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13.07.2026.

10:28

This creature looks like it's not from Earth: Scientists amazed by footage of mysterious ocean fish VIDEO

Scientists have managed to film a rare species of barreleye fish alive in its natural habitat for the first time.

Izvor: Daily Mail

This creature looks like it's not from Earth: Scientists amazed by footage of mysterious ocean fish VIDEO
Alex Vog/Shutterstock

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The fish, known as Winteria telescopa, was filmed during a month-long expedition to the Doldrums Megatransform and Fracture Zone, one of the least explored areas of the Atlantic Ocean.

Researchers from the Schmidt Ocean Institute spotted the fish swimming at a depth of around 710 meters using the remotely operated underwater vehicle SuBastian.

At that depth, sunlight barely reaches, creating an eerie twilight world that is completely different from anything found closer to the surface.

Barreleye fish are known for their extremely unusual, transparent heads, which allow scientists to see their peculiar eyes inside the skull.

Unlike most fish, whose eyes are positioned on the sides of their heads, barreleye fish have tubular eyes that point upward, allowing them to detect even the faintest traces of light filtering down from above.

 

Their specialized eyes also help them detect flashes of bioluminescence produced by prey and other organisms in complete darkness.

Scientists say that the delicate, transparent dome covering the fish’s head often collapses when specimens are brought to the surface in nets.

As a result, almost everything known about these fish has come from damaged specimens rather than observations of living animals.

Observing Winteria telescopa alive provides researchers with a rare opportunity to study its behavior in its natural environment.

Most barreleye fish live at depths between 600 and 1,000 meters below the surface, in the mesopelagic or “twilight zone,” where only a very small amount of sunlight penetrates.

Instead of observing their surroundings horizontally like most fish, these fish spend much of their time looking upward.

This allows them to spot the silhouettes of jellyfish, squid, and other prey swimming above them against the faint light filtering down from the surface.

Scientists believe that barreleye fish are opportunistic predators that sometimes snatch small animals trapped in the tentacles of siphonophores and jellyfish.

Their transparent head shield may even protect their eyes from stinging cells while they attack these drifting predators.

Despite their alien-like appearance, most barreleye fish are only around 10 to 15 centimeters long — roughly the size of a banana.

The barreleye fish was just one of several remarkable discoveries made during the expedition.

The team also discovered two previously unknown hydrothermal vents hidden deep within the fracture zone.

These vents release hot, mineral-rich fluids that support diverse ecosystems even in the complete absence of sunlight.

Researchers also encountered two elusive bigfin squid, another rarely seen deep-sea species known for their incredibly long, slender tentacles.

“We came searching for vents, fractures, and underwater mountains,” said Dr. Paula Zapata Ramirez, an assistant professor at Pontificia Bolivariana University, adding:

“We are leaving with something even more valuable: a deeper understanding of the ecosystems in one of the least explored areas of the Atlantic Ocean. Every sample, every image, and every discovery brings us one step closer to understanding the hidden parts of our planet,” she said.

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