Anglerfish cartoon
The anglerfish is one of the most monstrous-looking, ugliest fish in the whole ocean. It’s rounded, orange body makes it look a little like a basketball, while its large mouth with fang-like teeth give it a fierce appearance. Despite the fact that it is a deadly predator, it is a small fish that usually doesn’t grow any bigger than 1 ft.
The easiest way to recognise an anglerfish is by the female. A piece of the spine juts out over the mouth of the female, which looks like a short fishing, or angling, rod. In fact, this is how the fish gets its name. The very end of this rod glows in the dark of the deep sea. When small fish and bacteria see the light, they move towards it and the anglerfish snatches them up in its mouth. The anglerfish’s body is so flexible and elastic that it can even swallow fish that are twice its own size!
When a male anglerfish meets a female, he latches onto her using his pointed teeth. Eventually, the male completely combines with the female and they share the same skin and bloodstream. He even loses his eyes as he no longer needs them. Sometimes, a female anglerfish will combine with six or more males!