"Ugliest Thing Ever" - Mysterious Deep-Sea Creature Leaves Fisherman in Awe in Australia

An unknown monster called the "ugliest" ever seen by a fisherman has been caught in deep seas off the coast of southern Australia. It has a mottled pink-gray appearance, similar to the Upside Down from Stranger Things.

Its eyes protrude from the sides of its skull, and its massive mouth, which occupies most of its face, includes rows of sharp teeth. The bait fish may still be visible within the fish's mouth.

Catching the Creature

(Photo : Image from Trapman Bermagui)

Jason Moyce, a professional fisherman who goes by the alias Trapman Bermagui on social media, caught the mysterious monster off the coast of his Bermagui homeland, roughly 240 miles south of Sydney. He posted a photo of the beast on social media, asking for help identifying it because neither he nor the captain of the charter boat knew what it might be.

"It weighed 4kg [8.8lbs] and was captured in water 540m [1770ft] deep," Moyce told Newsweek.

Also Read: Frankenstein Fish Spooks Social Media  

What is it?

In the description of his photo, Moyce speculated that it might be a blobfish, and other commentators agreed. Others proposed additional options, such as monkfish or toadfish.

Blobfish live in deep water and distort dramatically when exposed to the much lower pressure conditions of sea level. They are distinguished and infamous for their flabby "nose" falling over their mouth, which is not visible in the photograph, and, more crucially, they lack teeth.

It's "certainly not a blobfish," says James Maclaine, senior fish curator at London's Natural History Museum.

"That looks like a monkfish, commonly known as an anglerfish, from the Lophiidae family," he told Newsweek. "I'd bet money on it because I think I see the lure it uses to catch its prey right between the eyes!"

"To me, [the] specimen looks most like Lophiodes mutilus (the smooth goosefish)."

Anglerfish, which contain 200 different species, may dwell up to a mile below the surface. Their massive heads, big crescent mouths, and razor-sharp teeth mirror the profile of the mystery fish. Smooth goosefish are bottom dwellers that ambush their food by "walking" across the bottom on their leg-like pectoral fins. They are also frequently found off the coast of Australia and have the same pinkish hue as the mystery fish.

Why are Deep-Sea Creatures "Ugly"?

Deep-sea creatures have developed some unusual adaptations to survive in the very cold, pitch dark depths of the seas far below the photic zone, where light may penetrate. They can have glowing fishing lures, massive teeth to catch food, and enormous stomachs. These adaptations may appear strange and unpleasant to us, yet they can be critical to life in the world's ocean depths.

Still a Mystery

While the smooth goosefish is a good candidate, the "ugliest" water creature remains a mystery for the time being.

Related Article: Plenty of Fish in the Sea: "Ugly" Fishes Found to be at Risk More Compared to the "Beautiful" Ones

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