To say that life can get pretty weird in the deep ocean is an understatement and the “Faceless Fish” is just another example of how bazaar life can be well below the surface. Found at depths between 13,000 and 16,500 feet deep, the faceless fish is thought to make its home throughout the Arabian Sea, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Japan and Hawaii. This extremely rare catch was hauled up a few days ago and it’s hitting the internet by storm. The fish is a type of cusk eel which resembles an eel but is not actually an eel. Scientifically called Typhlonus nasus this fish has rarely been seen by humans but was first discovered in 1878.
Contrary to it’s referred to name, the faceless fish possesses devolved facial features buried beneath its skin. With no visible light, the need for eyes have become useless sensory organs however vestigial eyes can be found well beneath the skin in smaller specimens. Because it’s such a rare find and it lives so deep in the ocean, very little is known about this faceless fish. The species grows to 11.2 inches long (28.5 cm) and is the only known member of its genus. Sushi anyone?
Dinematichthys riukiuensis Aoyagi, 1954. Yellow Cusk Eel.
Source: Gizmodo
