A bizarre mating ritual

THE MALE ANGLERFISH GETS COMPLETELY SCREWED

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The angry looking deep sea anglerfish has a right to be cranky. Most who have seen it find it the ugliest creature on the planet. It lives in what is easily Earth’s most inhospitable habitat- the lonely, cold and lightless bottom of the sea. But despite its looks, it is an incredible example of adaptation and survival in most extreme environment.

Anglerfish

From birth, a male angler fish is basically worthless. He’s small, weak and can barely find food. However, he’s born with a great sense of smell, which becomes the driving force behind his existence. The smell is actually the pheromone of a flirty female anglerfish, which he will search for his entire lifetime.

Male anglerfish

Female anglerfish

The female anglerfish is huge, vicious and capable. More than 250 different species of anglerfish have a lure, an appendage that they use to catch other fish for food. Protruding from the top of the fish’s head, the lure is long and thin, and often has a feathery end that attracts prey. The Black Sea dragon, a deep water anglerfish, has a lure with an added attraction. In the dark depths of the ocean, light producing bacteria live in this lure. The bacteria and Black Sea dragon benefit from this relationship. The bacteria feed off the Black Sea dragon, and their glow attracts other fish, which may end up as a delicious meal for the sea dragon.

The lure of an anglerfish attracts prey

Once the mating partner is found by following sexual scent released by the female, this bizarre mating ritual begins. The male, upon seeing her, will realize his calling in and he’ll start biting her.  While biting, his lips will start to melt. This is because when the male hooks itself to the with small teeth, he releases an enzyme which digests the skin of his mouth and her body, enabling the fusion of the two with the male becoming a parasite as their blood vessels join. Then, his eyes and internal organs will also start melting and fuse into the side of the female’s body. Eventually, his entire body will fuse into hers and he will totally depend on female nourishment. The only thing that will remain is a pair of gonads which the female can later use to impregnate herself. Basically, he becomes a pair of shiny new testicles for the female. Balls are like snowflakes, they are unique and beautiful, and every animal is allowed only one pair. A female anglerfish, however, defiles this notion and carries six or more males on her body which make sperm instantly available whenever she is ready to reproduce.

Anglerfish mating

 So, if you are ever in the mood for some real life horror, catch a video of the anglerfish.