A deep-sea fish has been identified by US scientists which was previously unknown to science.
The bumpy snailfish (Careproctus colliculi) was first encountered with advanced underwater technology in 2019, swimming just above the seafloor.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has now confirmed that the fish with a distinctive pink colour, pectoral fins and long fin rays, along with a unique bumpy texture, is a new species.
It has been recorded along with two other snailfish for the abyssal seafloor off California by a team of researchers from the State University of New York at Geneseo (SUNY Geneseo), scientists from the University of Montana and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the scientific journal Ichthyology and Herpetology.
“MBARI seeks to make ocean exploration more accessible by sharing our data and technology with our peers in the science community,” said Steven Haddock, a senior scientist at MBARI and the expedition leader who encountered the bumpy snailfish.
“We welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with researchers from SUNY Geneseo to expand our understanding of life in the deep ocean, especially since documenting deep-sea biodiversity is critical to detecting any changes that may be occurring in this environment,” he said.
MBARI says that snailfishes belong to the family Liparidae, and typically have a large head, jelly-like body covered in loose skin, and narrow tail.
“Many snailfish species have a disk on their belly that allows them to grip the seafloor or hitchhike on larger animals, such as deep-sea crabs. Shallow-water snailfishes often cling to rocks and seaweed, curling up like a snail,” it says.
“Scientists have described more than 400 different species of snailfish worldwide. These fishes make their homes in a variety of ocean habitats, from shallow tide pools to deep-sea trenches. In fact, a snailfish holds the record for the deepest-dwelling fish,” MBARI says.
Haddock and his team were exploring the outer reaches of Monterey Canyon, approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) offshore of Central California, with MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle Doc Ricketts at a depth of 3,268 meters (10,722 feet) when they observed the small snailfish swimming above the abyssal seafloor.
MBARI researchers collected the individual—an adult female 9.2 cms (3.6 inches) long—for further study in the laboratory.
“With features unlike other deep-sea snailfishes that MBARI had encountered offshore of California, Haddock reached out to Gerringer for more detailed analysis. MBARI frequently collaborates with expert taxonomists to review footage and specimens. These partnerships offer fresh perspectives that often spark new discoveries,” MBARI says.
