A fisherman in the South Pacific Ocean made headlines recently after he accidentally hooked a completely transparent sea creature. The creature, which appears as some kind of fish or bug, was caught on camera by the fisherman and quickly went viral on the internet.
So, what kind of fish is this mysterious transparent creature? Unfortunately, it is difficult to say for certain without further examination and analysis. However, there are several possibilities that could explain its unusual appearance.
As people around the world watched the video, many were fascinated with the creature’s unique appearance. Its body is almost entirely transparent, allowing its organs and bones to be clearly visible. This has led some to speculate that it could be a species of fish that has evolved to be transparent in order to better blend in with its surroundings. Many people speculate that it could be some kind of “alien” life form. The video of the creature, shared on social media, shows the fish wriggling on the end of the fisherman’s line giving an eerie, otherworldly appearance.
After the video went viral on Twitter, some compared the creature to sea monkeys, the small aquatic creatures that were popular as pets in the 1970s and 1980s. Others have simply expressed a desire to “put it back” in the water and leave it alone.
There were comments where they compared it to jelly and called it “forbidden Jello.” Most of them called it an alien. And some thought that it is just a publicity stunt to grab people’s attention. And the comment goes like “It’s a common Twit grabbing for attention. Not to confuse with a needy Iger or a happy Tiktoker.”
What Is This Mysterious Creature?
People were quick to speculate about the creature’s identity. Some suggested that it could be a species of fish that has evolved to be transparent in order to better blend in with its surroundings. Others believed that it might be a previously unknown species or even an extraterrestrial life form.
There were comments where people explained the existence of this creature. They explained how it’s already in reality but didn’t get caught or discovered as it lives deep in the ocean. The comment has a screenshot of the Wikipedia sources which says “Phronima is a genus of small, deep-sea hyperiid amphipods of the family Phronimidae. It is discovered throughout the world’s oceans, besides in polar regions. Phronima species live in the open sea zone of the deep ocean.”
After giving it a thought, we researched and concluded that there is actually a specie that seems almost transparent and called Phronima.
Phronima
A crustacean called Phronima lives in the ocean’s shadow region, where there are no places to hide from predators. She and other midwater crustaceans are practically transparent and have an anti-reflective optical coating comprised of living bacteria, according to a recent study. The salp, which was her victim, had its shell hollowed out at the bottom left. She uses this shell as a floating nest to raise her young, one of whom is visible beyond her tail. In addition, to disguise against the twilight by predators staring above, many species that live at depths where sunlight fades to darkness have evolved transparent bodies. However, they also have to contend with predators who utilize bioluminescent searchlights. This cause the clear animals to flash briskly, similar to how a flashlight would flash across a window.
Cystisoma
Another person on Twitter provides a thorough explanation of what this extremely unusual bug-like creature might be. The article claims that this peculiar marine creature is a Cystisoma. According to the comment, it is “a crustacean that lives between 600-1000 m deep in the ocean. Its body totally transparent, one thing that is visible is its eyes because of pigmentation. This one has a brooding pouch entirely loaded with orange eggs.”
The marine crustaceans known as hyperiid amphipods, which range in depth from just below the surface to right near the ocean floor, include Cystisoma. The insect-like animals have developed significantly diverse camouflage depending on the depth and are masters of disguise. The species are crimson or black below 3,000 feet, where sunlight ceases to exist. Cystisoma and other transparent species typically inhabit lower altitudes (30–1,000 feet) where there is much less light. The team is utilizing DNA analysis to confirm that the strange spheres are indeed bacteria. Even though they are smaller than any known bacterium, according to Bagge. In either case, the discovery might be helpful. Engineers can create similar structures to improve the transparency of glass, absorb solar energy, or even help create a form of invisibility cloak that similarly distorts light.
Final Verdict
Despite the excitement and speculation, it’s likely that the creature is simply a type of fish or bug that is relatively unknown to science. There are many species of sea creatures that have evolved unique adaptations to survive in their environments, and as we know that the discovery of new species is not unusual.
In this case, it’s possible that the fisherman stumbled upon a species of fish or bug that is so transparent. And is almost impossible to see in the water. Its unique appearance may have caught the attention of the fisherman. But, it’s important to remember that it is likely just one of many fascinating and unusual species that inhabit our oceans.
The identity of the transparent sea creature is definitively known but, it serves as a reminder of the incredible diversity of life that exists in the world’s oceans and the many mysteries that remain to Discover.
