The Telescope Fish : One of the strangest predator of deep sea

Image Source: Unknown 

 • The Telescope Fish (Gigantura indica) is one of the strangest predators of the deep. Found in tropical and subtropical oceans between 500–2000 meters, it has rarely ever been seen alive in its natural habitat. In 2001, MBARI’s ROV Tiburon captured rare footage of a pair at 1214 meters near the Hawaiian Islands.

• With its tubular eyes and large lenses, this fish is built to spot glowing prey or silhouettes drifting in the dark. It’s so specialized that it can even swallow prey larger than itself. Its shiny, reflective body comes from a coating of silvery guanine instead of scales, and its name Gigantura comes from its long ribbon-like tail.

Life in the Darkest part on the Earth:

• The deep sea is one of the least explored areas on Earth. Sunlight fades quickly as you descend into the ocean. Below 200 meters, the light becomes weak. Below 1000 metres, it is almost completely dark. Pressure increases with depth. The temperature drops close to freezing. Food is scarce. 

• Only highly adapted animals can survive here. In this extreme world lives one of the strangest predators ever discovered. It's the Telescope Fish. The scientific name is Gigantura indica. It is classified by scientists as belonging to the Giganturidae family. Only a few people have seen it live. The majority of knowledge is based on rare captures and deep sea robot footage.

Where the Telescope Fish live?

Image Source: smithsonian Ocean 

• The Telescope Fish inhabits tropical and subtropical oceans. It usually remains between 500 and 2000 meters deep. This zone is a component of the mesopelagic and bathypelagic layers. At these depths, sunlight does not penetrate. The ocean appears black. It has been observed in the Indian and Pacific oceans, as well as near warm-water islands. 

• In 2001, researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute deployed ROV Tiburon, a deep sea robot, near the Hawaiian Islands. At a depth of 1214 meters, the robot captured rare footage of two Telescope Fish swimming together. This was one of the first times scientists had seen this species alive in its natural environment.

Why it is called Telescope Fish?

•The name derives from its unusual eyes. The Telescope Fish has long, tubular eyes that point forwards. Each eye has a large lens. This structure resembles a small telescope. Hence the name. In the deep sea, eyes must gather as much light as possible. Many small animals in the deep make their own light. 

• This is known as bioluminescence. Small shrimp, jellyfish, and other creatures glow in the dark. The Telescope Fish uses its long eyes to detect faint glows and dark shapes moving above it. Unlike many deep sea fish, the Telescope Fish has forward-facing tubular eyes. This allows for better depth perception. It allows the fish to judge distance before attacking prey.

A body made for stealth:

Image Source: smithsonian ocean

• The body of the Telescope Fish appears smooth and shiny. It does not have the typical scales found in many shallow water fish. Instead, the body is covered in silvery guanine crystals. Guanine is a compound that reflects light. In the deep sea, reflective surfaces aid in camouflage. 

• When faint light filters down from above, the reflective coating reduces the fish's silhouette. This makes it difficult for predators and prey to see. The body is slim and soft. It usually grows to about 20 centimeters in length, though this can vary. Aside from the eyes, the most distinguishing feature is its long ribbon-like tail. The genus name Gigantura derives from Latin roots meaning "large tail." The tail stretches behind the body like a thin thread.

How it hunts in total darkness?

• Food is scarce in the deep ocean. Most animals feed on falling organic matter from above, known as marine snow, or hunt other deep sea creatures. The telescope fish is a predator. It waits in the dark, looking for glowing prey. When a bioluminescent animal approaches, the fish uses its tubular eyes to detect the light. 

• It also looks for animal silhouettes swimming against the faint light from above. It has a large mouth, which is surprising. The jaws open widely. The stomach is expandable. This allows the fish to consume prey that is larger than itself. In deep water, you cannot afford to miss a meal. If food appears, you must consume it.

Rare footage from the deep:

Image Source: smithsonian ocean 

• For many years, scientists only studied dead specimens collected with trawl nets. Nets frequently harm vulnerable deep sea animals. As a result, it was difficult to determine how the Telescope Fish behaved in the wild. In 2001, researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute changed this. 

• Their remotely operated vehicle, ROV Tiburon, explored the deep waters near Hawaii. At 1214 meters, cameras caught two Telescope Fish swimming together. The video showed their reflective bodies and long tails moving gently through the dark water.

Adaption for extreme pressure:

• At depths of 1000 meters or more, pressure becomes intense. It can exert more than 100 times the pressure at sea level. Human bodies cannot survive in that environment without protection. Deep sea fish have unique adaptations. The Telescope Fish has softer tissues and lower bone density. 

• Hard, air-filled spaces would collapse under pressure. Its body structure protects against damage under high pressure conditions. Many deep sea fish lack swim bladders, which are gas-filled organs used for buoyancy in shallow water species.

Why deep sea reasearch matters?

• You may wonder why scientists are concerned about a small fish living far beneath the surface. The deep ocean covers more than 60% of the Earth's surface. It plays an important role in climate regulation and carbon storage. Understanding life in this region allows scientists to better understand global systems. 

• Deep sea species exhibit extreme biological adaptations. Studying their eyes, proteins, and pressure-resistant tissues contributes to better understanding of biology and medicine. Every new observation adds to the dataset. The Telescope Fish is a prime example of how much remains unknown.

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