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An incredibly rare 'ghost fish' has been seen alive for the first time ever.

The ethereal deep ocean dweller, measuring just 10cm long, has never before been spotted by researchers, let alone caught on camera.

It lives in the murky depths of the sea - 2km below the surface.

The odd-looking fish is pale, with almost translucent skin and bulbous, glowing eyes.

It is thought to belong to the Aphyonidae family.

Some think the scaly creatures looks like Falcor, the dragon from the cult 1984 movie, 'The NeverEnding Story'.

The elusive fish was filmed by Okeanus Explorer during an expedition of the Northern Mariana Islands, in the Pacific Ocean.

(Image: YouTube/oceanexplorergov)

Dr Bruce Mundy, from the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service , said: “This is just remarkable.

"I am sure that this is an Aphyonid and I am sure that this is the first time a fish of this family has ever been seen alive.

(Image: YouTube/oceanexplorergov)

“This is really an unusual sighting."

He added: "A lot of them are only known from single specimens collected by deep sea trawling or dredges."

(Image: YouTube/oceanexplorergov)

He added seeing the fish was on many experts 'bucket list'.

Ghost fish are eel-like creatures with transparent, gelatinous skin and no scales.

(Image: YouTube/oceanexplorergov)

Their muscles and gills are underdeveloped and their skeletons are only partially calcified.

The Okeanos Explorer team will be conducting research in deep water areas of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

They have been investigating ridges, mud volcanoes, sponge communities, deep sea corals and fish habitats to better understand the extreme life inside the trench.