Australia's deep seas have revealed many mysterious creatures, including the Faceless Fish (Typhlonus nasus), the bizarre, ribbon-like oarfish (often called the "doomsday fish"), and the elusive Bigfin Squid, plus new species like the Carnarvon flapjack octopus and deep-sea sharks, highlighting the vast undiscovered life in its abyssal zones.
Two species new to science have been discovered in the deep-sea off Western Australia: the West Australian Lanternshark and a porcelain crab. Specimens to help describe the new species were collected during a CSIRO-led voyage on research vessel (RV) Investigator in 2022.
A bizarre sea creature discovered off the coast of Australia. It was identified as a priapulida — a type of unsegmented worm that resides at the bottom of the ocean. They range from 1-15 inches long 😳
The bunyip is a creature from the aboriginal mythology of southeastern Australia, said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes.
Between late May and early June 2025, four rare sightings of the deep-sea oarfish—often nicknamed the “doomsday fish”—were reported worldwide. A 30- foot specimen was caught in Tamil Nadu, India, followed days later by another that washed ashore in Tasmania.
While the recent social media buzz is a byproduct of contemporary tech like the ubiquitous smartphone, the idea of oarfish being bad news goes back to ancient times: In some cultures, a sighting of an oarfish was believed to be a bad omen, portending all kinds of misfortune, especially natural disasters such as ...
Blue-Ringed Octopus
The venom is in their saliva and enters your system when they bite you. Their bite can result in paralysis and respiratory depression – stopping you from breathing. When exploring rock pools, look but don't touch. In the event of a suspected bite, seek immediate medical attention.
The Australian genome clusters together with Highland Papua New Guinea (PNG) samples and is thus positioned roughly between South and East Asians. Apart from the neighboring Bougainville Papuans, the closest populations to the Aboriginal Australian are the Munda speakers of India and the Aeta from the Philippines (Fig.
The Four Symbols are the Azure Dragon (青龍) in the East, White Tiger (白虎) in the West, Vermilion Bird (朱雀) in the South, and the Black Tortoise (玄武) in the North.
15 weirdest sea creatures
Since then, changes in land formation and climate, and the physical separation from the rest of the world, led to the unique flora and fauna that we know in Australia today. More than 80% of our plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs are unique to Australia and are found nowhere else in the world.
It's important to note that yowie and bunyip are the most well-known iterations of these creatures from indigenous lore, but there are many.
Named the West Australian Lanternshark and a new species of porcelain crab, the findings were described by separate research teams in papers published in September 2025.
With respect to ABO groups, group O is the most common blood group in Aboriginal communities in Northern Australia, such as Cape York, the Northern region and Kimberley. Group A is the second most common blood group in the Aboriginal community, mainly in Central Australia, whereas groups B and AB are uncommon [6].
The San people of southern Africa, who have lived as hunter-gatherers for thousands of years, are likely to be the oldest population of humans on Earth, according to the biggest and most detailed analysis of African DNA.
They have shown that modern day Aboriginal Australians are the direct descendents of the first people who arrived on the continent some 50,000 years ago and that those ancestors left Africa earlier than their European and Asian counterparts.
Yara-ma-yha-who, Australian Outback
A cryptid creature also known as 'The Outback Vampire' has been told in Australian Aboriginal mythology since the Dreamtime.
'Aboriginals' or 'Aborigines' are mostly outdated terms, while 'Aboriginal' alone is not inclusive of the diversity of cultures and identities across Australia. 'Peoples' or 'people' should always follow. Do not abbreviate 'Aboriginal' or 'Torres Strait Islander,' or use the acronym 'ATSI.
Stone fish. Loaded with a poisonous toxin, the stone fish can inflict excruciating pain and possible death onto the unwary with its 13 dorsal spines. Dwelling among stony, muddy areas the most common cause of injury is usually from swimmers or waders accidentally stepping on a stone fish.
Storms and floods are frequent in Australia even in urban areas. Pay attention to the Australian Bureau of Metrology warnings. A red warning mean that you need to be prepared for evacuation. Avoid driving in flood warning areas.