Blobfish in water

Blobfish are a unique species of fish that are native to the deep-sea waters of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans.

If you were asked to think of the ugliest creature you can imagine, you might picture the blobfish: a pale pink gelatinous blob with a droopy, downturned mouth and large, sagging nose. In its natural habitat—thousands of feet underwater—the misunderstood blobfish looks like a normal fish. Blobfish look almost unrecognizable underwater: These tadpole-shaped fish have bulbous heads, large jaws, tapered tails, and feathery pectoral fins. Rather than scales, they have loose, flabby skin. Because they live at such incredible depths, these fascinating fish are hard to study in their natural environment. Much of what scientists have learned about them comes from dead blobfish pulled up to the surface—hence why their above-water form is more widely recognized.

Blobfish in water

At the surface, blobfish look like unhappy internal organs. Here's a brief refresher for the unintitiated:. That ghoulish appearance has landed the deep-sea inhabitants genus Psychrolutes on many an "ugliest animals" list, but a video from the research vessel EV Nautilus shows that it's not always fair to judge a fish out of water. On a dive off the coast of n orthern California, the team encountered a blob sculpin Psychrolutes phrictus and watched on as the fish guarded a brood of tiny, pink eggs. The trio above are the same species as this living specimen, but as you can see, the animals look a bit different at depth! In fact, they're actually kind of cute. Blobfishes occupy a habitat some 2, metres 9, ft beneath the waves — a zone that's exposed to incredible pressures. Because they're such deep divers, these animals have a number of physical adaptations for dealing with the harsh conditions. For starters, blobfish bones are extremely soft, and therefore less prone to cracking. That evolutionary workaround is a great way to stay alive when your home is constantly trying to crush you, but get stuck in a trawl net and things start to go awry. Many fish use an air-filled swim bladder for buoyancy, but that's a dangerous piece of kit for a deep-sea fish, as changes in pressure could expand the swim bladder, forcing the other internal organs out of the mouth. Instead, blob sculpin rely on their gelatinous flesh — which is slightly less dense than seawater — to stay afloat.

These animals live deep in the ocean, blobfish in water, so you need a submarine or submersible to find them alive. Famous for having ugly headshots, this lazy bottom-feeder is relatively new to science but has cast a spell over human beings in the digital age and is already immortalised in memes, soft toys and emojis.

Famous for having ugly headshots, this lazy bottom-feeder is relatively new to science but has cast a spell over human beings in the digital age and is already immortalised in memes, soft toys and emojis. What's the real reason it looks so glum? And what can it teach us about conservation or the secretive habitat in which it lives? The scientific name of the fish in the famous blobfish photo is Psychrolutes microporos , from a family of fish called Psychrolutidae. However, the term 'blobfish' is sometimes used more broadly to describe other members of the Psychrolutidae family such as P. The first specimen of P.

The smeary flesh of Mr. Blobby—as the photogenic blobfish is affectionately known—is no longer Bubblicious-pink. Dredged up off the coast of New Zealand during a research voyage, the specimen has spent the last decade suspended in a 70 percent ethyl-alcohol solution. Has there ever been crueler proof that alcohol changes the way you look? Of the hundreds of deep-sea critters hauled in on the New Zealand expedition, the Psychrolutes microporos was the breakout star. A photograph snapped aboard ship lit up on social media and transformed this squidgy bottom feeder into an aquatic Grumpy Cat, with devoted followers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr. Seen by few but known by many, Mr. So Mr. Blobby is a bit of a self-promoter. OK, a world-class self-promoter.

Blobfish in water

The canonical blobfish picture elicits squeals of delight and shudders of horror, embodying an eye-catching blend of cute and ugly somewhat unfamiliar to the Western aesthetic although it's rather popular in Japan. With its derpy frown, glistening flesh and an impossibly human-looking nose reminiscent of the schnoz on Ziggy and Kilroy drawings, the fish was an internet star just waiting to happen. While these days the blobfish has enough face recognition to make other arguably more charismatic creatures envious, researchers know very little about this enigmatic species. Scientists must infer how it spends its days and what it eats from the physical characteristics of the blobfish's environment and the biological features of fellow deep-sea fish. Ironically, the animal's marquee feature — its signature flab — is not what sets it apart; rather, that's a commonality the fish shares with many other denizens of the deep. References to the fish family known as fathead sculpins Psychrolutidae first appeared in the scientific literature more than years ago , but the specific individual destined for viral internet fame surfaced in

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About American Oceans The American Oceans Campaign is dedicated primarily to the restoration, protection, and preservation of the health and vitality of coastal waters, estuaries, bays, wetlands, and oceans. Its diet consists mainly of crabs , lobsters, and other crustaceans that live on the ocean floor. They are typically found in the waters off the coasts of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. That ghoulish appearance has landed the deep-sea inhabitants genus Psychrolutes on many an "ugliest animals" list, but a video from the research vessel EV Nautilus shows that it's not always fair to judge a fish out of water. Down there, the pressure can be more than times what the atmospheric pressure you feel right now. This means that they can float effortlessly without expending much energy. They are typically a pale pink or gray color and have a soft, flabby body with loose skin. Blobfish have a variety of adaptations to live in high-pressure habitats, including a squishy body, with soft bones and very little muscle. Their lack of muscle and bone density makes them relatively defenseless. Are blobfish dangerous to humans?

This was the first discovery of this versatile sea creature, and the marine biologists on board the ship named this Blobfish "Mr. Today, Mr.

While they may not be the most aesthetically pleasing creatures, they are fascinating to study and observe. One question that often arises is whether they have bones or not. Common Name: Blobfish. Blobfish are less than 30cm long, have soft bodies and no teeth. Share Tweet Email. This is the famous image you see everywhere, including at the top of this page. Little is known about blobfish reproduction because it's hard to observe any creature when they live in the dark depths of the ocean. At this depth, the lungs and other air-filled spaces in the human body would collapse. Add comment. At around 3, feet, the pressure is a hundred times stronger than on land.