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The blobfish (Psychrolutes Marcidus) is a deep-sea fish known for its unique, gelatinous appearance. It is found at depths of 600-1200 meters off the coasts of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.
The blobfish if famous for its odd, saggy face, especially when brought to the surface. This earned it the name, “World’s Ugliest Animal.” The blobfish’s body is adapted to the high-pressure environment of the deep sea. At such depths, their gelatinous flesh, which has a density slightly less than water, allows them to float above the sea floor without expending energy.
When removed from their high-pressure habitat, their bodies appear deflated and distorted, giving them their comical and “blobby” appearance. They lack a traditional swim bladder (which most fish use for buoyancy), as the extreme pressure at its natural depth would cause it to collapse.
Naturally, they have a pale pink or grayish hue, with a bulbous head, tiny eyes, and a large mouth. Blobfish have soft bones and a cartilaginous skeleton. This gaunt structure is suited to the high-pressure, low energy environment they dwell.
They live in depths that are extremely cold, dark, and high in pressure, creating a challenging environment for most species, but the blobfish thrives in these conditions.
Blobfish are relatively inactive and they spend most of their time floating slightly above the ocean floor, conserving energy in a low-energy environment. Their diet consists mainly of small invertebrates such as sea urchins, crabs, mollusks, and other bottom-dwelling organisms.
Blobfish are not active hunters, instead, they feed by simply floating around and waiting for prey to drift by. They are not natural hunters, but opportunistic feeders as they lack swift movements due to their gelatinous structure.
For reproduction, not much is known about the blobfish. However, scientists believe that females lay thousands of eggs on the seafloor, which they may guard to some extent. It is believed that they do not provide extensive parental care after the eggs are laid. They likely rely on the deep sea’s isolation to protect their offspring from most predators.
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