Seven legendary sea monsters. Bestiary: Bestiary

The modern ocean is home to many incredible creatures, many of which we have no idea about. You never know what lies there - in the dark cold depths. However, none of them can be compared with the ancient monsters that dominated the world's oceans millions of years ago.

In this article, we will tell you about pangolins, carnivorous fish and predatory whales that terrorized marine life in prehistoric times.

1. Giant stingray

What is it: 5 meters in diameter, a 25-meter-long poisonous spike on the tail and strength enough to pull a boat full of people? In this case, it is an eerie-looking flat sea creature that has lived in salt waters from the Mekong River all the way to Australia since prehistoric times to this day.

Stingrays have lived quietly in the waters of Australia since the extinction of dinosaurs and the huge predatory sharks from which they originated. They originated in prehistoric times, but they managed to survive all the ice ages, and even the terrible eruption of the Toba volcano. They are very dangerous and should not be approached. Even if you think that they are not around, you may be wrong - they are excellent at camouflage.

They are dangerous because they can attack you with a poisonous neurotoxin spike or simply damage their vital organs. The advantage, however, is that these prehistoric monsters not so aggressive and will not try to eat you.

2. Leviathan Melville (Livyatan melvillei)

Earlier in this article we already talked about predatory whales. Melville's Leviathan is the most intimidating of them all. Imagine a huge orca-sperm whale hybrid. This monster was not just carnivorous - it killed and ate other whales. It had the largest teeth of any animal known to us.

Their length sometimes reached 37 centimeters! They lived in the same oceans at the same time and ate the same food as megalodons, thus competing with the largest predatory shark of the time.

Their huge head was equipped with the same sonar devices as modern whales, making them more successful in murky waters. If this was not clear to someone from the very beginning, this animal was named after Leviathan - a giant sea monster from the Bible and Herman Melville, who wrote the famous "Moby Dick". If Moby Dick were one of the Leviathans, he would certainly eat the Pequod with his entire team.

3. Helicoprion (Helicoprion)

This shark, 4.5 meters long, had a serrated lower jaw lined with teeth. She looked like a hybrid shark with a buzz saw, and everyone knows that when dangerous power tools become part of a predator that is at the top of the food chain, the whole world trembles.

The teeth of the helicoprion were serrated, which clearly indicates the carnivorous nature of this sea monster, but scientists still do not know for sure whether the jaw was pushed forward as in the photo, or slightly pushed deep into the mouth.

These creatures survived the Triassic mass extinction, which could indicate their high intelligence, but their habitation could also be the reason.

4. Kronosaurus (Kronosaurus)

Kronosaurus is another short-necked lizard that looks like a Liopleurosaurus. Remarkably, its true length is also known only approximately. It is believed that it reached up to 10 meters, and its teeth reached up to 30 cm in length. That is why it was named after Kronos, the king of the ancient Greek titans.

Now guess where this monster lived. If your assumption was related to Australia, then you are absolutely right. The head of the Kronosaurus was about 3 meters long and it was able to swallow an entire adult human. In addition, after that, there was room inside the animal for another half.

Also, due to the fact that the flippers of kronosaurs were similar in structure to the flippers of a turtle, scientists concluded that they were very distantly related and assumed that kronosaurs also got out on land to lay their eggs. In any case, we can be sure that no one dared to ruin the nests of these sea monsters.

5. Dunkleosteus

Dunkleosteus was a ten-meter predatory monster. Huge sharks lived much longer than dunkleostei, but this did not mean that they were the best predators. Instead of teeth, Dunkleosteus had bony growths, like some species of modern turtles. Scientists have calculated that their bite force was 1500 kilograms per square centimeter, which put them on par with crocodiles and tyrannosaurs and made them one of the creatures with the strongest bite.

Based on the facts about their jaw muscles, scientists concluded that the Dunkleosteus could open its mouth in one fiftieth of a second, absorbing everything in its path. As the fish matured, the single bony tooth plate was replaced by a segmented one, which made it easier to get food and bite through the thick shells of other fish. In the arms race called the prehistoric ocean, the Dunkleosteus was a real well-armoured, heavy tank.

6. Mauisaurus (Mauisaurus haasti)

Mauisaurus was named after ancient god Maori Maui, who, according to legend, pulled the skeleton of New Zealand from the bottom of the ocean with a hook, so that only by the name you can understand that this animal was huge. The neck of the Mauisaurus was about 15 meters long, which is quite a lot compared to its total length of 20 meters.

His incredible neck had many vertebrae, which gave it a special flexibility. Imagine a turtle without a shell with amazing long neck- this is what this terrible creature looked like.

He lived during the Cretaceous period, which meant that the unfortunate creatures jumping into the water to escape the velociraptors and tyrannosaurs were forced to come face to face with these sea monsters. The habitats of the Mauisaurs were limited to the waters of New Zealand, which indicated that all the inhabitants were in danger.

7. Shellfish (Jaekelopterus rhenaniae)

Not surprisingly, the words "sea scorpion" evoke only negative emotions, but this representative of the list was the most creepy of them. Jaekelopterus rhenaniae is a special species of crustacean that was the largest and most intimidating arthropod of the time: 2.5 meters of pure clawed terror under the shell.

Many of us are terrified of small ants or large spiders, however, imagine the full range of fear experienced by a person who would not be lucky enough to meet this sea monster.

On the other hand, these creepy creatures became extinct even before the event that killed all dinosaurs and 90% of life on Earth. Only some types of crabs survived, which are not so scary. There is no evidence that the ancient sea scorpions were venomous, but based on the structure of their tail, it can be concluded that this may indeed have been the case.

8. Basilosaurus (Basilosaurus)

Despite the name and appearance, they are not reptiles, as it might seem at first glance. In fact, these are real whales (and not the most intimidating in this squeak!). Basilosaurus were the predatory ancestors of modern whales and ranged from 15 to 25 meters in length. It is described as a whale, somewhat resembling a snake due to its length and ability to squirm.

It is hard to imagine that, while swimming in the ocean, one could stumble upon a huge creature that looked like a snake, a whale and a crocodile at the same time 20 meters long. The fear of the ocean would stick with you for a long time.

Physical evidence suggests that basilosaurs did not have the same cognitive abilities as modern whales. In addition, they did not have the ability to echolocate and could only move in two dimensions (which means that they could not actively dive and dive to great depths). Thus, this terrible predator was as stupid as a bag of prehistoric tools and would not be able to follow you if you dived or made landfall.

9. Liopleurodon (Liopleurodon)

If there was a water scene in the Jurassic Park movie that included several sea monsters of the time, the Liopleurodon would definitely appear in it. Despite the fact that scientists argue about the real length of this animal (some claim that it reached 15 meters), most of them agree that it was about 6 meters, with the pointed head of Liopleurodon occupying a fifth of the length.

Many people think that 6 meters is not so much, but the smallest representative of these monsters is able to swallow an adult. Scientists have recreated a model of Liopleurodon's fins and tested them.

In the course of their research, they found that these prehistoric animals were not so fast, but they were agile. They were also capable of making short, quick and sharp attacks similar to those of modern crocodiles, which makes them even more intimidating.

10. Megalodon (Megalodon)

The Megalodon may be the most famous creature on this list, but it's hard to imagine that a school bus-sized shark actually existed. Nowadays, there are many different scientific films and programs about these amazing monsters.

Contrary to popular belief, megalodons did not live at the same time as dinosaurs. They dominated the seas from 25 to 1.5 million years ago, which means that they missed the last dinosaur by 40 million years. In addition, this means that the first people found these sea monsters alive.

The home of the megalodon was the warm ocean, which existed until the last ice age in the early Pleistocene, and it is believed that it was he who deprived these huge sharks of food and the opportunity to breed. Perhaps in this way nature has protected modern humanity from terrible predators.

11. Dacosaurus (Dakosaurus)

Traces of the existence of dacosaurs were first found in Germany. These predatory creatures, resembling a hybrid of reptiles and fish, dominated the ocean during the Jurassic period. Their remains were found on a vast territory from Russia to England and Argentina.

Although this sea monster is compared to modern crocodiles, its length averaged about 5 meters. Its huge and unique teeth have led scientists to conclude that dacosaurs were at the top of the food chain in their time.

12. Nothosaurus

Despite the fact that the body length of nothosaurs was only 4 meters, they were aggressive hunters. Their mouths were full of sharp teeth and they ate mostly fish and squid. It was believed that nothosaurs were the real experts in ambush and their bodies were ideal for sneaking up on the victim and taking her by surprise. It is generally accepted that notosaurs are inextricably linked with pliosaurs, another genus of marine predators. The remains found indicate that they lived in the Triassic period more than 200 million years ago.

Material translated from site: toptenz.net

The seas and oceans occupy more than half of the area of ​​our planet, but they are still shrouded in secrets for mankind. We strive to conquer space and are looking for extraterrestrial civilizations, but at the same time, only 5% of the world's oceans have been explored by people. But even these data are enough to be horrified by what creatures live deep under water, where sunlight does not penetrate.

The Howliod family has 6 species of deep-sea fish, but the most common of them is the common Howliod. These fish live in almost all waters of the world's oceans, with the exception of the cold waters of the northern seas and the Arctic Ocean.

Howliodas got their name from Greek words"chaulios" - open mouth, and "odous" - a tooth. Indeed, in these relatively small fish (about 30 cm long), teeth can grow up to 5 centimeters, which is why their mouth never closes, creating a terrible grin. Sometimes these fish are called sea vipers.

Howliods live at a depth of 100 to 4000 meters. At night, they prefer to rise closer to the surface of the water, and during the day they descend into the very abyss of the ocean. Thus, during the day, fish make huge migrations of several kilometers. With the help of special photophores located on the body of the howliod, they can communicate in the dark with each other.

On the dorsal fin of the viperfish there is one large photophore, with which it lures its prey directly to the mouth. After that, with a sharp bite of needle-sharp teeth, howliodas paralyze the prey, leaving it no chance of salvation. The diet mainly consists of small fish and crustaceans. According to unreliable data, some individuals of howliods can live up to 30 years or more.

The long-horned sabertooth is another fearsome deep-sea predatory fish living in all four oceans. Although the sabertooth looks like a monster, it grows to a very modest size (about 15 centimeters in a dyne). The head of a fish with a large mouth occupies almost half the length of the body.

The long-horned sabertooth got its name from the long and sharp lower fangs, which are the largest in relation to body length among all known to science fish. The terrifying appearance of the sabertooth earned him an unofficial name - "monster fish".

The color of adults can vary from dark brown to black. Young representatives look completely different. They have a light gray color and long spikes on their heads. The sabertooth is one of the deepest-sea fish in the world, in rare cases they descend to a depth of 5 kilometers or more. The pressure at these depths is enormous, and the water temperature is near zero. There is catastrophically little food here, so these predators hunt for the first thing that gets in their way.

The size of the deep-sea dragon fish absolutely does not fit with its ferocity. These predators, which reach a length of no more than 15 centimeters, can eat prey two or even three times its size. Dragon fish lives in the tropical zones of the oceans at a depth of up to 2000 meters. The fish has a large head and a mouth equipped with many sharp teeth. Like the Howliod, the dragonfish has its own prey bait, which is a long, photophore-tipped whisker located on the chin of the fish. The principle of hunting is the same as that of all deep-sea individuals. With the help of a photophore, a predator lures the victim to the closest possible distance, and then inflicts a deadly bite with a sharp movement.

The deep-sea angler is rightfully the ugliest fish in existence. In total, there are about 200 species of anglerfish, some of which can grow up to 1.5 meters and weigh up to 30 kilograms. Because of the terrible appearance and bad temper, this fish was nicknamed the sea-devil. Deep-sea anglerfish live everywhere at a depth of 500 to 3000 meters. The fish has a dark brown color, a large flat head with many spikes. The devil's huge mouth is studded with sharp and long teeth, curved inwards.

Deep-sea anglerfish have pronounced sexual dimorphism. Females are ten times larger than males and are predators. The females have a rod with a fluorescent protrusion at the end to lure fish. Anglers spend most of their time on seabed burrowing into sand and silt. Due huge mouth, this fish can swallow whole prey, exceeding its size by 2 times. That is, hypothetically, a large anglerfish can eat a person; Fortunately, there have never been such cases in history.

Probably the strangest inhabitant sea ​​depths you can call the bagworm or, as it is also called, the large mouth of the pelican. Due to its abnormally huge mouth with a bag and a tiny skull in relation to the length of the body, the baghort looks more like some kind of alien creature. Some individuals can reach two meters in length.

In fact, sac-like fish belong to the class of ray-finned fish, but there are not too many similarities between these monsters and cute fish that live in warm sea backwaters. Scientists believe that the appearance of these creatures has changed many thousands of years ago due to the deep-sea lifestyle. Baghorts do not have gill rays, ribs, scales and fins, and the body has an oblong shape with a luminous process on the tail. If it were not for the large mouth, then the sackcloth could easily be confused with an eel.

Mesh shorts live at depths from 2000 to 5000 meters in three world oceans, except for the Arctic. Since there is very little food at such depths, sackworms have adapted to long breaks in food intake, which can last more than one month. These fish feed on crustaceans and other deep-sea counterparts, mostly swallowing their prey whole.

The elusive giant squid, known to science as Architeuthis Dux, is the largest mollusk in the world and can supposedly reach a length of 18 meters and weigh half a ton. At the moment, a live giant squid has not yet fallen into human hands. Until 2004, there were no documented cases of meeting with a living giant squid, and a general idea of ​​​​these mysterious creatures was formed only by the remains thrown ashore or caught in the nets of fishermen. Architeutis live at a depth of up to 1 kilometer in all oceans. In addition to their gigantic size, these creatures have the largest eyes among living beings (up to 30 centimeters in diameter).

So in 1887, the largest specimen in history, 17.4 meters long, was thrown onto the coast of New Zealand. In the following century, only two large dead representatives of the giant squid were found - 9.2 and 8.6 meters. In 2006, the Japanese scientist Tsunemi Kubodera still managed to capture on camera a live female 7 meters long in her natural habitat at a depth of 600 meters. The squid was lured to the surface by a small bait squid, but an attempt to bring a live individual aboard the vessel was unsuccessful - the squid died from numerous injuries.

Giant squid are dangerous predators, and the only natural enemy for them are adult sperm whales. There are at least two reported cases of squid and sperm whale fighting. In the first, the sperm whale won, but soon died, suffocated by the giant tentacles of the mollusk. The second fight took place off the coast South Africa, then the giant squid fought with the baby sperm whale, and after an hour and a half fight, he still killed the whale.

The giant isopod known to science as Bathynomus giganteus is largest view crustaceans. The average size of a deep-sea isopod ranges from 30 centimeters, but the largest recorded specimen weighed 2 kilograms and was 75 centimeters long. In appearance, giant isopods are similar to woodlice, and, like the giant squid, are the result of deep-sea gigantism. These crayfish live at a depth of 200 to 2500 meters, preferring to burrow into the silt.

The body of these terrible creatures is covered with hard plates that act as a shell. In case of danger, crayfish can curl into a ball and become inaccessible to predators. By the way, isopods are also predators and can eat a few small deep-sea fish and sea cucumbers. Powerful jaws and strong armor make the isopod a formidable foe. Although giant crayfish love to eat live food, they often have to eat the remains of shark prey that fall from the upper layers of the ocean.

Latimeria or coelacanth is a large deep sea fish, whose discovery in 1938 became one of the most important zoological finds of the 20th century. Despite its unattractive appearance, this fish is notable for the fact that for 400 million years it has not changed its appearance and body structure. In fact, this unique relic fish is one of the oldest living creatures on planet Earth, which existed long before the advent of dinosaurs.

Latimeria lives at a depth of up to 700 meters in the waters of the Indian Ocean. The length of the fish can reach 1.8 meters with a weight of more than 100 kilograms, and the body has a beautiful blue tint. Since the coelacanth is very slow, it prefers to hunt at great depths, where there is no competition from faster predators. These fish can swim backwards or belly up. Despite the fact that the meat of the coeliant is inedible, it is often the object of poaching among local residents. Currently, the ancient fish is in danger of extinction.

The deep-sea goblin shark, or as it is also called the goblin shark, is the most poorly understood shark to date. This species lives in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean at a depth of up to 1300 meters. The largest specimen was 3.8 meters long and weighed about 200 kilograms.

The goblin shark got its name due to its creepy appearance. Mitzekurin has mobile jaws that move outward when bitten. The goblin shark was first accidentally caught by fishermen in 1898, and since then 40 more specimens of this fish have been caught.

Another relic representative of the sea abyss is a one-of-a-kind detritophage cephalopod, which has an external resemblance to both squid and octopus. The infernal vampire got its unusual name due to the red body and eyes, which, however, depending on the lighting, can be blue color. Despite their terrifying appearance, these strange creatures grow only up to 30 centimeters and, unlike other cephalopods, eat only plankton.

The hellish vampire's body is covered in luminous photophores, which create bright flashes of light that scare away enemies. In case of exceptional danger, these small mollusks twist their tentacles along the body, becoming like a ball with spikes. Hellish vampires live at depths of up to 900 meters, and can perfectly exist in water with an oxygen level of 3% or less, which is critical for other animals.

The legends and myths of each country are full of various monsters living both on land and in water. Studies of the depths of the seas and oceans are still being carried out, but to discover any unknown creature failed.

However, in nature there are many animals, fish and unusual organisms that have. No, they are not a myth or a fairy tale. They are real. Is it possible that people once saw them? Is it possible that these creatures formed the basis of many stories? After all, where do all the horror stories come from.

In today's article, we will introduce you to the most creepy, truly frightening, and most importantly real.

Pike blenny

“A fish is like a fish,” you say. Not very pretty, but not terrible either. Yes, but only until she opens her mouth. The wrinkled cheeks hanging down the sides are not just folds of skin, they are a terrible mouth, ready to swallow everything that gets in its way.

Neoclinus blanchardi is a member of the henopsia family, or pike blennies. The fish are aggressive, capable of attacking even divers.

They live in the waters of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of North America: from San Francisco to the Mexican state of Baja California.

The depth at which sea monsters live reaches 70 meters.

The body of monsters is smooth, practically without scales. The length of the body is about 30 cm. Pike blennies are so flat that they can sometimes resemble conger eels.

But the most interesting fact is how they use their huge mouth. Faced with fellow tribesmen, they open their mouths and seem to “kiss”. Whoever has the most, wins. Thus they fight for territory.

Looking at these creatures, I want to believe that they came to us from another planet. Unfortunately no. Sea flycatchers live in the deep canyons of California.

Their second name is "shells". They are predators, and their appearance resembles a carnivorous flycatcher plant.

Preferring depth, they are fixed at the bottom, waiting for their victims.

An unsuspecting organism floats past their glowing maw, and the tunicator grabs it in the blink of an eye.

As you already understood, sea flycatchers are not picky in food - you don’t have to choose.

Another unusual property tunicates is the ability to reproduce without mating with other individuals, because the creatures are able to produce both sperm and eggs.

Speckled stargazer: fish attacking from below

Spotted stargazer - Astroscopus guttatus - a real sea monster. It would seem, why a monster, if the fish has such a romantic name. It turns out that not everything is so simple.

Stargazers have a massive lower jaw and huge bulging eyes, for which they received such an unusual name.

Buried in mud or sand sea ​​creatures leave only the organs of vision to observe their victims.

The huge mouth, pointing upwards, is also adapted for an instant attack.

Speckled stargazers live in Atlantic Ocean: east coast of the USA, between 2 states - New York and North Carolina.

Fish attacking from below have one unpleasant feature: they like to shock their victims with an electric discharge.

Special organs located above the eyes emit electrical discharges. But unlike other electrical inhabitants of water bodies, speckled stargazers do not have electroreceptors, that is, they are not able to receive electrical signals from the outside world.

To lay eggs, these fish also sink to the bottom, but the eggs themselves later float to the surface. And so it will continue until they turn into fry, the length of which is 15 mm. Then, darkening and growing special organs above the eyes, the stargazers again sink to the bottom, grow further.

A baggy creature from the order of ray-finned fish.

Iloglot adapted to life at great depths.

The sea monster has a huge mouth, which contrasts with the small body of the hygloglot.

They lack scales, ribs, swim bladder, pyloric appendages, ventral and caudal fins.

Many bones of the skull are reduced or completely disappeared.

Thanks to all the modifications, it is difficult to compare the skeleton with other fish, and therefore it is almost impossible to establish a relationship.

Frightening and bewitching, they are strong and dangerous inhabitants of the deep.

There are several types of moray eels, they differ in size and color. Small ones grow up to 15 cm. Large ones reach a length of 3 m and weigh about 50 kg.

Their skin does not have scales - it is completely covered with mucus, which can be poisonous in some species. Thanks to mucus, moray eels are protected from other predators and from bacteria. A person who touches this monster will receive powerful burns, if he survives at all.

Marine life have an extremely aggressive and violent disposition. Its sharp teeth are dangerous not only for predators, but also for people. There are many cases of moray eels attacking a person, several of which were fatal.

Drop Fish

Another deep-sea inhabitant of the seas is a drop fish.

Her unusual appearance is both frightening and pitiful at the same time. The fact is that close-set eyes and a huge mouth with down-turned corners make her sad, and resemble the face of a sad person.

The drop fish itself is unlikely to be sad about this. The body of an unusual creature has the shape of a gelatinous lump, the density of which is slightly less than the density of water. This allows the "sad" fish to cover long distances, eating everything in its path.

Unfortunately, like most unusual creatures, the blobfish is endangered. She lives off the coast of Australia and Tasmania at a depth of up to 1.5 km, but sometimes comes across in fishing nets, after which she is usually sold as a souvenir.

Despite its appearance, the drop is a very caring fish. After spawning, she hatches it for a long time and carefully takes care of the fry. Trying to ensure the safety of their offspring, the fish is looking for uninhabited and deaf places.

Fish-Gunch - freshwater monster

The habitat of goonch fish is the Kali River, located between Nepal and India. The weight of the river giant reaches 140-150 kg.

It is believed that goonch is a lover of human meat. It can attack not only in a secluded place, but also with a large crowd of people. But why does this fish have such a craving for human flesh?

Legends say that it was the customs of the locals that turned the gooncha into a cannibal. Even in ancient times, the Kali River was used to bury the bodies of the dead. First, the rite of burning was performed, and then the corpses were thrown into the river.

The custom was preserved, and the gunch fish began to eat what the man himself gives it.

Stone-fish, or wart

The strangest and most dangerous creature. It is the wart that is one of the most poisonous fish in the world.

The sea monster lives in coral reefs in the shallow waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as in the waters of the Red Sea, off the coast of Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, the Marshall Islands, Samoa and Fiji.

The ability to disguise itself as a stone allows the fish to remain unnoticed until a human foot steps on it.

It is possible that this step will be the last.

Stone-fish has a powerful poison, and its bite is fatal.

Moreover, death will not come instantly: a person will suffer, since signs of intoxication persist for a long time.

Rauaga

Mackerel hydrolic is more commonly known as vampire fish or dog fish.

Ray-finned fish, cynodont order. Lives in the Paragua, Churun, and other rivers of Venezuela.

Most people think that piranhas are the most bloodthirsty fish, but they are not.

The body length of this creature is 1 meter, and the weight can exceed 17 kg.

Two pairs of fangs, considered distinctive features fish, located in the lower jaw and can grow up to 15 cm in length.

In the upper jaw of the vampire fish, there are two holes that allow the lower fangs not to pierce the upper jaw.

Surprisingly, rauaga is the only species that can cope with piranha. But, in general, hydrolic feeds on any fish.

Attacking from above, he pierces the victim with fangs, after which he swallows it whole.

anglerfish, or monkfish

The name "monkfish" is reminiscent of some fabulous creature. However, this monster really exists.

The anglerfish is one of the rarest deep-sea animals. The first meeting with him took place in 1891.

This fish has no scales at all, the body is covered with growths and bumps. The mouth is masked by rags of skin that resemble algae. The dark coloring makes it almost invisible at a depth where there is a minimum of light.

On the head of the angler there is a long process ending in a luminous gland. It acts as a bait, luring passing fish. The essence of his hunt is to make the victim swim into his mouth, and then swallow.

The huge appetite of the fish makes them hunt even larger creatures, which often ends in the death of both.

Huge sea monsters - mesonychoteutis

From time to time information comes to us from different parts of the world. What is it: another fiction or real sea monsters?

You will be surprised, but scientists have officially recognized mesonychoteutis.

Its body, completely streamlined, helps to develop greater speed.

The diameter of the eye can reach 60 centimeters with a body size of 4-5 m, and a tentacle length of 1.5 meters.

It was first discovered and described in 1925. Fishermen found its tentacles in the stomach of a captured sperm whale.

Also, one of these mollusks washed up on the shores of Japan. Examination of the carcass showed that it was not an adult.

Experts studying sea ​​giants, including squids, it is believed that the body weight of some squids of this species can reach 200 kilograms.

isopod

Cephalopods - Bathynomus giganteus - genus Bathynomus. They live in the Atlantic Ocean, preferring a depth of 170-2500 m.

The body length of the isopod is about 1.5 meters, weight is more than 1.5 kg. These sea monsters are a great example of deep-sea gigantism.

These crayfish were first described in 1879, initially mistaking them for wood lice.

Zoologist Alphonse Milne-Edwards fished a young male from the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, thereby making a massive discovery: the ocean depths are not lifeless.

Their entire body is covered with movable hard plates for protection.

When threatened, they curl up into a ball.

Isopods lead a solitary lifestyle.

Almost all their lives they do not move, and they are fed by passing small fish, carrion or sea ​​cucumbers.

Scientists have found that they can go without food for about 8 weeks. Such inconveniences are caused by the depth chosen for the place of residence: food in pitch darkness not so much.

Skeptics have long believed that all large animals on Earth have already been discovered, and the statements of cryptozoologists about the real monsters that live in the oceans and are still unknown to scientists are just sensational fictions. However, eyewitness accounts, instrument readings, photographs and videos, as well as the remains of mysterious creatures washed ashore by the waves, suggest otherwise.

Ten tentacles and a powerful beak

It is difficult to imagine a more terrible image than the image of one of these huge monsters, hovering in the depths of the ocean, even more gloomy from the inky liquid released by these creatures in huge quantities; it is worth imagining hundreds of bowl-shaped suckers with which its tentacles are equipped, constantly in motion and ready at any moment to cling to anyone and anything ... and in the center of the interweaving of these living traps is a bottomless mouth with a huge hooked beak, ready to tear apart the victim, caught in the tentacles. At the mere thought of this, frost cuts through the skin.

This is how the English sailor and writer Frank T. Bullen described the largest, fastest and most terrible of all invertebrates on the planet - the giant squid.

In ancient times, sailors called these monsters krakens. These terrible creatures have been feared by sailors for several centuries. Sometimes all sorts of fables were told about them, for example, that sailors mistook a kraken resting on the surface of the water for an island, landed on it and woke up a dormant monster. It plunged sharply, and the resulting giant whirlpool pulled the ship into the abyss along with people. Of course, this was a clear exaggeration, but there is no doubt that krakens actually reach gigantic sizes and can be dangerous to humans.

In size, the giant squid is quite comparable to the average sperm whale, with which it often enters into deadly fight, although he is armed with very sharp teeth. The squid has ten tentacles: eight ordinary ones and two that are much longer than the rest and have something like spatulas at the ends. All tentacles are studded with suckers. The usual tentacles of a giant squid are 3-3.5 meters long, and a pair of the longest stretches up to 15 meters. With long tentacles, the squid pulls prey towards itself and, braiding it with the rest of its limbs, tears it apart with its powerful beak.

Biologist and oceanographer Frederick Aldrich is sure that giant squids even 50 meters long can live at great depths. The scientist points to the fact that all found dead specimens of a giant squid about 15 m long belonged to still young specimens with suckers of five centimeters in diameter, and after all, on many sperm whales, harpooned or thrown ashore by a storm, traces of suckers of 20 centimeters in diameter were found ...

The most terrible collision of a man with a giant squid was written in newspapers in 1874. The steamer Strathoven, heading for Madras, approached the small schooner Pearl, which was rocking on the water. Suddenly, the tentacles of a monstrous squid rose above the sea surface, they grabbed the schooner and dragged her under the water. According to the surviving captain of the schooner, his crew watched the fight between a huge squid and a sperm whale. The giants hid in the depths, but after a while the captain noticed that at a small distance from the schooner a huge shadow would rise from the depths. It was a monstrous squid about 30 meters in size. When he approached the schooner, the captain fired a shot at him with a gun, followed by a swift attack of a monster that rammed the schooner and dragged it to the bottom.

Legendary sea serpent

If most scientists no longer doubt the reality of the giant squid, then another legendary monster - the Great sea ​​serpent- many of them do not believe. Meanwhile, the first mention of the sea serpent was made two thousand years ago. Since then, the monster has been described more than once by various eyewitnesses in many languages ​​of the world. Of course, many of these testimonies are clearly fiction or exaggeration, but some of the reports are quite reliable.

One of the most reliable reports was received from the sailors of the English ship Daedalus, who, off the west coast of Africa on August 6, 1848, noticed a snake-like creature about 30 meters long near the side of the ship. The animal, which was observed for 20 minutes, swam at a speed of about 15 knots. The drawing of one of the Daedalus officers shows an animal with a head in a tree trunk of medium thickness, and one of the reports indicates that the monster had long, uneven teeth.

Scientists have already found one candidate for the "title" of the Great Sea Serpent. In 1959, Dutch explorer Anthony Bruun published a description of a 1.8 meter long eel larva caught at a depth of 300 m off the coast of Africa. If the size of an ordinary eel larva is about 3 centimeters, then an almost 2-meter "baby" may well grow into a 20-30-meter monster. Perhaps it was just such a giant eel that was seen and photographed in 1965 by tourists in clear water near the Bolshoy barrier reef. It was a creature 20-25 meters long with a domed head and a body tapering towards the end with a long, whip-like tail. Another creature, which, according to skeptics, can be mistaken for a sea serpent, is the oar king, reaching a length of seven meters or more.

Fantastic monsters of the depths

If someone thinks that mysterious monsters, which were observed in the old days in the seas and oceans, have not survived to this day, then he is greatly mistaken. So, in the late 80s of the 20th century, sea captain S. Lebedev told the cryptozoologist S. Klumov about a meeting with an unknown large animal in one of the Kuril straits. At first, they wanted to harpoon an unknown animal on the Dolphin whaling ship under the command of S. Lebedev, but its size turned out to be so impressive (the part of the gray back that protruded from the water reached about 15 meters in circumference) that the sailors decided not to risk it.

More recently, Australian scientists conducted a scientific experiment related to the migration along the coast of great white sharks. Suddenly, their thermal sensors, according to Metro, recorded a giant monster at a depth. It swallowed whole a three-meter white shark, nicknamed Alpha, whose movements were recorded by scientists using a GPS navigator and thermal imagers. As the researchers say, science still does not know a creature capable of swallowing such a large prey without tearing it to pieces.

By the way, a megalodon could swallow a three-meter white shark without any problems. This is an ancient shark of the species Carcharodon megalodon, which lived in the seas and oceans 2 million years ago. It is believed that this shark has long since died out, but some researchers doubt this. The fact is that in 1918, Australian lobster fishermen saw a huge white fish 30 meters long. And among the teeth of the megalodon, discovered by oceanologists at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, there was one only 11 thousand years old, by historical standards - completely “fresh”. Based on the discovered remains of an ancient shark, scientists have recreated its appearance. The length of the megalodon reached 25 meters, weight - 100 tons, and the two-meter mouth of the monster was littered with 10-centimeter teeth.

The fact that incredible monsters lurk in the depths is also evidenced by a mysterious sound in the ocean, nicknamed by the Americans Bloop. It was recorded in the ocean by employees of the National Agency for the Study of Oceanic and atmospheric phenomena USA. Amazingly, the sound was so loud that it was picked up by two microphones 3,000 miles apart. According to scientists, all the characteristics of sound indicate that it belongs to a living being. Who so "yells" in the ocean, scientists do not know. None of the creatures known to science is capable of making such an impressive "scream".

For those who still doubt the presence of monsters unknown to scientists in the World Ocean, I advise you to dial in search engine just three words "monsters washed ashore" and see pictures on this topic. You will see many photographs of the most incredible creatures; I think that after this viewing your skepticism will noticeably decrease.

Throughout history, people have invented countless tales of mythical creatures, legendary monsters, and supernatural monsters. Despite their obscure origins, these mythical creatures are described in the folklore of various peoples and in many cases are part of the culture. It's amazing that there are people around the world who are still convinced that these monsters exist, despite the lack of any meaningful evidence. So, today we are going to look at a list of 25 legendary and mythical creatures that never existed.

Budak is present in many Czech fairy tales and legends. This monster is described, as a rule, as a creepy creature resembling a scarecrow. It can cry like an innocent child, thus luring its victims. On the night of the full moon, Budak allegedly weaves a fabric from the souls of those people whom he ruined. Budak is sometimes described as an evil version of Santa Claus who travels around Christmas in a cart pulled by black cats.

24. Ghoul

The ghoul is one of the most famous creatures in Arabian folklore and appears in the Thousand and One Nights. The ghoul is described as an undead creature that can also take the form of an intangible spirit. He often visits cemeteries to eat the flesh of recently deceased people. This is perhaps main reason why the word ghoul in Arab countries is often used when referring to gravediggers or representatives of any profession directly related to death.

23. Yorogumo.

Loosely translated from Japanese, Yorogumo means "spider temptress", and in our humble opinion, the name perfectly describes this monster. According to Japanese folklore, Yorogumo was a bloodthirsty monster. But in most tales, he is described as a huge spider that takes the form of a very attractive and sexy woman, which seduces its male victims, captures them in a net, and then devours them with pleasure.

22. Cerberus.

AT Greek mythology, Cerberus is the guardian of Hades and is usually described as a bizarre-looking monster that looks like a dog with three heads and a tail ending in a dragon's head. Cerberus was born from the union of two monsters, the giant Typhon and Echidna, and is himself the brother of the Lernaean Hydra. Cerberus is often described in myth as one of the most dedicated guards in history and is often mentioned in the Homeric epic.

21. Kraken

The legend of the Kraken came from North seas and its presence was initially limited to the coasts of Norway and Iceland. Over time, however, his fame grew, thanks to the wild imagination of storytellers, which led subsequent generations to believe that he also lives in all the seas of the world.

Norwegian fishermen originally described the sea monster as a gigantic animal that was as big as an island and posed a danger to passing ships not from direct attack, but from giant waves and tsunamis caused by its body movements. However, later people began to spread stories about the monster's violent attacks on ships. Modern historians believe that the Kraken was nothing more than a giant squid and the rest of the stories are nothing but the wild imagination of sailors.

20. Minotaur

The Minotaur is one of the first epic creatures that we meet in the history of mankind, and takes us back to the heyday of the Minoan civilization. The Minotaur had the head of a bull on the body of a very large, muscular man and settled in the center of the Cretan labyrinth, which was built by Daedalus and his son Icarus at the request of King Minos. Everyone who fell into the labyrinth became a victim of the Minotaur. The exception was the Athenian king Theseus, who killed the beast and left the labyrinth alive with the help of the thread of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos.

If Theseus were hunting the Minotaur today, then a rifle with collimator sight, a huge and high-quality selection of which is on the portal http://www.meteomaster.com.ua/meteoitems_R473/.

19. Wendigo

Those familiar with psychology have probably heard the term "Wendigo psychopathy" which describes a psychosis that causes a person to eat human flesh. The medical term takes its name from the mythical creature called the Wendigo, which, according to the myths of the Algonquian Indians. The Wendigo was an evil creature that looked like a cross between a human and a monster, somewhat like a zombie. According to legend, only people who ate human flesh were able to become Wendigo themselves.

Of course, this creature never existed and was invented by Algonquin elders who were trying to stop people from engaging in cannibalism.

In ancient Japanese folklore, Kappa is a water demon that lives in rivers and lakes and devours naughty children. Kappa means "river child" in Japanese and has the body of a turtle, the limbs of a frog, and a head with a beak. In addition, on the top of the head there is a cavity with water. According to legend, Kappa's head should always be moistened, otherwise it will lose its power. Oddly enough, many Japanese consider the existence of Kappa to be a reality. Some lakes in Japan have posters and signs warning visitors that there is serious danger be attacked by this creature.

Greek mythology gave the world the most epic heroes, gods, and creatures, and Talos is one of them. The huge bronze giant allegedly lived in Crete, where he protected a woman named Europa (from whom the European continent takes its name) from pirates and invaders. For this reason, Talos patrolled the island's shores three times a day.

16. Menehune.

According to legend, the Menehune were an ancient race of gnomes who lived in the forests of Hawaii before the arrival of the Polynesians. Many scientists explain the existence of ancient statues in the Hawaiian Islands by the presence of Menehune here. Others argue that the legends of Menehune appeared with the arrival of Europeans in these areas and were created by the human imagination. The myth goes back to the roots of Polynesian history. When the first Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they found dams, roads, and even temples that were built by the Menehune.

However, no one has found the skeletons. Therefore, it still remains a big mystery what kind of race built all these amazing ancient structures in Hawaii before the arrival of the Polynesians.

15. Griffin.

The griffin was a legendary creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body and tail of a lion. The griffin is the king of the animal kingdom, which was a symbol of power and dominance. Griffins can be found in many depictions of Minoan Crete and later in art and mythology. Ancient Greece. However, some believe that the creature symbolizes the fight against evil and witchcraft.

14. Medusa

According to one version, Medusa was a beautiful maiden destined for the goddess Athena, who was raped by Poseidon. Athena, furious that she couldn't stand up to Poseidon directly, turned Medusa into an unsightly, evil monster with a head full of snakes for hair. The ugliness of Medusa was so disgusting that the one who looked at her face turned to stone. Eventually Perseus killed Medusa with the help of Athena.

Pihiu is another legendary monster hybrid native to China. Even though no part of his body resembled human organs, mythological creature often described as having the body of a lion with wings, long legs and the head of a Chinese dragon. Pihiu is considered the guardian and protector of those who practice feng shui. Another version of pihiu, Tian Lu is also sometimes considered a sacred being that attracts and protects wealth. This is the reason why small statues of Tian Lu are often seen in Chinese homes or offices, as it is believed that this creature can contribute to the accumulation of wealth.

12. Sukuyant

Sukuyant, according to Caribbean legends (especially in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Guadeloupe), is an exotic black version of the European vampire. From mouth to mouth, from generation to generation, Sukuyant has become part of the local folklore. He is described as a hideous-looking old woman by day, turning into a gorgeous-looking young black woman resembling a goddess at night. She seduces her victims to suck their blood or make them her eternal slaves. It was also believed that she practiced black magic and voodoo, and could turn into fireball or enter the homes of her victims through any opening in the home, including through cracks and keyholes.

11. Lamassu.

According to the mythology and legends of Mesopotamia, Lamassu was a protective deity, depicted with the body and wings of a bull, or with the body of a lion, wings of an eagle and the head of a man. Some have described him as a menacing male, while others have described him as a female deity with good intentions.

10. Tarasca

The tale of Tarascus is reported in the story of Martha, which is included in the biography of the Christian saints Jacob. Tarasca was a dragon with a very intimidating appearance and bad intentions. According to legend, he had the head of a lion, six short legs like a bear, the body of a bull, was covered with a turtle shell and a scaly tail that ended with a sting of a scorpion. Tarasca terrorized the region of Nerluk in France.

It all ended when a young devoted Christian named Martha arrived in the city to spread the gospel of Jesus and discovered that people had been afraid of the ferocious dragon for years. Then he found a dragon in the forest and sprinkled it with holy water. This action tamed wildlife dragon. After that, Marfa led the dragon back to the city of Nerluk, where the enraged locals stoned Tarasque to death.

On November 25, 2005, UNESCO included Tarasque in the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

9. Draugr.

Draugr, according to Scandinavian folklore and mythology, is a zombie that spreads a surprisingly powerful putrid smell of the dead. It was believed that Draugr eats people, drinks blood, and has power over the minds of people, driving them crazy at will. The typical Draugr was somewhat similar to Freddy Krueger, which, apparently, was created under the influence of fairy tales about the Scandinavian monster.

8. Lernaean Hydra.

The Lernaean Hydra was a mythical water monster with many heads that resembled large snakes. The ferocious monster lived in Lerna, a small village near Argos. According to legend, Hercules decided to kill the Hydra and when he cut off one head, two appeared. For this reason, Heracles' nephew Iolaus burned every head as soon as his uncle cut it off, only then did they stop breeding.

7. Brox.

According to Jewish legend, Broxa is an aggressive monster that looks like a giant bird that attacked goats or, in rare cases, drank human blood at night. The legend of Brox spread in the Middle Ages in Europe, where it was believed that witches took on the appearance of Brox.

6. Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga is perhaps one of the most popular paranormal creatures in folklore. Eastern Slavs and, according to legend, had the appearance of a fierce and terrible old woman. Nevertheless, Baba Yaga is a multifaceted figure that can inspire researchers, can turn into a cloud, a snake, a bird, a black cat and symbolize the Moon, death, winter, or the Earth Mother Goddess, the totem progenitor of matriarchy.

Antaeus was a giant with great strength, which he inherited from his father, Poseidon (god of the sea), and mother Gaia (Earth). He was a hooligan who lived in the Libyan desert and challenged any traveler in his lands to battle. Having defeated the stranger in a deadly wrestling match, he killed him. He collected the skulls of the people he defeated in order to one day build a temple dedicated to Poseidon from these "trophies".

But one day, one of the passers-by was Hercules, who made his way to the garden of the Hesperides to complete his eleventh feat. Antaeus committed fatal error, challenging Hercules. The hero raised Antaeus above the ground and crushed him in a bear hug.

4. Dullahan.

The fierce and powerful Dullahan is a headless horseman in Irish folklore and mythology. For centuries, the Irish have described him as a harbinger of doom who traveled on a black, terrifying-looking horse.

According to Japanese legend, Kodama is a peaceful spirit that lives inside certain types of trees. The kodama is described as a small white and peaceful ghost that is perfectly in sync with nature. However, according to legend, when someone tries to cut down the tree that Kodama lives in, bad things and a string of misfortunes begin to happen to him.

2. Corrigan

Strange creatures named Corrigan hail from Brittany, a cultural region in northwestern France with a very rich literary tradition and folklore. Some say Corrigan was beautiful good fairy, while other sources describe him as an evil spirit that looked like a dwarf and danced around fountains. He seduced people with his charms to kill them or steal their children.

1. Fish-man Lyrgans.

The fish-man Lyrgans existed in the mythology of Cantabria, an autonomous community located in northern Spain.

According to legend, this is an amphibious creature that looks like a sullen person who was lost at sea. Many people believe that the fish-man was one of the four sons of Francisco de la Vega and Maria del Casar, a couple who lived in the area. It was believed that they drowned in the waters of the sea while swimming with their friends at the mouth of Bilbao.