Terrible sea monsters. Creepy monsters of the deep sea. Basilisk - Venomous snakes

The main human activity takes place on earth, therefore water world is not fully explored. In ancient times, people were sure that many monsters live in the seas and oceans, and there is a lot of evidence describing encounters with such creatures.

Sea monsters and monsters of the deep oceans

Studies of water depths are still being carried out, for example, the Mariana Trench was explored (the most deep place on the planet), but the most terrible sea monsters described in ancient scriptures have not been discovered. Almost all peoples have ideas about the monsters that attacked the sailors. Until now, from time to time there are reports that people have seen huge snakes, octopuses and other creatures unknown to science.

hairy snake

According to historical chronicles, these monsters were discovered in sea ​​depths ah around the 13th century. So far, scientists have not been able to confirm that giant sea snakes are real.

1. A description of the appearance of these monsters can be found in the work of O. the Great "History of the northern peoples." The serpent is about 200 feet long and 20 feet wide. It lives in caves near Bergen. The body is covered with black scales, there are hanging hairs on the neck, and his eyes are red. He attacks cattle and ships.
2. The last evidence of a meeting of a sea monster was about 150 years ago. The crew of the British ship, which followed the island of St. Helena, saw a huge reptile with a mane.
3. The only known animal that fits the description is a thong fish that lives in tropical seas. The length of the caught specimen is approximately 11 m. The rays of its dorsal fin are long and form a “sultan” above the head, which from afar can be mistaken for hair.

hairy snake

sea ​​monster kraken

A mythical sea creature that looks like a cephalopod is called the kraken. It was first described by Icelandic sailors, who claimed that it looked like an ordinary floating island. Descriptions of this monster of the deep sea are common and confirmed.

1. A Norwegian ship in 1810 noticed in the water a huge creature similar to a jellyfish, whose diameter was about 70 m. There was a record of this meeting in the ship's log.
2. The fact that giant sea monsters krakens exist was officially confirmed by science in the 19th century, since giant mollusks (something between an octopus and a squid) were found on the shore, similar in description to a kraken.
3. The sailors announced a hunt for these creatures and specimens 8 and 20 meters long were caught. Some encounters with the kraken ended in a shipwreck and the death of the crew.
4. There are several types of krakens, so it is believed that the monsters are 30-40 m long, and they have large suckers on their tentacles. They do not have awns, but have a brain, developed sensory organs and a circulatory system. To protect themselves, they are able to release poison.

Grendel

In the English epic, the demons of darkness are called Grendel, and he is a giant troll who lived in Denmark. Describing the largest sea monsters, it is often included in the list, and it lives in underwater caves.

1. He hated people and sowed panic among the people. His image combines different hypostases of evil.
2. In Germanic mythology, a sea monster with a huge mouth was considered a creature that was rejected by people. Grendel was a person who committed a crime and was expelled from society.
3. Movies and cartoons were made about this monster.

Grendel

Sea monster Leviathan

One of the most famous monsters described in the Old Testament and other Christian sources. The Lord created each creature in pairs, but there were animals in a single kind and these are different sea monsters, which they refer to.

1. The creature is huge and has two jaws. His body is covered in scales. He has the ability to breathe fire and thereby evaporate the seas.
2. In later sources, some mythical sea monsters were justified, so Leviathan began to be presented as a symbol of the unlimited power of the Lord.
3. There is a mention of this creature in the stories of different peoples. Scientists are sure that Leviathan was simply confused with different sea animals.

Leviathan

Monster Scylla

In Greek mythology, Scylla is considered a unique creature that lived not far from another monster, Charybdis. They were considered very dangerous and voracious. According to existing versions, Scylla was the object of love of many gods.

1. The sea monster is a snake with six heads that has kept upper part female body. Under the water were tentacles ending in the heads of dogs.
2. With her beauty, she attracted sailors and could bite a galley in half with her head.
3. According to myths, she lived in the Strait of Messina. Odysseus survived the meeting with her.

sea ​​serpent

by the most famous monster, which had a snake body, is Ermungandr - a mythical Scandinavian creature. He is considered the middle son of Loki and Angrboda. The serpent was huge size, and he was able to encircle the Earth and cling to his own tail, for which he was called the "World Serpent". There are three myths about sea monsters that describe the meeting of Thor and Jermungandr.

1. The first time Thor met a snake in the form of a giant cat, and he was given the task of lifting it. He only managed to get the animal to raise one paw.
2. Another myth describes how Thor went fishing with the giant Gimir and caught the bull Yermungand on his head. It is believed that he managed to crush his head with his hammer, but did not kill him.
3. It is believed that their last meeting will take place on the day when the world ends and all sea monsters come to the surface. Yermungandr will poison the sky, for which Thor will cut off his head, but the stream of poison will kill him.

sea ​​serpent

sea ​​monk

According to existing information, the sea monk is a large humanoid creature, whose hands are like flippers, and the legs are like a fish tail. Its body is covered with scales, and there is no hair on the crown, but there is something similar to tonsures, hence the name of this creature.

1. Many terrible sea monsters live in the waters of Northern Europe, and the sea monk is no exception. Information about him appeared in the Middle Ages.
2. These creatures frolicked on the shores, thereby captivating the sailors, and when they managed to get as close as possible to them, they dragged the victims to the bottom of the sea.
3. The first mentions date back to the 14th century. An unusual creature with a tonsure on its head was washed ashore in Denmark in 1546.
4. Scientists believe that the sea monk is a legend that arose due to a misperception.

sea ​​monk

sea ​​monster fish

To date, a little more than 5% of the world's oceans have been explored, but this was enough to discover terrible aquatic creatures.

Since time immemorial, the sea has seemed to a person full of gloomy secrets, inhabited by various sea monsters that are ready at any moment to drag the ship into the abyss. It is not for nothing that almost all coastal peoples have myths about the mysterious inhabitants of the deep sea. From time to time, some of the ancient legends suddenly receive new confirmation. Even today, sailors sometimes see huge sea monsters, snakes and dragons in the open ocean. Sensational reports of such encounters go around all the newspapers in the world, sometimes they even manage to take a picture of the monster.

Encounters with the sea serpent

1848, August 6 - The frigate of the British Royal Navy "Dedalus" was heading back to Plymouth after a campaign in the East Indies. The ship was heading northeast, in the direction between the Cape of Good Hope and Saint Helena.

At five o'clock in the evening, the ship's midshipman, noticing an object overboard, reported this to the watch officer. The officer of the watch was on the bridge along with the navigator and the captain. The boatswain's mate and the helmsman were at the helm. The rest of the crew had dinner.

Coming closer, they saw that it was a sea serpent; his head rose above the water surface to a height of 4 feet (1.2 m). The sailors estimated that the length of the monster was approximately at least 60 feet (18.3 m). None visible organs for translational movements was not visible. The animal was motionless: in appearance, it did not make any movements, despite the fact that it was moving at a decent speed - up to 12-15 miles per hour (19-24 km / h). approached the frigate so close that the officers standing on the deck could even see some details.

The neck region, starting just behind the head, was approximately 15 inches (38 cm) long and resembled a snake's neck - dark brown in color, with a yellow-white tint in the throat region. On the back was a noticeable seaweed-colored mane.

On a 50-foot (15.2 m) yacht around the world, English explorer and yachtsman John Ridgway was at sea for about five months. Once, while in the Pacific Ocean, he approached Cape Horn. After a long period of calm water and dense fog, black clouds and high waves appeared ahead of the yacht. Everyone understood: a storm is coming. And at this time some creature swam up from the stern. Team members saw albatrosses and whales and squid glowing at night, but this was something else.

“The ship was traveling at a speed of 9 or 10 knots (16.5-18.4 km / h), and for an animal this is quite a speed, if you also consider that it did not lag behind the yacht for a long time.

Its color was yellowish-brown, and it floated with a noticeable "sinusoidality". The body was very strong, muscular and, being far in the open sea, moved for a long time at high speed through huge waves, appearing here and there. It swam with its head still raised, and I believe that if you mentally continue the neck and torso, you get an ordinary sea serpent.

1942 - Mr. Welsh was on board a military transport ship. He was on lookout watch.

“At a considerable distance from the ship, I saw a large black object. My heart sank into my heels: I mistook it for an enemy submarine, and immediately sounded the alarm - the ringing of the bell was desperately ringing throughout the ship. We had a great time. It was close to panic. The watch officer, after looking through the binoculars, said: “Uh, guys, this is not a submarine at all! I can't figure out what it is at all. Maybe something is just floating on the surface.”

When the ship came closer, we saw what it was - I think the word "monster" is the best fit for this subject: it looked like a snake, a very fat creature - probably as thick as a tree trunk, and up to 20-30 meters long. feet (6.1–9.1 m), with an arcuate, in several places, arched back. I didn’t get a good look at the head: it was always obscured by the waves. We continued on our way, and the snake, apparently not paying any attention to us, swam its way and after some time disappeared from sight.

giant squid

2002, July - a giant dead squid weighing 250 kg was found on the beach of Tasmania. After studying his tissues, scientists concluded that he lived in a bay 200 meters deep. Previously, it was believed that the giant squid was a deep-sea animal, because the incident caused a discussion about the reality of legends about huge mollusks sinking ships.

The first evidence of the existence of a giant squid was found in 1856, when the Danish scientist Japetus Steenstrup studied the beak of an individual of this species washed ashore. Since that time, the remains of huge marine animals have been constantly found on the coast or in the stomachs of sperm whales, whose body kept the imprints of huge suckers.

The length of the tentacles found on the coast of the city of Hobart (Australia) squid was more than 15 meters. Zoologists found out that this is a female that swam out in shallow water to lay eggs, and was stranded. It differed from previously discovered giant squids by having long, thin sacs of muscle attached to the base of each of its eight tentacles. This find was the third in Tasmania.

Scientists from Japan managed to shoot a live giant squid on camera just over a decade ago. For this, a special highly sensitive camera and infrared light, invisible to the human eye, were used. 2006 - researchers for the first time managed to catch a living representative of huge mollusks.

Goonch fish

This sea monster lives in the Kali River (between Nepal and India), loves the taste of human meat. Its weight reaches 140 kg. People can be attacked not only in a secluded place, but also with a mass gathering of people. The goonch began to experience this craving for human meat because of ... the customs of the people themselves. Since ancient times, the locals have been using the Kali River for "burials" of the dead. Partially burned bodies are thrown into the river after Hindu rituals.

Legendary Kraken

It is believed that it was the giant squid that served as the prototype legendary kraken- a monster that lives in the ocean, which is able to drag an entire ship to the bottom. As the legends say, he lives off the coast of Norway and Iceland. There are different opinions about what his appearance is. Some describe it as a giant squid, others as an octopus. The first handwritten mention of the kraken can be found in the Danish bishop Eric Pontoppidan, who in 1752 wrote down various oral legends about him. At first, the word “kgake” was used to refer to any deformed animal that was very different from its own kind. Later, it passed into many languages ​​​​and began to mean exactly "the legendary sea monster."

It was truly colossal in size, it was compared to a small island. At the same time, its danger lay precisely in its size and the speed with which the monster sank to the bottom. From this, a strong whirlpool arose, which could destroy the ship. Most of the time, the kraken was in hibernation on seabed, and then a lot of fish swam around him. Some of the fishermen allegedly even took risks and threw their nets right over the sleeping kraken. It is believed that the kraken is responsible for many disasters at sea.

In the XVIII-XIX centuries, some of the zoologists suggested that the kraken could be a giant octopus.

Angler

In the seas and oceans, one of the rarest deep-sea monsters lives, with an ugly appearance - monkfish. The second name is his angler. For the first time, the "monster" was discovered in 1891. The fish does not have scales, ugly growths and bumps grow in its place. The mouth of this monster is surrounded by waving rags of skin resembling algae. Dark coloring adds to the angler inconspicuousness. A huge head and a giant mouth opening make this deep-sea monster the ugliest on our planet.

A fleshy and long process sticking out of the anglerfish's head acts as a bait (fishing rod). This is a very serious danger to fish. Monkfish attract their victims with the light of a "fishing rod", which is equipped with a special gland. He lures her to his mouth, forcing her to swim inside on his own initiative. Anglers are unusually gluttonous. They can attack prey that is many times their size. During an unsuccessful hunt, both die: the victim - from mortal wounds, the aggressor - from suffocation.

Creature El Cuero

According to legend, the waters of Chile and Argentina are inhabited by creatures called El Cuero, which means "skin" in Spanish. El Cuero is something similar to the skin of a huge bull, along the edges of which there are processes that resemble clawed paws or spikes. To determine where the monster's head is, perhaps by the two tentacles sticking out of it, at the ends of which there are red eyes. In the center of the underside of the skin, El Cuero has a mouth that looks like a huge sucker, with which the monster sucks all the juices out of the victim. Most "skins" prefer rivers, ponds and lakes South America, but some of them live in salt sea ​​water. So, living off the coast of the Chiloe El Cuero archipelago, they usually attack animals, but it also happens that people and boats become their victims.

According to the descriptions, the prototype of this monster was a giant sea devil - the largest stingray in the order of stingrays. The name of this species - manta - echoes one variant of its names El Cuero, manta del Diablo, the literal translation is "devil's blanket". Fin span sea ​​devil reaches about 7 meters. In fact, the manta ray does not pose a danger to humans, since its interest extends to small fish and plankton. Despite their rather impressive dimensions and weight, which reaches 2 tons, giant stingrays are able to jump out of the water to a height of 1.5 meters.

unknown animal

1977, April - a sensational message spread around the world about the discovery of fishermen from Japan. When fishing for mackerel on the trawler "Tsuyo Maru" near New Zealand, the net brought the half-decayed remains of an unknown creature. A stench spread from a 13-meter carcass weighing up to 2 tons. The fishermen could distinguish a shapeless body with four limbs, a long tail and a small head on a thin neck. The find was measured, photographed, and then thrown overboard. Previously, a part of the best-preserved limb was separated from the body and placed in a freezer.

Controversy erupted around the captured creature. Based on several bad photographs and descriptions of fishermen, Professor Yoshinuri Imaitsumi, head of the zoological department at the Japan National Science Museum, recognized the creature caught in the net as a plesiosaur, a member of a long-extinct group of marine reptiles. Plesiosaurs are well known from fossils. mesozoic era. 100-200 million years ago, they, like modern seals, inhabited coastal marine areas and could crawl out onto sandbars, where they rested after hunting. Plesiosaurs, like most other reptiles, had a powerful, well-developed skeleton. Judging by the descriptions of the fishermen from the Tsuyo Maru and the photographs, the mysterious animal had no bones.

Paleontologist from Paris L. Ginzburg believes that Japanese fishermen got the remains of a giant seal from the sea, which died out 20 million years ago.

sea ​​monk

In the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of Northern Europe often saw humanoid creatures with a fish tail and flippers off the coast. They were called sea monks. The German theologian Konrad von Megenberg noted that the sea monks danced to attract a person to the shore, and he, losing caution, came up to look at the miracle, they grabbed him and devoured him, dragging him to the bottom.

In the middle of the 16th century, one of the sea monks was discovered on the east coast of the Danish island of Zeeland. A strange creature about 1.5 meters long was immediately sent to Copenhagen, where it was sketched by one of the founders of biology, Konrad Gesner. In the 18th century, these drawings were carefully studied by the Danish zoologist Japetus Steenstrup. The zoologist came to the conclusion that the sea monks are nothing more than a ten-tentacled black cuttlefish. In our time, cryptozoologists have suggested that the prototype of the sea monk is a walrus or flat-bodied shark. But the cuttlefish does not have such strength to pull a person under water, the walrus does not eat people, and the flat-bodied shark eats invertebrates and small fish, and is not interested in human meat.

Sea Bishops

There were sea bishops in the Baltic waters. The first mention of this creature dates back to 1433, when the first specimen caught was offered to the Polish king. The clergy persuaded the king that the animal should be returned to his natural environment habitat. The bishop fish had a wide fin on its back, which it used instead of a cloak, as well as a crest resembling a bishop's miter on its head. Most likely, the source of this fantasy was the same sea devil.

Speckled stargazer

The representative of Astroscopus guttatus is a real sea monster. The second name of these creatures is the speckled stargazer. At first glance, this nickname fits some small fish with large eyes, but this creature does not fit such a description. Having not the most attractive appearance, the speckled stargazer usually lives on the seabed, buried in silt, and watching from below everything that moves nearby. He has special organs above his eyes, from which electrical discharges emanate.

giant centipede

1883 - A resident of Annam discovered the decomposed remains of a sea monster that looked like a giant centipede on the shores of Along Bay.

Iloglot

This creature belongs to the sac-shaped, detachment of ray-finned fish. It lives at great depths. Compared to the huge mouth, the body of the itologlot looks disproportionately small. This fish lacks scales, ribs, swim bladder, pyloric appendages, ventral and caudal fin. Most of skull bones are reduced or disappeared altogether. The preserved skeleton is quite difficult to compare with other fish to establish kinship. The slight similarity between the fry of pouch-shaped eels and leptocephalic eels suggests some " family ties between the mentioned species.

From time immemorial, people have been fascinated by the beauty and power of the ocean. The bottomless waters of the seas have always kept some secret and danger. Stories and legends tell of monsters living in deep sea.

Do you believe in them? Let's talk about the most famous of them.

Loch Ness monster

The most famous sea monster, which, by and large, is freshwater and not marine, but it is possible that it can live in salt water.

He is also often referred to as Nessie.

This unknown creature was first discovered in 1933, and there is still no clear evidence that it existed or exists.

His photographs appear in the press from time to time, but the scientific communities of all countries doubt their authenticity.

However, it remains one of the most popular legendary creatures, and many researchers are still trying to find evidence of its existence.

Although most scientists do not believe in Nessie, they admit that if it exists, it is a descendant of a “dinosaur” with long neck and webbed feet.

They say that the animal is completely harmless and prefers to eat only fish.

The name Iku-Turso is translated as "thousand-horned" or "having a thousand tentacles." In modern Finnish his name can be translated as "octopus"

In Finnish mythology, there is a mention of the malevolent Iku-Turso, who is also called the eternal Turso.

Lives in Atlantic Ocean, wreaking havoc wherever it appears.

Its appearance is quite interesting. He is depicted as a horned and bearded monster, which, judging by his appearance, obviously does not feed on fish.

They say that he used to be very dangerous, but the Finnish epic "Kalevala" says that one day Iku-Turso was captured and gave his word in exchange for the freedom to behave well.

Now he lives only in the ocean, and does not appear on land.

In Japanese folk tales, there is a character named Umibozu.

It is said that when the priest drowned, his spirit was filled with the power of the ocean and turned into a huge dark-headed creature that looked like a man.

However, Umibozu is not only the soul of a drowned priest.

This word is now called any restless souls of the dead.

Attempts to communicate with them cause a storm, and the ships sink.

Sometimes Umibozu asks the sailors to give him a barrel, but if you do, he will immediately grab you and drown you in the same barrel.

Hydra protects lakes and oceans, it can live in both salty and fresh water.

The Hydra is huge and almost impossible to kill.

If one head is cut off, two new ones will grow in its place.

The Greek hero Hercules, who for some reason is often called Hercules, ultimately defeated her.

He was helped in this by his nephew, who noticed that if one head is cut off and cauterized by fire, new heads will not appear.

So, Hydra was defeated by two brave Greeks, but the fact that even Hercules, known for his incredible strength, needed help to fight her, speaks of how powerful she is.

Any huge one is called Leviathan, but did you know that it is also mentioned in the Bible?

The Book of Job tells about him and describes him as a powerful fire-breathing creature of incredible size.

They say that it was impossible to kill him, and the monster died by itself from old age.

Most illustrations of the monster show it as a snake or whale with a long, thick body.

The powerful body, huge teeth and the evil nature of the Leviathan terrify all sailors who are forced to surf the oceans.

The sea monster lives in ocean waters off the coast of Norway and Greenland.

He is depicted as a giant squid or a man who has squid tentacles instead of arms.

The only thing that is constant about his appearance is his size. The Kraken is huge! Even the legendary gods and heroes are lost against its background.

Everyone who cares about life will beware of him if he moves by sea to Norway. This villain hates people and will do everything possible to destroy them.

Beware of it! However, he is not the most terrible. Scarier, bigger and more powerful than him...

Jörmungandr is a character in Norse mythology, also called Jörmungandr, Midgardsorm, the Midgard Serpent or the World Serpent.

Jörmungandr is so huge that it can easily cover the entire globe with its body.

Have you heard of the Scandinavian god Thor, the incredibly powerful lord of lightning? So Jörmungandr will poison him to death during the end of the world, or Ragnarök.

Imagine, Jörmungandr also has poison! It would seem that its size alone is enough to easily deal with anyone.

Jörmungandr is the most dangerous and huge sea monster, which has no equal.

It turns out that sharks in the ocean are not the worst thing. There is a whole bunch of sea monsters, in comparison with which, even a great white shark will seem like a harmless crucian.

Throughout history, people have invented countless tales of mythical creatures, legendary monsters, and supernatural monsters. Despite their obscure origins, these mythical creatures are described in the folklore of various peoples and in many cases are part of the culture. It's amazing that there are people around the world who are still convinced that these monsters exist, despite the lack of any meaningful evidence. So, today we are going to look at a list of 25 legendary and mythical creatures that never existed.

Budak is present in many Czech fairy tales and legends. This monster is described, as a rule, as a creepy creature resembling a scarecrow. It can cry like an innocent child, thus luring its victims. On the night of the full moon, Budak allegedly weaves a fabric from the souls of those people whom he ruined. Budak is sometimes described as an evil version of Santa Claus who travels around Christmas in a cart pulled by black cats.

24. Ghoul

The ghoul is one of the most famous creatures in Arabian folklore and appears in the Thousand and One Nights. The ghoul is described as an undead creature that can also take the form of an intangible spirit. He often visits cemeteries to eat the flesh of recently deceased people. This is perhaps the main reason why the word ghoul is often used in Arab countries when referring to gravediggers or representatives of any profession directly related to death.

23. Yorogumo.

Loosely translated from Japanese, Yorogumo means "spider temptress", and in our humble opinion, the name perfectly describes this monster. According to Japanese folklore, Yorogumo was a bloodthirsty monster. But in most tales, he is described as a huge spider that takes the form of a very attractive and sexy woman, which seduces its male victims, captures them in a net, and then devours them with pleasure.

22. Cerberus.

In Greek mythology, Cerberus is the guardian of Hades and is usually described as a bizarre looking monster that looks like a dog with three heads and a tail ending in a dragon's head. Cerberus was born from the union of two monsters, the giant Typhon and Echidna, and is himself the brother of the Lernaean Hydra. Cerberus is often described in myth as one of the most dedicated guards in history and is often mentioned in the Homeric epic.

21. Kraken

The legend of the Kraken came from North seas and its presence was initially limited to the coasts of Norway and Iceland. Over time, however, his fame grew, thanks to the wild imagination of storytellers, which led subsequent generations to believe that he also lives in all the seas of the world.

Norwegian fishermen originally described the sea monster as a gigantic animal that was as big as an island and posed a danger to passing ships not from direct attack, but from giant waves and tsunamis caused by its body movements. However, later people began to spread stories about the monster's violent attacks on ships. Modern historians believe that the Kraken was nothing more than a giant squid and the rest of the stories are nothing but the wild imagination of sailors.

20. Minotaur

The Minotaur is one of the first epic creatures that we meet in the history of mankind, and takes us back to the heyday of the Minoan civilization. The Minotaur had the head of a bull on the body of a very large, muscular man and settled in the center of the Cretan labyrinth, which was built by Daedalus and his son Icarus at the request of King Minos. Everyone who fell into the labyrinth became a victim of the Minotaur. The exception was the Athenian king Theseus, who killed the beast and left the labyrinth alive with the help of the thread of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos.

If Theseus were hunting the Minotaur these days, then a rifle with a collimator sight would be very useful to him, a huge and high-quality selection of which is on the portal http://www.meteomaster.com.ua/meteoitems_R473/.

19. Wendigo

Those familiar with psychology have probably heard the term "Wendigo psychopathy" which describes a psychosis that causes a person to eat human flesh. The medical term takes its name from the mythical creature called the Wendigo, which, according to the myths of the Algonquian Indians. The Wendigo was an evil creature that looked like a cross between a human and a monster, somewhat like a zombie. According to legend, only people who ate human flesh were able to become Wendigo themselves.

Of course, this creature never existed and was invented by Algonquin elders who were trying to stop people from engaging in cannibalism.

In ancient Japanese folklore, Kappa is a water demon that lives in rivers and lakes and devours naughty children. Kappa means "river child" in Japanese and has the body of a turtle, the limbs of a frog, and a head with a beak. In addition, on the top of the head there is a cavity with water. According to legend, Kappa's head should always be moistened, otherwise it will lose its power. Oddly enough, many Japanese consider the existence of Kappa to be a reality. Some lakes in Japan have posters and signs warning visitors that there is a serious danger of being attacked by this creature.

Greek mythology gave the world the most epic heroes, gods, and creatures, and Talos is one of them. The huge bronze giant allegedly lived in Crete, where he protected a woman named Europa (from whom the European continent takes its name) from pirates and invaders. For this reason, Talos patrolled the island's shores three times a day.

16. Menehune.

According to legend, the Menehune were an ancient race of gnomes who lived in the forests of Hawaii before the arrival of the Polynesians. Many scientists explain the existence of ancient statues in the Hawaiian Islands by the presence of Menehune here. Others argue that the legends of Menehune appeared with the arrival of Europeans in these areas and were created by the human imagination. The myth goes back to the roots of Polynesian history. When the first Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they found dams, roads, and even temples that were built by the Menehune.

However, no one has found the skeletons. Therefore, it still remains a big mystery what kind of race built all these amazing ancient structures in Hawaii before the arrival of the Polynesians.

15. Griffin.

The griffin was a legendary creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body and tail of a lion. The griffin is the king of the animal kingdom, which was a symbol of power and dominance. Griffins can be found in many depictions of Minoan Crete and later in art and mythology. Ancient Greece. However, some believe that the creature symbolizes the fight against evil and witchcraft.

14. Medusa

According to one version, Medusa was a beautiful maiden destined for the goddess Athena, who was raped by Poseidon. Athena, furious that she couldn't stand up to Poseidon directly, turned Medusa into an unsightly, evil monster with a head full of snakes for hair. The ugliness of Medusa was so disgusting that the one who looked at her face turned to stone. Eventually Perseus killed Medusa with the help of Athena.

Pihiu is another legendary monster hybrid native to China. Even though no part of his body resembled human organs, mythological creature often described as having the body of a lion with wings, long legs and the head of a Chinese dragon. Pihiu is considered the guardian and protector of those who practice feng shui. Another version of pihiu, Tian Lu is also sometimes considered a sacred being that attracts and protects wealth. This is the reason why small statues of Tian Lu are often seen in Chinese homes or offices, as it is believed that this creature can contribute to the accumulation of wealth.

12. Sukuyant

Sukuyant, according to Caribbean legends (especially in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Guadeloupe), is an exotic black version of the European vampire. From mouth to mouth, from generation to generation, Sukuyant has become part of the local folklore. He is described as a hideous-looking old woman by day, turning into a gorgeous-looking young black woman resembling a goddess at night. She seduces her victims to suck their blood or make them her eternal slaves. It was also believed that she practiced black magic and voodoo, and could turn into fireball or enter the homes of her victims through any opening in the home, including through cracks and keyholes.

11. Lamassu.

According to the mythology and legends of Mesopotamia, Lamassu was a protective deity, depicted with the body and wings of a bull, or with the body of a lion, wings of an eagle and the head of a man. Some have described him as a menacing male, while others have described him as a female deity with good intentions.

10. Tarasca

The tale of Tarascus is reported in the story of Martha, which is included in the biography of the Christian saints Jacob. Tarasca was a dragon with a very intimidating appearance and bad intentions. According to legend, he had the head of a lion, six short legs like a bear, the body of a bull, was covered with a turtle shell and a scaly tail that ended with a sting of a scorpion. Tarasca terrorized the region of Nerluk in France.

It all ended when a young devoted Christian named Martha arrived in the city to spread the gospel of Jesus and discovered that people had been afraid of the ferocious dragon for years. Then he found a dragon in the forest and sprinkled it with holy water. This action tamed wildlife dragon. After that, Marfa led the dragon back to the city of Nerluk, where the enraged locals stoned Tarasque to death.

On November 25, 2005, UNESCO included Tarasque in the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

9. Draugr.

Draugr, according to Scandinavian folklore and mythology, is a zombie that spreads a surprisingly powerful putrid smell of the dead. It was believed that Draugr eats people, drinks blood, and has power over the minds of people, driving them crazy at will. The typical Draugr was somewhat similar to Freddy Krueger, which, apparently, was created under the influence of fairy tales about the Scandinavian monster.

8. Lernaean Hydra.

The Lernaean Hydra was a mythical water monster with many heads that resembled big snakes. The ferocious monster lived in Lerna, a small village near Argos. According to legend, Hercules decided to kill the Hydra and when he cut off one head, two appeared. For this reason, Heracles' nephew Iolaus burned every head as soon as his uncle cut it off, only then did they stop breeding.

7. Brox.

According to Jewish legend, Broxa is an aggressive monster that looks like a giant bird that attacked goats or, in rare cases, drank human blood at night. The legend of Brox spread in the Middle Ages in Europe, where it was believed that witches took on the appearance of Brox.

6. Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga is perhaps one of the most popular paranormal creatures in folklore. Eastern Slavs and, according to legend, had the appearance of a fierce and terrible old woman. Nevertheless, Baba Yaga is a multifaceted figure that can inspire researchers, can turn into a cloud, a snake, a bird, a black cat and symbolize the Moon, death, winter, or the Earth Mother Goddess, the totem progenitor of matriarchy.

Antaeus was a giant with great strength, which he inherited from his father, Poseidon (god of the sea), and mother Gaia (Earth). He was a hooligan who lived in the Libyan desert and challenged any traveler in his lands to battle. Having defeated the stranger in a deadly wrestling match, he killed him. He collected the skulls of the people he defeated in order to one day build a temple dedicated to Poseidon from these "trophies".

But one day, one of the passers-by was Hercules, who made his way to the garden of the Hesperides to complete his eleventh feat. Antaeus made a fatal mistake by challenging Hercules. The hero raised Antaeus above the ground and crushed him in a bear hug.

4. Dullahan.

The fierce and powerful Dullahan is a headless horseman in Irish folklore and mythology. For centuries, the Irish have described him as a harbinger of doom who traveled on a black, terrifying-looking horse.

According to Japanese legend, Kodama is a peaceful spirit that lives inside certain types trees. The kodama is described as a small white and peaceful ghost that is perfectly in sync with nature. However, according to legend, when someone tries to cut down the tree that Kodama lives in, bad things and a string of misfortunes begin to happen to him.

2. Corrigan

Strange creatures named Corrigan hail from Brittany, a cultural region in northwestern France with a very rich literary tradition and folklore. Some say that Corrigan was a beautiful, kind fairy, while other sources describe him as evil spirit who looked like a dwarf and danced around the fountains. He seduced people with his charms to kill them or steal their children.

1. Fish-man Lyrgans.

The fish-man Lyrgans existed in the mythology of Cantabria, an autonomous community located in northern Spain.

According to legend, this is an amphibious creature that looks like a sullen person who was lost at sea. Many people believe that the fish-man was one of the four sons of Francisco de la Vega and Maria del Casar, a couple who lived in the area. It was believed that they drowned in the waters of the sea while swimming with their friends at the mouth of Bilbao.

The legends and myths of each country are full of various monsters living both on land and in water. Studies of the depths of the seas and oceans are still being carried out, but it was not possible to find any unknown creature.

However, in nature there are many animals, fish and unusual organisms that have. No, they are not a myth or a fairy tale. They are real. Is it possible that people once saw them? Is it possible that these creatures formed the basis of many stories? After all, where do all the horror stories come from.

In today's article, we will introduce you to the most creepy, truly frightening, and most importantly real.

Pike blenny

“A fish is like a fish,” you say. Not very pretty, but not terrible either. Yes, but only until she opens her mouth. The wrinkled cheeks hanging down the sides are not just folds of skin, they are a terrible mouth, ready to swallow everything that gets in its way.

Neoclinus blanchardi is a member of the henopsia family, or pike blennies. The fish are aggressive, capable of attacking even divers.

They live in the waters of the Pacific Ocean near the coast. North America: from San Francisco to the Mexican state of Baja California.

The depth at which sea monsters live reaches 70 meters.

The body of monsters is smooth, practically without scales. The length of the body is about 30 cm. Pike blennies are so flat that they can sometimes resemble conger eels.

But the most interesting fact is how they use their huge mouth. Faced with fellow tribesmen, they open their mouths and seem to “kiss”. Whoever has the most, wins. Thus they fight for territory.

Looking at these creatures, I want to believe that they came to us from another planet. Unfortunately no. Sea flycatchers live in the deep canyons of California.

Their second name is "shells". They are predators and appearance resembles a carnivorous flycatcher plant.

Preferring depth, they are fixed at the bottom, waiting for their victims.

An unsuspecting organism floats past their glowing maw, and the tunicator grabs it in the blink of an eye.

As you already understood, sea flycatchers are not picky in food - you don’t have to choose.

Another unusual property tunicates is the ability to reproduce without mating with other individuals, because the creatures are able to produce both sperm and eggs.

Speckled stargazer: fish attacking from below

Spotted stargazer - Astroscopus guttatus - a real sea monster. It would seem, why a monster, if the fish has such a romantic name. It turns out that not everything is so simple.

Stargazers have a massive lower jaw and huge bulging eyes, for which they received such an unusual name.

Buried in mud or sand sea ​​creatures leave only the organs of vision to observe their victims.

The huge mouth, pointing upwards, is also adapted for an instant attack.

Speckled stargazers live in the Atlantic Ocean: East Coast USA, between 2 states - New York and North Carolina.

Fish attacking from below have one unpleasant feature: they like to shock their victims with an electric discharge.

Special organs located above the eyes emit electrical discharges. But unlike other electrical inhabitants of water bodies, speckled stargazers do not have electroreceptors, that is, they are not able to receive electrical signals from outside world.

To lay eggs, these fish also sink to the bottom, but the eggs themselves later float to the surface. And so it will continue until they turn into fry, the length of which is 15 mm. Then, darkening and growing special organs above the eyes, the stargazers again sink to the bottom, grow further.

A baggy creature from the order of ray-finned fish.

Iloglot adapted to life at great depths.

The sea monster has a huge mouth, which contrasts with the small body of the hygloglot.

They lack scales, ribs, swim bladder, pyloric appendages, pelvic and caudal fins.

Many bones of the skull are reduced or completely disappeared.

Thanks to all the modifications, it is difficult to compare the skeleton with other fish, and therefore it is almost impossible to establish a relationship.

Frightening and bewitching, are strong and dangerous inhabitants depths.

There are several types of moray eels, they differ in size and color. Small ones grow up to 15 cm. Large ones reach a length of 3 m and weigh about 50 kg.

Their skin does not have scales - it is completely covered with mucus, which can be poisonous in some species. Thanks to mucus, moray eels are protected from other predators and from bacteria. A person who touches this monster will receive powerful burns, if he survives at all.

Marine life has an extremely aggressive and violent disposition. Its sharp teeth are dangerous not only for predators, but also for people. There are many cases of moray eels attacking a person, several of which were fatal.

Drop Fish

Another deep-sea inhabitant of the seas is a drop fish.

Her unusual appearance is both frightening and pitiful at the same time. The fact is that close-set eyes and a huge mouth with down-turned corners make her sad, and resemble a face. sad person.

The drop fish itself is unlikely to be sad about this. The body of an unusual creature has the shape of a gelatinous lump, the density of which is slightly less than the density of water. This allows the "sad" fish to cover long distances, eating everything in its path.

Unfortunately, like most unusual creatures, the blobfish is endangered. She lives off the coast of Australia and Tasmania at a depth of up to 1.5 km, but sometimes comes across in fishing nets, after which she is usually sold as a souvenir.

Despite its appearance, the drop is a very caring fish. After spawning, she hatches it for a long time and carefully takes care of the fry. Trying to ensure the safety of their offspring, the fish is looking for uninhabited and deaf places.

Fish-Gunch - freshwater monster

The habitat of goonch fish is the Kali River, located between Nepal and India. The weight of the river giant reaches 140-150 kg.

It is believed that goonch is a lover of human meat. It can attack not only in a secluded place, but also with a large crowd of people. But why does this fish have such a craving for human flesh?

Legends say that it was the customs of the locals that turned the gooncha into a cannibal. Even in ancient times, the Kali River was used to bury the bodies of the dead. First, the rite of burning was performed, and then the corpses were thrown into the river.

The custom was preserved, and the gunch fish began to eat what the man himself gives it.

Stone-fish, or wart

The strangest and dangerous creature. It is the wart that is one of the most poisonous fish in the world.

The sea monster lives in coral reefs in the shallow waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as in the waters of the Red Sea, off the coast of Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, the Marshall Islands, Samoa and Fiji.

The ability to disguise itself as a stone allows the fish to remain unnoticed until a human foot steps on it.

It is possible that this step will be the last.

Stone-fish has a powerful poison, and its bite leads to lethal outcome.

Moreover, death will not come instantly: a person will suffer, since signs of intoxication persist for a long time.

Rauaga

Mackerel hydrolic is more commonly known as vampire fish or dog fish.

Ray-finned fish, cynodont order. Lives in the Paragua, Churun, and other rivers of Venezuela.

Most people think that piranhas are the most bloodthirsty fish, but they are not.

The body length of this creature is 1 meter, and the weight can exceed 17 kg.

Two pairs of fangs, considered distinctive features fish, located in the lower jaw and can grow up to 15 cm in length.

In the upper jaw of the vampire fish, there are two holes that allow the lower fangs not to pierce the upper jaw.

Surprisingly, rauaga is the only species that can cope with piranha. But, in general, hydrolic feeds on any fish.

Attacking from above, he pierces the victim with fangs, after which he swallows it whole.

anglerfish, or monkfish

The name "monkfish" is reminiscent of some fabulous creature. However, this monster really exists.

The anglerfish is one of the rarest deep-sea animals. The first meeting with him took place in 1891.

This fish has no scales at all, the body is covered with growths and bumps. The mouth is masked by rags of skin that resemble algae. The dark coloring makes it almost invisible at a depth where there is a minimum of light.

On the head of the angler there is a long process ending in a luminous gland. It acts as a bait, luring passing fish. The essence of his hunt is to make the victim swim into his mouth, and then swallow.

The huge appetite of the fish makes them hunt even larger creatures, which often ends in the death of both.

Huge sea monsters - mesonychoteutis

Periodically from different parts information reaches us. What is it: another fiction or real sea monsters?

You will be surprised, but scientists have officially recognized mesonychoteutis.

Its fully streamlined body helps develop great speed.

The diameter of the eye can reach 60 centimeters with a body size of 4-5 m, and a tentacle length of 1.5 meters.

It was first discovered and described in 1925. Fishermen found its tentacles in the stomach of a captured sperm whale.

Also, one of these mollusks washed up on the shores of Japan. Examination of the carcass showed that it was not an adult.

Experts studying sea ​​giants, including squids, it is believed that the body weight of some squids of this species can reach 200 kilograms.

isopod

Cephalopods - Bathynomus giganteus - genus Bathynomus. They live in the Atlantic Ocean, preferring a depth of 170-2500 m.

The body length of the isopod is about 1.5 meters, weight is more than 1.5 kg. These sea monsters are a great example of deep-sea gigantism.

These crayfish were first described in 1879, initially mistaking them for wood lice.

Zoologist Alphonse Milne-Edwards caught a young male from the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, thereby making a massive discovery: the ocean depths are not lifeless.

Their entire body is covered with movable hard plates for protection.

When threatened, they curl up into a ball.

Isopods lead a solitary lifestyle.

Almost all their lives they do not move, and they are fed by passing small fish, carrion or sea ​​cucumbers.

Scientists have found that they can go without food for about 8 weeks. Such inconveniences are caused by the depth chosen for the place of residence: there is not so much food in pitch darkness.