So far, humans have only discovered 5% of the mysteries of the vast ocean. The strange creatures that amaze us are the best evidence of the ocean’s mysteries. Wolf eel, sheepshead fish, red-lipped batfish, etc. are among the strangest fishes that humans have ever known that live under the ocean.

-Red-lipped batfish

The red-lipped batfish, scientifically known as Ogcocephalus darwini, inhabits the Galapagos Islands region of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean, according to the Encyclopedia of Life. This species of fish has “seductive” lipstick-like lips used to attract mates or prey.

This species of fish can only be found at a depth of 30m under the sea. The red-lipped batfish can reach up to 25cm in length. In particular, it has pectoral and dorsal fins that resemble limbs, which makes it swim in a peculiar way but which is a valuable means for this species of fish to move underwater.

-Long-nosed Chimera

In March 2016, Canadian fisherman Scott Tanner discovered a strange fish with a nose almost as long as its body, bright green eyes and paired wing-like fins off the coast of Nova Scotia in eastern Canada.

This is a member of the chimaera fish species, scientifically named Harriotta raleighana, which lives in deep-sea areas. According to scientists, they are related to sharks, rays and stingerfish and are one of the oldest fish species on Earth. They typically crawl along the seafloor at depths of 380 to 2,600 meters and find prey using electrical sensors in their noses. They use their long noses to push their bodies through the water and flap their fins like wings to move around. x

-California Sheephead

The California sheepshead (Semicossyphus pulcher) lives in rocky reef habitats and kelp forests along the Pacific coast from the Channel Islands to Monterey Bay, USA.

At birth, all California sheep are female. At around 8 years of age, some become male and remain so for nearly 50 years of their life.

-Longnose lancetfish

The longnose lancetfish (Alepisaurus ferox) is a well-known carnivorous predator with large, fang-like teeth and a tall, pointed dorsal fin resembling a sail. During the transitional phase before reaching maturity, the longnose lancetfish has both male and female reproductive organs. However, scientists have yet to determine whether they maintain this hermaphroditic condition into adulthood.

Longnose lancetfish can grow up to 2 metres long and are nocturnal hunters specialising in preying on shrimp, squid and smaller fish, sometimes even cannibalising their own kind.

-Lion fish

The lionfish, also known as the turkey fish, is a very common fish that measures between 30 and 38 cm in length and has a body full of poisonous spines that help it avoid predators. It reproduces quickly: the female reaches reproductive age at one year of age and can lay between 30,000 and 40,000 eggs per day.

With no natural predators and a fast-reproducing population, the lionfish population has increased rapidly. According to scientists, the most effective way to control the numbers of this species of fish is through human fishing. Lionfish can be found in the tropical waters of the South Pacific Ocean.

-Parrotfish

Parrotfish are colorful fish with a mouth that resembles a bird’s beak and a set of strong teeth that they use to crush coral and eat the algae inside. As a result, most of the sand in parrotfish habitat is undigested coral that they excrete.

The sex, color, and body patterns of parrotfish change many times throughout their lives. Especially when sleeping, this species of fish wraps itself in a cocoon made from a layer of mucus secreted by part of its head to hide its scent and avoid nocturnal predators.

-Ocean sunfish

The ocean sunfish, also known as the mola mola, is the largest bony fish in the world. Adult males reach an average length of 3.5 metres, weigh 1.7 tonnes and have a dorsal fin of 4.5 metres. The ocean sunfish has an oval or almost circular body shape and usually floats to the surface to bask in the sun. When this species of fish comes to the surface, it is often mistaken for a shark due to its large dorsal fin.

Despite its large body, the ocean sunfish has a very small mouth. Without teeth, it uses its tongue to crush jellyfish, small crustaceans and planktonic organisms.

– Manta raya

Manta rays include the reef manta ray (Manta alfredi) and the giant manta ray (Manta birostris), which live in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters of the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

Manta rays are large, flat-bodied fish with a wingspan of up to 9 metres. Their diet consists of plankton. Both species of manta rays are currently listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

-Electric eel

Electric eels have a flat grey body with black spots. The electrical voltage they produce depends on their size: the smallest eels produce less than 10 volts and the largest can produce up to 220 volts. Electric eels typically stun their prey with an electric shock. They also use their electrical sensitivity to detect prey, find mates and communicate with each other.

-Moray eel

Moray eels, also known as sea eels, are made up of about 200 species belonging to the Muraenidae family. They live mainly in marine environments, although some species are found in fresh or brackish water. These fish have strong, sharp teeth that resemble glass and can reach several centimeters in length.

Because of their narrow head, moray eels cannot swallow large prey, so they have a secondary set of teeth inside their mouths to capture and bring food to the stomach. Their diet consists of fish, crustaceans and mollusks.

-Four-eyed butterflyfish

This species of fish belongs to the Chaetodon capistratus family and is found in the coral reefs of the Florida Keys, USA. When two four-eyed butterflyfish engage in a mouth-to-mouth duel, they form a butterfly-like figure, hence the name of this species. These fish mate for life and are often seen swimming together in pairs.

-Filefish

The goldfish (Lactophrys triqueter) is usually found in two colours: black and white. However, Dr Christy Pattengill-Semmens, director of the Sea Conservation Center in San Diego, USA, caught an unusual yellow specimen and named it the golden moonfish.

-Wolf eel

The wolf eel is actually a species of fish belonging to the Anarhichadidae family. The distinctive feature that sets it apart from eels is the posterior pectoral fin behind the head. Young wolf eels stand out in the water with their striking yellow and purple bodies. As they grow, these colors fade, giving way to brown and grey. Adult wolf eels often have black spots on their heads, and their bodies differ from individual to individual.

They can grow to 203 cm in length and weigh 18.6 kg and are found in the northern Pacific Ocean, from the waters of Japan and the Aleutian Islands to northern California. Wolf eels are quite omnivorous. Their diet includes crabs, sea urchins, snails, clams, scallops and fish. Equipped with strong jaws, they can crush hard foods.