The devil fish, arguably one of the most feared creatures of the ocean, has just made an appearance in Tenerife waters, and it’s safe to say that people are absolutely fascinated. I mean, who wouldn’t be, right? This Friday, a copy of the fish was presented at the Museum of Natural Sciences, and the crowd that gathered was pretty astonished – and understandably so. Ever since its discovery, the devil fish has been making headlines all over the world, and it’s basically become a viral phenomenon.
Discovery and Initial Findings
The discovery itself was made by David Jara and other members of the NGO Condrik Tenerife, and it’s a pretty interesting story. Apparently, they spotted something small and black with teeth near the coast, and when they got closer, they realized it was a devil fish – a species known for its pretty fearsome appearance and mysterious bioluminescence. According to Jara, the individual they found was a female, which is worth noting because males don’t usually exceed 2-3 centimeters and lack the luminescent antenna that this specimen had.
Now, the big question on everyone’s mind is – how did this creature, which normally inhabits the depths of the ocean, end up at the surface? Jara says there have been a lot of hypotheses floating around, but for him, the main possibilities are that the animal was sick, got dragged up by an ascending current, or was trying to escape a predator. These are all pretty plausible explanations, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the experts ultimately conclude.
Size and Conservation Status
What’s really surprising, though, is the size of the fish. Despite its intimidating reputation, this particular devil fish is actually pretty small and seems to be harmless. Marino Biologist Alejandro de Vera Hernández from the Museum of Natural Sciences said that the fish was found in “excellent condition,” which is great news. Currently, the animal is being preserved in alcohol so that scientists can perform a genetic analysis and learn more about this enigmatic species.
The devil fish is still getting a lot of international attention, and its study at the Museum of Natural Sciences of Tenerife is ongoing. Hopefully, this finding will contribute to new knowledge about the creatures that inhabit the depths of the sea – and who knows, maybe we’ll learn something that will change our understanding of the ocean and its inhabitants.