Gallery: Deep-Sea Creatures from the New Hebrides Trench

By Becky Oskin
published

First look at a dark realm

A large prawn feeds on bait.

(Image credit: Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, UK)

Researchers from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland discovered an unusual assortment of marine creatures while exploring the South Pacific's New Hebrides trench in 2013. Fish called cusk eels, and bright red prawns, dominated the community, though they are rare in other deep marine trenches.

Fishing for pictures

Large cusk eels feeding on bait. This image was taken more than 19,600 feet (6,000 meters) below the ocean's surface.

(Image credit: Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, UK)

Large cusk eels feeding on bait. This image was taken more than 19,600 feet (6,000 meters) below the ocean's surface.

A rare sight

An arrowtooth eel captured from the trench.

(Image credit: NIWA, New Zealand)

An arrowtooth eel captured from the trench.

Feeding frenzy

Large cusk eels and prawns. Cusk eels, a type of fish, can grow up to 3 feet (1 m) long.

(Image credit: Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, UK)

Large cusk eels and prawns. Cusk eels, a type of fish, can grow up to 3 feet (1 m) long.

Deep-sea life

Large cusk eels in the New Hebrides trench.

(Image credit: Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, UK)

Large cusk eels in the New Hebrides trench.

All aboard

The expedition's scientific team poses with one of the deep-sea landers.

(Image credit: Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, UK)

The expedition's scientific team poses with one of the deep-sea landers.

Becky Oskin
Contributing Writer
Becky Oskin covers Earth science, climate change and space, as well as general science topics. Becky was a science reporter at Live Science and The Pasadena Star-News; she has freelanced for New Scientist and the American Institute of Physics. She earned a master's degree in geology from Caltech, a bachelor's degree from Washington State University, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz.