Overview

• The newly named bumpy snailfish (Careproctus colliculi), dark snailfish (Careproctus yanceyi), and sleek snailfish (Paraliparis em) expand the Liparidae family’s known diversity.
• Two species—the dark and sleek snailfishes—were collected by the submersible Alvin at Station M at about 13,513 feet, while the bumpy snailfish was collected by MBARI’s ROV Doc Ricketts in Monterey Canyon at about 10,722 feet.
• The formal descriptions, based on morphological measurements, micro‑CT imaging, and DNA sequencing, were published August 27, 2025, in the journal Ichthyology & Herpetology.
• The research was led by MBARI in collaboration with SUNY Geneseo, the University of Montana, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, with contributions from expeditions aboard R/V Atlantis and R/V Western Flyer.
• The species names reflect distinct traits and tributes: C. yanceyi honors deep‑sea biologist Paul Yancey, P. em references Station M, and C. colliculi highlights its bumpy skin, underscoring how even well‑studied sites still yield undiscovered life.