Monkfish, or 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 sea devils (lat. Lophius ).
The etymology of the Latin name for monkfish is 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 of the 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 rather large sharp teeth that are curved 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 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 their natural camouflage, it is impossible to notice them 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 able to remain absolutely motionless for a long time and hold its breath. The pause between breaths can last from one to two minutes.
Previously, it was believed that the monkfish “fishing rod” with bait, movable in all directions, serves to attract prey, and anglerfish open their large mouths only when they touch the fishing rod 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 large mouth and stomach, 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 monkfish (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.
- American monkfish (American anglerfish) ( Lophius americanus)
This is a dimersal (bottom-dwelling) 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, the monkfish’s teeth are almost all large and 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 small monkfish are directed 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.
- European anglerfish (European monkfish) ( Lophius piscatorius)
It 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 a large number of thin, pointed, slightly hooked teeth, and a lower jaw that is significantly pushed forward. Slit-like gill openings are located behind the wide, skeletal-reinforced pectoral fins that allow European anglerfish to move along or burrow along the bottom. The soft, scaleless body of these bottom-dwelling fish is covered with a variety of bony 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 the side surface of the head of the European monkfish. 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 coloring 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 North, 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.
- Black-bellied anglerfish (South European anglerfish, Budegassa anglerfish) ( Lophius budegassa)
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 monkfish lives at depths of 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
- Far Eastern monkfish (yellow anglerfish, Japanese anglerfish) ( Lophius litulon)
It 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 a longer 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 painted in a uniform 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, ( 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 the 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.
To the question What is the name of a fish with a flashlight on its head? given by the author Alex @|# Jeff #|@ Hardy the best answer is We attribute all the ingenious tools and devices that we use in different areas of life to our ingenuity and intelligence and are inclined to think that if it weren’t for us, nothing like this would ever have arisen on earth
But as soon as you look at the kingdom of nature, it turns out that almost all of these wonderful ideas that we are so proud of were “invented” a long time ago and are successfully used by “unintelligent” animals. This also applies to such a human invention as a fishing rod with artificial bait.
In total, the genus of anglerfish (Lophius) has about 12 species. The black-bellied anglerfish (L. Budegassa) lives in the Atlantic from Ireland to Senegal and in the Mediterranean Sea; the American anglerfish (L. americanus) lives along the American coast from Newfoundland to Brazil. In the northern part of its range it lives at shallow depths, and in tropical waters it descends to considerable depths.
Chaunax family (chaunacidae) This family is represented by only one species of chaunax (chaunax piktus), living at depths of 200–500 m in the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The entire body of this fish is covered with spines, and from the spiny dorsal fin it has only a short anterior ray (illicium).
Family pipistrelle bats, or sea pipistrelles (ogcocephalidae)
The family contains 7–8 genera and about 35 benthic species living in tropical and subtropical waters of the World Ocean.
A short “rod” (illicium), which is crowned with a “bait” (eska), is retracted into a special vagina - a tube located just above the mouth. A hungry fish throws out illicium and lures prey by rotating the handle.
In the lasiognathus saccostoma, the basal part of the illicium looks like a long rod retracted into the vagina, and its thin and flexible terminal part is crowned with a escutcheon with three hooks.
This whole structure looks like a real rigged fishing rod. The illicium of the ceratius (Ceratias holboelli) has an equally unusual structure: its basal part is greatly elongated and is located in a special canal on the back, where it can freely extend or retract. Luring prey, this anglerfish gradually moves the luminous “bait” (esque) towards its huge mouth and at the right moment swallows the victim. A peculiar bottom-dwelling thaumatichthys (Thumatichthys axeli), from a depth of about 3600 m, has a luminous “bait” located in its mouth. Unlike other deep-sea anglers, the thaumaticht apparently hunts not in the water column, but lying on the bottom.
There are also woolly anglerfish (Сaulophrynidae), but they differ from other families of deep-sea anglerfish of the suborder Ceratioidei in the absence of a bulb esque.
Family of tar anglers (Linophrynidae) In Linophrynidae, a relatively short “fishing rod” (illicium) is located above the huge mouth, at the end of the muzzle. At its top there is a swelling covered with villi - esca. This is nothing more than a fishing bait, and a luminous one.
Special bacteria live inside the eski, which produce a luminous substance in the process of their vital activity. Moreover, the bait doesn’t just glow, it flashes at a certain frequency, and the fish itself regulates the frequency of these flashes. The fact is that bacteria glow only when enough blood enters the escu through the blood vessels. By changing blood pressure, linofrine, thereby “turning on” and “turning off” its bait
Answer from 2 answers[guru]
Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: What is the name of a fish with a flashlight on its head?
Answer from ***Toyasuka Toyakisa***[guru]
Deep sea anglerfish
Answer from Yoshan Musin[active]
These are angler fish - linofrina, galateatauma and others. The linophryne anglerfish has a growth rising in the upper part of its head - a “fishing rod” with a “flashlight” at the end. Attracted by the flickering light, the fish swim to it and immediately become the prey of a predator. The angler fish Galateataum has an even more cunning device for luring prey: luminous organs are located in the mouth. Fascinated by the light, the fish itself swims into the trap. The angler can only close his mouth and swallow his prey.
The luminescent organs of deep-sea fish in the twilight of the depths, like beacons, help the fish navigate and not stray from the school. But most often, luminous organs are peculiar devices for luring prey. The structure of the luminous organs of fish is different. In some, the mucus glows; in others, the glow is caused by microorganisms that have settled on the fish. The luminous organs are a kind of headlights. In some fish they are located near the eyes, in others - at the tip of the long processes of the head, in others - in the mouth. Some fish have eyes that emit light. They have the properties of both illuminating and seeing. There are fish that emit light from the surface of their body.
Answer from Oksana Varsegova[newbie]
The monkfish, or, as it is also called, the European anglerfish, received its name because of its unattractive appearance: it has a huge, flattened head and a large mouth, armed with a palisade of sharp teeth. In length, such a fish can reach 2 meters and weigh more than 20 kg.
But this fish is unique not only because of its appearance (which, fortunately, did not affect its taste). The monkfish spends most of its life hiding at the bottom and motionlessly waiting for prey for hours. He lures the victim with a rod-ray - a long growth on the forehead, ending with a fluorescent “flashlight”. As soon as a fish, for example, cod, stingray or any other bottom fish, approaches the bait, the huge mouth of the monkfish opens and then, with amazing speed, slams shut, leaving the “lunch” no chance of escape.
Monkfish fish is another interesting representative of the underwater fauna of our planet.
They say that the devil is a fictional character... But no! In the sea waters, among the dark depths, lives a creature whose appearance is so terrible and ugly that scientists have not come up with a name for it other than monkfish!
It is worth saying that in the aquatic fauna there is another monkfish - the mollusk, but now we will talk specifically about the 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.
Currently, there are two species of monkfish on earth - 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 the Atlantic Ocean. The anglerfish is found off the coast of Europe, off the coast of Iceland. In addition, monkfish have been found in the waters of the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, North Sea and 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 the mating season begins for these fish, they descend to a depth 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!
European anglerfish, or European angler(lat. Lophius piscatorius) is a predatory fish of the order Anglerfish. This species received the name “monkfish” because of its very unattractive appearance.
Fish edible. The meat is white, dense, boneless. Monkfish is especially popular in France.
Body length is up to 2 meters, more often 1-1.5 meters. Weight - up to 20 kilograms or more. The body of the anglerfish is naked, covered with numerous leathery outgrowths and bony tubercles. On both sides of the head, along the edge of the jaw and lips, there are fringed pieces of skin hanging down, moving in the water like algae, which makes it barely noticeable on the ground.
The body is flattened, compressed in the dorso-abdominal direction. The head is flat, wide, flattened at the top, making up approximately two-thirds of the length of the entire body. The mouth is large, in the shape of a semicircle with a protruding lower jaw and sharp, hooked teeth. The eyes are small. The gill openings look like two small slits located just behind the pectoral fins. Soft skin without scales; numerous skin fringes along the edge of the body.
The anterior dorsal fin consists of six rays, the first three rays being separate. The very first ray of the dorsal fin is transformed into a “fishing rod” (illicium) with a luminous “flashlight” (eska) at the end. The length of the illicium reaches 25% of the body length. The second dorsal fin (10-13) and anal (9-11 soft rays) fin are located opposite each other. The pectoral fins are greatly enlarged and widened at the end. They can perform rotational movements, which allows the fish to crawl along the bottom. The pelvic fins are located on the throat.
Coloring; the back is brownish, greenish-brown or reddish, with dark spots. The ventral side is white, except for the black posterior edge of the pectoral fins.
Distributed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Europe from Iceland and the Barents Sea to the Gulf of Guinea and the Black Sea, the North Sea, the English Channel, and the Baltic Sea. It lives at a depth of 18–550 m.
Typical bottom dwellers, usually found on a sandy and muddy bottom, sometimes half-buried in it, as well as among algae and between rock fragments.
The main diet is fish. Capable of crawling and even “jumping” with the help of its arm-like pectoral fins. Most often, the monkfish lies motionless on the bottom. He is able to hold his breath for several minutes. Merging with the bottom, the monkfish lures prey to itself with an eska bait. When the prey swims up to the hunter, the angler opens its mouth in a split second and sucks in water along with the victim.
Spawning occurs in late winter and spring (at a depth of up to 180 m). The eggs are spawned by females in the form of a gelatinous strip up to 9 m long and 90 cm wide. Young fish transition to bottom life at a length of 5-6 cm.
Today we are talking about angler fish. And all because there was news that for the first time it was filmed in its natural habitat at a depth of 600 meters using special underwater equipment!
Angler fish are a completely unusual order of fish.
They live deep, deep in the water and look rather unattractive. They have a very large flattened head, and the upper jaw can extend! But the most interesting thing is how the angler fish hunts. There is a bait on his back - once one feather from his dorsal fin separated from the others and turned into a “fishing rod”, at the end of which a small “flashlight” formed.
In fact, it is a gland that looks like a transparent sac, inside of which there are bacteria. They may or may not glow, depending on the anglerfish itself, which can control the bacteria by dilating or constricting blood vessels. If the vessels expand, more oxygen enters the “flashlight”, it shines brightly, and if they narrow, its light disappears. And this “flashlight” in complete darkness lures prey to the anglerfish. As soon as a fish or any other animal approaches the “flashlight,” the angler opens its mouth and sucks in the fish with lightning speed.
Anglerfish have the fastest cast of any animal! Here there is slow motion and you can see how quickly he eats what he managed to lure - once and done.
And its stomach can stretch so that a fish the size of an anglerfish can fit inside it.
All of these photos show a female anglerfish, only she has a "fishing rod". But this photo is interesting because both the female and the male are immediately visible in it. There he is - that little fish on the right.
And here is the same video in which he was first filmed in his own habitat. The anglerfish here is small, or rather small - 9 cm.
I wonder if the children will notice a curious detail about this fish?
Look, his tooth fell out! In the video they joke that it is unclear whether a new one will grow or not, but one thing is clear: there are no tooth fairies in the ocean!
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