World’s Deepest Fish: ‘Ghostly’ Snailfish Filmed At 26,000-Plus Feet, Said To Be World’s Deepest [Video]

The world’s deepest fish has been filmed at more than 26,000 feet under the ocean’s surface. According to the Mail Online, the ghostly snailfish was recently found in the very deep waters of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. Its depth broke the record for deepest fish in the world, and it is now the only fish known to live that deep in the water. Researchers had been on the lookout for different creatures and new species in Mariana Trench as part of a new 30-day expedition.

“The bizarre creature found is thought to be a snailfish, a ‘ghostly’ looking creature that has a tad-pole like body. They have large heads, small eyes and no scales, and are normally slightly larger than a human hand in length,” reports the Mail Online.

The world’s deepest fish is “new to science,” according to BBC News. Before this species of snailfish was found, another snailfish was known as the world’s deepest fish, and it was found in the Japan Trench, which is also in the Pacific Ocean. The discoveries of these deep sea creatures is incredible, and researchers hope to learn more about them by studying them as best they can with the video footage that they have obtained.

“This really deep fish did not look like anything we had seen before, nor does it look like anything we know of. It is unbelievably fragile, with large wing-like fins and a head resembling a cartoon dog,” said Dr. Alan Jamieson from Aberdeen University.

“Many studies have rushed to the bottom of the trench, but from an ecological view that is very limiting. It’s like trying to understand a mountain ecosystem by only looking at its summit,” said Dr. Jeff Drazen, co-chief scientist from the University of Hawaii.

The world’s deepest fish is undoubtedly strange, and has raised many questions about what other species might live at those depths, and how the so-called “circle of life” works in such a vast area.

Underwater discoveries are fascinating in so many ways. People seem to be very curious about the unknown, which is why stories like this one are so popular. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, an Anglerfish was filmed for the very first time back in November, and that story went viral. Previously, the Anglerfish was known for his role in movies like Finding Nemo (“light please!”). However, researchers found the bizarre looking creature in the waters off of California, about 2,000 feet down, and were able to catch the discovery on tape.

[Photo courtesy of YouTube]