Meet Nine of the Strangest Deep Sea Creatures That Are Almost Aliens

Ever heard the phrase “terrors of the deep”? There are certainly a vast amount of odd creatures that lurk beneath the waves, possibly some we haven’t even discovered. In the video below, we’re shown nine separate encounters with a quirky variety of critters found in the depths near Alaska. This haunting footage was captured and analyzed by the pros at NOAA, during a set of recent explorations.

Among the curiosities shown, we definitely get a variety of jellyfish, comb jellies, and even a vertically aligned fish (identity unknown!). The depths that these creatures were sighted are also noted, which helps to give us an idea of the environment each calls home.

Let’s find out more about some of these otherworldly creatures and what we do currently know about their enigmatic natures.

What Kind of Creature Is the Jellyfish?

Many may see the bizarre jellyfish as an anomaly in the animal kingdom. They don’t have a brain, and are shockingly simple in their construction. Despite this, they’ve been around for millions of years, so they must be doing something right! Jellyfish come in a rainbow of colors, and can often have the ability to produce bioluminescence – they glow!

Even though they have plenty of flashy features, these showy swimmers are largely a nervous system with a digestive system. They reproduce using a system that could definitely be considered “unique“, to say the least. Another peculiar claim to fame some species sport is venomous stingers, used for both offense and defense.

Even this isn’t all of the weirdness these oceanic blobs are capable of, but it starts becoming very clear why jellyfish look kind of like aliens!

What Is a Comb Jelly?

Comb jellies, whose true name is ctenophores, are a group of marine animals that are found in a wide variety of ocean environments. Although their name and bodies are similar, comb jellies are not closely related to jellyfish. They belong to a separate phylum, Ctenophora, and there are several key differences between the two groups.

For example, one of the most distinctive features of comb jellies is the rows of cilia along their bodies. These cilia beat in coordinated waves, propelling the comb jelly through the water. This also happens to create a beautiful, shimmering effect while moving, due to refracting light. Did you know that due to their appearance, comb jellies are sometimes called “sea walnuts” or “sea gooseberries”?

Surf Into These Odd Findings

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/inusuke

WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more.

Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day.

Thanks for subscribing!