Friday 1 April 2011

Sloane's Viperfish

Image via Wikipedia
The Sloane's Viperfish is a grim looking deep sea dragonfish from tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. They reach between 20 and 35 centimetres (7.9-13.8 inches), from bulbous head tapering to a small tail. Days are spent at depths down to 1,000 m (3,280 ft) or more, nights above 600 m (1,970 ft) where there's more food. The mouth is huge and stuffed full of teeth, the biggest ones half as long as the entire head.

Image via Wikipedia
This viperfish isn't an anglerfish, but it is in possession of a kind of lure. The second ray of the dorsal fin is long, reaching up to half the length of the entire body and can be curved to get the tip within striking distance. This tip is luminescent and is used as bait for small fish, whereupon they are speared and trapped by all those teeth. There are more photophores around their eyes, on the head and running all the way along their belly. Sounds almost pretty.

5 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

The stuff of nightmares - or "Alien" movies...

Joseph JG said...

Alien! I hadn't thought of that, but it really does look like it!

Guru Blogger Pedia said...

this Fish is so Rare in sea ..

Joseph JG said...

Yeh, there's not much chance of bumping into one of these!

Linda said...

Sounds pretty? God no. this sounds hellish and scary. Extremely creepy. I am already afraid of the ocean and knowing that these creatures are in there…I’m never swimming again.Let me fastly finish my https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/to-pay-or-not-to-pay-someone-to-write-my-essay-for-me_b_14793970 assignment then I shall be back to your page. Thanks for this lovely post.