weird fish

Also called a suckermouth catfish, plecostomus (or pleco for short) are large algae and dead fish eaters native to the tropical freshwaters of Central and South America. They are occasionally seen in the southern U.S., but they are considered a harmful invasive species. The term plecostomus means ?folded mouth,? a fitting name for a fish that literally has a mouth that folds downwards, perfect for sucking down food along the surface of rocks and other structures. They can grow to be a couple feet in length, and are known to be rather territorial.

The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is the heaviest bony fish in the world, with an average weight of 1000 kilograms. The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe.

This shark is an extremely rare and unusual species of deep water shark. Discovered in 1976, only a few have ever been seen, with 39 specimens known to have been caught or sighted as of 2007 and three recordings on film. Like the basking shark and whale shark, it is a filter feeder, and swims with its enormous mouth wide open, filtering water for plankton and jellyfish.

This fish, also called an ogrefish, while understandably named for their disproportionately large, fanglike teeth and unapproachable visage, are actually quite small and harmless to humans: the larger of the two species, the common fangtooth, reaches a maximum length of just 16 centimetres (6 inches); the shortthorn fangooth is about half this size.

The pelican eels most notable feature is its enormous mouth, much larger than its body. The mouth is looselyhinged, and can be opened wide enough to swallow a fish much larger than itself. The pouchlike lower jaw resembles that of a pelican, hence its name.

The blue-ringed octopus is the size of a golf ball, but its venom is powerful enough to kill humans. There is no known antidote.

This large species has a rounded head and a mouth which faces forward to catch squid and fish that swim up off the sea floor. As in most other rattails, the males of this species have a special drum machine on their swim bladder that is used to attract females.

With its polka-dot mantle and wide-eyed expression, this glass creature represents a lighter side of the inky ocean deep.

The elusive giant squid, known to science as Architeuthis dux, is one of the worlds largest animals, reaching a length of up to 60 feet. It is the largest known invertebrate in the world.

These creatures are thought to be abundant in cold, deep waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.