Skip to content

Step Inside the World of the Peculiar

And meet some of the seemingly supernatural creatures living in our ocean!

Meet the Anglerfish!

In the uncharted darkness of the deepest sea, a light flickers ominously ahead. This is the lure of the anglerfish, one of the ocean’s most fascinating predators.

With many different species, belonging to different families, the anglerfish is perfectly adapted to its dark environment. Given its peculiar appearance, oddly vast mouth, and razor-sharp teeth, one may mistake it for a creature from outer space.

With its many oddities, like a reproductive process in which a male latches onto a female like a parasite, the anglerfish remains one of the most mesmerizingly mysterious creatures of the ocean.

Habitat


The Anglerfish is adapted to extreme darkness at around 2000 meters below surface level. This otherworldly critter can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and around Iceland.

Food


With a gaping maw, needle-sharp teeth and expandable stomach, the anglerfish can swallow prey nearly its own size. Its prey includes crustaceans, fish, squid, other anglerfish, and even seabirds that sink to the sea floor.

Predators


The anglerfish's main predators include larger deep-sea fish, like deep-sea sharks.

Special Skill


Their most striking feature is the bioluminescent lure dangling from its head, a glowing beacon used to attract unsuspecting victims in the pitch-black abyss.

Protect the Peculiar, Before Eerie Becomes Extinct

Just like every ocean creature—no matter how strange—has a role in keeping this interconnected ecosystem thriving, we all have a part to play in protecting it.

Sign up for the Ocean Wise newsletter today and stay up to date on ways you can take action for a healthier ocean!

Join the mailing list

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive emails about events, news about ocean successes and issues, and opportunities to support us.

Help spread the word

Share this page on social media and help get the word out on ocean conservation