Facts about Anglerfish
- 08
Over 200 distinct anglerfish species have been identified in the ocean, with new species still being discovered in deep-sea expeditions every few years.
- 07
Anglerfish teeth are positioned at sharp angles pointing inward, allowing them to trap prey with such efficiency that they rarely need to hunt more than once weekly in the nutrient-scarce deep sea.
- 06
Some deep-sea anglerfish species display sexual dimorphism so extreme that females can be 600,000 times heavier than their diminutive male counterparts.
- 05
Most anglerfish species inhabit depths between 200 and 2,000 meters where water pressure exceeds 20 atmospheres and sunlight cannot penetrate.
- 04
Anglerfish females produce thousands of eggs annually, releasing them in long gelatinous ribbons that can stretch over 35 feet through the deep ocean.
- 03
The anglerfish's bioluminescent lure contains photophores that produce light through a symbiotic relationship with luminescent bacteria living in specialized pouches.
- 02
Male anglerfish permanently fuse to females through a process called sexual parasitism, with the male's eyes and fins eventually degenerating completely.
- 01
In the Mariana Trench at depths exceeding 4,000 feet, female anglerfish can weigh up to 110 pounds while males remain smaller than one pound.