ANGLERFISH

Anglerfish are fish from the order lophiiformes, they are bony fish that are predatory, using a fleshy stalk growing from the head, as a bioluminescent lure. Anglerfish occur basically worldwide, some are pelagic (living in the open ocean), and some are benthic (living on the bottom of the ocean), and some live just along the continental shelf. Pelagic forms are laterally compressed, where benthic forms are often extremely dorsoventrally compressed.


Fossils have shown that anglerfish lived in the depths of the ocean since 130 million years ago, ranging in color from brown to dark red, and sizes varied from 8.9cm to more than 1 meter, and weights of up 100 lb.


Most adult female anglerfish have a bioluminescent organ called the esca. The organ is used for luring fish to the anglerfish as the lure looks like bioluminescent prey, the prey would come to the lure and the anglerfish would eat the prey. The lure is also used for attracting males, which then attach to the female for the rest of its life providing nutrients for the anglerfish to produce. The source of this glow is from tiny microscopic bacteria which glow.