Deep sea fish

Deep-sea fish are fish that have adapted to life in water depths below 500 meters. The greatest depth at which a fish was ever observed is approximately 10,900 m ( diving trip by Jacques Piccard 1960). The deep sea is characterized by a water temperature of around 4 ° C, the absence of vegetation and almost complete darkness. In the course of evolution, deep-sea fish have evolved adaptations to this extreme environment. It is worth noting that the specific characteristics of deep-sea fish, frequently arose independently in not more closely related genera in a very similar way ( convergence).

Conditions in the deep sea and adaptations of the fish living there

Darkness

The daylight only goes up to 300 m below the water surface. Fish that live in areas with low light, often have large eyes to maximize the light output, such as deep-sea Beilfische. However, some fish also live in total darkness; the eyes have then no longer function and resolved in the course of evolution. Many deep-sea fishes also possess light organs: In them is produced by a chemical reaction of light ( bioluminescence ), often with the help of symbiotic bacteria. Light organs meet with various kinds of different tasks, such as the lighting of the environment, Dating, or the attraction of prey. The latter function is placed in the deep-sea angler fish to perfection: These have an extension with a light organ at the end, the so-called Angel, which ends directly in front of the head. Small fish swim so, attracted by the light, in front of the mouth of the angler fish and are eaten.

Reproduction

Due to the low population density, the probability that males and females of the same species find each other extremely low. This resulted in some species, such as deep-sea angler fish, cause the dwarf males grows tightly together with the female, is fed by the bloodstream and from then limited to the production of sperm.

Taxa of deep-sea fishing

• Barrakudinas ( Paralepididae )
• Dornrückenaale ( Notacanthiformes )
• Catch toothfish (also: Journal scaler; Anoplogastridae )
• Tiefseequappen ( Ateleopodidae )
• Ghosts fish ( Opisthoproctidae )
• Lance fish ( Alepisauridae )
• Lantern Fish Related
• Maulstachler ( Stomiiformes ) Glowing fish ( Phosichthyidae )
• Barten dragon fish (also: shed dragon fish; Stomiidae )
• Deepwater Beilfische ( Sternoptychidae )