That is no alien whispering sweet nothings into Ripley’s ear, it is what scientists have dubbed Idiacanthus atlanticus or the black dragonfish.

I am going to take some liberties and declare this King of the Weird.

These delightful fish are sexually dimorphic, possible the most extreme case in the animal kingdom. This means that the females are extremely different from males, in both size and body shape. While the females grow up to 40 cm or about 2 ft, with tiny eyes, a chin barbel, and this tube-y, fang teeth used to catch their prey, their counterparts are only 5 cm or just under 2 inches, have no chin barbel or teeth, as well as a gut that has as much use as our appendix.

Also, did we mention that these glow a blue-green like many other deep sea fish? Except, our black dragonfish takes it a step up and is able to produce as well as perceive red light. This makes them excellent hunters as they hold a great advantage over their prey or… it could mean we found aquatic sorcerers.

Now I know what you are all wonder, are these bioluminescent fish just as adorable in as offsprings? Besides its frightening resemblance to my favorite extraterrestrial parasite, their larvae state is equally ridiculous.

DO YOU SEE NOTICE THOSE FLOATY THINGS? Those would be its eyeballs and what a baby black dragonfish would resemble, basically this is the ascension level prior to the Lobe’s final form. As they mature, those transparent suckers will slowly be absorbed into the skull while their body turns black or dark brown, depending on sex. All very tasty stuff.

I am super glad that all these creatures are found in the 2000 m or 5000 ft category. DAMN OCEAN. YOU SCARY.