A decade ago, a deep-sea scientist affiliated with the University of Western Australia predicted that fish would likely be found at depths ranging from 8,200m to 8,400m. Following ten years of global research, this prediction has been confirmed.
A remarkable discovery occurred when scientists captured footage of a fish swimming at an extraordinary depth in the ocean. The species, identified as a Pseudoliparis snailfish, was spotted at a depth of 8,336m (27,349ft) by an autonomous lander.
This discovery took place in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench south of Japan, one of several trenches descending up to 11,000 meters (36,000 feet) below sea level at the western edge of the Pacific Ocean. Here, the Pacific plate, typically located 4,200 meters (13,780 feet) beneath the ocean’s surface, dips beneath various continental plates.
This represents the deepest observation of its kind ever recorded, and it’s improbable that it will be surpassed in the foreseeable future, as it was captured at or very near the maximum depth where any fish can survive.
Professor Alan Jamieson, who made this prediction a decade ago, informed BBC News that if a new record were to be set, it would likely be by a small margin, perhaps just a few meters.
Previously, the deepest observation of a fish was recorded at 8,178 meters in the Mariana Trench, located further south in the Pacific Ocean. The recent discovery in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench has exceeded this depth record by 158 meters.
The video below captures a snailfish swimming at this remarkable depth within the first 15 seconds.
A camera system attached to a weighted frame was deployed from a ship to film a young snailfish. Bait was used to attract sea creatures to the setup. While the species of the filmed specimen couldn’t be confirmed as it wasn’t captured, several other fish were caught slightly shallower at a depth of 8,022m in the nearby Japan Trench.
Among these fish, the snailfish Pseudoliparis belyaevi was positively identified, setting a new record for the deepest fish ever caught.
Several snailfish were retrieved from the depth of 8,022m, marking the deepest catch on record. Image credit goes to the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre.
Snailfish represent an impressive group of creatures, boasting over 300 species. Most of them inhabit shallow-water environments like river estuaries. However, some snailfish have adapted to survive in the icy waters of the Arctic and Antarctic, as well as endure the extreme pressure conditions found in Earth’s deepest ocean trenches.
Snailfish thrive in the depths of 8km, enduring pressures exceeding 80 megapascals, which is 800 times greater than that at the ocean surface, thanks to their gelatinous bodies. Unlike many other fish, they lack a swim bladder, relying on their unique physiology to navigate these extreme conditions.
Additionally, snailfish are suction feeders, preying on small crustaceans abundant in the trenches, further aiding their survival.
To study these creatures, cameras on landers are equipped with bait to attract them into view. Image credit: Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre.
Professor Jamieson, founder of the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre, collaborated with a team from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology on a mission. They discovered a fish inhabiting depths even greater than those in the Mariana Trench. This finding is attributed to the slightly warmer waters in the Izu-Ogasawara trench, according to Jamieson. The team had anticipated finding the deepest fish in this region, expecting it to be a type of snailfish.
Jamieson emphasizes that our knowledge of the deep sea is significant and rapidly expanding.
He expresses frustration when people claim otherwise, stating that our understanding of the deep sea is evolving rapidly.
