

They are compared to lobster in taste and texture. Many species of anglerfish are fished commercially throughout the world. At this depth, there is almost no light and the water is near freezing. The deep sea angler is found throughout the world's oceans at depths of over 3,000 feet (914 meters). As they mature, they return to the depths below. Once hatched, the larvae swim to the surface and feed on plankton.
ANGLER FISH SIZE FREE
This thin sheet of eggs floats free in the sea until the eggs hatch into tiny larvae. The female will lay her eggs in a thin sheet of gelatinous material two or three feet (about one meter) wide and about 30 feet (9 meters) long. This bizarre method of reproduction helps to ensure that when the female is ready to spawn, she has a mate instantly available. A female can carry up to six males on her body at a time. The male will spend the rest of its life joined to the female like a parasite, getting all of his nourishment from her body. The two become fused together and their blood vessels join as one.
ANGLER FISH SIZE SKIN
Once he bites into her skin, he releases an enzyme that dissolves the skin of his mouth and that of her body. The male angler has small hook teeth, which it uses to attach itself to the female. It must now find a female or die of starvation. When a male angler matures, its digestive system degenerates, making it impossible for it to feed on its own. It is about the size of a small finger and black in color. The male angler is much smaller than the female and completely different in appearance. The deep sea anglerfish has an extremely unusual method of reproduction. Since food can be scarce in the deep sea, this special adaptation allows it to stock up on food during times of plenty. The anglerfish can extend both its jaw and its stomach to an incredible size, allowing it to swallow prey twice the size of its entire body. The sharp teeth of the angler are angled inwards, which helps to prevent the prey from escaping. When the prey fish gets close enough, the angler snaps it up with its powerful jaws and swallows it whole. The anglerfish is known to remain completely motionless, waving its lure back and forth like a fishing pole. This specialized spine is highly maneuverable and can be moved in any direction. The anglerfish uses its illuminated lure as its hunts for prey.

Instead, it somewhat "wobbles" through the water. Due to its wide, round body, it cannot swim very fast. Since nearly all light emitted from bioluminescent creatures is blue, the anglerfish can be nearly invisible to other deep sea animals. Its skin is specially adapted to reflect blue light. It has soft flesh and bones and small eyes. The color of this anglerfish ranges from brown to dark gray or black. Despite its ferocious appearance, the angler is a small fish, reaching a maximum length of only about five inches (12 centimeters). Its grotesque appearance has earned it the nickname "common black devil". It has a very large mouth with sharp, fang-like teeth. The deep sea anglerfish has a round body that resembles a basketball, and indeed, it looks like it could easily swallow one. A female will carry six or more males on her body. Over time, the male physically fuses with the female, connecting to her skin and bloodstream and losing his eyes and all his internal organs except the testes. When a young, free-swimming male angler encounters a female, he latches onto her with his sharp teeth. In lieu of continually seeking the vast abyss for a female, it has evolved into a permanent parasitic mate. The male, which is significantly smaller than the female, has no need for such an adaptation. Their mouths are so big and their bodies so pliable, they can actually swallow prey up to twice their own size. Tipped with a lure of luminous flesh this built-in rod baits prey close enough to be snatched.

Their most distinctive feature, worn only by females, is a piece of dorsal spine that protrudes above their mouths like a fishing pole-hence their name. Most however are significantly smaller, often less than a foot. Some angler fish can be quite large, reaching 3.3 feet (1 meter) in length. Generally dark gray to dark brown in color, they have huge heads and enormous crescent-shaped mouths filled with sharp, translucent teeth. There are more than 200 species of anglerfish, most of which live in the murky depths of the Atlantic and Antarctic oceans, up to a mile below the surface, although some live in shallow, tropical environments. It is quite possibly the ugliest animal on the planet, and it lives in what is easily Earth's most inhospitable habitat: the lonely, lightless bottom of the sea. The angry-looking deep sea anglerfish has a right to be cranky.
