Three Ghostlike Species Of Fish Were Discovered In The Pacific

Scientists have discovered three new species of fish off the coast of Peru and Chile recently. In the dark depths of the Atacama Trench, one of the deepest known parts of the Pacific Ocean, an international group of researchers from Newcastle University sank a baited camera.

On one end of a pole, they attached a dead fish, and pointed a camera at it to see what creatures would come snack on it. In a region that has been largely unexplored, they were curious as to what animals could survive at depths of over 24,000 feet, in extremely low temperatures.

As it turns out, the whole area was full of life. But what caught scientists eye were the three unseen species of snailfish that showed up. These interesting looking fish are nearly translucent and designed for life in the deep ocean devoid of sunlight, have a seemingly ghostly appearance.

The bodies of these fish are incredibly soft to deal with the intense pressure, giving their movements a fluid, almost ethereal appearance. Researcher Thomas Linley states, “the hardest structures in their bodies are their teeth and the bones in their inner ear which give them balance.” The new species have been dubbed the Pink, Blue, and Purple Atacama Snailfish, based on their color.

There were several other strange creatures filmed during the research, including munnopsids, long legged isopods that walk along the sea floor like spiders. All of the bizarre animals filmed provide biologists with fantastic examples of interesting life forms, that will help them understand what is going on in these deep dark regions of the world that are not often seen.