Researchers Discover New Bumpy Deep-Sea Snailfish That Resembles a Pixar Character

Photo credit: MBARI
In the dark, dark depths of the Pacific Ocean, a little creature glides with almost ridiculous grace. Meet the bumpy snailfish, a new deep-sea creature that looks like it came straight out of a Pixar movie. Its bubblegum pink body, big eyes and rough texture will make you forget all about the scary abyss.

Snailfish, part of the Liparidae family, are no strangers to the ocean’s extremes. With over 400 species, they live everywhere from shallow tide pools to the Mariana Trench where one of their cousins holds the record as the deepest dwelling fish at 27,000 feet. The bumpy snailfish, scientifically named Careproctus colliculi, was found 10,722 feet down in Monterey Canyon off California’s coast. MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Doc Ricketts, caught it swimming just above the seafloor, its soft jelly-like body moving with a gentle sway. Along with it, two other new snailfish species—the dark snailfish (Careproctus yanceyi) and the sleek snailfish (Paraliparis em)—emerged from the same expedition but the bumpy snailfish is the showstopper.

What makes this fish look like a Pixar character? Its design is a masterclass in deep-sea design. The bumpy snailfish has a tadpole-like body, a broad rounded head and eyes that seem to stare at you. Its pink color glows against the black sea and its texture is studded with tiny bumps, making it look almost cuddly. Long wispy pectoral fin rays fan out like whiskers guiding it through the gloom. Unlike its sleek relative which has no suction disk, the bumpy snailfish has a belly disk that allows it to cling to the seafloor or hitch a ride on larger species, like a deep-sea hitchhiker who likes to stick around.

MBARI’s discovery wasn’t just a lucky shot; the team, led by SUNY Geneseo’s Mackenzie Gerringer, used new tech and old school research to confirm the bumpy snailfish as a new species. The ROV brought up a single adult female, 3.6 inches long, for a full workup. Back in the lab researchers used microscopy, micro-CT scans and DNA sequencing to map the features. The scans showed a skeleton as fragile as the fish itself and genetic analysis placed it in the Liparidae family and distinct from its closest relatives.

For researchers the fun is in the details. The bumpy snailfish’s DNA and CT scans are now public and scientists around the world can dig in. Its cousins the dark and sleek snailfish were found at Station M, a research site 130 miles off California at 13,100 feet. The fact that two new species were collected on the same dive shows that even familiar waters can hold surprises.
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