00:00A shark down there, it must have measured at least 16, maybe 17 feet.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're taking a look at some mysteries surrounding ocean creatures that will keep you up at night.
00:10What is the significance of the dorsal fin crests and of the pelvic fin ores which give the fish its name?
00:19Macropinna microstoma.
00:21Macropinna is a small dark fish with large fins, a tiny mouth, and a remarkable pair of eyes.
00:27Think that's a weird name? Wait till you see the fish it belongs to.
00:31First discovered in 1939, this mysterious and thoroughly alien-looking creature wasn't photographed alive until 2004.
00:39The fish discovered alive by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is the first specimen of its kind to be found with its soft, transparent dome intact.
00:49It spends its life at depths between 2,000 and 2,800 feet, and though it has been caught a number of times over the years,
00:56its fragile anatomy has made it incredibly challenging to study.
01:00From the barrel eye family, Macropinna microstoma has a translucent domed head,
01:04which, coupled with its unique tubular eyes, gives it an advantage over its prey.
01:09When it spots food, it can rotate its eyes to look forward, to include its mouth in the field of view.
01:15The tubular eyes are extremely well-suited for capturing light in its dark habitat,
01:20while its domed head allows it to not only look forward, but also up through its own head.
01:26Unique? Sure, but also super creepy-looking.
01:30Immortal Jellyfish
01:31Eternal life is something you usually hear about in fiction rather than reality.
01:36However, there are some beings that have evolved to essentially live forever,
01:40even if they live in extreme conditions.
01:42Turritopsis dornii, better known as the immortal jellyfish,
01:46have the unique ability to return to their polyp stage when faced with something potentially deadly.
01:51While they aren't immune to predators,
01:53they can still evade other causes of death, such as old age and assault.
01:57Marine biologists are still learning more about how this process,
02:01also known as trans-differentiation, truly works,
02:04and if it can be replicated in a medical setting.
02:06It's hard to believe that something so tiny may hold the key to one of humanity's biggest curiosities.
02:12The HMS Daedalus's Sea Serpent
02:15One of the benefits of living in modern times is that many animals have been classified,
02:24quelling fears about the existence of fantastical beasts.
02:28However, for those living in the past,
02:30seeing an unknown or unidentified creature confirmed those worries.
02:34This was the case for the crew of the HMS Daedalus,
02:37who, in 1848, swore they saw a large sea serpent swimming alongside their ship.
02:42They reported that it was at least 60 feet long,
02:45and was more comparable to a reptile than a fish.
02:49Some modern-day specialists have asserted that they saw a sea whale,
02:52although there hasn't been any evidence confirming that theory.
02:56Given the Daedalus's description of its size and speed,
02:59there's no wonder they automatically assumed it was a monster.
03:01Giant oarfish
03:10When hearing about the things that live in the deep ocean,
03:18it's hard to fathom that some can even exist.
03:21A fish that can grow to almost 60 feet in length and weigh over half a ton is nearly inconceivable.
03:26The giant oarfish's size, dorsal fin,
03:29and multicolored body helps it look more like an alien
03:32than something you'd find at your local aquarium.
03:34While some have traversed into shallow areas,
03:37they're usually elusive.
03:38This has made it difficult to learn more about their behavioral patterns and life cycle,
03:42with research on the latter only starting in the last few years.
03:46We have the opportunity to learn more about them in real time,
03:49and when we do,
03:50it'll be an achievement in the maritime field.
03:52We seem to be definitely using the chain as a point of reference.
03:56We need to follow this up.
03:58Australia's cannibal shark
03:59Just as lions rule the savannah,
04:01great white sharks rule the seas.
04:04Okay, technically killer whales have been known to target them,
04:07but that's not what happened here.
04:08The recent discovery has led to a cutting-edge theory.
04:12The great white sharks could feed off each other.
04:16Australian scientists were shocked and utterly perplexed
04:20when a 9-foot-long great white shark was apparently devoured.
04:24It had been tagged with a tracker as part of a study,
04:26and when said tracker washed up on shore,
04:29the data contained within showed a sudden spike in temperature
04:32followed by a staggering 1,900-foot dive.
04:35A temperature that could only be achieved
04:37inside the belly of another living animal.
04:41After careful investigation,
04:42the researchers were left with only one possible conclusion.
04:45It was eaten by a cannibal shark of the same species,
04:48estimated to be 16 feet long and 2 tons.
04:52Terrifying, right?
04:53While great whites tend to avoid conflict,
04:56cannibalism is not unheard of.
04:58Lephtocephalus gigantus
04:59Described by Anton Brun in 1930
05:02and Peter Henry John Castle in 1959,
05:05Lephtocephalus gigantus is an extremely rare species of eel
05:08thought by some to swim the ocean depths.
05:11Only two such specimens have ever been studied,
05:14and they were in the larval state,
05:15meaning that they were nowhere close to reaching maturity.
05:18But even as a larva,
05:20one specimen was roughly 6 feet in length.
05:23And given that eel larva is typically 1 32nd of its adult length,
05:27that would suggest a truly monstrous eel comaturity.
05:30Now, contemporary scientists have suggested
05:32that Lephtocephalus gigantus was likely misidentified
05:35and would not grow substantially beyond that point.
05:38But without further study,
05:39it's impossible to say.
05:41Lephtocephalus gigantus
05:42could be the reality behind sea serpents.
05:45The Colossal Squid
05:46Release the Kraken!
05:48This terrifying deep-sea beast
05:50was first discovered in 1925,
05:52and its existence admittedly lends a certain credibility
05:55to all those myths about sea monsters.
05:57Because colossal squids are so elusive,
06:00our knowledge of their anatomy is somewhat limited.
06:02But based on beaks that have been recovered,
06:04it's been hypothesized that at maturity,
06:06they could weigh up to 1,500 pounds
06:08and measure 30 to 33 feet in length.
06:12Steve was expecting this squid to be more than 30 feet long.
06:16It's only half that.
06:17Only a handful of specimens have ever been found,
06:20which makes sense given that they generally inhabit
06:22the Antarctic Ocean
06:23and dwell at depths of up to 7,200 feet.
06:26As if the colossal squid's size wasn't intimidating enough,
06:29they're armed with both swiveling
06:31and three-pointed hooks on their limbs.
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06:49The Megalodon
06:50Human history across various cultures
06:59is chock full of myths and legends
07:01about sea monsters
07:02that tormented sailors of yesteryears.
07:04Unlike the Leviathan or the Kraken, however,
07:07we know for a fact
07:08that the Megalodon once swam these seas.
07:10The word Megalodon literally means big tooth.
07:13And these seven-inch teeth
07:14are almost all that remain
07:16of this extraordinary creature.
07:18No skeletons have ever been found.
07:21Measuring up to 59 feet in length
07:23and reaching upwards of 59 metric tons,
07:26these prehistoric terrors certainly earn the name.
07:28The general scientific consensus
07:30is that they went extinct millions of years ago,
07:32but there are those who believe
07:34they continue to survive in secret.
07:36And it's not just Discovery Channel
07:37fueling the speculation.
07:39Species like the coelacanth and megamouth shark
07:41remind us that anything could lurk
07:43in the ocean depths.
07:45What underwater creature gives you the heebie-jeebies?
07:47Let us know in the comments.
07:49Megalodon was probably the apex predator of all time.
07:52People think T-Rex or something like that.
07:55It's dwarfed by Megalodon.
07:56Megalodon is huge, maybe even 70 feet long.
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