The ocean is full of pretty incredible creatures, which invoke awe, mystery, and inspiration in us simple land-dwellers. But, what many people don’t know is that the largest creatures to have ever roamed our Earth live in the ocean.
Let’s take continued a look at the 6 in 10 fearsomely biggest sea monsters ever discovered in human history and prehistory.
Fin Whale
The trophy for the second-largest animal on Earth goes to the fin whale. Many scientists refer to these creatures as the “greyhounds of the sea,” as a fin whale can swim as fast as 27mph.
As one of the world’s largest animals, the fin whale gets hungry. It can eat up to 2000 kg of krill each day with ease!
Basking Shark
The basking shark is the ocean’s second-largest fish at more than 40 feet in length (just about the length of your average school bus).
Don’t worry if you end up swimming past one of these massive shark species, as its diet consists solely of larvae, fish eggs, and plankton.
Oarfish
The worlds largest bony fish award goes to the giant Oarfish, which many people refer to as the dragon of the sea or the sea serpent.
Oarfish are often found thousands of feet beneath the water’s surface and they rarely ever make their way up to the top. Most of our experience with giant oarfish comes from the fact that they wash up on shore in bad conditions.
Giant Manta Ray
With an average 29-foot wingspan, giant manta rays are the world’s largest ray species.
Their large pectoral fins make them about four-and-a-half times the size of Michael Jordan. Like many other large creatures of the ocean, the giant manta mostly eats zooplankton.
However, not only are giant manta rays MASSIVE, but they also have the largest brain of any ocean creature.
Ocean Sunfish
The ocean sunfish is the heaviest bony fish in the open ocean. Many people refer to this animal as the “swimming head,” as it doesn’t have a tail.
Ocean sunfish eat most zooplankton and jellyfish and often weigh up to 5,070 pounds!
