Scientists from the University of Aberdeen have captured new species of fish on camera in the Mariana Trench – the deepest place on earth.
The video shows the ultra-deep-sea ‘supergiant amphipod’ and was recorded using the UK’s deepest diving vehicle the Hadal-Lander.
An international team of marine biologists, geologists , microbiologists and geneticists have only just returned from the detailed study aboard the Schmidst Ocean Institute’s Research Vessel Falkor.
The footage was captured by scientists from Oceanlab depicts a type of snailfish at depths of 8145 metres deep – the greatest depth a fish has ever been observed, beating their own 2008 record by nearly 500 metres.
“This really deep fish did not look like anything we had seen before, nor does it look like anything we know of”, said Dr Alan Jamieson from the University of Aberdeen, “it is unbelievably fragile, with large wing-like fins and a head resembling a cartoon dog”.
“Knowing these creatures exist is one thing, but to watch them alive in their natural habitat and interacting with other species is truly amazing, we have learnt a great deal.”
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