In 1932, a deep sea scientist and head of the tropical research department at the New York Zoological Society named William Beebe took it upon himself to be one of the first scientists to document and view the alien life below the surface of our oceans. He loaded himself into a bathysphere (a metal submersible ball that contains one window and has enough room to hold one full grown man) and dropped 2,100ft below the surface of the coast of Bermuda.

While below the surface, Beebe documented many amazing species of fish that were never seen prior to his decent (and have not yet been seen again). These new fish were grouped together in a classification known as Beebe’s Abyssal Fish and one of the fish that Beebe reported seeing was the Giant Dragonfish (Bathysphaera intacta). He described it as being 6ft long with a row of blue bio-luminescent lights along each of its sides. It’s head looked like that of a normal dragonfish but much larger. It had two hollow looking tentacles trailing from each of its sides and on the end of each tentacle was a red and blue bio-luminescent light. It’s teeth were reminiscent of a barracuda’s teeth. What makes this discovery remarkable is that if this fish is truly part of the dragonfish family, it would be absolutely massive and the largest on record. The scientifically known dragonfish of today only grows to a size of 10.5 inches.

Due to the scientific limitations and year, there were no means of underwater photography available, so Beebe made very thorough and detailed notes and drawings regarding the creatures he witnessed. He compiled all of his findings into his book titled ‘Half Mile Down’. So far, none of the fish that Beebe documented have been seen again, but the earth’s oceans are an extremely large place with many hidden secrets. As science and technology evolves and progresses, we may one day rediscover the Abyssal Fish seen by William Beebe in 1932.

-The Pine Barrens Institute

*Image Credit: William M. Rebsamen