Monkfish description for children. European angler fish: description and types of monkfish

Fried medallions and tender pate, aromatic fillet under cheese sauce and sweet soup - these and many other monkfish delicacies are offered to visitors of expensive European and Asian restaurants. Light, with pinkish veins, low-calorie meat has decent taste.

Behind the strange name “monkfish” is hidden most interesting representative class of ray-finned fish (order of anglerfish). Name inhabitant of oceanic and depths of the sea received for his rather scary appearance, cunning and incredible gluttony.

Description

The order of anglerfish consists of 11 known to science families, including about 120 species of fish. Monkfish fish is among large predators. The catches usually contain individuals up to 1 meter long and weighing up to 10 kg, but there are also two-meter giants weighing up to 40 kg.

The entire order of anglerfish has a disproportionate body: the narrow rear part is flattened laterally, and the wider front part (including the head) is flattened in the dorsoventral direction.

A wide mouth with a slightly protruded lower jaw can open almost the entire circumference of the huge head, which is up to 2/3 of the length of the fish

The structure of the upper and lower jaws (in particular, flexible bones and a movable upper jaw) allow the monkfish to swallow prey that is significantly larger than itself.

Curved inwards complete the unsightly picture. sharp teeth various lengths.
The unique dorsal. It is divided into two independent parts. The back is not of scientific interest: it is soft, located near the tail, its rays are connected by a membrane.

The anterior part of the fin consists of six spiny rays. One of them is at the top of the head, just above the jaw.

The beam (scientifically illicium or catching outgrowth) is directed forward and looks like a kind of fishing rod

Thanks to its catching growth, the monkfish has another name - the anglerfish. In some species, the illicium can be retracted into a special hole on the back. The fish lures food with its own flashlight. It is called “esca”, located at the end of the illicium and is a leathery growth.

In fact, an esca is a mucus-filled gland that is inhabited by living microorganisms. Bacteria exhibit bioluminescence, which requires the presence of oxygen. During the hunt, the angler fish expands the walls of the arteries, providing a flow of oxygen to the gland.

The bacteria glow, creating a series of sequential flashes that attract potential prey

Having sated, the anglerfish narrows the walls of the blood vessels, and the glow stops.

For this feature monkfish is sometimes called lanternfish.

Another nickname for the anglerfish is associated with fins - frogfish.

Powerful muscular pectoral fins, reinforced by skeletal bones, allow the monkfish to move along the bottom like an amphibian: with special jumps or crawling, alternately rearranging the fins

Interesting fact! Nature has endowed only the female monkfish with a fishing rod and flashlight.

Sexual dimorphism and reproductive characteristics

Anatomical differences are manifested not only in the absence of an illicium with an esca in males, that is, the main devices for obtaining food. Dimorphism is, first of all, expressed by a significant difference in the growth of males and females. If the average length of females, depending on the species, varies from 0.5 to 1.5 meters, then male anglerfish have a height of 16 mm to 4 cm.

Scientists have long puzzled over why only females get caught in fishermen's nets. mysterious fish. Males were even credited with some semblance of intelligence, allowing them to avoid captivity.

Gradually, the male fuses with the female with his tongue and lips, and a little later with blood vessels. He loses vital organs (teeth, intestines, eyes) and becomes an appendage of the female, feeding on her blood.

In the photograph, the arrow indicates a male attached to a female. The picture gives an idea of the dimorphism of individuals of different sexes.

Being almost completely dissolved in the female, the male right moment fertilizes eggs

The only function that the male retains is the ability to produce sperm. For this reason, a female often carries up to 4 males.

Females are very fertile. In the spring and summer, they lay up to 3 million eggs. Spawning occurs at a depth of at least 900 m. The eggs are connected into a ribbon-like clutch up to 12 meters long. The mucus-covered ribbon floats freely until the cell walls begin to disintegrate. The hatched larvae live in the surface layer of the reservoir for 2–3 weeks, feeding on pelagic eggs, copepods, and fry of other fish. Only after reaching a length of 8 cm, the juvenile angler fish descends to depth.

Range of the most common species

Observing monkfish is difficult due to the great depths of its habitat. Of the 120 species included in the order Anglerfishes, five are the most studied:

European monkfish: distributed in the Black, Baltic, Barents, North Seas, in the European part of the Atlantic Ocean, and the English Channel. It lives at depths from 18 to 550 meters, where it grows up to 2 meters;
black-bellied monkfish(other names: anglerfish-budegassa, southern european anglerfish): differs from its European counterpart in more modest sizes: 0.5–1 meter. The species' distribution zone is the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean from Great Britain to Senegal (habitat depth 300–650 m). The fish can be found in the Mediterranean and Black Seas at a kilometer depth;
American monkfish: lives in the waters of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean at depths of up to 670 meters. Maximum length American anglerfish 1.2 meters, weight - about 23 kg;
Far Eastern monkfish(yellow or Japanese anglerfish): a one and a half meter monster has chosen the waters of the Japanese, Yellow, and Okhotsk seas. Less common in Pacific Ocean in the area of Japan. Feels comfortable at a depth of 50 meters to 2 kilometers;
Burmese monkfish(Cape anglerfish): lives in the western Indian and southeastern Atlantic oceans at depths of up to 400 meters. The size of the largest individual does not exceed 1 meter.

All species are of commercial importance. If previously monkfish were caught as bycatch, now valuable fish purposefully extracted using nets. Amateurs catch anglerfish with bottom gear using live bait.

How and who does monkfish hunt?

The anglerfish's head has small, close-set eyes, but visual acuity deep sea fish can't boast. However, she does not need to chase prey. Monkfish prefers to ambush near the bottom.
Natural camouflage contributes to successful hunting.

The constantly moving long leathery folds around the monkfish's mouth mislead gullible fish. They mistake them for algae

The fish has no scales. Her body is covered with plaques, spines, tubercles and similar growths. The bare skin is colored in accordance with the general background of the bottom of the habitat. Usually it is brown, black, dark gray and, in some species, light spots are randomly scattered throughout the body.

Interesting fact! While waiting for prey, the monkfish is capable of remaining motionless for a long time and even holding its breath. Pauses between breaths can be up to 2 minutes.

As soon as the inhabitants of the reservoir, attracted by the glow, come close to the mouth, the angler sharply opens its huge mouth and, along with the flow of water, draws in the prey. The victim does not have time to offer resistance: the entire process lasts no more than 6 milliseconds.

The diet of the monkfish consists of various crustaceans, as well as: flounder, eel, stingray, and sometimes small sharks. During the feeding season, the anglerfish may leave its usual depth. Then his prey becomes cod, mackerel, and herring.

There are known cases of fish attacking waterfowl. True, such gluttony costs the life of the angler himself: he dies from feathers stuck in his mouth

The terrifying appearance of the monkfish has given rise to many superstitions and legends. It is widely believed that the anglerfish attacks swimmers. The statement is only partly true. During the period of zhora, the fish rises to the surface of the reservoir and can actually bite a person. The rest of the time, the monkfish prefers to stay at depths beyond the reach of divers.

In the UK, since 2007, there has been a ban on the sale of monkfish meat in supermarkets. This is how environmentalists try to preserve unique fish.

The monkfish or anglerfish, as it is also called, is a predator, sea bottom fish, which belongs to the class of bony fish.

Monkfish fish - quite large predatory fish, which lives at the bottom and can reach a length of about two meters.

European angler fish - monkfish: description and structure

Monkfish is a predatory sea fish that lives at the bottom of the sea. It has a fairly large build and can reach a length of about two meters.

Thus, the weight of one lantern fish can reach about twenty kilograms. At the same time, the body and huge head are quite thick in the horizontal direction. Thus, all types of anglerfish have a wide mouth that is several times larger than their head.

In the features of the structure it is worth noting several characteristic features:

Habitat of the European anglerfish

The European anglerfish is quite common in the oceans and off various coasts. Lantern fish can be found in the Atlantic Ocean. It can live off the coast of Canada and the United States of America. Various varieties monkfish found near the coasts of Japan and Korea.

At the same time, you can find monkfish in the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Yellow Sea, as well as in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the Black Sea.

Monkfish fish can also live in the depths Indian Ocean, which spans the end of Africa. Depending on the habitat, fish can live at different depths. It can be eighteen meters and up to two kilometers.

Monkfish nutrition

Monkfish is a predatory fish. Its diet consists of other fish that live in the water column. Various small fish, such as gerbil or cod, can enter its stomach. It can also feed on small stingrays, sharks and eels. In addition, it can be various crustaceans and mollusks.

Quite often, predators rise closer to the surface of the water, where they can hunt for mackerel or herring. At the same time there have been cases of fish attacking birds that landed on the sea waves.

Each monkfish fish hunts from ambush, having natural camouflage- it may not be noticed in thickets and algae. Thus, it lies on the ocean floor, buried in the soil and hidden in algae. The potential prey grabs the bait, which is located at the end of the monkfish's fishing rod. Thus, the European anglerfish opens its mouth and swallows its prey. At exactly six milliseconds, the prey falls into the predator's mouth. Monkfish fish hunts while long time in ambush. He may hide and hold his breath for several minutes.

Types of European anglerfish

Today, several varieties of European anglerfish are known. Let's look at each of them.

. It is a predatory fish with a body length of up to one meter. The body weight of the fish can reach up to twenty-two kilograms. Moreover, it has a rounded head, which tapers towards the tail. Outwardly, it may resemble a tadpole. The lower jaw is pushed forward - when the predator's mouth is closed, the lower teeth can be seen. At the same time, the upper and lower jaws are dotted with sharp and thin teeth. They can be inclined deep into the mouth and reach a length of two centimeters. Almost all mandibles of monkfish have large size and are arranged in three rows. At the same time, the upper jaw has large teeth that grow only towards the center, and the lateral areas are slightly smaller than the main size. The gills of this fish do not have covers and are located immediately behind the pectoral fins. The fish's eyes are directed upward. In addition, the first ray of the fish has a leathery growth that glows due to the settled bacteria. In this case, the skin of the back and sides can be of different shades, including various spots. This species of fish lives up to thirty years. You can meet it in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. It can live at depths of up to six hundred and seventy meters.
European anglerfish- This the most common type which reaches a length of up to two meters. The weight of the fish can exceed twenty kilograms. The body of the anglerfish is flattened from the back to the belly. Its size can be up to 75% of the total length of the fish. Distinctive feature this fish is his a huge mouth that looks like a crescent moon. Thus, it has several hook-like teeth and a jaw, which, like the first variant, is pushed forward. The gill openings of the European anglerfish are located behind the wide pectoral fins, which allow them to move along the bottom and burrow into it in anticipation of prey. The body of the fish is devoid of scales and has a variety of bone spines and skin growths different lengths and shapes. The hind fins are located opposite the anal fin. All anglerfish have six rays. The color of this fish varies depending on its habitat. As a rule, they occur on the back and sides dark spots, which are colored brown, red and green. The European devil lives exclusively in the Atlantic Ocean. Quite often you can find an anglerfish at a depth of 18 to 550 meters in the Black Sea.
Black-bellied anglerfish quite close to their European relatives. They are small in size and have a relatively wide head. The length of the fish can be from half a meter to one meter. The structure of the jaw apparatus will not differ in any way from individuals of another species. At the same time, the monkfish has a characteristic abdominal part, and its back and sides will be colored pink and gray. Depending on where it lives, its body may have some dark and light spots. The lifespan of fish can be more than twenty-one years. This type of anglerfish is widespread in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean. In Great Britain and Ireland it lives at depths of up to 650 meters. Moreover, it can be found at a depth of up to one kilometer in the waters of the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
is a typical predatory fish that lives in the Sea of Japan, Okhotsk, Yellow and East China Sea. In some cases it can be found in the Pacific Ocean. It can burrow at a depth of fifty meters to two kilometers. In this case, an individual can grow from one and a half meters in length. Like other representatives, he has long tail and curved teeth on the lower jaw. He also has a body yellow color, which is covered with various growths and tubercles, which are colored in a single color brown. The spots will be light in color with a characteristic dark outline. Unlike the back and sides, they are slightly lighter. The back has characteristic light ends.
has a characteristic flattened head and short tail. This fish tail occupies more than a third of the length of the entire body. At the same time, adult lanternfish do not reach a length of more than one meter. Their lifespan is about eleven years. The angler fish lives at a depth of up to four hundred meters in the waters of the Atlantic. Quite often it can be found in the western Indian Ocean and the coast of Namibia. In addition, they can live in the waters of Mozambique and Southern Africa. The body of the Burmese monkfish is slightly flattened towards the belly and covered with fringe and leathery growths. At the same time, at the top of the beam of the lantern fish there is a fin on the back. Outwardly, it resembles a shred. The gill slits are located behind the pectoral fins, slightly below their level. The lower part of the fish is completely white and light.

Each type of lantern fish has its own structural characteristics, as well as its own habitat.

Anglerfish belongs to the suborder Ceratioidei, order Lophiiformes, which includes more than 100 species. It lives in the ocean at depths of 1.5 to 3 km. Its body is spherical, flattened on the sides. The head is huge, occupying more than half of the total length. The mouth is terrifying, with long sharp

teeth. The bare skin is dark in color; spines and plaques are characteristic only of some species. The “fishing rod” that gives the order its name is a modified first ray of the fin located on the back. Only females have it.

It is believed that the angler fish has an ugly shape with bulging eyes. The photo shows it after being raised from the depths. In her typical environment, she looks completely different. And we are assessing the consequences of the huge pressure difference (250 atmospheres) in the water column and on the surface.

The deep-sea anglerfish is an amazing creature. Females are hundreds of times larger than males. The females that were caught and removed from sea water turned out to range from 5 to 100 cm in length, and the males - from 1.6 to 5 cm. This is one of the manifestations of the second is illicium, in common parlance - the fishing rod of females. It is worth noting that it ends glowing due to

bioluminescent bacteria "bait". The angler fish is able to “turn it on and off” by feeding a peculiar gland with blood. Length of illicium different types various. In some, it can lengthen and shorten, luring the prey directly into the hunter's mouth.

The diet of these fish is also amazing. Females eat crustaceans, and occasionally mollusks. Their stomach can increase in size several times. There are cases when they swallowed victims much larger than themselves. Such greed led to death, because... the female was choking on her “dinner”, but could not release it from herself, her long teeth were holding it in. Males, given their small size, also have setaceous jaws.

The angler fish reproduces in the spring and summer. Females lay small eggs, and males fertilize them. From the depths, the eggs float to the surface layer (up to 200 m), where there is more opportunity to feed. This is where the larvae appear. By the time of metamorphosis, the grown juveniles descend to a depth of 1 km. After the transformation, the angler fish will go to even greater depths, where it will reach sexual maturity and live its characteristic life.

Anglerfish is one of the manifestations of diversity natural world. It is no coincidence that this way of existence, which seems wonderful to us, has been developed over centuries. Much remains unknown. Perhaps someday an explanation will be found.

Monkfish is a predatory fish of the order Anglerfishes. This species received the name “monkfish” because of its very unattractive appearance. The fish is edible. The meat is white, dense, boneless. Monkfish is especially popular in France.

Whatever they call them - and monkfish, and sea scorpions, and angler fish, and the European anglerfish. However, there are also several varieties of this miracle fish. And by originality appearance, each type is not inferior to each other. People have never seen devils, but the sea monsters that have risen from the depths resemble creatures from the underworld.

It is worth saying that in aquatic fauna There is also another monkfish - a mollusk, but now we will talk about a representative of ray-finned fish.

In fact, it is just a sea fish - a predator fish with an amazing, unlike anything else appearance. These fish belong to the ray-finned fish, to the order Anglerfishes, to the family Anglerfishes, to the genus Anglerfishes. Now at water depths There are two species of monkfish found on the earth.

Appearance

At the first glance at this creature, a remarkable organ immediately catches your eye - the “fishing rod”. The modified fin really resembles a fishing rod with a luminous float. This ugly monster, sometimes reaching up to two meters in length and 30-40 kilograms, can itself regulate the glow of its float. But there is nothing supernatural about this. In fact, the float is a kind of skin formation, in the folds of which amazing bacteria live. In the presence of oxygen, which they draw from the blood of the anglerfish, they glow. But if the monkfish just had lunch and lay down to take a nap, he does not need a glowing flashlight, and it blocks the access of blood to the fin-fishing rod, and the float goes out until the start of a new hunt.

All appearance the monkfish marks him out as an inhabitant of the deep sea. Elongated body, with an unnatural big head, everything is covered with some kind of growths, vaguely reminiscent of either algae, or tree bark, or some kind of twigs and snags.

The body length of the monkfish is about 2 meters, and the animal weighs almost 20 kilograms. The body has a slightly flattened shape. In general, the anglerfish is not a very pleasant-looking fish. It is all covered with some kind of leathery growths that look similar to driftwood and algae. The head is disproportionately large, the monkfish's mouth and mouth are huge and unpleasant.

Habitat

The habitat of this fish is considered to be Atlantic Ocean. The anglerfish is found off the coast of Europe, off the coast of Iceland. In addition, monkfish were found in the waters Baltic Sea, Black Sea, North Sea and the Barents Sea.

The depth at which these fish usually live is from 50 to 200 meters. Most often they are found at the very bottom, because there is nothing more pleasant for monkfish than just lying quietly on sand or silt. But it is only at first glance that the angler fish is idle. In fact, this is one of the ways of hunting. The animal freezes, waiting for its prey. And when it swims by, it grabs it and eats it.

Nutrition

Mainly, other, usually smaller, fish serve as food for these fish. The monkfish menu consists of Katrans, Silversides, Kalkans, Stingrays and others.

In general, the monkfish is incredibly voracious and therefore boldly rushes even at a seemingly obviously unattainable goal. And in “hungry” moments the sufferer almost complete absence In sight, a large anglerfish rises to the upper layers of water from the depths and at such moments it is capable of attacking scuba divers. You can meet such an inhabitant of the deep sea just at the end of summer, after a grueling hungry spawning, the “devils” go to shallow water, where they eat intensively until the fall, after which they go to wintering in greater depths.

However, compared to sharks, barracudas and octopuses, true sea devils or anglerfish do not pose an immediate danger to humans. Be that as it may, their terrible teeth can disfigure the hand of an unwary fisherman for life. However, the monkfish does much more damage not to humans, but to others commercial species fish Thus, there are legends among fishermen that, having fallen into a fishing net, he ate the fish that got there while he was there.

Reproduction

The male and female anglerfish are so different in appearance and size that until some time experts classified them as different classes. The breeding of monkfish is as special as its appearance and hunting method.

The male anglerfish is several times smaller in size than the female. To fertilize the eggs, he needs to find his chosen one and not lose sight of her. To do this, males simply bite into the female’s body. The structure of the teeth does not allow them to free themselves, and they do not want to.

Over time, the female and male grow together, forming a single organism with common body. Some of the “husband’s” organs and systems atrophy. He no longer needs eyes, fins, or a stomach. Nutrients come through the blood vessels from the “wife’s” body. The male only has to fertilize the eggs at the right moment.

They are usually spawned by the female in the spring. The fertility of the anglerfish is quite high. On average, a female lays up to 1 million eggs. This occurs at depth and looks like a long (up to 10 m) and wide (up to 0.5 m) ribbon. The female can carry several “husbands” on her body so that they fertilize a large number of eggs at the right time.

It should be noted that a female monkfish can simultaneously lay a clutch of about three million eggs. After some time, the eggs are released and travel on their own. sea waters. Turning into larvae, they live closer to the surface of the water for up to four months, and only when they reach a length of 6-8 cm do they sink to the bottom.

Monkfish are not able to compare the feeling of hunger with the size of their prey. There is evidence of an angler catching a fish larger than itself, but being unable to release it due to the structure of its teeth. It happens that a monkfish catches a waterfowl and choke on its feathers, which leads to its death.

Monkfish in cooking

Monkfish is suitable both for frying in pieces and for frying in layers on the grill, or cut into cubes and placed on skewers on the grill. Monkfish is boiled and stewed. The fish is especially popular in France, where the meat of its tail is prepared in many ways, for example with blackcurrant jam or sweet potato, and the head of the devil is used for rich, fatty, multi-spiced soup.

Monkfish meat is highly prized in Japan. Not only meat is eaten, but also liver, fins, skin and stomach.

The Chinese prefer to cook monkfish in a wok. Fillet is fried in oil with rice vinegar and soy sauce, sprinkle with ginger and chili. Then the wok is removed from the heat, the fish is covered with coriander and green onions, stir, serve with rice. Everyone who has tried this dish finds it slightly smoky. It's all a play on spices and the characteristics of the wok. The fish turns out tender and very juicy thanks to quick frying.

In America, monkfish is cooked mainly on the grill. The fish is cut into pieces along with the skin and vertebral bone. Marinate with salt olive oil and rosemary. The oil envelops the pieces of fish and prevents them from drying out. Monkfish is served with grilled vegetables, seasoned lemon juice and olive oil.

In America, they prepare carrot puree with monkfish fillet meatballs. The carrots are boiled until soft, then simmered in heavy cream, chopped with the addition of coriander and salt. The monkfish fillet is crushed, mixed with salt and spices, and formed into meatballs the size of walnut, boil them for a couple. The puree is served in deep plates, with a dozen meatballs placed in each and sprinkled with fresh herbs.

In Korea they make it from monkfish national dish Heh and they cook a sweet and spicy soup, to which they add a lot of vegetables and monkfish (fillet) fried in batter. Monkfish meat, seasoned with hot spices, is placed in rice dough(pancakes) and fried in large quantities oils Fish is served with soy sauce.

In gourmet restaurants in a number of countries you can find dishes where monkfish is presented in the following form. The fish is fried and served, poured over sweet and sour sauce, serve poached fish with lemon and lemon zest, as well as poached fish served with parsley or spinach sauce with cheese. Fry fish with chili pepper, smoked paprika and ginger, simmer white wine, cream sauce, milk, baked with tomatoes, fried, strung on rosemary sprigs.

Monkfish is baked in the form of a roll. The fillet is laid out in a layer on film, the filling is placed on top, for example broccoli, and rolled up. The ends of the film are tied, the roll in this form is lowered into water and the fish is boiled for 10 minutes at a temperature not exceeding 86`C. With this method, the fillet remains soft and juicy, but holds its shape perfectly. Served with fish cream sauce and fried potato medallions.

Monkfish are not often available for free sale, because... already mentioned above, the fish is under state protection and its catch is limited. Unfrozen monkfish can be found in large hypermarkets at a very high price during a certain season or on the market from private sellers (this is in Europe and America). The rest of the time, if fish is sold, it is frozen, but its price is just as high - 20 euros per 1 kg.

Whatever they are called - sea devils, sea scorpions, angler fish, and European anglerfish. However, there are also several varieties of this miracle fish. And in terms of originality of appearance, each of the types is not inferior to each other. People have never seen devils, but the sea monsters that have risen from the depths resemble creatures from the underworld.

In fact, it is just a sea fish - a predator fish with an amazing, unlike anything else appearance.

These fish belong to the ray-finned fish, to the order Anglerfishes, to the family Anglerfishes, to the genus Anglerfishes. Now in the watery depths of the earth there are two varieties of monkfish:

European anglerfish (lat. Lophius piscatorius);
American anglerfish (lat. Lophius americanus).

External appearance of the sea angler

When you first look at this creature, a remarkable organ immediately catches your eye - the “fishing rod”. The modified fin really resembles a fishing rod with a luminous float. This ugly monster, sometimes reaching up to two meters in length and 30-40 kilograms, can itself regulate the glow of its float. But there is nothing supernatural about this. In fact, the float is a kind of skin formation, in the folds of which amazing bacteria live. In the presence of oxygen, which they draw from the blood of the anglerfish, they glow. But if the monkfish just had lunch and lay down to take a nap, he does not need a glowing flashlight, and it blocks the access of blood to the fin-fishing rod, and the float goes out until the start of a new hunt.

The entire appearance of the monkfish reveals him as an inhabitant of the depths of the sea. An elongated body, with an unnaturally large head, all covered with some kind of growths, vaguely reminiscent of either algae, or tree bark, or some kind of twigs and snags.

The sight of a monkfish going out hunting with an open mouth full of sharp teeth certainly makes an indelible impression. The skin on top is bare brown, covered with dark spots, sometimes with a reddish tint, and a light, almost white belly, serve as a good camouflage for the creature on the dark seabed.

Monkfish habitat

Fish of this species are found in seas and oceans around the world. Although its main refuge is still the Atlantic Ocean. Monkfish are also found off the coast of Europe and Iceland. In addition, it is caught in the Black and Baltic, and even in the cold Northern and Barents Seas. This fairly unpretentious bottom-dwelling fish can easily exist in water at temperatures from 0 to 20 degrees.

Anglerfish can live at different depths from 50 to 200 meters. True, there are also specimens that prefer depths of up to 2000 meters.

Hunters from the deep sea

The best way to spend time for an anglerfish is to lie calmly and well-fed on the seabed in sand or silt. But don't let his motionless body fool you. This is a very voracious but patient creature. sea scorpion can lie motionless for hours, tracking and waiting for the appearance of its prey. As soon as some curious fish swims past, the angler instantly grabs it and immediately stuffs it into his mouth.

It should be noted that this fish has an excellent appetite. Very often it feeds on prey that is almost as big as it. Because of this gluttony, unpleasant and even deaths when anglerfish choke on prey that does not fit in their stomach, although its size is truly enormous. Sometimes they rise to the surface of the water and hunt birds, whose feathers, getting stuck in the mouth, can lead to suffocation. After all, having grabbed the victim, the anglerfish can no longer release it due to the specific structure of its teeth.

Monkfish also have another type of hunting. It literally jumps along the bottom with the help of its lower fins and, overtaking the prey, eats it.

Monkfish is a predator, the subject of its hunt are:

small fish;
small sharks - katrans;
small stingrays or their babies;
a variety of waterfowl.

Family life and reproduction of angler fish

Female monkfish are many times larger than males. The role of males is reduced to just fertilizing the eggs. Moreover, they have become so lazy that when they find a female, they cling to her with sharp teeth and remain with her for the rest of their lives. Over the years, some of their organs atrophy, and they become simply appendages of the female that do not need to hunt because they feed through the female’s blood. Sometimes several males approach a female for fertilization. more caviar.

When it comes mating season, the females descend to the depths and release a ribbon of eggs up to 10 meters long. The tape is divided into small hexagonal cells with eggs. It should be noted that a female monkfish can simultaneously lay a clutch of about three million eggs. After some time, the eggs are released and travel on their own in sea waters. Turning into larvae, they live closer to the surface of the water for up to four months, and only when they reach a length of 6-8 cm do they sink to the bottom.

Monkfish as a gastronomic dish

Despite its external ugliness, monkfish meat is very tasty. In Spain and France, dishes made from it are considered a delicacy. Most chefs use only the tail of the fish, but often in restaurants they cook monkfish from the head delicious soup from seafood. Anglerfish meat is prepared in different ways: