Blobfish
IUCN
DD
Basic Information
Scientific classification
- name：Blobfish
- Scientific Name：Psychrolutes marcidus
- Outline：Medium Fish
- Family：Psychrolutidae Psychrolutes
Vital signs
- length：c. 30–38 cm
- Weight：c. 1–2 kg (estimated)
- lifetime：Poorly known; likely >10 years
Feature
Gelatinous deep‑sea body; low energy lifestyle; no swim bladder; decompression collapse at the surface.
Distribution and Habitat
Continental‑slope and seamount habitats off SE Australia and Tasmania (~600–1200 m).
Appearance
Bulbous head, soft tissues at depth; collapses into the iconic “blob” when brought to the surface.
Details
Blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus) is a deep‑sea cottoid fish (family Psychrolutidae) from continental‑slope habitats off SE Australia and Tasmania. Its famous “melted” look is a decompression effect: at depth, pressure supports its gelatinous, low‑density body; once hauled to the surface, tissues collapse and the face sags.
Basics
Scientific name: Psychrolutes marcidus
Size: ~30–38 cm; c. 1–2 kg (estimated)
Depth/Range: Commonly 600–1200 m on continental slopes and seamounts
Ecology
A sit‑and‑wait benthic predator/scavenger that consumes small crustaceans, molluscs and organic fallout. It lacks a typical swim bladder and relies on gelatinous tissue for buoyancy under high pressure.
Reproduction & Longevity
Poorly known; females have been observed guarding large pink egg masses. Longevity likely >10 years.
Threats
Bycatch in deep‑sea trawl fisheries.
Insufficient population data to assess trends.
IUCN listings for deep‑sea taxa are often Data Deficient (DD) or not evaluated—verify the latest status before publication.
FAQ
Q1. Why does it look so odd in pictures?
Because of decompression after capture; at depth the animal appears firmer and less “blob‑like”.
Q2. Does it have a swim bladder?
No—neutral buoyancy comes from low‑density gelatinous tissues.
Q3. Is it endangered?
Data are scarce; the main concern is incidental bycatch rather than targeted fishing.
Similar animals
Blobfish
Blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus) is a deep‑sea cottoid fish (family Psychrolutidae)from continental‑slope habitats off SE Australia and Tasmania. Its famous “melted” look is a decompression effect:at depth, pressure supports its gelatinous, low‑density body; once hauled to the surface, tiss...
Lophiomus setigerus
The Latin name of black anglerfish is Lophiomus setigerus (Vahl, 1797), and its foreign name is black-mouth goosefish. There are only two kinds of anglerfish in China, one is called yellow anglerfish and the other is black anglerfish.It grows in the depths of the dark sea, moves slowly, and does not...
Lophius litulon
Yellow anglerfish, whose scientific name is Lophius litulon, is a deep-sea benthic fish.Yellow anglerfish usually lures prey with its snout tentacles and bait balls, sucks the prey in one gulp, and feeds on fish and crustaceans. The main prey of yellow anglerfish in the southern Yellow Sea are small...
Trachidermus fasciatus
Songjiang perch (scientific name: Trachidermus fasciatus) is a fish of the family Sculpinidae and the genus Trachidermus, with no subspecies.Because the production of Songjiang near the mouth of the Yangtze River in China is relatively high and the body is relatively black, it is named Songjiang per...
Cheilinus undulatus
Cheilinus undulatus (scientific name: Giant Wrasse) is a large wrasse with no subspecies.Cheilinus undulatus is usually solitary, but may sometimes appear in pairs. Adult fish cruise between reefs during the day and live in reef caves and under coral shelves at night. Although the rippled lip fish i...
Thymallus arcticus grubei
The Latin name of Heilongjiang grayling is Thymallus arcticus grubei, and its foreign name is Amur grayling. In the Heilongjiang and Yalu River systems, Heilongjiang grayling is the main target of local fishing.Heilongjiang grayling is a cold-water fish, but unlike other cold-water fish, they live i...
Arctic grayling
Arctic grayling (scientific name: Thymallus arcticus): is an animal of the family Thymallus and genus Thymallus.Arctic grayling may move tens of kilometers seasonally or annually between spawning, feeding, and sheltering habitats. Some Arctic grayling are known to travel more than 160 kilometers in...
Brachymystax lenok(Pallas
Brachymystax lenok (Pallas,) is a relic species that migrated from the north to the south during the Ice Age and is a cold-water foothill fish.Brachymystax lenok feeds actively all year round. It mainly feeds on invertebrates, small fish, etc., and also preys on frogs and small rodents. It is extrem...
Email: jsset668#gmail.com (change # to @) Please indicate your purpose of visit! Guangdong ICP No. 2022053326 XML| map| Chinese
