The Most Alien-Looking Creatures Earth Has Produced

[ginoide]

Membracidae always amaze me.

 

[PeteByrdie]

The bigfin squid is surely not of this world.

 

[brownmane]

How about the squidworm Teuthidodrilus samae:

View attachment 66257

I like his corkscrew appendages.

 

[PeteByrdie]

Of course, we could focus on deep-sea invertebrates all day; they're 'alien' to us in so many ways.

So, to bring the topic into our own suborder, I think tarsiers look like something from an alien forest.

 

[blessmycottonsocks]

After the Sarcastic Fringehead, my second favourite fish has to be Exocoetidae:
Those amazing fins/wings are reminiscent of the giant dragonflies from the Carboniferous era.

 

[SimonBurchell]

After the Sarcastic Fringehead, my second favourite fish has to be Exocoetidae:
Those amazing fins/wings are reminiscent of the giant dragonflies from the Carboniferous era.

View attachment 68121

Yep, I've seen them in action on a ferry in Honduras - it took me a little while to work out what I was looking at as they leapt out of the water to flee the ferry and skimmed off across the waves. They really did look like giant dragonflies at first.

 

[PeteByrdie]

After the Sarcastic Fringehead, my second favourite fish has to be Exocoetidae:
Those amazing fins/wings are reminiscent of the giant dragonflies from the Carboniferous era.

View attachment 68121

That's spectacular! Aye, fish that fly (more or less) are definitely quite alien like to us.

 

[blessmycottonsocks]

Another spectacular worm - the Antarctic Scale Worm (Eulagisca gigantea).
Growing up to 20cm, this carnivorous predator is widely distributed around Antarctica and the Southern Ocean at depths of up to 700 m.

 

[Robbrent]

Nothing compares to the divine beauty of the blobfish
View attachment 65332

From Wikipedia

The popular impression of the blobfish as bulbous and gelatinous is partially an artifact of the decompression damage done to specimens when they are brought to the surface from the extreme depths in which they live.[5] In their natural environment, blobfish appear more typical for their superclass Osteichthyes (bony fish).

 

[Xanatic*]

The carpet shark looks a bit like a character on The Muppet Show.

 

[Analogue Boy]

That would make a great toilet seat cover.

 

[hunck]

The carpet shark looks a bit like a character on The Muppet Show.

View attachment 72120

Looks a friendly chap doesn't he?

 

[Mythopoeika]

The Fried Egg Jellyfish:

 

[brownmane]

The Fried Egg Jellyfish:
View attachment 73786

Sunny side up.

 

[maximus otter]

Another spectacular worm - the Antarctic Scale Worm (Eulagisca gigantea).
Growing up to 20cm, this carnivorous predator is widely distributed around Antarctica and the Southern Ocean at depths of up to 700 m.

View attachment 69612View attachment 69613

That is pure nightmare fuel.

maximus otter

 

[brownmane]

That is pure nightmare fuel.

maximus otter

It looks like a squirrel turned inside out

 

[blessmycottonsocks]

This slightly alarming close-up photo of an ant's face was the winner of the Nikon "Photomicrography Competition 2022" award: