The color of this six-inches long mesopelagic ctenophore ranges from deep red to pale purple. The first specimen of this deep sea creature was collected in 1979 in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. Bloodybelly Comb Jelly A bloodybelly comb jelly in the deep sea. Pelican eels are found at depths between 500 to 3,000 m. A complex organ with numerous tentacles at the tail end glows pink in the dark and is used for attracting prey. The pelican eel's extremely long, whip-like tail helps in movement and communication via bioluminescence. However, unlike other eels, the pelican eels lack pelvic fins, scales, and swim bladder. The eel's mouth can also change to an inflated shape when hunting. This loosely hinged mouth allows the pelican eel to swallow a fish that is much larger than itself.
Pelican Eel is one of the most peculiar-looking creatures in the deep sea and is named after its large mouth, which is reminiscent of a pelican. Pelican Eel A stamp printed in Cuba showing Pelican Eel, circa 1998. The English naturalist James Yates Johnson discovered the first specimen of humpback anglerfish close to Madeira on December 24, 1863. Humpback anglerfish inhabits the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the ocean and is commonly found at depths between 100 to 1,500 m below the water surface. The bulbous luring apparatus is used as a bioluminescent mechanism to attract prey. The female humpback anglerfish have large heads, globular bodies, a bulbous luring apparatus on its head, and a widened mouth with long pointed teeth, which help in eating larger prey. These fishes exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism, with dwarf-sized males and large-sized females. This black-colored soft-bodied anglerfish species is widely found in all tropical and temperate waters. Humpback Anglerfish An illustration of a humpback anglerfish ( Melanocetus johnsonii). Marine hatchetfishes are found at depths ranging from 50 to 1,500 m. This counter-illumination eventually helps these creatures escape predators that move in these deep depths. These photophores allow the creatures to regulate the brightness of their glow, matching the intensity of light penetrating from above. These small, deep-sea creatures have an unusual body shape and possess bioluminescent photophores. Ranging in size from 2.8 cm to 12 cm, the marine hatchetfishes are found in the tropical, temperate, and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Image credit: via Wikipedia.Īlso referred to as deep-sea hatchet fishes, marine hatchetfishes are small, ray-finned fishes that belong to the subfamily Sternoptychinae. Marine Hatchetfish CaptionHalf-naked hatchetfish, Argyropelecus hemigymnus eating a shrimp. The following article discusses some of these mysterious yet fascinating deep-sea creatures. Much deep-sea fauna is still unknown and is yet to be discovered by scientists. However, despite such extreme conditions, different faunal creatures live in the deep sea and have special adaptations that help them survive in the fathomless depths of the ocean.
Even at depths of 150 m below sea level, the light levels are reduced to 1% of the surface, which makes it insufficient to support photosynthesis. Moreover, no light penetrates the ocean waters at depths beyond 1000 m below sea level. Cold temperatures, darkness, high hydrostatic pressures, low oxygen concentrations, and food scarcity characterize the habitat of the deep sea. The deep sea, considered the Earth's largest habitat, reaches an average depth of more than 4000 m.
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