Introduction

Today in this blog, we will discuss What a blobfish is, Where a blobfish is Located, Blobfish Under The Sea and Looks of Blobfish.

It is part of our drawing books, yes, and how? Everyone among us had drawn a very basic and somehow shapeless fish drawing at least once in our childhood. But, have you ever thought if that shapeless, bulgy fish has become a real creature? Yes, that ugly creature really exists; its name is a Blobfish. A fat, lazy, typical bottom feeder is a totally new animal to this world. You might have seen the blobfish in emojis, memes, or as plush toys.

Despite its ugly looks, have you ever considered the reason behind its looks and very rare appearance? What are these animals’ ecological and environmental values, and what is the reason behind their natural selection? This animal makes us think about all these and many more questions about its appearance. Unfortunately, it remains a mystery to this day. 

So today, we will explore one more Australian creature found in New Zealand and Tasmania. 

What is Blobfish?

A member of the Psychrolutidae family is getting recognition because of its ugly look and rarer features than normal fish. It is a deep ocean fish that lives about 600 to 1200 meters underwater. Because of its large head and floppy appearance, people also call it the “Fathead Sculpin.” In some articles, the fish was explained with the nickname Mr Blobby.  

The name blobfish describes many different species and members of the family Psychrolutidae. Unfortunately, these species remain in a box because of less economic value and exposure. But recently, the comedian and science communicator Simon Watt put light on such rare and ugly animals with its initiative called UGLY ANIMAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY. According to the competition held by an ugly animal preservation society in 2013, blobfish was nominated as the ugliest animal globally.

Researchers found and photographed the first specimen of its particular species in New Zealand in 1983. Then, after a long time, in 2003, researchers described and identified it. Till now, there has been a huge time gap for the reappearance of this deep-sea creature.

Looks of Blobfish 

The blobbed adjective itself describes the animal’s rough appearance. Outside the water, the blobfish’s body resembles a squashed mass of flesh. The reason behind this ugly, crushed look is the habitat in which this animal lives. 

This animal lives under the water at a depth of around 2000-4000 feet, where the water pressure is around 100 times more than the normal atmospheric pressure. Under this huge pressure, if we put a human body, it will also look like a crushed mass. The Blobfish body adapted to this pressured atmosphere accordingly. 

The blobfish has a body with soft bones and lacks muscles. One might envision it as a squashed potato. Its gelatinous body measures only about 30 cm long and weighs under 2 kg. Unlike other fish species, the blobfish lacks a swim bladder. Instead, it controls its swimming with an air sac-style organ that helps it stay closer to the sea’s surface.

When fishermen catch the blobfish in nets and bring it to the surface, decompression causes it to expand and relax its skin, distorting its features and giving it that characteristic big nose. Its gelatinous tissue doesn’t maintain its structure, causing it to collapse into a shapeless mass.

Blobfish Under The Sea

This gelatinous animal looks like a normal fish under the water at sea bed level in its natural environment. The body, with a slightly bulgy head, pinkish grey color, black eyes and pectoral fins, looks like a giant tadpole. This fish is not that specific and choosy about food; they eat every edible matter before them. The most common are crustaceans, small sea insects, etc. 

Swimming Style of Blobfish

Unlike other fishes, no specific swimming bladder exists in the Blobfish body. On the other hand, they have air sac organs for swimming. Its body contains a high amount of body fat, and high body fat controls its buoyancy and increases floating ability.

Its less dense body supports buoyancy maintenance in the water it inhabits. Consequently, its body floats in the water’s direction and requires no additional energy for swimming.

High body fat renders this animal still, lazy, droopy, and slimy, easily anthropomorphized. Blobfish adopt a survival strategy of remaining lazy and still. These adaptations and body features render them less active, yet this approach contributes to their survival. It enables them to efficiently employ a lie-in-wait strategy, a tactic adopted by nearly all deep-sea predators.

Where Are Blobfish Located

Counting the exact number of blobfish proves challenging due to their deep, dark ocean habitat. Darkness in the ocean’s depths makes tallying their numbers difficult.

These creatures primarily get caught as bycatch in the trawling nets of fishermen or scientists searching for specific species.

Whether these species are endangered or threatened remains unclear. The scarcity of information arises from their deep-sea habitat. There are no specific mentions regarding their body temperature regulation, ocean lifestyle, or the impact of other oceanic factors on them.

Considered an endangered species, this animal lacks attention due to its unattractive appearance.

It doesn’t have a fan club for its pictures. And not even any economic importance. Because of its ugly look, this animal does not have a photogenic face and attractive features like pandas and frilled dragons. 

But despite all these, this naturally selected creature must be preserved. Hence, societies like the Ugly Animal Preservation Society run programs to spread awareness about such creatures and their conservation of biological diversity.

Habitat and distribution of the blobfish

The blobfish, scientifically known as Psychrolutes marcidus, is a peculiar deep-sea fish that resides in the waters surrounding mainland Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. Its habitat is the deep ocean floor, typically found at depths ranging from 600 to 1,200 meters (approximately 2,000 to 3,900 feet) below the surface. These depths are characterized by extremely high pressure and low temperatures.

The blobfish’s appearance is famously unconventional, resembling a gelatinous, blob-like mass. Its unique physique is an adaptation to the harsh conditions of its habitat. Without a swim bladder, a common feature in many fish species for buoyancy control, the blobfish’s body structure allows it to remain buoyant in the high-pressure environment without expending much energy on swimming.

Due to the depths at which they reside, humans rarely encounter blobfish. However, they occasionally get inadvertently caught in deep-sea fishing nets, which has brought them some attention in recent years.

Misconceptions and myths about the blobfish

1. Exaggerated Appearance: The blobfish is often misrepresented in popular culture as a shapeless, gelatinous blob. While it does have a unique appearance due to its deep-sea habitat, it is not as formless as commonly depicted.
2. Size Distortion: Depictions often exaggerate the size of the blobfish, portraying it as much larger than its actual size, typically around 30 centimeters in length.
3. Subjective Beauty: Labeling the blobfish as the “world’s ugliest fish” overlooks the subjective nature of beauty and disregards the species’ unique environmental adaptations.
4. Behavioral Misconceptions: Despite their portrayal as lazy or inactive, blobfish exhibit behaviors suited to their deep-sea lifestyle, which may appear lethargic due to their physiological adaptations to extreme ocean pressures.
5. Conservation Perception: While often seen as an endangered species symbol, the blobfish’s conservation status is not well-documented. Perceptions of endangerment may stem from misunderstanding its appearance rather than accurate conservation assessments.

Reproduction and lifecycle of the blobfish

Reproduction:
Blobfish reproduce through a process known as oviparous reproduction, where females release eggs into the surrounding water. Fertilization likely occurs externally when the eggs encounter male sperm in the water column. The timing and frequency of spawning events are not well understood but may be influenced by factors such as environmental conditions and seasonal variations in food availability.

Development:
Once fertilized, the blobfish eggs develop into larvae. These larvae are believed to have a pelagic (open water) phase, during which they drift with ocean currents. During this phase, the larvae feed on plankton and other small organisms to support their growth and development.

Settlement:
As the larvae mature, they undergo metamorphosis, gradually developing into juvenile blobfish. These juveniles eventually settle on the ocean floor, where they transition to their adult form. The exact mechanisms that trigger settlement and metamorphosis are not fully understood but may be influenced by factors such as depth, temperature, and availability of suitable habitat.

Adulthood:
Once settled on the ocean floor, the blobfish assume their characteristic appearance and lifestyle. They adapt to their deep-sea environment, facing challenges such as low temperatures, high pressures, and limited food resources. As adults, blobfish primarily feed on small invertebrates and carrion that drift down from the surface.

Lifecycle:
The specific duration of the blobfish’s lifecycle, from egg to adult, is unclear and may vary based on environmental factors and individual characteristics. Additionally, details regarding reproductive behaviors, mating rituals, and parental care remain largely unknown and require further research.

Challenges and Research:
Studying the reproduction and lifecycle of blobfish presents significant challenges due to their deep-sea habitat and the limited accessibility of these environments. Ongoing scientific exploration, supported by advancements in technology and deep-sea research techniques, will be essential for uncovering the mysteries of blobfish reproduction and better understanding their role in deep-sea ecosystems.

Interesting & Unknown facts about the blobfish

1. Adaptation to Deep-Sea Pressure: Blobfish possess unique adaptations to survive in the extreme pressures of the deep sea. Their gelatinous bodies have a density slightly lower than seawater, allowing them to float just above the ocean floor with minimal energy expenditure.
2. Slow Metabolism for Resource Scarcity: Blobfish have evolved a slow metabolism to cope with the limited food resources in their deep-sea habitat. This enables them to survive on sparse diets and go for extended periods without food.
3. Mysterious Behavior and Ecology: Much of the blobfish’s behaviour and ecology remain mysterious due to the challenges of studying them in their natural environment. Questions remain about their feeding habits, reproductive behaviour, social interactions, and role within deep-sea ecosystems.
4. Geographical Range: Blobfish are primarily found in the deep waters off Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand coasts. Their distribution is restricted to depths ranging from 600 to 1,200 meters (approximately 2,000 to 3,900 feet).
5. Conservation Concerns: Despite not being officially listed as an endangered species, blobfish face threats from human activities such as deep-sea fishing and seabed mining. Their unique habitat and biology make them vulnerable to habitat destruction and disturbance.
6. Unique Physiology: Blobfish lack a swim bladder to control buoyancy, unlike many other fish species. Instead, they rely on their gelatinous bodies and specialized adaptations to maintain buoyancy in the high-pressure environment of the deep sea.
7. Symbol of Conservation: Blobfish have become emblematic of conservation efforts to protect deep-sea ecosystems. Their quirky appearance and unique biology serve as a reminder of the importance of preserving these fragile and poorly understood environments.

Adaptations and survival mechanisms of the blobfish

The blobfish has several remarkable adaptations and survival mechanisms that enable it to thrive in its deep-sea habitat:

1. Buoyancy Control: The blobfish’s gelatinous body composition allows it to have a lower density than seawater. This adaptation enables the blobfish to float effortlessly just above the seabed without expending much energy on swimming. The blobfish conserves energy while navigating its deep-sea environment by maintaining neutral buoyancy.
2. Reduced Metabolism: To cope with the scarcity of food in the deep sea, the blobfish has evolved a slow metabolism. This adaptation allows it to survive on the limited resources available in its environment and go for extended periods without food. By minimizing its metabolic rate, the blobfish conserves energy and can sustain itself on sparse diets.
3. Physiological Tolerance to High Pressure: The blobfish is well-adapted to the extreme pressures found at depths of up to 1,200 meters (about 3,900 feet) below the surface. Its body structure and internal physiology are specially designed to withstand these high-pressure conditions, allowing the blobfish to thrive in its deep-sea habitat without experiencing adverse effects.
4. Camouflaged Appearance: The blobfish’s appearance, with its soft, gelatinous body and lack of prominent features, helps it blend in with its surroundings on the ocean floor. This camouflage provides protection against predators by making it less conspicuous and harder to detect in the dimly lit depths of the deep sea.
5. Feeding Adaptations: While specific details of its feeding behavior are still unclear, the blobfish likely possesses adaptations for capturing prey in its deep-sea environment. It may use ambush predation tactics or rely on scavenging for carrion that drifts down from the surface. Its unique physiology and morphology likely play a role in facilitating feeding in the low-energy environment of the deep sea.