Black seadevil

Humpback anglerfish, Melanocetus johnsonii

The black seadevils are a genus of anglerfish that live in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Only one species, M. rossi, lives in the Ross Sea.

Description

These fish are called "black seadevils" because of their vicious-looking appearance, which is signified by their sharp teeth. They have round bodies and a bioluminescent appendage.

Species

The genus contains 6 species:

• Melanocetus eustalus Pietsch & Van Duzer, 1980
• Melanocetus johnsonii Günther, 1864 (Humpback anglerfish)
• Melanocetus murrayi Günther, 1887 (Murray's abyssal anglerfish)
• Melanocetus niger Regan, 1925
• Melanocetus polyactis Regan, 1925
• Melanocetus rossi Balushkin & Fedorov, 1981 (Ross Sea anglerfish)

Gallery

• 
  Melanocetus murrayi
• 
  Melanocetus eustalus
• 
  Melanocetus johnsonii

References

1. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Melanocetus". FishBase. April 2012 version.
2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Melanocetus johnsonii, Humpback anglerfish". FishBase. 2015 version.
3. "Elusive Black Seadevil gets close up".