This Creepy Sea Creature Was Captured On Camera For The First Time

It's hard out here for a fish. H/t KTTV.

A dive team from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in California has captured the terrifying black seadevil on video for the first time ever.

YouTube / MBARI / Via youtube.com

According to MBARI Senior Scientist Bruce Robison, it's the first video footage ever of this species alive and in its natural depth. The black seadevil, whose scientific name is Melanocetus, is “among the most rarely seen of all deep-sea fishes,” said Robison in a press release.

The good news: It's a mere 3.5 inches long, so unless you're a shrimp, you'll be OK.

YouTube / MBARI / Via youtube.com

The black seadevil, a kind of deep-sea anglerfish, uses a glowing lure at the end of a “fishing pole” that extends from its head to attract prey.

The team was exploring the waters of the Monterrey Canyon with a remotely operated vehicle when it encountered the fish at a depth of 1,900 feet.

YouTube / MBARI / Via youtube.com

The Verge noted that the black seadevil is the same anglerfish that threatened Marlin and Dory in Finding Nemo.

Disney

Here is the team's footage of the bizarre-looking animal in its natural habitat:

youtube.com

Looks like this round of hide and seek is finally over.

YouTube / MBARI / Via youtube.com