rare sea animals. Next, we'll reveal to you some of the most mysterious creatures on Earth and some fun facts. Get ready to feel a little scared with these deep-sea animals!
Deep Sea Animals: The Abyssal Zone
Due to the difficult conditions of this environment, the human being has explored only about 5% of marine areas across planet Earth. Therefore, the blue planet, with 3/4 of its surface covered by water, is almost unknown to us. However, scientists and explorers were able to confirm the existence of life in one of the deepest ocean levels, at more than 4,000 meters deep.
The abyssal or abyssopelagic zones are concrete places in the oceans that reach depths between 4,000 and 6,000 meters, and which are located between the bathypelagic zone and the hadal zone. Sunlight cannot reach these levels, so the abyssal marine depths are dark areas, very cold, with great food shortages and enormous hydrostatic pressure.
Precisely because of these conditions, marine life is not very abundant, although it is surprising. The animals that inhabit these areas do not feed on plants, as the vegetation cannot carry out photosynthesis, but on debris that descend from the more superficial layers.
However, there are zones even deeper than the abyssal zones, the abyssal trenches, with depths of up to 10 kilometers. These places are characterized by being located where two tectonic plates converge, and present even more difficult conditions than those described in the abyssal zones. Surprisingly, even here there is a special fauna like fish and molluscs, especially small and bioluminescent.
It is noteworthy that, to date, the deepest known place in the ocean is located in the southeast of the Mariana Islands, at the bottom of the western Pacific Ocean, and is called Marianas trench. This place reaches a maximum depth of 11,034 meters. The tallest mountain on the planet, Mount Everest, could be buried here and still have 2 kilometers of space left!
Deep Sea Animals: Characteristics
The abyssal or abyssopelagic fauna stands out for being a group with a large number of strange and monstrous animals, a consequence of pressure and other factors to which these beings had to adapt.
A particular characteristic of animals that live in the depths of the sea is the bioluminescence. Many animals from this group produce their own light, thanks to special bacteria that have, either on their antennae, used specifically to captivate their prey, or on their skin, to capture or escape dangerous circumstances. Thus, the bioluminescence of their organs allows them to attract prey, escape predators and even communicate with other animals.
It is also common to abyssal gigantism. Huge creatures such as sea spiders, up to 1.5 meters in length, or crustaceans up to 50 centimeters, are common in these places. However, these very particular characteristics are not the only ones that surprise in the animals that live in the open and deep sea, there are other peculiarities that result from the adaptation to live such a surface level distance:
- Blindness or eyes that are often dysfunctional, due to lack of light;
- Giant mouths and teeth, many times larger than the bodies themselves;
- dilating stomachs, capable of ingesting larger prey than the animal itself.
You may also be interested in our list of prehistoric marine animals, check it out.
10 animals that live under the sea and photos
Although there is still a lot to explore and learn about, every year new species are discovered that inhabit these very inhospitable places on planet Earth. Below, we'll show 10 examples with photos of animals that live under the sea which have been identified by man and which are very surprising:
1. Caulophryne jordani or fanfin fisherman
We started our list of deep-sea animals with the fish Jordanian caulophryne, a fish of the Caulphrynidae family that has a very unique physical appearance. it measures between 5 and 40 centimeters and it has a giant mouth with sharp, scary teeth. This round-looking being is provided with sensitive organs in the form of spines, which serve to detect the movements of prey. Likewise, its antenna serves to attract and fish its prey.
2. Snake shark
The snake shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus) is considered a "living fossil", as it is one of the oldest species on Earth that has not changed during its evolution since prehistory.
It stands out for being an elongated and large animal, with an average of 2 meters long, although there are individuals who achieve the 4 meters. The jaw of the snake shark has 25 rows with 300 teeth, and is especially strong, allowing it to eat large prey. In addition, it has 6 gill openings, swims with its mouth open and its food is based on fish, squid and sharks.
3. Dumbo octopus
Under the term "octopus-dumbo" we designate the deep-sea animals belonging to the genus Grimpoteuthis, within the order of the octopuses. The name is inspired by one of the physical characteristics of these animals, which have two fins on their head, like the famous Disney elephant. However, in this case the fins help the octopus-dumbo to propel itself and swim.
This animal lives between 2,000 and 5,000 meters deep, and feeds on worms, snails, copepods and bivalves, thanks to the propulsion generated by its siphons.
4. Goblin shark
The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is another animal from the deep sea that usually surprises a lot. This species can even measure between two and three meters, however, stands out for its jaw, full of very sharp teeth, as well as the extension that protrudes from its face.
However, the most characteristic thing about this being is its ability to project your jaw forward when you open your mouth. Their diet is based on teleost fish, cephalopods and crabs.
5. Black Devil Fish
The black devil fish (Melanocetus johnsonii) is an abyssal fish from 20 centimeters, which feeds mainly on crustaceans. It inhabits marine depths of between 1,000 and 3,600 meters, reaching up to 4,000 meters deep. It has an appearance that some would find fearsome, as well as a gelatinous look. This deep-sea fish stands out for its bioluminescence, as it has a "lamp" that helps you light up your dark surroundings.
If you are interested in knowing more animals that live under the sea, also check out our article on the 5 most dangerous marine animals in the world.
6. Bubblefish
The bubble fish, also known as dropfish (Psychrolutes marcidus), is one of the rarest marine animals in the world, has an appearance gelatinous and without musculature, in addition to soft bones. It inhabits 4,000 meters deep, and boasts the first "ugliest fish in the world" award, according to the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. Measures about a foot in length. This strange animal is sedentary, toothless and it feeds only on the fangs that come close to its mouth.
7. Dragon fish
The dragon fish (good stomias) has a flat and long body, between 30 and 40 centimeters of lenght. The mouth, of large size, has long sharp teeth, so much so that some individuals cannot close their mouths completely.
8. Fish-ogre
The next animal on our list of deep-sea animals is the ogre fish, the only genus of fish in the family. Anoplogastridae. They usually measure between 10 and 18 centimeters in length and have disproportionate teeth compared to the rest of your body. The ogre fish has no bioluminescence capacity, so its way of hunting consists of be quiet on the seabed until prey approaches and detects it with its senses.
9. Pompeii worm
The pompei worm (alvinella pompejana) has an approximate length of 12 centimeters. It has tentacles on its head and a furry appearance. This worm lives attached to the walls of the volcanic hydrothermal vents, in the ocean trenches. A curiosity about these deep-sea animals is that they can survive temperatures of up to 80ºC.
10. The viperfish
We ended our list of deep-sea animals with the viperfish (chauliodus danae), an elongated abyssal fish, 30 centimeters long, which lives in depths of up to 4,400 meters. What is most surprising about this fish are the needle-sharp teeth, which he uses to attack prey after attracting them with his bioluminescent photophores, or light organs, located throughout the body.
Learn more about rare sea animals in our article on Brazil's most poisonous marine animals.
Deep Sea Animals: More Species
To finalize the list of deep sea creatures, here is a list with 15 more names of animals that live under the sea rare and surprising:
- Blue-ringed octopus
- grenadier fish
- barrel-eyed fish
- ax fish
- saber toothfish
- pelican fish
- Amphipods
- Chimera
- stargazer
- giant isopod
- coffin fish
- Giant squid
- Hairy jellyfish or lion's mane jellyfish
- Hell Vampire Squid
- Swallowing Blackfish