Galleries / Creatures of the Abyss

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published April 24, 2007

Big Red

Dumbo Octopus

Saucer Jelly

"Sad" Octopus

Threadfin Snailfish

Giant Tube Worms

Deep Diving

Anglerfish

Red Lantern

Clear Octopus

Vampire Squid

Glowing Octopus

Cockatoo Squid

Spanish Dancer

<p>This 3-foot jellyfish uses four to seven strong tentacles to capture its prey but has no stinging cells. It is so different from other known jellyfish that scientists created a new subfamily for it.</p>

<p>A cartoonish species of dumbo octopus found at depths ranging from 1,000 to 16,000 feet.</p>

<p>Another deep-sea jellyfish.</p>

<p>Another little-known species of deep-sea dumbo octopus, the largest of which can reach 5-feet in length.</p>

<p>This bizarre-looking fish has large sensory pores around its mouth and lives more than 3,000 feet beneath the ocean surface.</p>

<p>Brightly colored 7-foot tube worms thrive near deep-sea hydrothermal vents and derive their energy from chemosynthetic bacteria.</p>

<p>The Johnson-Sea-Link submersible can dive 3,000 feet below the ocean surface offering panoramic views to its pilot and a paqssenger who sit within a clear acrylic sphere.</p>

<p>A ghostly 3-inch-long deep-sea white anglerfish. The buttonline lure between its eyes bioluminesces to attract prey.</p>

<p>A red paper lantern medusa jellyfish.</p>

<p>Almost completely transparent, this octopus drifts in the midwater waiting for prey.</p>

<p>A vampire squid from hell, which has assumed its defensive "pineapple posture" by throwing its arms over its head.</p>

<p>A 20-inch glowing sucker octopus with fins that resemble elephant ears.</p>

<p>This small squid can change color and hue from virtually glass-clear to reddish. The large reflective spot under the eye bioluminesces to cancel out their shadow and make them invisible to predators lurking below.</p>

<p>A foot-long sea cucumber known as the deep-sea Spanish dancer. When the creature is attacked, its skin lights up and detaches, sticking to the aggressor.</p>

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