Santa Cruz de Tenerife 12 Feb. (Europa Press) –
The Museum of Natural Sciences (MUNA) in Tenerife will investigate the reasons behind the demise of the ‘Black Devil’ specimen found in the Canary Islands.
The fish, an adult female that typically resides in abyssal depths, was discovered very close to the surface and approximately two kilometres from the shore, albeit in a severely weakened condition until her death hours later.
This species, known as ‘Melanocetus Johnsonii’, inhabits deep waters, usually between 200 and 2,000 metres, with the most distinctive feature being the dorsal appendage adorned with bioluminescent bacteria which it employs to lure its prey in the darkness of the depths.
Usually, only larvae or specimens have been reported in a deteriorated state near the surface, and the female surpasses the male in size, reaching up to 18 centimetres.
