Deep Sea Angler

An Introduction to the Ferocious Deep Sea Angler

Deep sea angler fishes are widely known for its ingenuous and cunning predatory technique. It is infamous for its spine protrusion on its head that has a lighted tip that flashes on and off that effectively serve as bait for its prey. The light attracts suitable prey to swim closer, which will then be snapped ferociously by the angler’s sharp teeth and overly wide mouth. There are actually over 200 species of deep sea angler that can be found all over the world, and experts are still looking forward to identifying more types that possibly inhabit the great ocean bottom that modern research seldom venture.

Deep sea angler fishes are not contained in any of the special family or genera of fishes. Instead it is spread out into several different families but belong under the same order – Lophiiformes.  With its infamous natural lure, anglers are notorious for its ability to kill and consume its prey without much effort, even those that are twice larger than them. Its jaws can be distended in order to efficiently accommodate larger prey and its body also has thin, flexible bones, which allow its stomach to store larger food.  Between its crafty enticement for its prey and highly adaptable body, even the fastest sea dweller can easily turn out to be yet another succulent dinner for the deep sea angler fish.

True to its name, deep sea angler fishes inhabit the aphotic regions of the sea, so far down that the sun’s rays cannot possibly penetrate. It is interesting to know that the esca or the spine bait on its head is actually a product of a symbiotic relationship with a particular type of bacteria to produce light. The bacteria colonize the esca and make it glow in the dark waters making it a wonderful example of bioluminescence. And since the deep-sea angler has a dark body color, a lot of other predatory fishes would naturally assume that the lighted esca is a suitable prey. This element of surprise makes angler fishes very cunning, and the manmade baits are actually designed to follow the very same concept.

If you have seen pictures of the deep sea angler, you would know right away that it is definitely not one of you docile fishes.  In fact, aside from its unique body structure, it also adapts an equally distinct method of reproduction. The male angler attaches itself to its female counterpart and lives off as a parasite, deriving nourishment from its host and at the same fertilize the egg cells for ovulation. So just when you think fishes are uninterestingly predictable, better think again!

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