iStockphoto / Johan Holmdahl
Marine scientists in Japan working in the Izu–Ogasawara Trench have just captured footage of the deepest swimming fish ever recorded in history.
The Izu–Ogasawara Trench, or Izu–Bonin Trench as it’s also known, is an extension of the Japan Trench and stretches all the way from Japan to the Mariana Trench, the deepest spot on earth. Japan’s Izu–Ogasawara Trench is 32,087 feet deep (9,780 meters) at the deepest point.
Researchers from the University of Western Australia just sent out a press release after capturing footage of a snailfish (genus Pseudoliparis) swimming at over 27,000 feet deep (8,336 meters).
To the untrained eye, the fish has similar physical features to Mexico’s critically endangered axolotl. Some people claim the snailfish also appears to be ‘smiling’ in the footage captured of the deepest fish ever filmed.
Footage of the deepest fish ever recorded was shared by Reuters and NBC News:
The Deepest Fish Ever Recorded
According to the press release, this footage of the deepest fish ever is the result of a 15-year investigation into the snailfish.
Their overall mission was “part of a 10-year study into the deepest fish populations in the world” and they definitely succeeded in capturing first-of-its-kind footage.
What’s even more amazing, is not only did they film the deepest fish ever the team managed to trap two of them for studying. They also discovered an abundance of life at these depths.
UWA Professor Alan Jamieson said “The real take-home message for me, is not necessarily that they are living at 8,336m but rather we have enough information on this environment to have predicted that these trenches would be where the deepest fish would be, in fact until this expedition, no one had ever seen nor collected a single fish from this entire trench.”
There are a few memes floating around and pictures of the fish which appears to be ‘smiling’ though that’s just how its face is constructed:
#Snailfish fans like me be like.https://t.co/CLqQ7PYC10 https://t.co/V1zHXa7rnm pic.twitter.com/lED2LSk7e0
— John P. Friel, Ph.D. (@friel) April 3, 2023
Scientists discovered a snailfish five miles under the sea in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, south of Japan.
It is the deepest fish ever recorded.
Read more @YaleE360: https://t.co/yQwOUNR7WP pic.twitter.com/mUs7hWUBre
— Yale Environment 360 (@YaleE360) April 3, 2023
It is a beautiful-looking fish. And millions are now aware of the ‘snailfish’ after the two specimens were caught and filmed at unbelievable depths.