Unusual Monsters and fish of the Sea

Mankind's ambitions to explore space and the far reaches of the universe, has cost billions of US dollars, but yet, we still do not know what is on our own planet. Many new species of marine life are found yearly in fisher-mans nets, or washed upon the beaches somewhere around the world. Jules Vern, the accredited author, began our minds wandering about the oceans of the world with his writing about sea monsters, soon many imaginary monsters of the deep blue were filing our television screens like giant crabs and fish that were longer than the Channel Tunnel, with a mouth that could swallow the Empire State Building in one bite. And the scariest of them all, were the life like monsters such as that overgrown goldfish, Jaws.

How many people were a bit more cautious about swimming in the sea after they had seen the film Jaws? millions of them were, and only because the film was based on real life killers in the ocean. But since we have not explored the entire water mass of the earth, how do we know what is actually down there, waiting to come to the surface and take a bite out of us.

This little beauty is named the Fang-tooth Fish, and is usually on about 15cm in length, though it does look larger. It is found deep down in all the worlds oceans, up to 2000 meters below sea level, although it does often come up to 200m below sea level. Its diet is usually squid or other fish, and the babies feed on plankton. The Fang-tooth fish, is often found alone or some times in a small group, and there has never been any recorded severe bites from these fish on humans, then again, not many humans go for a swim 2000m below the sea, so you should not meet with many on your vacation.

This handsome beauty even has a few teeth on its tongue, once it bites, there is little hope of escape. There is not much known about this deep sea dwelling creature, except that is about 25 cm in length and feeds mainly on small fish and shrimp, but will eat its own kind. Found nearly 250 meters below sea level and around Australia. If it is really a relatively new find of species of fish at this level of the ocean, does that mean that they are getting higher in the sea ?

In Brazil, marine biologists found a scale-less fish, nearly two meters in length and weighing approximately 41 lbs in weight with sharp teeth. It is a fish that has never before been seen by humans and documented. In Brazil there are many unknown tribes, that still exist, as nearly 30% of the Amazon Rain Forest is still undiscovered, and who knows what is swimming in the river to the sea.

The Barracuda, found all over the world, in tropical and subtropical waters. It's a fearsome looking fish and specimens have been caught 30cm in width and nearly two meters long. They are a viscous fish and attack in short but fast motion, reaching speeds of thirty kilometers an hour, and they have no problem in attacking fish as big as themselves by swimming at another fish and taking big chunks out of it and then swimming away again. Barracudas have been know to bite humans quite often, but for the wrong reason, if you are wearing a ring, the glint from them may be mistook as small fish, and you could lose your finger, so, if you ever go skinny dipping in waters where these beauties are, be careful. Primarily, they are scavengers, looking for already dead or injured fish, but do not approach them if you see one in the water, if they are really hungry, you may come out of the water with only seven toes. But if you want to turn the tables, Barracudas are great on a Barbecue.

This baby is relatively new to the fish species the human race know of. This is the female Angler fish, and its usual habitat is around Greenland, but unusual creatures of the deep are appearing everywhere as man trawls deeper for more food. The little tassel bit the end of its antennae, is for drawing small fish in, as it waggles it about, once they are busy taking bites from this bait, the fish just gobbles them up, usually in one bite. For breeding, the very small male will literally attach itself to the female, and the female Angler fish will nourish her man, until her eggs are fertilised.

 This new shark, is one of several new sharks discovered in recent years, it can be found between 800 meters and 1500 meters below sea level. To the editor, this fish looks like Ringo Starr of the Beatles, it does. Anyway, Ringo Shark likes to eat sea worms, fish and crustaceans like lobsters. Since we are seeing new species of marine life, are we also losing a few as the waters warm up, because of global warming, and the marine life are going deeper to get away from the heated up waters ?

 Here are a few more photos of strange fish that swim in our oceans, but can anyone actually name them?