Difference between revisions of "Anglerfish"

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The '''anglerfish''' is a wonder of the deep-sea world. Its [[anatomy]] is unexplainable by [[science]], and its behavior seems perfectly [[intelligent design|designed]] for its [[ecology|ecological]] niche. On the anglerfish's head is a long spindly [[tentacle]] or [[proboscis]], at the end of which is a glowing bulb. The anglerfish hides in the sand at the bottom of the [[ocean]], with only the glowing bulb sticking out. When small fish or plankton approach to investigate the light, the anglerfish opens its maw, lined with thousands of long, pointy, horribly translucent teeth, and the investigator is sucked to its doom.
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[[image:Ceratias holboelli.jpg|thumb|200px|Krøyer's deep sea angler fish, ''Ceratias holboelli'']]
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'''Anglerfish''' are a bony fish found in the most of the world's [[ocean]]s either in deep abyssal waters or on the [[continental shelf]]. They are characterized by a large [[mouth]] and a modified extended spine on the forehead with a long fleshy filament terminating in an irregular growth (known as an esca). The spine and filament resemble a fishing rod which the anglerfish uses to lure prey close to its mouth. The anglerfish wiggles the lure (esca) to attract small fish or shrimps closer to its large mouth and an automatic reflex sucks the prey into its massive mouth when the [[tentacle]] is touched. In some deep-sea varieties the end of the esca may be bioluminescent.  
  
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The anglerfish was first reported in the 1700s by [[pearl]] divers in the [[Pacific]], but it was not until the invention of the [[bathysphere]] in 1928 that [[scientist]]s were able to observe the fish in its natural habitat, and later bring one to the surface for [[dissection]]. It turns out that the anglerfish is in most respects just like an ordinary fish (a [[trout]] or [[halibut]], for example). The only differences are in its glowing proboscis, and in the curious fact that its males are so much smaller than the female (a [[phenomenon]] otherwise observed only in [[spider]]s and [[negro]]es). Some scientists therefore claim that the anglerfish must necessarily have "[[theory of evolution|evolved]]" from an ordinary fish, but that clearly does not explain its spindly glowing bulb, which is not found in common fish.
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Varieties of the genus ''Lophius'', known as monkfish or goosefish, are known for their fine eating properties.
  
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Anglerfish are found in the depths of most of the world's [[ocean]]s. The casual diver is well advised to steer clear of them, since — although the biggest anglerfish is still barely the size of a [[basketball]] — they are extremely ugly. There has never been any report of an anglerfish biting a human; it is apparently only the tiniest denizens of the deep which risk meeting what [[Quentin Reynolds]] has called "death in its most ghastly gob".
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[[Category:Fish]]
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[[Category:Marine]]
 

Latest revision as of 16:42, June 24, 2012

Krøyer's deep sea angler fish, Ceratias holboelli

Anglerfish are a bony fish found in the most of the world's oceans either in deep abyssal waters or on the continental shelf. They are characterized by a large mouth and a modified extended spine on the forehead with a long fleshy filament terminating in an irregular growth (known as an esca). The spine and filament resemble a fishing rod which the anglerfish uses to lure prey close to its mouth. The anglerfish wiggles the lure (esca) to attract small fish or shrimps closer to its large mouth and an automatic reflex sucks the prey into its massive mouth when the tentacle is touched. In some deep-sea varieties the end of the esca may be bioluminescent.

Varieties of the genus Lophius, known as monkfish or goosefish, are known for their fine eating properties.

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