Welcome back ghouls and goblins to another episode of Creepy Crawly Halloween. I hope you are ready to enter the mystical, menacing world of the deep sea. Deep in the ocean, so deep that light has never shown on these waters, live creatures more unique and terrifying than anything you can imagine. So grab a friend and hop on board my submarine as we dive deep to learn all about one of these beastly creatures; the Anglerfish.
There are approximately 200 different species of Anglerfish divided up into four different groups: goose-fish, frog-fish, bat-fish, and deep-sea angler. Depending on species, they can range anywhere in size from 7 inches (around 18 cm) to over 4 feet (a little over 1 m) and can weigh up to 110 pounds! They live in the Atlantic and Antarctic oceans deep below the surface, usually around 3,000 feet (approximately 914 m) or more!
Angler fish get their name from the lure located on their head, above their mouth, that is filled with bioluminescent bacteria. Unlike many species that call our beautiful planet home, the female angler fish are larger than the males. Males also lack the lure appendage that gives the species their names. Freakily enough, the male angler fish actually become permanent parasites on the females. The free-swimming male will swim around until it finds a female, will then bite into her with his sharp teeth, and eventually fuse with the female, sharing a blood supply. The male will eventually lose his eyes and all of his internal organs, except for his testes, which are used in mating. Females have been found with up to 6 males attached to them.
Now that we are sufficiently grossed out, or at least I am, let’s talk more about their crazy lures and how they use them. Like I said before, they are attached to their head and hang out above their mouths. These lures are extremely maneuverable and can be moved in any direction. Anglerfish use them to attract prey and identify themselves to other Anglerfish. As soon as the prey wander close enough, they gobble them up with their giant mouths. Because of the size of their mouth, and their flexible bodies, Anglerfish are able to swallow things up to two times their size! This is important because food can be pretty scarce at the bottom of the ocean. Being able to eat things of a wide variety of sizes, and being flexible enough to fit a large amount of food inside their body, allows them to “stock up” during times when there is plenty of food.
Anglerfishes’ lures are filled with Photobacterium, or bioluminescent bacteria. These bacteria are in a symbiotic relationship with the Anglerfish. A symbiotic relationship is when two organisms are in a relationship that benefits them both. In the case of the Anglerfish and Photobacterium, the Anglerfish is able to more easily catch prey, and the Photobacterium gets protection and nutrients from the Anglerfish.
Even though they look like something out of a horror movie, we’ve all gotta admit that the Anglerfish is pretty cool, if not a little disturbing. Personally, I still can’t quite wrap my head around the fact that the male is a parasite and fuses with the female. It’s like something out of a sci-fi movie! What was your favorite thing you learned today? Let me know below!
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