Do you know what's under the sea?
Do you know what's really under the sea? And did you know there are creatures of the
water that are massive?
Join us as we reveal 10 of the biggest underwater creatures that you probably don't know exist.
10.
Japanese Spider Crab For starters, let's think about some sea creatures
you'd see on or near a beach.
What's the first thing you see?
For me, it's a crab.
They're always wandering around, and if you're not careful, you can step on one, and you'll
regret it...trust me on that.
Now, the crab you're likely picturing is small, or if you've seen shows like Deadliest Catch
you'll know that crab can be large depending on their species.
However, none of them have anything on the Japanese Spider Crab.
Not only is this thing massive, it's terrifying to think that this thing actually exists.
And it does, it really does.
This thing from leg to leg is 12 feet long, that's way bigger than any other crab out
there.
What's more, it's actually the largest arthropod in the world, that's pretty impressive.
But still terrifying.
Thank goodness we don't have to see them very often because they often live underwater.
9.
Giant Clams When you hear those words, "Giant Clams",
you likely think about a movie you've seen, or a TV show that exaggerated the massive
size of these clams.
I'm curious though, which one was it for you?
Regardless though, Giant Clams are very real, and they can get very big. in fact, the largest
recorded one is 4 feet six inches wide.
What's more impressive than that though is the fact that the clam is apparently 500+
pounds!
That's heavy.
What's more, they can be found in deep waters as well as shallow surfaces.
Oh, and if you're one of those people who fear getting caught in a giant clam...you're
right to fear that.
For the sheer weight of the clams' body coming down on you will likely make it so you can't
get out without a serious fight.
Yes, they don't grow to the size of regular human adults, but 4 feet is nothing to mock.
Sadly, many species of Giant Clam are endangered, let's hope that stops soon.
8.
Portuguese Man-Of-War The sea is truly full of wonders, and because
of that, we're still trying to learn all the secrets that it holds.
Take, for example, the Portuguese Man-Of-War.
When you look at it, what species of animal do you think it is?
A jellyfish?
A good guess, but that's actually incorrect.
In fact, the Portuguese Man-Of-War is a collection of organisms that work together to move and
act.
It's an incredible feat when you think about it.
As this is a creature that literally has to work together with thousands of others in
order to survive.
On their own, every single one of the organisms would die.
The Man-Of-War has another name that should get your attention, "Floating Terror", that's
because this is a venomous creature, and getting stung by it can be not only painful, but fatal
in the right amount.
Over 10,000 people a year in Australia are stung by the Man-Of-War.
What's more, the Man-Of-War is a carnivore, and uses its army of organisms to ensure prey
and devour them slowly.
Now, why does this fascinating creature make our list?
Well, like a jellyfish, the Man-O-War has tentacles, and they largest recorded ones
have gone 135 feet long.
Which is wrong on so many levels.
To be fair, that's the extreme number, the average is around 30 feet long, but that's
still a lot of reach for a venomous creature.
7.
Ocean Sunfish Sticking with the "oddities" portion of the
ocean, let's talk about the Ocean Sunfish.
This creature is affectionately known as the "Swimming Head".
Can you guess why?
That's right, it's because it doesn't have a tail.
If you look closely at it, you'll see that it's literal all rigid, save for its mouth
of course.
This massive "head" can grow as big as 10 feet long, and tall.
Its fins, which are actually how it swims, can be extended in such a way that it'll make
the creature the same height both length and width wise.
Another thing that makes the Ocean Sunfish interesting is both what it eats, and what
eats it.
The Sunfish actually feeds on small jellyfish of all things.
But they also can eat various fish, and even squids!
As for the predators that feast on the Ocean Sunfish, it's very limited due to its size.
To that end, animals like sharks, orca, and even sea lions are its most vicious predators.
This fish is something else, and that's probably why you didn't know about it.
6.
Giant Squid "Here there be monsters."
Whether on the land, in the air, or in the ocean, there are tales of massive creatures
that roam the waters and have caused havoc for humans that have gotten in their way.
The Giant Squid is most certainly one of them.
In fact, many feel that the Giant Squid is the basis for the legend of the Kraken, which
is understandable given how massive these creatures are.
We're talking 40 feet from the tip of the head to the end of its tentacles, that makes
it the largest Cephalopod in the world.
That's not the only thing of note though.
Because of the fact that they reside mostly in the deepest and darkest waters of the oceans,
scientists honestly haven't had the time or ability to study them further.
Which could mean that there are even bigger versions of the Giant Squid out there, including
the possibility of the Kraken itself truly existing.
...know what?
I'm getting freaked just thinking about it, so let's move on.
5.
Basking Shark Sharks are famous, and notorious for being
some of the most vicious and aggressive creatures within the ocean.
So it might just surprise you to learn that the Basking Shark is not only the second-largest
fish within the ocean itself, but it's also one of most gentle sharks in the water.
That sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?
A massive shark that is gentle.
But it's true, very true, in fact.
Despite the Basking Shark growing up to 40 feet long (which is the current record for
the species), the shark only eats plankton, fish eggs, and larvae.
That just boggles the mind.
What's more, the look of the creature is very unique.
Its mouth is massive, which you would expect from a creature this size, but it's likely
that this mouth allows it to get the food it needs from a wide area.
Other things it doesn't share with its shark brethren is the fact that they're actually
really slow.
To the extent that they don't try and evade things coming towards them, including boats.
However, this has proven to be a bad thing, for their slow speed and gentle nature have
led to them being hunted in great numbers.
Which has led to their population numbers plummeting in some cases.
4.
Whale Shark So, if the Basking Shark is the second-largest
fish in the sea, what's the first?
Well, that would be the Whale Shark, another creature that sounds like an oxymoron, yet
this time works out when you think about it.
After all, whales are massive, and this one definitely qualifies.
True, it's shark nature is downplayed, just like the Basking Shark, but if we're focusing
on size, this is one creature that lives up to the name both times.
The largest recorded Whale Shark came in at just under 62 feet long!
That's nearly 10 times my size!
Which is another thing that scares me to my core...I like being the biggest thing around...let's
move on.
So yeah, the Whale Shark is massive, but yet again, it's a kind creature.
It even likes when humans find it and swim with it.
Proving that Whale instincts trump Shark instincts yet again.
And like its Basking Shark brethren, it eats the smallest of things to survive.
In this case, plankton.
Nature truly is fully of wonders, isn't it?
3.
Oarfish Speaking of wonders, let's talk about one
that is so mysterious, so odd, and so rarely seen that when it first was taken in a picture,
people actually thought of as a hoax.
We speak of the Oarfish.
This is a large fish that is actually the largest "bony fish" alive.
In fact, the largest one found was 36 feet long.
And because of its look, with it being so slender and lacking in details on its sides,
has made many feel that these creatures are the reasons that tales of "sea serpents" or
even dragons were created.
Which would make sense to an extent as they're all over the world in waters that have temperate
or tropical temperatures.
However, just because a creature can be seen, doesn't mean it will.
Remember when I said that the first time it was seen it was thought of as a hoax?
Well, that's because the Oarfish resides in areas of the ocean far deeper than most humans
dare travel.
In fact, some scientists believe that they live at nearly 3000 feet below sea level.
The few times we do see them is when they wash up dead on shore, which makes you wonder
how it got there.
Still, it's not a hoax, that's for sure.
2.
Blue Whale So, we've already talked about the biggest
fishes in the sea, but when it comes to mammals, there is only one candidate, the Blue Whale.
In fact, the Blue Whale is so huge, that it dwarfs many man-made creations.
This is a creature that is nearly 110 feet long!
That's basically an 11-story building, and it probably weighs as much as that building,
if not more!
Their average weight is 441,000 pounds.
Their hearts alone are the size of cars!
Can you hear the awe in my voice?
It's legit, the Blue Whale is a massive and wondrous part of nature.
Which, makes it all the more tragic that these majestic creatures were almost wiped out because
of commercial whaling.
Thankfully, humanity wised up, and they put out a global ban on whaling and were able
to get the numbers of the Blue Whales back to healthy sizes.
They're not out of the woods yet, but they're getting closer, and that is something to be
thankful for.
Here's a fun fact for you.
The "baby" whales?
When they're born, they're already 26 feet long and weigh around 8800 pounds.
That's a big baby!
1.
Lion's Mane Jellyfish When we talked about the Portuguese Man-O-War,
we noted that its tentacles reached at their peak 135 feet long.
But noted that this was a rarity.
In contrast, the Lion's Mane Jellyfish averages a tentacle length of 120 feet.
And that's not including their bodies.
Which means that the tentacles alone are bigger than the biggest creature in the sea via the
Blue Whale.
That's extraordinary, and terrifying.
Shall I add to the terror?
The head of the Lion's Mane Jellyfish has been recorded being 7 feet in diameter.
Interestingly enough, this jellyfish prefers colder waters such as the Arctic Ocean and
the waters of the Northern Pacific Ocean.
Despite their long bodies, they're not that powerful in terms of propulsion, in fact,
they often rely on the oceans very own currents to guide them in one place or another.
Yet, that doesn't seem to be a problem in regards to getting food, for its tentacles
have a very wide range.
The Lion's Mane Jellyfish is the largest jellyfish, and technically the longest creature to reside
within the oceans waters.
If you see one in the water, do your best to swim away before its tentacles sting you.
You'll thank me for it later.