This
species is called a 'Sabre tooth' (can you guess why?) and it
is one of the deepest-dwelling fish in the sea. Sorry, but Extreme
Science still does not have a photo of a brotulid species. Scientists
know almost nothing about this fish that dwells deeper than
any other fish in the ocean, so getting a picture will take
some time - stay tuned!
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The world's record holder for deepest
fish goes to the brotulid* family, about which scientists know almost
nothing. These fish are benthopelagic, living at depths of 7000 meters
or more. The world's deepest fish (Abyssobrotula galatheae)
was found in the Puerto Rican Trench at a depth of 8,372 meters (that's
over five miles down!).
Their eyes appear to be virtually
nonexistent. Maybe it's because there is never enough light for the
fish to see, so why bother with the eyes? After all, eyes in most
organisms are designed for gathering light in the creature's visual
field and transmitting it to the brain - giving it useful information
about its environment. In a world where no sunlight ever penetrates
there's probably little use for eyes. The brotulids probably have
other, highly developed senses to compensate for their lack of vision,
which help them to find their way around in the dark depths. Maybe
YOU could be the scientist who studies this species and unravels its
mysteries.
Go to
the NEXT PAGE to see
more creeps from the deep...
Read about
the Deepest Place in the Ocean
See our Creature
Gallery for more fascinating world records.
