Jakarta – Researchers off the coast of Tenerife, Spain, have discovered something truly astonishing. The Abyssal Humpback Anglerfish, a deep-sea inhabitant, suddenly appeared at the surface.
Video footage shows an adult Abyssal Humpback Anglerfish swimming near the surface. This fish had never been seen alive by human eyes, making the discovery a groundbreaking moment for researchers.
The Abyssal Humpback Anglerfish usually lives at extreme ocean depths, ranging between 200 to 2,000 meters below the surface. Typically, Anglerfish live so deep that they never see sunlight.
According to USA Today, Condrik-Tenerife, the organization that discovered the fish, explained how the event unfolded:
“It emerged from the abyss while swimming vertically, just 2 km from Tenerife’s coast, during a Pelagic Shark Research campaign organized by the NGO Condrick-Tenerife. Marine biologist @laiavlr detected the creature at the surface,” they wrote in Portuguese on social media.
“Shortly after, biologists Marc Martín (@vidamarina.tenerife), Antonio Sabuco (@sabu726), and I (@jara.natura) recorded spectacular and rare footage of this unusual animal,” they added.
“This could be the first-ever recorded sighting of an adult Black Devil Anglerfish (Melanocetus johnsonii) alive, in broad daylight, and at the surface!!” they exclaimed.
A legendary fish that only a few have ever seen alive, previous records consisted of larvae, dead specimens, or footage from submarines. Emerging from the abyssal depths, this anglerfish appeared at the surface just 2 km from Tenerife’s coast during a shark research campaign.
The Abyssal Humpback Anglerfish is a true deep-sea predator that uses its dorsal appendage, filled with bioluminescent symbiotic bacteria, as bait to lure prey—similar to what is depicted in the famous film “Finding Nemo.”
The reason for its sudden appearance near the surface remains unknown. Researchers speculate it could be due to illness, rising ocean currents, or an attempt to escape a predator. Normally, Anglerfish only appear near the surface in their larval stage.
“We were heading back to the harbor when I saw something black in the water. It didn’t look like plastic or debris—it was unusual,” said marine biologist Laia Valor from Oceanographic Reports.
Unfortunately, the researchers only had a few hours with the fish before it died.
“The fish was in poor condition and survived for only a few hours,” Valor explained.
The fish’s body was later transported to Santa Cruz de Tenerife for further study. However, the discovery will be forever remembered by the crew.
“This astonishing find will be remembered forever,” they wrote in their post.
