From fish you might know of, to ones that will haunt your nightmares, join me as I show
you creatures that live in the Mariana Trench that are scarier than the Megalodon!
9.
Anglerfish When it comes to Mariana Trench, despite its
mystery and wonder, there are a few species that are known to the world at large.
One such species is the Angler Fish.
This creature is a hunter and killer like few others, and its tricks its opponents to
come to it.
Ironically enough, the Anglerfish is actually called the "Seadevil" by some.
Which is appropriate because its face and body definitely remind you of a demon.
Its teeth are huge and sharp, and the eyes alone are enough to scare any who see it.
And yet, when you think of the Angler Fish, you think of the "lure" that it has on its
head.
This unique evolution is actually a protrusion that was born out of its body.
If you're curious, yes, it glows, making it one of the few sources of light down in the
Mariana Trench (as its 36,000 feet below sea level, thus light can't reach it).
It'll turn the light on just enough to illuminate the area without revealing itself (it's got
a few inches to do so thanks to the length of the protrusion).
As the light shines, fish will slowly approach, curious about the light and its source, and
while they're distracted by it, the Angler Fish will get closer and closer with its mouth,
and then eat the fish while they're looking at the lure.
A very interesting thing to know though about this creature is that 90% of the time, the
Angler Fish you'll see are females, as they can grow to be 8 inches long.
In contrast, the males are only about an inch.
If you're curious how that allows them to breed, it's actually kind of creepy in that
they "fuse" together in order to breed, not unlike a parasite.
And if you're curious, yes, that is indeed the creatures that Marlin and Dory almost
got eaten by in Finding Nemo. "happy feeling gone."
8.
Frilled Shark Known as the "living fossil", the Frilled
Shark is a special of shark that doesn't resemble many of the species of shark that live in
the oceans today.
Or more accurately, it does not have many of the "standard" features a shark is known
for.
It doesn't have a large dorsal fin, instead, it has numerous fins on the side and bottom
of its body.
Its skin also looks very rugged and worn, which many have likened to certain types of
eels.
In fact, the Frilled Shark has been compared to an eel a lot because of its length and
movement capabilities.
Which is appropriate that given that it's only about 6.6 feet long at max.
Given its features, many have labeled the Frilled Shark as not just a living fossil
but as a "primitive" being given that it doesn't have certain things that modern sharks, or
even eels, have to survive in these waters.
To that extent, many wonder how exactly the Frilled Shark hunts prey.
The belief is that it curls its body and then lunges out, but due to it being rarely seen
that cannot be confirmed.
If you're hoping to try and see one of these sharks yourself, you're going to need to be
in the right place at the right time.
You'll need to go to 5000 feet below sea level in certain parts of the ocean like the Atlantic
and Pacific.
Though some reports have it close to the surface in other areas, such as in Suruga Bay, Japan.
Where it's said to be only 660 feet below sea level at max.
Despite this, the Frilled Shark is very rarely observed in the world, so there is still very
much about the creature that is unknown.
The shark also raises questions about what other "living fossils" are currently out in
the oceans that haven't been found yet.
Though there are some we can say HAVE been found...
7.
Goblin Shark The Goblin Shark (also known as the Vampire
Shark) is one of the most interesting things you will find in places like the Mariana Trench.
Why?
Its age.
Its species is said to have lived for millions of years.
They're believed to be so old that not unlike the Frilled Shark they are referred to as
"living fossils".
While most sharks are considered to be scary in one form or another, most agree that the
Goblin Shark is terrifying.
What's more, its scary reputation is earned because of a unique feature on it.
That is because the elongated nose of the Goblin shark is full of electromagnetic sensors.
It can detect even the smallest discharge of electricity, such as in a preys brain.
Yet that's not what makes it terrifying.
When it does find food, it'll not only lock in on it, it'll extend its mouth from its
body and chomp down on the foe.
A feature that is not common with sharks or various other species on Earth.
If you're familiar with the creature known as the Xenomorph from the Alien franchise,
you'll know what to expect from the Goblin Shark, and that makes it horrifying.
On average the Goblin/Vampire shark is said to be around 10 feet long, but because of
their rarity, and the fact that the adults tend to live in deeper waters that humanity
can't reach easily, it is possible that the Goblin Sharks are much bigger than we realize.
So with a large size, a scary mouth, and more, you can see why people are afraid of this
shark.
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6.
The Fangtooth You know you have to be scary on some level
if you're going to have a name like, "Fangtooth", and sure enough, this carnivorous fish that
lives in the Mariana Trench lives up to its name.
That's because this fish is truly not picky about what it wants to eat.
If it sees something that it can eat, it'll go right after it and eat it without any second
thought.
Which actually makes it a lot like the Megalodon because that massive shark would also eat
anything that moved.
What might make them even scarier though is how they sense prey.
As noted, in the depths of the Mariana Trench there is no light from the sun or other significant
sources that can light up the waters.
Thus, creatures have to produce their own light via Bioluminescence or, rely on other
senses to live.
And that's what the Fangtooth does.
It has the ability to 'see' prey via chemical reactions.
It literally can detect the chemical reactions that happen within the body of another living
creature, and then close in on that creature to eat it.
Disgusting.
The only "good news" if you will is that unlike the two sharks we just talked about, the Fangtooth
is only 7 inches in length.
But that's more than enough length to chomp down on a human limb and cause some serious
damage.
I'm just saying.
5.
Dumbo Octopus The Dumbo Octopus is not something you'd expect
to find on a "scary" list because of its name, but it does live up to being more than meets
the eye.
This species of octopus is the deepest-dwelling octopuses in the world today...that we know
of.
It's important to say that the Mariana Trench has not been explored fully at this time.
As for the name of the creature, it has floppy ears on its body, which its discoverer likened
to the Disney elephant Dumbo who had a similar "condition".
The Dumbo Octopus is one of the rarest of the species, and there's a lot we don't know
about it.
Including the curiosity of its shape.
For the Dumbo Octopus doesn't look like any other octopus out there in regards to its
short and stubby body.
Its average length is barely a foot.
But then one was found to be over 5 feet long, showing a great range of sizes.
To protect themselves from predators, they can not only inflate their sizes, but also
change colors to blend in to their environment.
But what's scariest about them is that when they decide to eat prey, they don't hold back
or take things slow.
They prefer to just eat their prey whole.
4.
Barreleye Fish To live in the depths of the ocean you need
to have the literal ability to withstand just about everything the environment can through
at you.
The Barreleye Fish did just that, evolving to be what it needed to be.
Mainly, a fish that can see everything because its head is not "fully there".
This is a fish with a literal transparent head.
Why is that?
It's speculated that it allows the fish to catch light.
If you're wondering why this is so important, you need to remember, at about 3280 feet,
the natural reach of the sun's rays peter out.
So anything below that point in the ocean is pure and absolute dark.
So the ability to capture light in any form could be a godsend down there.
Now though, let's take a note of its literal barrel-shaped eyes.
You'll be interested to know that the eyes are often pointed upwards.
Why?
It wants to be able to see predators that might be lurking above it.
Here's another thing you need to know about the Mariana Trench, because it's so deep in
the ocean, the pressure is enormous, and the fish in the ocean are used to that pressure.
One time, a scientist tried to take a Barreleye Fish to the surface...the fish didn't survive...as
the lesser pressures of the water actually killed it.
This is a reason why many species in the Mariana Trench aren't studied much, they don't get
the opportunities to more often than naught.
Aside from its slightly terrifying appearance, the Barreleye Fish is a creature that is known
to swallow prey whole when it finds them.
3.
The Deep-Sea Hatchetfish There are many sea creatures from the past
and in the present that have a very curious look that seems to have been born or evolved
from the notion of looking like a tool.
And in the Mariana Trench, one of those fish is known as the Deep-Sea Hatchetfish. because
if you look at the body of this fish, you'll find that its shape honestly does look like
that of a hatchet.
There are over 40 species of the Hatchetfish, and each of them have very shiny scales that
often make them look metallic from the various anglers that you see them.
They are the smallest fish that we've talked about so far, as they're only 6 inches in
length most times.
But their trick to surviving though is what makes them special.
Though they do live in the Trench, they have also been known to be up higher up in the
waters of the world, and thus do interact with the light at times.
When they do, the light will bounce off of their "metallic skin" to cause illusions and
reflections that will trick predators into staying away from them, or missing them when
they attack.
2.
Ghostfish In 2014, a new type of Snailfish was found
in the Mariana Trench.
What's more, this special fish wasn't like most Snailfish, as this one was found over
5 miles below sea level, where no fish like it had ever been found before.
That's very unique.
You might be wondering how this "unique fish" was found.
You see, while humans can't go into the trench very easily, scientists have found ways to
send cameras and such down there.
During one such exploration, this Snailfish was found.
However, the camera kept going through the trench, so scientists are only able to see
it for a few seconds at max.
It was dubbed the Ghostfish because it has a transparent appearance of sorts, and it's
a big mystery.
Snailfish are special organisms that are used to surviving in the deep waters of the world,
but the Ghostfish seems even more suited, which is why many are so fascinated by it.
And compared to other Snailfish, its body seems much different, which might be an evolution
caused by living in the trench.
Either way, many people want to catch a Ghostfish to study it.
1.
Deep Sea Dragonfish Sometimes, to get food, you need to be clever.
And when it comes to the Deep Sea Dragonfish, it is most definitely clever.
Funnily enough, it's only six inches long.
They're made to survive though, and should not be joked about.
This is a fish that has made many tricks to use to get food.
For example, like many creatures in the trench, Deep Sea Dragonfish are bioluminescent.
If you don't know that term, it means they can emit light within their body.
For the Deep Sea Dragonfish though, it glows pure red.
And scientists are baffled as to why.
Furthermore, the Deep Sea Dragonfish will use its bioluminescence and its red glowing
ability to communicate with others like it, or to camouflage with the surrounding environments.
Making it a tactical predator, and a prey that's hard to catch.
Now, let's talk hunting tactics.
Not unlike certain other fish, the Deep Sea Dragonfish has a protrusion.
And it'll use it to touch other fish.
The fish will think they've found something to eat, but the reverse is true.
The Dragonfish will lunge out with blinding speed and get its meal, then go back to hiding.
Wash, rinse, repeat, and survive.
Like I said, this fish is clever.
Thanks for watching everyone!
What did you think of these creatures that were in their own ways scarier than the Megalodon?
Which ones do you believe actually fit that qualification?
Or do you think the Megalodon is scarier than all of them still?
Let me know in the comments below, Leave a like for the algorithm And be sure to subscribe!