MBARI's advanced underwater robot reveals a new species of deep-sea snailfish

Meet the newest (and cutest) addition to the snailfish family 🐟

MBARI collaborators at SUNY Geneseo, with scientists from the University of Montana and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, have described three new deep-sea snailfishes, including one first discovered with MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle Doc Ricketts.

Snailfishes make their homes in a variety of ocean habitats—from shallow tide pools to deep-sea trenches. The newly described bumpy snailfish (Careproctus colliculi), observed in the depths of Monterey Canyon nearly 3,300 meters (10,800 feet) underwater, has a distinctive pink color and a bumpy texture.

MBARI’s technology is helping researchers document deep-sea biodiversity, and our collaborations with expert taxonomists around the world are helping to advance the discovery of life in the largest living space on Earth. What we’ve learned can help resource managers and policymakers make informed decisions about the future of the ocean to safeguard marine life and environments from threats like climate change and mining.

Learn more: https://www.mbari.org/news/mbaris-advanced-underwater-technology-reveals-a-new-species-of-deep-sea-snailfish

Research publication:
Gerringer, M.E., S. Suplicz, J.L. Palmeri, L. Fregosi, B.H. Woodworth, M. McMahon, S. Shepard, L.M. Peoples, and J.C. Drazen. 2025. Descriptions of three newly discovered abyssal snailfishes (Liparidae) from the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Ichthyology and Herpetology. 113(3): 487–506. https://doi.org/10.1643/i2024069

Video credits:
Producer/editor: Kris Walz
Production team: Raúl Nava, Kyra Schlining, Nancy Jacobsen Stout, Susan von Thun
Music: Happy Simple Charming Plucks (Manny Mendelson)

Видео MBARI's advanced underwater robot reveals a new species of deep-sea snailfish канала MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)