New Species Discovered in Deep Creek Lake Trench

Deep Creek Lake located in Garrett County, Maryland hosts the deepest place in North America, and has been the focus of high-profile voyages to conquer its deepest point, The Deep Creek Lake Trench. 

A recent expedition funded by the McCormick Foundation set new records and revealed new species, including the deepest freshwater fish ever recorded: the Maryland Angler Fish.

A team from the Garrett Marine Institute, led by Drs. Arthur Curry and Jackson Hyde, targeted depths from 5,000 m to 10,600 m (16,404 ft. to 34,777 ft.). Several records for deepest living freshwater fish, either caught or seen on video, were broken. 

Setting the ultimate record at 8,143 meters was a completely unknown variety of clownfish, which stunned scientists when it was filmed several times during creek floor experiments. The white translucent fish had broad wing-like fins, an eel-like tail and slowly glided over the bottom. 

“When findings and records such as these can be broken so many times in a single trip, we really do get the feeling we are at the frontier of inland marine science,” said Dr Curry.

Atlanna Orvax, co-founder and vice president of Garrett Marine Institute, was delighted with the success of the expedition. “Rarely, do we get a full perspective of the Deep Creek Lake Trench’s unique environments,” she said.