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Deep Sea Creatures from Hell

What Lies Beneath

By Celestia MorellePublished 6 years ago 4 min read
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As many of you know the oceans cover 70% of our planet, but most do not realize that we have only discovered about 5% of that. There are many dark and dangerous things left to explore and discover. As a young child I often dreamed of diving into dark waters to discover mermaids and other mythical creatures. Now that I am grown, I wonder about those stories of people hearing singing off of secluded shores, and the tales surrounding the Loch Ness monster. The deepest part discovered is within Mariana's trench, which lies at the bottom of the western Pacific Ocean. To give you an idea, it is about 120 times bigger than the Grand Canyon. The deepest part has been named 'Challenger Deep' after the first ship to hit the bottom. It was an estimated thirty-five thousand plus feet and a five hour descent.

Through deep sea exploration there have been many discoveries, and even though there are a lot more to make, this shows some of the more horrifying ones.

The Viperfish

They are found at depths of up to nine thousand feet, and their abnormally large teeth allow them to grip onto their prey with vigorous determination. Not a lot of their reproductive information is known due to the depths at which they linger, but it is assumed they lay eggs that then need to be fertilized. The idea of this monster making more of itself is a scary thought indeed. Also, they are not big fish which makes them easily preyed upon by sharks and even some dolphins. Due to the depths they live they have a large stomach for storing food and can go several days without eating. It's one tough, scary fish.

The Chimaera Fish

Not to be mixed up with the Chimera from Greek mythology, this deep sea monster has an interesting body. You won't find a single bone inside their body, instead it is made up completely of cartilage. They share a similar ancestry with sharks, giving them the nickname 'ghost sharks.' They use electroreception to find prey, but unlike other sharks, the males have retractable sexual appendages. Another factor that separates them is that most Chimaeras have venomous spines behind their dorsal fins. To top it off, their jaws are fused with their skulls. I wouldn't want to get in their way.

The Gulper Eel

How about a big tall glass of no. From the front it may look like this creature from Hell is smiling at you, but from my point of view, those look like jaws of death. It is found in a bit more shallow water, at a little under two thousand feet, but that doesn't stop its massive mouth from swallowing anything it can, including fish bigger than it. Due to its prominent head it has been given the title Pelican Eel. It has a bioluminescent organ at the end of its tail, using it to lure unsuspecting creatures to their deaths. These beasts can grow up to 31 inches long and are believed to perish after spawning, but the lack of research into their adult lives makes it inconclusive.

The Stargazer Fish

This beauty right here that somehow resembles an old Aztec drawing and Roz from Monsters, Inc may have a romantic name, but is really the opposite of what romance is all about. It dwells in the deep dark crevices a couple hundred feet below the east coast of North America and is anything but sweet to the oblivious fish passing by. It digs itself into the sand, only letting its bulging eyes be free, and as soon as any poor little sap is in range it pounces, making sure that fish never sees the light of day again. It's almost as good at camouflage as it is at self defense. If it ever feels afraid, it buries itself and sends out a jolt of electricity which can incapacitate smaller prey and stun larger ones.

The Oarfish

This deep sea dweller is a rare species, with very little actually known about them. They are often washed up on beaches after storms, or when they are sick and dying they have a habit of floating in shallow waters. Due to their length, the longest being confirmed at 36 feet, and unconfirmed at 50 feet, they are believed to be the cause of legendary sea monster sightings. With that information, they are also assumed to give off an electric shock similar to the Stargazer fish; however, there hasn't been enough evidence to support that claim. These long fish have been sighted as deep as 3,000 feet below the surface off the coast of Mexico and continue to shock the world when they are seen.

With every discovery that is made, there are creatures and living organisms being found deep within our planet's oceans. Although there are a lot of things we've already found, there is still so much more we have to learn. However, no matter what, you can't deny that the deep sea is a dark and scary place.

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About the Creator

Celestia Morelle

When I write, I connect with a part of me that otherwise doesn’t exist. She’s a flame that I spend hundreds of thousands of words trying to grasp. I hope you feel her too when you’re reading. I turn the sirens voice into art, for she is me.

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