While there are plenty of strange creatures that live on land, such as the platypus or the star-nosed mole, the ocean has land creatures beat in terms of pure weird. Whether you’ve seen or heard of the creatures on this list before or not, you might not know some of the strangest facts about them. You’ll probably never encounter one of these creatures while you’re on the water, but it’s a good idea to keep your boat in tip-top shape in case you need to make a speedy getaway.
While not technically a squid, the vampire squid is actually a completely unique animal that doesn’t fit into any other group. Yes, it has eight arms and two tentacles, but that’s about all of the similarities you’ll find. The name “vampire squid” comes from its dark red color and dangerous appearance, though it doesn’t suck blood, nor does it shoot ink like actual squids and octopuses. Instead, it actually squirts a bioluminescent liquid that causes twinkling effects to confuse predators.
Even stranger, it can also turn its webbed arms inward around its body, which makes it look like a pineapple. This move is indeed called the “pineapple posture,” and it offers them some protection and a fearsome appearance that wards off potential attackers.
A bioluminescent liquid and pineapple posture might be odd defense mechanisms, but they’re nothing compared to what the California sea cucumber can accomplish. When threatened, this nearly two-foot-long, bumpy red nightmare can actually expel its own guts. While this might sound like a death sentence, don’t worry. The creature then regrows its guts, good as new. In fact, they can live up to 12 years, expelling and re-growing guts the whole time.
Here’s one you’ve seen in plenty of media, such as the movie, Finding Nemo. You’ll recognize the horrible fangs and the bioluminescent lure that droops down from the forehead. These features would be enough to land it on any list of strange sea creatures, but the creepy doesn’t stop there. You see, that lure isn’t only for attracting meals; it’s also for attracting mates.
The deep-sea anglerfish you’re likely imagining are female. The males are incredibly small — only about an inch long. Once they hatch, they look for those lures and bite onto the female. This is how they reproduce. The male feeds on the blood of the female and provides the female with its sperm. Yup.
Thought the anglerfish had the oddest mouth? The gulper eel is pretty much all mouth. That’s not hyperbole; the mouth of the gulper eel is larger than its body. Since it’s hinged quite loosely, that mouth can open wide and swallow prey that’s even bigger than the eel itself. Why is that particularly terrifying? Gulper eels can grow to be anywhere between three and six feet long. How tall are you? Don’t worry. They’re rarely found near the surface. Rarely.
You might as well call it the Dirty Harry shrimp. The pistol shrimp is packing heat. While the shrimp, which looks like a brightly colored lobster, doesn’t look too strange by the standards of the other creatures on this list, it’s hard not to notice that one claw is far larger than the other. This is the claw that gives it its name. The claw is so powerful and snaps so fast (over 100 feet per second) that it vaporizes water to create an air bubble “bullet” that can kill prey.
Why Grady-White fishing boats? Well, they’ll keep you at the surface, far away from where these things live. If you’re searching for West Palm Beach boats for sale, you know that the water is an incredible place to spend time, even if you do have to share that water with some strange bedfellows.
