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Scientists have managed to film the adorable super deep-sea snailfish in 4K

It was filmed at a record-breaking depth of 26,000 ft.
 By 
Yvette Tan
 on 
Scientists have managed to film the adorable super deep-sea snailfish in 4K
AT SEA, UNSPECIFIED - JUNE 27: (BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE) (CHINA OUT) A submersible 'Jiaolong' works at a depth of 7,062 metres on June 27, 2012 in the western Pacific Ocean. The submersible 'Jiaolong', carrying two people, reportedly reached the depth during its fifth dive into the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the world's oceans which is located in the western Pacific Ocean, (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images) Credit: VCG via Getty Images

One Japanese organisation has gone where no one else has before.

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) has filmed a snailfish at a depth of 8,178 meters (26,830 ft) in the Mariana Trench -- a record depth for capturing a fish in video footage.

"We've set a world record for filming a fish at an accurately measured depth," JAMSTEC senior research scientist, Kazumasa Oguri, told the Japan Times.

The video was taken with 4K cameras mounted on JAMSTEC's deep-sea research vessel.

The purplish-looking Mariana snailfish, who is believed to have visited the trench to feed, was caught on camera, likely attracted by the bait that the scientists placed.

These deep sea creatures are known to swim in waters deeper than 7,000 metres.

The Japanese institution narrowly beat out efforts by a Chinese academy earlier this year.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences had in April filmed a fish at a depth of 8,152 meters in the same trench.

According to scientists, it is unlikely that any fish can survive in the oceans at a depth beyond 8,200 metres.

No fish has ever been discovered beyond this point.

Topics Animals

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Yvette Tan

Yvette is a Viral Content Reporter at Mashable Asia. She was previously reporting for BBC's Singapore bureau and Channel NewsAsia.

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