Researchers Identified Three New Snailfish Species
A 2025 study detailed the unique characteristics of three newly discovered deep-sea fish species.
Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Aquariums
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Researchers officially identified three new species of snailfish, Careproctus colliculi, Careproctus yanceyi, and Paraliparis em, following a formal study published in 2025. These specimens were collected from depths up to 3,000 meters in the Monterey Canyon and near Station M.
Why it matters
The discovery provides essential baseline data that helps scientists measure environmental shifts and ecological changes within deep-sea habitats. Understanding these species contributes to the broader knowledge of marine biodiversity in under-researched regions.
The new snailfish species include Careproctus colliculi, which measures 9.2 centimeters in length. Researchers utilized micro-CT scanning and DNA sequencing to confirm these findings against existing records.
The players
MBARI
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is a private oceanographic research center that conducts deep-sea exploration and technology development.
SUNY Geneseo
This public liberal arts college in New York contributed academic researchers to the snailfish identification study.
The details
A collaborative team from MBARI, SUNY Geneseo, the University of Montana, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa used remotely operated vehicles to retrieve the specimens. Previous research from 2009 had misidentified one of these fish as a bigtail snailfish, a classification now corrected by the team.
Timeline
A potential specimen of the bumpy snailfish was recorded near the Oregon coast in 2009.
Researchers collected the physical specimens for laboratory study in 2019.
The formal study describing these three new species was published in 2025.
Deeper Dive
This discovery extends the ongoing taxonomic work performed by the MBARI deep-sea biodiversity research program. It follows a multi-decade trend where the institution has described over 300 new species through sustained deep-sea exploration.
These findings do not impact daily household routines or pet-keeping habits, as these snailfish are deep-sea creatures rather than aquarium-dwelling species. The discovery serves primarily as an advancement in global biological classification and ocean science.
The takeaway
The successful classification of these fish demonstrates the importance of re-examining historical biological data using modern technology. As DNA sequencing and CT scanning become more precise, scientists are able to resolve long-standing taxonomic errors in marine records.
Further reading
Learn more about diverse marine life and ongoing research in our Aquariums section.
More information
View the formal scientific publication of snailfish discovery for detailed morphological data.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ecoportal.
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