Whitemargin Stargazer
The white margin stargazer (Uranoscopus sulphureus) is a species of fish with eyes on the tops of their heads rather than the sides. Their heads are huge and flattened, with a wide, upward-facing mouth. Its common name,’ stargazer,’ originates from their strange and distinctive eye placement, which is exactly on top of their heads. They burrow themselves in the sand before leaping upwards to ambush passing victims. Stargazer has a huge, upward-facing mouth in addition to the top-mounted eyes in a massive head. White margin stargazers not only have a lot of venoms, but they can also give you an electric shock. These fish feature electroplates, modified muscle cells that can deliver a 50-volt shock.
Goosefish
They resemble a cross between a rug fish and a stingray. They have broad power, with their tips facing up and their eyeballs on the tops of their heads. Goosefish and Amerindian anglers are other names for monkfish. Large triangular fins stretch from pectoral fins to two dorsal fins near the tail fin on these fish. The monkfish has a larger body than it appears on the surface, but it lacks scales, making it more slippery.
Anglerfish
Not only is the angler fish (Linophrynidae) the ugliest animal on the globe, but it’s also the ugliest fish! It lives in the deep, dark depths of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, with a massive head and crescent-shaped lips brimming with sharp, transparent teeth.
They get their name from a fleshy dorsal fin that projects over their mouth and glows to lure prey, making them one of several bioluminescent animal species. Anglerfish are a group of fish that range from 0.3 to 1 metre in length and are usually dark grey to dark brown.
Atlantic Wolffish
The wolffish, often known as the sea wolf or the devilfish, is around five feet long. The unique and distinct traits of this species make it easy to identify. It has canine-like teeth that protrude from its mouth, a continuous dorsal fin and no pelvic fins.
The name comes from the fish’s canine-like teeth, which resemble a wolf. Thanks to their muscular jaws and strong teeth, other aquatic animals are easy to eat. Wolffish have a blue to grey colouration, with the bottom being lighter than the top. Adults’ bodies have black patches along the length of them.
Goblin Shark
The goblin shark is an uncommon shark species. Its strange and frightening aspect has been compared to that of a fossil. It features a nose with a distinctive form and pink-toned skin. Their snouts are long and protrude beyond their teeth. Their jaws protrude from their faces, and they have thin, razor-sharp teeth.
They can grow between 10 and 13 feet long and are rarely observed by humans. This is because they reside at a depth of roughly 100 metres (330 feet) in the ocean. According to scientists, these sharks are thought to be capable of diving to depths of roughly 4,270 feet (1,300 metres).
Monkfish
Monkfish does not appear to be your typical fish. They have upward-facing jaws, eyes on the top of their heads, and a wide head. They’re also known as goosefish or American anglers. This species resembles a hybrid between a stingray and a rug.
Monkfish have huge triangular fins and large pectoral fins. Before the tail fin, they have two dorsal fins. Monkfish can grow to be five feet long. They are mostly murky brown with dark or light brown speckles. They have a white underbelly. Monkfish has a great width, which gives them a plump appearance. They don’t have scales, making them slick and difficult to grasp.
Frilled Shark
One of the scariest and ugliest fish species is the frilled shark, a living fossil. It contains 300 needle-sharp triangular teeth arranged into 25 rows. Its mouth reaches back to the back of its skull, giving it the appearance of a gaping hole. Six frilled gills are also present in the neck. The only difference between a frilled shark and an eel is that the former has fins. With its elongated body, it also has a snake-like look. Scientists believe that these fish hunt in the same way as snakes do. Even though a few individuals have seen this shark, scientists believe it hunts for prey in caves and fissures. It eats other water creatures such as octopuses and sharks.
Red Lipped Batfish
The Galapagos Islands and the South American coast near Peru are home to this fish. It has an unusual body structure and a moustache making its appearance very scary. Batfish are not strong swimmers. Thus, they walk on the ocean floor using their highly modified pectoral, pelvic, and fins. Instead of swimming, their dorsal fin lures prey once they reach maturity. The red-lipped batfish can grow to be up to 40cm long. The red-snout lipped and horn are a brownish tint.
Pelican eel
Compared to other eel species, the gulper eel, commonly known as the pelican eel, has a unique head. It possesses enormous unhinged jaws that allow it to consume prey up to the size of itself. The glowing organ at the end of the gulper eel’s tail glows pink and can produce random red flashes. These eels can be found at depths ranging from 3,000 to 26,200 feet. It’s a deep-sea fish that’s rarely seen, but when it is, the sights are terrifying.
Blobfish
The Blobfish completes our list. This strange creature, which lacks both bones and teeth, resembles a large-nosed bald man’s head that has been put in the microwave for too long.
The Blobfish lives in the deep ocean, where it is subjected to extremely high pressures and appears to be far less ugly than in photographs taken above water. Its slimy, gelatinous appearance adapts to its environment, where its squidgy flesh lets it retain buoyancy at depths where gaseous bladders (conventional fish organs for controlling depth) are unable to operate.
Perhaps evolution is playing a cruel joke on us, or the plan is to make the other marine creatures feel so horrible about this sorry sack that no one wants to eat it.
We congratulate you on making it through the entire list without losing your lunch. We didn’t mean to scare you away from fish, so make amends…