KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 -- The blobfish, once labelled the "world's ugliest animal", has now won New Zealand's Fish of the Year, beating contenders like the longfin eel and pygmy pipehorse in the annual competition.

The Guardian reported that the deep-sea species, Psychrolutes marcidus, is found in the highly pressurised depths off the coasts of New Zealand and Australia.

Unlike most fish, it lacks a swim bladder, full skeleton, muscles, or scales. Instead, its body is made of gelatinous tissue with a lower density than water, allowing it to float just above the seafloor.

Believed to have a lifespan of up to 130 years, the blobfish is slow-moving and relies on an ambush strategy to catch prey.

"It sort of sits there and waits for prey ...