Number 11: Cyclops Shark Technically a Bull Shark fetus, the Cyclops
Shark might just be the cutest and weirdest thing ever pulled out of the ocean.
This cuddly, one-eyed albino could star in its own Pixar movie with its massive one eye
and fully-formed fins.
The Cyclops Shark was found in Mexico by accident.
It’s unlucky mother found herself trapped in a fishing net and died.
When fishermen cut the big predator open, they were shocked to find several baby sharks,
including one with a forehead dominated by one huge eye.
Unfortunately, the Cyclops Shark was unlikely to have survived as well both due to its shocking
color and deformation, which usually results in a miscarriage.
Due to their minuscule chances of survival, Cyclops Sharks are extraordinarily rare, especially
those with albinism.
Number 10: Monkfish You know that any fish nicknamed “The Sea
Devil” is gonna look hella weird, and the Anglerfish certainly does not disappoint.
While we don’t know the story behind this particular picture, we do know that Monkfish,
and other varieties of Anglerfish, are some of the most extreme looking animals in the
ocean.
These deep-sea dwellers don’t often come up to the surface, but when they do, they
are certainly a sight that will give even the saltiest fishermen the heebie-jeebies.
Monkfish are nightmarish blobs of fishy flesh, all big heads and rows of razor-sharp teeth.
The kicker is, no matter how hideous they look, people swear that they taste just like
lobster, making this ugly brute a very popular dinner guest.
These fish swell to roughly four feet long, making them challenging to wrest out of the
ocean.
They also happen to be exceptionally aggressive and don’t take too kindly to being hoisted
up on ships, so if you can catch a Monkfish, you’re bound to reap all of the bragging
rights!
Number 9: Giant Mudskipper If you find yourself casting a line in the
Indian or Pacific Oceans, especially close to a muddy shore, you may just come across
one of the strangest species known to man.
The Giant Mudskipper might be fairly common, but that doesn’t make it any less bizarre.
At 27 centimeters, these creatures are a little over half as long as bowling pins and love
to wallow in tidal pools and close to the shoreline.
They are excellent adapters and can breathe both water and air, but the craziest thing
about them is their super speed.
Some people say that Giant Mudskippers don’t just swim at the speed of light, but they
can outrun a human.
Although a Giant Mudskipper/human foot race hasn’t been necessarily timed, it’s impossible
to argue that these creatures are anything but evolutionary miracles.
Number 8: Sea Lamprey Is it an alien life form or a massive oceanic
parasite?
Sea Lampreys are some of the strangest organisms that you’ll find trawling the seven seas,
and they’ve spread far beyond their native Atlantic Ocean.
These creepy creatures have made their way to the Great Lakes, where they routinely wreak
havoc with the local ecosystem, sucking the blood out of native fish like Walleye, Burot,
and Lake Sturgeon.
Sea Lampreys are prehistoric vampires, coming into existence about 340 million years ago
and surviving multiple extinction events.
While their grit is impressive, you certainly don’t want to come across one of these bizarre-looking
beasts.
With the bodies of eels and one nightmarish sucker- the better to drain your blood- Sea
Lampreys are one weird thing that people have pulled out of the sea, and immediately tossed
right back.
Number 7: Giant Siamese Carp Carp, like Catfish, tend to swell to enormous
sizes when left to their own devices.
Giant Siamese Carp are just one example of this monstrous mutation, and you can find
them all over Thailand, but it’s rare to snag one on a fishing line or net.
For starters, Giant Siamese Carp grow to over 200 pounds, or the cumulative weight of three
full-grown Dalmatians.
They also prefer to feed at the bottom of lakes, ponds, and rivers, well out of the
reach of most fishermen.
Not surprisingly, these fish don’t like to be captured and will likely fight like
hell to get out of nets or traps.
They are bulky and can, and do, seriously injure fishermen who aren’t prepared to
punch above their weight.
A sizable Giant Siamese Carp is a massive trophy in the Land of Smiles!
Number 6: Sawfish Sawfish look like something an imaginative
child would dream up.
Sawfish are big old fish, spanning up to 20 feet, or over half the length of a London
Bus.
What’s really interesting about them isn’t their size though, it’s their snout.
These crazy looking fish have a long, flat snout dominated by tons of razor-sharp teeth
that makes them look like living, swimming saws.
Although there’s not much chance that you’ll be able to wrest an adult Sawfish onto your
boat, juvenile Sawfish have been caught in the waters near West Australia, where their
population is actually endangered due to fishing nets.
Juvenile Sawfish are no joke either, and most of them grow to be at least seven feet long.
That’s still a hell of a surprising catch!
Number 5: Sea Salp Unlike many oceanic animals that are defined
by their bright colors, Sea Salps take on a different path.
They are entirely translucent.
These clear creatures are not wholly uncommon, but it is rare to get one on your fishing
line.
Since Sea Salps feed on plankton, they’re not so fond of traditional lures.
Sea Salps are small, measuring only about four inches long, but they work well as a
team, forging huge chains that spiral out towards the seafloor and stretch as far as
fifteen feet long.
Sea Salps don’t make great eating, but that hardly matters.
Precious few fishermen have snagged these transparent swimmers, so it’s all about
the story.
Number 4: Spotted Wobbegong
This fish’s name might sound silly, but the Spotted Wobbegong is nothing to laugh
at.
These carpet sharks get their name from the yellow, brown, and green splotches all over
their bodies and are 71 inches long, almost stretching as far as a full-length bed.
What makes the Spotted Wobbegong such a unique catch, aside from its bizarre appearance,
is that it’s exceptionally aggressive.
Spotted Wobbegongs don’t just bite humans when they’re afraid; they also get a certain
kick out of it, gleefully tearing into the flesh of any fisherman that gets too close.
Tangle with a Spotted Wobbegong and you are sure to come out with several punctures on
your skin.
These creatures aren’t just a hazard for fishermen.
Swimmers who come into contact with Spotted Wobbegongs often find themselves on the business
end of a nasty bite!
If you manage to get one of these big, cranky fish on your boat, prepare for loads of bragging
rights.
Number 3: Dwarf Lantern Sharks
These itty bitty sharks are only about the size of a human hand and usually find their
sweet spot at 1,000 feet below the waves.
It’s rare to see a Dwarf Lantern Shark above water, but once in a while, fishermen will
pull one up from the depths.
Dwarf Lantern Sharks are rare, and found mostly almost exclusively in the Caribbean Sea.
They also have an incredible superpower.
Their organs can light up, illuminating even the darkest regions of the sea.
Their brilliant self-produced light attracts smaller organisms, which the Dwarf Lantern
Shark feeds on.
Some speculate that their light could also drive away predators, but nobody can say for
sure.
What we do know is that netting one of these adorable creatures would be the catch of a
lifetime for sure.
Number 2: Ratfish These Norwegian deep-sea dwellers are bound
to give anyone the willies.
Ratfish, also known as Ghost Sharks, are ancient creatures with colossal eyes that you will
swear can stare right into the inner depths of your deepest soul.
Why such big eyes?
Ratfish prey on snails, worms, and crabs, and they need their enormous peepers to check
out everything that’s going on at the bottom of the ocean.
Despite their massive eyes, Ratfish are actually relatively small and rarely break through
to the sunshine lands above the surface of the sea.
They prefer scrounging around in the murky depths and seem just as surprised to see us
as we are to see them.
According to the account of Oscar Lundahl, a fisherman in Norway who snagged at Ratfish,
he nearly jumped out of his fishing boat at the sight of his strange catch.
Oscar’s line was 2,600 feet under the surface of the sea, directly in Ratfish territory,
and it took half an hour to raise the catch.
According to the stunned fisherman, the Ratfish was actually delicious and tasted a bit like
Cod!
Number 1: Coelacanth One of the coolest things about our oceans
is that they can be time capsules full of ancient treasures just waiting to be unearthed.
A few lucky fishermen have been able to pull up Coelacanths, prehistoric creatures that
coexisted with the dinosaurs and were thought to have gone extinct 65 million years ago.
In 1938 a living Coelacanth was unearthed, shaking the scientific community and making
us collectively wonder what other gems lurk at the bottoms of our oceans.
Since the first lone Coelacanth was pulled from the bottom, many more have been found,
and there seems to be a small population of these creatures that act as the link between
fish and amphibians.
Coelacanths are nearly seven feet long and weigh about 200 pounds or about a third of
the size of a domestic pig.
These extraordinary creatures give us a fantastic glimpse into what life must have been like
during the reign of the dinos!
Thanks for watching!
Would you rather kiss a Monkfish or race against a Giant Mudskipper?
Let us know in the comments section below.