Recently, a deceased deep-sea creature washed up on the shores of Oregon in the United States. Due to its ugly, fierce, and bizarre appearance, photos of it quickly went viral, making it a headline on the internet.
Indeed, at first glance, its appearance is quite peculiar, giving off a sense of boundless ugliness.
Completely black, with an unusually large chin and belly resembling a ball, a tiny tail, sharp teeth in its mouth, spikes on its body, and a strange tentacle extending from the top of its head.
Local aquarium experts have identified it as a rare deep-sea fish known as the Pacific footballfish, a type of anglerfish.
This sighting marks the 32nd time people have had a close encounter with this creature, with its first discovery along the coast of Oregon in the United States.
The anglerfish, also known as the footballfish, has been previously featured in my science articles. Throughout its life, both in appearance and behavior, it can be described as full of quirks.
Ugly Appearance? Survival Driven
The appearance of the anglerfish truly makes me realize: in the deep sea, animals have no worries about looks, they just grow however they please.
Yet, every seemingly strange and ugly part on its body is actually an effort to adapt to deep-sea life.
In terms of its all-black appearance, it serves as the perfect "invisibility cloak" in the deep sea.
In September 2023, researchers at MBARI unexpectedly captured footage of a super black anglerfish at a depth of 781 meters in the waters off California. When the lights from their equipment shone on it, the researchers only saw the outline of the fish, unable to make out its actual features.
The researchers explained that this anglerfish appeared so black because it absorbed most of the light, giving the effect of wearing an invisible cloak. This ability allows it to evade predators and lurk to capture its prey.
The anglerfish has a lantern-like long filament on top of its head (developed from a fin), which lights up and contains bioluminescent bacteria for symbiosis.
Normally, the anglerfish uses this light to lure other organisms close, while its own dark body color helps absorb the light from its lure.
Therefore, to predators from afar, only the glowing light is visible, making the anglerfish behind the light completely invisible.
By the time they get close enough to see the anglerfish, it's already too late to escape.
With a large mouth and inward-slanting sharp teeth, once prey enters, there is no escape.
In the deep sea, food is scarce, leading anglerfish to adapt to a feast-or-famine lifestyle. When food is available, anglerfish are voracious eaters.
Their round belly comes in handy as their stomachs can expand, reportedly allowing them to consume food twice their own volume.
The male anglerfish: a sacrifice for reproduction
The reproductive strategy of the anglerfish is quite intriguing, with the male fish often being considered the "meal ticket."
Early scientists studying anglerfish found that all the caught specimens were female, leading to the puzzling question: where are the male anglerfish?
It was later discovered that the male anglerfish had been there all along, but they were so tiny that they were mistaken for "parasites" on the female anglerfish.
The size difference between female and male fish is significant, with females reaching up to 1 meter in length, while males are only about 10 centimeters long.
During mating, the male fish completely parasitizes the female fish, with their bodies merging into one.
After parasitism, the female fish hunts for food, then provides nutrients for the male fish to survive, while the male fish only needs to continuously provide sperm.
Many people find the behavior of male fish a bit "shameless," as they seem to get a free ride without any effort.
However, in reality, this kind of sexual symbiosis evolution strategy is truly effective in the deep sea.
The ocean is vast, the deep sea is dark, and finding a partner is extremely challenging! In order to increase their chances of reproduction, female and male fish have no choice but to engage in this behavior.
The anglerfish, known for its belly-up swimming style, has an interesting reproductive strategy. The female is large to maintain fertility, while the male's sole purpose is to provide sperm.
In the resource-scarce deep sea, male anglerfish have evolved to reduce metabolic costs by shrinking their bodies. They focus all their energy on specialized abilities like keen sense of smell and developed vision to locate females.
Evolution can be harsh; some male anglerfish are underdeveloped, lacking a digestive system. They must quickly find a female to parasitize, or they will perish.
Once a mate is found, the male anglerfish sacrifices freedom and sensory abilities to gain lifelong mating rights, essentially becoming a selfless organ on the female's body.
This arrangement is a win-win: males reproduce, and females no longer struggle to find partners. It's hard to determine who truly loses out in this unique relationship!
In the end
Despite the monkfish's unattractive appearance, it is considered a delicacy by humans.
There are over 200 species of monkfish, with many varieties commonly consumed by humans, such as the American monkfish, South African monkfish, and yellow monkfish.
Due to its somewhat "scary" appearance, monkfish can be very cheap in some places in China. When sold, the head is often removed. However, its taste far exceeds its value. Boneless and scaleless, it is said to taste similar to lobster meat - delicious and unforgettable once tried.
Japanese people love to eat this type of fish, considering it a delicacy comparable to fugu meat.
The most prized part is the anglerfish liver, known as the "foie gras of the sea," a top-notch nourishing food in winter.
