Black Devil Fish Filmed Alive Near Tenerife for the First Time

[{"selector":"#anim-42745eb7-f20a-4a26-bcd4-065044add31a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ed2fd625-7cd5-4851-b247-c6fb59862680","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-683dd0f4-b39f-414c-b456-3ec370f6507d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d32344a2-0cab-4995-b39a-8b15e92f26d0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Black Devil Fish Filmed Alive Near Tenerife for the First Time Govind Tekale

An unusual creature– a black devilfish unexpectedly appeared near the surface off the Spanish coast of Tenerife in January 2025. Which is a very rare event to have ever been recorded.

[{"selector":"#anim-1789ed71-91d2-4658-994a-2478ad8aabeb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69161628-d425-4b10-8cda-a82f18e5f5a8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e9d80e75-838f-4ef7-a7c2-c1fc0c24fb5b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ba081e6-f1bd-42b0-b45c-1235c269a93c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7de51bc2-dbf5-4e54-a760-8188affbe0a9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Ryan Somma (CC BY 2.0)

Laia Valor, a Marine biologist spotted the fish while studying sharks near San Juan Beach.

[{"selector":"#anim-7b76be5e-9c04-4e27-bc21-059e217f242f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-995f6e4e-5b52-48aa-8408-99440ec4b01d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 249.72502%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ed81e8e-d374-4536-9e7b-3295b5887543","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2905493-83c9-4f59-a2a9-e8a990ae0359","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -110.68918%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dfe062fc-c787-4d64-89be-ef8df91a0548","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Jeremy Bishop (Pexels)

The black devilfish uses a glowing stem on its head; it uses light-producing bacteria to lure prey in the deep sea.

[{"selector":"#anim-3a9129e1-8e75-47b9-8234-6a764b940450","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b142f026-0016-4936-8335-a4829dd8f40c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8bc24586-4f6a-409c-a66e-499a5b45e5c2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e42ec6c-9991-4f28-8276-9a5d55ee2ad9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4a307374-1366-4935-9189-66e21c3d46c0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Silana Verley (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

It resides between 200–2,000 meters below the surface, to hunt its prey.

[{"selector":"#anim-be457a0b-dad7-4e13-b1b5-390bcf791065","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-14182eb6-482b-40e0-bcae-c849a7d6c6eb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 333.18726%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b80e418-b3a5-4d75-b61a-d2ada729645c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0c5a725-bc92-42b3-b75a-7c019422f848","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -113.98032%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-29871918-1f21-48f3-a537-0ee3e6aad65d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Emőke Dénes (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Marine photographer David Jara captured this unusual event as it is the first time an adult black devilfish has been documented alive in shallow waters.

[{"selector":"#anim-99343485-6cac-47b0-bb47-d828e91f33ce","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0567b40a-17b4-4535-bece-3c979d6e775a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b3a9593-e8ca-4615-8b04-ab1aefa6974e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1f267e96-a40e-4f80-9cb4-2c14a3f4c8bc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aea9b14b-bf15-4dda-9439-cc68fc76f79c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: W W (Pexels)

The fish survived only a few hours before being taken to Tenerife's Museum of Nature and Archaeology for study.

[{"selector":"#anim-724e0b30-976b-4a47-b893-f953fada09d4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3bdd60e1-2818-4ca4-8b4f-6ba0a2969e8e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 247.27677%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d85dbb74-2b21-48ee-9c81-d2061c340537","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19178de6-ae5c-48cf-a4c8-cc0981f6eb51","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eff14f2d-f48d-4e64-8725-ca1015222b19","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Fossil Excavation Work (Stock Cake)

Scientists assumed that it might be sick, being caught in strong currents, or running from bigger predators. Because this kind of sea creature rarely comes to the surface

[{"selector":"#anim-f2153230-0bf7-4e87-bab6-262aa79c5e4e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6b652dd-ae37-4b5b-a018-ae15fc4dd372","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3372062d-adae-4d97-95ef-da00960dedf2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bdfac71b-ebd7-4f3d-8fbb-bd5c9919e628","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-32d662e3-b0c6-4627-8e38-be3db4fb7626","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Grey Shark (Pickpik)

This discovery holds a greater significance because it helps researchers understand how deep-sea creatures behave outside their natural habitat, their comfort zone.

[{"selector":"#anim-f565d779-604e-4d1c-82e7-6892ba709f5c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3b810cc8-c532-4f94-800f-ba65b9eb28ee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 164.43004%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-314aa606-2c57-4e2b-b08e-ade424a96e0e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d3f9cd0-f570-4410-91b2-5eab6e03a05e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -113.98032%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44eb9cac-a531-48c0-80a1-640709473437","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pxhere

This kind of rare creature is usually found in warm waters around the world and it was first spotted near Madeira.

[{"selector":"#anim-a627fbf0-14ff-41f5-b475-429f63342f9c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7bc99a3d-6b9e-4911-a58b-416889cbed70","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6612d30e-0de9-49c7-a87d-8b313c65f091","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c38c928-705d-453e-b9dc-7a22f1cd5631","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-661a580a-e5bc-49aa-bb4d-f75fa2d1dbc2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Anita Kieseler (Pexels)

The ocean can be mysterious in so many ways, even in well-studied areas like the Canary Islands.

[{"selector":"#anim-2e10a88e-3b64-404f-88ce-1c80539a30e8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b611216-98e4-4f86-99cd-15393c711ef8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 245.76462%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d84e54af-f5e6-4dd0-9d17-6ae02c1bf0a4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-421c341c-d162-47b4-a72e-9143f6922436","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -113.98032%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88b19ff2-6f09-4ee4-bd4e-6b87b67845c7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Stockcake

[{"selector":"#anim-de849bbc-08f9-4d45-8379-ac38975604d9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df51120d-ac28-424a-b85f-f4f3b1a44098","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-95d04876-9af9-4a6d-8cf3-37d4f3b66305","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ec77dc5-61a4-4fee-bad7-0d276e8f0bee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03c6da7c-3e21-4332-bf01-4a58b6cdda1b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 200+ Measures Fail: Over Half of Mediterranean Sharks at Risk Learn more