Be amazed by 23 “alien” creatures under the ocean

To date, we know about nearly 230,000 species of marine life, but there is a whole world of creatures that live and grow below sea level. Every year, humans discover a few more creatures. They have special colors and body structures that make them look like something from a cartoon or a fantasy movie!

1. “Angel of the sea” – Sea Angel

This is a mollusc, hermaphroditic animal originating from the Arctic Ocean. They are found in all types of climatic conditions including polar regions, under sea ice and in tropical equatorial waters.

2. Lotus leaf slug (Elysia chlorotica)

This type of soft-bodied sea slug ranges in size from small to medium. They are a “solar sea snail” meaning they use solar energy through chloroplasts from seaweed to photosynthesize their food.

3. Australian “ghost” shark

It is a type of cartilaginous fish, belonging to the Holocephali family. It is found in southern Australia, Tasmania and south of the Eastern Cape and Kaipara Harbor in New Zealand at depths of 0 m to 200 m.

4. Hairy sea slug

They look so cute. The “fur” layer on their body is not only a coat but is also called the caryophyllidia layer. The life cycle of this slug species only lasts from a few months to a year.

5. Octopus on the seabed

Dozens of these octopuses were found deep inside an undersea rock formation while geologists explored and collected samples of the warm liquid emerging from cracks in the volcanic rock. These octopuses belong to the genus Muusoctopus, which are pink creatures with large eyes.

6. Blue-eyed crab

Scientists have not yet determined why this crab has green eyes. All we know so far about this new species is that they use the shells of other creatures as their homes. They are found at depths of 200m to 275m.

7. Transparent frog

This transparent frog is only 20cm long and it has a glass-like body.

8. Baby squid

This purple baby squid was discovered by the E/V Nautilus team off the coast of California. It is believed to be related to cuttlefish relatives and is commonly found in the Pacific Ocean.

9. “Blue angel slug” (Glaucus atlanticus)

This species is beautiful and also extremely dangerous. They are found on the coast of Australia. They eat poisonous jellyfish and then absorb this poison to attack their enemies.

10. Leafy sea dragon

This sea dragon is the only member of the genus Phycodurus. Its leafy body structure serves as camouflage. It is commonly found along the south and west coasts of Australia.

11. Halitrephes Jelly

These are deep-sea aquatic species of the family Halicreatidae. They are found at depths of 1200m – 1500m near the Revillagigedo archipelago off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.

12. “Sea pen” (Merisulat)

“Sea pens” are found in tropical and temperate waters at depths of over 6,100 m. They are often grouped with octocorals or gorgonians.

13. Mantis Shrimp

Mantis grows shrimp up to 10 cm long. The longest recorded to date is 38 cm. They are carnivores that live in shallow, tropical and subtropical waters.

14. Lamprey

This species is often concentrated in the northern hemisphere. They have an eel-like body but no fins. They are found in the northern and western Atlantic along the coasts of Europe and North America.

15. Spider crab

This creature is also popular with many other names such as Brachyura Crab, or Soft Coral Crab. They can grow up to 2 cm and can camouflage to match the color of the coral in the ocean where they live.

16. Jellyfish Crossota Norvegica

This newly discovered species belongs to the family Crossota millsae and is found in the Arctic Ocean at depths of less than 1,000 m. Its body length is about 2 cm.

17. Sea “fly-catching plant” (Venus flytrap anemone)

This species closes its tentacles to capture prey and protect itself – just like a terrestrial flycatcher. It was found at bottom depths in the Gulf of Mexico.

18. “Glass Lobster”

This species is closely related to spiny lobsters and hairy lobsters. They have longer antennae than normal shrimps and are of great commercial value.

19. Poisonous sea slugs

Also known as sea cucumbers, they have a long body with small white spots. They appear on the seabed all over the world.

20. “Pacific Blackdragon” (Pacific Blackdragon)

It lives in the deep waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean at depths of 200-1000 m. This creature moves towards the sea surface at night to prey on small crustaceans and other fish.

21. “Vampire Squid”

They are found in temperate and tropical oceans at extremely deep seabeds. This species has a maximum total length of 30 cm.

22. Munnopsis

This creature belongs to the genus isopods. They often swim in deep sea levels and can be only 1-2 cm long.

23. “Coconut” octopus

They grow to a length of approximately 1 meter and are mostly found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, from Australia to South Africa, Southern Japan, New Guinea, Indonesia and India. This species usually prefers to live alone and hunts at dusk and dawn. They can be found at a depth of 180m in muddy areas.