Blobfish
Psychrolutes marcidus · Fish, Vertebrate, Cold-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Family Psychrolutidae, order Scorpaeniformes, class Actinopterygii
Animal Category
Marine Animal
Breed / Variety
Standard blobfish species
Conservation Status
Not formally evaluated by the IUCN, but populations are threatened by deep-sea trawling and bottom-fishing activities.
About This Creature
The blobfish has a gelatinous body with a density slightly less than water, allowing it to float above the sea floor without expending energy on swimming. It typically grows to no more than 30 cm (12 inches) in length and appears as a gelatinous mass out of water.
Physical Characteristics
Lacks a swim bladder and has very few bones; its body consists mostly of gelatinous mass with a blob-like shape, small fins, a large head, and a downturned mouth.
Behavior & Temperament
Sedentary ambush predator that floats passively above the ocean floor, waiting for edible matter to drift into its mouth.
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
Deep waters off the coast of mainland Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand
Habitat
Ocean/Marine, Demersal zone in deep-sea environments, benthic and aquatic
Diet & Nutrition
Carnivorous; feeds primarily on sea urchins, molluscs, shellfish, and other small deep-sea crustaceans.
Lifespan & Health
Lifespan is poorly understood due to deep-sea habitat; faces severe tissue damage when brought to the surface due to pressure changes.
Special Characteristics
Famous for its internet meme status where it appears bulbous and human-like out of water, though it maintains a more typical fish shape under high deep-sea pressure.
Ecological Information
Acts as a benthic predator in deep-sea ecosystems, helping to regulate populations of small invertebrates and scavengers.