(Ulvøya
- Sør-Trøndelag / 10 meters / 6.10.2001)
(Ulvøya
- Sør-Trøndelag / 10 meters / 6.10.2001)
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Gnathostomata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lophiiformes
Norwegian: marulker
Anglerfish have perhaps the most spectacular appearance of all fishes. There are approximately 150 species around the world, many of them living on extreme depths. Perhaps the most distinct feature is one of the dorsal spines that resembles a fishing pole. Some of the deep sea anglerfish even have light in the end of the pole. It is used to attract small fish close to the enormous mouth. When the mouth is opened the fish is simply sucked in.
The monkfish is the only anglerfish living on diveable depths in Norway.