Earlier this week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shared a picture of what just may be the most perfect sea creature possible: Plinthaster dentatus, or the “ravioli starfish,” which a voyage by the Okeanos Explorer recently caught on video. Please, as delicious as this pasta boy looks, do not eat him… he is too small and pure, and we will defend him at all costs.
As it turns out, though, the ravioli starfish isn’t the only sea creature that looks inexplicably like, well, something you’d find at a red sauce Italian joint. While the ravioli starfish undeniably holds the #1 spot in our hearts, we present the rest of them to you, ranked, because not all are as tasty-looking and wholesome as our pasta-like friend.
Videos by VICE
It should go without saying, but you should not actually eat these sea creatures, no matter how much they might look like “forbidden snacks.” Please, leave the little ocean buddies be—they’re already dealing with all the plastic trash in the ocean.
10. Tomato Clown Fish / Tomato Sauce
This guy looks like some bland winter tomatoes and bland tomatoes make bland sauce, so sadly, this one barely passes. It’s OK, Nemo, we still love you.
9. Holothuria scabra (“Garlic Bread Sea Cucumber”) / Garlic Bread
Let’s be real: We’d eat any version of garlic bread, but if yours looks like this, seems like it’s time for a new recipe.
8. Sea Cucumbers / Salami
Likeness: pretty on point. Does this squishy guy really look appealing, though? Not exactly.
7. Elysia crispata (“Lettuce Sea Slug”) / Lettuce
Sure, lettuce isn’t exactly a priority when what you really want is pasta, but this friend deserves some points for effort.
6. Frogfish, yawning / Lumache
This fish might also look like all of us after a gnarly La Croix burp, but it also resembles the snail-inspired pasta shape known as lumache pretty darn well.
5. Bathyphysa conifera (“Flying Spaghetti Monster”) / Spaghetti
Although we wouldn’t want to run into this creature in a dark ocean, there is a reason it’s known as the real-life “Flying Spaghetti Monster.”
4. Squid / Calamari
Hmm, why does squid look so much like a tasty plate of fried calamari? Oh, right…
3. Fried Egg Jellyfish / Uova in Purgatorio (“Eggs in Purgatory”)
Uova in purgatorio is a dish made of spicy tomato sauce topped with sunny-side-up eggs, but if you put one of these on top, pretty sure no one would be the wiser.
2. Antennarius maculatus (“Warty Frogfish”) / Neapolitan-Style Margherita Pizza
You know when you get a Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza and it’s topped with rounds of fresh mozz instead of shreds? That’s what this buddy looks like, and we love him for it.
1. Baby Stingrays / Ravioli
