Ghostly Eel-like Fish Encountered During Marianas Expedition

Posted on July 6, 2016

Video footage of an amazing looking ghostly eel-like fish was recorded during an expedition on the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer. The video was recorded at a depth of 2,500 meters during an exploration of unknown and poorly known deep waters of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Explorer uses an ROV to explore deep waters.

NOAA says the fish has transparent skin and lacks scales. It also has reduced eyes that lack pigment. They say it is about 10 centimeters (inches) long. The fish belongs in the family Aphyonidae and this video represents the first time a fish in this family has ever been seen alive.

NOAA says in its video description that some viewers have noted the fish is the "fish version of Casper the octopus." This in reference to the ghostly octopus discovered by the Okeanos Explorer earlier this year. Take a look:



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