Fun Anglerfish Facts For Kids

Anglerfish belong to the order Lophiiformes. This species of fish have large mouths with sharp teeth that are slanted inwards. This deep-sea species has illicium which is luminescent and helps them to lure their prey. Due to their roundish shape and large heads, they aren't very fast when it comes to swimming. Small invertebrates and fish are common prey for these fish.

The anglerfish is a well-known fish in the sea universe. Keep on reading for some more cool anglerfish facts. If you like this article, don't forget to check out Indian star tortoise and rainbow trout facts too.

‍

What type of animal is an anglerfish?

The anglerfish is a kind of fish.

What class of animal does an anglerfish belong to?

Anglerfish belong to the class Actinopterygii.

How many anglerfish are there in the world?

The exact number of anglerfish is not known because they live at the bottom of the ocean.

Where does an anglerfish live?

Anglerfish live in the depth of the ocean. As larvae, they live in shallow water but they soon move to the deep sea when they grow in size. Some of these fish live far from the sea bed which makes them pelagic in nature, whereas some of them live near the sea bed which makes them benthic in nature.

What is an anglerfish's habitat?

Anglerfish are found in the North Atlantic Ocean and the Southern Ocean. They are also be found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the coastal regions of Iceland and Greenland.

Who do anglerfish live with?

Whether anglerfish live alone or in groups largely depends on their habitat. These fish live both near to a light source and in the deep sea where sunlight doesn't reach. Anglerfish are seen to live both solitarily and also in large groups. They are adjustable and shift their lifestyle accordingly.

How long does an anglerfish live?

Female anglerfish usually live a little longer than male ones. Females live for about 25 years whereas  males live for around 21 years.

How do they reproduce?

Deep-sea anglerfish use a lure to attract mates. Females are much larger than males and they have lighted lures. Males are usually not predatory in nature, only females are. A female anglerfish is much larger and males attach their bodies to females by biting them. Sometimes they do not detach themselves and continue sharing the female's bloodstream, providing them with sperm to fertilize the eggs. In other scenarios, males detach themselves and look for other partners to mate with. They also take part in external fertilization in which females lay the eggs outside and males immediately release sperm and participate in fertilization.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN Red List, anglerfish are in the Least Concern category. From 2007, they have been restrictions placed on anglerfish to try and reduce the number of anglerfish being caught. Since 2001, a special permit is required to catch anglerfish. In 2000, it was advised to reduce the fishing rate by 40%.

What do anglerfish look like?

Anglerfish range from dark brown to dark gray. They are roundish in shape with large heads and translucent teeth. They also have an outgrowth protruding from their heads which they use to lure prey and attract mates. They have a large mouth with fang-like teeth which are slanted inwards. This helps them to efficiently grab their prey. They have a modified dorsal fin ray that is capable of illuminating itself. In certain cases, bacteria help in the luminescence.  Anglerfish do have eyes however they are very small and pretty useless in their dark habitat of the bottom of the ocean. They use their other senses to move around, find prey, and attract a mate.

How cute are they?

Deep-sea anglerfish look extremely deadly and dangerous. They are carnivorous and lure in prey with their dorsal fin light. Their sharp teeth and large teeth make them extremely scary to look at.

How do they communicate?

Anglerfish communicate with each other through a lateral line system with which they sense water pressure and other vibrations. They also have open nerve endings and chemosensory cells which act like tastebuds for them.

How big is an anglerfish?

Anglerfish have varying lengths. Deep-sea anglerfish size vary from 1-7 in (2-18 cm) in length to 39 in (100 cm) in length.

How fast can an anglerfish swim?

Anglerfish aren't fast at swimming due to their large head and roundish body. The deep-sea anglerfish is known to swim at a speed of 0.24 mph (0.37 kph) of its body length per second.

How much does an anglerfish weigh?

As an adult, deep-sea anglerfish can weigh around 100 lb (45.3 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

No specific names have been given to the male and female species of this deep-sea fish.

What would you call a baby anglerfish?

Baby anglerfish are called spawn.

What do they eat?

The dietary habits of this fish are size and age-specific. When they are smaller in size, they usually attract prey that is smaller in size. As they grow in size, they hunt larger prey. Young anglerfish usually feed on invertebrates, whereas the older ones shift from invertebrates to fish.

Are they dangerous?

These fish are not specifically dangerous to human beings since they live in the depths of the sea where the external pressure is physically impossible for human beings to withstand. However, they are considered to be strategic hunters as they use their rod like structure to lure in prey and feed on their flesh. Their hunting tactics and ferocious nature has resulted in naming them the seadevil.

Would they make a good pet?

Anglerfish have various different species. The anglerfish belonging to the suborder Ceratioidei live in shallow water which makes it possible to keep them in aquariums. However, the species residing in the depths of the ocean can't be kept as pets since the water pressure accustomed to their body can't be managed in a tank.

Did you know...

The sole purpose of the existence of a male anglerfish is to find a female partner for reproduction. The mating takes place when male fish attach themselves to a female by biting them with their teeth and their mouth gets attached. They also share the bloodstream of females.

Most ceratioid female anglerfish have a rod-like structure called the illicium which they use to lure in prey and also attract males in order to mate.

Anglerfish belong to the teleost order which is an infraclass, named Lophiiformes.

Certain symbiotic bacteria help in the luminescence process which helps them to attract prey and attract a mate.

Anglerfish, also known as the seadevil, is one of the deadliest looking creatures on earth. They have scarred-like skin and large mouths. This flesh-eating species has a fishing rod on its head which is used to attract prey.

What are the different types of anglerfish?

Anglerfish have around 210 species. They are divided into four groups namely batfish, goosefish, frogfish, and deep-sea angler. The fish belonging to the cCratiidae group have an unusual process where the highly reduced males mate by attaching their mouths to the female body, showcasing their parasitic behaviour. There are also black seadevils (Melanocetus johnsonii) which have expandable stomachs and are known as ambush predators.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish including electric eel, or fangtooth.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our anglerfish coloring pages.