Monkfish fish. European anglerfish: description and types of monkfish Bottom anglerfish

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 types of fish 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!

A fish that has a lantern actually exists and the fish is called a lantern fish, and correct name deep-sea anglerfish. Fish need light to attract food; the fish is a predator and feeds on other fish. The fish looks terribly scary, but it is found only in the ocean and the deep-sea anglerfish is safe for humans.

There is a fish that lives in the ocean, and the name of such a fish sounds like a sponge-water angler, it also has another name and it sounds like a Lantern Fish. This is the kind of fish that nature came up with for us, it is very unusual.

We are talking about a fish whose name is interesting in itself - the deep-sea anglerfish.

I remember this fish from childhood, I liked its image, I thought about it different stories, because she seemed extraordinary to me, and surprisingly beautiful.

Only **females** have a lantern fish with the complex name deep-sea anglerfish.

The characteristics and features of these fish are clear from the name:

They live very great depth ocean - up to 3000 m. At this depth, the internal pressure in fish reaches a value of 300 atmospheres. In this regard, the fish look quite ugly, well, at least unusual, to be politically correct: the body is bloated, the eyes are bulging, the ventral fins are missing, the skin is covered with plaques, etc.

Females of the deep-sea anglerfish are much larger than males; they are true predators: big mouth, powerful teeth, a large stomach, and a lantern as bait.

Because It is very dark in deep water; females hunt with the help of a lantern. Small fish swim to the light, then the female brings the end of the fishing rod with a lantern to her mouth, and the victims swim there.



You are probably interested in the deep-sea angler fish.

There really is a fish that has a lantern - this is a deep-sea anglerfish. In another way, this fish is called lantern fish. Nature created it in such a way that it has a small flashlight on its head, with the help of which it perfectly lures small fish and shellfish to feast on it. The fish is predatory, has a large jaw with sharp teeth.

Deep Sea Anglerfish or Lantern Fish

This fish has a small flashlight on its head - this is how it was created

She attracts small fish and shellfish with it.

Which he then eats with great pleasure - this is the diet

The fish is quite scary, with large teeth - a real horror of the deep sea

At the same time, there will always be someone who wouldn’t mind having lunch with the angler himself.

The deep-sea anglerfish is a deep-sea fish from the order Anglerfishes. They live at great depths of the World Ocean, preferring to stay up to 3 km. from the surface of the water.

This fish received the nickname anglerfish for its remarkable appendage on the head of females. This fishing rod actually performs the role of catching prey: it is equipped with a special gland that is filled with bioluminescent bacteria. The angler lures the victim to this light, moving the fishing rod towards the mouth. Thus, the prey itself swims into the fish’s mouth.

Flashlight Fish was discovered by Rafinesque in 1810. Now there are about 100 species of this family. They notice a decrease in the pelvic fins, close to their disappearance. Luminous organs are distributed very differently. There are orbital, abdominal, preanal and posterior anal, caudal and, finally, supra-caudal luminous organs.

I remember, even in my distant childhood, I saw in a book about animals an image of this fish that lives at great depths, and I remembered it, because this cutie, which is called a deep-sea anglerfish or sea devil, has a very remarkable appearance (you can read it here, or here) . The fish was named anglerfish because of the growth in the frontal part - it looks like a fishing rod with a flashlight - with its help the predator lures prey.





Deep sea anglerfish or lantern fish.

This extraordinary fish is so adapted to environment, which over time created such a bait, small fish swim to the light, the fish waits and eats them.

This is such an insidious and interesting creature lives in the depths of our ocean, about 1500-3000 meters, which is quite a lot.

Anglerfish photo:



The World Ocean contains amazing creatures. Among these unusual creatures In this case, fish, at its depths you can find amazing fish.

Why is she amazing? - And the fact that she actually has a lantern - a bait (appendix), with the help of which she catches small fish that bite on her bait.

This fish is called sponge anglerfish or fish - lantern.

I remember during my childhood there was such a program, as well as a book and a cartoon, called KOAPP. And among the heroes there was a character, Angler Fish. I didn’t know then that this fish looked so scary. But this particular fish has such a device attached to its head, which helps the angler fish get food by attracting curious fish with a flashlight.

However, the answer would not be complete if we did not talk about a fish that has a glowing lantern under its eye. This is the lantern eye fish or Photoblepharon steinitzi.

Here is a photo of this fish.)

It has an extremely unattractive appearance. According to one version, this is why it was named that way. It lives at the bottom, hiding in the sand or between rocks. It feeds on fish and various crustaceans, which it catches using its dorsal fin as a fishing rod with bait dangling in front of its mouth.

Description

Monkfish belongs to the order of anglerfish, the ray-finned family. It is also known as the European anglerfish. It grows up to 1.5 - 2 m in size and can weigh up to 20 kg or more. In catches it is usually found up to 1 m long and weighing up to 10 kg. The body is flattened, disproportionate, the head occupies up to two-thirds of its length. The color of the upper part is spotted, brown with a greenish or reddish tint. The belly is white.

The mouth is wide, with sharp, large teeth curved inwards. The skin is bare, without scales. The eyes are small, vision and sense of smell are poorly developed. The monkfish fish has leathery folds around its mouth that constantly move, like algae, which allows it to hide and camouflage itself in benthic vegetation.

The anterior dorsal fin plays a special role in females. It consists of six rays, three of which are isolated and grow separately. The first of them is directed forward and forms a kind of fishing rod hanging down to the mouth. It has a base, a thin part - the “fishing line”, and a leathery luminous bait.

Habitat and species

Monkfish is found in fishermen's catches in many seas. The European anglerfish is common in the Atlantic. Here it lives at depths ranging from 20 to 500 m or more. It can be found in the seas along the coast of Europe, in the waters of the Barents and North Seas.

The Far Eastern variety of monkfish lives off the coast of Japan and Korea. Found in the Okhotsk, Yellow, and South China Seas. Usually inhabits depths from 40-50 to 200 m. The American anglerfish in the northern part of the Atlantic lives at shallow depths, and in the southern regions it is more often found in coastal zone. It can be found at depths of up to 600 m with a wide range of water temperatures (0 - 20 °C).

Juveniles hatched from eggs differ in appearance from adults. At the beginning of life they feed on plankton and live for several months in upper layers water, and upon reaching a length of 7 cm, they change appearance, sink to the bottom, and become predators. Intensive growth continues during the first year of life.

Not long ago, in the depths of the ocean, they were discovered related species monkfish. They were called deep-sea anglerfish. They can withstand enormous water pressure. They live at depths of up to 2000 m.

Nutrition

Monkfish spend a lot of time in ambush. It lies motionless at the bottom, buried in the sand or camouflaged among stones and aquatic vegetation. The “hunt” can take him 10 hours or more. At this time, he actively plays with bait in order to attract a curious victim. The leathery bulb surprisingly accurately copies the movements of a fry or shrimp.

When an interested fish is nearby, the monkfish opens its mouth and sucks in the water along with the victim. This takes only a few milliseconds, so there is practically no chance of escaping from sharp teeth. IN special cases The anglerfish can jump forward using its fins or use the reactivity of a jet of water released through its narrow gill slits.

Most often, the diet of monkfish is dominated by stingrays, eels, gobies, flounders and other bottom fish. He also does not disdain shrimp and crabs. During intense zhora after spawning, it can rise to the upper layers of water and, despite poor eyesight and sense of smell, attack mackerel and herring. Cases of monkfish preying on waterfowl have been reported. It can be dangerous for a person at such moments.

Monkfish: 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 has only right moment fertilize the eggs.

They are usually spawned by the female in the spring. Fertility anglerfish 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. A female can carry several “husbands” on her body so that they fertilize at the right time large number caviar.

Monkfish (see photo above) is not able to compare the feeling of hunger with the size of its 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.

Only females have a “fishing rod”. Each species of these fish has a unique bait that is unique to them. It differs not only in shape. Bacteria living in the mucus of the leathery bulb emit light of a certain range. For this they need oxygen.

The angler can adjust the glow. After eating, it temporarily compresses the blood vessels leading to the bait, and thereby reduces the flow of oxygen-enriched blood there. The bacteria stop glowing and the flashlight goes out. There is no need for it temporarily, and the light can attract a larger predator.

Monkfish, although disgusting in appearance, the meat is tasty, and in some regions it is considered a delicacy. The courage and gluttony of this predator give divers and scuba divers cause for concern. It is better to stay away from a hungry anglerfish, especially a large one.

Monkfish is the most extravagant-looking representative of the Anglerfish class. It lives at impressive depths, thanks to its unique ability withstand enormous pressure. We invite you to take a closer look at this deep-sea inhabitant with amazing taste qualities, and learn some about it interesting facts.

Appearance

Let's get acquainted with the description of the monkfish - sea ​​fish, which prefers deep crevices where sunlight never reaches. The European anglerfish is a large fish, the body length reaches one and a half meters, approximately 70% is in the head, average weight- about 20 kg. Distinctive Features the fish are:

• Huge mouth with a large number Small but sharp teeth give her a repulsive appearance. The fangs are located in the jaw in a special way: at an angle, which makes capturing prey even more effective.
• A bare and scaleless scalp with fringes, tubercles and spines also does not adorn a deep-sea inhabitant.
• There is a so-called fishing rod on the head - continued dorsal fin, at the end of which there is a leathery bait. This feature of the monkfish determines its second name - anglerfish, despite the fact that the fishing rod is present exclusively in females.
• The bait consists of mucus and is a leathery bag that emits light due to luminous bacteria living in the mucus. Interestingly, each type of anglerfish emits a specific color of light.
• The upper jaw is more mobile than the lower jaw, and thanks to the flexibility of the bones, fish are able to swallow prey of impressive size.
• Small, close-set round eyes are located on the top of the head.
• The color of the fish is inconspicuous: from dark gray to dark brown, which helps anglers successfully camouflage themselves on the bottom and deftly grab prey.

It is interesting how the fish hunts: it hides, exposing its bait. As soon as some careless fish becomes interested, the devil will open his mouth and swallow it.

Habitat

Let's find out where the angler fish (monkfish) lives. The habitat depends on the species. Thus, European anglers prefer to live at a depth of up to 200 meters, but their deep-sea counterparts, of which more than a hundred varieties have been discovered, have chosen for themselves depressions and crevices, where there is very high pressure and no pressure at all. sunlight. They can be found at a depth of 1.5 to 5 km in the seas of the Atlantic Ocean.

Anglerfish are also found in the so-called Southern (Antarctic) Ocean, which unites the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans washing the shores of the white continent - Antarctica. Monkfish also live in the waters of the Baltic, Barents, Okhotsk and off the coast of Korea and Japan, some species are found in the Black Sea.

Varieties

Sea devils are fish from the order Anglers. Currently, eight species are known, one of them is extinct. Representatives of each of them have a characteristic terrifying appearance.

• American anglerfish. Belongs to the benthic species, the body length is impressive - adult females often more than a meter. Appearance They resemble tadpoles due to their huge heads. Average duration life - up to 30 years.
• Southern European anglerfish or black-bellied fish. The body length is about a meter, the name of the species is associated with the color of the peritoneum; the back and sides of the fish are pinkish-gray. The average life expectancy is about 20 years.
• The Western Atlantic anglerfish is a bottom-dwelling fish, reaching a length of 60 cm. It is the target of the fishery.
• Cape (Burmese). The most noticeable part of its body is its giant flattened head, and it also has a short tail.
• Japanese (yellow, Far Eastern). They have an unusual body color - brown-yellow, and live in the Sea of ​​Japan and the East China Sea.
• South African. Lives off the southern coast of Africa.
• European. A very large anglerfish, whose body length reaches 2 meters, is distinguished by a huge crescent-shaped mouth, small sharp teeth their shape resembles hooks. The length of the fishing rod is up to 50 cm.

Thus, all types of anglerfish have common characteristic features- huge mouth with a large number small but sharp teeth, a fishing rod with bait - the most unusual way hunting among the inhabitants of the underwater depths, bare skin. In general, the fish looks really scary, so the loud name is fully justified.

Lifestyle

Scientists believe that the first anglerfish appeared on the planet more than 120 million years ago. The body shape and specific lifestyle are largely determined by where the monkfish prefers to live. If it is almost flat, if the anglerfish has settled closer to the surface, then it has a body compressed from the sides. But regardless of the habitat, the monkfish (angler fish) is a predator.

Damn - the fish is unique, it moves along the bottom not like its other brothers, but by jumping, carried out thanks to a strong pectoral fin. From this, another name for the sea resident is frog fish.

Fish prefer not to expend energy, therefore, even when swimming, they spend no more than 2% of their energy reserve. They are distinguished by enviable patience, capable long time do not move, waiting for prey, practically do not even breathe - the pause between breaths is about 100 seconds.

Nutrition

Previously, it was discussed how monkfish hunts prey, attracting it with a luminous bait. It is interesting that the fish does not perceive the size of its victims; often large individuals, larger in size than the anglerfish itself, are caught in its mouth, so it cannot eat them. And due to the specifics of the device, the jaw cannot be released.

The anglerfish is famous for its incredible gluttony and courage, so it can even attack scuba divers. Of course, deaths from such an attack are unlikely, but the sharp teeth of an anglerfish can disfigure the body of an unwary person.

Favorite food

As previously mentioned, anglerfish are predators, preferring to use other animals as food. deep sea inhabitants seas. Some of the monkfish's favorite treats include:

• Cod.
• Flounder.
• The slopes are small in size.
• Acne.
• Cuttlefish.
• Squid.
• Crustaceans.

Sometimes mackerel or herring become victims of predators; this happens when a hungry angler rises closer to the surface.

Reproduction

The monkfish (anglerfish) fish is amazing in almost every way. For example, the process of reproduction is very unusual for sea ​​creatures, and for wildlife in general. When the partners find each other, the male attaches himself to the belly of his chosen one and grows tightly to her, as if the fish become a single organism. Gradually the process is underway even further - the fish develop common skin, blood vessels, and certain organs of the male - fins and eyes - atrophy as unnecessary. It is precisely because of this feature that researchers for a long time It was not possible to detect a male anglerfish and describe it.

In males, only the gills, heart and genitals continue to function.

Having become familiar with the description of the monkfish and the peculiarities of its way of life, we suggest you learn a few interesting facts about this eerie fish:

Such is the monkfish - unusual creation nature, an inhabitant of the depths and an amazing predator, using a trick not typical for other representatives of the fauna. Thanks to its delicious white meat, practically devoid of bones, the anglerfish is a fish of commercial importance.

Anglerfishes, an order of bony fishes, got their name ( monkfish) not only because of predation, but mainly because it has a curious appearance.

The fish's head has a fleshy appendage that it uses as bait for fish. This is the front part of the dorsal fin. It hangs in the form of a “fishing rod” directly above the mouth.

When it comes to the body size of monkfish, females are usually larger than males. People recognize the anglerfish as a fish because of its extreme sexual dimorphism.

Here are some interesting facts about the angler fish:

• Researchers claim that this type fish appeared 130 million years ago.
• Monkfish colors vary from dark gray to dark brown.
• These predators have huge heads that carry huge, crescent-shaped mouths.
• The oral cavity is full of fangs: these teeth are angled inward to effectively capture prey.
• Their length can vary from 8.9 cm to 1 m, with a body weight of up to 45 kg.

Where Can You Find Monkfish?

Angler fish are spotted in various areas of the world. Some of them can be seen in the depths of the ocean. Angler fish are listed as both demersal fish and pelagic fish. Monkfish live in all seas and all over the world. Some pelagic species of these fish live in the deep sea (eg Ceratiidae), while others live on the continental shelf (eg threadfin Antennariidae and goosefish Lophiidae). Pelagic forms are laterally more compressed, while benthic forms are extremely dorsoventrally compressed.

Differences between deep-deep fish (benthos) and pelagic fishing fish, their “rod” is directed steeply upward, the mouth corresponds dorsoventrally to the depression or compressed body.

Lophiidae is one of the most popular families of anglerfish

This family is in high demand in the fishery in East Asia, Africa, northwestern Europe and eastern North America.

IN North America and Europe, people often prepare dishes from the tail meat of fish of the genus Lophius. In North America, people call this fish goosefish.

Monkfish liver is a delicacy and is called ankimo in Asia. People who live in Japan and Korea consider it a unique dish.

Habitats of the Brachiopod Lophiiformes

Most angler fish can be found in deep sea areas. Ecologists work hard to observe and study this species of fish.

Fish often use deception and waiting strategies when they hunt prey.
When these fish swim, they expend only 2 percent of their energy. Animals remain lethargic, even during feeding and hunting periods.