Dive 11: A Face Only a Mother Could Love
Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Exploring Deep-sea Habitats off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Download larger version (mp4, 78.0 MB).

This fish is Bathysaurus mollis, commonly known as bathysaur or highfin lizardfish, a deep-sea species in the Bathysauridae family. This species is found throughout the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans over a wide depth range (1,500-5,000 meters or 4,921-16,404 feet). These deep-sea fish are solitary, lurking bottom feeders that have sharp fangs and strong jaws. The very large individual in this video from Dive 11 of the expedition has ectoparasites on its ventral and caudal fins, which are isopods in the family Gnathiidae.

Text contributed by Daniel Wagner, NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.

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