Deep sea scientists find strange, transparent fish on ocean expedition

A see-through fish was spotted by a fish biologists and her team. It is a fish that is rarely seen.

I've been wanting to see one of these in person. Sarah Friedman is a fish Biologist at the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration.

Friedman said that they had found four or five so far. These fish were encountered by her team while they were conducting a yearly survey in the Aleutian Islands.

That doesn't mean they are common. Around 100 to 200 meters down, they're found. Friedman said that your general everyday person is not going to see one of these fish.

Their bodies are transparent and serve a purpose. It's an adaptation deep sea creatures like the blotched snailfish use to hide themselves. The deep sea animals are mostly invisible to the predator.

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Angler fish have a rod protruding from their head which emits light and attracts prey. Credit: Neil Bromhall / Shutterstock

Friedman said that snailfish have a cool feature. There are cups at the bottom of their bodies. They can hold onto rocks in strong currents. The snailfish is a fish that has this structure.

The angler fish was one of the species Friedman came across during the trip. The animals have a rod on their forehead that contains millions of light- producingbacteria. They try to lure prey out of the depths.