(CNN) — At 8,336 meters below the ocean floor, a juvenile snailfish became the deepest fish ever photographed by scientists while exploring the North Pacific Ocean trench.
Scientists from the University of Western Australia (UWA) and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology on Sunday released images of snails captured by marine robots in deep trenches off Japan.
In addition to capturing the snail at the deepest depth, the scientists also physically captured two other specimens at 8,022 meters, setting another record for the deepest capture.
Earlier, in 2008, the deepest snail fish was found at an altitude of 7,703 meters, while scientists could not catch fish below 8,000 meters.
“What’s remarkable is that it shows how far down in the ocean a particular species of fish is,” said marine biologist Alan Jamieson, founder of the Minderoo-UWA Center for Deep Sea Research, who led the study.
Both these fish were caught at a depth of 8,000 meters in the Japan Trench in the North Pacific Ocean. (Credit: University of Western Australia)
As part of a 10-year study of the world’s deepest fish resources, scientists have been imaging trenches in Japan. Snails belong to the family of fishes Liberidae Most of them live in shallow water, while others survive some of the deepest depths ever recorded, Jamieson explained.
In last year’s two-month course, three Landers Automated marine robots equipped with high-resolution cameras—at different depths in three trenches: the Japan Trench, the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, and the Ryukyu Trench.
In the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, images showed deep-sea snails quietly frolicking along the seashore with other crustaceans.
Jamieson classifies the fish as juveniles, stating that younger deep-sea snails stay as deep as possible to avoid being eaten by larger predators that swim at shallower depths.
Another video shot at 7,500 to 8,200 meters in the same trench showed a colony of baitfish and crustaceans attached to an underwater robot.
Images of the two captured have been identified as snails Pseudoliparis Belyavi- These deep-sea species offer a rare glimpse into the unique features that help them survive in extreme environments.
They have small eyes, a translucent body, and no swim bladder, which helps other fish float, which puts them to their advantage, Jamieson says.
The professor pointed out that the Pacific Ocean is particularly conducive to fish activity due to its warm southerly current, which encourages marine life to move further out, while its abundant marine life provides a good food source for bottom-feeding fish.
Scientists want to learn more about the species that live at extreme depths, but cost is the only limitation, Jamieson said, as is the population and activity of each. Lander They cost $200,000.
“The challenges are that the technology is expensive and scientists don’t have much money,” he said.
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