Please, take a moment and picture the squishiest, ugliest fish imaginable. That’s right, I said “ugliest”, and in this case, I am not exaggerating. The blubbery and formless fish below gained widespread fame in 2018, after winning the title “Mother Nature’s endangered but [most] “aesthetically challenged child,” and official ranks the ugliest creature on Earth. Beyond ecological fame, you may have encountered its beady eyes and blubbery build online in highly popular internet posts, typically questioning the effectiveness of evolution. Are you still not certain what creature I’m referring to? Allow me to present the Blobfish! (Lidz, Franz)
Odds are, you know blobfish as a comically grotesque joke, and think of them as little more than goopy pile of fish. While at first glance this may be accurate, blobfish appear much more complex in their natural habitat. In fact, at their preferred depth of 2,000 – 4,000 feet, Blobfish appear much like any other fish (30A).
So, why do they degenerate so before most photographs? The answer lies in soft matter; Most fish that live in extreme depths develop little soft tissue as a method to minimize vulnerability under crushing pressure. The blobfish evolved in the opposite direction, instead developing no bones or muscles, and relying on water pressure for basic support (30A). Their gelatinous innards are held together exclusively by outside pressure, so when a blobfish reaches the lower–pressured environment of the ocean’s surface, they massively expand. Think about it; if a human stepped into outer space, their organs would similarly expand, rapidly causing death. Blobfish undergo the same depressurizing process as they ascend to the ocean’s surface, except they do not have the benefit of bones to maintain even relative structure. Unfortunately, this means that any “typical” blobfish photo depicts a dead or rapidly dying specimen.
Due to the strange conditions necessary for blobfish survival, very little is known about their dietary or mating habits. In fact, despite being listed as an “endangered species”, scientists aren’t actually sure how many blobfish exist (30A). However, we do know that the largest threat to blobfish survival is us: humans. As bottom feeders in crushingly deep water, blobfish have no know natural predators. Unfortunately, human trolling ships in Tasmania, Australia, and New Zealand are known to frequently drag up blobfish, and by the time they depressurize, releasing them back into the ocean is too late for continued survival (Lidz, Franz). On the bright side, blobfish’s unusual appearance garners support and attention for environmental protection agencies, such as the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. In the end, they are much more than just an ugly or strange fish, they are a global symbol of environmental awareness (Lidz, Franz).
30A. “The Blobfish: 5 Facts About the Ocean’s Ugliest Mug.” 30A, Beach Happy, 6 May 2020, 30a.com/worlds-ugliest-fish-blobfish/.
Lidz, Franz. “Behold the Blobfish.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 1 Nov. 2015, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/behold-the-blobfish-180956967/.
I did not realize that every meme I’ve seen about blobfish is one that is or on the verge of death. I honestly feel guilty for having ever looked at memes of them. I did not know how unique their living constraints were. The fact that they do not have bones and rely on the water pressure from extraneous depths to sustain life is bizarre. However if their living conditions are as extreme as you say and it poses as obstacles for scientists, how could they possibly know that they are endangered if they don’t know how many there are? Isn’t it also possible that there are various types of blobfish that are closely related?
Another example of human activity killing of creatures. However unlike pandas they don’t have the cute cuddly look to appeal to our emotional side for people to donate to protecting the species from going extinct.
I have seen pictures of this fish before, but to think they are endangered species is truly heartbreaking, especially because that this damage is induced by humans. Honestly seeing creatures such as this make me think about life on other planets, and about alien oceans on another world. A creature such as this one is fascinating and could teach us so much.