Alaska snailfish

The Alaska snailfish, <em>Careproctus colletti</em>, belongs to the family Liparidae — a diverse group of soft-bodied fishes commonly known as snailfishes or sea snails. This saltwater species occupies a broad depth range, recorded from roughly 64 metres to approximately 1,350 metres, spanning sublittoral and bathyal zones of the North Pacific. Adults typically reach around 44 cm in length and can weigh up to 1.2 kg. Snailfishes in the genus <em>Careproctus</em> are generally gelatinous in texture, poorly calcified, and adapted to cold, high-pressure environments where few other species thrive. They are commonly found near or on the seafloor, often associated with soft sediment substrates, and feed on small crustaceans and invertebrates. Details of habitat and range for this species remain limited in the ichthyological literature. The Alaska snailfish is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though its deep-water distribution makes population assessment inherently challenging.