Limitless variety is what comes to mind when we think of the oceans. Fanciful creatures litter the deep blue sea, as unique and entralling as only the imagination can conjure. Here are a few of them if you want to win the next National Geographic debate. Don’t say I don’t do anything for you.
Pink see-through Fantasia
Imagine a vision of translucence veiled in pink net-like attire and yea, you’ve seen the creature. Named after some fancy psychedelic dream, it would seem, the Pink see-through Fantasia is a sea cucumber, found about a mile and a half deep in the Celebes Sea in the western Pacific (east of Borneo).
Christmas tree worm
When you think of worms, a scrawny and slimy figure comes to mind, right? Not this time, at least. The Christmas tree worm is one of the cutest (yes, i said it), among its peers. Scientists call it Spirobranchus giganteus because of its form. it looking like spiral branches – the worms breathing and feeding apparatus. The creature was found at the Great Barrier reef’s Lizard Island. When threatened, the worm can withdraw its tree-like crown.
Flamingo Tongue snail
The name evokes beauty (sight flamingo) and a sturdy build like mollusks are known to have, but you shouldn’t take it at face value. The shells are the same dull dry mollusk-ey colours most are known to have. Cyphoma gibbosum gets all its color from the soft parts of its body, which envelope its shell unless it’s threatened.
Vampire Squid
If Dracula had a spirit animal, this is what it’d be called and perhaps, also look like. Very few animals look their name and this one is one of them. Enough said. The Vampire Squid lives in the Monterey Bay.
Fathead
Imagine a blob of shit with eyes on it, Now imagine it is milk-white in colour and there you have it – Fathead. Scientists call this fish Psychrolutes microporos and it looks like a mass of fatcells with eyes.
Kiwa, God of shellfish, Crab
What’s on your top 5 favourite pets list? I know a crab isn’t on there for sure. But when you see the Kiwa, you’d rue not adding it. This furry-clawed crab was discovered 5,000-feet deep on a hydrothermal vent south of Easter Island. It was named after the Polynesian goddess of shellfish, and also designated a new genus and family – Kiwa and Kiwadae. It’s likely blind and may use bacteria in its furry claws to de-toxify its food.
Golden Lace Nudibranch
The Halgerda terramtuentiss is a shell-less mollusk reputed for its bright colours. It was collected in the waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Lysianassoid Amphipods
It was discovered by Marine Census of Life and inhabits the waters near Elephant Island in the Antarctic. Like other tiny crustaceans, amphipods are a big source of food for larger creatures of the deep.
Venus Flytrap Anemone
This Venus flytrap anemone of the genus Actinoscyphia was found in the Gulf of Mexico. Related to jellyfish, sea anemones get their name from the flower of the same name
