A group of international researchers have captured rare footage of a strange sea devil with swollen eyes. The video was shot in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) at a depth of 373 meters.

The video shows how this enigmatic creature uses its jointed pectoral and ventral fins to safely navigate the rocky ocean floor. And finally he turns and looks at the camera.

Scientists believe that this is some unknown species of the family Lophiidae – marine ray-finned fish. Its representatives can live at depths of up to 900 meters. They are distinguished by their large heads, reddish-brown color and bristles compared to short flattened bodies.

The fins of these creatures have modified joints that can be rotated and used as feet. Their wide mouths allow them to swallow prey their own size. The diet consists mainly of fish, but they sometimes eat crustaceans such as lobsters. It has even been reported that arctic seabirds can be eaten at shallow depths.

Rays lead a sedentary lifestyle. During the hunt, they hide at the bottom of the sea and wait for the victim to approach them. Then they make a sharp move towards him and put him in his mouth. Fishermen called them “sea devils” because of their terrifying appearance. They can grow up to 1.4 meters in length and weigh around 22 kilograms. Source