Deep-sea Expedition Yields Record-Breaking Fish Footage
At an unprecedented depth of 8,336 meters, or over 27,000 feet, a young snailfish has been captured on camera by scientists, setting a new record for the deepest fish ever filmed in the northern Pacific Ocean. The remarkable footage was released Sunday by the University of Western Australia and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
The team's two-month-long expedition involved deploying automatic sea robots fitted with high-resolution cameras into three deep trenches: Japan, Izu-Ogasawara, and Ryukyu. These "landers" captured stunning images of snailfish hovering calmly alongside crustaceans on the seabed in the Izu-Ogasawara trench.
The record-breaking fish, identified as Pseudoliparis belyaevi, has features that help it thrive in extreme environments, including tiny eyes and a translucent body. A lack of swim bladder also allows it to conserve energy in the food-scarce depths.
Marine biologist Alan Jamieson, founder of the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre, led the expedition. He noted that snailfish often descend as deep as possible to avoid predators at shallower depths. The unique adaptations of these fish are critical for their survival.
The Pacific Ocean's warm southern current and abundant marine life create an ideal environment for vibrant activity. However, conducting research in such extreme environments is costly. Each lander alone costs $200,000 to assemble and operate, a constraint that limits the scope of scientific inquiry into deep-sea creatures.
Jamieson emphasized that technology expenses are significant hurdles. "The challenges are that technology has been expensive and scientists don’t have a lot of money," he said.
This groundbreaking footage provides valuable insights into the lives of extreme deep-sea dwellers, offering a rare glimpse into their world.
At an unprecedented depth of 8,336 meters, or over 27,000 feet, a young snailfish has been captured on camera by scientists, setting a new record for the deepest fish ever filmed in the northern Pacific Ocean. The remarkable footage was released Sunday by the University of Western Australia and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
The team's two-month-long expedition involved deploying automatic sea robots fitted with high-resolution cameras into three deep trenches: Japan, Izu-Ogasawara, and Ryukyu. These "landers" captured stunning images of snailfish hovering calmly alongside crustaceans on the seabed in the Izu-Ogasawara trench.
The record-breaking fish, identified as Pseudoliparis belyaevi, has features that help it thrive in extreme environments, including tiny eyes and a translucent body. A lack of swim bladder also allows it to conserve energy in the food-scarce depths.
Marine biologist Alan Jamieson, founder of the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre, led the expedition. He noted that snailfish often descend as deep as possible to avoid predators at shallower depths. The unique adaptations of these fish are critical for their survival.
The Pacific Ocean's warm southern current and abundant marine life create an ideal environment for vibrant activity. However, conducting research in such extreme environments is costly. Each lander alone costs $200,000 to assemble and operate, a constraint that limits the scope of scientific inquiry into deep-sea creatures.
Jamieson emphasized that technology expenses are significant hurdles. "The challenges are that technology has been expensive and scientists don’t have a lot of money," he said.
This groundbreaking footage provides valuable insights into the lives of extreme deep-sea dwellers, offering a rare glimpse into their world.
I mean, that snailfish is like, super small and has no eyes! How does it even see anything? And what if its tiny eyes dont work or somethin? 
Isnt it like, tryna find food in the dark or watever?
OMG, can you believe it?! They just got footage of a snailfish at 8,336 meters below sea level! 
That's insane! I mean, the record-breaking fish has tiny eyes and a translucent body - that's some crazy adaptations right there! 
It's like they're from another world. And can you imagine having to deploy robots with cameras into the depths of the ocean for two months straight? Like, $200,000 per lander is no joke 
. But seriously, this footage is giving me LIFE - we need more research on these extreme deep-sea creatures. They're like the unsung heroes of the ocean 
i mean, who needs space travel when we have robots and deep-sea expeditions 
the cost is like 200k per lander tho 
.
anyway what's the point of these underwater robots? are they like, self-driving or something? 
