This fish, which belongs to the family Psychrolutidae, is scientifically known as Psychrolutes microporos.
The term “blobfish” also refers to other closely related species.
The first specimen of this fish was discovered in 1983 off the coast of New Zealand. However, it took ten years before it was officially described and named. Even forty years later, this unusual creature remains shrouded in mystery.
The blobfish’s fame began in 2003 when a photograph revealed its “sad and unappealing” face. Since then it has become a viral meme and was even voted the “ugliest animal in the world.” Before its internet notoriety, the blobfish was primarily a scientific curiosity.
It lives at depths of 600 to 1,200 meters, where the pressure is more than a hundred times greater than at the surface. Its soft body, flexible bones, and almost total lack of muscle are vital adaptations to this extreme environment.
In its natural habitat it looks very different: a slightly rounded head, large black eyes, and thin fins.
But as soon as it is brought to the surface, decompression deforms its body. Its skin slackens and its facial features change, giving it the famous “huge nose.”
On land it resembles more a stranded jellyfish than a fish.
Scientists still ponder its lifespan. Deep-sea fish generally grow slowly and often live for many years, so it is likely that the blobfish shares this trait.
