Scientists say it’s about the size of a soccer ball. It’s an anglerfish called Pacific Footballfish.

UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography says there are only about 30 anglerfish like this one in museums and fish collections around the world.

“Some of them have actually been caught in deep water nets off of California but also off Japan. Even in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. So, all over the Pacific Ocean,” said Ben Frable, Collection Manager of Marine Vertebrates, with Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

Frable says another anglerfish was spotted near Laguna Beach earlier this year, but it’s been 20 years since an anglerfish has been seen off the coast in the San Diego area.