A new record has been set for the deepest fish ever observed at more than 27,000ft below sea level in the Pacific Ocean, according to scientists.
A juvenile snailfish was filmed swimming at 27,349ft below sea level – nearly the same height as Mount Everest – in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, south of Japan.
Lead scientist Professor Alan Jamieson said the snailfish could be at the maximum depth any fish can survive and probably did so because of trench’s warm waters.
Although the snailfish was not caught to fully identify its species type, similar snailfish were captured higher up at a depth of 26,319ft which set the record for the deepest fish ever caught.
Professor Jamieson told BBC News: ‘If this record is broken, it would only be by minute increments, potentially by just a few meters.’
A juvenile snailfish (pictured, left) was filmed swimming at 27,349ft below sea level – nearly the same height as Mount Everest – in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, south of Japan
He added: ‘We predicted the deepest fish would be there and we predicted it would be a snailfish.
‘I get frustrated when people tell me we know nothing about the deep sea. We do. Things are changing really fast.’
The previous deepest fish observation was made at 26,830ft further south in the Pacific in the Mariana Trench.
Snailfish are found in oceans across the world with more than 300 different species currently known.
They are described as being tadpole-like in shape, with larger heads and slender bodies.
The species adapted to living in deeper waters can withstand the huge deep-sea pressure with the help of their gelatinous bodies.
Prof Jamieson, who was born in Scotland, is credited with discovering not just the deepest fish in our oceans but also the deepest octopus, jellyfish and squid.
Lead scientist Professor Alan Jamieson (pictured) said the snailfish could be at the maximum depth any fish can survive and probably did so because of trench’s warm waters
Although the snailfish was not caught to fully identify its species type, similar snailfish (pictured) were captured slightly higher up at a depth of 26,319ft which set the record for the deepest fish ever caught
Footage from higher up showed the same snailfish species but adults and in larger numbers
