Murray's abyssal anglerfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Murray's abyssal anglerfish |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Lophiiformes |
| Family: | Melanocetidae |
| Genus: | Melanocetus |
| Species: |
M. murrayi
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| Binomial name | |
| Melanocetus murrayi Günther, 1887
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| Synonyms | |
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Melanocetus murrayi, also known as Murray's abyssal anglerfish, is a fascinating deep-sea fish that lives in the deepest parts of the ocean. It's a type of anglerfish and belongs to the family called Melanocetidae. You can find this fish in warm and mild waters all around the world, living at amazing depths of over 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet)!
Female Murray's abyssal anglerfish can grow up to 13.5 centimeters (about 5.3 inches) long. The males are much smaller, reaching only about 2.8 centimeters (about 1.1 inches).
Contents
Discovery and Naming
How Murray's Anglerfish Got Its Name
This unique fish was first described in 1887 by a German zoologist named Albert Günther. He found it while studying samples collected during the famous Challenger expedition. This expedition, which took place from 1872 to 1876, was the very first scientific journey to explore the deep parts of the ocean.
The fish was named in honor of Sir John Murray. He was a British biologist who was part of the Challenger expedition. Sir John Murray was also one of the people who helped start the new study of oceanography, which is the science of the ocean.
What Murray's Anglerfish Looks Like
Female Anglerfish Features
Like other anglerfish in its genus, the female M. murrayi has some very interesting features. It has a large mouth that slants upwards and jaws filled with long, sharp fangs that can bend inwards. Its small nostrils are raised on a little bump.
One of the most amazing parts is its illicium. This is a long, modified spine on its back that acts like a fishing rod. At the tip of this "fishing rod" is a special lure called an esca. This esca glows with bioluminescent light, which means it can make its own light! The esca is usually oval-shaped, sometimes with a small ridge at the back.
The fish's skin is smooth and does not have any scales. The distance between its eyes is about 2/5 to 4/7 of the width of its head. Its lower jaw is quite long, measuring about 2/5 to 1/2 of the fish's total length. The illicium (the "fishing rod") is about 1/4 to 1/3 of the fish's length.
Fin Details
The fins of the Murray's abyssal anglerfish also have specific numbers of soft rays. The second dorsal fin has 12 to 14 rays. The anal fin has 3 to 4 rays. Each pectoral fin has 15 to 18 rays, and the tail fin (caudal fin) has 9 rays.
Size Difference
As mentioned, the females are much larger than the males. Females can grow to about 13.5 centimeters (5.3 inches) long. Males are tiny in comparison, reaching only about 2.8 centimeters (1.1 inches).
Where Murray's Anglerfish Lives
Deep Ocean Home
M. murrayi is found all over the world in tropical and temperate ocean areas. This means it has a cosmopolitan distribution. You can find it between about 64° North and 43° South latitude.
This fish lives in very deep waters, from the surface all the way down to over 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet). However, most of these fish have been found at depths greater than 1,500 meters (about 4,900 feet). That's a super deep and dark part of the ocean!
Conservation Status
Is Murray's Anglerfish in Danger?
Scientists have recorded over three hundred female Murray's abyssal anglerfish and four free-swimming males. Sometimes, these fish are accidentally caught by fishing boats that trawl (drag nets) in the deep sea.
Even though it seems to be an uncommon species, living mostly below 1,500 meters (4,900 feet), scientists have not found any major threats to this fish. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has decided that its conservation status is "least concern". This means they are not worried about this species becoming endangered anytime soon.
 | Claudette Colvin |
 | Myrlie Evers-Williams |
 | Alberta Odell Jones |
