#cuskeel

I shit you not, this fish is called...

Bony-eared Assfish, Acanthonus armatus, a type of cuskeel, Tamana Seamount in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawaii.

The deep sea is a dark, cold habitat that might seem like an environment too harsh for life.

But it is teaming with life and the fishes that live there have adapted in diverse and unique ways to live there. From tubular eyes that look up from a fluid-filled shield in their head, to glowing lures and giant mouths with sharp teeth, deep-sea fishes are always awe-inspiring and never boring to watch!

Learn about these and other deep-sea fishes on our Deep-Sea Guide (http://dsg.mbari.org/) and check out some of the awesome videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MBARIvideo⠀ ⠀ Top: Macropina microstoma (barreleye), Anoplogaster cornuta (fangtooth), Stomias atriventer (blackbelly dragonfish).⠀

Middle: Mola mola (ocean sunfish), Chualiodu macouni (viperfish), Bathypterois grallator (tripodfish).⠀

Bottom: Spectrunculus grandis (giant cuskeel), Melanocetus sp. (black seadevil), Avocettina bowersii (smalleye snipe eel).⠀

The pudgy cuskeel, Spectrunculus grandis, is a common deep-sea fish off California. They live in a depth range of 800-4255 m and grow to 127 cm in length.

[ID: A large, light purple deep sea fish swimming through a dark blue sea. There is a title saying 'Giant Cuskeel' with a subtitle at the bottom saying the scientific name 'Spectrunculus grandis'. The second image is the same fish but on a transparent background.]