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Category: Animal of the Deep

Angler siphonophore

The angler siphonophore fishes for its meals.

Giant sea spider

The giant sea spider has eight long, lanky legs that make it easy to move along the deep seafloor.

California sun star

A California sun star has a voracious appetite and it’s not picky about its next meal.

Pacific viperfish

The Pacific viperfish’s huge mouth and long, needle-like teeth are the key to their hunting strategy.

Giant tubeworm

Towering colonies of giant tubeworms grow where hot, mineral-laden water flows out of the deep seafloor.

Flapjack octopus

The adorable flapjack octopus sits on the seafloor like a flat, fluffy pancake.

Bamboo coral

Ancient bamboo coral forests grow on seamount slopes, but these are animals, not plants.

Fangtooth

Despite this fish’s fierce name and ferocious looks, fangtooth is a rather small—and possibly lazy—predator.

Sea pig

Sea pigs are sea cucumbers that snuffle across the seafloor to find tasty morsels in the mud.

Red siphonophore

The spectacular scarlet color of the red siphonophore is camouflage in the ocean’s midnight zone.