Beautiful Blobfish!!!!!! Episode 6

Welcome back to Weird Fish of the Week! Today’s contestant doesn’t look too excited to be here, but to be fair his fame is entirely against his will! Everyone please welcome the Blobfish!

A flathead sculpin off the coast of Oregon (Psychrolutes phrictus). 9 species of the psychrolutes genus are considered blobfish. Credit National Science Foundation

INTRODUCTION

Psychrolutes marcidus lives off Australian and New Zealand shores in depths of around 600 to 1200 m. The first specimen was discovered on a research vessel in 1983. Since then, the blobfish that brought the world’s eyes toward it was caught in June 2003, northwest of New Zealand. Named “Mr. Blobby” by the scientists, the fish’s characteristic blobby appearance is only caused by the change in pressure at the surface. The pressure at these depths reaches around 120 times heavier down where it lives, so the blobfish has adapted specifically for that environment. Unfortunately, bringing this fish OUT of that environment causes a very sad change to its appearance as the body and skin expands. These fish average about one foot in size and other specimens are found in trawler nets. And like many deep sea fish, we don't know much more about them.

ANATOMY/PHYSIOLOGY

The blobfish’s characteristic blobbyness is an adaptation suited for its home life. These fish don’t have swim bladders like many higher level fish do for buoyancy. Instead, the blobfish utilizes minimal skeletal and muscle, and utilizes a jelly-like body less dense than the water around it to float about. 

Found off the coast of Australia. Credit Sea Serpent

FOOD

The blobfish is thought to be a very lazy fish that eats whatever comes across its big mouth. These foods can include small crustaceans, sea snails, anything edible, really. The top tier predation strats this guy employs is ‘sit until the food wanders within biting distance’. This is common ambush predator tactics, useful in the deep sea to preserve energy.

The infamous image of Mr Blobby, credit NORFANZ Founding Parties

PERSONAL REVIEW

This guy is an instant classic. I used to get tired of seeing the iconic blobfish image because everyone just called it so so ugly, but he was never that ugly to me. It’s just a dead guy expanded by lack of pressure, and it’s irritating to see people overreacting and bullying it so much. But after seeing images of the fish underwater while I researched this post? Oh it’s such a cute and whimsical little friend. What a gentle and inviting nature! When I look at him I go ‘yeah that’s a fish’. If only everyone looked past the corpse the internet parades around they’d see the true beauty in the mediocrity that is the blobfish. 10/10 huge fan. 

Blobfish swimming near ocean floor, credit Sea Serpent

Well folks, that’s all for this week! As per usual I encourage you to look more into the blobfish or any other creature you hear of, it might surprise you what you learn about them! See you next week!

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REFERENCES

Australian Museum. (n. d.) Blobfish (aka Mr Blobby). Australian Museum. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/fathead-psychrolutes-aka-mr-blobby/

Shultz, C. (2013, 13 September). In Defense of the Blobfish: Why the ‘World’s Ugliest Animal’ Isn’t as Ugly as You Think It Is. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-defense-of-the-blobfish-why-the-worlds-ugliest-animal-isnt-as-ugly-as-you-think-it-is-6676336/

Taylor, I. (2022, 10 February). The blobfish: A bloated guide to the world's ugliest animal (and what they really look like). BBC Science Focus Magazine. https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/the-blobfish-a-bloated-guide-to-the-worlds-ugliest-animal/