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Cruising at a depth of 8,336 meters (more than 27,000 feet), just above the seabed, a young snail has become the deepest fish ever filmed by scientists during a probe into the abyss of the northern Pacific Ocean.
Scientists from the University of Western Australia and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology on Sunday released images of the snailfish filmed last September by marine robots in deep trenches off Japan.
In addition to filming the deepest snailfish, the scientists physically captured two other specimens at 8,022 meters and set another record for capture at the greatest depth.
Previously, the deepest snailfish ever seen was at 7,703 meters in 2008, while scientists have never been able to collect fish below 8,000 meters.
“The important thing is that it shows how far a particular type of fish will go in the ocean,” said marine biologist Alan Jamieson, founder of the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre, who led the expedition.
Scientists are filming in the trenches off Japan as part of a 10-year study of the world’s deepest fish stocks. Snailfish are members of the Liparidae family, and while most live in shallow waters, others survive at some of the deepest depths ever recorded, Jamieson said.
During the two-month study last year, three “landers” (automated marine robots equipped with high-resolution cameras) were launched into three trenches (the Japan, Izu-Ogasawara and Ryukyu trenches) at different depths.
In the Izu-Ogasawara trench, images showed the deepest snailfish floating calmly alongside other crustaceans on the seafloor.
Jamieson classified the fish as juvenile and said younger deep-water snails often stay as deep as possible to avoid being eaten by larger predators that swim at shallower depths.
Another clip filmed between 7,500 and 8,200 meters in the same trench showed a colony of fish and crustaceans chewing on bait tied to an underwater robot.
Images of the two captured snail fish, identified as Pseudoliparis belyaevi – provide unique insight into the unique characteristics that help deep-sea species survive in extreme environments.
They have small eyes, a translucent body and the lack of a swim bladder, which helps other fish float, benefits them, Jamieson said.
The professor said the Pacific Ocean is particularly conducive to vibrant activity because of its warm southern current, which encourages sea creatures to go deeper, while its abundant marine life provides a good food source for bottom feeders.
Scientists would like to know more about the creatures that live at extreme depths, but cost is the limitation, Jamieson said, adding that each lander alone costs them $200,000 to assemble and operate.
“The challenge is that the technology has been expensive and scientists don’t have a lot of money,” he said.
