10 of the Strangest Sea Creatures Ever Discovered (That Prove Nature’s Got a Sense of Humour)

Let’s face it: the ocean is basically Earth’s version of a cosmic vending machine—drop in some curiosity, and out pops something utterly bizarre. From glowing ghost-octopuses to hairy-chested crabs, here are 10 of the strangest, most fantastical sea creatures ever discovered. Get ready to meet nature’s weirdest rejects… that totally deserve a Netflix special.

1. 🐙 Dumbo Octopus (Grimpoteuthis)

Discovered: First described in 1883, but deep-sea footage emerged in the 2000s.
Lives: 3,000 to 7,000 meters deep—basically the abyss.
Strangeness: Has ear-like fins like Dumbo and flaps through the water like it's starring in a Disney film. It can hover, pulse, and dance through the dark like a deep-sea ballerina.
How it survives: Feeds by swallowing prey whole—worms, crustaceans, and other small horrors of the deep. No ink sac because... what’s the point when you're living in total darkness?

2. 🐟 The Barreleye Fish (Macropinna microstoma)

Discovered: First caught in 1939, filmed alive for the first time in 2004.
Lives: 600 to 800 meters below the surface.
Strangeness: Has a transparent, dome-like head. Yup, you can literally see its brain. Its eyes point upwards through its own skull—because why not?
How it survives: It parks itself motionless and tracks prey above with its tube-shaped peepers. Futuristic.

3. 🪸 E.T. Sponge (Advhena magnifica)

Discovered: 2016, near an underwater volcano off Hawaii.
Lives: At about 2,000 meters deep.
Strangeness: Looks like something Ridley Scott dreamed up. Its alien, translucent body earned it the Latin name Advhena, meaning “alien.”
How it survives: Filters microscopic food from the water with its bizarre structure. Looks spooky but just wants a snack.

4. 🦀 The Hoff Crab (Kiwa tyleri)

Discovered: 2010 near hydrothermal vents in the Antarctic.
Lives: Hugging the edges of volcanic vents in total darkness.
Strangeness: It's a crab. With a hairy chest. Scientists genuinely nicknamed it after David Hasselhoff.
How it survives: Its hairy body farms bacteria which it eats. A walking, self-growing buffet.

5. 🐙 Glass Octopus (Vitreledonella richardi)

Discovered: Known for decades, but first seen alive and filmed clearly in 2021.
Lives: Tropics, 200 to 1,000 meters deep.
Strangeness: Completely transparent, like someone Ctrl+Z’d the pigment. You can see its organs, eyeballs, and digestive tract.
How it survives: Transparency helps it avoid predators in midwater. Sneaky and spooky.

6. 🐉 Ruby Seadragon (Phyllopteryx dewysea)

Discovered: 2015 off the coast of Western Australia.
Lives: 50 to 100 meters below the surface, in deeper, darker waters than its leafy cousins.
Strangeness: Glows ruby red in the dark (red light disappears quickly underwater = stealth mode). Has a prehensile tail for grabbing onto kelp.
How it survives: Camouflages in deep red hues and uses its long snout to vacuum up tiny crustaceans.

7. 🦐 Skeleton Shrimp (Caprellidae sp.)

Discovered: The family is well-known, but new species keep cropping up.
Lives: Shallow coasts to deep sea, worldwide.
Strangeness: Think stick insect, but marine, and creepier. Semi-transparent, often just clinging to seaweed looking sinister.
How it survives: Eats detritus and plankton. Males are known to duel to the death over mates. Hardcore.

8. 🐛 Zombie Worm (Osedax)

Discovered: First described in 2002, found munching on a whale carcass.
Lives: Deep-sea graveyards of dead whales (yes, really).
Strangeness: Has no mouth or stomach. Uses acid to dissolve bones and sucks out the nutrients.
How it survives: Symbiotic bacteria help it digest bones. Males are microscopic and live inside the females. Like a grotesque soap opera.

9. 🐠 Psychedelic Frogfish (Histiophryne psychedelica)

Discovered: 2009, Indonesia.
Lives: Reefs around Ambon Island.
Strangeness: Covered in swirling, fingerprint-like stripes, and it hops along the sea floor using its fins. Yes, hops.
How it survives: Ambush predator—waits patiently for prey, then pounces like a deep-sea ninja clown.

10. 🧽 Deep-Sea Venus Flytrap Anemone (Actinoscyphia aurelia)

Discovered: Observed during deep-sea expeditions, especially NOAA’s 2004 Deep Scope project.
Lives: 1,000 to 6,000 meters below.
Strangeness: Looks like a Lovecraftian tulip. Snaps shut when something brushes its tentacles.
How it survives: Captures drifting plankton and tiny organisms, slowly digesting them with venomous mucus. Classy.

Final Thoughts:

Earth’s oceans are weirder than any alien planet we’ve dreamed up in sci-fi—and we’ve barely scratched the surface. With over 80% of the ocean unexplored, the next bizarre beauty might already be lurking in the shadows. So whether you’re casting a line or diving deep, remember: there’s always something strange in the blue abyss.

Hooked on sea life weirdness? Keep an eye on Big Fish Fishing for more deep-sea stories, gear reviews, and your next tackle fix.