In February, researchers from a group called Condrik Tenerife were near Tenerife Island. They were looking for sharks when they saw something strange.
Photographer David Jara Boguñá recorded a humpback anglerfish (Melanocetus johnsonii) swimming close to the surface. This fish has never been seen alive in the sunlight. It usually lives deep in the ocean, between 200 and 600 meters down.
The video made many people feel empathy on social media. Some people see the anglerfish as a symbol or a hero. This shows that people are starting to change how they think about deep-sea animals.
Anglerfish are smaller than many think. The one filmed was a female, around 15 centimeters long. The female has a glowing lure to catch prey. The male is much smaller and attaches to the female for life.
Sadly, the fish died after being seen. Its body will be studied at the Museum of Nature and Archaeology in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Vocabulary List:
- Anglerfish /ˈæŋ.ɡlər.fɪʃ/ (noun): A type of fish known for its bioluminescent lure used to attract prey.
- Empathy /ˈɛm.pə.θi/ (noun): The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
- Luminescent /ˌluː.mɪˈnɛ.sənt/ (adjective): Emitting light not caused by heat.
- Symptom /ˈsɪmptəm/ (noun): A sign or indication of something often related to a condition or phenomenon.
- Prey /preɪ/ (noun): An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food.
- Strange /streɪndʒ/ (adjective): Unusual or surprising in a way that is unsettling or hard to understand.
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