Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Specy

Anglerfish

Fish

Anglerfish are a diverse group of fish species, many living in the deep sea, best known for a modified fin ray that projects above the mouth like a fishing rod tipped with a fleshy, often luminous lure used to attract prey close enough to be engulfed by the fish's large mouth. In several deep-sea anglerfish species, males are dramatically smaller than females and, in the most extreme cases, permanently fuse onto a female's body as a parasitic mate, sharing her bloodstream and providing sperm on demand in an environment where finding a mate in the vast, dark ocean is otherwise a formidable challenge. Anglerfish are ambush predators, relying on camouflage and their lure rather than active pursuit to capture prey, and deep-sea species remain poorly studied due to the difficulty of observing them in their extreme habitat.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Carnivore 1
System (Realm)
Marine 2
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 1
Living or Extinct
Yes 3
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
A modified dorsal fin ray projects above the mouth as a lure (the illicium, tipped with the esca) used to attract prey close enough to be engulfed. 1
Scientific Name
Order Lophiiformes 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Actinopterygii, Taxa
Source Wikidata: Lophiiformes

In Biome

Marine, Biomes
Source Anglerfish (Wikipedia)

In Ecosystem

Deep Sea, Ecosystems
Source World Wildlife Fund
Sources
1. Anglerfish (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead paragraph, first sentence
    The anglerfish are ray-finned fish in the order Lophiiformes
  • Lead paragraph, second sentence
    Both the order's common and scientific name comes from the characteristic mode of predation, in which a modified dorsal fin ray acts as a lure for prey
  • Lead section
    lophiid anglerfish (marketed as monkfish, goosefish, or simply angler) are much more valued for their meat, which is considered a delicacy
  • In Biome: Marine, Wikipedia intro: "lerfish by using different luring methods, one method is a bioluminescent lure. Anglerfish occur in marine waters worldwide and occupy both bottom associated an..."
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
3. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ206948, descriptionView the Source
World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife FundIn Ecosystem: Deep SeaView the Source
Wikidata: Lophiiformes
Child Taxon Of: Actinopterygii, Wikidata P171 (parent taxon) claim, rank=normal, target=Q127282 (Actinopterygii)View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.