The creature spotted by scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), in California, is a rare bright bronze whitefin dragonfish ( Bathophilus flemingi ). The researchers have been able to record the elusive animal and have uploaded the video to the aquarium’s Instagram account.
For three decades, researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) have explored the depths of the bay with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and have discovered wondrous animals , including several species of dragonfish. However, the high-finned dragonfish has turned out to be the most elusive. “We have only seen this particular species four times in more than three decades of deep-sea research and more than 27,600 hours of video. We spotted this individual just outside Monterey Bay at about 300 meters (980 feet),” the researchers say in the Instagram post.
“They are amazing animals, and part of what is attractive is their color pattern,” said Bruce Robison, MBARI senior scientist and research leader of the team that made the discovery. The pigments that color the fish’s skin could actually be a form of camouflage, as these hues absorb traces of blue light that reach the depths, making the animal almost invisible in its surroundings. “But when we shine our white lights on it, it’s just gorgeous,” Robison said.
This type of camouflage works well for the fish, which hunts as an ambush predator , floating in the dark and waiting for small fish and crustaceans to swim by. However, these foods are not random. Rather, they are attracted to the dragon fish, which has a bioluminescent filament extending from its chin. “It uses that lure to attract prey that see the bright spot of light and are attracted to it because they think it’s something small enough to eat,” explains Robison. When the prey gets close enough, the dragonfish’s wide jaws take a bite.
Dragonfish use bioluminescence not only to capture their food, but also to avoid being eaten . “Many predators hunt by looking up, trying to make out the silhouette or shadows of their prey against the light from the upper waters,” explains Robison. To blend in with a bright background, the dragon fish has a series of luminous organs that line its two flanks. These luminous organs match the color and intensity of the overhead light, blurring the silhouette of the fish.
Bathophilus flemingi can be up to 16.5 centimeters long. Its fins have a kind of long and fine filaments with which it is believed that it can perceive vibrations in the water , alerting the fish when predators or prey are approaching. It is likely that they also provide stability, preventing the animal from sinking while on the prowl for food. The high-finned dragonfish lives in deep waters, between 225 and 1,370 m deep and feeds on small crustaceans and fish.
It is found from British Columbia, in Canada, to the Baja California Peninsula, in Mexico, including the Gulf of Alaska.
When Robison and the rest of the researchers discovered this fish, they were on a week-long expedition in the Western Flyer research vehicle, conducting numerous experiments and observations. Despite their busy schedules, the research teams aboard these vessels have to be observant, opportunistic and ready to respond to the unexpected, as they never know what they may discover.
“We are explorers,” Robison says. If you want to see something interesting, you often have to make a detour to take a look,” and the discovery of this high-finned dragonfish is just one of many examples of Robison’s oceanic curiosity paying off. “Often the real deal.” The joy of those trips comes from the things you don’t anticipate.
