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Key takeaways
- The Tenerife museum identified the fish as Melanocetus johnsonii, also called a black seadevil or humpback anglerfish.
- It was a living individual observed near the surface off Tenerife in daylight in late January 2025.
- “First-ever” should be qualified: reporting described a possible first sighting of this species in broad daylight, not a proven first across all records.
- The Tenerife Museum of Nature and Archaeology (MUNA) says a different deep-sea fish, found dead, had been found at the sea surface off Tenerife in 2017.
- The black seadevil later died and was donated to MUNA. A CT examination was conducted, but the museum’s notice does not state a result or explain why the fish surfaced.
Was the horrifying black seadevil fish really filmed in daylight?
Yes. Condrik Tenerife, an NGO conducting a shark research expedition, filmed a living humpback anglerfish floating near the surface in daylight off Tenerife. The Tenerife museum identified the donated specimen as Melanocetus johnsonii.
MUNA’s donation notice says the fish was found on January 26, 2025, near the surface about one kilometer from the mouth of Barranco de Erques, between Adeje and Guía de Isora. A later museum notice gives January 25, so “late January 2025” avoids overstating a date that differs between notices.
What does “first-ever clear daytime video” mean?
Marine reporting described the encounter as possibly the first time this species had been seen or filmed in broad daylight. That is a qualified claim, not proof that no earlier record exists. The dossier does not establish an absolute first across all records, so it is safer to call the Tenerife footage a possible first filmed sighting of a living black seadevil in daylight near the surface.
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It was also not the first deep-sea fish ever found at the sea surface off Tenerife. MUNA records that a different deep-sea fish, a dead Oneirodes eschrichtii, was found there in 2017. That earlier record does not diminish the unusual nature of seeing a living black seadevil in daylight.
What is the black seadevil fish?
The black seadevil, Melanocetus johnsonii, is a deep-sea anglerfish also known as the humpback anglerfish. MUNA describes its habitat as including mesopelagic, bathyal, and abyssal zones, where darkness, low temperatures, and limited food availability shape life.
Its adaptations include a large mouth with sharp, inward-curving teeth, an expandable stomach, and a modified dorsal-fin ray that acts like a fishing rod. The light-producing lure at its tip can attract prey in the dark. MUNA also describes a reproductive system in which the much smaller male attaches to the female through a biting attachment system.
The species was not newly discovered because of the Tenerife footage: MUNA’s conservator says it has been known in the Canary Islands for decades. The notable event was the unusual observation of a living individual near the surface in daylight.
Why did the black seadevil come to the surface?
No reviewed source establishes why this individual appeared near the surface. The footage shows where it was observed, not what caused it to leave deeper water.
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Illness or injury, upwelling, and other environmental factors have been suggested as possibilities in reporting, but they are hypotheses, not confirmed explanations. Oceanographic Magazine reported marine biologist Laia Valor saying, “There could be thousands of reasons why it was there. We simply don’t know. It’s an extremely rare and isolated sighting.” This quotation is reported through secondary coverage, rather than a primary interview transcript.
What happened to the black seadevil after it was filmed?
The fish later died and was donated to MUNA for study. The museum says CT imaging was conducted on June 2, 2025, using cross sections with 1 mm resolution. The examination was intended to document the fish’s internal structure and assess whether visible pathology was present.
MUNA’s notice does not report a scan result or establish that illness or injury caused the fish to surface. The specimen’s examination therefore provides follow-up study, not a definitive explanation for the sighting.
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Black seadevils are deep-sea fish adapted to dark, cold environments, so observing a living individual near the surface in daylight is unusual. Marine reporting described the encounter as extremely rare and isolated. The event is significant as an observation, but by itself it does not establish a change in the species’ behavior or a broader environmental trend.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
What species was the black seadevil in the Tenerife video?
The Tenerife museum identified it as Melanocetus johnsonii, a black seadevil also called a humpback anglerfish.
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When and where was the fish found?
MUNA says it was found near the surface off Tenerife in late January 2025, about one kilometer from the mouth of Barranco de Erques. Museum notices differ by one day on the date.
Was this the first time a deep-sea fish was found at the surface off Tenerife?
No. MUNA records a different deep-sea fish, a dead Oneirodes eschrichtii, found at the sea surface off Tenerife in 2017. The 2025 event concerned a living black seadevil filmed in daylight.
Why did the black seadevil surface?
The reason is unknown. Illness or injury, upwelling, or other environmental factors have been suggested, but the available sources do not confirm a cause.
What happened to the fish after the sighting?
It later died and was donated to MUNA. The museum conducted a CT examination, but its notice does not publish a result explaining the surfacing.
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