Frequently Asked Questions
What is the deepest-living fish?
A cuskeel Barathrites sp, collected at depth of 3,300m off Sydney, New South Wales, April 1989.
The fish that currently holds the depth record is a species of cuskeel (family Ophidiidae) called Abyssobrotula galatheae.
This 20cm long fish has been collected from the Puerto Rico Trench at a depth of 8,370m (27,455 feet).
The cuskeel in the image is Barathrites sp. It was collected at a "mere" 3,300m. This fish is registered in the Australian Museum Fish Collection (AMS I.28746-002). View the fact sheet for this species.
Further reading
- Neilsen, J.G in Paxton, J.R. & W.N. Eschmeyer (Eds). 1994. Encyclopedia of Fishes. Sydney: New South Wales University Press; San Diego: Academic Press [1995]. Pp. 240.
