Deep-sea Anglerfish Research Articles

Deep-sea anglerfish (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) diversity from the western North Atlantic throughout morphology and DNA barcoding

Deep-sea anglerfish (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) diversity from the western North Atlantic throughout morphology and DNA barcoding

Loss of immunity lets a sexual parasite hold on tight.

Deep-sea anglerfish that mate via sexual parasitism have lost key components of adaptive immunity.

How Are Species Discovered?

The aim of this paper is twofold: The general aim is to shed light on the structure of species discoveries new to biology by bringing together a practice-oriented philosophy of science perspective with a philosophy of language perspective. The more specific aim is to argue that and to show how the overall structure of biological species discoveries comprises aspects of both institutional and non-institutional reality. The author proceeds as follows: (1) he shows that placing the focus on the topic of scientific discoveries enables us to circumvent two long-standing problems. (2) He analyzes three fictional cases of discoveries in order to bring about a greater sensitivity for the concept of discovery. (3) He takes a closer look at a real example – the discovery of a deep-sea anglerfish – and identifies the main structural features of species discovery processes in biology. (4) In order to connect these results with Searle’s account of institutional reality, he provides an overview of the conceptual apparatus needed here. (5) In bringing Searle’s account together with the structural features of species discoveries developed before, he shows to what extent declarative speech acts play a central role in species discovery processes in biology.

Cohn, Scotti, illustrated byBersani, Shennen. 2014. Animal Partners. Abordale Publishing,Mount Pleasant, SC, USA, ISBN 978‐1628554564, 32 pp., $9.95, PBKurtz, Kevin, illustrated byHunter, Erin E. 2013. A Day in the Deep. Sylvan Dell Publishing,Mount Pleasant, SC, USA, ISBN‐13 978‐1607186298, 32 pp., $9.95, PB

I was pleasantly surprised to see both “Animal Partners” and “Day in the Deep” by Arbordale Publishing because too many children's books do not convey accurate science or may not reflect the most intriguing scientific discoveries. As an oceanographer, I want my field to be accessible and exciting for children and, personally, to be able to read science books to the young people in my life. As a sampling of what science-related books Arbordale Publishing has to offer, “Animal Partners” and “A Day in the Deep” mostly achieve those goals. Both books are a short collection of vignettes on each page spread; “Animal Partners” describes a different land or water-based animal symbiosis while “Day in the Deep” illustrates symbioses in 500-foot depth increments from the ocean surface to the seafloor. In both books, there are no introductory comments, no linkages between vignettes such that each stands on its own, nor a conclusion to tie all of the individual vignettes together, which represents a missed opportunity for synthesis and conceptual learning. Strengths of these books include their scientific accuracy, both in text and illustration, and their curriculum connections. For these reasons, they are good supplemental out-of-class learning experiences. The content of the books is aligned into the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards, and standards alignment is available on the publisher's website. The books have 4 pages of interactive review activities at the end of the book and an additional teaching activities guide (publisher's website). I put my deep-sea biology experience to the test as I critically reviewed “A Day in the Deep” for scientific accuracy, and I can attest to the fact that this book is scientifically sound. The best stories in “Animal Partners” explain the biological interactions of the symbiosis (almost all mutualisms). Likewise, my least favorite stories just describe two creatures living together without an explanation for the nature of the symbiosis. For instance, one vignette discusses how barnacles can live on shells of sea turtles, but the reader learns nothing about the commensal relationship. A microbiologist like myself will be disappointed to not find any vignettes about microbe-animal symbioses. “A Day in the Deep” describes deep-sea adaptations for some of the world's weirdest-looking critters, including the gulper eel, the deep-sea angler fish (and her parasitic males), and the viperfish, all critters whose day in the sun has finally come. I was pleasantly surprised to see a vignette about a whale fall, but, sadly, it failed to hint at chemosynthesis. The author missed a fantastic opportunity for generating interest in ocean discovery when the illustrator put in three pictures of an ROV (resembling Jason) but failed to even mention ROVs in the text. Although the books had a few shortcomings in promoting conceptual learning, I am still excited to share these aquatic science children's books with the young people in my life! Rachel E. A. Horak, American Society for Microbiology, 8901B Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase, MD 20815 USA; rahorak@gmail.com

A new anglerfish from eastern Australia and New Caledonia (Lophiiformes: Chaunacidae: Chaunacops), with new data and submersible observation of Chaunacops melanostomus.

A new deep-sea anglerfish of the genus Chaunacops is described based on three specimens collected from eastern Australia and New Caledonia. It differs from its congeners in having fine dermal spinules, mixed with simple and bifurcate ones, densely covering the body, four neuromasts on the pectoral series of the lateral line and a combination of other characteristics. Data for Chaunacops melanostomus based on 31 specimens newly collected from Western Australia are provided. An underwater observation of C. melanostomus made by a remotely operated vehicle is also provided.

New species and new records of deepsea anglerfish of the family Oneirodidae

New species and new records of deepsea anglerfish of the family Oneirodidae

Sexual Parasitism in the Deep-sea Ceratioid Anglerfish Centrophryne spinulosa Regan and Trewavas (Lophiiformes: Centrophrynidae)

A sexually parasitized female of the deep-sea ceratioid anglerfish Centrophryne spinulosa is described for the first time, bringing the number of ceratioid species known to exhibit sexual parasitism to 24 and the number of ceratioid families to six. The attached pair represents the largest known individuals of both sexes. The extreme and puzzling rarity of parasitized females in some of the best known ceratioid species is discussed. While it has been hypothesized that some ceratioid taxa reproduce solely by temporary male–female attachment, it now seems reasonable to expect the eventual discovery of parasitized females in any of the remaining ceratioid taxa.

A new species of deep-sea anglerfish, genus Himantolophus (Lophiiformes: Himantolophidae) from the Western South Pacific, with comments on the validity of H. pseudalbinares

A new species of the deep-sea ceratioid anglerfish genus Himantolophus is described from a single specimen caught off the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. A member of the Himantolophus cornifer-group, based on the absence of a posterior escal appendage, the new species is described and compared with the five previously recognized members of the group. Evidence is provided to confirm the validity of Himantolophus pseudalbinares, a species previously confused with H. albinares.

Here there be monsters

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

Rearing of a Deep-sea Anglerfish Ceratias holboelli Collected in West of Sagami Knoll

Rearing of a Deep-sea Anglerfish <i>Ceratias holboelli</i> Collected in West of Sagami Knoll

New finding of a rare deep-sea ceratioid anglerfish, Dermatias platynogaster Smith et Radcliffe (Lophiiformes: Oneirodidae)

Smith and Radcliffe (in Radcliffe, 1912) described Dermatias platynogaster , a deep-sea ceratioid anglerfish of the family Oneirodidae, based on a single female, 134 mm SL, collected from deep waters off the east coast of Luzon, Philippines. Since that time, this finding was cited as valid in all systematic and faunistic reviews of deep-sea anglerfishes of the World (Regan, 1926; Parr, 1927; Regan and Trewavas, 1932) until Bertelsen (1951) placed the species into the synonymy of Oneirodes eschrichtii . The second author of this work held nominally the same opinion in his review of the genus Oneirodes (Pietsch, 1974).

Selective protein degradation by ligand-targeted enzymes: towards the creation of catalytic antagonists.

Molecular angler fish: By precisely positioning different binding ligands (L) around the active site “mouth” of a degradative proteinase enzyme, target proteins (TP) can be plucked from solution, locked in position adjacent to the catalytic triad “jaws”, and in this way readily and specifically degraded (see scheme). In this strategy, the appropriate ligand acts as a homing device to confer and enhance selectivity, in the best case by more than 350-fold, in a generic process that exploits the intrinsic, ligand-recognition capabilities of the protein target to trigger its own destruction. The hunting strategy of the deep sea Angler Fish, which uses a lure above its mouth, illustrates this principle.

Cover Picture: Selective Protein Degradation by Ligand‐Targeted Enzymes: Towards the Creation of Catalytic Antagonists (ChemBioChem 6/2003)

AbstractThe cover picture shows a ligand‐targeted proteinase enzyme or “catalytic antagonist” acting as a molecular angler fish: By precisely positioning different binding ligands (L) around the active site “mouth” of a degradative proteinase enzyme, target proteins (TP) can be plucked from solution, locked in position adjacent to the catalytic triad “jaws”, and in this way readily and specifically degraded. The hunting strategy of the deep sea angler fish, which uses a lure above its mouth, illustrates this principle. Further details can be found in the article by B. Davis, R. R. Bott, J. B. Jones et. al. on pp. 533–537.

A record of the deep‐sea anglerfish, Cryptopsaras couesi Gill, from the north‐eastern Atlantic

A record of the deep‐sea anglerfish, Cryptopsaras couesi Gill, from the north‐eastern Atlantic

A New Species of Ceratioid Anglerfish of the Genus Dolopichthys (Pisces: Lophiiformes) from the Western North Atlantic Ocean

A new deep-sea anglerfish of the oneirodid genus Dolopichthys Garman is described on the basis of three female specimens recently collected from the western North Atlantic Ocean. It differs from all previously described species in having a darkly pigmented, anteriorly directed papilla on the dorsal midline of the escal bulb. The new form appears to be most closely related phylogenetically to Dolopichthys allector Garman. A revised key to the genus is provided.

A New Genus and Species of Deep-Sea Anglerfish (Pisces: Oneirodidae) from the Northern Pacific Ocean

A new genus and species of deep-sea anglerfish of the family Oneirodidae is described on the basis of eight female specimens from the northern Pacific Ocean. Although the new form appears to be closely related to the oneirodid genus Dolopichthys, it is unique among oneirodid genera in having a hyomandibular bone with a single head. Morphological differences between the new genus and Dolopichthys relate functionally to differences in food and feeding habits.

A Remarkable New Genus and Species of Deep-Sea Angler-Fish (Family Oneirodidae) from off Guadalupe Island, Mexico

California and Baja California, and the Gulf of California have yielded to investigators seven of the ten recognized families of the deep-sea ceratioid angler-fishes: Caulophrynidae, Centrophrynidae, Ceratiidae, Gigantactinidae, Linophrynidae, Melanocetidae, and Oneirodidae. These families are well represented by 12 genera and approximately 19 species in collections taken in the last 15 years by the R/V VELERO IV of the Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California. All of these fishes con-