Fun Ceratias Holboelli Facts For Kids

Most of the creatures of the twilight zone are a mystery, as their behavior and habits are unlike any other fish in the ocean.

One of the most fascinating creatures that dwell among these deep waters is the angler fish.

There are approximately 323 species of the angler fish, this article is about a species commonly known as the northern seadevil, and it will tell you everything you need to know about them, including details of their class, order, kingdom, phylum, genus, length, weight, how they search for food, and breeding habits!

The deep-sea anglerfish (Ceratias holboelli) species belongs to the Ceratiidae family. The deep-sea angler fish is found at an incredible depth of 1,300- 6,600 ft (400-2,000 m) below the ocean.

The maximum depth this fish can reach apparently is 14,435 ft (4,400 m)! Its scientific name was given by Henrik Nikolai Krøyer, a Danish zoologist, in 1845.

These ray-finned fishes are commonly known as the long ray seadevil and the northern seadevil. At birth, tiny males have exceptionally well-developed olfactory organs that detect pheromones in the water, so it can from the very beginning carry out its life's purpose i.e.

to find and mate with a female, as encounters can be extremely rare. They are significantly smaller than female angler fish, and finding a female partner is crucial for their survival as their size makes them poor hunters.

Some cannot feed on anything due to their size and need to attach themselves to a female to receive nutrition directly from her. Deep-sea anglerfishes are found in tropical and temperate waters within the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, and Indian oceans.

Learn about some other fish from our rainbow cichlid facts and green sunfish facts pages.

Ceratias Holboelli Interesting Facts

What type of animal is Ceratias holboelli?

The deep-sea anglerfish are ray-finned fishes that belong to the Animalia kingdom.

What class of animal does Ceratias holboelli belong to?

 The fishes belong to the Actinopterygii class, the phylum Chordata, and is the genus of Ceratiidae.

How many Ceratias holboelli are there in the world?

The accurate population size of this species is unknown.

Where does a Ceratias holboelli live?

This species is found in all four of the world's oceans i.e. the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic.

What is a Ceratias holboelli's habitat?

The deep-sea anglerfish lives 6,000 ft (2000 m) deep in the ocean, where natural light does not reach. It prefers living in tropical, temperate, boreal, and subarctic waters.

Who does Ceratias holboelli live with?

These fishes are solitary in nature, but when a parasitic male attaches himself to a female, they are inseparable. A single female may host several parasitic males throughout her lifetime.

How long does a Ceratias holboelli live?

Females can live up to 30 years. Whereas males have a shorter lifespan as they are poor predators and are often preyed upon.

How do they reproduce?

Deep-sea angler fish reproduce via sexual reproduction. The mating process between these fish is unique.

Encounters are rare. Among the species, therefore a short while after they are born, males begin their search for suitable a female by tracking the species-specific pheromone left behind by them.

Once the parasitic male finds a female, it attaches itself to the female and basically merges into the female's body, becoming one. Males receive nourishment directly from the females' blood and act as sperm banks or sperm factories for the rest of their lives.

What is their conservation status?

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has classified these ray-finned fishes as species of Least Concern.

But that does not mean these fish face no threats, as climate change poses serious threats to the species because changes in water temperatures increase the oceans' stratification, meaning- sufficient oxygen from the surface does not reach and mix into the deep waters inhabited by these fish.

Ceratias Holboelli Fun Facts

What does Ceratias holboelli look like?

These fish are dark brown-gray, or almost black, with gigantic heads, thorny-scaled bodies, and crescent-shaped mouths with long teeth. An adult female deep-sea anglerfish has a luminescent organ called the esca sticking out from its head, and at the tip of an evolved dorsal ray, it is also known as the Ceratias holboelli bulb for its glowing lure.

*We've been unable to source an image of the Ceratias holboelli and have used an image of a Hutchins anglerfish instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of the Ceratias holboelli, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.

How cute are they?

They are not cute at all because they have large heads, pointy teeth that do not fit into their mouth, slimy and thorny scales.

How do they communicate?

Except for the use of their lure or the fishing rod, communication between this species has not been researched enough to provide information exclusive only to them. They use the dim light from the esca to attract prey.

How big is a Ceratias holboelli?

Females can reach 3.9 ft (1.2 m) in length. Whereas parasitic males are dwarfed and grow up to 5.5 in (14 cm) in length. The hammer-headed shark is almost seven times the size of a deep-sea angler fish.

How fast can a Ceratias holboelli swim?

They can swim at an incredible speed of 0.2 body lengths per second.

How much does a Ceratias holboelli weigh?

An adult female Ceratias holboelli weighs about 29 lb (13.1 kg). They are at least 35 times lighter than the colossal squid, another deep-sea creature.

What are the male and female names of the species?

This species does not have sex-specific names for its members and are simply denoted males and females.

What would you call a baby Ceratias holboelli?

A baby anglerfish is known as larvae.

What do they eat?

These creatures are ambush predators and don't necessarily search for or chase their prey. Ceratias holboelli teeth are fang-like and face inwards with helps them grasp their pre efficiently.

They float in the dark and until their prey comes close enough to be sucked in and eaten. So far below the surface, not many fish or creatures are found, and so food is scarce. Hence, these fishes eat anything that fits within their mouths, such as squid, crustaceans, and shrimp.

Predators of these fishes include sperm whales and other deep-sea sharks.

Are they aggressive?

They can be considered as aggressive as they are highly predatory.

Would they make a good pet?

Keeping them as pets is impossible for these fish, as their natural habitat is a completely different world than ours. Besides, they are almost never spotted on the surface level.

Did you know...

The family of this deep-sea angler fish is known as ‘the sea devils’

The illicium or fishing rod derives its name from the Latin word 'ēsca', meaning bait.

Are they dangerous?

No, these fishes pose no threat to human life.

What is special about Ceratias holboelli?

Everything about this species makes them special, their rarity on the surface level, their feeding and breeding habits, their habitat, and their physical appearance!

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish from our skate fish facts or killer whale facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable anglerfish coloring pages.