What was the "black devil" on the surface, the very rare predator of the abysses sighted in Tenerife?

The melanchoo (Melanocetus Johnsonii), known as “black hell”, It is an abysmal fish with a disturbing appearance, among the most fascinating and mysterious. It usually lives at depths between 200 and 2,000 meters where sunlight does not arrive, but it was recently spotted on the surface near the Tenerife coastsin the canary archipelago.

For its characteristics, the event surprised the scientific community. The sighting was documented by Naturalist photographer David Jara Boguñáwhich shared the images in collaboration with the Organization Condrik Tenerife, specialized in cartilaginous fish research.

This is the first video recording of an adult Melanoceto alive in broad daylight and close to the surface. Normally these fish are observed only through high depth submarine vehicles or found deaddragged by fishing nets or beached.

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The characteristics of the Melanoceto

The melanoceto belongs to the order of lophiforma group of fish known for their hunting strategy based on the use of a luminous risecalled Ilicio, which acts as a bait to attract the prey. This bioluminescent organ is located on the head and uses the curiosity of the victims to bring them closer, before swallowing them with a quick shot of the jaws. Bioluminescence is a common strategy among the inhabitants of the abysses, where sunlight does not penetrate and the darkness reigns supreme.

The females of this species, which can reach 20 centimeters in length, are equipped with a huge mouth and sharp teeth. The males, on the other hand, are much smaller and, in other similar species, tend to behave from sexual parasitesmerging with the female. In the case of the Melanoceto, however, the males detach themselves after mating to look for other companions.

Furthermore, although it has a very threatening appearance, the melanoceto. His scientific name is a tribute to the naturalist James Yates Johnson, who described him for the first time in 1863 in the waters of Madeira.

Despite the rarity of these sightings, the Melanoceto. Thanks to its vast geographical distribution, which includes temperate, tropical and subtropical oceans, these fish enjoy a relatively stable state of conservation. In the past, specimens have been identified even in the water of Antarctica, demonstrating their ability to adapt.