This strange beast is a new species of fish discovered off Indonesia. It is definitely an Anglerfish, according to Ted Pietsch, a University of Washington fishery sciences expert, despite lacking the lure that gives that group their name (press release).

“As soon as I saw the photo I knew it had to be an anglerfish because of the leglike pectoral fins on its sides,” he says. “Only anglerfishes have crooked, leglike structures that they use to walk or crawl along the seafloor or other surfaces.”

Pietsch reckons the 10-cm long new species has avoided detection up to now by hiding in crevices. It was photographed by divers from the Maluku Divers company, who turned to Pietsch after being unable to ID it from guide books.

“What you usually see is variations of a fish you’ve seen before,” says the company’s co-owner Andy Shorten (Seattle PI). “We’ve never seen a fish with remotely this kind of face.”

An example of the beastie has now been captured says the Seattle PI, and will be subject to DNA testing to see how it relates to other anglerfish.

Image: M. Snyder, starknakedfish.com/divingmaluku.com