Lophiiformes

E49274

Lophiiformes is an order of ray-finned fishes best known for the anglerfishes, which use a bioluminescent lure to attract prey in deep-sea environments.

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Statements (60)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ray-finned fish order
taxonomic order
bioluminescenceSource symbiotic bacteria in many deep-sea forms
class Actinopterygii
commonName anglerfishes
diet cephalopods
crustaceans
fish
distribution worldwide oceans
ecologicalRole mesopredator in deep-sea ecosystems
top predator on some continental shelves
feedingBehavior lures prey with modified dorsal spine
swallows prey whole
finStructure distal fleshy lure called esca
first dorsal-fin spine modified as illicium
habitat bathypelagic zones
benthic zones
continental shelf
deep sea
marine
hasCharacteristic ambush predators
bioluminescent lure in many species
bony fishes
distensible stomach
large head
modified first dorsal-fin spine as a lure
often globose body in deep-sea forms
often laterally compressed body
parasitic dwarf males in some families
predatory fishes
ray-finned
reduced body size relative to head
sexual dimorphism
sit-and-wait feeding strategy
slow swimmers
small gill openings
wide mouth
includes Anglerfish
surface form: Antennarius striatus

Anglerfish
surface form: Lophius piscatorius

Anglerfish
surface form: Melanocetus johnsonii
kingdom Animalia
namedBy Charles Lucien Bonaparte
notableFamily Antennariidae
Ceratiidae
Himantolophidae
Lophiidae
Melanocetidae
Ogcocephalidae
Oneirodidae
phylum Chordata
relatedTo Batrachoidiformes
Gadiformes
reproduction external fertilization
pelagic eggs in many species
sexual parasitism in some deep-sea species
superorder Neopterygii
surface form: Paracanthopterygii
taxonRank order
usesBioluminescenceFor attracting prey
intraspecific signaling in some species
yearDescribed 1835

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Actinopterygii includesOrder Lophiiformes