The angler fish is an amazing creation of nature. The most incredible deep sea fish on earth

Angler, or an anglerfish is a predatory sea bottom fish that belongs to the class ray-finned fish, subclass new-finned fish, infraclass bony fish, order anglerfish, suborder anglerfish, family anglerfish, genus anglerfish (large anglerfish), or monkfish(lat. Lophius).

Etymology of the Latin name monkfish not fully understood. Some scientists are of the opinion that it comes from a modified Greek word "λοφίο", meaning a ridge that resembles the jaws of this fish. Other researchers associate it with a kind of ridge running along the entire back. The popular name “anglerfish” appeared due to the long and modified first ray dorsal fin, equipped with a bait (eska) and resembling a fisherman's fishing rod. And thanks to the unusual and unattractive appearance of the predator’s head, it was nicknamed “monkfish”. Due to the fact that angler fish can move along the seabed, pushing off from it with slightly modified fins, in some countries fishermen call them.

Monkfish (fish) – description, structure, photo. What does monkfish look like?

Sea devils are fairly large predatory fish that live on the bottom and reach a length of 1.5-2 meters. The weight of monkfish is 20 kilograms or more. The body and huge head with small gill slits are quite strongly flattened in the horizontal direction. In almost all species of anglerfish, the mouth is very wide and opens almost over the entire circumference of the head. The lower jaw is less mobile than the upper jaw and is slightly pushed forward. Predators are armed with quite large sharp teeth, which are bent inward. Thin and flexible jaw bones enable fish to swallow prey that is almost twice their size.

The monkfish's eyes are small, set close together, and located on the top of the head. The dorsal fin consists of two parts separated from each other, one of which is soft and shifted towards the tail, and the second is folded into six rays, three of which are located on the head itself, and three immediately behind it. The anterior spiny ray of the dorsal fin is strongly shifted towards the upper jaw and represents a kind of “rod”; on its top there is a leathery formation (esca), in which luminous bacteria live, which are bait for potential prey.

Due to the fact that the pectoral fins of the monkfish are reinforced by several skeletal bones, they are quite powerful and allow the fish not only to burrow into the bottom soil, but also to move along it by crawling or using peculiar jumps. The pelvic fins are less in demand during the movement of the angler fish and are located on the throat.

It is noteworthy that the body of the anglerfish, painted in dark gray or dark brown colors (often with chaotically located light spots), is covered not with scales, but with various spine-like projections, tubercles, and long or curly leathery fringe, similar to algae. This camouflage allows the predator to easily set up an ambush in thickets of algae or on a sandy bottom.

Where does the anglerfish (monkfish) live?

The distribution area of the genus of anglerfish is quite extensive. It includes the western waters of the Atlantic Ocean, which washes the shores of Canada and the United States of America, the eastern Atlantic, whose waves crash against the shores of Iceland and the British Isles, and the cooler depths of the North, Barents and Baltic seas. Certain species of monkfish are found near the coasts of Japan and Korea, in the waters of the Okhotsk and Yellow Seas, in the Eastern part Pacific Ocean and in the Black Sea. Anglerfish also live in the depths of the Indian Ocean, which covers the southern tip of the African continent. Depending on the species, sea devils live at depths from 18 meters to 2 kilometers or more.

What does monkfish (anglerfish) eat?

In terms of feeding, sea devils are predators. The basis of their diet consists of fish that live in the bottom layer of water. The stomachs of anglerfish include gerbils and small stingrays and small sharks, eels, flounders, cephalopods(squid, cuttlefish) and various crustaceans. Sometimes these predators rise closer to the surface of the water, where they hunt for herring or mackerel. Including cases where anglerfish even attacked birds peacefully rocking on the sea waves.

All sea devils hunt from ambush. Thanks to natural camouflage they cannot be noticed when they lie motionless on the bottom, buried in the ground or hidden in thickets of algae. Potential prey is attracted by a luminous bait, which is located at the end of a kind of fishing rod - an elongated ray of the anterior dorsal fin. The moment a passing crustacean, invertebrate or fish touches the esky, the monkfish sharply opens its mouth. As a result of this, a vacuum is formed, and a stream of water, along with the victim, who does not have time to do anything, rushes into the mouth of the predator, because the time it takes does not exceed 6 milliseconds.

Taken from the site: bestiarium.kryptozoologie.net

While waiting for prey, the monkfish fish is capable of for a long time remain absolutely still and hold your breath. The pause between breaths can last from one to two minutes.

Previously, it was believed that a monkfish “fishing rod” with bait, movable in all directions, served to attract prey, and anglers opened their big mouth only when you touch the esque of curious fish. However, scientists were able to establish that the mouth of predators automatically opens, even if any object passing by touches the bait.

Angler fish are quite greedy and gluttonous. This often leads to their death. Having a mouth and a stomach large sizes, the monkfish is capable of capturing fairly large prey. Because of the sharp and long teeth, the hunter cannot let go of his prey, which does not fit in his stomach, and chokes on it. There are known cases when fishermen found prey in the belly of a caught predator that was only 7-10 cm smaller than the monkfish itself.

Types of sea devils (anglerfish), names and photos.

The genus of anglerfish (lat. Lophius) currently includes 7 species:

Lophius americanus (Valenciennes, 1837) – American anglerfish (American monkfish)
Lophius budegassa (Spinola, 1807) – black-bellied anglerfish, or southern European anglerfish, or budegassa anglerfish
Lophius gastrophysus (Miranda Ribeiro, 1915) – Western Atlantic anglerfish
Lophius litulon (Jordan, 1902) – Far Eastern monkfish, yellow anglerfish, Japanese anglerfish
Lophius piscatorius (Linnaeus, 1758) – European monkfish
Lophius vaillanti (Regan, 1903) – South African anglerfish
Lophius vomerinus (Valenciennes, 1837) – Cape (Burmese) monkfish

Below is a description of several types of anglerfish.

– this is dimersal (bottom) predatory fish, having a length from 0.9 m to 1.2 m with a body weight of up to 22.6 kg. Thanks to its huge rounded head and body tapering towards the tail, the American anglerfish resembles a tadpole. The lower jaw of the large wide mouth is strongly pushed forward. It is noteworthy that even with its mouth closed, this predator’s lower teeth are visible. Both the upper and lower jaws are literally studded with sharp thin teeth, inclined deep into the mouth and reaching a length of 2.5 cm. Interestingly, in the lower jaw, almost all monkfish teeth big size and are arranged in three rows. On the upper jaw, large teeth grow only in the center, and in the lateral areas they are smaller, and there are also small teeth at the top of the oral cavity. The gills, lacking covers, are located immediately behind the pectoral fins. The eyes of the monkfish are small and point upward. Like all anglerfish, the first ray is elongated and has a leathery growth that glows due to the bacteria that have settled there. The leathery coverings of the back and sides are colored chocolate brown in various shades and covered with small light or dark spots, while the belly is dirty white. The lifespan of this species of monkfish can reach 30 years. The distribution area of the American anglerfish includes the northwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean with depths of up to 670 m, stretching from the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Quebec to the northeastern coast of the North American state of Florida. This predator thrives in waters with temperatures from 0°C to +21°C on sandy, gravel, clay or silty bottom sediments, including those covered with destroyed shells of dead mollusks.

reaches a length of 2 meters, and the weight of individual individuals exceeds 20 kg. The entire body of these predators is flattened from the back to the belly. The size of the wide head can be 75% of the length of the entire fish. The European monkfish has a huge crescent-shaped mouth with big amount thin, pointed, slightly hooked teeth, and a lower jaw that is significantly pushed forward. Slit-like gill openings are located behind the wide, bone-reinforced skeleton pectoral fins, which allow European anglerfish to move along the bottom or burrow into it. The soft, scaleless body of these bottom fish covered with a variety of bone spines or leathery growths of various lengths and shapes. The same “decorations” in the form of a beard border the jaws and lips, as well as lateral surface European monkfish heads. The posterior dorsal fin is located opposite the anal fin. The anterior dorsal fin consists of 6 rays, the first of which is located on the anglerfish’s head and can reach a length of 40-50 cm. At its top there is a leather “bag” that glows in the dark layers of bottom water. The color of individuals varies somewhat depending on the habitat of these fish. The back and sides, covered with dark spots, can be colored brown, reddish or greenish-brown, in contrast to the belly, which is white. The European monkfish lives in the Atlantic Ocean, which washes the shores of Europe, from the coast of Iceland to the Gulf of Guinea. These “cute creatures” can be found not only in the cold waters of the Northern, Baltic and Barents seas or in the English Channel, but also in the warmer Black Sea. European anglerfish live at depths from 18 to 550 m.

In structure and shape, this species of marine fish is very close to its European relative, but unlike it, it has a more modest size and a head that is not so wide relative to the body. The length of the monkfish ranges from 0.5 to 1 meter. The structure of the jaw apparatus is no different from individuals of other species. This species of monkfish gets its name from its distinctive black abdomen, while its back and sides are colored in varying shades of reddish brown or pinkish gray. Depending on their habitat, the body of some individuals may be covered with dark or light spots. The leathery outgrowths of a yellowish or light sandy color that border the jaws and head of the black-bellied anglerfish are short in length and located quite sparsely. The lifespan of the black-bellied monkfish does not exceed 21 years. This species is widespread in the waters of the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean throughout the entire space - from Great Britain and Ireland to the coast of Senegal, where the monkfish lives at depths from 300 to 650 m. The black-bellied anglerfish can also be found in the waters of the Mediterranean and Black Seas at depths of up to 1 kilometer

is a typical inhabitant of the waters of the Sea of Japan, Okhotsk, Yellow and East China Seas, as well as a small part of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan, where it is found at depths ranging from 50 m to 2 km. Individuals of this species grow up to 1.5 meters in length. Like all representatives of the genus Lophius, the Japanese monkfish has a horizontally flattened body, but unlike its relatives it has more a long tail. Sharp teeth curved towards the throat in the lower, forward jaw are arranged in two rows. The leathery body of the yellow anglerfish, covered with numerous outgrowths and bony tubercles, is colored in a single color. Brown color, over which light spots with darker outlines are randomly scattered. Unlike the back and sides, the belly of Far Eastern monkfish is light. The dorsal, anal and pelvic fins are dark in color, but have light tips.

Cape Anglerfish, or Burmese monkfish, (lat. Lophius vomerinus) It is distinguished by a huge flattened head and a rather short tail, occupying less than one third of the length of the entire body. The size of adult individuals does not exceed 1 meter. Their life expectancy is no more than 11 years. The Cape anglerfish lives at depths of 150 to 400 m in the southeastern Atlantic and western Indian Ocean, along the coasts of Namibia, Mozambique and Republic of South Africa. The light brown body of the Burmese monkfish is strongly flattened from the back towards the abdomen and covered with a fringe of numerous leathery growths. The esca, located at the top of the long first ray of the dorsal fin, resembles a flap. The gill slits are located behind the pectoral fins and just below their level. The lower part of the body (abdomen) is lighter, almost white.

Seas and oceans occupy more than half the area of our planet, but they are still shrouded in mysteries for humanity. We strive to conquer space and are looking for extraterrestrial civilizations, but at the same time, only 5% of the world's oceans have been explored by humans. But this data is enough to be horrified by what creatures live deep underwater, where sunlight does not penetrate.

The chauliod family includes 6 species of deep-sea fish, but the most common of them is the common hauliod. These fish live in almost all waters of the world's oceans, with the only exceptions being the cold waters of the northern seas and the Arctic Ocean.

Chauliodas got their name from the Greek words “chaulios” - open mouth, and “odous” - tooth. Indeed, these relatively small fish(about 30 cm in length) teeth can grow up to 5 centimeters, which is why their mouth never closes, creating a creepy grin. Sometimes these fish are called sea vipers.

Howliods live at depths from 100 to 4000 meters. At night they prefer to rise closer to the surface of the water, and during the day they descend into the very abyss of the ocean. Thus, during the day, fish make huge migrations of several kilometers. With the help of special photophores located on the hauliod's body, they can communicate with each other in the dark.

On the dorsal fin of the viper fish there is one large photophore, with which it lures its prey directly to its mouth. After which, with a sharp bite of needle-sharp teeth, the hauliods paralyze the prey, leaving it no chance of salvation. The diet mainly includes small fish and crustaceans. According to unreliable data, some individuals of hauliods can live up to 30 years or more.

The longhorned sabertooth is another fearsome deep-sea predatory fish that lives in all four oceans. Although the saber tooth looks like a monster, it grows to a very modest size (about 15 centimeters in length). The head of the fish with a large mouth occupies almost half the length of the body.

The long-horned sabertooth got its name due to its long and sharp lower fangs, which are the largest in relation to body length among all fish known to science. The terrifying appearance of the sabertooth earned it the unofficial name - “monster fish”.

Adults can vary in color from dark brown to black. The younger representatives look completely different. They are light gray in color and have long spines on their heads. The sabertooth is one of the deepest-sea fish in the world; in rare cases, they descend to depths of 5 kilometers or more. The pressure at these depths is enormous, and the water temperature is about zero. There is catastrophically little food here, so these predators hunt for the first thing that gets in their way.

The size of the deep-sea dragon fish absolutely does not fit with its ferocity. These predators, which reach a length of no more than 15 centimeters, can eat prey two or even three times its size. The dragon fish lives in tropical zones The world's oceans at a depth of up to 2000 meters. The fish has a large head and a mouth equipped with many sharp teeth. Like the Howlyod, the dragonfish has its own bait for prey, which is a long whisker with a photophore at the end, located on the fish's chin. The hunting principle is the same as for all deep-sea individuals. Using a photophore, the predator lures the victim to the closest possible distance, and then with a sharp movement inflicts a fatal bite.

The deep-sea anglerfish is rightfully the ugliest fish in existence. There are about 200 species of anglerfish, some of which can grow up to 1.5 meters and weigh 30 kilograms. Because of its creepy appearance and bad character, this fish was nicknamed the monkfish. Deep-sea anglerfish live everywhere at depths from 500 to 3000 meters. The fish has a dark brown color, a large flat head with many spines. The devil's huge mouth is studded with sharp and long teeth curved inward.

Deep-sea anglerfish have pronounced sexual dimorphism. Females are tens of times larger than males and are predators. Females have a rod with a fluorescent appendage at the end to attract fish. Anglerfish spend most of their time on the seabed, burrowing into sand and silt. Due to its huge mouth, this fish can completely swallow prey that is twice its size. That is, hypothetically, a large individual anglerfish could eat a person; Fortunately, there have never been such cases in history.

Probably the most strange inhabitant depths of the sea You can call it a bagmouth or, as it is also called, a pelican-shaped largemouth. Due to its abnormally huge mouth with a bag and a tiny skull in relation to the length of the body, the bagmouth looks more like some kind of alien creature. Some individuals can reach two meters in length.

In fact, bagmouths belong to the class of ray-finned fish, but these monsters do not have too many similarities with the cute fish that live in warm sea backwaters. Scientists believe that appearance These creatures changed many thousands of years ago due to their deep-sea lifestyle. Bagmouths have no gill rays, ribs, scales or fins, and the body is oblong with a luminous appendage on the tail. If it were not for the large mouth, the bagmouth could easily be confused with an eel.

Bagworms live at depths from 2000 to 5000 meters in three world oceans, except the Arctic Ocean. Since there is very little food at such depths, bagmouths have adapted to long breaks in eating, which can last more than one month. These fish feed on crustaceans and other deep-sea brethren, mainly swallowing their prey whole.

The elusive giant squid, known to science as Architeuthis dux, is the world's largest mollusc and is thought to reach a length of 18 meters and weigh half a ton. On this moment A live giant squid has never yet fallen into human hands. Until 2004, there were no documented sightings of live giant squid at all, and general idea about these mysterious creatures It was based only on the remains washed ashore or caught in fishermen’s nets. Architeuthis live at depths of up to 1 kilometer in all oceans. Besides gigantic size these creatures have the largest eyes among living creatures (up to 30 centimeters in diameter).

So in 1887, the largest specimen in history, 17.4 meters long, washed up on the shores of New Zealand. In the next century, only two large dead representatives of the giant squid were discovered - 9.2 and 8.6 meters. In 2006, Japanese scientist Tsunami Kubodera managed to capture on camera a living female 7 meters long. natural environment habitat at a depth of 600 meters. The squid was lured to the surface by a small bait squid, but an attempt to bring a live specimen on board the vessel was unsuccessful - the squid died from multiple injuries.

Giant squids are dangerous predators, and their only natural enemy is adult sperm whales. There are at least two described cases of fight between squid and sperm whale. In the first, the sperm whale won, but soon died, suffocated by the giant tentacles of the mollusk. The second battle took place off the coast South Africa, then the giant squid fought with the baby sperm whale, and after an hour and a half fight, he still killed the whale.

Giant isopod, known to science, like Bathynomus giganteus, is the largest species of crustacean. The average size of a deep-sea isopod ranges from 30 centimeters, but the largest recorded specimen weighed 2 kilograms and was 75 centimeters long. In appearance, giant isopods are similar to woodlice, and similar giant squid are a consequence of deep-sea gigantism. These crayfish live at a depth of 200 to 2500 meters, preferring to bury themselves in silt.

The body of these creepy creatures is covered with hard plates that act as a shell. In case of danger, crayfish can curl into a ball and become inaccessible to predators. By the way, isopods are also predators and can feast on a few small deep-sea fish and sea cucumbers. Powerful jaws and durable armor make the isopod a dangerous opponent. Although giant crayfish love to feast on live food, they often have to eat the remains of shark prey that fall from upper layers ocean.

The coelacanth or coelacanth is a large deep-sea fish whose discovery in 1938 became one of the most important zoological finds of the 20th century. Despite its unattractive appearance, this fish is notable for the fact that for 400 million years it has not changed its appearance and body structure. In fact, this unique relict fish is one of the oldest living creatures on planet Earth, which existed long before the appearance of dinosaurs.

Coelacanth lives at a depth of up to 700 meters in the waters of the Indian Ocean. The length of the fish can reach 1.8 meters and weigh more than 100 kilograms, and the body has a beautiful blue tint. Since coelacanth is very slow, it prefers to hunt at great depths, where there is no competition with more fast predators. These fish can swim backwards or belly up. Despite the fact that the meat of the coelcanth is inedible, it is often the target of poaching among local residents. Currently ancient fish is in danger of extinction.

The deep sea goblin shark, or goblin shark as it is also called, is the most poorly studied shark to date. This species lives in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean at a depth of up to 1300 meters. The largest specimen was 3.8 meters long and weighed about 200 kilograms.

The goblin shark got its name due to its eerie appearance. Mitsekurina has movable jaws that move outward when bitten. The goblin shark was first accidentally caught by fishermen in 1898, and since then 40 more specimens of this fish have been caught.

Another relic representative sea abyss is a one-of-a-kind detritivore cephalopod that has external resemblance, both with squid and octopus. Yours unusual name the hellish vampire received thanks to the red body and eyes, which, however, depending on the lighting, can be blue color. Despite their terrifying appearance, these strange creatures They grow only up to 30 centimeters and, unlike other cephalopods, they eat exclusively plankton.

The body of the hellish vampire is covered with luminous photophores, which create bright flashes of light that scare away enemies. In case of exceptional danger, these small mollusks turn their tentacles along the body, becoming like a ball with spikes. Hellish vampires live at depths of up to 900 meters, and can thrive in water with an oxygen level of 3% or lower, critical for other animals.

I’ll tell you today about one creepy but charming inhabitant of the depths of the sea - deep sea anglerfish . When you mention this creature, you immediately remember a scene from the cartoon about Nemo the fish.

This picture is not far from the truth :)

Deep sea anglerfish or ceratiformes (lat. Ceratioidei) - a suborder of deep-sea fish from the order of anglerfish, whose representatives live at great depths of the World Ocean.

Deep-sea anglerfish constantly live at a depth of about 1500 - 3000 m. They are characterized by a spherical, laterally flattened shape and the presence of a “fishing rod” in females. Their bare skin is black or dark brown; in some species, the skin may be covered with transformed scales - spines and plaques.

Traditionally it is believed that deep sea fish have bloated bodies with bulging eyes and ugly shapes, but they are not. Deep-sea fish take on the appearance of bloated bodies when they are raised to the surface in fishing nets, due to excess internal pressure, which at depths of 1500-3000 meters is 150-300 atmospheres.

Anglerfish are characterized by pronounced sexual dimorphism. Females are much larger than males and are predators. They have a large mouth, powerful teeth and a highly stretchable stomach. The first ray of the dorsal fin of females is transformed into a “fishing rod” (illicium) with a luminous “bait” (esca) at the end. But sexual dimorphism is most pronounced in size. The length of females varies from 5 cm to 1 m, the length of males - from 16 mm to 4 cm.

Illicium in females various types varies in shape and size and is equipped with various skin appendages. In some species, the illicium is capable of extending and retracting into a special canal on the back. Luring in prey, the anglerfish gradually moves the luminous bait towards its mouth until it swallows its prey.

The luminous organ is a gland filled with mucus containing bioluminescent bacteria. Thanks to the expansion of the walls of the arteries that supply the gland with blood, the fish can arbitrarily cause the glow of bacteria, which require an influx of oxygen for this, or stop it, narrowing the vessels. Typically, the glow occurs in the form of a series of successive flashes, individual for each species. The bottom-dwelling Galateatauma, which lives at a depth of about 3600 m, has a luminous bait in its mouth. Unlike the rest deep sea anglerfish she apparently hunts while lying on the bottom.

Adult female anglerfish feed on deep-sea fish, crustaceans and, less commonly, cephalopods; males - copepods and bristlejaws. The stomach of females is capable of very strong stretching, thanks to which they can swallow prey that is often larger than them. The gluttony of anglers sometimes leads to their own death. They found dead anglers with swallowed fish that were more than twice their size. Having captured such large prey, the anglerfish cannot release it due to the peculiar structure of its teeth and chokes.

Everyone Good night and good dreams! :)

At the bottom of the most deep seas and oceans, where the water is icy, the pressure reaches colossal values, and the amount of food is minimal, deep-sea angler fish (lat. Ceratioidei). Their entire existence is shining example how living organisms can adapt to even the harshest and most unfavorable conditions life.

Deep-sea anglerfish are one of the most amazing marine inhabitants, living at a depth of one and a half to three kilometers. Business card of these fish is a modified ray of the dorsal fin, which acts as bait and is shaped like a fisherman’s fishing rod. It is precisely this feature of their appearance that angler fish owe their name.

Theodore W. Pietsch

At the end of a fishing rod (illicia), hanging over a huge mouth with sharp needle-shaped teeth, there is a small skin outgrowth (esca), filled with millions of luminous bacteria. It is to its light, like moths to a flame, that other, small and not so small, inhabitants of the ocean floor float. To enhance the effect produced by the fish, the anglerfish is able to control the brightness and frequency of the flashes. To do this, it is enough for him to narrow or expand the blood vessels, regulating the amount of oxygen entering the escus, which “ignites” or, conversely, “extinguishes” the luminous bacteria.

U different types For anglers, the principle of operation and design of fishing rods can vary - from the simplest, hanging over the head, to more complex ones, capable of extending out of the channel on the back and retracting back, bringing the future victim directly into the mouth.

Anglerfish, living at the greatest depths (more than 3,500 meters), prefer not to waste energy and hunt while lying on the bottom, and for greater convenience, fishing rods are located directly in their huge toothy mouth. Thanks to their dark coloration and rough, warty skin, the deep-sea predators are almost invisible on the seabed.

Anglerfish are so voracious that they are ready to eat everything that fits into their toothy mouth. But the problem is that their mouth is much larger than their esophagus, and these fish are unable to swallow prey three times their size. It will also not be possible to spit out a large prey back - the teeth get in the way, and very often such attempts to swallow overwhelming prey become the last, unsuccessful, meal in the life of an angler.

However, the most amazing quality of anglerfish is the way they reproduce. Males, whose sizes are tens of times smaller than the size of females, voluntarily agree to transform from full-fledged individuals into primitive appendages that produce sperm.

Justin Marshall/AFP - Getty Images

The female is capable of carrying up to six males, always and everywhere providing herself with a constant supply of sperm, freeing her from the need to regularly search for partners.

Monkfish fish is another one most interesting representative underwater fauna of our planet.

They say that the devil is a fictional character... But no! IN sea waters, among the dark depths lives a creature whose appearance is so terrible and ugly that, other than monkfish, scientists have not come up with a name for it!

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. Scientists classify this marine inhabitant as a member of the order Angleridae, which includes the family Angleridae and the genus Anglerfish.

There are currently two species on earth monkfish– European and American. Let's look at the photo of the monkfish and take a closer look at its appearance...

Anglerfish appearance

The first thing worth noting about the appearance of this unsightly fish is the “fishing rod”. This is a growth on the head of a monkfish that really looks a lot like a fishing rod. With this device, the fish lures its prey, as if “catching” it. That’s why they gave these fish the name – anglerfish.

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.

The skin color is brown, on the abdominal part of the body it is lighter, almost white.

Where does monkfish live?

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 lifestyle and behavior of monkfish in nature

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.

The anglerfish also knows how to hunt in another way - with the help of its fins it jumps along the bottom and thus overtakes its prey.

What do sea devils eat?

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

The gadget on the head in the form of a luminous fishing rod attracts small fish and brings them straight... into the mouth of the angler.

How do angler fish reproduce?

When do these fish start mating season, they descend to depths of up to 2000 meters to lay eggs there. One female monkfish is capable of laying a clutch of about three million eggs. The entire accumulation of eggs forms a wide ten-meter ribbon, which is divided into hexagonal cells.

After a certain period of time, these honeycomb-shaped cells are destroyed. Freeing the eggs, which in turn float freely, being carried by the underwater current.

After a few days, small larvae are born from the eggs, which, after 4 months, become anglerfish fry. After the fry grow up to 6 centimeters in length, they sink to the bottom in shallow water.

Enemies of monkfish

This area of monkfish life has so far been little studied.

Is the anglerfish a danger to people?

In fact, monkfish do not have the habit of attacking humans. But if you accidentally stab your foot on an anglerfish spike, you can get hurt. In addition, the monkfish does not like “intrusive visitors” and can show all the sharpness of its teeth to those who are very zealously trying to get to know it!