Researchers used MBARI's advanced underwater technology to discover a new species of deep-sea snailfish, and it's utterly adorable!

Is it downright adorable, or is it so ugly it's cute? Either way, this newly discovered pink fish has the makings to survive in one of the darkest, coldest places on earth, and its pink, bumpy face is capturing hearts across the country.

It is nicknamed the Bumpy Snailfish (Careproctus colliculi). It was discovered approximately 62 miles (100 km) off the coast of Monterey Bay, California, according to a study published by the journal BioOne on Aug. 27.

Two other black snailfishes, the Dark Snailfish (Careproctus yanceyi) and the Sleek Snailfish (Paraliparis em), were discovered on a diving expedition 186 miles (300 km) off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, at Station M, a deep-sea research observatory near the coast.

"There are many reasons that we're excited about this discovery," Mackenzie Gerringer, the lead researcher of the study and an associate professor at the State University of New York at Geneseo, told USA TODAY. "One is because it's always exciting to meet a new neighbor that we share our planet with. These fishes also really highlight the diversity of snailfishes in the abyss. So we know that they live in shallow waters."

Labubu of the deep sea? More details on what a Bumpy Snailfish is

The Bumpy Snailfish is a snailfish species that inhabits the deep sea near the coast of California. It's characterized by its distinctive pink, bumpy body. It was discovered at a depth of 10,718 feet (3,267 meters), according to the study.

Its big head and eyes, along with its colorful body, can be compared to a Labubu, the viral toy that many have become obsessed with in recent months.

Video of the fish shows it swimming in the deep sea, with its many fins along its body.

"The bumpy snail fish was discovered on an expedition by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute," said Gerringer. The aquarium "used what's called a remotely operated vehicle. It's an underwater robot that explores these deep-sea habitats."

The Bumpy Snailfish has a round head, large eyes and a large suction disk, and is pink in color.

The fish also has a gelatinous body and bumps that are "soft protrusions" on its skin, according to Gerringer.

"Many deep-sea fishes are kind of gooey," Gerringer said. "So under the skin, these snailfishes and other deep-sea fishes have this kind of gelatinous, watery tissue, and we think that helps them to maintain buoyancy in the deep sea."

Researchers still don't know why it's bumpy, but hope to uncover that soon. The pink color, however, could be an "evolutionary leftover or kind of a fading of color," said Gerringer.

It doesn't need to camouflage in its habitat since it's so dark below the water, and it wouldn't be visible otherwise.

While its color could possibly be unnecessary, "it makes them quite charming."

Two other snailfishes described in the study were found on the same dive

The Dark Snailfish and the Sleek Snailfish were discovered at a research site called Station M, according to Gerringer. Scientists have been visiting and studying the site for over 30 years to observe how it changes over time.

One of the fishes, the Sleek Snailfish, was actually named in honor of the research site, according to Garringer.

"It takes a lot of people to do that time series research, and it's so valuable to know how ecosystems are changing over time, by season and with climate change," Garringer said. "So we named the Sleek Snailfish 'Paraliparis em' to honor the researchers who are committed to that work."

Both of the fishes were discovered on the same dive, around 13,514 feet under the ocean's surface.

"Even though that is one of the better studied sites in the deep sea, we're still finding not only new species, but new charismatic vertebrates, relatively large species," said Garringer. "So I think it really highlights how much we still have to learn."

Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers all things Labubu and Pop Mart. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Labubu of the deep sea? Meet this cute, pink snailfish just discovered

Reporting by Julia Gomez, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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