Fish of the Month: The Abyssal Assfish

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, there is indeed a fish called the Abyssal Assfish. It lives in the deepest parts of the ocean’s abyss, at depths up to 8000 meters. This explains the first part of the Abyssal Assfish’s name. Where the second part of its name comes from, I don’t know. Is it fair by the scientists naming this fish (in this case a certain Mr. Günther, in 1878) to name a fish like that? I don’t know. Does the fish care? I am not sure, either.

The Abyssal Assfish (scientific name: Bassozetus compressus) is very rare, with only few individuals ever recovered from deep-sea trawls. It is a member of the family of the Cusk-eels.

And, yes, there is a pretty funny (I think, though I am biased) chapter about unusual scientific names in my book “Sex, Drugs and Scuba Diving” – featuring an insect named after one of history’s greatest asses.