Nightmarish Black Seadevil Caught on Video

Photo credit: MBARI

Researchers with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute have captured what is being called the best-ever footage of the elusive and nightmarish-looking Black Seadevil. Deep-sea anglerfish, as they are more formally known, are typically found in the deep temperate waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, but fewer than half a dozen have ever been captured on film or video by deep diving researchers.

This angler, measuring about 9 cm long and named Melanocetus, was observed this by MBARI’s ROV Doc Ricketts this month at depth of about 600 meters in the Monterey Canyon.

MBARI believes that this is the first video footage ever made of this species alive and at depth.

Take a look at the footage below and good luck sleeping: