Deep-sea lanternfish are some of the most amazing species that inhabit the oceans of our planet. These creatures have special organs that emit light, helping them navigate in the darkness of deep waters. Some of these fish species never see the light of the sun and live at depths of more than 1000 meters. Because of their unusual appearance and luminous body, these fish have always attracted attention and aroused interest among scientists and lovers of marine fauna.
Description of the fish
Monkfish, or fish with a lantern on its head, has an unpleasant appearance, but this does not prevent people in Europe and Asia from considering its meat a delicacy. It is in great demand due to its exquisite taste.
The predator is very common in Atlantic and Indian waters, preferring cool ambient temperatures. Thanks to ocean currents, some representatives are able to find themselves even in subarctic territories. Each of the subspecies of this fish chooses its own habitat.
What does it look like
The nickname "monkfish" arose due to its disconcerting appearance. When you first look at a photograph of this terrible creature, the disproportion of its body immediately catches your eye. The head seems to be more than half of its rounded body, and the wide-open mouth with sharp curved teeth is larger than the head itself.
This “design” allows the deep-sea hunter to absorb massive prey. A striking element in the anglerfish's physique remains its protruding lower jaw, and it almost always remains practically motionless. The “decoration” of its mouth is formed by sharp, inwardly curved teeth.
The color of the monster is inconspicuous (brown, gray or black), so it is difficult to notice. Its mouth is surrounded by seagrass-like folds of skin, which help it blend in with deep-sea algae. Thanks to this, he ambushes his prey. The anglerfish has smooth skin without scales, although some species have small, spiny spines.
This fish with a lantern on its head belongs to the class of bony fish. This is a 100% predator that lives in the depths of the sea. The angler fish can reach 2 meters in length and usually weighs about twenty kilograms. Larger specimens were also found, weighing up to fifty-seven kilograms.
A distinct process grows from the dorsal fin. It is directed towards the upper jaw, this is the rod. There is a leathery pouch on it, which is used by fish as bait. This sac contains mucus with glowing bacteria living inside. The anglerfish can instantly "turn off the lights" to avoid being detected by predators larger than itself.
The most notable thing about lanternfish is the huge discrepancy in size between male and female fish. The female grows up to 2 meters in length. Her vision and sense of smell are limited, so she can only detect large objects. By comparison, males do not exceed four centimeters in length, but have developed sensory organs that help them find a mate.
Flashlight fish have an unusual way of moving, jumping along the seabed, pushing off the seabed with their powerful pectoral fins.
What does it eat?
The angler fish is a predator, so it mainly feeds on other marine life. It often floats to the upper layers of water, where it preys on herring and mackerel. Researchers have recorded cases of anglerfish attacking birds that landed on the water.
The typical diet of these terrible deep-sea monsters includes cod, stingrays, sharks, eels, and a variety of mollusks.
The flashlight fish is an exceptionally talented predator. It has the ability to remain undetectable for long periods of time due to its camouflage features. The monkfish sets out his fishing rod and patiently waits for his catch. When the prey grabs the bait, it is immediately swallowed by the monkfish. This monster differs from other fish in that it can hold its breath for several minutes.
Popular types
Ichthyologists distinguish several types of anglerfish, for example, American and European.The latter is distinguished by a body flattened from the back to the abdomen, reaching 2 m in length and more than twenty kilograms in weight. It has a huge crescent-shaped mouth, and powerful pectoral fins allow it to burrow into the sand. The most common specimens are brown in color and are found only in Atlantic waters.
Black-bellied lampfish share traits with their closest relatives. They have a wide head and a small body size (each is about fifty centimeters in size). The defining feature of this species is the width of its abdominal part, the color of which can be gray or beige. However, they do not have a characteristic fishing rod on their head.
The Burmese variety has a flattened head and a short tail, the maximum length of an individual reaches 100 cm. Its body is covered with a leathery skin, the lower half is white and the upper half is dark.
The frightening appearance of this fish has given rise to a lot of superstitions. Many people believe that monkfish like to prey on swimmers. During periods when the fish is hungry, it floats to the surface and is actually capable of biting a person. However, most often fish with lanterns remain at the bottom and do not come into contact with people.
The popularity of the anglerfish among gourmets due to the delicious taste of its meat has prompted environmentalists to call for a fishing ban to protect the species. In England, its fishing has been prohibited since 2007.
Why does a fish need a light bulb?
The ocean floor is a battleground for survival, as conditions here are far from ideal for living things: cold, dark and under high pressure with low oxygen levels. Edible creatures inhabiting this area are few in number and must be vigilant to avoid becoming prey.
To find food, the predator has to somehow contrive.To do this, the monkfish has a light source at the end of its long dorsal fin, called an illicium. This light is created in a sac filled with mucus. It contains luminescent bacteria. Fish can control the brightness of light by expanding and contracting their vessels; when compressed, they deprive bacteria of oxygen and “quench” them, and when expanded, they allow them to glow again. In this case, the process resembles Morse code signals - these are several short and long flashes.
The hunter also benefits from the difference in external and internal pressure, which creates a strong current of water that pulls the prey directly into its mouth. If the prey, out of a sense of self-preservation, keeps its distance, the predator is able to jump far from its hiding place, using the force of streams of water ejected through the gills.
This monster is constantly hungry. It is capable of absorbing prey that is three times its own size. His stomach adjusts to the right size, but it is not bottomless. In some cases, the hunter dies trying to swallow a prey that is too large, and the teeth directed inward do not allow him to vomit it out of himself.
During the spawning period, when the fish with a light bulb is actively gaining weight, it rises to the surface of the water. There are cases where an anglerfish jumped out of the water to devour a large seabird, but then could not digest the food and died as a result.
The junction of the luminescent sac with the body varies among different species of anglerfish. The Greenland ceratia is able to draw it inside its body when necessary so that it does not interfere with movement. Axel's Thaumatiht holds a flashlight in his mouth.
Reproduction methods
Representatives of this species are distinguished by unique mating behavior. Male and female firefishes are quite different from each other, which led ichthyologists for many years to classify them as two separate species of fish. When the male reaches adulthood, he sets off on a journey in search of a mate. And he is helped in this by a well-developed sense of smell and large eyes.
Ichthyologists don't know exactly how long it takes to spot a female. As soon as the male succeeds, he bites her, digging his jaws firmly into his girlfriend’s body. His mouth and lips completely merge with the body of the narrowed one. It absorbs nutrients from the bride’s body through the vessels that have grown into her body. The male's eyes and jaws stop working, as well as his intestines. Only the heart and gills remain functional - oxygen flows through them.
During spawning, which occurs in winter and spring, the female lays eggs, and the male simultaneously fertilizes them. The eggs come out in the form of a long chain, which can reach nine meters in length.
When the young are about six centimeters long, the fish switch to life at depth. Before this, they stay in the upper layers of water and feed on small crustaceans and larvae.
Interesting: a female anglerfish is capable of holding up to 4 males on her body at the same time.
Can it be kept in an aquarium?
Aquarists are interested in small angler fish, which belong to the clownfish family. They live in subtropical and tropical waters of the Atlantic, as well as in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. As a rule, they stay near the surface of reefs at a depth of up to three hundred meters. On average, these fish grow up to twenty centimeters in length, although their main range is from five to forty centimeters.
As a rule, this fish is relatively inactive in the aquarium and often spends time at rest or in search of food. Despite the lack of movement, it still manages to feed successfully thanks to a bait-like protrusion on its head that attracts prey, after which it is quickly drawn into its mouth.
It is important to remember that clowns require their own separate aquarium. Other species will fall prey to predators. In addition, clown anglers have delicate spines on their skin that can be damaged by other fish or corals.
One fish should have about three hundred liters of water. Fresh fish is an ideal food for such pets, since frozen or specialized food is difficult to introduce into their diet. The amount of food for each fish will have to be calculated separately, but keep in mind that they are not able to stop on their own, so you should not give too much.
Interesting Facts
The name "monkfish" originated from Spanish explorers who were crossing the Atlantic and believed they encountered a sea devil due to the creature's fearsome shape. Now this is what these fish are called in scientific circles.
The extension of the dorsal fin, commonly called the "rod", emits light due to the presence of special bacteria.
Deep fish move along the bottom by jumping thanks to the coordinated movement of the pectoral and ventral fins. They can also jump, throwing water forcefully through their gills.
The European species of anglerfish is caught in large quantities. According to reports, more than twenty thousand tons of this fish are taken out of the water every year. It is considered a delicacy because its unusual taste stands out from other types of fish, and also because there are practically no bones in the fillet.
When the monkfish opens its mouth, it creates a suction force that quickly draws prey and water inside. The jaw of this fish is used exclusively for swallowing food, as its teeth are too fragile to allow chewing and biting.
When caught, the shape of the anglerfish changes. This occurs due to a sudden change in air pressure, which causes the fish's body to expand, causing the eyes to appear more prominent and the lower jaw to protrude more.
The males of these fish differ from all other creatures due to their unusual style of parasitism. To fertilize a female, the male attaches himself to her body and transforms into a sperm-producing organ.
