Anglerfish

Melanocetus johnsonii

Seldom seenMelanocetidaeHarmless

ID points

A rod with a glowing bulb rising from the top of the head
Huge mouth full of sharp inward-curving teeth
Black, flabby body that reflects almost no light

Basics

Family: Melanocetidae
Length: 5–20 cm
Depth: 200-2000 m
Regions: Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic · Deep sea
Distribution: Deep sea worldwide
Habitat: Deep sea, lightless midwater
Diet: Fish, crustaceans

Easily confused with

Barreleye FishTransparent head dome with two green tubular eyes pointing up

FrogfishPectoral fins like hands, used to walk over the bottom

Hairy FrogfishCovered all over with hair-like filaments of skin

Fun fact

A female anglerfish dangles a glowing lure over her head to draw prey within reach. The male is tiny; once he finds a female he bites on and fuses to her, their blood vessels eventually joining, and he spends the rest of his life as a permanent parasite on her body.

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