Anybody know this fish?

This week, an international team of 60 scientists concluded a marine-biodiversity survey of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and brought home a variety of novelties. This anglerfish was among the finds of the project, which is part of the worldwide Census of Marine Life. So far, the fish appears to be a new species, says cruise leader Odd Aksel Bergstad of the Institute of Marine Research in Arendal, Norway. Some 4 centimeters long, this fish dangles a lure from its forehead as anglerfish do. Even so, it doesn’t match any of the 157 known species of deep-sea anglerfish. Bergstad says that the specimen is female. Male anglerfish often remain tiny, sometimes spending their lives as parasites attached to a female’s body.

T. Sutton

Susan Milius is the life sciences writer, covering organismal biology and evolution, and has a special passion for plants, fungi and invertebrates. She studied biology and English literature.

More Stories from Science News on Animals

From the Nature Index

Paid Content