Anglerfish
An anglerfish is a marine fish that belongs to the order Lophiiformes. Anglerfish are noted for having a bait-like appendage in front of their heads, right above their mouths.[1]
| Lophiiformes | |
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| Melanocetus johnsonii | |
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| Order: | Lophiiformes
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The appendage, which resembles a fishing pole, is attached to the end of the dorsal fin's front spine, which is separated from the rest of the fin. Anglerfish light their rod with bioluminescence (their own light) and then wiggle it to mimic a small marine animal. When other creatures come to eat the small marine animal, the anglerfish eats them. They are called anglerfish because they catch fish with bait, just like anglers, who use a rod and line (rather than nets).
One of the families, the Ceratiidae, has an extraordinary mating system where the male actually fuses into the female.
Evolution
A mitochondrial genome phylogenetic study suggested that anglerfishes diversified in a short period of the Lower Cretaceous, between 130 and 100 million years ago.[2]
Description
These carnivorous beasts can be dark brown in color and 2–18 cm long. They have sharp teeth angled inward for gripping prey efficiently.
The appendage
Anglerfish have a special appendage called the esca (derived from Latin ēsca, meaning "bait"). It is used to lure prey to their mouths. Then the anglerfish simply chomp them down.
Species info
Humpback anglerfish
The humpback anglerfish is a black seadevil discovered and named after James Yate Johnson.
Two-rod anglerfish
The two-rod anglerfish has a unique feature; instead of just one rod, it has "two" rods, hence its name. It lives in the Indo-Pacific.
Atlantic footballfish
The Atlantic footballfish is called that because of its globose shape, which is like a soccer ball. It is not literally limited to the Atlantic Ocean.
Human uses
Usage as food
Anglerfish is eaten in western Europe, eastern North America, Africa, and East Asia. It is also a good source of collagen.
Anglerfish Media
Pediculati plate, Le Règne Animal. Toadfish (Batrachoididae) such as Batrachoides surinamensis (middle) are no longer considered close to anglerfish
The sargassumfish (Histrio histrio, 20 cm (7.9 in) TL) is a frogfish well-adapted to live among sargassum
Striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus), displaying the worm-like esca at the top left
Skeleton of the anglerfish Lophius piscatorius: The first spine of the dorsal fin of the anglerfish acts as a fishing rod with a lure.
- Red-lipped Bat fish.jpg
Red-lipped batfish "standing" on the benthos
- Ankimo4.jpg
Ankimo, salted monkfish liver
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Related pages
References
- ↑ "Anglerfish, Anglerfish pictures, Anglerfish facts - National Geographic". animals.nationalgeographic.com. 2011. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
- ↑ Miya M.et al. 2010. Evolutionary history of anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes): a mitogenomic perspective. BMC evolutionary biology 10: 58. PMID 20178642
