Redditors on a sub-Reddit were surprised when a man posted a video of his catch of the day, a terrifying fish known as lancetfish. We break down more facts about the fish species and their deep-sea habitat.
What is a lancetfish?
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. website, a lancetfish is a strange deep-sea fish usually found in Alaskan marine waters.
The pre-historic-looking fish can be identified by their “gaping fanged jaws, enormous eyes, sail-like fins, and long, slithery body”. Their scientific name, Alepisaurus, is a nod to their scaleless appearance. Indeed, instead of scales, they are blessed with smooth skin and pores, earning them the nickname “scaleless lizards.” Lancetfish, which can grow to be more than 7 feet long, have the ability to swim to deeper parts of the ocean, more than a mile below the sea surface.
Image credit: Sub-Reddit r/nextfuckinglevel
Lancetfish habitat
The Reddit thread already stated that lancetfish live in the ocean “twilight zone”, but what exactly is a twilight zone?
According to Nature, a twilight zone is “a mysterious layer between the sunlit ocean surface and the abyss”, spanning from just below 200 meters to 1,000 meters deep. Also known as the mesopelagic zone, or “the middle ground between light and shadow”, the twilight zone is “dark, elusive, temperamental” and difficult to study, according to a scientist speaking with Vox.
Redditors’ reaction
Many Redditors have joked that the fish is actually a dragon and that the guy catching it must be a dark magician.
Upon the reveal that the fish has been released back to the ocean, a user commented that the fish has actually been sacrificed to Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the waters, and “never made it home”. Other users joked that the fish would tell other fish that it has been abducted but also that “no one would believe the fish’s story about its abduction.”
Published by HOLR Magazine