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Ultra-rare dragonfish captured on camera for first time

May 16, 2022 by Alex Baker Leave a Comment

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The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has captured some incredibly rare footage of a bronze coloured dragonfish. While there are several types of dragonfish, this particular type is extra elusive.

The highfin dragonfish (Bathophilus flemingi) can grow to be seven inches long and usually lives at depths of 740 to 4,500 feet below sea level, well out of the range of most underwater filming equipment.

“MBARI researchers have observed a few different dragonfishes in the depths of Monterey Bay, but this one is the rarest we’ve encountered,” the institute wrote on Twitter. “In more than three decades of deep-sea research and more than 27,600 hours of video, we’ve only seen this particular species four times!”

MBARI researchers have observed a few different dragonfishes in the depths of Monterey Bay, but this one is the rarest we’ve encountered. In more than three decades of deep-sea research and more than 27,600 hours of video, we’ve only seen this particular species four times! pic.twitter.com/RwQXMseq9P

— MBARI (@MBARI_News) May 3, 2022

Dragonfish usually eat other fish and crustaceans and catch their prey by staying very still and grabbing the unsuspecting fish as they swim past. Most types of dragonfish are coloured black, actually some of the darkest blacks found in nature. However, this particular species is tinted with an unusual bronze colour.

Similar to anglerfish, the dragonfish also makes use of bioluminescence. It dangles a bright light from its chin, a bit like a fishing rod, to attract its prey to come closer and investigate.

The rare creature was spotted during an expedition in MBARI’s Western Flyer research vessel, the institute wrote on YouTube. They found it just outside of Monterey Bay at a depth of around 980 feet.

“They are just amazing animals,” MBARI senior scientist Bruce Robison told Live Science, “often the real joy of those trips comes from the stuff you don’t anticipate,” he added.

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Filed Under: news Tagged With: deepsea, dragonfish, MBARI, underwater photography

About Alex Baker

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

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Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

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