A shark research organization came face to face last week with a deep sea creature who isn’t known for seeing the light of day.
Condrik Tenerife, a shark and stingray research and conversation organization, spotted a humpback anglerfish off the coast of Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands last week. Commonly known as the “black sea monster,” the anglerfish is typically found at depths of up to 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) below the water’s surface, where there is little to no sun.
“This could be the first recorded sighting in the world of an adult black devil alive, in broad daylight and on the surface,” Condrik Tenerife said in an Instagram post made last week. “This surprising discovery did not leave the crew indifferent and will be remembered forever.”
The anglerfish was discovered as members of the Condrik Tenerife team were conducting research on pelagic sharks, the organization said in its Instagram post.
Marine biologist Laia Valor, who spotted the anglerfish during the trip, said the team spent a couple of hours with the fish before it died, Oceanographic Magazine reported. After, the team took the fish to the Museum of Nature and Archeology in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, where the body will be studied.
Historically, humpback anglerfish have only been spotted close to the water’s surface as larvae, dead adult specimen or engravings with submarines, Condrik Tenerife added in its Instagram post.
The specific humpback anglerfish spotted by Condrik Tenerife was a female Melanocetus johnsonii, known for its dorsal appendage full of bacteria that illuminates to attract prey, like crustaceans and fish. Only female anglerfish adorn the dorsal appendage, according to Oceana, an ocean conversation organization.
Male anglerfish are small − only about one inch − and are not predatory. Once they hatch, male anglerfish spend their entire lives searching for mates. They bite onto larger females and fertilize their eggs via external fertilization, according to Oceana. This behavior is known as sexual parasitism.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.