12 Terrifying Mouths of the Deep Sea

There is an underwater world of terrifying creatures with demon mouths straight from the deep abyss. Here are 13 terrifying mouths of the deep!

1. The Deep Sea Hatchetfish

Since the critter dwells so far beneath the water’s surface, it has very special eyes which permanently tilt upward so as to soak up as much light as possible, despite existing hundreds of feet beneath the water’s surface; further, its mouth is eternally stuck in a noticeable frown, which the deep sea hatchetfish uses as a net to engulf its prey.

2. The Gulper Eel

The gulper eel makes for an attractive predator for any victim who likes a little deep-sea entertainment, for the tail has tiny tentacles that are illuminated with hues of radiating pink and pulsating red. Found in extreme depths of the Atlantic Ocean, the gulper eel can grow up to 2.5 feet in size.

3. The Sea Urchin

When examining a set of 0.8-inch-long grinders of a purple California sea urchin, researchers found that the teeth of an echinoderm are comprised of crystalline plates and fibers. After 200 million years of evolution, these bad boys have evolved to “perform better than manmade nonoptimized tools,” claims biophysicist Pupa Gilbert at the University of Wisconsin.

The cookie-cutter shark belongs to the same order of the dogfish family and bears similarity in terms of their brown color and tubular shape.

While they only grow to about 16 feet long, the cookie-cutter shark has the largest set of shark teeth in terms of size relativity.

5. The Gob-faced Squid

If gob-face isn’t enough of an insult, the bizarre set of lips appearing like human teeth are. All that’s known of the peculiar spectacle is from one sighting alone after fishermen pulled a single gob-faced squid from the South Atlantic Ocean at a depth of 3,500 feet.

This solo discovery lends the subtle reminder of how little we know about what lurks below.

6. The Stargazer Fish

The stargazer is known for its master of camouflage and the surprise-attack method, as well as its weird, googly eyes and gigantic mouth. Found in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay region, the stargazer fish can grow up to twenty-two inches long.

7. The Sea Lamprey

Found in rivers and estuaries spanning the United States and Europe, this parasite spends the bulk of its life in the ocean, and the rest of its time spawning evil offspring in the freshwater regions.

The funnel-like sucking cavity proceeds to feed on the blood and fluids of its victim, rendering the catch a soulless, sack by the time the sea lamprey’s had its gory fix.

8. The Hagfish

The hagfish has a skull but no spine with a velvety, smooth exterior. Also known as the slime eel, the jawless mouth features two pairs of horny, combed-shaped teeth on a plate that protracts and retracts when tearing off chunks of food.

This class of Myxine fish is known for its mucus abilities which can get the creature out of a sticky situation. Pink or blue-grey, some exhibit riveting spots as these creatures are typically found on the muddy beds in cold waters from Vancouver to the Pacific Coast to Baja California, Mexico. The longest known hagfish was four feet and two inches in length.

9. The Goblin Shark

Mother nature must have been having a bad day when she created a cross between monster and shark. Low and behold, the goblin shark, a creature more vicious and terrifying than even the infamous great white.

The top and bottom teeth are attached by ligaments which allow the goblin shark to unhinge its mouth and grab its prey. Think of a bear trap that can leap out and grab you.

10. The Frilled shark

The frilled shark is all business, with a mouth lined with twenty-five rows of backward facing teeth— a grand total of 300 chompers in all. The frilled shark exhibits a similar set of luminous tusks which are a bright white in contrast to its stark, brown body.

The frilled shark can be found lurking in the deep abyss of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

11. The Barbeled Dragonfish

The barbeled dragonfish utilizes a sinister method of trickery to lure unsuspecting victims into their spikey, oversized mouth. This species of fish entices nearby swimmers with their barbell-shaped lures, dangling brightly lit bulbs which hang from their lower jaw.

After displaying an entryway lined with rows of giant teeth, a simple tilt of the head can render a gaping orifice 120 degrees in width.

12. The Leatherback Turtle

The leatherback sea turtle is the third largest reptile in the world, weighing up to 1,543 pounds. The teeth don’t fill just the mouth alone either, but rather these papillae rim the inside of the turtle’s mouth, esophagus, and gut.

The purpose of the leatherback turtle’s ferocious set of backward fangs is to prevent jellies from slipping out and achieving survival.