Watch: Deep-sea anglerfish's rare swim in shallow waters

Yahoo

10-02-2025

The Brief
A deep-sea anglerfish was recently spotted swimming in broad daylight in the Canary Islands.
The sighting is rare as the fish typically stays in the depths of the ocean below the sunlight zone.
It's perhaps the first time the fish has been spotted and reported at this depth.
A rare oceanic feat was captured on video recently, involving a deep-sea fish that has rarely been seen before in broad daylight - if ever.
Here's what to know about the rare deep-sea anglerfish sighting:
A deep-sea anglerfish was seen swimming in broad daylight recently off the Canary Islands.
The nightmarish fish was spotted by Condrik Tenerife, a local organization that specializes in shark and ray research and conservation.
By the numbers
Usually these fish are found at depths of between 200 and 2,000 meters, or about 650 to 6,561 feet deep.
Sunlight can penetrate about 200 meters deep, according to the National Ocean Service.
What they're saying
Condrik Tenerife posted video of the fish swimming in bright blue waters, saying it's "a legendary fish that few people will have had the privilege of observing alive."
"To date, records have mostly consisted of larvae, dead adults, or specimens spotted by submarines during deep-sea scientific expeditions," Condrik Tenerife told Storyful.
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Dig deeper
Deep-sea anglerfish have very large mouths and stomachs and long, pointy teeth in order to facilitate capturing and swallowing any prey they come across, which typically isn't much that deep down.
They also have a lure used to attract prey.
"The deep sea anglerfish's lure is filled with bacteria that make their own light. Using a muscular skin flap, a deep sea anglerfish can either hide or reveal its lighted lure," according to Oceana, an international advocacy organization that focuses on ocean conservation.
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The Source
Information in this article was taken from Condrik Tenerife, the National Ocean Service, Oceana and Storyful, a social media video licensing agency. This story was reported from Detroit.