Triplewart seadevil

Cryptopsaras couesii

The triplewart seadevil (Cryptopsaras couesii) is a species of anglerfish in the family Ceratiidae. It is the only species of the genus Cryptopsaras.

Description

Physical appearance

Female triplewart seadevils have a long body. It has a bioluminescent organ, the esca, on its head. Adult females have jet-black skin while juveniles are dark brown.

Female Cryptopsaras couesii

Sexual dimorphism

Triplewart seadevils exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism, where males parasitize females.

References

  1. ↑ "Records of deep-sea anglerfishes (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) from Indonesia, with descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa".
  2. ↑ "The Occurrence of the Deep-Sea Anglerfish, Cryptopsaras couesii, in Monterey Bay, California. Copeia".
  3. ↑ "On the species composition and the distribution of Ceratiid anglers (Ceratiidae) in Russian and adjacent waters. Journal of Ichthyology".
  4. ↑ "Dimorphism, parasitism, and sex revisited: modes of reproduction among deep-sea ceratioid anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes). Ichthyological Research".