Incredible facts
Many people have long learned that Australia is a place home to many wild and sometimes frightening animals, ranging from giant spiders to lizards and rodents.
However, the ocean around the continent is also full of equally creepy and unusual creatures.
Read also: 20 photo proofs why you don't have a foot in Australia anymore
Recently, the Victoria Museum in Australia was on an expedition to explore the depths of the continent's coast and published several photos of the captured creatures, some of which may scare an inexperienced viewer.
Australian marine life
1. Brazilian glowing shark
She hunts big fish, whales, dolphins, and the occasional unlucky swimmers.
2. Ofiura
Ofiurs, which lack eyes and brains, live all over the world and appeared more than 480 million years ago.
3. Fish “without a face”
This faceless fish was first discovered during the Challenger's first round-the-world expedition. After 140 years, at a depth of 4 km, it was found again off the coast of Australia.
4. Sipunculide
This sea worm likes to stay in the dark, and when frightened, it will hide its long head inside.
5. Red haunax
This lonely water dweller usually hides in the sand on the seabed, using the bait on his head to lure prey.
6. Blind mistake
It lives at a depth of 2,000 to 6,000 meters below the surface, without eyes or mouth.
7. Craboid
This relative of the hermit cancer is one of the most colorful creatures caught during the expedition.
Australian fauna
8. Drop fish
Drop fish is considered one of the most slippery and unusual sea creatures.
9. Coral polyp
This coral polyp is similar to the Eye of Sauron and belongs to the same group of marine animals as anemones and hard corals.
10. Sea spider
Sea spiders aren't actually spiders. Their legs are thin tubes, and some of them can glow in the dark.
11. Lizards
The researcher holds a lizard head, which has a rather surprised expression on his face.
12. Scotoplanes
They are called ocean vacuum cleaners because they use their tubular legs to suck microorganisms out of the mud.
13. Grimpotevtis
These octopuses use their fins to travel through the dark waters off the coast of Australia.
14. Bioluminescent malacost
These creatures, which live 1,500 meters under water, produce their own light to lure their prey.
Ocean dwellers
15. Common haunax
Like pufferfish, these slaves can swell to appear larger to predators.
16. Carnivorous crustaceans
Although it looks like a harmless shrimp, this crustacean eats anything it finds on the seabed.
17. Spiderfish
These spider fish (Grideye Spiderfish) get by without eyes, instead using green-yellow light-sensitive plates that find bioluminescent prey.
18. Glass sponge
Although it looks like a lump of garbage you pulled out of an old vacuum cleaner, this sponge has a mesh skeleton made up of silicon fibers that filter water.
19. Carnivorous sponges
Despite their small size (5 to 15 cm), these sponges cling tiny crustaceans to their needles and slowly digest them.
20. Bat
Given how many frightening creatures live in the depths of the ocean, it's amazing to find such a tiny and cute creature there.