Monkfish is an angler fish with a repulsive appearance. Monkfish Flat prey of an anglerfish crossword clue

There are probably very few people who would not know about the existence of this mysterious and terrifying species of marine life called “monkfish”. But many people think that this is fairy creature, just an idea.

Actually this is not true. The photo shows the monkfish fish in all its splendor. It really exists, but at great depths and in the darkness of the sea, probably because of its ugly appearance, which is why it has such a name, scientists tried their best.

However, under this name, there is already an inhabitant of the aquatic expanses, this is a mollusk. We will talk about it another time. Today our hero is a representative of ray-finned fish from the order Anglerfishes.

Appearance Features

When you look at a monkfish, you immediately notice the presence of a growth on the head with a luminous tip in front of the ugly mouth, the so-called “fishing rod” for their shaped similarity.

With its help, the angler lures the prey and catches it. Hence the common name - anglerfish.

Monkfish fish reaches a length of up to 2 meters and weighs approximately 20 kg. The body shape of the anglerfish is slightly flattened. As a matter of fact, he is far from handsome in appearance and looks, to put it mildly, creepy.

His body is all strewn with ugly skin growths, reminiscent of driftwood and algae. His head is too large in relation to his body and is unpleasant, as is his mouth. The scaleless skin is a dark spotted brown color with a green or red tint; on the abdomen it is slightly lighter, closer to white.

A wide mouth with sharp, huge teeth pointing inward and perioral folds that constantly move for camouflage. The eyes are small, the visual ability is underdeveloped, as is the function of smell. This is such a cute monkfish.

The Anglerfish's Home

The birthplace of European and American type Anglerfish - Atlantic Ocean. However, it was noticeable off the European coast, and off the Icelandic coast, and even in the Baltic, Black, North and Barents seas.

The Far Eastern species of anglerfish has taken root well along the Japanese and Korean coasts, in the Okhotsk, Yellow, and South China Seas.

Living conditions and character of the anglerfish in its native environment

Reside monkfish in underwater depths from 50 to 200 m, closer to the very bottom, his native element, where he can lie in complete peace on a sandy or muddy bed, or among stones.

But don’t think that he is lying inactive. This is his way of hunting for prey. The angler lies motionless and waits. And the moment the prey swims nearby, it instantly pounces on it and absorbs it.

And it happens that with the help of fins, it jumps and begins to chase the victim and successfully overtakes it. Anglers are predatory fish.

Anglerfish food

Basically, the diet of monkfish fish consists of smaller fish: Katrans, silversides, kakanas, stingrays, etc. Lured by the light of the anglerfish, the small fish fall straight into its mouth.

Monkfish will not disdain crustacean mollusks. During special periods, Zhora can supplement its menu with herring or mackerel and even waterfowl.

Features of procreation

Male anglerfish are much smaller in size. To fertilize eggs, they need to find a mate and not miss her, so they literally bite into her forever.

After some time, they grow into each other, forming a single whole, as a result of which part of the male’s organs dies. Nutrients transmitted by blood from the female.

The angler-husband only needs to fertilize the eggs at a certain point.

During the sexually mature period, to procreate, female anglerfish descend to depths of almost 2000 m to lay eggs. A female anglerfish can lay a clutch of approximately 3 million eggs, which forms a wide ribbon of about 10 m with cells in the form of hexagons (honeycombs).

After some time, these so-called honeycombs are destroyed. As a result, the eggs become free and are carried in all directions by currents.

A few days later, tiny larvae are born from the eggs, and after 4 months they are already fry. The fry, 6 cm long, independently sink to the bottom of shallow water.

Anglerfish and people

Hunting for people is not a vital necessity for anglers; it is not his style. But a person can actually get wounded if he gets stuck on a monkfish thorn.

However, to the most annoying visitors, he can show his sharp teeth in practice, dashingly grabbing the curious.

In America and some European countries In the restaurant business, anglerfish meat is used as a delicacy that tastes like lobster. In Asian countries, monkfish is used in cooking. Because of this, there is a real hunt for such a creepy-looking fish.

Curious facts

Anglerfish, when hungry, are able to catch prey large sizes than usual. And due to the structure of their teeth, they cannot release it back, and in the end they may even die.

Monkfish is the most extravagant-looking representative of the Anglerfish class. It lives at impressive depths, thanks to its unique ability to withstand enormous pressure. We invite you to get to know this deep-sea inhabitant, which has amazing taste qualities, and learn some things about it. interesting facts.

Appearance

Let's get acquainted with the description of the monkfish - a sea fish that prefers deep crevices where sunlight never reaches. The European anglerfish is a large fish, the body length reaches one and a half meters, approximately 70% is in the head, the average weight is about 20 kg. Distinctive Features the fish are:

A huge mouth with a large number of small but sharp teeth gives it a repulsive appearance. The fangs are located in the jaw in a special way: at an angle, which makes capturing prey even more effective.
A bare and scaleless scalp with fringes, tubercles and spines also does not adorn a deep-sea inhabitant.
On the head there is a so-called fishing rod - a continuation of the dorsal fin, at the end of which there is a leathery bait. This feature of the monkfish determines its second name - anglerfish, despite the fact that the fishing rod is present exclusively in females.
The bait consists of mucus and is a leathery bag that emits light due to luminous bacteria living in the mucus. Interestingly, each type of anglerfish emits a specific color of light.
The upper jaw is more mobile than the lower jaw, and thanks to the flexibility of the bones, fish are able to swallow prey of impressive size.
Small, close-set round eyes are located on the top of the head.
The color of the fish is inconspicuous: from dark gray to dark brown, which helps anglers successfully camouflage themselves on the bottom and deftly grab prey.

It is interesting how the fish hunts: it hides, exposing its bait. As soon as some careless fish becomes interested, the devil will open his mouth and swallow it.

Habitat

Let's find out where the angler fish (monkfish) lives. The habitat depends on the species. Thus, European anglers prefer to live at a depth of up to 200 meters, but their deep-sea counterparts, of which more than a hundred varieties have been discovered, have chosen for themselves depressions and crevices, where there is very high pressure and no pressure at all. sunlight. They can be found at a depth of 1.5 to 5 km in the seas of the Atlantic Ocean.

Anglerfish are also found in the so-called Southern (Antarctic) Ocean, which unites the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, washing the shores of the white continent - Antarctica. Monkfish also live in the waters of the Baltic, Barents, Okhotsk and off the coast of Korea and Japan; some species are found in the Black Sea.

Varieties

Sea devils are fish from the order Anglers. Currently, eight species are known, one of them is extinct. Representatives of each of them have a characteristic terrifying appearance.

American anglerfish. It belongs to the benthic species, the body length is impressive - adult females are often more than a meter. In appearance they resemble tadpoles due to their huge heads. Average life expectancy is up to 30 years.
Southern European anglerfish or black-bellied fish. The body length is about a meter, the name of the species is associated with the color of the peritoneum; the back and sides of the fish are pinkish-gray. The average life expectancy is about 20 years.
The Western Atlantic anglerfish is a bottom-dwelling fish, reaching a length of 60 cm. It is the target of the fishery.
Cape (Burmese). The most noticeable part of its body is its giant flattened head, and it also has a short tail.
Japanese (yellow, Far Eastern). They have an unusual body color - brown-yellow, and live in the Sea of Japan and East China Sea.
South African. Lives off the southern coast of Africa.
European. A very large anglerfish, whose body length reaches 2 meters, is distinguished by a huge crescent-shaped mouth, small sharp teeth their shape resembles hooks. The length of the fishing rod is up to 50 cm.

Thus, all types of anglerfish have common characteristic features - a huge mouth with a large number small but sharp teeth, a fishing rod with bait - the most unusual way hunting among the inhabitants of the underwater depths, bare skin. In general, the fish looks really scary, so the loud name is fully justified.

Lifestyle

Scientists believe that the first anglerfish appeared on the planet more than 120 million years ago. The body shape and specific lifestyle are largely determined by where the monkfish prefers to live. If it is almost flat, if the anglerfish has settled closer to the surface, then it has a body compressed from the sides. But regardless of the habitat, the monkfish (angler fish) is a predator.

Damn - the fish is unique, it moves along the bottom not like its other brothers, but by jumping, carried out thanks to its strong pectoral fin. From this, another name for the sea resident is frog fish.

Fish prefer not to expend energy, therefore, even when swimming, they spend no more than 2% of their energy reserve. They are distinguished by enviable patience, capable of not moving for a long time, waiting for prey, practically not even breathing - the pause between breaths is about 100 seconds.

Nutrition

Previously, it was discussed how monkfish hunts prey, attracting it with a luminous bait. It is interesting that the fish does not perceive the size of its victims; often large individuals, larger in size than the anglerfish itself, are caught in its mouth, so it cannot eat them. And due to the specifics of the device, the jaw cannot be released.

The anglerfish is famous for its incredible gluttony and courage, so it can even attack scuba divers. Of course, deaths from such an attack are unlikely, but the sharp teeth of an anglerfish can disfigure the body of an unwary person.

Favorite food

As previously mentioned, anglerfish are predators, preferring to use other deep-sea inhabitants as food. Some of the monkfish's favorite treats include:

Cod.
Flounder.
Stingrays are not large size.
Acne.
Cuttlefish.
Squid.
Crustaceans.

Sometimes mackerel or herring become victims of predators; this happens when a hungry angler rises closer to the surface.

Reproduction

The monkfish (anglerfish) fish is amazing in almost every way. For example, the process of reproduction is very unusual both for marine life and for wildlife in general. When the partners find each other, the male attaches himself to the belly of his chosen one and firmly grows to her, the fish seem to become a single organism. Gradually the process is underway even further - the fish acquire common skin, blood vessels, and certain organs of the male - fins and eyes - atrophy as unnecessary. It is precisely because of this feature that researchers for a long time It was not possible to detect a male anglerfish and describe it.

In males, only the gills, heart and genitals continue to function.

Having become familiar with the description of the monkfish and the peculiarities of its way of life, we suggest you learn a few interesting facts about this eerie fish:

This is the monkfish - an unusual creation of nature, an inhabitant of the depths and an amazing predator, using a trick not typical of other representatives of the fauna. Thanks to its tasty white meat, practically devoid of bones, the angler fish is a commercial fish.

Anglerfish, or sea devils (Lophius) are very prominent representatives a genus of ray-finned fish belonging to the family of anglerfish and the order of anglerfish. Typical bottom inhabitants are found, as a rule, on a muddy or sandy bottom, sometimes half-burrowing into it. Some individuals settle among algae or between large rock fragments.

Description of monkfish

On two sides of the monkfish's head, as well as along the edges of the jaws and lips, hangs fringed skin that moves in the water and resembles appearance seaweed. Thanks to this structural feature, anglerfish become inconspicuous against the background of the ground.

Appearance

The European anglerfish has a body length of within a couple of meters, but more often - no more than one and a half meters. Weight Limit adult is 55.5-57.7 kg. aquatic inhabitant has a naked body, covered with numerous leathery growths and clearly visible bone tubercles. The body is flattened, compressed towards the back and belly. The eyes of the monkfish are small, widely spaced. The dorsal area is brownish, greenish-brown or reddish in color with dark spots.

The American anglerfish has a body no more than 90-120 cm long, with average weight within 22.5-22.6 kg. The black-bellied anglerfish is a deep-sea fish reaching a length of 50-100 cm. The body length of the Western Atlantic anglerfish does not exceed 60 cm. The Burmese monkfish, or Cape anglerfish, is characterized by a flattened head of enormous size and a fairly short tail, which occupies less than a third of the total body length. The size of an adult does not exceed a meter.

This is interesting! The devil is a unique fish in appearance and lifestyle, capable of moving along the bottom with peculiar jumps, which are carried out due to the presence of a strong pectoral fin.

The total body length of the Far Eastern anglerfish is one and a half meters. The aquatic inhabitant has a large and wide flat head. The mouth is very large, with a protruding lower jaw, on which there are one or two rows of teeth. The skin of the monkfish is devoid of scales. Located in the throat area pelvic fins. Wide pectoral fins are distinguished by the presence of a fleshy blade. The first three rays of the dorsal fin are separate from each other. The upper part of the body is brown in color, with light spots surrounded by a dark border. The lower part of the body is characterized by a light color.

Character and lifestyle

According to many scientists, the very first sea anglers or sea devils appeared on our planet more than a hundred million years ago. However, despite such a respectable age, the characteristic behavioral features and lifestyle of the monkfish are not very well studied at the moment.

This is interesting! One of the anglerfish's hunting methods is to jump using its fins and then swallow the caught prey.

So big for a person predatory fish practically does not attack, which is due to the significant depth at which the anglerfish settles. When rising from the depths after spawning, too hungry fish can harm scuba divers. During this period, the monkfish may well bite a person on the hand.

How long do anglerfish live?

The longest recorded lifespan of the American anglerfish is thirty years. The black-bellied anglerfish lives in natural conditions about twenty years. The lifespan of the Cape monkfish rarely exceeds ten years.

Species of monkfish

The genus Anglerfish includes several species, represented by:

American anglerfish, or American monkfish (Lophius americanus);
Black-bellied anglerfish, or southern European anglerfish, or budegassa anglerfish (Lophius budegassa);
Western Atlantic anglerfish (Lophius gastrophysus);
Far Eastern monkfish or Far Eastern anglerfish (Lophius litulon);
European anglerfish, or European monkfish (Lophius piscatorius).

Also known are the South African anglerfish (Lophius vaillanti), the Burmese or Cape anglerfish (Lophius vomerinus) and the extinct Lophius braсhysomus Agassiz.

Range, habitats

The black-bellied anglerfish has become widespread throughout the eastern Atlantic, from Senegal to British Isles, as well as in the waters of the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Representatives of the species Western Atlantic anglerfish are found in the western Atlantic Ocean, where such an anglerfish is a bottom-dwelling fish that lives at a depth of 40-700 m.

The American sea devil is an oceanic demersal (bottom-dwelling) fish that lives in the waters of the northwest Atlantic, at a depth of no more than 650-670 m. The species has spread along the North American Atlantic coast. In the north of its range, the American anglerfish lives at shallow depths, and in the southern part, representatives of this genus are sometimes found in coastal waters.

The European anglerfish is common in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, near the coast of Europe, from the Barents Sea and Iceland to the Gulf of Guinea, as well as the Black, Northern and Baltic seas. The Far Eastern anglerfish belongs to the inhabitants of the Sea of Japan, settling along the coastline of Korea, in the waters of Peter the Great Bay, and also near the island of Honshu. Part of the population is found in the waters of the Okhotsk and Yellow Seas, along the Pacific coast of Japan, in the waters of the East China and South China Seas.

Anglerfish diet

Ambush predators spend a significant part of their time waiting for their prey absolutely motionless, hiding on the bottom and almost completely merging with it. The diet consists mainly of a wide variety of fish and cephalopods, including squid and cuttlefish. Occasionally, sea devil eats all kinds of carrion.

By the nature of their diet, all monkfish are typical predators . The basis of their diet is represented by fish that live in the bottom water column. The stomach contents of anglerfish include gerbils, small stingrays and cod, eels and small sharks, as well as flounder. Closer to the surface, adult aquatic predators are able to hunt mackerel and herring. There are well-known cases when anglerfish attacked not too large birds, which sway peacefully on the waves.

This is interesting! When the mouth opens, a so-called vacuum is formed, in which a stream of water with the prey quickly rushes into the oral cavity of the sea predator.

Thanks to the pronounced natural camouflage, the monkfish, lying motionless on the bottom, is almost invisible. For the purpose of camouflage, the aquatic predator burrows into the ground or hides in dense thickets of algae. Potential prey is attracted by a special luminous bait, located by monkfish at the end of a kind of fishing rod, represented by an elongated ray of the dorsal front fin. At the moment when crustaceans, invertebrates or fish touch the eski, the lurking sea devil very sharply opens its mouth.

Reproduction and offspring

Fully mature individuals various types become in at different ages. For example, male European anglerfish reach sexual maturity at the age of six years (with a total body length of 50 cm). Females mature only at the age of fourteen, when individuals reach almost a meter in length. European anglerfish spawn at different times. All northern populations living near the British Isles typically spawn between March and May. All southern populations inhabiting waters near the Iberian Peninsula spawn from January to June.

During the period of active spawning, males and females of the genus of ray-finned fish, belonging to the family of anglerfish and the order of anglerfish, descend to a depth of forty meters to two kilometers. Having descended into the deepest water, the female angler fish begins to spawn, and the males cover it with their milk. Immediately after spawning, hungry, sexually mature females and adult males swim to areas of shallow water, where they intensively feed before the onset of spawning. autumn period. Preparation of monkfish for wintering is carried out at a fairly large depth.

The eggs laid by sea fish form a kind of ribbon, abundantly covered with mucous secretions. Depending on the species characteristics of the representatives of the genus, the total width of such a tape varies between 50-90 cm, with a length of eight to twelve meters and a thickness of 4-6 mm. Such ribbons are able to drift unhindered across the expanses of water. A peculiar clutch, as a rule, consists of a couple of million eggs, which are separated from each other and have a single-layer arrangement inside special mucous hexagonal cells.

Over time, the walls of the cells gradually collapse, and thanks to the fat drops inside the eggs, they are prevented from settling to the bottom and freely floating in the water. The difference between hatched larvae and adult individuals is the absence of a flattened body and large pectoral fins.

A characteristic feature of the dorsal fin and pelvic fins is represented by highly elongated anterior rays. Hatched anglerfish larvae remain in the surface layers of water for a couple of weeks. The diet consists of small crustaceans that are carried by water currents, as well as the larvae of other fish and pelagic caviar.

This is interesting! In representatives of the European monkfish species, the caviar is large and its diameter can be 2-4 mm. The eggs laid by the American anglerfish are smaller in size, and their diameter does not exceed 1.5-1.8 mm.

During the process of growth and development, monkfish larvae undergo peculiar metamorphoses, which consist in a gradual change in body shape to the appearance of adults. After the anglerfish fry reach a length of 6.0-8.0 mm, they descend to a considerable depth. Sufficiently grown young individuals actively settle in the middle depths, and in some cases the juveniles move closer to the coastline. During the very first year of life, the rate of growth processes in monkfish is as fast as possible, and then the development process sea creature noticeably slows down.

Monkfish, or anglerfish, is a predatory sea bottom fish that belongs to the class ray-finned fish, subclass new-finned fish, infraclass bony fish, order anglerfish, suborder anglerfish, family anglerfish, genus anglerfish (large anglerfish), or sea devils (lat. Lophius).

The etymology of the Latin name for monkfish is not fully understood. Some scientists are of the opinion that it comes from a modified Greek word "λοφίο", meaning a ridge that resembles the jaws of this fish. Other researchers associate it with a kind of ridge running along the entire back. Popular name“angler” appeared thanks to the long and modified first ray of the dorsal fin, equipped with a bait (eska) and resembling a fisherman’s fishing rod. And thanks to the unusual and unattractive appearance of the predator’s head, it was nicknamed “monkfish”. Due to the fact that angler fish can move around seabed, pushing off from it with slightly modified fins, in some countries fishermen call them frogs.

Monkfish (fish) – description, structure, photo. What does monkfish look like?

Sea devils are fairly large predatory fish that live on the bottom and reach a length of 1.5-2 meters. The weight of monkfish is 20 kilograms or more. The body and huge head with small gill slits are quite strongly flattened in the horizontal direction. In almost all species of anglerfish, the mouth is very wide and opens almost along the entire circumference of the head. The lower jaw is less mobile than the upper jaw and is slightly pushed forward. Predators are armed with rather large sharp teeth that are curved inward. Thin and flexible jaw bones enable fish to swallow prey that is almost twice their size.

The monkfish's eyes are small, set close together, and located on the top of the head. The dorsal fin consists of two parts separated from each other, one of which is soft and shifted towards the tail, and the second is folded into six rays, three of which are located on the head itself, and three immediately behind it.

The anterior spiny ray of the dorsal fin is strongly shifted towards the upper jaw and represents a kind of “rod”; on its top there is a leathery formation (esca), in which luminous bacteria live, which are bait for potential prey.

Due to the fact that the pectoral fins of the monkfish are reinforced by several skeletal bones, they are quite powerful and allow the fish not only to burrow into the bottom soil, but also to move along it by crawling or using peculiar jumps. The pelvic fins are less in demand during the movement of the angler fish and are located on the throat.

It is noteworthy that the body of the anglerfish, painted in dark gray or dark brown colors (often with chaotically located light spots), is covered not with scales, but with various spine-like projections, tubercles, and long or curly leathery fringe, similar to algae. This camouflage allows the predator to easily set up an ambush in thickets of algae or on a sandy bottom.

Where does the anglerfish (monkfish) live?

The distribution area of the genus of anglerfish is quite extensive. It includes the western waters of the Atlantic Ocean, which washes the shores of Canada and the United States of America, the eastern Atlantic, whose waves crash on the shores of Iceland and the British Isles, and the cooler depths of the North, Barents and Baltic seas. Certain species of monkfish are found off the coast of Japan and Korea, in the waters of the Okhotsk and Yellow Sea, in the Eastern Pacific and the Black Sea. Anglerfish also live in the depths Indian Ocean, covering the southern tip African continent. Depending on the species, sea devils live at depths from 18 meters to 2 kilometers or more.

What does monkfish (anglerfish) eat?

In terms of feeding, sea devils are predators. The basis of their diet consists of fish that live in the bottom layer of water. The stomachs of anglerfish include gerbils and cod, small stingrays and small sharks, eels, flounders, cephalopods (squid, cuttlefish) and various crustaceans. Sometimes these predators rise closer to the surface of the water, where they hunt for herring or mackerel. Including cases where anglerfish even attacked birds peacefully rocking on the sea waves.

All sea devils hunt from ambush. Thanks to their natural camouflage, it is impossible to notice them when they lie motionless on the bottom, buried in the ground or hidden in thickets of algae. Potential prey is attracted by a luminous bait, which is located at the end of a kind of fishing rod - an elongated ray of the anterior dorsal fin. The moment a passing crustacean, invertebrate or fish touches the esky, the monkfish sharply opens its mouth. As a result of this, a vacuum is formed, and a stream of water, along with the victim, who does not have time to do anything, rushes into the mouth of the predator, because the time it takes does not exceed 6 milliseconds.

Taken from the site: bestiarium.kryptozoologie.net

While waiting for prey, the monkfish fish is able to remain absolutely motionless for a long time and hold its breath. The pause between breaths can last from one to two minutes.

Previously, it was believed that the monkfish “fishing rod” with bait, movable in all directions, serves to attract prey, and anglerfish open their large mouths only when they touch the fishing rod of curious fish. However, scientists were able to establish that the mouth of predators automatically opens, even if the bait is touched by any object passing by.

Angler fish are quite greedy and gluttonous. This often leads to their death. Having a large mouth and stomach, monkfish is able to capture enough big catch. Because of the sharp and long teeth, the hunter cannot let go of his prey, which does not fit in his stomach, and chokes on it. There are known cases when fishermen found prey in the belly of a caught predator that was only 7-10 cm smaller than the monkfish itself.

Types of monkfish (anglerfish), names and photos

The genus of anglerfish (lat. Lophius) currently includes 7 species:

Lophius americanus (Valenciennes, 1837) – American anglerfish (American monkfish)
Lophius budegassa (Spinola, 1807) – black-bellied anglerfish, or southern European anglerfish, or budegassa anglerfish
Lophius gastrophysus (Miranda Ribeiro, 1915) – Western Atlantic anglerfish
Lophius litulon (Jordan, 1902) – Far Eastern monkfish, yellow anglerfish, Japanese anglerfish
Lophius piscatorius (Linnaeus, 1758) – European monkfish
Lophius vaillanti (Regan, 1903) – South African anglerfish
Lophius vomerinus (Valenciennes, 1837) – Cape (Burmese) monkfish

Below is a description of several types of anglerfish.

American monkfish (American anglerfish) ( Lophius americanus)

This is a dimersal (bottom-dwelling) predatory fish, having a length from 0.9 m to 1.2 m with a body weight of up to 22.6 kg. Thanks to its huge rounded head and body tapering towards the tail, the American anglerfish resembles a tadpole. The lower jaw of the large wide mouth is strongly pushed forward. It is noteworthy that even with its mouth closed, this predator’s lower teeth are visible. Both the upper and lower jaws are literally studded with sharp thin teeth, inclined deep into the mouth and reaching a length of 2.5 cm. Interestingly, in the lower jaw, the monkfish’s teeth are almost all large and arranged in three rows. On the upper jaw, large teeth grow only in the center, and in the lateral areas they are smaller, and there are also small teeth at the top of the oral cavity. The gills, lacking covers, are located immediately behind the pectoral fins. The eyes of the monkfish are small and point upward. Like all anglerfish, the first ray is elongated and has a leathery growth that glows due to the bacteria that have settled there. The leathery coverings of the back and sides are colored chocolate brown in various shades and covered with small light or dark spots, while the belly is dirty white. The lifespan of this species of monkfish can reach 30 years. The distribution area of the American anglerfish includes the northwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean with depths of up to 670 m, stretching from the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Quebec to the northeastern coast of the North American state of Florida. This predator thrives in waters with temperatures from 0°C to +21°C on sandy, gravel, clay or silty bottom sediments, including those covered with destroyed shells of dead mollusks.

European anglerfish (European monkfish) ( Lophius piscatorius)

It reaches a length of 2 meters, and the weight of individual individuals exceeds 20 kg. The entire body of these predators is flattened from the back to the belly. The size of the wide head can be 75% of the length of the entire fish. The European monkfish has a huge crescent-shaped mouth with a large number of thin, pointed, slightly hooked teeth, and a lower jaw that is significantly pushed forward. Slit-like gill openings are located behind the wide, skeletal-reinforced pectoral fins that allow European anglerfish to move along or burrow along the bottom. The soft, scaleless body of these bottom-dwelling fish is covered with a variety of bony spines or leathery growths of various lengths and shapes. The same “decorations” in the form of a beard border the jaws and lips, as well as the side surface of the head of the European monkfish. The posterior dorsal fin is located opposite the anal fin. The anterior dorsal fin consists of 6 rays, the first of which is located on the anglerfish’s head and can reach a length of 40-50 cm. At its top there is a leather “bag” that glows in the dark layers of bottom water. The color of individuals varies somewhat depending on the habitat of these fish. The back and sides, covered with dark spots, can be colored brown, reddish or greenish-brown, in contrast to the belly, which is white. The European monkfish lives in the Atlantic Ocean, which washes the shores of Europe, from the coast of Iceland to the Gulf of Guinea. These “cute creatures” can be found not only in the cold waters of the Northern, Baltic and Barents seas or in the English Channel, but also in the warmer Black Sea. European anglerfish live at depths from 18 to 550 m.

Black-bellied anglerfish (South European anglerfish, Budegass anglerfish) ( Lophius budegassa)

In structure and shape, this species of marine fish is very close to its European relative, but unlike it, it has a more modest size and a head that is not so wide relative to the body. The length of the monkfish ranges from 0.5 to 1 meter. The structure of the jaw apparatus is no different from individuals of other species. This species of monkfish gets its name from its distinctive black abdomen, while its back and sides are colored in varying shades of reddish brown or pinkish gray. Depending on their habitat, the body of some individuals may be covered with dark or light spots. The leathery outgrowths of a yellowish or light sandy color that border the jaws and head of the black-bellied anglerfish are short in length and located quite sparsely. The lifespan of the black-bellied monkfish does not exceed 21 years. This species is widespread in the waters of the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean throughout the entire space - from Great Britain and Ireland to the coast of Senegal, where monkfish lives at depths of 300 to 650 m. The black-bellied anglerfish can also be found in the waters of the Mediterranean and Black Seas at depths of up to 1 kilometer

Far Eastern monkfish (yellow anglerfish, Japanese anglerfish) ( Lophius litulon)

It is a typical inhabitant of the waters of the Sea of Japan, Okhotsk, Yellow and East China Seas, as well as a small part of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan, where it is found at depths ranging from 50 m to 2 km. Individuals of this species grow up to 1.5 meters in length. Like all representatives of the genus Lophius, the Japanese monkfish has a horizontally flattened body, but unlike its relatives it has a longer tail. Sharp teeth curved towards the throat in the lower, forward jaw are arranged in two rows. The leathery body of the yellow anglerfish, covered with numerous outgrowths and bony tubercles, is colored in a single color. brown, over which light spots with darker outlines are randomly scattered. Unlike the back and sides, the belly of Far Eastern monkfish is light. The dorsal, anal and pelvic fins are dark in color, but have light tips.

Cape Anglerfish, or Burmese monkfish, ( Lophius vomerinus)

It is distinguished by a huge flattened head and a rather short tail, occupying less than one third of the length of the entire body. The size of adult individuals does not exceed 1 meter. Their life expectancy is no more than 11 years. The Cape anglerfish lives at depths of 150 to 400 m in the southeastern Atlantic and western Indian Ocean, along the coasts of Namibia, Mozambique and Republic of South Africa. The light brown body of the Burmese monkfish is strongly flattened from the back towards the abdomen and covered with a fringe of numerous leathery growths. Esca at the top long first ray of the dorsal fin, resembles a flap. The gill slits are located behind the pectoral fins and just below their level. The lower part of the body (abdomen) is lighter, almost white.

Reproduction of anglerfish (monkfish)

To spawn, females and males of monkfish descend to depths from 0.4 km to 2 km. In southern latitudes, the mating season of fish occurs at the end of winter or beginning of spring. In the northern regions, this time shifts to mid-spring - early summer, and for Japanese monkfish, spawning begins at the end of summer. Having descended into deep water, female anglerfish begin to spawn, and males cover it with milk. After mating season hungry adult females and males swim to shallow water, where they feed intensively until the fall, preparing for wintering on great depths Oh.

The laid eggs form a ribbon covered with mucus. Depending on the type of monkfish, its width ranges from 50 to 90 cm, its length is from 8 to 12 m, and its thickness is from 0.4 to 0.6 cm. These ribbons drift unhindered across the expanses of water. Such peculiar clutches usually consist of 1-3 million eggs, separated from each other and located in mucous hexagonal cells in a single layer. European monkfish have large caviar, its diameter can be about 0.23-0.4 cm. American anglerfish caviar is smaller (only 0.15-0.18 cm in diameter).

After some time, the walls of the cells begin to collapse, and the eggs, thanks to the drops of fat contained in them, do not settle to the bottom, but float freely in the water. After a few days, the anglerfish larvae hatch. Unlike adults, they have a non-flattened body with large pectoral fins. Characteristic feature their ventral and dorsal fins have strongly elongated anterior rays. Hatched monkfish larvae live in the surface layer of water for 15-17 weeks. They feed on small crustaceans carried by water currents, larvae of other fish species, pelagic eggs, etc.

Taken from: fishes.science

Growing up, the larvae undergo metamorphosis: gradually their body shape becomes like that of adults. Having reached a length of 60-80 mm, the fry descend to greater depths. When young individuals grow to a length of 13-20 cm, they inhabit medium depths, but sometimes they can be seen near the shore. In the first year of life, the growth rate of monkfish is very fast, and then it slows down.

Commercial importance of monkfish

Despite its name and peculiar appearance, monkfish is an edible bottom-dwelling fish that is of quite great commercial importance. Environmentalists are even trying to ban its fishing on the European coast, since here angler fish are caught not with fishing rods, but with the help of nets and trawls. The meat of representatives of the genus Lophius has excellent taste and is similar to lobster meat. It has almost no bones, it white, dense consistency, but at the same time tender. French and Spanish gourmets consider it a delicacy.

The predator's head is used to prepare delicious rich broths and seafood soups. Boiled monkfish meat is added to various salads, cut into pieces or cubes, it can be grilled, or stewed with vegetables. Steamed or baked in parchment paper, anglerfish meat is ideal for dietary nutrition, since the fat content in it is minimal, and there are no carbohydrates at all if there is large quantity proteins, various minerals, amino acids, as well as vitamins B, E, PP, A and D. In addition, the calorie content of monkfish is only 68.2 kcal.

Representatives of the genus Lophius are often called not only monkfish, but also “tail fish.” The nickname appeared due to the fact that angler fish in stores usually appear already cleaned and without a head. In fact, only one tail remains on the shelves.
Sea devil fish are able to masterfully camouflage themselves at the bottom of reservoirs. Not only the ability to change body color to match the environment (rocks, driftwood, algae), but also their own appearance helps them become invisible. The head of the fish, the edges of its jaws and lips, and the skin are overgrown with appendages, hanging fringes and tufts, reminiscent of algae leaves that move in the water.
Residents of the tropics have many legends about the angler fish, which is terrible in appearance and attacks swimmers. But if we compare the number of people injured by sharks, octopuses or barracudas, then the number of victims from monkfish teeth is quite small. The predator almost never attacks humans, because divers usually do not swim to depths of 700 m or more. Fish can harm scuba divers only when they rise to coastal waters after spawning and are very hungry. At this time, swimmers should not approach, much less stroke, the monkfish, because he may bite your hand.
The meat and liver of this bottom-dwelling fish are considered a delicacy, so there is a threat of extinction of the genus due to its increased fishing. In England, in the winter of 2007, a decision was made to ban the sale of monkfish in the country's supermarket chains.

Fried medallions and tender pate, aromatic fillet under cheese sauce and sweet soup - these and many other monkfish delicacies are offered to visitors of expensive European and Asian restaurants. Light, with pinkish veins, low-calorie meat has decent taste.

Behind the strange name “monkfish” is hidden most interesting representative class of ray-finned fish (order of anglerfish). Name inhabitant of oceanic and depths of the sea received for his rather scary appearance, cunning and incredible gluttony.

Description

The order of anglerfish consists of 11 families known to science, including about 120 species of fish. Monkfish fish is among large predators. The catches usually contain individuals up to 1 meter long and weighing up to 10 kg, but there are also two-meter giants weighing up to 40 kg.

The entire order of anglerfish has a disproportionate body: the narrow rear part is flattened laterally, and the wider front part (including the head) is flattened in the dorsoventral direction.

A wide mouth with a slightly protruded lower jaw can open almost the entire circumference of the huge head, which is up to 2/3 of the length of the fish

The structure of the upper and lower jaws (in particular, flexible bones and a movable upper jaw) allow the monkfish to swallow prey that is significantly larger than itself.

The unsightly picture is complemented by sharp teeth of varying lengths curved inwards.
The unique dorsal fin deserves special attention. It is divided into two independent parts. Rear scientific interest has no idea: it is soft, located near the tail, its rays are connected by a membrane.

The anterior part of the fin consists of six spiny rays. One of them is at the top of the head, just above the jaw.

The beam (scientifically called illicium or trapping outgrowth) is directed forward and looks like a kind of fishing rod

Thanks to its catching growth, the monkfish has another name - the anglerfish. In some species, the illicium can be retracted into a special hole on the back. The fish lures food with its own flashlight. It is called “esca”, located at the end of the illicium and is a leathery growth.

In fact, an esca is a mucus-filled gland that is inhabited by living microorganisms. Bacteria exhibit bioluminescence, requiring the presence of oxygen. During the hunt, the angler fish expands the walls of the arteries, providing a flow of oxygen to the gland.

The bacteria glow, creating a series of sequential flashes that attract potential prey

Having sated, the anglerfish narrows the walls of the blood vessels, and the glow stops.

For this feature monkfish is sometimes called lanternfish.

Another nickname for the anglerfish is associated with fins - frogfish.

Powerful muscular pectoral fins, reinforced by skeletal bones, allow the monkfish to move along the bottom like an amphibian: by special jumps or crawling, alternately rearranging the fins

Interesting fact! Nature has endowed only the female monkfish with a fishing rod and flashlight.

Sexual dimorphism and reproductive characteristics

Anatomical differences are manifested not only in the absence of an illicium with an esca in males, that is, the main devices for obtaining food. Dimorphism is, first of all, expressed by a significant difference in the growth of males and females. If average length females, depending on the species, vary from 0.5 to 1.5 meters, while male anglerfish have a height of 16 mm to 4 cm.

Scientists have long puzzled over why only female specimens of the mysterious fish end up in fishermen’s nets. The males were even credited with some semblance of intelligence, allowing them to avoid captivity.

Gradually, the male fuses with the female with his tongue and lips, and a little later with blood vessels. He loses vital organs (teeth, intestines, eyes) and becomes an appendage of the female, feeding on her blood.

In the photograph, the arrow indicates a male attached to a female. The picture gives an idea of the dimorphism of individuals of different sexes.

Being almost completely dissolved in the female, the male fertilizes the eggs at the right moment

The only function that the male retains is the ability to produce sperm. For this reason, a female often carries up to 4 males.

Females are very fertile. IN spring-summer period they lay up to 3 million eggs. Spawning occurs at a depth of at least 900 m. The eggs are connected into a ribbon-like clutch up to 12 meters long. The mucus-covered ribbon floats freely until the cell walls begin to disintegrate. The hatched larvae live in the surface layer of the reservoir for 2–3 weeks, feeding on pelagic eggs, copepods, and fry of other fish. Only after reaching a length of 8 cm, the juvenile angler fish descends to depth.

Range of the most common species

Observing monkfish is difficult due to the great depths of its habitat. Of the 120 species included in the order Anglerfishes, five are the most studied:

European monkfish: distributed in the Black, Baltic, Barents, North Seas, in the European part of the Atlantic Ocean, and the English Channel. It lives at depths from 18 to 550 meters, where it grows up to 2 meters;
black-bellied monkfish(other names: boudegassa anglerfish, southern European anglerfish): differs from its European counterpart in its more modest size: 0.5–1 meter. The species' distribution zone is the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean from Great Britain to Senegal (habitat depth 300–650 m). The fish can be found in the Mediterranean and Black Seas at a kilometer depth;
American monkfish: lives in the waters of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean at depths of up to 670 meters. The maximum length of the American anglerfish is 1.2 meters, weight is about 23 kg;
Far Eastern monkfish(yellow or Japanese anglerfish): a one and a half meter monster has chosen the waters of the Japanese, Yellow, and Okhotsk seas. Less common in Pacific Ocean in the area of Japan. Feels comfortable at a depth of 50 meters to 2 kilometers;
Burmese monkfish(Cape anglerfish): lives in the western part of the Indian and south-eastern parts Atlantic Oceans at a depth of up to 400 meters. The size of the largest individual does not exceed 1 meter.

All species are of commercial importance. If previously monkfish were caught as bycatch, now valuable fish purposefully extracted using nets. Amateurs catch anglerfish with bottom gear using live bait.

How and who does monkfish hunt?

The anglerfish's head has small, close-set eyes, but visual acuity deep sea fish can't boast. However, she does not need to chase prey. Monkfish prefers to ambush near the bottom.
Natural camouflage contributes to successful hunting.

The constantly moving long leathery folds around the monkfish's mouth mislead gullible fish. They mistake them for algae

The fish has no scales. Her body is covered with plaques, spines, tubercles and similar growths. The bare skin is colored in accordance with the general background of the bottom of the habitat. Usually these colors are brown, black, dark gray; in some species there are light spots randomly scattered throughout the body.

Interesting fact! While waiting for prey, the monkfish is capable of remaining motionless for a long time and even holding its breath. Pauses between breaths can be up to 2 minutes.

As soon as the inhabitants of the reservoir, attracted by the glow, come close to the mouth, the angler sharply opens its huge mouth and, along with the flow of water, draws in the prey. The victim does not have time to offer resistance: the entire process lasts no more than 6 milliseconds.

The diet of the monkfish consists of various crustaceans, as well as: flounder, eel, stingray, and sometimes small sharks. During the feeding season, the anglerfish may leave its usual depth. Then his prey becomes cod, mackerel, and herring.

There are known cases of fish attacking waterfowl. True, such gluttony costs the life of the angler himself: he dies from feathers stuck in his mouth

The terrifying appearance of the monkfish has given rise to many superstitions and legends. It is widely believed that the anglerfish attacks swimmers. The statement is only partly true. During the period of zhora, the fish rises to the surface of the reservoir and can actually bite a person. The rest of the time, the monkfish prefers to stay at depths beyond the reach of divers.

In the UK, since 2007, there has been a ban on the sale of monkfish meat in supermarkets. This is how environmentalists try to preserve unique fish.