Ceratiidae. Seen Finding Nemo? Then youve seen one of these fascinating fish that is part fish, part torch and mostly teeth. Devil fish are the deep sea variety of the angler fish, which are found at different depths all over the world (shallow water species include Monk Fish, which is fished for food in some parts of the world). Like all angler fish, Devil fish have a lure which dangles from the middle of their head. As the name suggests, this structure isnt for navigation but rather for attracting prey. It is dark in the deep sea after all. Its far more energy efficient to get food to come to you rather than go looking for it. Light from the lure is created not by the fish, but by bacteria which produce light in a reaction called bioluminescence. Their mouth of needle like teeth stop any unfortunate prey from escaping. So youve got food coming to you, but what about finding another devil fish to mate with? Again, reducing energy demand is the aim of the game and you dont want to have to keep looking for a partner. So when devil fish find a mate they dont let go of each other. Literally. Male devil fish are significantly smaller than the females and are in fact often incapable of surviving long without finding a female. Once a male finds a female hell bite her and fuse to her, right down to the blood vessels, receiving all the nutrients he needs. This arrangement means that the females are ensured offspring without having to actively hunt for a male and the males get to, you know, live.
