'Deepest ever' living fish filmed - PHOTO
A UK-Japan team found the 17-strong shoal at depths of 7.7km (4.8 miles) in the Japan Trench in the Pacific - and captured the deep sea animals on film.The scientists have been using remote-operated landers designed to withstand immense pressures to comb the world's deepest depths for marine life.Monty Priede from the University of Aberdeen said the 30cm-long (12in), deep-sea fish were surprisingly "cute".The fish, known as Pseudoliparis amblystomopsis, can be seen darting about in the darkness of the depths, scooping up shrimps.Alan Jamieson, from the University of Aberdeen, said: "It was an honour to see these fish.Japan Trench"No-one has ever seen fish alive at these depths before - you just never know what you are going to see when you get down there."The deepest record for any fish is Abyssobrotula galatheae, which was dredged from the bottom of the Puerto Rico Trench at a depth of more than 8km (5 miles) in 1970. However, it was dead by the time it reached the surface.The previous record for any fish to have been spotted alive was thought to have stood at about 7km (4 miles).Pressure pointsThe Hadeep project, which began in 2007, is a collaboration between the University of Aberdeen's Oceanlab and the University of Tokyo's Ocean Research Institute (led by Professor Mutsumi Nishida with research manager Dr Asako Matsumoto) and aims to expand our knowledge of biology in the deepest depths of the ocean.It is funded by the Nippon Foundation and the Natural Environment Research Council (Nerc).(BBC)Bakudaily.Az