New Species Of Fish Discovered Near Chile; Learn How You Can Name The Fish

A new species of fish was discovered near Chile and scientists are now recruiting the general public to help name it. The fish was discovered in the Desventuradas Islands near San Félix Island off the coast of Chile in February.

"We got closer and tried to focus and zoom our video camera to get a closer look, but the spots darted into a hole and disappeared as soon as our submarine lights were on them," Enric Sala wrote in an email, the National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence.

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Images of the fish reveal that it has a fluorescent hue: The body of the fish is orange while the fins, head and tail are neon yellow. Even more captivating is the fish's royal blue eyes. According to the explorers who found the fish, they studied physical specimens and found that it is, indeed, a new species.

"Ours was the first deep-sea exploration of the deep habitats of the Desventuradas Islands with a submarine," said Enric Sala, the explorer who discovered the fish. "Of course, we could not know what we were going to find, That's the magic of exploration."

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As for naming the fish, the scientific naming process is typically very time consuming and can take anywhere from six months to one year. Most organisms on our planet have two names: One is a two-part Latin moniker that includes genus and species (translation: scientific name) and the other is a common name.

"There are parts of science and discovery that should be conducted also by citizens," wrote Sala. "If people can name planets, they should be able to name animals, too."

Curious on how you can name the fish? National Geographic Society has a contest ending August 26 and the winner will receive a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Islands. Click here to submit your entry in the comment box.

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