Finally, Robison says the black seadevil, also known as the humpback anglerfish, might have been swallowed or ensnared by a larger predator, such as a pilot whale, seal, sea lion, or even a jellyfish. Then, the predator either spat it out or the anglerfish broke free closer to the surface.
What the black seadevil can tell us about the deep sea
Even though the black seadevil died shortly after the footage was taken, seeing it alive even briefly is a huge opportunity.
“These animals have been known for a very long time. They’ve been captured in nets going back to the 19th century,” says Robison. “It’s just that all the specimens that were available to work with previously were dead ones.”
(7 sea creatures we can’t believe are real.)
Those specimens have taught us that black seadevils create their own light thanks to their symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria. And many anglerfish species—although not necessarily this one—reproduce in a rather striking fashion: Much smaller males, sometimes several at a time, will actually fuse their bodies to a female, who draws upon their genetic material when she’s ready to reproduce.
Source link