Anglerfish Gallery

Deep sea anglerfish

Deep sea anglerfish, computer artwork. This fish lives in the aphotic zone in the oceans, where it is so deep that no sunlight penetrates. It hunts by using its bioluminescent lure, or esca. This is a glowing fleshy protuberance on the tip of its first dorsal spine. It wiggles it to simulate the movements of a small animal, and then engulfs any approaching predator in its vast mouth. Its jaws and body are so flexible that it can engulf prey much larger than its own body

© CHRISTIAN DARKIN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Anglerfish, Lophius piscatorius, and spotted

Anglerfish, Lophius piscatorius, and spotted handfish, Brachionichthys hirsutus.. Handcolored copperplate stipple engraving from Jussieu's Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles 1816-1830. Illustration by J.G. Pretre, engraved by Massard, directed by Turpin, and published by F. G. Levrault. Jean Gabriel Pretre (1780-1845) was painter of natural history at Empress Josephine's zoo and later became artist to the Museum of Natural History

© Florilegius / Mary Evans

Striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus)

Striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus), common in Sydney Harbour. They rest very quietly on the sea floor and can resemble a sponge. A specialised appendage on the head serves as a lure with bait. The fish will dangle it, making it look like a worm, so attracting prey. They can change colour according to the habitat they are in. Chowder Bay, Middle Head, Sydney Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

© Copyright Mark Spencer/AUSCAPE All rights reserved