In One Ear: From the depths
“A deep-sea angler fish, called a Pacific footballfish (Himantoliphus sagamius) was found by local beachcombers just south of Cannon Beach,” a note from the Seaside Aquarium said. “Living in complete darkness, at 2,000 to 3,300 feet, these fish are rarely seen.
“In fact, only 31 specimens have been recorded around the world. While a handful of footballfish have been recorded in New Zealand, Japan, Russia, Hawaii, Ecuador, Chile and California, this is the first one reported on the Oregon Coast to our knowledge.”
Of note: The California Academy of Sciences has a 6-inch Pacific footballfish specimen. It was hauled up in some fishermen’s nets in 1985 in Monterey Bay, California.
“Little is known about their life history, but what is known is unusually fascinating,” the aquarium’s note continued. “Like other angler fish, they use light that shines from a phosphorescent bulb on their forehead to attract prey. Food at the depths that these guys peruse can be very sparse, so footballfish are not picky eaters. They eat anything that can fit into their mouths.
“Only females actively hunt, as the males are actually more like parasites. Males, being 10 times smaller than females, find a female to fuse themselves to. They lose their eyes and internal organs, getting all their nutrients from their female partners. In return, they provide females with a steady source of sperm. How the males find the females in the pitch dark is still unknown.”
