The blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus) is a deep sea fish that lives primarily off of the coast of Australia. The fish gets its name from its strange, bloblike appearance. The fish has no real bone structure and very little muscle mass.
Living at a depth of about 800 meters, the blobfish is able to maintain this depth by lacking a gaseous bladder that most other fish have. Usually, this would also reduce the fish's ability to maintain buoyancy, but this is offset by the fact that the blobfish's body is made of matter that has a density just below water. This essentially enables the blobfish to float in place without the need to swim or find food, as its main food source are small bits and pieces of food that float by its "face".
Currently, the blobfish is at risk of becoming an endangered species due to excessive bottom trawling committed by fishermen intending to catch lobsters.
Sources
- Blobfish. (2010, March 22). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. March 30, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blobfish&oldid=351409628
- World's Most Miserable Looking Fish in Danger of Being Wiped Out. (2010, January 27). Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1245955/Worlds-miserable-looking-fish-danger-wiped-out.html