Copyright 2006 Emma Snow
We are all familiar with dolphins, whales and sharks; we know what tuna and snapper look like, but what about some less familiar fish such as lizardfish, giant squid, or blind eels? There are so many lesser known animals in the depths of the ocean that we hear little or nothing about most times, it is interesting to investigate a few of these creatures and understand them a little more.
The first on our list of deep sea creatures is the fangtooth fish. This fish is one of the most evil looking ocean predators. It lives in the deep ocean and catches its prey by luring them in with glowing light organs called photophores. In such a dark abyss, fish are attracted to the light put off by the organ and once they are close enough the fangtooth fish catches them in his numerous large teeth. He looks like an underwater vampire.
Another carnivorous sea animal is the deep-sea lizardfish. These interesting fish look almost like a short snake in water. Their mouths are covered with harpoon-tipped teeth that grasp their prey and don't let go, similar to a fish hook. These teeth are hinged so that they can flattened down when prey is going in and stand up when resisting. They don??t even need to actively swallow; the struggling prey just ratchets itself inside. With their glowing yellow eyes, the lizardfish is a wonder to behold.
Often called the nastiest fish in the ocean, the blind eel is next on our list. These fish are called blind eels because they have such small, ineffective eyes. Who needs eyes when you are living in almost complete darkness? They prey on live or dead fish which they locate through smell. They have circular mouths that they use to suck on their prey. They have tooth-studded tongues that allow them to cut through their victims flesh and literally eat them from the inside out. They are also sometimes called slime eels because their skin emits a sticky slime, up to a gallon at a time. It is used to suffocate predators by clogging their gills when they attempt to eat the eel.
The last of our unusual deep sea animals, giant squid, has been the subject of tall tales for centuries. Until recently, however, these tales were dismissed as fiction. The only information we have on them comes from finding pieces of their bodies in the stomachs of sperm whales, or those that have been washed up on shore. Another area where their existence is apparent is on the skin of sperm whales where giant sucker scars can be seen after what must be epic battles between the two huge creatures. Giant squid can grow to the size of a school bus or bigger. They are carnivorous and have a long, torpedo shaped body. At one end, surrounding a beak-like mouth strong enough to cut through steel cable, are five pairs of arms. One pair, thinner and longer than the rest, is used to catch food and bring it to the mouth. Just past the mouth are the eyes, eyes that are the largest in the animal kingdom, getting as big as eighteen inches across. They are nearly impossible to photograph alive because they live in such deep waters.
It is interesting to think about what other types of deep sea animals exist that we haven't yet discovered. What wonders does the bottom of the ocean hold and can we ever know? With modern technology constantly searching for new ways to study the ocean floor, the possibility of finding new creatures becomes more real every day. For a world who thinks they have seen it all, the deep, deep ocean still holds the hope for something new. |
