There are countless peculiar creatures in the ocean. One of them is the lanternfish, which has certain peculiar characteristics, almost like something out of a horror movie.
We say this because its head, jaw, and teeth are larger than the rest of its body. However, it has an impressive special feature.
In this article, we will discuss lantern fish in more detail. It is somewhat different from the others. We will provide details about its history, physical characteristics, feeding habits, and reproduction system.
History of the Lantern Fish
The scientific name of the lanternfish is Centrophryne Spinula. It is part of the Lhopiiformes fish family. The first ones were found in the Pacific Ocean west of Baja California, at a depth of 800 to 1000 meters.
Specimens of these species have also been found in Venezuela, China, and Mozambique. However, these are very difficult to capture and have only been seen about 25 times because they live in very deep areas of the ocean where there is hardly any light, making it practically impossible to encounter one.
Characteristics of the Lanternfish
Some of the most notable characteristics of the lanternfish are
Lanternfish are very varied and have striking characteristics, making it easy to differentiate them from other species.
For example, one of the most impressive is how much their teeth, jaw, and head generally stand out; one could even say they have more teeth and head than body. It is called lantern fish because only the females have something resembling a lantern. How is this?
You may be wondering how this “flashlight” emits light. It is a chemical reaction that occurs thanks to bacteria stored there, a process called symbiosis.
The lanternfish is not just one species but a very diverse group of fish that form the taxonomic order of the Lophiiformes.
Only females have the “flashlight”. It is the transformation of the first ray of the first dorsal fin into a tool unrelated to swimming. This flashlight is called a spiny ray.
This spiny ray is set away from the rest of the dorsal fin, located on the head, just above the eyes, or even closer to the mouth, depending on the genus or species.
Their body is very flexible, allowing them to swallow prey twice their size. There is sexual dimorphism: males are much smaller than females, and their jaws are not prepared to devour prey.
Other features include
Their teeth are stuck and curved. They can move, so this helps every time they go hunting. Their mouth and body can stretch up to twice their size, allowing them to capture very large prey without any problem.
They prefer to live in the deepest part of the sea. Some lanternfish live buried in the sand, making it easier to camouflage themselves successfully.
Habitat of the lanternfish
Where do lanternfish live? The different genera and species of lanternfish live either in the waters of the continental shelf (no more than 200 meters deep) or in the pelagic zone (open sea), where there is little or no light. Lanternfish are deep-sea fish. Lanternfish in this second habitat can live at depths of more than 4,000 meters.
These fish can also be classified into two categories according to their habitat :
- Benthic lanternfish live on the seabed, touching or hiding in the sand. Their body is dorsoventrally compressed, giving rise to a flat-looking fish, which allows them to camouflage themselves better. Their jaws usually point upwards to facilitate the capture of prey.
- Pelagic lanternfish: They live in the water column. Their bodies are more voluminous and are sometimes compressed laterally.
Lanternfish Feeding
Lanternfish are carnivorous. They feed on smaller fish, and as we mentioned before, it is very easy for them to hunt their prey.
Their preferred prey are shrimp and other crustaceans, snails and small fish. As the lanternfish can extend in size, larger fish are occasionally included in the diet. They may also often feed on octopus and squid.
Reproduction of the lantern fish
It could be said that it is a little difficult for them to reproduce as easily as other fish since the possibility of a male and female meeting at the time they mate is very low.
For this reason, it is very easy to differentiate males from females because they have generated quite evident sexual dimorphism. It’s even reached the point where males are basically parasites of females, so they’re conditioned to parasitize.
When this occurs, the reproductive systems of both begin to develop, and fertilization does not occur as it normally does but rather externally.
The female releases eggs, and the male releases sperm at the same time. As for the eggs, they develop independently without needing either of them to watch over them.