Blobfish – What if you came across a jelly-like ugly creature with a face and squishy, lumpy body? What would you do if you were relaxing on a bright sunny day and some fisherman showed you a big alien-like creature in his net? Don’t worry is neither an alien nor an extra-terrestrial being; it’s a Blobfish. They might look weird and unusual but are not more than 12 inches long.
A blobfish or scientifically known as Psychrolutes marcidus are probably the weirdest and ugly sea creature to exist. Their large body, small eyes, and uncanny jelly-like body have made them the world’s ugliest animals. One might think of it as a joke, but there was a legitimate competition held in 2013 hosted by the Ugly Animal Prevention Society. Their unusual body type has people encountering for the first time think of them as Alien. You will read about the blobfish in a thorough yet brief article in this article.
Blobfish’s scientific name is Psychrolutes marcidus depicting that they come from the Psychrolutes family of sea creatures. The Psychrolutes fishes are also called “Fathead sculpins” for their uneven body-to-head ratio and wet jelly-like appearance. And almost all the fish from this family don’t attract much love from the people.
The Oceania or Australian region is known to be the home of this being. Other than Australia, they can also be found in the Tasmanian region. They get their uncanny structure due to their living conditions; they are mostly found in deep sea surfaces nearly 2000 feet deep or even deeper than that. Since the water force is heavier on the downside, they live under greater pressure giving them a squishy blob-like outer surface.
Good for them that they are deep sea creatures since they are not very well received by the human race, which often mistakes them for an alien. Due to years of living deep down under, they have yet to adapt to their environment. According to reports, blobfish are known to survive by eating creatures just off of the surface of the sea or ocean because of their small structure; they don’t hunt or eat something bigger due to their small mouth.
Deep sea pressures are so high that they can crush bones in under a sec, but fortunately, these creatures are blobby and don’t have any hard bones. Giving them the advantage of living in the deep sea without getting crushed. Most of their body structure consists of a jelly-like gelatinous material, giving them a blobby look.
However, the actual blobfish living inside their natural deep-sea habitat looks very different than the one that washes up offshore. Due to high water pressure, their body gets compressed, giving them a more fish-like look, but you may find it still weird, unusual, and quite different from the actual fish we see.
Their lightweight, thanks to their fewer bones and the more blobby-like structure, helps them live rightfully. It allows them to float over the sea bottom without much effort. Consider blobfish as a balloon full of water and what happens when you throw it in a swimming pool; yes, it will just lay on the pool bottom or float at the surface. The concept of blobfish works the same as that water balloon.
Blobfish- Why is their Population diminishing?
Since this species is not used for economic purposes, there is no official data on their population count. This ugly creature is used for being served in a restaurant and as a house pet for an aquarium, which makes it quite a neglected species. However, some scientific studies found that fishing activities are the root cause of their diminishing population.
People across the Australian coast are often found deep sea fishing and their technique often lands them with what they call it is bycatch. This bycatch often lands them Blobfish and not just blobfish; many deep sea creatures that are not fished for eating get swept in with the fishing techniques these fishermen use.
Therefore, Australian Fisheries Management Authority has decided to close some areas and declare a Non-Fishing zone. And is also looking forward to teaching fishermen new and economically feasible fishing techniques to help the fishermen not catch unnecessary bycatch and save the species simultaneously.
Blobfish-How they Reproduce?
Blobfish is not a mammal, and they lay eggs; however, the actual number of the eggs is still unknown, but they usually range between 5000 and can go up to 100,000. Yes, that much. The distinct pink color of their nest makes it different from all the other nests in the sea. The creature guards their nest against predators of the sea. However, only a few predators are present deep in the sea. However, still, they have the risk of contamination of their eggs as they are placed close to each other and may often lead to contamination during their hatching periods.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)|
What is a Blobfish?
Blobfish is a deep sea creature often floating around the deep sea surface. They have unusually shaped gelatinous bodies that are often mistaken for an Alien.
Are they Dangerous?
As of now, they are no reported incidents in which a blobfish physically harmed any human being. Since these deep-sea creatures don’t just wash up on a shore, they are often caught as a bycatch by fishermen who practice deep-sea fishing.
Do blobfish lay eggs?
Surprisingly, Blobfish is not a mammal; a female blobfish is known to lay thousands of eggs simultaneously. They create a nest around their laid eggs and guard the nest until they are hatched.
How long does a BlobFish live?
The actual age of a Blobfish is still unknown as of now. But according to a study, they have been known to live around 100 years as they are not purposely fished for human consumption and are often not hunted by any water species due to their habitat, as they are deep sea creatures.
How big can Blobfish get?
The average height of a blobfish is around a foot long, but some fishermen across the coast of Oceania have caught blobfish ranging from a foot long to 2 feet long.
Read More – Why Does African Clawed Frog Bloat?
