| Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary 1,739,922,475 visitors served. |
|
Dictionary/ thesaurus | Medical dictionary | Legal dictionary | Financial dictionary | Acronyms | Idioms | Encyclopedia | Wikipedia encyclopedia | ? |
anglerfish |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.01 sec. |
anglerfishAny of about 210 species of marine fishes (order Lophiiformes) named for their method of “fishing” for prey. The foremost spine of the dorsal fin is located on the head and is modified into a “fishing rod” tipped with a fleshy “bait.” Prey fishes attracted to this lure stray close enough for the anglerfish to swallow them. Often bizarre in form, anglerfishes are also characterized by small gill openings and by limblike pectoral and (in some species) pelvic fins. Most species inhabit the sea bottom. In some species the small male bites into the larger female's body, his mouth fuses with the skin, and the bloodstreams of the two become permanently connected. anglerfish [′aŋ·glər‚fish] (vertebrate zoology) Any of several species of the order Lophiiformes characterized by remnants of a dorsal fin seen as a few rays on top of the head that are modified to bear a terminal bulb. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
|
| ? Mentioned in | ? References in periodicals archive | |
|---|---|---|
Another famous resident of the twilight zone is the angler fish,
which also hunts with a glowing lure. The
prize illustration may be the one on the dust jacket; the grotesquely
elaborate angler fish - with leafy fringes on his lip and exotic spine
"antennae" - cruising 3,000 feet below the ocean's
surface, luring small fish, squid, and crustaceans into the serried
ranks of pointed teeth that extend from lip to deep down in the throat. |
| Encyclopedia |
| Free Tools: |
For surfers:
Free toolbar & extensions |
Word of the Day |
Help
For webmasters: Free content | Linking | Lookup box | Double-click lookup | Partner with us |
|---|