Best Benthic

The Bathysaurus ferox, or deep-sea lizardfish, is a benthic predator inhabiting depths of 600 to 3,500 meters. This fish is notable for being one of the largest predatory fishes living at such extreme ocean depths and for possessing both male and female reproductive organs simultaneously. It’s prima...

The Wolftrap Anglerfish is a deep-sea fish belonging to the Thaumatichthyidae family. It’s notable for its bioluminescent lure, which grows on the roof of its massive mouth—a distinctive adaptation not seen in other anglerfish species. This benthic predator inhabits the bathypelagic zone and is prim...

The bearded seal is a large marine mammal of the Arctic Ocean, distinguished by prominent, luxuriant white whiskers and its reliance on shallow coastal waters for foraging.

A viviparous member of family Ophidiidae found at some of the greatest depths of any vertebrate, with some species recorded below 8,000 m in ocean trenches.

Deep-sea batfish (Ogcocephalidae) are anglerfish relatives found at bathyal depths that walk on modified pectoral and pelvic fins rather than swimming actively.

Deepsea Stingray (Plesiobatis daviesi) is the sole species in the monotypic family Plesiobatidae, an Indo-Pacific ray reaching up to 2.7 m total length found at depths to 680 m.

Deepsea Skate (Bathyraja abyssicola) is one of the deepest-dwelling skates known, recorded in the North Pacific at depths exceeding 2,900 m.

Ogcocephalus radiatus, the polka-dot batfish, is an Atlantic batfish ranging from Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil, identifiable by its spotted skin pattern.

A deep-sea lizardfish in family Bathysauridae, generally found at greater depths than Bathysaurus ferox and distributed across tropical and subtropical ocean basins.

Linuparus trigonus, the shovelnose lobster, is a distinctive Indo-Pacific species recognized by its flattened body and triangular rostrum, inhabiting sandy and coral reef substrates.

A zoarcid fish remarkable for its specialized diet of pycnogonids (sea spiders), an unusual prey choice documented from cold deep-sea environments.

The rugose squat lobster, Munida rugosa, is a marine decapod crustacean found in the cold waters of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and is recognized by its distinctly spiny carapace.

The Japanese slipper lobster, Parribacus japonicus, is a benthic marine crustacean native to the Pacific Ocean around Japan that is notably consumed as a local seafood delicacy.

A zoarcid fish of deep, cold ocean waters, eelpouts comprise family Zoarcidae with over 300 species, making it one of the largest deep-sea fish families.

A deep-sea member of family Notacanthidae, spiny eels are not true eels but elongated fish bearing rows of isolated dorsal spines, inhabiting continental slopes.

The Atlantic bobtail squid, a small species of the northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea and among the most frequently encountered bobtail squids in European waters.

The southern dumpling squid, a small bobtail squid native to southern Australian and Tasmanian coastal waters and widely studied for its mating behavior.

Bathysolea profundicola is a deep-sea sole (Soleidae) from the eastern Atlantic, among the few flatfish species adapted to bathyal depths below 1,000 m.

Scyllarides haanii, the Haanii slipper lobster, is found in the Indo-West Pacific region from Japan to Australia and is named after Dutch zoologist Wilhelm de Haan.

Deep-sea Guitarfish (Rhinobatos sp.) is a batoid ray in family Rhinobatidae with a distinctive guitar-shaped body, inhabiting greater depths than most shallow-water congeners.

A bathypelagic flatfish typically assigned to family Bothidae, with highly asymmetric eyes positioned on one side of the body to facilitate life on the deep seafloor.

A darkly pigmented eelpout (Zoarcidae) found at depth in the North Atlantic, named for its distinctive black or very dark coloration along its body.

A deep-water flatfish of family Soleidae adapted to benthic life at bathyal depths, with both eyes on the right side of the body and cryptic, mottled coloration.

Deep-sea Spikefish is a small deep-water fish in family Triacanthodidae, characterized by a prominent first dorsal spine and occurring in tropical to temperate ocean basins.

Rossia pacifica, commonly known as the Pacific bobtail squid, is a small marine cephalopod found in the North Pacific Ocean from Japan to California.

A small bobtail squid of the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic named after 16th-century French naturalist Guillaume Rondelet, common in shallow coastal habitats.

Linuparus somniosus, the deep shovelnose lobster, is a poorly known deep-sea relative of Linuparus trigonus, recorded from deeper Indo-Pacific waters than its congener.

A flathead fish (Platycephalidae) adapted to deep-water habitats, distinguished from shallow-water relatives by its depressed body form and greater habitat depth.

Deepsea Tripletail is a rare deep-sea fish whose dorsal, caudal, and anal fins converge to create an apparent three-lobed tail, recorded at considerable depths in tropical waters.