A face only a mother can love! Scientists set a record for the deepest fish ever seen at more than 27,000 feet off the coast of Japan.
- A snailfish was filmed at 27,349 feet below sea level in the Pacific Ocean
- The lead scientist said it likely survived because of the warm waters
A new record for the deepest fish ever observed has been set at more than 27,000 feet below sea level in the Pacific Ocean, according to scientists.
A tiny snail fish has been filmed swimming at 27,349 feet below sea level—about the same height as Mount Everest—in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, southern Japan.
Chief scientist Professor Alan Jamieson said the snailfish could be as deep as any fish can survive and may have done so because of the warm waters of the trench.
Although the snailfish was not caught to fully determine its species species, a similar snailfish was captured much higher at a depth of 26,319 feet which holds the record for the deepest fish ever caught.
Professor Jamieson said BBC News: “If this record is ever broken, it will only be done in minute increments, maybe just a few metres.”
A tiny snail fish (pictured, left) was filmed swimming at 27,349 feet below sea level — about the same height as Mount Everest — in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, southern Japan
He added: ‘We expected it to be the deepest fish out there and we expected it to be a snail.
I get frustrated when people tell me we don’t know anything about the deep sea. We do. Things are changing very quickly.
The previous deepest fisheye observation was made at 26,830 feet south in the Pacific Ocean in the Mariana Trench.
Snailfish are found in oceans all over the world with over 300 different species currently known.
They are described as tadpole-like in shape, with larger heads and slender bodies.
Species that have adapted to live in deep waters can withstand the enormous pressure of the deep sea with the help of their gelatinous bodies.
Professor Jamison, who was born in Scotland, is credited with discovering not only the deepest fish in our oceans but also the deepest octopuses, jellyfish and squid.
Chief scientist Professor Alan Jamieson (pictured) said the snailfish could be as deep as any fish can live and may have done so because of the warm moat waters
Although the snailfish was not caught to fully identify its species, a similar snailfish (pictured) was captured slightly up at a depth of 26,319 feet which holds the record for the deepest fish ever caught.
Footage from above showed the same species of snailfish, but in larger numbers
