20 Deep-Sea Creatures That Legit Look Like Aliens, And I Am Never Going In The Ocean Again

Making Jaws look like child's play.

Which do you find scarier: the deep sea or outer space? If you chose outer space, allow me to explain why you're wrong.

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First of all, most of us will not go to space. Meanwhile, a lot of people visit the ocean. This means that the threats of space are all hypothetical while the threats of the ocean are VERY REAL.

Second, our oceans cover more than 70% of Earth’s surface, and the vast majority remains unmapped by humans. We barely know what's down there!

Third, we are, ultimately, guests in the ocean. There are lots of animals in the water and that is their house! We insist on inviting ourselves into their home and acting rudely, so whatever lives in the ocean is liable to get mad at us. The best thing to do is stay on our side and keep it clean so that none of them ever feel the need to visit.

Still not convinced? Here are a bunch of real, deep-sea creatures that currently live in the ocean (and will happily populate your nightmares going forward):

1. The sea pig

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The sea pig is a type of sea cucumber named because of its pink hue and short limbs, reminiscent of land pigs. It's basically a deep sea vacuum cleaner that uses its little limbs to shovel food in its mouth, typically in the form of decaying animal matter and algae.

2. The peacock squid

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This small genus of glass squid has unsettling eyes bulging from its head, but it's nowhere near the ugliest of deep-sea creatures. It would almost be an endearing little animal... if only its organs weren't entirely visible. 

3. The sea spider

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While the sea spider poses no actual threat to humans, its long legs look frightening compared to its relatively small body.

4. The fangtooth

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Fangtooth fish are physically horrifying, though they've never been a threat to humans. It's all in the face.

5. The swimming sea cucumber

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The sea cucumber is a small, gelatinous creature that "poops" before take-off to reduce excess weight. Its transparent body is unpleasant to look at, with some people referring to it as a "headless chicken monster."

6. The frilled shark

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This shark (luckily) spends most of its time in dark waters far below the ocean surface. As a result, little is known of them... and maybe it's best we keep it that way. 

7. The goblin shark

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This unfortunate-looking shark tends to live at the bottom of the ocean. Like the frilled shark, goblin sharks are rarely spotted, which is a blessing for anyone who's not a scientist. 

8. The frilled jelly

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Regular jellyfish can be unnerving as is. Imagine running into a transparent deep-sea jelly with more tendrils than you can count.

9. Krøyer's deep sea angler fish

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Deep-sea fish seem to be exclusively unsightly, and this angler is no exception. It's commonly referred to by its very fitting nickname, "sea devil," with females growing up to four feet long.

10. The blob sculpin

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The gelatinous blob sculpin was unanimously voted the "ugliest animal alive," which says a lot. Their strange bodies help them deal with the immense pressure of the bottom of the ocean, but nothing is saving that face.

11. The megamouth shark

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The megamouth shark can reach weights of 2,700 pounds, so perhaps it's best that it's rarely spotted. While it's not as massive as whale sharks and basking sharks, its imposing name spotlights its insanely large mouth. 

12. The giant squid

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Giant squids have the largest eyes in the animal kingdom, which is daunting enough. On top of that, they have a surprisingly sophisticated nervous system and a complex brain... so maybe we should leave them alone.

13. The dumbo octopus

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This bizarre animal is nicknamed "Dumbo" for its notably large ears. The biggest Dumbo octopus ever recorded was 5 feet 10 inches long, something no one in their right mind would ever want to swim into.

14. The pelican eel/gulper eel

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When the gulper eel encounters prey, its mouth expands in an utterly disturbing manner. This creates a giant net, compensating for its tiny eyes and lack of talent as a hunter. 

15. The giant isopod

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As with most deep-sea creatures, scientists haven't been able to learn as much about the giant isopod as they'd like. That doesn't change the fact that they're dreadful to look at, though.

16. Sloane's viperfish

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Like several denizens of the deep, Sloane’s viperfish boast vibrant organs called photophores on its belly. These lights attract prey and mask the fish’s silhouette from predators below, though one look at its face should be enough to scare away any potential threats.

17. The Japanese spider crab

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The Japanese spider crab has a massive leg span of up to 12 feet, from claw to claw. It also has 10 of said legs. No thanks.

18. The giant siphonophore

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Some say it looks like an art piece. Others say it resembles silly string. Either way, this living organism is far too long for comfort.

19. The bloody-belly comb jelly

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While it may be a stunning color to humans, the red on this jelly helps it avoid predators. It's not the worst thing you can find thousands of feet deep into the ocean, but it feels as alien-like as everything else on this list.

20. The ribbon sawtail fish

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Any animal with long, transparent fangs and a light dangling from its chin will never feel "of this earth." The snake-like body doesn't help its case.