The Fangtooth Fish Is Like Something Out Of Your Nightmares
The fangtooth fish (Anoplogaster cornuta) gets its scary nickname from its mouthy face. Wikimedia Commons A life fangtooth fish recorded using a remotely operated vehicle named Ventana under the Monterey Bay Aquarium Institute. This fish was found more than 2,000 feet below the surface in Monterey Bay.MBARI These scary-looking deep sea fish can live as far as 16,400 feet beneath the sea. In terms of distance, that is comparable to the length of 55 American football fields.NOAA The fangtooth fish is known to be more active than many other deep sea fish. Jesse Claggett/Flickr Like many deep-sea predators, it may drift in the darkness for weeks at a time, waiting for prey to swim by. MBARI The fish's short fins suggest it has evolved to turn quickly and lunge forward to attack any prey that swims past it in the darkness. David Shale/Smithsonian Institute When they decide to "hunt," they do it at night. But they are not an aggressive species and are relatively harmless to humans.MBARI A lab specimen of a fangtooth fish.Karen Neoh/Flickr Despite its scary face, the fangtooth is a relatively small fish and has poor eyesight, meaning it is unable to hunt aggressively for prey.Brian Suda/Flickr Their "fangs" are so long that these fish have developed a special adaptation to protect itself from tearing holes in its mouth with its own fangs. MBARI Young fangtooths have a single row of teeth before they develop their sharp fangs as adults. MBARI
7 Real-Life Sea Animals That Look Like H.P. Lovecraft Creations View GalleryAt a glance, the fangtooth fish (Anoplogaster cornuta) with its mouthy face looks like a menacing underwater predator. But despite its threatening appearance, the fangtooth is actually quite a passive sea animal. Indeed, the fangtooth may look dangerous, but its poor eyesight makes it a mild predator.
These scary ocean animals, also known as ogrefish, live as far as 16,400 feet beneath the sea, which is about the length of 55 American football fields. Life in this isolated environment is difficult, so many deep-sea fishes have developed adaptations that help them to preserve precious energy.
The fangtooth, however, is known to be more active than many other deep-sea fish. When it comes time to feed, the little ocean animal will sneak up on its prey, usually small fish or crustaceans, and simply sucks it into its mouth.
The fangtooth will also migrate toward the surface of the ocean in search of prey. When they do decide to "hunt," they usually do so at night. Still, they are not considered an aggressive species and are relatively harmless to humans.
Footage of the fangtooth fish in the black waters of its deep-sea habitat.It's obvious that the fangtooth earned its nickname from its absurd-looking chompers. In fact, the fangtooth possesses the largest teeth of any fish in the ocean relative to its size. Their "fangs" are so long that these fish have developed a special adaptation in order to accommodate such teeth.
The fangtooth has special pouches located on the roof of its mouth which prevent its sharp teeth from piercing its brain when its mouth is closed. Interestingly, young fangtooths possess only a single row of teeth before they develop more as adults.
Researchers know little about the fangtooth's mating behavior, but the fish are known to reproduce via external fertilization. This means that female fangtooths release their eggs and males release their sperm into the open water at the same time, fertilizing the eggs outside of the fish's body.
Unfortunately, little else is known about these bizarre sea animals, aside from the fact that they're sure to trigger an intense case of thalassophobia.
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