Scary Looking Anglerfish Caught On Camera
Check out this amazing video of the black sea devil anglerfish, with its needle sharp teeth, gaping mouth and slightly startled expression which makes it tailor made for the limelight. Recently researchers got up close and personal with this rare species of marine life and managed to collect some footage of a female anglerfish. This was the first time the anglerfish has ever been filmed off the coast of central California, in its natural habitat and if you haven’t clicked the play button already, what are you waiting for?
First time an ROV was used to capture an anglerfish
The research team made use of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) which when diving at about 1,900 feet or 580 metres in Monterey Bay Canyon found the 3.5 inch or 9 centimetre black sea devil. The scientists managed to transport her to the surface, and since then have been monitoring her progress. Bruce Robinson of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has worked with sea devils in the past and has brought them up from the depths of the ocean before, but says he has never ever done so with an ROV. The ability to study a living animal is giving scientists the opportunity to learn so much more than they ever would have from a dead specimen that has been preserved Dr. Robinson said.
Black sea devil is the perfect name
The black sea devil is the perfect name for this species of fish and looks like something you really would rather avoid meeting if you are swimming in the sea. However its small size means it is hardly capable of devouring a human being. Whilst the black sea devil has been filmed before, the researchers at MBARI say they think this is the first time the anglerfish has been filmed at this depth alive. (You may remember this strange species from the chase scene in the Pixar movie “Finding Nemo”)
Male sea devils are parasites
Sea devils are well known because the males of the species are parasites. Whilst females are able to grow to the size of baseball, males tend to be a lot smaller and are not able to survive on their own. This means the male needs to find a female as soon as possible. Once the male finds a female he bites her and the tissue of the two fish fuse. The female sustains the male who provides sperm in return.
Perfectly adapted to their environment
This particular sea devil did not have any males attached; however Dr. Robinson has seen other species of anglerfish with as many as 11 parasitic males hanging off a single female. Dr. Robinson says that whilst many people think the sea devil is strange and ugly, he thinks these animals are amazingly adapted to their environment and doesn’t think of them being ugly at all.