Claire Nouvian

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Thanks to all of you who voted in this year's Freaky Fish contest.

I'm pleased to announce that the winning fish this year, by a landslide, is the lovely and amazing Fanfin seadevil!

Sir Seadevil is pictured here in one of our four frightful Halloween e-cards. Check the rest of 'em out and send your favorite today.

Pram Bug Pronima sedentaria

This “bug” wields its prey’s remains as a shield – that’s a pretty good reminder to keep your distance, it seems. According to popular legend, this species was the original inspiration for H. R. Giger’s creature in the film Alien by Ridley Scott.

To see the rest of the fish and vote for your favorite for a chance to win IMAX tickets, go to http://oceana.org/freaky-fish-contest.

Wolftrap Angler – Thaumatichthys binghami

This angler apparently neglected to get braces – as evidenced by its severe overbite. Its upper jaw overhangs its lower jaw by far, giving it the appearance, as Claire Nouvian observes, of “a rugby player who forgot to remove his mouthguard.” And unlike many other anglers, who have a bioluminescent lure as a rod, this one keeps it inside his mouth.

See the rest of the freaky fish and cast your vote at http://oceana.org/freaky-fish-contest for your chance to win IMAX tickets and more...

Today's Freaky Fish contestant is the Fanfin seadevil.

This one is truly monstrous, resembling a construction by the evil kid in Toy Story. With wire-like filaments sticking out of its body to detect movement in the water, the greek root of its name means roughly a “toad embellished with stalks.” Don’t worry, it’s unlikely you’ll ever deal with this devil – it’s rarely observed or captured.

See the rest and vote for the freakiest for a chance to win IMAX tickets at http://oceana.org/freaky-fish-contest.

Spookfish – Winteria telescopa

This freaky fish is almost cute…in that disgusting, googly-eyed monster way. Its giant eyes are for collecting light – giving it a visual advantage in the dark depths of the sea. Spooky!

See the rest and vote for the freakiest at http://oceana.org/freaky-fish-contest.

Claire Nouvian, world-renowned author and curator, and ocean ambassador for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), will launch The Deep: Life on the Deep Sea Floor at the World Tra