[ad_1]
About 160 kilometers from the shores of Chile and Peru, the Atacama Trench is one of the deepest channels in the world.
With a width of 2,500 kilometers and a depth of more than 8,000, the trench is deadly for most living things: very few plant and animal species can withstand freezing temperatures and extreme pressures.
However, thanks to the use of a deep camera equipped with underwater cameras and a lure, researchers have now discovered three new species of fish.
A new species of snail-fish has been found in pink, blue and purple
According to scientists at Newcastle University, the sea floor in some parts of the deep sea is not only much more populated than expected; It is also home to a brand new species of gelatinous fish – a snail fish.
Read also: These underwater robots that see in 270 colors could help save the Great Barrier Reef
More exciting still, scientists were able to use the recorded images to distinguish fish from three different colors: pink, purple and blue.
The snail fish is adapted to extreme living conditions
The snail fish, which grows to a depth of 6,400 meters, is characterized by its jelly-like shape, translucent skin and smooth, slippery movements.
"Their gelatinous structure allows them to live perfectly under pressure," said Thomas Linley, one of the scientists involved in the study, on the university's website.
He added that without the extreme pressure and cold to support their bodies, the creatures are so fragile, they would melt quickly if they were brought to the surface.
Researchers continue their studies on species in the laboratory
Although snail fish require very extreme living conditions, the researchers managed to bring one of the fish specimens to the top with the lure in "very good condition".
He is now joined by a team of scientists, including researchers from the Natural History Museum in London, to investigate the species.
What is clear so far is that the snail fish differs from what the groundfish generally evokes: without scales, large teeth, or large shape or size, the fish does not really conform to the Preconceived stereotypical image of what a deep-sea fish should look like, "according to researchers at the Newcastle University website.
Source link
