A face only a mother could love! Scientists set record for deepest ever fish observed at more than 27,000ft off the coast of Japan
- A juvenile snailfish was filmed at 27,349ft below sea level in the Pacific Ocean
- The lead scientist said it was likely to have survived because of warm waters
Scientists have set a new record for the deepest fish ever observed at more than 27,000ft below sea level.
A juvenile type of snailfish was filmed swimming at 27,349ft – nearly the same height as Mount Everest – in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, south of Japan.
Lead scientist Professor Alan Jamieson said the snailfish could be at the maximum depth any fish can survive and probably did so because of trench’s warm waters.
Although the snailfish was not caught to fully identify its species type, similar snailfish were captured higher up at a depth of 26,319ft which set the record for the deepest fish ever caught.
Professor Jamieson told BBC News: ‘If this record is broken, it would only be by minute increments, potentially by just a few meters.’
Although the snailfish was not caught to fully identify its species type, similar snailfish (pictured) were captured slightly higher up at a depth of 26,319ft which set the record for the deepest fish ever caught
A juvenile snailfish (pictured, left) was filmed swimming at 27,349ft below sea level – nearly the same height as Mount Everest – in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, south of Japan
He added: ‘We predicted the deepest fish would be there and we predicted it would be a snailfish.
‘I get frustrated when people tell me we know nothing about the deep sea. We do. Things are changing really fast.’
The previous deepest fish observation was made at 26,830ft further south in the Pacific in the Mariana Trench.
Snailfish are found in oceans across the world with more than 300 different species currently known.
Lead scientist Professor Alan Jamieson (pictured) said the snailfish could be at the maximum depth any fish can survive and probably did so because of trench’s warm waters
Footage from higher up showed the same snailfish species but adults and in larger numbers
They are described as being tadpole-like in shape, with larger heads and slender bodies.
The species adapted to living in deeper waters can withstand the huge deep-sea pressure with the help of their gelatinous bodies.
Prof Jamieson, who was born in Scotland, is credited with discovering not just the deepest fish in our oceans but also the deepest octopus, jellyfish and squid.
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