Japanese scientists announce the discovery of a giant smooth-head fish measuring over 2.5 meters in the deep sea off the coast of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Video: Reuters
Named the Yokozuna smooth-head (Narcetes shonamaruae), this creature is the largest bony fish in the world, living in waters deeper than 2,000 meters. It was scientifically described in 2021, and so far, only six individuals have been caught in Suruga Bay, located in central Japan.
A research team from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) deployed a camera trap equipped with a bait cage containing pieces of mackerel to a depth of 2,090 meters, approximately 400 kilometers south of Suruga Bay, and encountered a very large Yokozuna smooth-head fish.
The camera trap captured the giant bony fish at the bottom of the sea in Japan.
The video released on July 1 shows the creature with its characteristic indigo-blue eyes opening its mouth wide to ward off other fish. Based on the size of the bait cage, scientists estimate it to be up to 2.53 meters long, significantly larger than the previous record of 2.1 meters.
Last year, the Yokozuna smooth-head was reported as the top predator in the deep waters of Suruga Bay, primarily preying on other fish species. The name “Yokozuna” translates to “sumo champion.”
JAMSTEC has decoded the genes of the Yokozuna smooth-head by extracting DNA from fish scales and fecal particles found in 2.6 tons of seawater samples collected at three different locations 400 to 600 kilometers south of Suruga Bay. The research team stated they will continue to survey the biodiversity and ecology of this marine area.
