The bizarre mating practices of anglerfish

The bizarre mating practices of anglerfish Today’s Video of the Day comes from Kirsten and Joachim Jakobsen and the journal Science and features a look at the strange mating practices of anglerfish.

The much smaller male attaches himself to the much larger female by his lips, beginning a parasitic dynamic in which the male gets food and nutrients in exchange for sperm. These species inhabit at a depth of about 3,000 meters. The habitats of these fishes are found worldwide. The precise numbers of anglerfish are not known as they are found in the depth waters. The expected lifespan of angler fish is 20 years or more.

The clip also marks the first time that bioluminescence in anglerfish has been documented, which they use to attract prey in front of their mouths. Angler Fish Life Cycle: The female angler lay eggs on the sheet of viscous material that floats on the surface of the water.

The egg will hatch to larvae and feed on small planktons until they are altogether grown up. When the baby angler became mature, they will go to the deep dark sea. The anglerfish is not in extinction but however, an endangered species because it lives in the deep oceans and these fishes are also sold incorrectly in the shops and restaurants named as monkfish which is completely a different species that belong to the shark family. The bizarre mating practices of anglerfish as shown above in video will also show you the different features between different genders.

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By Rory Arnold, Earth.com Staff Writer

Video Credit: Science