Snailfishes are found globally in all ocean basins, from shallow intertidal waters to the deepest depths of the ocean to unsuspecting crabs that often serve as hosts to tiny snailfish eggs.
These slightly annoying but adorable fishes are well-adapted to a variety of habitats, including rocky outcrops, the muddy seafloor, and even the midwater. They play an important role as prey and predator in many ecosystems. Most snailfish species are small and feed on tiny invertebrates, but larger species may prey upon other fishes. MBARI has observed over a dozen species of snailfish in the past 34 years of exploration. We suspect there are dozens more out there waiting to be discovered.
Learn more about these overly-friendly fishes on our YouTube channel.