Top 20 rare fishes

Hagfish

According to the fossil record, hagfish have existed for over 300 million years,

which means they were already old when dinosaurs took over the world!

Found in relatively deep waters, these animals are sometimes called slime

eels, but they are not really eels, and actually, they may not even be fish at all,

according to some scientists. They are very bizarre animals in all regards;

they have a skull but lack a spine, and they have two brains. Almost blind,

they feed at night on the carcasses of large animals (fish, cetaceans etc)

which fall to the sea bottom. They owe their “slime eel” nickname to the fact

that they produce a slimey substance to damage the gills of predatory fish; as

a result, they have virtually no natural enemies.

9Lancetfish

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The lancetfish has a very obvious “prehistoric” appearance, with those fierce-

looking, sharp teeth on its jaws and the sail on its back, reminiscent of that of

some dinosaurs (although, in the lancetfish the sail is actually an enlarged

dorsal fin). Even its scientific name has a dinosaurian sound to it (Alepisaurus

ferox). Up to two meters (6′ 6″) in length, this predator is found in all the

oceans except for polar regions; very voracious, it feeds on smaller fish and

squid, and has known to feed on members of its own species sometimes.

8Arowana

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Belonging to the ancient group of the Osteoglossids, these fish already

existed in the Jurassic period. Today, they are found in the Amazon, and in

parts of Africa, Asia and Australia. Sometimes kept as exotic pets, arowanas

are voracious predators that feed on any small animal they can catch,

including birds and bats which they catch in mid flight (they are able to leap up

to 2 meters (6′ 6″) into the air). In China, arowanas are known as “dragon-fish”

due to their appearance, and they are thought to be harbingers of good luck.

7Frilled Shark

This deep sea predator, one of the most primitive sharks alive today, is a relic

from the Cretaceous period, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Seldom seen

alive, and only recently filmed for the first time, the frilled shark can grow up to

2 meters (6′ 6″) (with females being larger than males) and they live in deep

waters, where they feed mostly on squid. They are not dangerous to humans,

and as a matter of fact, most frilled sharks spend their whole lives without

seeing a human being. Only dead or dying specimens are usually seen and

recorded by fishermen or scientists.

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6Sturgeon

Another survivor from the age of dinosaurs (they were already around in the

early Jurassic), the sturgeon is well known for being one of the main sources

of caviar (which is made out of their roe or egg masses); due to overfishing,

these magnificent, armored fish are sadly endangered nowadays. The largest

sturgeon species can grow up to 6 meters (19′ 7″) long, being as large as

most great white sharks; they feed on small animals from the sea bottom and

pose no danger to humans, unless provoked (although they are so big that

they have hurt, and even killed, people unintentionally by leaping out of the

water and landing on boats!)

Arapaima

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A close relative to the arowana (see #8), the Amazonian arapaima is

sometimes considered to be the largest freshwater fish in the world. According

to early descriptions, it could grow up to 4.5 meters (14′ 8″) long, but today,

enormous individuals like these are seldom found and most adult arapaimas

average 2 meters (6′ 6″) long. These slow moving predators feed on smaller

fish, crustaceans and whatever small animal they can fit in their mouth. An

interesting trait of this fish is that it needs to breath oxygen from the air, like a

cetacean, in order to survive. Arapaimas pose no danger to humans and are

often hunted for their meat; unfortunately, they are very scarce nowadays.

Although the arapaima seemingly appeared in the Miocene period, it belongs

to a much older family, the Osteoglossidae, and therefore its origins can be

traced back to the age of dinosaurs.

4Sawfish

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This critically endangered animal is a survivor from the Cretaceous period,

and can be found both in saltwater or in rivers and creeks, and has been

found up to 100 kms inland. Up to 7 meters (23′) in length, sawfish may look

like sharks but are actually more closely related to rays. Their “saw” is both a

weapon and a sensory organ, covered on electro-sensitive pores which allow

it to sense prey despite its terrible eyesight. Although usually peaceful, the

sawfish can become extremely dangerous if provoked. Due to an

extraordinary fossil, we know that gigantic, prehistoric sawfish were probably

a staple food for the largest carnivorous dinosaur, Spinosaurus, as a vertebra

from the fish was found stuck between the dinosaur’s teeth.

3Alligator Gar

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This formidable, thick scaled predator is found in the southern US and

northern and eastern Mexico, being the largest freshwater fish in North

America (although it sometimes wanders into the sea). It can grow up to 4

meters (13′) long and weigh up to 200 kgs (440lbs). Gator gars are so called

because of their reptilian appearance and long jaws, armed with a double row

of sharp teeth. They are voracious ambush predators and have been known

to bite humans on occasion, although no confirmed deaths due to alligator

gars have been recorded to date. Gars are among the oldest fish alive today;

their origins can be traced back to the Cretaceous period.

2Polypterus Senegalus

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These african fish are often called “dinosaur eels”, due to their reptilian

appearance and serrated dorsal fin, reminiscent of some dinosaurs’ spiked

backs. They are not really eels, but members of the bichir family. Bichirs were

already around in the Cretaceous, so the “dinosaur” part of their name is

actually fitting in a way. Although often sold as exotic pets, dinosaur eels are

prone to escaping their fish tanks. They can survive out of the water for long

periods of time as long as their skin remains wet, which enables them to

wander far away from their tank.

1Coelacanth

The Coelacanth is the most famous of all “living fossils” and deserves to be #1

in this list, because it is the best example of a “Lazarus taxon”, this is, animals

that were supposed to be long extinct and are unexpectedly found to be alive.

Coelacanths were supposed to have become extinct in the Cretaceous period,

along with the dinosaurs, but in 1938, a live specimen was caught in South

Africa. Since then, more specimens have been seen and photographed, and a

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second coelacanth species was even found in Indonesia in 1999. Coelacanths

are large predators, up to 2 meters (6′ 6″) long; they feed on smaller fish,

including small sharks, and are usually found in deep, dark waters. Although

rarely captured and consumed due to their horrible taste, coelacanths are

critically endangered nowadays.

ViperfishThey're weird in good ways, and they're weird in bad ways. But most importantly, they're just WEIRD. Really weird. And frankly, we felt like we were being totally selfish not sharing them with you. So put on your snorkel, goggles, and flippers, and hit the water with us to check out the absolute weirdest (but coolest!) sea creatures. But we're warning you—if our choices' names alone are any indication, it definitely won't be pretty. Case in point, Number 10 ...

BlobfishIn case you ever wondered where the creator of Ziggy came up with the artistic concept, wonder no more. This fish (if "fish" we can really call it) is the weirdest looking sea creature we've ever seen. What's worse is that this animal is just as lazy as it looks and sounds...it barely expends any energy even eating, making sure it gobbles up whatever just happens to be floating by at the moment. So maybe a little less Ziggy ... a little more Al Bundy. Either way, it makes us seriously think about our carb intake.

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AxolotlAxolotls are like the cute anime pet you never had but always wanted, because you saw it on a deck of Pokémon cards. Tack onto that the ability to completely regenerate any dangling limb, and you've got yourself a real live Tamigachi! Another cool thing about axolotls is that they stay in their larval state even into adulthood, when they start becoming sexually mature—talk about babies having babies! Maury Povitch would have a field day with these weird sea creatures. Which of course, only makes them weirder.

AnglerfishWe'll say it, and we'll say it without fear: anglerfishes are ugly. There, we said it. They are disgusting bottom-dwellers, and if that isn't the lowest of the low, they also have a spine that doubles as bait for prey. They have big pointy teeth, and we're pretty sure you don't want to know what their mating habits are. All in all, "weird" only scratches the already scaly surface.

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Loch Ness MonsterWhile the Scottish Highlands have a history of having things appear out of the mist (isBrigadoon humor still in, or is 60+ years too much time?), it is the The Loch Ness Monster, or "Nessie" as we've come to know her, that has become the most popular Scottish Highlands' mist-dweller. The story goes that in August of 1933, the Courier published an article stating that a man had witnessed what appeared to be a dragon ... or at least, the closest thing he had ever seen to a dragon. Years passed, and evidence proving Nessie's existence (including photographs, video and even sonar) mounted. Because of this evidence, The Loch Ness Monster has been neither confirmed nor denied—though the scientists in the room may beg to differ.

Dana Octopus SquidThis weird sea creature mesmerizes its prey by flashing it—but not in the what's-under-that-trench-coat kind of way. In an actual, literal light-gets-in-your-eyes kind of way. By emitting flashes of light used to blind

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their prey, the Dana Octopus Squid successfully disorients, then captures them. Which begs the question: whatever happened to stimulating conversation?

Leafy Sea DragonThe Leafy Sea Dragon is one of the few sea creatures with its own built-in camouflage. The tiny fins that are used to propel our leafy friend forward are impossible to see, giving the illusion that you are merely watching some seaweed lazily float by (like an underwater plastic bag à laAmerican Beauty). So the next time you see a chunk of seaweed ... notice the beauty of it, yes. But also notice that you may just be witnessing one of the weirdest sea creatures in the world.

Longhorn CowfishAlthough the Longhorn Cowfish tends to look like a hovercraft when it's moving along, it's not quite as fun as the Bumper Car-esque

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exterior it tends to exude. In fact, what it does exude is a poisonous toxin from the mucous secretions of their skin, rendering their flesh a deadly delicacy (should you be so inclined to eat one, since it has "cow" in the name and fast food these days will take anything they can get). The good news is, they tend to make a very distinct grunting noise when they've been captured—so just be sure to listen carefully to your next double cheeseburger.

Vampire SquidHelping it stay true to its name, the Vampire Squid comes complete with its own cape, made from arms connected by black webbing. The webbing help propel it through the water and almost fly like—you guessed it—a bat. But by far, the coolest/weirdest thing about this sea creature is its ability to hypnotize its prey using what's knowns as "photophores" on its arms. So basically it's a living, breathing dance club.

Pirahna13

Notorious for their sharp teeth and voracious appetites, piranhas inhabit several of the major river basins in South America. These omnivorous fish are known for their taste for meat, although attacks on human beings are quite rare, despite breathless accounts from early explorers.

In a historic visit to Brazil, Theodore Roosevelt famously saw a group of piranhas shredding pieces of a cow carcass in seconds. His dramatic account would color popular imagination for years, even though it was based on a manipulated spectacle in which fishermen blocked off a group of the fish and starved them beforehand.

Still, piranhas are important scavengers and predators in their native rivers, and they often resort to cannibalism if food gets scarce. It's true that local fishermen occasionally have scars from close encounters with them.

It's unknown how many species of piranhas exist, with estimates ranging from 30 to 60. —Brian Clark Howard

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