Spain: Rare ‘Black Devil’ Anglerfish Spotted Near Tenerife Coast in Broad Daylight; Video Goes Viral

A rare 'black devil' anglerfish which typically swim above the seabed was spotted near Tenerife coast in Spain in the broad daylight on January 26 near Playa San Juan. This is the first sighting of a deep-sea predator so close to the water surface. 

This rare fish usually found a depth of between 200 and 2,000 meters, where a water pressure is higher. The fish was first saw by the marine biologist Laia Valor during a research expedition on pelagic sharks. Valor said that they were retiring to the port, when something black was came notice in the waters. "We spent a couple of hours with it. It was in poor condition and only survived for a few hours."

Viral Video of Anglerfish Spotted Near Tenerife Coast

A living Humpback anglerfish, better known as the black seadevil, has been caught on camera for only the second time.

The video was taken near the Spanish island of Tenerife. A living specimen was previously recorded in 2014. pic.twitter.com/SXwtMfDMvx

— BNO News Live (@BNODesk) February 7, 2025

Earlier, larvae or deceased adult specimens of this species had been recorded near the surface. The recent sighting is considered highly exceptional, though the exact reasons for the fish’s presence in shallow waters remain unclear.

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Rare ‘Devil’ Fish Spotted on Tenerife’s Surface for the First Time

A deep-sea “devil” fish typically lives at depths of 3,000 m. This was the first-ever recorded sighting of a live adult black abyssal anglerfish in daylight at the surface. pic.twitter.com/01PU6h15Au

— Chris Abroad (@kryscina_by) February 8, 2025

After the fish died, the research team carefully transported it in a water-filled container to the Museum of Nature and Archaeology (MUNA) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for further study.