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Lophiiformes and Ophidiiformes of the Adriatic.

Anglerfishes (Lophiiformes) is the order of ray-finned fishes, which currently comprises 5 suborders with 18 families, 78 genera, and 363 species.

Almost all representatives of Lophiiformes look very bizarre. They are sea inhabitants, most of which prefer to swim in the deep sea.

(Humpback anglerfish. Postage stamp of the Republic of the Congo)

Lophiiformes are mostly predators that use an original organ called illicium to attract potential prey. This organ was formed in the process of evolution from the first three spines of the dorsal fin, outwardly resembling a “fishing rod”. In most Lophiiformes species, the first thread is the longest; it ends in a skin pouch – a “lure” called esca. Esca differs in shape and size in different species; it is equipped with a variety of skin outgrowths. Anglerfishes can move esca in different directions, thereby attracting fish or shrimp, which sees esca as prey. Fish and shrimps come close to anglerfishes and become prey themselves. Esca of some deep-sea anglerfishes emits light; symbiotic bacteria are the source of the luminescence.

(Anglerfish from the Caulophrynidae family. Photo © Peachy-Persimmons. reddit.com)

The body of anglerfishes is bare and has no scales. It often has a large number of skin outgrowths, covered with tubercles and plaques.

Pelagic species have a laterally compressed body, while bottom fish species, on the contrary, have a “flattened” body. Anglerfishes can be a few centimeters to a meter long.

Bottom species are ambush predators that spend most of their time waiting for their prey absolutely motionless, lurking, almost completely merging with the bottom.

Two representatives of the order of the Lophiidae family are found in the Adriatic Sea:

Blackbellied angler (Lophius budegassa).

(Blackbellied angler. Photo by © Gianni Neto. fishbase.org)

It inhabits the depths of 300-1,013 meters. It prefers to swim near the sandy and silty bottom. The maximum recorded length is 100 cm; specimens up to 50 cm long are more common. It feeds mainly on fish. It chases its prey, partially buried in the ground, waiting for it, drawing its attention with a mobile outgrowth on its head resembling a worm. It’s a permanent inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea, which is more often found in its southern part.

Angler (Lophius piscatorius).

(Angler. Photo © animalworld.com.ua)

It inhabits the depths of 20-1,000 meters. It prefers to swim near a sandy, silty, less often rocky bottom. The maximum recorded length is 200 cm; specimens about 100 cm long are more common. The maximum weight is 57.7 kg. It feeds on fish. It chases its prey, partially buried in the ground, waiting for it, drawing its attention with a mobile outgrowth on its head resembling a worm. It’s a permanent inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea.

The Ophidiiformes order currently comprises 5 families with 533 species. However, the latter number is likely to increase along with the ongoing exploration of the depths of the World Ocean.

Many species inhabit the deep sea; the representative Ophidiiformes Abyssobrotula galatheae was found at the depth of about 8,370 meters in the vicinity of Puerto Rico.

Many other species are inhabitants of coastal shoals. They inhabit coral reefs. There are representatives of the family that inhabit freshwater bodies.

(Abyssobrotula galatheae. Photo © California Academy of Sciences. gbif.org)

Most of them are inhabitants of tropical and subtropical waters, but some species inhabit the northern seas, for example, the coastal zone of Greenland and the Weddell Sea.

Ophidiiformes usually have a long body, which is often not covered with scales, and a small head. The long dorsal and anal fins are attached to the caudal fin.

Representatives of the order keep a pelagic, bottom (benthic), as well as parasitic lifestyle.

Fishes can be from 5 centimeters (Grammanoides opisthodon) to 2 meters (Lamprogrammus shcherbachevi) long.

8 species of 3 families are found in the Adriatic Sea:

Bellottia apoda.

(Bellottia apoda. Photo by © Jørgen G. Nielsen, Steve W. Ross, Daniel M. Cohen. Atlantic Occurrence Of The Genus Bellottia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) With Two New Species From The Western North Atlantic. researchgate.net)

It inhabits the depths of 30-569 meters. The maximum recorded length is 6.5 cm. It feeds on zooplankton. It was found several times in the Adriatic Sea. It’s a rare understudied species.

Grammonus ater.

(Grammonus ater. Photo by © Enrico Pati. naturamediterraneo.com)

It often swims close to rocky shores, but, apparently, it prefers to swim in the deep sea most of the time. The maximum recorded length is 12 cm. It is active at night, and it hides in rock crevices during the day. It’s a permanent inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea, which is more often found in its southern part.

Pearl fish (Carapus acus).

(Pearl fish. Photo by © Alessandro Pagano. fishbase.org)

It inhabits the depths of 1-150 meters. The maximum recorded length is 20.8 cm. This unusual fish has found a home in the intestines of shallow sea cucumbers without harming its “host”. It leaves its shelter at night and chases small fish and benthic invertebrates. It’s a permanent inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea.

Echiodon dentatus.

(Echiodon dentatus. Photo by © Domingo Lloris. fishbase.org)

It inhabits the depths of 120-3,250 meters. The maximum recorded length is 17 cm. It is more often found in the southern part of the Adriatic Sea. It’s a rare species.

Benthocometes robustus.

(Benthocometes robustus. Photo © DOP-University of the Azores. boldsystems.org)

It inhabits the depths of 500-1,000 meters. The maximum recorded length is 15 cm. It’s a rare inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea, which is more often found in its southern part. It’s an understudied species.

Snake blenny (Ophidion barbatum).

(Snake blenny. Photo by © Stefano Guerrieri. wikipedia.org)

It inhabits the depths of up to 150 meters. The maximum recorded length is 25 cm. It feeds on small benthic organisms. It is nocturnal, hides during the day, buried in the sand. It’s a permanent inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea.

Roches snake blenny (Ophidion rochei).

(Roche’s snake blenny. Photo by © Sergii Dibrova. flickr.com/photos/serg_dibrova)

It inhabits the depths of 1-150 meters. The maximum recorded length is 29.3 cm. It feeds on zooplankton. It is nocturnal, hides during the day, buried in the sand. It’s a permanent inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea.

Parophidion vassali.

(Parophidion vassali. Photo by © Jaime E. Rodríguez. flickr.com/photos/112260846@N06)

It inhabits the depths of up to 200 meters. It prefers to swim at the rocky, sandy, and silty bottom. The maximum recorded length is 25 cm. It feeds on annelids, crustaceans, and small fish. It’s a permanent inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea. It’s a rare species.