Here there be monsters

摘要: Ancient mariners and early cartographers were right—there are monsters in the ocean depths, with gaping mouths, scimitar teeth glowing appendages. These aliens have everything a science fiction movie could dream of: luminescent lures, outrageous morphology, bizarre sex habits. Fortunately, most of them less than 20 cm long. Ceratioidei, deep sea anglerfishes that subject Ted Pietsch’s life’s work remarkable new volume, Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity Deep Sea. Part coffee table book, part technical reference, this beautifully illustrated book describes each species detail, some from single known specimens. The are, undoubtedly, one fascinating highly derived vertebrate groups on planet. They live cold, dark, inhospitable world where extreme conditions promoted morphological, behavioral, physiological adaptations (Koslow 2006). Live observations anglers rare; described mangled specimens trawled or dredged hundreds even thousands meters below surface. fantastic names, like “mischievous dreamers” (Puck pinnata) “whipnosed devils” (Gigantactis spp, few suborder relatively large bodied at up to 40 cm). fish make their living food-poor environment by use lure attract prey—a stalked appendage, called illicium, tipped bioluminescent bulb, esca (Garman 1899). Escal appendages diverse size shape, bulbs filamentous branches, can wave prey. filled bacteria symbiotic relationship may be species-specific (Haygood Distal 1993). Pietsch illustrates all anglerfish expounding diversity exhibited as an evolutionary model for adaptation. other structures jaw engulfing prey, including members family (Thaumatichthyidae, “snaggle toothed “wonderfishes”) entire face net trap, complete hanging roof mouths. Anglerfish bodies generally soft globular, features used diagnostic Environ Biol Fish (2010) 88:301–304 DOI 10.1007/s10641-010-9637-6